Chapter 49: The Anxious Childhood Friend

This is bad, This is bad. Before those words filled my head, I told myself to calm down.

Calm down. There will be no problem as long as I remain calm.

As I told myself to calm down over and over, I managed to regain the minimum level of composure.

Right now Im Silver. Im not Arnold.

I dont need to make any excuses.

Rather, I cant. Silver has nothing to hide after all.

You want to know?

Isnt that obvious!? Who did you hear that from!?

I have no obligation or any reason to tell you.

While trying to act carefree around her, I remind myself to act like Silver. The battle mode Elna is dangerous. She can even notice the most trivial thing. It will be over if she felt something unnatural from me.

Given Elnas personality, I cant afford to let her find out that I am Silver right now.

What did you say!?

Hey, its started to move again you know? Are you really fine not finishing it off?

! I will definitely get you to talk later!

Well, it will depend on my mood at that time.

With the crisis averted, I focus my attention on Leviathan.

I descend to the sea instead of Elna and stand in front of Leviathan that is standing up.

I let out a small sigh and used my right hand to hold down my raging heartbeats. 

Controlling my breath, I somehow managed to calm down.

Seriously, I never thought that getting found out by her would be scarier than fighting a dragon. As expected of my strongest childhood friend. 

Well, I was being careless though.

It will be fine after this. Theres no need to stay here and answer her question, I can just use transfer magic to run away or make something up too.

With my personal crisis gone, the rest is just how to deal with the Sea Dragon in front of me.

[[You bastard..this is the first time I received such a grave wound..and to think that the one who inflicted is a human too.]]

Thats why I told you not to underestimate a human.

[[I understand from that attack. That girl, she is the descendant of the one who cut down the Demon King right? To think that she can use that hated sword..]]

What then? You want to withdraw now?

[[Dont make me laugh no dragon would run away from humans!!]]

Saying so, Leviathan opened its mouth and roared.

Dragon roar. It is something that can scare any being. It is something that can crush the mind of their enemy.

The weak-willed will faint. In fact, the fleets surrounding Leviathan were sent into a panic.

It will be bad to leave it like this huh. I want them to quickly evacuate but there are still many ships left in the area.

[[I will have you pay for wounding this body of mine!]]

Selfishly decided things by yourself huh. As expected of a dragon.

Saying so, I slowly rise up to the sky.

I need to buy more time.

Hero woman. Lend me an ear.

What..?

Why are you taking your distance?

You might suddenly drop me into the sea right..!

Like a cat on guard, Elna shakes her body while increasing the distance between us.

This is a serious affair so can you not act like a cat that is afraid to take a bath.

Seriously.

I wouldnt do that, Im not confident that I can take on both The Sea Dragon and a Hero at the same time after all.

What did you say!

While she is talking with me, Elna still doesnt let down her guard against Leviathan.

Leviathan opened its mouth and shot out its water breath.

While deploying defense magic to slow it down, we get away from that place.

Leviathans breath shot up to the sky and tears through the clouds. If it hit us directly, there would probably be nothing left.

If that thing hits the town area then everything will be over.

Do you have any plans!?

Can you cut it down again?

Impossible. It is already on guard against me. I cant use the same move twice. If its not in the sea then I would be able to manage it somehow though

Elna fired up a little but when she looked at the sea she immediately recoiled and dropped her shoulders.

Meanwhile, Leviathan releases a large number of water bullets toward us. While defending against them, I propose something to Elna.

Then, you can do something about it if it isnt in the sea correct?

What are you planning?

Splitting the sea.

Haa!?

Elna shouts in disbelief but unfortunately, I was serious.

I thought about capturing it in a barrier and dragging it up to the sky but it would be troublesome when I have to get away from it.

I will isolate a part of the sea with a barrier. If I do that you can fight it without any problems right?

Are you planning to make an empty space in the middle of the sea?

Something like that.

What if the barrier collapsed?

The sea would come crashing down on you.

With that obvious reply, Elnas expression instantly turned fearful.

She unintentionally imagines what its like huh.

No way! You might break the barrier after the fight is over right!

I have no intention to do something that would turn the Empire into my enemy. Moreover, I think an imperial knight like you should understand that this is no time to say something selfish like that right?

Uu..that is

I cant give it a decisive blow. It will try to disrupt me while I try to cast a spell after all. If we take our time there will be more victims as well. I think this plan benefits both of us though?

.you are asking me to trust you?

Thats right. Trust me.

How can I trust someone who cant even show his face

Elna bitterly stares at me.

Stop that. Its not my fault.

I dont want to send a woman with aquaphobia into the middle of the sea too but there is no easy way to defeat it other than this.

Elna who has been silent for a while opens her mouth.

tell me. Who told you that I am afraid of water?

..He told me to keep it a secret though?

Just tell me already!

Haaits Prince Arnold. I exchanged information with him back in Rondine. Thats when he told me.

Al? He told you that? Let me say this first, Al is not someone that easily trusts others you know. He will never entrust someone with important information unless he trusts that person. If you are lying to me then I will never forgive you, you know?

Thats a mean thing to say.

Well, its not like shes wrong though.

Im not lying. What should I do to get you to trust me?

.What did Al say? When he told you about my weakness.

I stay silent for a while.

What would I say when I tell others about Elnas weakness?

What reason could I have to reveal her weakness to others?

When I thought so, words suddenly poured out of my mouth.

Shes an annoying childhood friend but please take care of her for me, he said something like that. He was probably worried about your aquaphobia in his own way.

!?

For a moment, Elna cast her eyes down as her face turned red.

Then.

He is such a worrywart.seriously..stupid Al..

After a few words, Elna sighed and slowly began to lower her altitude.

I assume that you agree to follow my plan?

Yeah, but I still dont trust you. I only do this because Al trusted you. If Al judged that he can tell my weakness to you thenWell, whatever. I dont like it but I will forgive you this once for Als sake.

Saying so, Elna descends toward Leviathan.

Even if it is lying on its side, it is still big. Even when she approached its head, there are still some distances between her and the sea. However, to Elna, that must seem like the land of the dead.

Lets start this already shall we?

I form a square barrier with Leviathan and Elna at the center and steadily expanding it.

The sea is being pushed out by the barrier while the ships in the vicinity also move away from the area.

As the barrier reached the bottom of the sea, the ocean floor became visible.

[[Hmph! Forming a barrier to have a one on one with me, you are quite cheeky huh. Are you that confident in yourself? Little girl.]]

Im not.. But I can say this. This is the worst possible place I can set my foot into..

Its not like I dont know what Elna was talking about.

Although water cant enter the barrier, she is still being surrounded by water on all sides.

From Elnas point of view, it would be no different from hell.

However, Elna still holds up her holy sword.

But, Even so..I will fight! I cant allow my childhood friend to worry about me any more than this!

Saying so, Elna inserts magic power into the holy sword.

The holy sword turns magic power into shining holy particles as it shines brighter and brighter.

[[Nuh!? This is!?]]

O Holy Sword of the Star..Release your power..destroy the enemy before me!!

As she said that, the light is converging on the blade of her holy sword.

An overwhelming amount of light gathered on the blade of the holy sword. That blade is almost as bright as the sun.

With her sword in hands, Elna charges straight at Leviathan.

[[Dont look down on me!!]]

Leviathan tried to intercept her with its water breath.

The water breath that can cut through everything head toward Elna but she simply receives it with her holy sword and continues to move forward.

[[WHATTT!?]]

HAAAAAAAAAAA! !

The holy sword tears through even Leviathans water breath.

Then, Elna accelerates.

Heavens Light Slash! !

Elnas sure-kill move bisected the over 50 meters long Leviathan in half.

However, thats not all.

It easily cut through the barrier that I erected.

Tsk!

As the water started to flood into the barrier, I descended down and got Elna out of there.

Wa!? Let me go!

You sure said something interesting when you were just panicking in front of those water. How about a thank you?

Its your job to save me in that situation right! Dont act like you did me a favor okay! And you shouldnt put down such a fragile barrier in the first place!

I wonder how many people on this continent are able to confidently say that my barrier was fragile. At the very least this is the first time someone has said that to me.

I almost replied to her with my usual tone but, I somehow managed to endure it.

Moreover, it is still not over yet.

Sorry that it was so fragile. Thanks to you it is a pain to retrieve it now.

Saying so, I plug the hole in the barrier, pull it out of the sea, and open a small hole in it to drain the water out.

Elna suspiciously stares at me.

What are you doing?

A dragon corpse can fetch a high price. Moreover, it was a dragon that got designated with S-rank. The money from this should be enough to reconstruct the city.

Ara? I thought that you were going to take it for yourself because you defeated it but it seems like I am wrong huh.

Usually, a monster corpse belongs to the person that defeated it but this time is a special case. It should be used for the reparation of the victim countries

Hmm.my image of you improved a little bit. So you also think about something like that huh.

Im not like a certain hero who only knows how to swing her sword after all.

Wha!?

Elnas shoulders shake with anger.

Meanwhile, I gently place Leviathans corpse at the collapsed port.

It will be fine if I have Elna explain my intention to them later.

Now, I guess its time to leave huh.

Well then, I will excuse myself now.

Wait there! Just what kind of relationship do you have with Al!?

What kind of relationship?..We are only conspirators. We plan out the plot and act on it. Beyond that, you have to ask the person himself. It depends on you whether he chooses to give you an answer or not.

Saying so, I flew toward the Albatro castle which was located a distance away.

I just thought that I cant just leave Trau-niisan there alone

M, Miss Eva..C, can you become my new model? And if possible you can treat me like your elder brother and call me Nii-sama too, my work will surely improve that way!

Eh.Ah, Umm.

Alright, lets leave.

I gave up the idea and transferred back to my room in Rondine.

Swiftly changing my clothes, I cast illusion magic on Silvers outfit and put it in my luggage.

After eliminating all traces that connect me to Silver, I lie down on the bed.

Ahhh.its really tiring this time..

I fell asleep while muttering such a thing.

I think I forgot something important but I dont have enough strength or energy to think about it anymore.

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