13. Iris El Devhardt – 08
“…It was close, really.”
As soon as I saw a rare scene where the top of a mountain peak is cut off like a cake, which is hard to see even if I saw it in my entire life, I grasped roughly how things were going. It was a terrible sight, literally bloody, with two women fighting bloody.
…By the way, this is not a metaphor or anything, just an expression of the scene that is being reflected in front of my eyes. Currently, the distance between me and the princess is about 10 meters. And there was no place on the ground just 10 meters apart that was not stained with human blood. yes, anywhere
“…..”
I stared at Ariel, who was still out of breath at this moment, in Arya’s hand, without saying a word. As I looked at Ariel, who seemed to have drained all the blood from her body after her body had been cut diagonally, I swallowed a groan involuntarily.
this wasn’t something It really wasn’t. It was a fact that I was well aware of that the princess and Ariel weren’t in a friendly or close relationship, but isn’t this a bit far-fetched?
Of course, I didn’t even expect that a woman like the princess or Bianca would behave cutely like other women from aristocratic families, such as arguing politely or slapping other women out of jealousy. But even so, it was hard to say that it was normal to blow up a mountain peak, cut a healthy person’s body in half, or turn this area into a sea of blood.
For some reason, while enduring the throbbing pain in my head, I opened my mouth to the princess, who still seemed to have not lost her fighting spirit.
“…Please stop now, my lord. I don’t think this is enough. Doesn’t your servant know very well that Ariel is in a state where she can no longer fight? so-“
And that was when
“Get out of there, and don’t interfere in our affairs. No issues have been resolved between Ariel and me yet. This is nothing more than a personal matter between Ariel Thiers and myself. Even if you are, I want you to know that you have no right to intervene in matters between us.”
With a very strict expression on her face, the princess spoke directly to me as if she couldn’t yield anything at all.
“This is the just result of the duel between me and Ariel. I can guess what you were thinking when you came here, but what you’re doing is tantamount to ignoring Ariel lying there. Surely you don’t think that Bianca, who had been watching the duel up until now, was just watching my actions because she had no limbs?”
At the words of the princess, I turned my head to Bianca, who was standing unknowingly on the other side without even realizing it. As soon as she noticed my gaze, Bianca nodded her head calmly, as if agreeing with the princess’ words.
“I hate to admit it, but this time, the lowly is right. Just before the duel between the two, Ariel asked me to. Never interfere in this duel. This is my own fight, so I won’t accept help from others. The fight between the two, who watched as spectators, was only the two of them, and in the process, the two poured out their all with all their might. So, I don’t think I’ll be on your side this time either, Cain.”
“…..”
At Bianca’s words, I bit my lip. As she pointed out, if this mess was the result of a legitimate duel between the princess and Ariel, there would be no justification for me to intervene. In a duel in which one risked one’s everything, there was no more rude act than having a third party intervene at will.
but.
“…ha, ah… ha, ugh…”
Even though she was wearing an outfit that almost left her upper body exposed after the forensic robe she was wearing was torn apart, the scene that caught my eye was constantly leaking from the terrible cuts and wounds that crossed Ariel’s white skin. There was only blood coming out.
…didn’t like it. really.
Personally, I just thought the scene where my woman was hurt and moaned on the floor was something I really didn’t like, for whatever reason.
One thing is for sure, I would have acted the same if Iris was lying here instead of Ariel.
“…Is it okay if I ask you something?”
“Good. I will allow you to ask questions.”
When the princess nodded, I opened my mouth as I gazed at Ariel’s wound, which was still breathing heavily while still holding it in Arya’s hand.
“Why did you fight so fiercely? It was a well-known fact that the relationship between the servant and Ariel was not very good, but I think that this was a little too much.”
At my question, the princess simply smiled.
“I have no choice but to fight fiercely. Cain, even mere beasts try to establish rank and superiority among themselves when many of them live together in a certain area. But what about humans? I just thought I should try to solidify my rank among the women who want to stay with you.”
“…order?”
What does this mean again that I don’t understand?
“Cain, I pride myself on knowing the man you are. You are indeed an indecisive coward, but you are also a greedy person who will never let go of what is in your hands. The thoughts you are thinking are clearly visible. You will never be of the character to savagely spurn women who wish to stay with you. Just as you embraced Bianca del Castana, you will embrace all the women who cling to you and seek love. Isn’t it?”
“…..”
“Actually, I hate seeing another woman’s reflection beside you. Yes, for example, the sight of other girls swarming around you, like now, is an amazing sight that I have never even imagined. It’s kind of a bonus to get annoyed enough to get angry in your head.”
As the princess said that, only an unknown light flashed in her eyes.
“You’d better not even think about flirting. It was a fact that I had noticed long ago that you were recalling vague memories related to me. If you also have memories, you would know well, right? In the past, there was only me by your side, and only you existed by my side. The world was full of only you and my love. That was all and everything I had hoped for.”
“But not now. Even if I’m not by your side, there are other girls who can replace me by your side. Of course, I understand in my head. Those women are also well aware that they are the main actors of their world who went through the same process as me and returned to the past. But what can I do when my heart refuses to understand even if I understand it in my head?”
The distorted smile no longer remained with her. The only thing remaining in her words is to live unwaveringly, as if she had already made up her mind.
“In my mind, I want to kill all the other girls by your side and have you alone. But if you do, I will surely be hated by you. That’s something that can never happen. So, at least as a second-best measure, they were trying to organize the ranks among the women.”
“As I already told you, with the power of the imperial family, you can entangle almost everything around you, but at the same time, you can’t entangle transcendental beings like Bianca or Ariel with anything like that. If so, there is only one way left, and there is no choice but to decide everything by force. We bet you as a ‘product’ and risked a duel with each other’s everything. Now, is this enough to answer your question?”
And as if responding to the princess’s words, even Ariel, who had fallen on the other side, gasped for breath and managed to get herself up. It looked really weak and powerless, and it felt as if it would fall to the side at any moment if I patted it. However, like the princess, Ariel’s hostility toward the other person was constantly leaking out.
“…That woman is right. Hey Cain. This is my fight. So, ha, don’t interfere.”
“…Ariel.”
“I can never back down from here. Do you know what that woman, that woman said to me? That woman dares our-”
“Ariel, please stop now.”
Ariel cut off her words halfway through and said that.
“I lost too much blood. If I continue to move like this, I might really die. I don’t know what Ariel was talking to the lower, but I don’t think it’s more important than your life.”
At my words, Ariel puts on a dazed expression for a moment, and then, which is rare for her, shows an expression full of anger.
“…honey. No, Cain. Do you know what you are talking about right now? you now-”
It seemed like the conversation wouldn’t end at this rate, so I managed to take my eyes off Ariel, who was giving me a look like a wounded puppy, and turned my back.
“So please, please stay calm for now. If you complain, I will listen to all of them later.”
Saying that, I took a step forward towards the princess. In her hand, there was only one broken tree branch stained with blood.
“…I fully understand the situation. I also understood that you and Ariel were fighting a duel with each other risking everything. If so, how about this one? I will take over all of Ariel’s rights. Instead, instead of Ariel, a body that can no longer fight, I want to duel with the lower body.”
In fact, I didn’t like it from the beginning. I didn’t like everything the princess, no, Iris, treated me. Starting with using the ‘flowing star’ as bait and making an offer I couldn’t refuse in front of all the bureaucrats, after arriving in the system, I was helplessly dragged around, regardless of my will, as Iris intended.
…That kind of thing was just disgusting. Regardless of my will, the experience of being swayed here and there by a woman was enough for Bianca. I had no intention of letting my woman take the lead in the relationship any longer.
Even if it wasn’t because of Ariel’s injury, that was enough of a reason for me to raise my sword at Iris at this moment. It was a bit different from the plan I had in mind, but I was thinking of sharing the sword with her soon anyway.
At my words, Iris raised her own eyebrows, but did not show any reaction.
“I’m sorry, but I have no reason to accept your offer, much less share a sword with you. Why should I duel with you? The duel with Ariel is already my victory, so there is no need to step out and make things happen-“
However.
“Lowering.”
I had one surefire way to convince her.
“At the end of our last life, the duel we shared didn’t come to a proper end. So I dare to ask you. I want to make up for the rudeness I committed then, here and now.”
“…..”
“I am your one and only disciple who learned the sword directly from you, and at the same time, aren’t we warriors who answer with the swords we built ourselves? So, I dare to ask you to speak as a sword. I just hope that the end of the duel we shared then will be concluded right here.”
At my words, Iris put on a dazed expression as if caught off guard, then smiled bitterly at me.
“…It’s a shame. really. If you say that, then I have no choice but to accept your offer.”
And, Iris also takes a step forward towards me. All of a sudden, the two of us could only see each other’s images in our field of vision.
“great. I’ll grant you Ariel’s right to stand in her place. Instead, if you lose the duel, you should definitely be mine. My own thing that only looks at me and gives love only to me.”
Iris’ way of talking to me changed. She must be recognizing me as the ‘Cain’ of that time.
then-
“good. If I lose the duel, I will make it mys. but.”
“…but?”
“If I win the duel.”
I, too, will think of you here as the ‘Iris’ of that time and swing my sword.
“Iris, you should also be my woman.”