Chapter 171: The Thorn in Two Beautiful Roses

Why did I have to be stuck with these two girls... This is such an awkward atmosphere. We got several cases of reports from Herold, Zieglind's friend to infiltrate these Serpent union bases.

"Hiyaaa!" Everytime we slice off another head of these Serpent union members, their numbers are simply nothing to joke about and their strength too. Yeah we can kill them easily, but they're simply too stubborn. They're pretty dangerous themselves but still... They're incredibly annoying.

We spent most of our fights not getting into their stupid traps. When they know they aren't going to win against us, they'll trap us with their binding spells. But we always managed to escape since that's obviously not their proffesion so their bindings were weak and easy to get out with brute force.

But all these missions... I feel like the both of them are getting farther and farther away from each other... Not just literally... But emotionally too.

I can't take this awkward atmosphere here anymore. So I have to do something. We're still far away from our destination but... I don't want to take this awkward silence anymore.

I stopped in my tracks and as the both of them passed me, they looked back. It seems that I've got their attention. Precia was the first one to speak. "What's wrong?"

"Can you two get over your differences? Your silence on our missions is bothering me. I'm not used with this atmosphere." I replied.

The two of them looked at each other and shurgged as if they don't have a clue on what's happening.

I let out a sigh and then asked, "Why are the two of you not talking?"

"If you say it like that I can't give a definitive answer..." Precia replied.

"I don't know." Yefa followed up. "I think there's just something in me that makes me feel repulsed of Precia..."

Even though I didn't expect it, Yefa was the first to open. "This is dumb..." I couldn't help but let out my thoughts. The two of them looked at me with a blank face. I know the reason of them from the very start. "Just admit it." I have to be blunt. Or the two of them will not be able to recognize their feelings.

"What... do you mean?"

"The both of you like him... Don't you?" There it is. I finally said it. Saying that took a lot of courage since I couldn't bear to watch the two of them squiggle around like little kids whenever Zieglind praises them.

"That's..." Yefa tried to think of ways to counter what I just said but nothing came to her mind. She knows what she's feeling inside. And she knows that the nasty 'feeling' she was feeling was about Precia having the same feelings to Zieglind.

But Precia herself was reluctant. "No. I do not feel that way." With that unexpected declaration, it was something that I didn't know she'd say. "I only wish to be his knight. That is all."

"You're lying." I replied at Precia. "You know it yourself don't you. You just want that excuse because you want to protect a secreat that you have or something. I don't know what it is but the more you lie to yourself, the more it'll feel painful if you just see him go to a farther place and you won't be able to stand by him."

"..." She couldn't say anything.

"Look at me and Zeta. We know that our relationship isn't perfect, but the best thing we could do is just be with each other. We know that we can't live a normal life because of the circumstances right now but us both? We wish for that future. That's why you mustseize the chance you have right now or it'll just disappear without you knowing it."

"That's wonderful for the both of you Greta. But I told you. I'm just his knight. Even if I did have feelings, you have to remember. We're just slaves."

"That doesn't matter! He accepted us! He went into such great lengths just to save me in that darkness! He has do-"

"I told you, 'IF.' In the first place I didn't have anything in the first place. I'll tell you as many times as you need it Greta, I'm his knight."

"T- then!" Yefa intervened. "You don't mind if I take him for myself do you?" Yefa was blushing as she said that. It must've taken a lot of courage.

"...Do as you see fit." Precia then took off and ran by herself. I couldn't believe how stubborn she was.

We ignored all other conversations either Yefa or I tried to start so our journey to the Serpent union's place was something silent.

We finally got there and they both looked at me. They were waiting for me to go in. I changed into my beast form and equipped my weapon and the Gazer armor and jumped in the basement from where they were hiding.

They all stopped what they were doing and drew all their weapons and casted buffs on each other.

"Maximize Strength!"

"Barrier, Physical Damage Reduce, Dull Pain, Damage Reflect!"

"Strength Boost, Rage!"

All other people did the same and buffed themselves up. I got on all fours and pounced on each one of them and dug my claws on their necks and jumped on the other one. The first one that I killed let out a loud shriek of pain so Yefa and Precia went down with their armor and weapons ready.

"Electric Attraction!" Yefa's body was surrounded by lightning and suddenly, most people near her launched themselves at her as if a magnet picking up nails. They were stuck on Yefa's body but that soon ended after two seconds. The people that she pulled lost their weapons and has been disarmed. She raised her fists, "Explosive Fists!" and punched the head of one of the members.

That one swift cleen kill blew away his head as it showered blood everywhere.

Everyone stood up and tried to reach for their weapons but Precia jumped in, "Taunt!" And forced everyone to go to her.

I leaped off of my prey and headed to the place where Precia gathered them. "Death Claws!" I swiped my claw in the air and three wind shockwaves was shot to the enemies cutting their bodies in half. I leaped on them and pierced the enemies like a skewer.

The people whom I've abandoned to kill the people whom Precia lured in fought back.

"Binding Light!"

"Lesser Strength!"

"Deceleration!"

I could feel myself getting slower and my strength being sucked out from me while I couldn't move.

The man with the giant hammer rushed at me and went ahead and started off with an overhead smash but Yefa came to my aid and punched the man's hammer, "OOOHHH!!!" Completely destroying it to pieces.

She dashed in and instantly got under the man. He was caught off guard so he lost balance as he took a step backward so Yefa used this chance and punched her right in the face completely obliterating his face. I couldn't believe it but Yefa has come a long way.

Precia didn't yield, "Giant's Prowess!" Precia's sword grew into a size of a greatsword... No... it's bigger than that. But what it brought was impressive destructive power. She swung her sword and the people who was going at her got their bodies completely cut in half. It was complete obliteration.

The Serpent union members knew they couldn't win so they dropped their weapons and ran wishing that we could let them go. But sadly, we can't. Now that we know their intentions, we will not be letting anyone of them go.

This isn't a battle anymore. It's just merely massacre.

I leaped in and tore their heads off with ease in my beast form.

Yefa used her explosive and destructive powers to deal damage and kill multiple enemies at once.

Precia used her high damage to cut through the people who were trying to hold us back. After a few more minutes of fighting, it was a complete victory. And it was an easy one.

We looted the rest of the base with whatever we could find and just went on and put it into our inventory. Just with that single loot, we got around 20,000 gold and a lot of artifacts that we looted off the bodies.

But that isn't important right now. There's still that thorny aura around Precia. She'll continue to fight like this for Zieglind without asking anything back. I know she loves him, but she's not willing to express it. "Precia... You know it yourself. You just need to accept it and we'll understand. It's better to let it out than just keep it in."

Yefa wanted to disagree with my actions since she thinks I'm rooting for her. She just stayed silent throughout and continue to loot the bodies as if she doesn't hear anything.

"Greta." Suddenly, the tension in the air changed. She looked back and her eye suddenly turned into a red... gemstone? It was bright as it flicker throughout the entire room. I don't know what's happening but I felt absolute danger. "Just because you have love and romance in your life, it doesn't mean that I need it. What gives me happiness is to be by his side as a knight. Nothing more, nothing less."

"..." I couldn't say anything. Those were just simple words but I could feel that she was pissed off about something. I guess I'll just let her be for now until she opens up to us in the future.