Chapter 201

Chapter 180 – Unfolding Revenge [Continuation]

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The conversation carried on despite my confusion.

Apparently Leticia and the rest too approached Leon to advertise themselves so that they could make a name for themselves in the war.

With no time to even dispute if that could ever even happen, while I was standing looking on in shock, it was decided that the three of us would fight against Leticia, Nonorik and Lilia in a training ground provided by the guild.

「Mumu, this tantalizing scent…….. Elder sister, the obscure food stall over there……」

「Didn’t you just have lunch. And even if you are going to eat, it will be after we are done with what we came for」

「……T, there is a seemingly nice store over there. Come on, a nice pink」

「Galau!」

「Oops, what do you think you’re doing, you this lizard! What are you doing burning Nono’s hair!!」

(What the hell is going on, why is Leticia and the rest still in this town……!?)

I watch Leticia and the rest chatting on merrily, while on our way to the training ground.

I can’t imaging Leticia hearing about the information on Ardirius and still choose to remain in this town.

She shouldn’t be in this town. She definitely shouldn’t be in this town.

In the first place, how is Nonorik alive? I am hundred percent sure I killed him by cutting his throat.

I killed him, and yet, why, how?

(No, I shouldn’t be thinking about that. Think properly)

What I should be thinking about is, what is Leticia and the rest trying to accomplish by doing something like this.

There is no way making a name for themselves in battle, is their true objective. I am pretty certain it is connected to the revenge of her brother’s murder.

(In the first cycle, Leticia slipped into the general army, and hid herself thoroughly. Including me, nobody was the wiser. Why is she not doing the same thing this time?)

If there was any difference between the situation then and now, it would be Nonorik huh?

And, maybe the fact that I am not the hero……, but the Aurelia Kingdom have a hero that is supporting them in the frontlines.

I had no interest in being a glorified palanquin, but from what I’ve heard he seems to be doing a fine job.

The pawn known as hero is on the board. In that case, is this variation caused by the fact that the hero is not me?

(It’s no good, I can’t read the situation. What should I do, how do I proceed)

I can’t even make out a sufficient deduction from the information I have on hand. So, the only thing I should think about is ourselves.

(The idea should simply be, how do we go about obtaining Leon’s magic power by disguising it as an accident. I should only think about that)

And after somehow managing to recollect my thoughts together, my sleeve was pulled.

「Dear brother, although the promise was that I wouldn’t say anything, what is the plan?」

「The situation seems to have deviated considerably from the original plans」

Mai and Yuuto also seems to be confused by the discrepancy from the previously discussed flow of events.

「Now that it’s come to this, we have no choice but to go with the flow, at any rate, you two should buy me as much time you can, so please go wild and fight excessively* to a reasonable extent 」 (TLN: Lit. Flashily/ gaudily)

There is no longer time to think any more than this.

The building bearing the guild crest, is already getting close before us.

The training ground had a simple and rustic structure.

With sorry excuse for seats in the round arena.

Although it is a little narrow for a place where large numbers of people fight, it is rather splendid if you consider that this is not a big city but only a moderate one.

It would seem that they cleared out* the whole area for our examination, as there are no people present on the grounds.

「As soon as the battle starts, I want you both to the spread out left and right. Mai against Lilia, and yuuto against Nonorik, ……I will take care of Leticia. Keeping the conversation just now in mind, as for the rest, just adapt yourselves to the situation」

While keeping an eye on Leticia and the rest who were fifty meters ahead, I conveyed that alone to them as short as possible.

Leticia, who does not use weapons, is currently performing calisthenics. Her usual gothic-style dress flutters about.

Lilia took out a weapon, an iron bar with a metallic ball with spikes around it attached by a chain, in other words a flail. And her outfit is a maiden outfit with no extra decorations, it seems like she has no intention of fighting using her main job as a sorcerer.

And there is Nonorik, he is no different from the last time we met, he is wearing a military uniform-like outfit, and as he merrily rubbed the two-handed swords against each other lightly, they make a clanging sound.

「Dear brother, that cannot be called a strategy. That’s just being rash」

「So that kid is my opponent huh……, looks formidable」

It is not really a strategy that could be called a proper strategy, but because I prioritized how they should fight using their abilities and raising their status, we didn’t get to perform any training on how to coordinate and fight as a party.

「There is really no point in drawing up strategy. Against them, you won’t have the leeway」

「『Now then, shall we begin the party rank promotion examination』」

Valeria’s voice who is standing in the stand echoes throughout the training grounds.

「『Consequently, this examination is just to observe your strength, Regardless of victory or defeat, depending on the content, both could be deemed passed or failed, so both parties will give their best. Needless to say, overdoing it is strictly forbidden. Some injuries can be healed instantly by the recovery practitioner prepared here, but they also have limits. Without further ado, you may begin』」

Vooooooooooo!! A low reverberating sound roared out as the starting signal.

The moment we heard that, the three of us sprang to our feet and started running.

I rushed forward to close the straight distance, and Mai and Yuuto dashed on the ground as if creating a wide diversion and dispersed left and right.

In theory, as I am charging forward Leticia will try and restrain me, while the other two will be on the lookout for the dispersed two, or that should be the case…….

「Kai-chan!! Ahahahaha! To think that I will be able to meet you here!!」

「Tsk!!」

However, Nonorik came charging and aiming for me like, to hell with theory.

The swords we both held clashed against each other, and the sparks scatter about along with a dull metallic sound.

The 【Spirit Sword of Beginnings] and the 【Tearblade of Thunder Spear] each engage and jostle Nonorik’s twin white swords.

(The other two besides Nonorik……, shit, as expected things won’t go as smoothly huh)

As I shifted my gaze away for a moment, I saw Leticia with Mai, and Lilia with Yuuto clashing against one another.

It is an entirely different match up from what I originally anticipated.

Because being forced into a fight that requires coordination as a team is the most unfavorable, although not the worst, it just isn’t working out much.

「Ah-, you’re looking elsewhere!!」

The white sword thrust approached with the elasticity of a rubber stretching out, and after evading at the last second, the sword pressure left a cut on my cheeks.

「Ugh!! Tch, ra!!」

(This guy has gotten even stronger!!)

I forcibly shook away the sword and tried to gain some distance.

However, Nonorik eluded my sword and as if entangling my sword, wouldn’t let me gain distance.

「I won’t leave you alone this time you hear!?」

「So persistent!!」

My status has gone up considerably since the last time I fought. Still, just because I relaxed a bit, he is accurately trying to breach through that gap.

In other words, this is a difference in pure sword skills and not status.

「Ahahahaha!! This is so much fun, so much fun! I have been waiting all this while you know?」

「Stop getting in my way, how are you still alive, you bastard!!」

「A maiden in love can overcome whatever obstacles you know!」

「Quit saying such disgusting things……『Tear Thunder』」

「Oops, so, pa, ss, io, na, te~」

I watched for an unguarded moment and rain an incessant storm of sword attacks with a sharp gaze.

The three streak blue lightning strikes that I unleashed, were also evaded as he bent over, twisted and turning without even feeling threatened, still yet wouldn’t create distance.