Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Noele gaped for a moment as the dust settled. The wooden beams collapsed, burying Jax amidst the rubble. She tried to work her jaw. “Is he... dead?”

“Dunno.” I shook my head. I glanced towards where the elf had crashed from my punch and shrugged. “He’s honestly pretty durable. I thought the first punch would’ve kept him down for a whole day. But he somehow got back up in only a few hours.”

At least, thanks to him, that awkward silence with Noele naturally came to an end. I really hadn’t been sure what to say about her sister. I probably should have given my condolences, but I felt like I might have said the wrong thing.

It wasn’t just the fact that I was trapped in the Fractured Realm for so long— I had never had to deal with such delicate subjects back on Earth. I had only been a twenty-year-old college student— rather privileged too. I never experienced— and I doubt anyone I knew experienced— anything as heavy as a sister dying to a bunch of evil bandits.

So I would rather not deal with it, rather than deal with it without tact. With Jax’s sudden interruption, Noele seemed to have regained her composure. She glanced towards me, pursing her lips.

“What if he... attacks you again?” she asked apprehensively. “Maybe we should just kill him. He’s not a good person, anyway. I’ve heard bad things about him.”

“Maybe.” I raised my head, considering the thought. “But he hasn’t hurt anyone yet. He even spared your life when he could’ve killed you, Noele.”

“That’s true.” The blonde girl bit her lower lip.

“It’s fine,” I said as I waved a hand off. I glanced towards the collapsed building and spoke dismissively. “This time, he should have learned his lesson.”

I started away from the commotion, heading back to Brynn’s inn to retire for the day. Noele just watched me as I gave her a reassuring look.

“I’m sure he’ll leave us alone now.” Witness the debut of this chapter, unveiled through Ñôv€l--B1n.

—--

“Amelia! I challenge you to a duel!” Jax the Forsaken Archer yelled again and again over the next week or so.

As it turned out, the elf didn’t end up leaving me alone. It seemed that the first two punches weren’t enough to get it through his thick skull that he couldn’t beat me. In fact, each time he lost, he was somehow only emboldened to fight me again.

Whether it be when I was walking down market street with Noele...

“Amelia! You have not won just yet!” Jax appeared behind me, an arrow already-nocked onto his bow.

Or whether I was out on a D-ranked job...

“Amelia! Did you think you had beaten me?” the elf screamed as he leapt down from the canopy of trees. “I will not stop until I defeat you—”

It didn’t matter to him. He took every opportunity he got. The moment he recovered, he was back hounding after me like some kind of rabid dog. It didn’t matter what time it was, the moment he found me, he attacked me. Even when I was sleeping.

“Amelia!” Jax shouted as he smashed through my windows. He cackled wildly, vines shooting around him towards me. “Today is the day I shall—”

“It’s night, you fucking insane idiot!” I yelled back as I kicked him out of my room.

He shot out of the broken window, violently tumbling down the streets of Windrip. He crashed and rolled through the dirt road for a minute. Until, finally, he came to a halt when I couldn’t see him anymore.

Each time he attempted to challenge me to a duel, it always ended the same with. With a single hit, he was gone, out of commission for the next six or so hours. And he’d always return shortly after that without fail.

Sighing, I closed my blinds and turned over in bed as the cool outside wind blew into my room. I was going to have to reimburse Brynn in the morning for the broken window. A single thought crossed my mind as I dozed off back to sleep.

This... is starting to get annoying.

I just didn’t understand how Jax wasn’t getting tired of losing at this point.

—--

This... is so exciting, the thought crossed Jax’s mind the moment he woke up.

Noele scratched the back of her head as Garron groaned. “Oh, well, he asked me if he can try to tank my new... skill? Ability? I’m not sure what to call it. I just call it ‘Glorious Noble Slash’. And—” She gestured at him apprehensively. “You know?”

The Steel Tank sighed as he rubbed his shoulder. “To add insult to injury, Noele was only giving it a tenth of everything she got.”

“I didn’t say that!” the blonde girl protested. “I’m just saying it was barely stronger than a normal [Noble Slash], and what I used against Jax was about ten times stronger than that.”

He shook his head.“I do not understand why you would try to refute what I said only to support it.”

She pursed her lips. “I haven’t been able to recreate that attack, Garron. It was a one-time thing because... of Jax. I don’t know.”

I watched the two bicker as I placed a hand on my chin. When they quietened down, I decided to speak up.

“I’d like to see your Glorious Noble Slash too,” I said as I faced Noele. “You know, since I’m your mentor and all.”

I did feel a little bit bad for not really teaching her much since I took her on as my apprentice. She blinked. Then her eyes widened. She took a step forward excitedly.

“I’d love to—” she started.

But a familiar voice interrupted her. “Amelia!”

I groaned. Noele immediately backed away from me, and Garron stared in shock at the elf standing at the door.

“Halt!” the burly man called out as the adventurers in the guild hall raised their weapons warily. “S-rank adventurer Jax the Forsaken Archer, you are not allowed to duel Amelia in guild property! It is against the rules of the Adventurer’s Guild for any A-rank or above adventurer from partaking in any brawls or fights in an official Adventurer’s Guild.”

Jax narrowed his eyes. He glanced around the room, gaze glazing over the counter where a [Receptionist]— not Justyn— stood, before landing at a second desk with a [Mage]. The elf snorted as he walked into the room. He didn’t instantly attack me, much to my relief.

But he made his intentions to fight me clear.

“As far as I can tell, this is not official Adventurer’s Guild property, human. So get out of my way or I will make you.” The elf’s eyes glinted threateningly as he raised his bow.

Garron hesitated, gulping before he could say his next words. “I—”

And I spoke over him. “Aren’t you getting tired of this by now, Jax?” I asked as I started forward. “You’ve lost a dozen times in a row. If you think I’ve been unfair, attacking you when you’re busy monologuing, then fine. I will wait for you to be fully prepared to duel this time. But I will only accept your challenge on one condition.”

The elf paused. He slowly tilted his head, eyeing me curiously. Then he sneered.

“Very well, I shall hear your request,” he said as he walked up towards me. “But I assure you, this time, I will not lose. This time, I want you to show me everything you’ve got, and I will defeat you. I challenge you, Amelia. And I will adhere to any terms you lay on the table.”

Jax was smirking. So completely full of himself. It was almost like he thought he was the one gracing me with his benevolence. As if he was the one doing me a favor by hearing me out. I sighed and raised a hand out.

“If I win—” I grabbed him by his cloak and pulled him close.

He yelped, trying to back away. But he couldn’t break free. I held onto him with an iron grip as he struggled. Then he froze as I held his gaze. His eyes grew wide as he saw me glaring dangerously into him.

And as I spoke, he trembled.

“Leave me the fuck alone or I’ll kill you.”

MelasD

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