Chapter 268 – Side Story 7: Woman of the Lake (3)

Chapter 268 – Side Story 7: Woman of the Lake (3)

Berinsil wore a ferocious expression, but his posture was courteous. He wordlessly stared at Juan. Berinsil was the first to bow and show respect. Challengers would usually show respect to their opponent first, but Berinsil already knew that the main character of this play was Juan rather than himself.

His role was to draw Juan out of the crowd.

‘Was he chosen to play this role just because he seems ill-tempered?’ thought Juan. However, Juan was forced to correct his thoughts as soon as Berinsil got into a proper position and started swinging his sword.

Berinsil was a real talent. If he were to decide to fight for real, then he would undoubtedly win and become Haranbal’s groom.

Juan barely managed to block Berinsil’s sword. However, Berinsil quickly corrected his posture as if he had expected Juan’s reaction.

Berinsil’s swordsmanship felt familiar to Juan. The traces of the elf swordsman of Aruntal who had taught Juan swordsmanship could be clearly seen from Berinsil’s movements. Berinsil was as powerful as the elf swordsman of Aruntal—if not more.

‘He didn’t show even half of his skills when he fought the other elves.’

Even if the elves in the open space attacked Berinsil at once, they would still not be able to defeat him. However, it would be a different story if Haranbal or Aunkel decided to get involved.

Meanwhile, Berinsil was about to deliver his third attack.

However, Juan could already beat the elf swordsman of Aruntal. Thinking that he had been polite enough and showed considerable respect, Juan struck the sword rushing toward him.

Juan didn’t have to perform proper swordsmanship. His vision, strength, and speed were overwhelmingly better than Berinsil’s. Berinsil’s eyes widened, and he tried his best to hold the sword in his hand, but the blade was split into two.

Berinsil looked at his broken sword in disbelief.

At that moment, murderous intent soared from Berinsil. However, he wasn’t furious because he got defeated or because his sword was split into two. The murderous intent soaring was out of desperation.

Berinsil was about to execute an attack carrying his murderous intent, but someone placed their hand on his shoulder.

“Thank you for your hard work, Berinsil.”

It was Aunkel.

Berinsil glared at Arunkel and muttered something to himself. However, he soon turned around and walked away. He didn’t look as polite as when the duel first started. Juan wondered if it was because he was angry about being defeated, but there was something odd about thinking that Berinsil’s fury was only due to his defeat.

“So what happens now? Am I Haranbal’s groom?”

Aunkel chuckled and replied, “No, not yet.”

“Are there any challengers left?”

Aunkel smiled awkwardly before unsheathing two swords from his waist.

Juan stared dumbfoundedly at Aunkel. “The bride’s father is going to take part in his daughter’s groom selection process?”

“I’m ashamed, Your Majesty. However, incest is not that uncommon among us elves. The same is true of humans as far as I know.”

“Are you serious?”

Incest was banned in Juan’s empire, but incest was common among the ancient kingdoms and tribes. It was all to prevent losing the power of the tribe as a whole.

However, Juan couldn’t have expected that a king as honorable as Aunkel would do such a thing.

Aunkel raised his two swords with a bitter expression.

“Please think of me as a shameless old man acting up to his future son-in-law.”

Juan finally realized that Aunkel had been waiting for this moment all along. Winoa was showing his burning desire to fight beside Juan.

Juan sighed as if he couldn’t help it.

“Then...”

As soon as Juan agreed to the duel, Aunkel immediately rushed at Juan without even showing his respect. Aunkel’s powerful attack with both of his swords at the same time had enough power to split a dragon's head in half.

Juan’s eyes widened as he received the blow, kicking up a cloud of dust that shook the tents in the surroundings.

The shockwave from the attack ruined the wedding hall.

‘He is serious.’

Aunkel’s attack just now could kill Juan with a single blow. Juan wondered whether this was the trap Winoa was talking about or not, but it would be strange to think that way because they could have just swarmed and worn him down.

In addition, if Haranbal and Berinsil joined the fray, it would have been difficult for Juan to survive.

However, Haranbal sat and watched the duel between Juan and Aunkel in silence.

Aunkel attacked Juan once again by rotating his sword and swiping left. Juan raised his sword vertically to block Aukel’s sword, but Aunkel’s sword abruptly bent like a snake.

“I thought you said that the role of a female knight saving the prince suits me more than a princess in distress?” Haranbal answered with a smile. The elves weren’t agitated. It seemed that they knew that this would happen.

“Please forgive them, Juan. It was out of our expectations that the fight became so fierce. I just allowed them to have a duel with you because they wanted to see how good you were, but I guess they got too emotional.”

“Do you consider yourself better than those two?”

“I can’t say yes with confidence.”

Juan carefully examined Haranbal’s posture. Haranbal often used the bow, but Juan knew that she could use the sword as well because she would use it whenever she was cutting leather, trimming meat, or interrogating prisoners.

However, it was very rare for her to use a sword against an opponent in close-quarters combat. Of course, she was a great swordswoman, but her prowess with the sword wasn’t good enough for her to start using the sword as her main weapon.

Haranbal’s archery had already reached the summit. There was no way that Haranbal could use her sword better than Aunkel or Berinsil, who had devoted their entire lives to swordsmanship.

“You can use your bow.”

“Do you really think that I’m standing here right in front of you just to beat you? I wouldn’t have created this situation to begin with if that were the case.”

‘I suppose so.’

Juan nodded and took a stance with his sword.

However, Haranbal only looked at Juan with a sword held loosely in her hand.

“Juan. Do you know anything about our god?”

Juan frowned at Haranbal’s question. He was about to answer, but Haranbal went on.

“I’m not talking about her strengths or weaknesses. I’m talking about Iolin’s story.”

“I don’t know.” Juan wasn’t very interested in anything else other than Iolin’s strengths or weaknesses. Iolin was very rarely seen, but the same was true of many other gods.

She was a god that could only be found in mythology, and only the knights and elves she had chosen could meet her.

Iolin’s appearance in the mythology was consistent. She was a goddess who was elegant, honorable, and willing to side with the weak.

Iolin would always put the individual’s values first before anything else, and many humans received help from the elves because of it. Therefore, it was a big deal when Juan refused to form an alliance with them. Their antipathy was understandable.

“I have no idea why you’re asking me that, but I do know that she is a noble being who values honor.”

Haranbal stared at Juan without saying anything. What she wanted to say to Juan was clear—she was begging Juan to spare Iolin’s life.

By then, the elves would naturally fall under Juan’s rule and will. However, Haranbal was convinced that the elves wouldn’t suffer beneath Juan. After all, Haranbal was sure of Juan’s nature.

Unfortunately, Juan was stubborn.

“Iolin’s greatness doesn’t matter. Her existence alone is more harmful than her values. As long as Iolin exists, I doubt that equality will exist,” said Juan. He quickly added, “I suggest you don’t try to persuade me, Haranbal. Iolin gave the elves all sorts of blessings. You have been enjoying the privileges of her blessings without doing anything in exchange, so you people do not deserve to complain.”

”We—humans—also have no intention of living under your sympathy forever.”

Haranbal smiled bitterly at Juan’s attitude and stomped, kicking up a cloud of dust. However, she was neither angry nor disappointed. She simply remained silent as if she already knew Juan’s reaction.

Then, she spoke slowly, “I don’t know, Juan. I know that what you say, what you think, and what you mean will surely come in the future, but I have never thought that what Iolin had been doing is wrong.”

Haranbal looked at Juan with a steady gaze.

“Iolin and the elves have been trying our best to protect our rationality in the era of madness, and when you still didn’t exist...”

Juan remained silent.

“We fought even when the continent burned under Gepelude’s flag and when the Army of the Dead ripped apart half of the population. We fought to protect the things we had to protect even when the dwarfs burned forests and made holes in the mountains.”

The existence of the elves and Iolin was the only shining light in the dark era.

“Are we sinners for enduring all those hard times now that the era of madness is over?”

“You aren’t sinners,” Juan replied.

Haranbal felt a bit hopeful at Juan’s answer.

However, Juan’s following words shattered Haranbal’s hope. “Because I will put an end to everything before you become sinners. Some things turn into hope once they disappear.”

Haranbal looked devastated. She sighed upon seeing Juan’s determination.

In the end, she slowly lifted another sword. Juan was concerned upon seeing that Haranbal was using two swords. Although rare, he had seen Haranbal fight with a sword, but it was Juan’s first time seeing her fight using two swords.

“I came to give you victory, glory, and eternity,”?Haranbal’s voice was trembling as she muttered, “I could have been the most powerful helper for your ideals, dreams, and more. We simply wanted to sit next to your shining throne. Your beauty could have shone forever if you were willing, but...”

Haranbal held one of the two swords in reverse and stared at Juan.

“But how much are you willing to give up to lose?”