Chapter 58: Like a Moth to a Flame (5)

Chapter 58: Like a Moth to a Flame (5)

Gallias expression twisted at the choice Berg had made.

He couldnt understand his foolish decision.

What could be the reason for rushing in, knowing he couldnt win?

...

Well, if it was just about the reason, he could guess.

Just by looking at the person Berg was protecting with his back, he could know the reason.

Arwin was just staring at Bergs retreating figure, even letting go of her cold expression.

Gallias understood it was for Arwin, but that didnt make it acceptable.

Especially since Arwin wouldnt die because of this.

And it was not like Berg had feelings for Arwin.

He could have simply closed his eyes and let this day pass. Risking his life here... No matter how he thought about it, Gallias couldnt accept it.

Especially he, who valued life above all else, felt this even more.

Still, he tried endlessly to understand Bergs decision.

Could it be to prove his bravery to his wife?

... No, Berg wasnt someone who would make such a foolish choice.

Was he hiding his true power?

... No, absolutely not. Gallias could tell that much.

...So, was he really charging in, thinking he could win?

...Ha.

Or perhaps, he was not retreating, knowing full well he couldnt win?

The last hypothesis seemed the most credible.

Perhaps he had a similar experience a long time ago.

Engaged in such speculations, Gallias tried to understand Berg.

Meanwhile, Berg slowly raised his sword.

His expression showed no hint of hesitation.

The atmosphere was entirely different from their previous duel.

It felt as if the space itself was being sliced open just by the aura he emanated.

....!

The elders took a step back, recoiling from his overwhelming presence.

There was no one who wouldnt fear when faced with the possibility of death.

Especially among the elves.

Gallias also felt his blood boil in response to that daunting energy.

A tingling tension climbed up his arm from the hilt of his sword.

He found himself wondering when he had last engaged in a one-on-one fight with life at stake.

It must have been decades at least.

He had fought boss monsters and participated in wars, but a one-on-one duel had been a long time coming.

It felt considerably different from their training duel.

Every single sword strike could now be a fatal blow.

Not even a single mistake was permissible.

It wasnt something that would just end in a bruise or a broken bone.

It was a gamble with life on the line.

The tension was different in real combat, right from the start.

Gallias felt his palms growing sweaty.

He tried not to acknowledge this feeling.

Losing to a human who had only held a sword for less than a decade was inconceivable.

The difference in skill was overwhelming; what remained was a matter of will.

-Thwack!

At that moment, Berg kicked off the ground and charged.

Gallias could now feel that Berg was serious.

He had hoped, optimistically, that Berg might be bluffing till the end.

However, he too had no choice but to raise his sword in the end.

His eyes were locked onto Bergs blade.

Even as he charged, Berg changed his grip on his sword, concealing his first attack.

Gallias remained focused to the end.

Soon, Berg closed the distance between them.

-Bang!

A sound too immense to be merely the clash of steel reverberated throughout the cave.

The resonating vibration of the swords reached a peak in killing intent.

Gallias inverted his sword to parry Bergs initial attack and, with fluidity as natural as flowing water, commenced his first counterattack.

Dozens of clashes ensued.

To outsiders, it might have looked like a straightforward fight, but the two were endlessly engaged in a psychological battle.

To disguise his attack, Gallias slightly twisted his waist, and in response, Berg sent his next attack in the opposite direction.

When Gallias tried to lure Berg into a favorable position, Berg sidestepped and vacated the spot.

-Slash!

Yet, the difference in their full strength was clearly revealed.

-Clack!

While the overall battle remained the same, Gallias began to win the smaller exchanges.

-Thud!

Bergs arm, wrist, face, abdomen, chest, and so on...

Galliass sword continued to leave shallow marks.

Despite this, the elven swordsman was still astonished by the humans strength.

How could someone whod only trained with a sword for a mere decade possess such skill?

He claimed his teacher was Adam, but could that really be all?

Might he have trained somewhere else?

Where was he from?

A myriad of questions arose in Gallias mind.

Above all, the unorthodox nature of his swordsmanship was his greatest advantage.

While the form was beautifully orthodox, the framework supporting it was odd.

The gaps between each sword strike seemed instinctively filled.

While long years of training generally lead one to rely more on that experience than on instinct, Berg appeared to trust his own instincts more than anyone else.

And it was paying off.

Even if Gallias thrust his sword in a direct line, Bergs sword would somehow block it at the last moment.

When Gallias tried to unbalance him by feinting a swing towards his eyes, Berg didnt even react, as if he already knew he wouldnt be hit.

These werent things one could learn.

Who else would refuse to dodge when a misjudgment could result in blindness from a margin as fine as a single petal?

Most peculiarly, the more they crossed swords, the more awake Bergs instincts seemed to become.

The real battle felt different from the sparring.

Even more so now than before.

A courage, almost like madness, emanated from someone who had crossed the line of life and death countless times.

That oppressive weight increasingly burdened Gallias shoulders.

Through their earnest swordplay, he learned that Berg had not had an easy time of it.

...Gallias wondered if, based solely on the experience of crossing the line between life and death, Berg might surpass his own experience.

Of course, he still didnt feel like he was going to lose, but that single grain of unease was growing larger.

-Clang!

Once more, their swords clashed and rebounded, and Gallias shifted his sword to his left hand.

At the same time, Bergs left foot slid to the outside of Galliass left foot.

His footing was compromised, and a perfect opportunity opened for Berg.

But Gallias wasnt just going to let it happen.

Swiftly, he thrusted his left-hand-held sword towards Bergs face.

-Whoosh!

But again, Berg turned his head, dismissing the attack.

As if to say that such a blow would not be fatal, and therefore didnt matter.

A deep cut remained on Bergs cheek, but he continued his swing as if unfazed.

Ignoring the pain, Berg pressed forward with such momentum that a groan escaped from Gallias.

Guh...!

Bending his knees to buy time, Gallias barely managed to block Bergs sword.

Maintaining the block, he then pushed up and pushed Bergs chest with his shoulder.

Berg, having lost his balance, staggered.

Gallias attempted another swing in that direction, but Berg swiftly pivoted on his left leg, making a full turn to regain his balance and distance himself.

Another lengthy bout passed by.

The distance between them widened again, affording a brief moment to catch their breath.

Gallias gazed at the battered Berg.

Blood soaked him through and through.

It was unbelievable that he kept coming despite his condition.

Gallias offered counsel once more.

...Lets call it quits. You know you cant win.

...

Youre already a mess. With a lifespan as short as yours, you should be preserving what time you have. Talent like yours doesnt come around often!

It was sincere.

Although there were moments of crisis, Berg had not yet managed to beat him.

Gallias remained relatively unscathed, while Berg was becoming increasingly ragged.

Then stand aside. I dont want to do this either.

...

Gallias came to realize he couldnt persuade him.

Bergs refusal to compromise was no lie.

Despite his injuries, there was no change in his eyes.

Gallias glanced at the elders.

For some reason, Ascals resonant voice, even in this tense situation, diffused all emotions and eased the stiff atmosphere.

Arwin has paid her dues; the World Tree would understand if we let this one incident slide. Also, although it was short, she had already said goodbye.

At the same time, I found it curious how Ascal seemed eager to conclude matters abruptly.

Was he doing this because he no longer wanted to see the fight, or because I defeated Gallias?

Would he have said the same thing had I lost?

Throughout the battle, Ascal had been the only one wearing a pained expression.

I had noticed his eyes drifting toward Arwin a few times as well.

Perhaps this was an opportunity for him to take Arwins side.

Or maybe there was an entirely different reason.

Perhaps he didnt want rumors about this incident to spread.

...Vice-captain, take Arwin and leave. We will also forget about this.

...Can I trust you?

...I swear on the World Tree.

But whatever the reason, it didnt matter.

There was no need for me to refuse when Ascal himself said hed consider this matter closed.

My objective had already been achieved.

Yet, I remained vigilant.

Tossing Gallias sword far away, I picked up my own.

I spoke to Gallias, who lay on the ground.

...Gallias, I have no personal grudge against you.

...I know.

Gallias responded, covering one eye with his arm and spitting out a mixture of blood and saliva.

...You taught me a lesson.

I sheathed my sword and approached Arwin.

Her previously cold expression had vanished, replaced by a worried look, as if she couldnt believe she could trust me.

...

Neither of us exchanged words.

I simply scooped my hands under her back and legs.

This time, Arwin offered no resistance.

Lifting her up, I headed for the passage.

My eyes met those of the elders first.

Out of courtesy, I offered a bow.

That was for a clean conclusion...

But they stood frozen in place.

Given their long lives, they must value tradition deeply.

And someone like me, who broke that tradition, could hardly be a welcome sight.

I passed by Ascal next.

For a moment, Arwin and Ascal exchanged glances.

I also bowed my head to Ascal in greeting...and moved on.

...Thank you.

As I passed by him, Ascal whispered in a barely audible voice.

Perhaps he was thanking me for saving Arwin.

Even though Arwin had called his actions hypocritical, they felt sincere in that moment.

What the truth was, I didnt know.

But I wanted to believe it was genuine.

I headed outside with Arwin in my arms.

Every part of my body creaked.

I had survived yet again.

It wasnt as if Id gone in thinking I would defeat Gallias.

But still, I couldnt back down.

My feet wouldnt allow me to abandon Arwin and walked away.

Perhaps it was the distant nightmare, where something was taken away from me, that had spurred my body into action now.

The hand I had so easily let go back then might have been pushing me forward now, like lingering regret.

From a distance, I saw the mouth of the cave bathed in bright sunlight.

I felt Arwins ears tremble slightly.

For a moment, I had been so preoccupied with myself that I forgot about her.

...Are you okay?

A little belatedly, I asked her.

Arwin blinked her anxious eyes... and whether she lost strength or not, she rested her head on my chest.

****

Arwin couldnt come to her senses due to the immense shock.

The image of Berg, who kept charging at Gallias despite his injuries, appeared in her mind.

He did all this for her, a woman he had been married to for barely a day.

It was foolish, no matter how she thought about it.

True to the characteristics of humans shed only read about, he was reckless and wild.

There was no honor in the way he spat blood at Gallias and swung his fists even after losing his sword; it was even cruel.

...

But she couldnt look away from it.

Her heart pounded stronger than ever before.

Berg shook the space she had been unable to escape from for over a hundred years with his willpower alone, all in just a day.

It was as if he had given shape to everything shed ever wanted to do.

Was this how all humans were, or was it just Berg?

As an elf, she couldnt comprehend how hed overcome his fear of death. How could he act this way when he was not even going to live a fraction of her lifetime?

After defeating Gallias, Berg approached her.

Despite his extensive injuries, he took care of her before anyone else.

Arwin couldnt do anything in his arms.

The strong smell of blood wafted from him, a scent she had never experienced in her 170 years of existence.

Everything about him was alien to her. The fact that they were different races was painfully apparent.

And so, Berg, who had pulled herself from the clutches of the elders, continued to head outside.

...Are you okay?

...

At some point, Arwin found herself unable to answer him.

She couldnt understand what the hell he was saying, especially since he was the one more grievously injured.

Feeling drained, she rested her head on his chest.

This was the first time she had ever done such a thing in her long life.

For the first time, she leaned on someone.

For the first time, she accepted someones help.

And so, they stepped out of the cave.

...

Bright sunlight poured down, and birds chirped in the distance.

A landscape teeming with green life filled her vision.

It was the moment she had waited for her entire life.

The moment when she was free from all her duties.

There was no longer any reason to be entwined with the World Tree, no reason to feel its pain.

...But what consumed her thoughts was not the freedom she had anticipated.

Instead, her curiosity about this human surged.

He was something mysterious that she had never encountered before.

He was a person from the outside world.

Only now did he fully enter her sight.

Arwins mind was a whirlpool of complexity.

She took a long time to sort through her thoughts, all the while standing still in his embrace.

Finally, the most fundamental question was raised in her mind.

...Why... why are you doing this for me?

It made no sense. He had no reason to like her, let alone act like this for her.

There was no reason to spill his blood, to risk his life.

It would be easier to believe if he answered that it was due to his cruel nature.

If he enjoyed fighting, if he enjoyed violence, then she could understand.

If he had no knowledge of death, no fear of it, then she could understand.

From her perspective, it had been a reckless battle with nothing to gain.

However, the answer Berg gave as he turned his head to wipe off the blood trickling down his shoulder was far from what Arwin had expected.

...Were married, arent we?

...What?

At his response, Arwin again found herself at a loss for words.

She was so stunned that she couldnt say anything.

She wanted to understand him.

...Just because...

...

...Just because of that? Because were married?

Was he lying?

But Berg answers with a laugh, as if the question itself was absurd.

Just because?

Cradled in his arms, Arwin looked up at Berg, who was covered in blood.

What better reason could there be?

The End of The Chapter

[ TL: Since I'm getting complaints regarding the term 'Head Hancho Unit', I'll be using 'Head Hunter Unit' from now on - the closest English equivalent to what the author intends to convey.

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