Free Web NovelChapter 17: Expedition preparation¹
As soon as I left the Duke’s office, I tossed the jewellery box onto Caio whilst keeping the gem in my hand. No matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t find anything interesting about it except that it was... um... beautiful?
It has a distinctive and strange aura, and as soon as it was near me, I felt a sense of calm and clarity, but that was all.
On my way back, as I passed through the Knights’ Courtyard, I stopped when I noticed little Evelyne training with Julian... Well, it would be an exaggeration to say they were training. It was clear that Julian was bullying the poor little Eve as she tried to fend off his sword—which weighed five times her own body weight and pinned her to the ground—while he laughed merrily, encouraging her whilst mocking her at the same time, leaning on his sword.
And when she failed to use strength or physical agility, she used her deadliest weapon... and cried... which made the foolish brother rush over and move the sword himself whilst helping her to her feet. But she took advantage of his lowered guard, grabbed her dagger and screamed as she stabbed him in the chest with the dagger still in its sheath
"I’ve got you," she laughed like the villain in a children’s story, but she immediately regretted it because it became clear who the real villain was when Julian raised the massive sword, smiling with feigned anger.
She screamed as she fled from him, and he began chasing her across the square, forcing her to run whilst using the knights as scapegoats—who, in a way, seemed... Um... happy, whilst Julian showed them no mercy... In fact, the more he saw the stupid smiles on their faces, the more he made sure to strike them with greater force and greater fury, whilst he began trying to get little Eve to stop joking around. But once again, his pride stood between him and admitting defeat twice in a row in front of her
Well, this is little Eve’s problem: all men are ready to be trampled under her heels because of her ability ’Desired – Passive’ and her second ability ’Beast Princess – Passive’.
But from the names of the two abilities, you can tell just how dangerous it could be with the slightest bit of attention from her towards any man, or even any misunderstanding that might arise.
She is, quite literally, a provocation and a challenge to all the beastly instincts of the opposite sex, simply by her very presence.
"Yo..."
So, to help this fool and put a stop to the farce before it turned into something no one would like, I called out as I approached them.
"Brother Lars, I’ve beaten Brother lian again, you know..." Evelyne approached me first, cheerfully explaining her duel with Julian.
I stroked her hair affectionately but didn’t bother listening to her explanation, knowing full well she’d cheated... so I advised her with a smile
"You know it’s not wise to play in this arena, don’t you?... " Before I could finish my sentence, she snatched the gem from my hand, completely ignoring me
"Lovely. Where did you get this, brother? Can I have it?"
Hmm, although I wanted to give it to her, but...
"No, it’s for a mission from our father, but I promise you that when I return, I’ll pick out the biggest and most beautiful piece for you, because I’m going to the mine to collect these stones."
"Is that a promise?"
Wait... why do I feel like I’ve just raised a big red flag? So, wisely, I changed my word with a serious face
"No, I won’t. Go and get one yourse..."
But even before I could finish my sentence, I felt the wind shift from the left and the air around me turn as cold as frost. So, instinctively, I drew my sword, but I was a split second too late to steady myself and skidded several metres across the square.
And before falling embarrassingly in front of the knights who were surreptitiously watching our interaction, I barely managed to steady myself using my sword, then stood up and glared sharply at the fool who had nearly killed me
"Are you an idiot?"
But he completely ignored me, looking instead at little Eve, who wisely took a step back whilst he planted his huge sword in the ground and leaned on it insolently in front of me to provoke me.
"Don’t worry about this fool. If he doesn’t keep his promise, I’ll make sure to beat him senseless,"
he said earnestly.
"You fool, can’t you see I was trying to stop the death flag from being raised?" I shouted at him in frustration as I turned back to attack him.
"The flag of what?" He looked at me stupidly, confused, but he parried me easily, which only added to my frustration. Yet he had his ego stroked after losing twice to little Evelyne.
Then we got into a fight... Actually, to say we got into a fight is an exaggeration, because I was the one getting beaten up most of the time...
" that mean if you make a promise to someone and you’re off to a battle or an adventure, you’re 100% dead"
"Hold on, but I make promises to Leta every time I go into battle and I’m still alive. Why do you believe in this superstition, you fool!! Who taught you these strange things??"
"You won’t understand you Bloody bastard...
."
"Stop swearing at me, you damned fool, and get back to living in reality instead of your bloody books."
"What do the novels I read have to do with this?!"
"Because they’re the only thing you read, you idiot, and they teach you things that are completely illogical!!"
"It makes sense."
"It makes sense, my arse."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
.
.
And so I ended up lying on the ground, defeated, my sword gone, and Julian’s massive sword stuck in the ground beside my head.
I looked at him in frustration; he looked down on me, then pulled out his sword and left.
Bloody bastard...
Tsk.
I didn’t say a word to him because if I had, I’d obviously have looked like a proper loser.
I waited until he’d strut off, having taught me a lesson in realism that didn’t sink in, so it wasn’t really a loss. Hmph...
He doesn’t know it, but it’s true!!
