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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Take Good Care of Me Again - 1
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Ku-gwang!
Suddenly, Ters kicked off the ground and leaped into the air.
The madman was heading straight for the spectator stands.
"Uwaaah! The Martial King's lost it!"
"Help! Somebody save us!"
"Mommy, waaah."
This is bad.
I stood in front of the spectators, shielding them with my back.
"Calm down."
"Grrr."
Kwang!
A strike utterly different from before crashed into my sword.
It wasn't any fancy sword technique.
He'd struck it with his bare fist.
That alone shattered my prized longsword into pieces.
The shock traveling down the blade burst the veins in my hand.
"Maide! Even you can't handle that!"
"Feels that way."
"Wait, just hold on a second. Hold on!"
I think this is the first time I've seen Neril stammer.
She hurriedly rolled onto the ground and began drawing a magic circle.
I recognized the spell and yelled in horror.
"Hey! That's Decomposition magic!"
"...Huh? How do you know that?"
"That'll kill this guy!"
"You're still trying to live up to your reputation at a time like this?"
"Just wait. Let me think for a sec—stay put!"
Even as I shouted, he swung his fist at me.
I twisted my body in a hurry, but the wind pressure from the Martial King tore my clothes and splattered blood across my chest.
"Uwaaack!"
That momentum carried straight toward the spectator stands.
If a normal person took that hit, their face would be smashed flat...
"O Heavenly God, grant us your shield here!"
In that instant, a translucent sphere enveloped the spectator stands.
It was Jenia.
She had slammed her holy sword Kesar—the symbol of the Knights of Light—into the ground and clasped her hands together.
Phew. Thank goodness.
"Thanks, Jenia."
"Don't worry about the spectators. This is the sturdiest shield I've ever made."
Thud thud thud.
As if to prove her words, Ters was pounding on the stands like a maniac, but the translucent barrier didn't budge an inch.
Of course, no physical damage didn't mean no mental trauma.
Some folks started pissing themselves at the sight of a completely unhinged man hurling earth-shaking punches right in front of them.
"Ugh... Please, save us."
"Maide, sir! Please save us!"
"I'm sorry for being rude. Forgive me!"
"Please, I don't care what happens to me—just save my son!"
They pleaded desperately for my help.
...
Huh? This turned into...
'An even better stage, didn't it?'
[Your mind goes there even now?]
'Don't say it like you wouldn't.'
[...]
'Alright. Time to give it a shot.'
I cleared my throat and bellowed loudly.
"Everyone, stay calm!"
"M-Maide, sir?"
"I'll handle this somehow. Trust me!"
A faint spark of hope flickered in the despairing eyes of the spectators.
That hope began interacting between them, coalescing into something massive.
"Sniff... We trust you. We do!"
"Maide, sir, please, we beg you."
"We'll give you anything. Anything!"
Perfect. The mood's heating up just right.
I turned to Neril.
"Neril. Keep that Decomposition spell ready, but..."
"I'll pry out how you knew that later, no matter what."
"Stop his movements. Three seconds... no, just two."
"Tch. Fine, I'll try."
She began forming the hand seals I recognized.
Probably the intangible chains—one of Neril's signature binding spells.
In the meantime, I drew a spare sword.
I took a light breath and assumed my stance.
It's been ages since I last used this technique.
[Oh. New move? What's it... no, don't tell me.]
'Cut What I Desire.'
[Agh, you said it.]
My signature technique, 'Cut What I Desire,' was developed during a hostage rescue commission.
Criminals always hid behind hostages at the last moment when cornered.
So.
I created a technique to slice the villain behind without harming the hostage.
[Is that even possible?]
'To be precise, it cuts even if the target's out of sight. You feel with the sword tip and weave the blade past any obstacles that aren't the target.'
[So it works?]
'It did when I tried.'
[You monster.]
'Stop flattering me. It's getting embarrassing.'
[...]
'Alright. Here goes.'
Right on cue, Neril finished her seals.
"Ready."
"Activate on three. Three."
"You're kidding!"
Neril shouted that and triggered the spell.
Black holes appeared around the Martial King on all sides.
Black chains shot out from within them in unison.
They wrapped perfectly around Ters's entire body.
"Guh?"
He thrashed in resistance, but the chains didn't budge.
Graciously, his arms were raised, leaving his chest wide open.
'Cut What I Desire!'
I drew my sword.
Shaaa!
Time seemed to slow.
Focus on the sensation in my hands.
Peel back the Martial King's chest skin.
Brush aside the muscle without touching the veins.
There—the Withering Jewel clings right to his heart.
Ignore the heart. Slice only the jewel.
This technique can do it!
-Crack.
Something seemed to shatter in the next moment.
Time snapped back to normal.
I sheathed my sword.
Cha-ang.
"Grooo."
Ters convulsed with that sound and collapsed face-first onto the ground.
"Jenia! Treatment, now!"
"Yes!"
We rushed to the Martial King and checked his condition.
He was on the brink of death.
"O Heavenly God, your servant craves your warm touch."
As Jenia clasped her hands and began praying, color slowly returned to his face.
It was snail-paced compared to Serein, one of our hero party members, but Neril muttered in admiration from behind.
"You're saving him? Him?"
"If this shocks you, you'll faint later."
"...? What's later?"
"Nothing. Forget it."
Come to think of it, Kield's probably already recruited Serein. Shame.
Anyway, the jewel?
"Jenia, do you sense the jewel? It's probably smashed inside his chest."
"I was just about to say. I've stabilized him for now, but to properly treat him, we need to remove it."
"Good. Neril, if you would."
Now she knew just what to do—Neril waved her hand vaguely.
"There. Eyes covered for a sec."
"Perfect."
Extraction time.
The jewel was cleanly bisected.
No trace of the overflowing vitality I'd seen inside his stomach earlier.
Damn. My item...
As I despaired, Neril spoke up.
"Hand it over for a sec."
"Huh?"
"Give it. If I'm right, I can fix it."
"Oh, really? I'd appreciate that."
I quickly placed the shattered jewel in Neril's hand.
She stared at me blankly and asked.
"You're not gonna ask?"
"Ask what?"
"How I knew about it. And how I can fix it."
"If I ask, you won't answer anyway. I respect my comrades' privacy."
"Hmph. You already knew my ace up the sleeve—Decomposition magic?"
"Everything except that. I respect privacy."
Neril burst out laughing.
"I was gonna grill you on how you knew, but... nah, don't feel like it."
"..."
"I'll tell you later how I know about the Withering Jewel. Someday."
Before my return.
Even after all those years together, Neril never shared secrets like this with me.
She really has changed.
As I stared, Neril raised an eyebrow.
"Why the face? Disappointed?"
"Nah. Just fix the jewel."
"Fine. This thing's got tons of uses."
"Thanks."
"No biggie. Between us."
"..."
"Not in a weird way, okay?"
"I didn't say anything."
Then Jenia, mid-prayer, cut in with obvious irritation.
"Hey. Take it elsewhere? I'm trying to concentrate."
Three days later.
The incident concluded as follows.
One. The Martial King poisoned the young lord and later killed Dway, who discovered the truth.
Two. The Unyielding Sword Emperor carried out a mercenary commission alongside Dway's subordinates and challenged the Martial King to a duel to honor his dying friend's last words.
Three. Cornered, the Martial King went berserk and attacked to take the territory's people hostage.
Finally, I—the Unyielding Sword Emperor—perfectly subdued the mad Martial King and threw him in prison.
[A conclusion perfectly to your taste.]
'Yeah. Very satisfying.'
Thanks to this resolution, Lord Rior expressed deep gratitude.
A complete one-eighty from how he'd looked down on me at first.
"I don't even know how to thank you for this."
"Speak freely. I'm no noble."
"No. Regardless of status, this is the courtesy owed to the benefactor who uncovered my son's murder."
"..."
"Name anything you need. Or better yet, why not settle here? I'll give you the finest land for free."
Neril and Jenia looked fairly shocked at the generous offer.
I chuckled and waved it off.
"I'll pass. Gotta hit the road soon anyway."
"As I thought. You don't stay in one place."
"Yes. But if I may ask one thing..."
"Go ahead."
"What'll you do with the Martial King?"
A murderous glint rose in the lord's weary eyes.
"Sorry, but regarding that scum's fate..."
"Of course. I wouldn't interfere even a fingernail's worth. He's sinned greatly against you and everyone in the territory."
"..."
"Just arrange a private meeting for me. That's all I need."
"Understood. That much, yes."
The lord immediately summoned a guide to take us to the Martial King.
Saved by Jenia's intervention, the Martial King had his arm and leg muscles severed by the furious lord before being tossed into the underground prison.
Three days without proper food had left him gaunt and skeletal.
His lips were parched, white hairs streaking his head.
Creak. Clang.
Once the guide left to give us privacy, Neril spoke.
"Looks like a totally different person from a few days ago. I'd believe it."
"He lost the Withering Jewel's power."
"Even so, he's too withered."
"He was always frail. Without the jewel, this is what age would've made him."
I removed the gag from his mouth.
Ters looked up at me with hollow eyes and laughed self-mockingly.
"Heh heh. Why'd you come? To mock my misery?"
"Nope. Not interested enough to mock or pity."
"You bastard. After turning me into this, that's all you say?"
"Got a question. How'd you get the Withering Jewel?"
I asked, but Neril's eyes lit up the most.
Jenia, too, wore an expression of intense interest from the Knights of Light's perspective, but Neril's seemed deeper... more personal.
Naturally, the Martial King didn't answer right away.
"Haha. As if I'd tell y—gyaaah!"
Before he finished, I crushed the severed muscles in his leg.
"Sorry. Slipped."
"Ughhh. Uheeeng."
"About to slip again."
"W-wait. I'll talk. Get your foot off."
I smoothly withdrew my foot.
[Such a refined guy. With Gray, you used my Eye of Omniscience instead of torture, didn't you?]
'Don't know the name of whoever gave him the secret.'
[Your Blood Letters doesn't show it?]
'I only see victims' names. Receiving the jewel isn't a sin, so no name. We checked all night for three days, remember?'
[Don't remind me. Gonna puke.]
Anyway, I said.
"Now. Explain in detail, every step, how you got the jewel."
"Ughk. I climbed the mountain once to cut the thickest tree in the territory, hoping to help the family a bit. But I slipped and tumbled off a cliff."
Emboldened by his situation, he spilled freely.
"There, I met a woman. She gave it to me. Said to swallow this gem and pull it out once a day to absorb people's vitality. Then I'd become the strongest in the empire."
"A woman?"
A woman carrying the Withering Jewel around wouldn't be ordinary.
"What'd she look like?"
Casual question.
But his description next made my hairs stand on end.
"Purple hair I'd never seen before. And more than that..."
"..."
"Eyes that reflected nothing—completely empty. Weird way to put it, but they seemed to hold the whole world."
I'd seen someone like that.
After a brief breath, I asked.
"Did you catch her name by any chance?"
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