Episode 51. The Fruits of Training
The blade swung this time was stopped just short of Binaeril’s nape.
Binaeril watched Dominique’s attack come to naught without so much as blinking.
It was because, through his training in the Spirit Breathing Method, he could predict Eden’s reactions.
With two consecutive attacks thwarted, Dominique could no longer underestimate his opponent.
“How did you grow so much in such a short time?”
“I’m in my growth phase.”
From earlier, Binaeril had been answering by ambiguously mixing polite and casual speech.
To Dominique, that reaction felt like nothing short of provocation.
Dominique closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling deeply as he tried to regain his composure.
When he soon opened his eyes and looked upon the detestable boy’s face, his anger boiled up anew.
Seeing the culprit who had shredded his face and pride to pieces, he found it hard to govern his emotions.
He would kill that arrogant wretch who put on such airs, no matter what.
“Let me tell you beforehand, tricks using a spirit won’t work anymore.”
“Hmm… there are two things I’d like to point out.”
Binaeril said, stroking his chin.
“First, using a spirit isn’t a trick. It’s skill.
And second, starting today, I will no longer be receiving help from Eden.”
“Good. Die with that arrogance.”
Binaeril still could not see Dominique’s sword properly.
But for the first time, he felt the desire to fight a match using purely his own abilities.
‘Veritas.’
‘Cut off the mana you’re supplying to me.’
-…I will.
Dominique was a strong opponent, but precisely because of that, Binaeril wanted to test how far his own abilities would take him against him.
He also harbored the shallow calculation that in a truly dangerous moment, Priya, Eden, or Veritas would step in to help.
-I’m not going to help, though?
‘Go ahead, you brat.’
Binaeril seized the initiative. It was for the same reason as last time.
Dominique reacted upon hearing Binaeril’s chant.
Magic of devastating speed shot toward the spot where he stood.
‘This bastard’s attacks are a different kind from before. Has he switched to a speed-based fight?’
Speed is power. Not a bad choice.
‘When it comes to speed, I don’t fall behind either!’
Dominique re-sheathed his sword, then drew it at devastating speed.
Binaeril, who had been trying to cast another magic bullet, instinctively jerked his head back at a strange premonition.
A sword’s path swept by along with the faint sound of wind passing above his chin.
‘I-I would’ve died if I hadn’t dodged…!’
Truly, even a graze would be a fatal blow. A fight between two geniuses with strong pride.
Binaeril once again felt that it was unwise to exchange blows with Dominique for too long.
‘I can’t give him a chance to counterattack. Again.’
The same magic bullet was fired as before. Since he had seen the attack just once, Dominique was able to bat it away without difficulty.
He momentarily reined in his sword and spoke.
“Are you playing around right now?”
“This wasn’t your specialty. Why aren’t you using magic like before?”
Binaeril knew it too.
His specialty had originally been chantless magic.
But Binaeril had been using incantations throughout this entire battle.
And quite honestly at that. One incantation for each spell.
Dominique felt that Binaeril was insulting him, but in truth, Binaeril was hatching a different plan.
To get Dominique accustomed to his chants. Hiding a blade within his words.
Binaeril ignored his words and chanted the same spell.
Dominique tried to knock away the incoming magic bullet as before.
When he struck the spell with the back of his blade, the magic bullet shattered into a stream of water, drenching his body.
Dominique struck it away again. This time, it was a shock bullet.
He nearly dropped his sword at the numbing sensation, but the magic resistance of his surcoat barely mitigated its force.
“Damn it…!”
Dominique spat curses at the relentless attacks that gave him no room to breathe.
He couldn’t afford to have his stamina drained like this.
Even if he finished off Binaeril, the Witch of Bewitchment still remained behind him.
‘No need to drag this out!’
Dominique resolved to defend and counterattack simultaneously with this strike.
Dominique prepared another sword draw.
Binaeril’s eyes flashed.
‘Now!’
The drawing of Dominique’s sword and the casting of Binaeril’s next spell were almost simultaneous.
‘Shoot from within the shadow!’
Dominique’s shadow, stretched behind the light, squirmed.
It soon took form.
The shadow’s master, unaware of what was happening behind him, was swinging his sword with all his might.
“Help me, Eden!”
Even before Binaeril opened his mouth, his spirit was moving.
Dominique’s sword traced a diagonal path.
Eden hastily spread a defensive wall, but it was insufficient to block Dominique’s strike.
Just then, another hand lent strength to Eden’s defense.
“That’s enough. Just how much of someone else’s house are you planning to wreck?”
It was assistance from Priya, who had been watching the situation unfold.
The force blocking Dominique’s sword path grew stronger. The blade reached right before Binaeril’s nose, but ultimately failed to cut him.
Dominique felt something hot surging up from behind, choking him.
“Gwaaah!”
Binaeril’s magic bullet embedded itself in his flesh.
Not even the anti-magic surcoat he boasted of could completely block the spell.
Dominique Syler screamed at the dizzying pain and fell to his knees.
It was a miserable defeat.
“You’ve improved a lot.”
Priya praised Binaeril’s skills matter-of-factly.
“Whew…”
Binaeril wiped away the sweat running down his nape.
Dominique Syler was an outstanding knight.
There had been no choice but to bait him into a razor-thin contest for victory.
Though he had received help from Eden and Priya in the final defense…
It had been worthwhile.
Because he had confirmed that his magic worked even against a powerhouse of Dominique’s caliber.
Priya smiled and praised him.
“I was going to end up facing that obsessed man myself. You’re beyond expectations, kid?”
“It’s thanks to your advice, noona.”
“No.”
Priya knew.
Not just any mage could grow this much from a single harsh word.
“So, what are you going to do with him now?”
Binaeril looked down at Dominique, who was clutching his wounded area and vomiting blood.
“I suppose… I’ll have to kill him?”
Priya nodded.
“He’s not someone worth keeping alive. Much less likely to repent.”
“Me… repent…?”
The fallen Dominique spoke, chewing on the words.
“What would I repent for? If I have a sin, it is that I lacked the strength to tear you two wretches apart and kill you. That is my sin!”
Perhaps his lungs were damaged; he gasped violently at intervals.
“Look at that. Look at him. Even as he’s dying, nothing but his mouth is alive…”
Even to Binaeril, he no longer seemed to have any chance of survival.
Killing the Platinum Knight people revered with his own hands felt somewhat uncomfortable, but… Binaeril chanted a spell to ease his suffering.
“Shoot…”
Dominique looked up at Binaeril from his kneeling position and formed a twisted smile.
He tore the scroll hidden inside his surcoat.
Priya urgently blew pipe smoke and tried to disturb the flow of mana surrounding him, but she was a moment too late.
Dominique melted into the air and disappeared.
He conveyed something at the last moment.
Only Binaeril, whose eyes met his, could read through his lip movements what he had tried to say at the end.
“An escape scroll…! To think he’d hidden something like that!”
Priya struck her knee, regretting that she had let him escape.
“What a funny guy. Calling himself a witch slayer, yet he flees using a scroll, a magic tool? Hey, if he’s an anti-magic zealot, shouldn’t he not use magic items either?”
“…I suppose you’re right.”
“But didn’t he say something at the end? Did you see?”
“What did he say?”
“‘I will find you again. Without fail,’ he said.”
Priya let out a loud scoff as if it were ridiculous.
Though Dominique couldn’t hear it.
It truly could not be described as anything but a farewell with an unpleasant aftertaste.
“Noona, where are you heading now?”
“I’m going east for now. I’m sick to death of imperial lands. And there’s… someone I need to meet there.”
A longing for someone was evident on Priya’s face.
“What about you?”
“I need to go to Essen.”
“To the empire’s capital? It might be dangerous for a mage to go there.”
“It’s fine. I have a friend waiting.”
“Hmm… Could it be this?”
She raised her pinky finger.
“It’s not like that!”
“Look at you. If it’s not, it’s not. Why get mad?”
Having exchanged brief, trifling jokes, the two now realized that the time to part was imminent.
“The house has become a mess.”
“It’s fine. I packed the things I needed a while ago, and I have no more business with this house.”
After the two stepped outside, Priya blew pipe smoke toward her dwelling.
The house where she had stayed melted away in the smoke.
Binaeril was the one who reached out his hand first.
Priya smirked and took Binaeril’s hand.
“If your girlfriend dumps you, feel free to come find me anytime, got it?”
Binaeril stuck his tongue out in lieu of an answer of refusal.
Priya ruffled his hair one last time, then turned around and left.
The pipe smoke she left behind lingered long in the Thornwinter Wetlands.
“Well then, shall I be going too.”
To the royal castle where his friends were waiting.
Dominique, transported to Count Syler’s manor, immediately lost consciousness.
When he opened his eyes, he was on a sickbed. The first thing the awakened Dominique saw was the face of the person he least wanted to see.
“…Your Excellency.”
Dominique tried to rise and pay his respects.
Count Victor Syler stopped him from doing so.
“Lie still.”
Count Syler’s expression was not yet one of great anger.
Whether he was truly maintaining his composure or if it was the calm before the storm was anyone’s guess.
“The mission?”
“…It failed.”
“The witch?”
“She probably escaped.”
“The troops?”
This question was harder to answer than the others. Dominique swallowed hard and answered.
“…They were annihilated.”
“The Witch of Bewitchment was a stronger opponent than expected. And there was an unexpected accomplice on the witch’s side.”
“Was it that sewer rat you failed to catch last time?”
“How did you…?”
“You ask how I know? Commander. I am no fool.”
Heavy footsteps echoed through the sickroom.
“Nor do I easily trust people.”
“Is this the crippled bastard who failed his mission?”
At the edge of his vision, he saw the Count nod.
Someone abruptly thrust their head over his face.
It was a man with a chilling appearance, his molars grotesquely exposed.
“Hiya~ So this is the renowned Platinum Knight. Quite the spectacle you are. Khaha!”
As the yellow-toothed man burst into laughter, drops of spittle splattered onto Dominique’s face.
Dominique endured the filth and questioned Count Victor.
“Your Excellency, who is this wretch?”
“Oh my? ‘This wretch,’ he says? Hehe! Even a fallen loser has some pride, I see!”
“Goblin, restrain yourself.”
“Yes, yes. I should. You’re my employer now, after all. I’ll keep my mouth shut!”
Goblin. That seemed to be what the man was called.
“Dominique. Exchange greetings with Goblin. He will be assisting us from now on.”
“What is his identity?”
The Count explained what kind of person Goblin was with a single word.
Syler felt a cold chill run down his spine.
“He’s a black magician.”