Chapter 116: The Black Sword Demon
{TL: By Creed}
Aisha clung to Sofia, looking frightened.
Sensing her daughter's distress, Sofia picked up Aisha and gently patted her back, reassuring her that there was nothing to fear.
"It's okay, Aisha. I'm here with you."
"Mm..."
Aisha seemed to calm down a bit, and her trembling ceased. However, her fear had not completely vanished, as her tail remained curled up.
"What's wrong with Aisha? Did she eat something strange?"
"Well, she's not like Licorice... but still."
Aisha is a beastman. She might be sensing something that we cannot perceive.
"Hey, Aisha. You said you felt something scary over there. What kind of feeling is it?"
"Um... it's like I can hear angry voices and the sound of swords..."
"Sofia."
"Yes."
We can't hear anything... but Aisha, being a beastman, has incredibly sharp hearing. If she says something is wrong, it must be true.
"Sofia, stay here with Aisha. I'll go check it out with Licorice."
"What? Me too!?"
"Licorice, your scouting abilities are excellent. I need your help."
"Wow, you think that highly of me? Well, of course. There's nothing this perfect, beautiful, fairy girl Licorice can't do—ow!"
"Just hurry up and help Fate already," Sofia said, placing Licorice forcefully on my head.
I hope Licorice isn't squashed...
"But... will you and Licorice be okay by yourselves? I should go too..."
"No. Considering what might happen, it's better if Aisha stays away. And you should stay with her."
"That's true, but..."
"Don't worry."
I smiled reassuringly.
"I can't always rely on Sofia to save me. I need to prove that I can do things on my own too. Otherwise, Edward won't acknowledge me, and I'll never catch up to Sofia."
"Fate... oh, you're so cool. Just how cool do you plan on becoming before you're satisfied with capturing my heart? You're such a charmer."
"If only this sword saint didn't have these moments... but fine. I'll stick with you to the end. Let's go, Fate!"
"Yeah."
Leaving a reminder to Sofia and Aisha to be careful, Licorice and I dashed into the back alley.
Leafland is a beautiful, thriving city. However, back alleys still exist, and they are dimly lit and prone to crime.
...and indeed, a crime had occurred.
A person lay on the ground. Judging by his appearance, he was probably an adventurer.
His face was frozen in fear... and he was already dead, having bled out profusely.
"..."
Standing nearby was a man dressed in black, holding a blood-stained black sword in his left hand.
"We just took on this request, and we're already facing the perpetrator..."
"This is your chance, Fate! Do it!"
"No, this is..."
I drew my snow crystal sword and took a two-handed stance. However, my body refused to move. I couldn't make it move.
My intuition was screaming that any rash action would lead to death.
"..."
"..."
The man in black also took a stance with his sword. The tension in the air grew palpable and taut.
"!?"
The man in black moved first.
In an instant, his figure vanished...
Before I knew it, he had circled around to my side and struck with his pitch-black sword.
I pivoted on one foot, rotating forty-five degrees, and barely managed to block the attack by using the flat of my sword as a shield. If I hadn't trained with Sofia, I wouldn't have been able to react in time and would have been cut. The thought of that sent chills down my spine.
"Ryaaah!!!"
Knowing I couldn't win by staying on the defensive, I decided to attack with a fierce shout.
The man in black moved quickly and easily blocked my sword. Despite several attempts to strike, he parried every one of my blows.
This man is strong! While not on Sofia's level, his skill is far superior to mine right now.
We clashed swords, engaging in a test of strength. Our blades clanged, and we separated, creating distance between us.
"Hey, Fate, are you okay? You look like you're struggling..."
"Honestly, it's a bit tough."
In truth, it was more than just a bit tough—it was incredibly difficult. But my pride as a man wouldn't let me admit that.
"......"
"......"
We stood, swords at the ready, glaring at each other. I saw no openings. Instead, all I could foresee was my own defeat.
This is bad. I never expected such a monster to be waiting when we came to investigate. This is far beyond what I anticipated.
As much as I hate to admit it, I want to call for Sofia's help. But would she even allow that...
"Fate!"
I saw Sofia's figure a little ways off. She must have entrusted Aisha to someone else and come to support me.
"......"
Suddenly, the man's fighting spirit vanished. He must have realized that facing both Sofia and me would be too much. He turned his back on me and ran off.
"......Phew."
I was saved. If the fight had continued, I undoubtedly would have been cut down.
That man...
"That was... the Jet-Black Sword Demon, wasn't it?"
"I think so. To scare this Licorice-chan like that, he's quite something... haha..."
On my head, Licorice was trembling. It seemed he had scared her too. I felt apologetic and ashamed of my own lack of power.
"I..."
I looked at my palm, then clenched it tightly into a fist.
TL Note: Who is the Jet-Black Sword Demon?
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