TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 52
Mikhail, panting heavily, raised his trembling sword.
He looked at me with eyes full of determination to win somehow, but his shaking legs made him seem anything but intimidating. I couldn’t help but feel curious about how far he could go.
I spoke to Mikhail, who was covered in dust from head to toe.
“Stand up.”
“Shut up.”
The sound of his teeth grinding reached my ears, even from afar.
Mikhail’s expression, unable to suppress his frustration.
Mikhail’s appearance, covered in dust.
It felt both pitiful and oddly satisfying at the same time.
It felt almost addictive….
Mikhail swung his sword at me once more.
Mikhail’s sword, at its limit, was trembling. It wasn’t an efficient attack but one filled with desperation, unable to contain his emotions.
I lightly dodged Mikhail’s sword and struck his exposed side with my sword sheath. Not enough to break a bone, but the pain was undeniable.
Thwack. A chilling cracking sound echoed, and Mikhail staggered greatly.
“Guh… Haaah!!”
Seeing Mikhail trying to endure with a shout, I spoke again.
“Your left leg is exposed.”
Before I even finished speaking, I struck Mikhail’s leg with the sword sheath. His body lifted briefly before falling heavily to the ground.
A Dust Cloud billowed up.
As the thick Dust Cloud blurred my vision, Mikhail’s figure was nowhere to be seen.
‘Whoosh.’ Mikhail quickly found a blind spot within the Dust Cloud and thrust his sword, but having anticipated his move with my Sense Perception, I easily dodged his attack and spoke once again.
“This time, it’s your right side.”
Another chilling cracking sound resonated through the alleyway.
With a deeply driven attack, I became certain.
He wouldn’t be able to stand up anymore.
Even someone like Mikhail, with an indomitable spirit that could rise hundreds of times, wouldn’t be able to endure the pain wrung out by the Aura.
Three seconds of Silence passed.
Overwhelmed by the intense pain, Mikhail couldn’t even scream and clutched his abdomen. With a clanging sound, his sword fell from his hand. At the same time, Mikhail slumped to the ground.
I walked toward the fallen Mikhail.
Neither too fast nor too slow, I approached the protagonist of this novel as he lay collapsed.
Mikhail’s pupils were trembling.
From the fear of experiencing the same pain again, and the helplessness brought on by the overwhelming difference in skill, I could tell from Mikhail’s broken expression.
I looked down at Mikhail and said.
“Shall we stop now?”
“I can still go on…!”
-Crack.
A red haze, like a mirage, began to tighten around Mikhail’s breath.
It pressed down on Mikhail’s shoulders to prevent him from standing again and began to erode his unyielding spirit.
Mikhail clenched his teeth, trying to overcome the crisis.
With an awkward smile, I whispered to Mikhail.
“Let’s stop. If this goes on, your body will break.”
“Don’t act like you’re worried. This kind of thing is nothing…”
“You’ll really die.”
Mikhail’s pupils trembled greatly at the voice laced with Killing Intent.
“Don’t move.”
“Understood?”
I understood as well.
Just how much of a hateful existence I was to Mikhail. I tormented the woman he liked while siding with the woman he despised, harassing him in the process.
I could understand why he hated me and refused to listen to what I said.
I didn’t expect Mikhail to understand me.
Hoping for that would be shameless of me.
There was just one thing, this one thing I hoped he could understand. Just as Mikhail had Yuria, I had the Young Lady, a significant presence in my life.
This behavior was nothing more than Venting Anger, a childish complaint, but I hoped he could understand a little bit of my immaturity.
I bent down and picked up Mikhail’s fallen sword.
Whoosh. I gave it a light swing.
I checked the finish of the sword, both front and back.
Mikhail’s Sword, imbued with countless efforts to the point where handprints were left on the hilt. It was one of Mikhail’s treasures mentioned in the novel.
It was said that the Sister who raised Mikhail bought this sword for him. It was Mikhail’s most cherished sword, a precious one that shaped him into who he was today.
Mikhail gritted his teeth and said to me.
“Don’t touch it with your dirty hands.”
“I did wash my hands, though.”
“I said don’t touch it…!”
I casually ignored Mikhail’s words and observed the sword closely.
“It’s a good sword.”
That was a lie. I knew the story behind the sword.
A cheap, heavy sword with poor balance. You could buy it at the marketplace for just 1 Gold, and still have change left over. But I knew very well that it was more precious to Mikhail than anything else.
Mikhail would know as well. Someone like him, who had used hundreds of swords, wouldn’t be ignorant of the sword’s quality.
Because it was a gift from the Sister who had turned him into someone who knew only Justice, I couldn’t criticize it easily.
After lightly swinging the sword, I spoke to the heavily breathing Mikhail.
“You should learn Aura quickly. That way, you can use this sword for a long time.”
Mikhail remained silent.
He quietly looked at me with eyes filled with unease, as if wondering, “Why is he saying this?”
As a Possessor, I added one piece of advice.
“It looks like it’ll break soon… So, you’d better hurry.”
While facing Mikhail today, I realized something.
The unpolished state of Mikhail’s Swordsmanship wasn’t due to the lack of Fortuitous Encounters I had stolen from him, but because I had gone easy on him.
The issues he was supposed to face during the First Semester.
The Cultists’ Raid.
The Betrayal of friends.
Even the Young Lady’s madness.
I had shrunk the trials Mikhail was supposed to endure too much, which had slowed his growth. I realized this a bit too late. At this rate, not only would this Event fail, but Pascal might also obliterate him instantly.
For the sake of a peaceful Possession life, I thought it might be time to step back from the trials Mikhail needed to face.
I released a Deep Sigh.
“I’ll hit you one last time.”
***
The sound of rough breathing reached my ears.
Mikhail, lying on the ground and staring at the sky.
His expression was filled with a mix of emotions. He seemed resentful, upset at being completely trampled without ever landing a single hit.
I let out a long sigh and sat down next to Mikhail.
“Mikhail.”
“…If you’re going to mock me, haven’t you done enough?”
“No. I plan to mock you for the rest of your life.”
Mikhail showed a look of despair. Even though I felt pity seeing him exhale deeply and cover his eyes with his hand, this was nothing compared to the tragedy that would come later.
Yuria would continue to meddle unnecessarily.
And Mikhail would have to go along with her meddling.
Feeling both hatred and guilt, I looked at the sky Mikhail was staring at and softly spoke.
“Embarrassing, isn’t it?”
“…No.”
“Come on… Don’t lie.”
It was silent.
As the sentiments of dawn washed over me.
I uttered an embarrassing statement to Mikhail.
“Mr. Mikhail, you hate me, don’t you?”
“…”
“I hate you too, Mikhail.”
Ignoring Mikhail’s lack of response, I continued my monologue. If not now, I felt I would never be able to say this.
“Do you have any idea how much I hate you for being handsome, popular, and hogging all the Love Letters?”
“I…”
“Shh. Aren’t we having a serious conversation? Shut up and listen.”
I rejected Mikhail’s attempt to retort.
The loser should obey the winner’s words.
If Mikhail argued back here, I might knock him unconscious. So I silenced him.
The air at dawn felt pleasant.
It cooled my cold and stifled chest.
The Young Lady must be sleeping with the Window wide open.
If it gets too late, the Young Lady might turn into a Frozen Noble. Dusting off my dirtied pants, I helped Mikhail to his feet.
“You know, I’m aware that I’m a Bad Person too. If words don’t work, I resort to Violence. If I have no money, I steal from others’ Pockets… just like I did with yours.”
Mikhail rummaged through his pocket. Finding it completely empty, he muttered “Son of a B*” under his breath and let out a sigh.
“There wasn’t much money in it, though. If a Renowned Healer of the Empire spends like this, how are people like me supposed to survive?”
“…”
“It was a Joke.”
This time, it would truly be the last.
The last time Mikhail and I would meet.
I had decided to step back from Mikhail’s Trials.
If I interfered any further, I might end up being unable to intervene at all.
Even if I didn’t pay attention to the direct Story, I could still offer occasional help, but I planned to refrain from meddling as I had during the Academy days.
Because attracting the attention of the Heretics would become exhausting.
With that in mind, I gave my final sincere advice.
“Don’t meddle unnecessarily.”
“It’s not meddling, it’s…”
“It’s my sincere advice.”
Because you’ll end up getting burned badly.
“Just, please remember my words.”
It was the advice of a Possessor who knew the Original Work.
***
On my way home after leaving Mikhail in the Alleyway.
When the Young Lady’s Window, which was still wide open as always, came into view, my pace quickened.
Thinking about how the Young Lady never listened no matter how many times I told her made a Smile form on my lips. Resolving not to give her Chocolate in the morning, I hurried my heavy footsteps.
Passing the Wall and reaching the entrance of the Estate.
A familiar Voice came from the Second Floor of the Estate.
A Voice that shouldn’t be heard at this hour was calling out to me.
“Ricardo!!!!”
In a tearful Voice, the Young Lady shouted at me.
Waving her hand as she called me.
For a moment, my heart sank.
But the words coming out of the Young Lady’s mouth calmed my uneasy heart.
“There’s a Cockroach!!! Waaahhh!!!!”
“Ack! I need to run!”
“Heyyyyy!!!!”
Smiling, I dashed toward the Young Lady’s Room.