Chapter 33: En Garde

“I knew it.”

Perci looked at my face, which was still flowing with tears.

“P-Perci….”

“There’s no need for you to explain, I get it,” Perci said.

He pointed the umbrella at Lucio.

“You’ve been forcing her to be in a relationship with you this entire time.”

Lucio smiled for a moment. Then he started to laugh maniacally.

“Hahahaha! What are you talking about?”

“Don’t deny it. It’s pretty clear.”

“Oh really, then where’s your proof?” 

“I don’t need proof. I’ve witnessed it myself.”

“Witnessed it? What are you saying?”

“I never left the resort today. I was actually watching both of you throughout the entire day.”

“Huh? That doesn’t make any sense. Weren’t you supposed to be with Alex on the hunting expedition? He was supposed to be watching you.” 

“I decided to back out. Alex persistently asked me not to, but Agnes was able to convince him to let me go.”

Agnes did? 

“But, even if you didn’t join him, the staff would have noticed it. They didn’t tell me anything. Nice try, but I can see right through your bluff,” Lucio said and pointed at him. “You’re just making things up!”

“It’s not a bluff,” Perci smiled. “I was merely just hiding in plain sight.”

How is that possible?

“Plain sight? You sound ridiculous!” Lucio said. “I would have noticed it myself!”

“No, no one would have recognized me,” Perci said. “After all, who would suspect a panda?”

Lucio widened his eyes in realization.

“Impossible….you can’t possibly be the panda!”

“Don’t tell me…the panda mascot today….was…you?” I muttered.

“The guy wearing the panda mascot was burned out for so long. He was kind enough to give me the costume when I offered to replace him for a single day,” Perci said.

Lucio placed his hand on his head and laughed once more.

“I never saw this coming! Dressing up as a panda to spy on us? Ah…I underestimated you. I knew you were smart, but I didn’t think you could come up with such a ridiculous idea!” Lucio said.

Even a genius couldn’t predict such a bizarre play…

“I know how you treated Ori. You forced her to wear all those outfits in public and made her feel uncomfortable. You’re the person who made her cry,” Perci looked coldly with his indigo eyes.

“Huh? What are you talking about? Ori is perfectly fine with everything, right?”

Lucio held my waist and whispered into my ear.

“Don’t you dare say no….”

“I……..”

“Ori!” Perci said. “Stop lying to yourself! I know you don’t like being with him! I can see it right through your face!”

“Perci….”

“Don’t listen to him, Ori,” Lucio said.

“I’ve seen the way you look when you’re with him. It was an expression of a person dying on the inside. Stop forcing yourself to endure everything! You don’t have to do this alone. Your eyes are telling me you want to be saved!”

I subconsciously walked towards Perci, but Lucio held my hand.

“What are you doing, Ori? Follow my orders.”

“Just believe in me! Did you already forget? I’m your knight in shining armor. Just let me save you….” Perci said.

I…..can’t take it anymore.

I swiped my hand away from Lucio and ran over to Perci, crying on his chest.

“I-I’m sorry for everything! I was just afraid that you’d get hurt because of me!”

He's so warm…..

Perci patted my head gently.

"Don't worry, I understand," Perci said.

"But I was acting so cruel to you…how can you forgive me?"

"You didn't mean it, so it's all good. I said it myself, you're an amazing woman," Perci smiled at me. "A person as kind as you, definitely deserves to be forgiven."

"T-thank you…Perci."

Perci let go of me and pulled me behind his back.

"As a gentleman, I won't tolerate a man who makes a girl cry."

"Sigh, so it's finally come to this?" Lucio said, walking towards a display of a black and gold saber.

He picked up its hilt and removed the handle slowly, revealing its sharp blade.

Lucio swung it around and pointed it at Perci.

"En garde. Will you cross swords with me?"

Perci pulled off the blade from his umbrella and pointed back.

"Gladly."

T-that's dangerous…

Perci and Lucio walked closer to each other…

"Let us fight to the death for our love!"

Without warning, Lucio immediately started attacking Perci with thrusts and swings.

Perci responded with his own swings and countered every attack with a few parries.

They clashed their swords together with the sounds of metal clanging each time they made contact, all while dancing around with graceful steps.

This fight is different. It was unlike the violent brawls Perci had always engaged with.

If his fight with Kenji was all about brute force, rough plays and aggressive beatdowns like a savage showdown between two beasts, then this was the complete opposite.

It was like a peaceful elegant sparring match between two princes.

But both still had the intent of killing each other….

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Lucio cuts through Perci's hair and Perci retaliates with a slash on his sleeve, but none of them had made skin contact yet.

Both timed their moves with great precision, looking for an opening on each other's defense.

Lucio tried to go for another thrust, so Perci twirled it around and swung his blade towards Lucio's legs.

Lucio steps back and cuts open Perci's vest, while Perci finds a small opportunity to graze Lucio's cheek.

"Ouch…."

Lucio wiped the blood off his finger and licked it with his tongue.

They both try to attack each other once again, but it ends with both their blades centimeters away from their necks.

It's a tie….?

"Hehe…" Lucio said. "Close one."

"You have exceptional sword skills," Perci said.

"Of course, I'm a genius. But, you were pretty amazing as well."

Lucio stepped back and smiled.

"Sorry, playtime's over!"

A group of staff members suddenly rushed into the room with weapons and surrounded both me and Perci.

"W-what's going on?"

"Hey, what is the meaning of this?" Perci said.

"I was just stalling for time!" Lucio said. "I wouldn't know if I actually could beat you in a 1 on 1 fight, it's a 50-50 chance! So I might as well call for backup!"

"You cheater! That's not fair!" I said.

"Cheater? I'm just doing whatever it takes to win. I don't care about how I do it! As long as I get what I want, that's all that matters," Lucio sighed.

"What do you plan to do now, Lucio?" Perci said.

"Well, I'm giving you one last chance to give Ori back. I'll spare your life if you decide to hand her over to me."

"You know I can't do that Lucio…" Perci said.

"Then so be it. Kill Perci," Lucio said.

"No way…" I said.

Lucio's men surrounded us and tried to get closer, while Perci placed his sword back inside the umbrella.

"Hold this," he handed his umbrella over to me.

"W-What are you doing, Perci?"

"To do what I've always been good at," Perci smiled.

He picked me up and carried me in his arms.

"W-woah!"

"Open the umbrella, quickly!"

I opened the umbrella and Perci decided to charge towards the staff.

They were caught off-guard, so they had no idea what to do.

They tried to attack the umbrella, but Perci slid past them and started running out of the room.

"What are you doing?! Get them!" Lucio said.

Ah…jeez! This is the first time in a while since he's last carried me. I miss this sensation.

I closed the umbrella to let Perci see where he was running.

They were still chasing after us…

"Perci! Don't go for the elevator!" I pointed.

Perci ran past the elevator and went through the stairs instead.

"Hey! What are you…WAAAAAAA!"

Somehow, he had the courage to slide down the railings of each floor while carrying me.

"You're crazy!" I screamed.

But also so cool……

How can he balance himself like that?

Because of this, we were quickly able to make it to the ground floor.

Perci gently dropped me to the floor.

"Hey, did you practice sliding on railings before?"

"Not while carrying a girl…it's my first time."

"You lucky bastard! Good thing we didn't fall off!"

We both made it to the swimming pool, where everyone was still partying.

Squeezing our way through the crowd we tried to blend ourselves in to lose them.

The staff had a hard time looking for us, trying to bump other people in a rush.

"Hey! Watch it!" a guy said.

Using this to our advantage, we ambushed the staff from behind with powerful attacks. More of them kept coming, so we tried our best to attack and retreat at the same time. 

I punched a guy at the back of his head and tried to get away, but I bumped into a certain girl and we fell down the floor together.

"Ouch! Wait…Ori?"

"Agnes?"

Agnes looked at me as I lay on top of her.

Perci was about to kick one of Lucio's men in the face, but Alex blocked it just in time.

"Calm down. What's going on?" Alex said.

"Everybody, stop!" Lucio said.

"Huh?"

His words caused everyone to stop moving.

The staff took this chance to surround us from all sides…

Damn it…..

"We have a criminal on the loose!" Lucio said and smiled.

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