A fast, flash-like dual rapier attacks, and powerful ice magic. Even the forest almost turned into a freezer by the attacks.
It has been a while since Duran has bled.
It was truly a fight that made his blood boil.
However, it also made him felt jealous. A face that full of righteousness. An expression that filled with determination. It was very different with Duran.
If Duran was not here, for this kind of bandit group, a few minutes would be enough to wipe them out. However, she was still fell short compared to Duran.
A lack of experience due to her age, and the missing tank role for close combat.
Duran did not let those flaws go.
The winner was, of course, Duran. And he only paid these victories with a few drops of his blood.
That’s why, Duran believes, the real show was not her, but about to start now.
The flow, the round, the meeting, the battle to the death with the strong person.
“Haha–”
The high tension in his body made him laughed.
At that time, he felt alive.
It was the curse that has to befall him since long time ago.
He was born in a poor village, and when he was seven a group of bandit attacked.
There were around twelve of them.
On the contrary only five vigilante corps in the village. Just by the number, they would certainly lose and the village would be completely ransacked.
However, it ended differently than expected.
Among the sea of blood, Duran smiled ferociously. Among the despair, and the screams, only Duran grasp the situation calmly.
That’s right since he was born he was always a genius in fighting.
That’s why he calmly use his brain.
Fighting power, the remaining soldier, the position, the gap, and the people must be protected, he just assessed them calmly.
To overturn the adversity–
He needs to use the home advantage and bandit’s carelessness, that was the conclusion he reached.
Although he had a good build, he still a seven years old boy. He racked his brain to defeat the bandits that were bigger than he was.
First, he cut off the bandit that had raped his mother with a kitchen knife.
The bandit was laughing foolishly with no pants, and he even left his sword on the floor, killing him was easy. Without any noise, Duran sneaks up, and since the bandit was crouching, his knife could reach his neck.
That was the first time he killed a person.
Among the sprouting fresh blood, Duran holds the wave of nausea and exhalation.
After that, he took the short sword and long sword, and killed the bandits one by one.
He knew the village that he has lived in for seven years like the back of his hand.
The path usually used when playing hide and seek and the top of the roof, was a perfect place to set an ambush.
Sometimes when he met the bandit attacking the villager, he attacks them from behind, sometimes using his small stature, he dives low and cut their tendons. Sometimes he throws rocks at their head from the roof, completely crush them so he would not be overwhelmed.
And when he comes back to his sense, all the bandits were dead.
Duran was just desperate. Using his innate physical prowess and the bandit’s carelessness, he killed all the bandits.
It was for survival, to save his mother and father, and maybe to receive praise from the others.
To not lose the love from his father and mother, was the only thing in his mind.
However, his feeling was betrayed.
No one accepted Duran’s abnormality.
The gaze directed at him, who was only a child but able to slaughter the bandits, was a queer one.
Even the smile of his parents who raised him with love was distorted.
He could not forget those gazes even in a lifetime.
He saw it, inside his head. If even those kind smiles could become distorted like that, then was the meaning of his desperation? He even resists nausea, risking his life, suppressing his fear, just to fight for them.
What was left in his heart was only an enormous feeling of loss, and the exhalation from battle.
Since then, Duran left the village and throw himself inside the battlefield.
Wanting for even more exhalation, as if running away–
Until he found something that would be able to fill his distorted heart.
Some part of him become the slave of those ‘something’.
He would be unable to live, if he left it empty, that was what he felt–
It was the escape that his weak side chooses to survive.
He would not be able to live without fighting.
He didn’t know what he is living for.
The battlefield becomes daily life, and daily life turned into a nightmare. For Duran, fighting becomes synonymous with living.
He exhaled and balled his fist tightly until the color changed due to the blood rush.
Duran’s body pulsated, and his muscle could be seen swollen up from his clothes.
It’s not like he trained his body. It was what he got after moving from one battlefield to another.
In his hand was a single edge greatsword. At a glance, it just likes a giant kitchen knife.
When was it, during the coup he took it from a man he killed. A weird man who tells a mercenary to save the princess.
Even though they were enemies at that time.
Duran has no idea what happened to the timid young girl now, however, he saw the illusion of a smile in the reflection of the blade.
“This time surely.”
He would meet a strong person and fill the gap in his heart.
<>
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“Na-Nacht-sama! Let’s stop after all! It is rash to enter bandits hideout on our own!”
Although bandit’s group size differs from each other, for Aisha who lives as a villager until now, it was the most familiar danger for her.
When she lived in the village, there was some small group bandits attack.
And whenever she looked at the wounds her father suffered, she felt cold and want to curl herself up.
It was scary.
“That’s kind of late, Aisha. We are almost facing dragon a few days ago, don’t get cold feet just due to a couple of bandits.”
“That’s absurd! For me, a dragon or bandits are just as scary……”
For a moment, she remembered her meeting with the dragon and her body trembled.
“Well, certainly, as it is it might be true, alright–”
Aisha just a half-elf child. Although her mana capacity has a lot of potential for the future, right now she is just a child.
It’s a bit unsettling to let her be without any means to defend herself.
Then the only option left for Nacht was only one.
“–Aisha.”
“Ye-yes!”
Aisha expression looked tense when looking at Nacht, on other hand Nacht only said,
“Strip.”
“Ye, yes! ….Eh?”
She answered reflexively, but when her brain catches up her eyes blinked a few times, and steams poured out from her head.
“E-emm, no–ah, it’s not like I don’t want to, but that kind of thing needs preparation…Al-also for the first time I hope I was undressed, n-no, of course, if Nacht-sama finds it troublesome then I will strip myself, but at least please choose a place that more private, just the two of us…if possible a place with a roof, like a castle maybe…just kidding…”
Hearing the string of words come off of Aisha, Nacht was flabbergasted.
“Per-personally I hope Nacht-sama would wait for a while until I grow a bit more especially the part that currently flat, but if Nacht-sama prefers this way then anytime is OK! I will endure it even if it’s hurt.”
Nacht should have expressed herself better.
However to think that her misunderstanding would go this severe…
Well, during the game time, ‘strip’ was a jargon that usually used to tell the other people to show their equipment stats. Although some newbies might not know and thought it was sexual harassment, it was pretty commonly used. And Nacht just carried over that habit here.
She could not let Aisha continue to self-destruct so she correct herself.
“No! I just want to give you some equipment so change into it–currently, you only wear linen cloth and worn-out shoes right–that’s why I want to give you some armor.”
“–he? Ye-yes? Eh? Then what I was saying—Hafu—”
It took some time for Aisha to collect herself after that.
“…Have you calmed down?”
""
“Ye-yes.”
“Splendid, now, first, this one–”
What Nacht take out was a pumpkin undie for children.
“I never see any underwear like that–but somehow–I feel like I’m being treated as a child.”
Perhaps noticing something through her sixth sense, Aisha stared at Nacht with a piercing gaze, Nacht coughed on purpose to evade her question.
Of course, the reason she takes it out not because it looks suit to Aisha child-like figure.
Although the appearance was a bit uncouth, it was a magic item. Halloween limited event that could be obtained by a female character that cleared quest “The First Halloween”.
Anyone could get it as long they participate in the event, however, because it was an event-limited item it’s quite precious.
The rank is unique. Other than giving high magic resistance it also hides a special power.
Generally, the ranks during the game were divided into common, rare, unique, and then ancient. Of course, there was another rank above it which was ultimate, however, it was generally an item that could only be gained through the highest difficulty quest in the limited event, and thus the number was scarce and could be counted with ease. And thus generally ancient was dubbed as the highest rank.
Then why Nacht did not give her an ancient event? Well, other than ancient one was more scarce, usually, it has the special condition to equip. All equipment from legend and above need a certain amount of stats or special conditions to equip, and thus none of them could be equipped by Aisha.
“Then, next is this–”
“It’s frilly and cute! Is it really fine for me to wear it!?”
The next one she took out was the uniform for women and children, a maid uniform.
Of course, this is also a unique class magic equipment.
It has high defense against physical attack, and while its magic defense is abysmal it has two special skills. One is to negate low-level magic and the other one gives resistance to four great elements.
“This, and this, and this one too–”
Pegasus shoes which have a floating effect.
Nightmare Necklace that gave illusion resistance.
“A legend rank item that has its restriction removed with a paid item–Freya’s Tear (Ring of Harvest Goddess)”
During one of the time-limited gacha event, there was a rare item that could be used to remove low-grade restrictions from equipment.
Using that Nacht has removed the restriction of level 70 and over 250 Luck needed to equip this ring that grants near immunity to poison, paralyze, and sleep. Additionally, the ring also grants increase resistance for all negative status which makes it extraordinary.
The circular part has a wave-like pattern engraved and in the middle a seven-colored jewel which said to be the crystalization of Harvest Goddesss’ tears was held by hands-like metal engraving.
From the intricate design and the mana wave it emitted, Aisha certain it was a very precious item that she would not be able to measure.
However that actually still falls short to its true value.
Of course, it depended on its effect but in this world, unique class items usually only hold by a great nation and treated as their precious.
Aisha’s perception was all the money in the village might not be able to buy it, but in actuality, in this world, it would be close to it would need a country’s budget to might be able to buy it, that’s the true value of those types of equipment in this world.
Of course, even Nacht herself did not know that. Although she did deliberately choose items that not conspicuously look high class so that even if Aisha reluctant at first she would still use them if Nacht insisted.
However, it seems it did not work with the ring.
Because in one glance even Aisha understood that it was a high-class article.
“I-I can’t accept it!”
“…? Are you sure? This is really handy you know?”
It has helped her when she was low level.
Just with one item slot–ring, she could resist all kinds of negative statuses, even if she needs a paid item to get rid of the troublesome luck restriction, it was worth it.
“Bu-but–this kind of beautiful ring–would be wasted on someone like me–”
Just from the gold that made the ring, it could become an unimaginable amount of money that could be used to live without worry.
Then what about the gem in the middle? She could not even imagine.
“But it’s an item that I don’t need. It also did not really have meaning sitting in my storage, I would be happy if you would accept it.”
However Aisha did not reach her hand out, and thus Nacht added.
“Additionally, if this ring could protect your life, then it’s a small price to pay. Aisha should learn more about your own worth.”
Hearing those words Aisha falls into deep thought.
She needed a few minutes to fully understand Nacht’s words.
That her life worth more than the treasure item that she never saw before.
Then that would mean–protecting her own life is one of her duty.
“That’s not fair–if you say like that, I could only–accept it happily…!
The currently powerless Aisha could only hang on Nacht’s kindness.
Although she accepted it fearfully, her expression becomes a blissful smile when she wore it on her finger.
“Why did you wear it in your left-hand ring finger…?”
Aisha who gazed at the ring happily did not seem to hear that question.