Chapter 92. Sword Saint (3)
Emotions are said to be chemical reactions triggered by the secretion of hormones in the body.
Furthermore, some claim they are the brain's interpretation of the body's condition.
As for me, this situation was nothing but troublesome.
'This damned bastard.'
Without realizing it, I drew my sword and cursed inwardly as I faced off against the Sword Saint.
This cursed body of mine is prone to intense emotions whenever entangled with the "Sword Saint" or a 'Demon'.
Furthermore, who was the opponent I was currently crossing swords with?
'The Sword Saint and a demon as well!'
It was as if Yulian's fury switch was bundled with a buy-one-get-one-free event!
"Being able to resist demonic energy to this extent, there's only one possibility."
The Sword Saint incessantly muttered even amidst the confrontation.
Was he always this talkative?
In an attempt to silence Hayden even a bit, I deliberately put more force into the hilt.
Creak──.
With an unpleasant sound of metal scraping, the Sword Saint took a step back.
"Your overwhelming strength remains unchanged."
"For someone on the brink of death, master, you are also unchanged. Don't you intend to use your prized noble aura?"
"If it's just for formality, but using 'aura' in this situation would truly cross into a life-and-death fight. Is that okay with you?"
Of course, I didn't want that.
If I were to fight sincerely against the Sword Saint, there wouldn't be a single untouched place left.
In fact, the likelihood of my defeat was substantial.
"Still, are you okay with it?"
Provoked repeatedly by the Sword Saint.
"Can't you see that's what I actually desire?"
If it were this slit-eyed villain in such a situation, they wouldn't hesitate to stake their life on it.
So it's fine to throw such words.
Anyway, Rinne will mediate the situation like before.
Then, reluctantly pretending to lose should suffice.
"Master often said it's right to correct what is improper."
Huh?
Why is she suddenly acting this way?
"Master always said it was his shortcoming for not correcting Yulian's path."
Contrary to expectations, Rinne drew her sword like me.
"If I don't stop Master now, I feel I will regret it my entire life."
Hey! Damn! No!
Your role is to stop us!
Please! Fulfill your duty!
Seeing Rinne assume a serious stance, I turned my gaze toward the entrance of the villa as a last resort.
Even though Hayden had asked to clear the area, due to the rising tension, I could see the face of the Fourth Prince, Eulsis, peering in this direction.
'Maybe you could intervene?'
With that thought in mind, as I stared at him, Eulsis shifted his gaze with a troubled smile.
As if to say, 'I didn't see anything, and I won't be seeing anything,' with that nuance.
What a spineless Fourth Prince.
I guess from his perspective, seeing Yulian smiling with his slightly curved eyes.
'I will handle it.'
It likely seemed like that. Damn it.
"Rinne, what do you intend to stop?"
"If Master directly injected demonic energy as Yulian suggested, he's no different from the Dawn Society. I don't want Master to end up like them."
Hayden chuckled dryly, clearly displeased.
"Being compared to the Dawn Society, regardless of it coming from a beloved student, is unbelievably unflattering."
Swoosh──!
With a sweeping motion, Hayden, who had been standing opposite me, sent a frightening kick to my midsection.
Momentarily losing balance, not just from the impact, a sudden sense of buoyancy enveloped me, and the scenery shifted rapidly.
Barely regaining my wits and breaking my fall.
【「Foresight」 trait detected danger.】
【「Innate Swordsman」 is responding to the threat.】
I sensed a sharp sword aimed at me.
"Ugh!"
I twisted my body to evade it, and Hayden's sharp gaze met mine.
Given that I was midair, having already shifted, counterattacking was difficult.
Hayden quickly closed in and grabbed me by the collar, slamming me into the ground.
【Thanks to the character trait, 「Poker Face」, the pain was reduced.】
Despite this trait reducing the pain, a fiercely glowing blade was once more in my sight.
Thud!
As I slightly tilted my head, the sword embedded itself right next to me.
"For a dying man, you seem quite sturdy. Master."
Does this bastard actually intend to kill me!
Though it was a thought unsuitable for the situation, I tried hard to push aside such trivial thoughts by blurting out nonsense, and I jabbed Hayden's side with my knee.
Thud.
'His body feels like a rock!'
Perhaps because he had shielded himself with demonic energy, the sound of my knee striking Hayden's side wasn't the kind of sound tender flesh would make.
Meanwhile, Hayden was pulling out the sword embedded in the ground for his next attack.
Slice──!
Fortunately, the attack did not follow through. Rinne, who quickly closed in on this side, repelled Hayden with her sword.
"Huff, huff......!"
Feeling guilty for having wielded her sword against the master who had taken her in, Rinne's face paled.
Even so, she steadied her stance for a second strike, but Hayden didn't miss the slight hesitation.
"A swordsman's hesitation is as good as death, didn't I teach you that?"
In a gentle tone as though advising a disciple, Hayden swung his sword at Rinne.
Swoosh!
This time, I was the one who intercepted the attack.
"You're truly ruthless, master. To wield such a deadly sword against your disciple."
Though I spoke in a Yulian-like manner, inside I was brimming with curses.
In the trailer, I was the one who was supposed to try to choke Rinne, only to be stopped by our 'protagonist' Hayden, but everything had turned completely opposite.
"I never imagined I'd hear such words from you."
While complex emotions and a bitter taste rose in my mouth, bluish mana began to ripple from Hayden's body.
Sword and body as one, he decided to use the aura he fiercely opposed.
If this continued, we would certainly enter the realm of life-and-death duels.
I didn't want that.
No matter how much he had changed, he was my 'protagonist'.
"For lacking imagination, haha. Let me enlighten you, dear Master."
Still, this body, Yulian's body, desired it.
To kill the master.
To kill the Sword Saint.
To kill the demon.
【An emotional surge detected.】
Instinctively, I knew that if「Open Eyes」manifested here, there would be no turning back.
As my consciousness started to be overwhelmed by the raging desire, the 'moonlight' slowly formed on the sword I held.
"Keheuk."
Just when I thought it was too late to stop, Hayden suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed to his knees.
"Keheuk, cough......!"
The flow of blood stained his shirt a dark crimson like a clot, his demonic energy and aura powerfully subdued.
'He still hasn't mastered the control of demonic energy.'
In a way, it was obvious.
For an ordinary person, to fully control demonic energy while suppressing 'demonization' would be impossible.
One must own a special holy relic or possess an evil trait like Yulian's 「Vessel of the Demon King」 for it to be possible.
Of course, our protagonist didn't possess the trait 「Vessel of the Demon King」.
Why? Because he's the 'protagonist'.
"How pitiful. Is this really the fate of the Empire's esteemed Sword Saint?"
Hayden barely managed to support himself with his sword, and seeing him like that, a hollow laugh escaped my lips.
This wasn't coming from Yulian, but rather from me, the player truly expressing it.
The bitter taste lingered in the laughter, but what did it matter now?
"No, it's not over yet, for nothing's begun."
"Even if it's ugly, are you really intending to hang onto this wretched life?"
"If you can endure, no matter how squalid, wouldn't you do whatever it takes?"
"Yulian!"
At that moment, Rinne's urgent voice reached me, as a chilling killing intent was directed at me.
Just one movement.
With it, I could have killed the 'protagonist' standing before me, yet, for my safety, I decided to retreat backward.
Whoosh!
Where I had been, a formidable aura-infused sword sliced through the air.
"Are you okay, Sword Saint?"
The man named Idel whom I'd seen at the entrance earlier wields the sword that cuts through the air.
Supporting the Sword Saint as he rises again, I see the demonic energy within him seething uncontrollably, yet the fighting spirit in his eyes had not dimmed.
However, it seemed evident that continuing the battle any longer would not be wise.
"... Let's go."
Hayden commanded Idel, his gaze still fixed on me.
Fighting spirit, resentment, longing, desire, resignation.
Multiple, complex emotions dwelled in his eyes.
Eventually, their figures disappeared from sight.
"Master!"
Rinne attempted to pursue Hayden, but the men in robes who had followed blocked her path.
"Move!"
"Rinne, please stop."
When I also intervened, Rinne seemed visibly perplexed.
It was because Yulian, who eagerly anticipated the battle with the Sword Saint, was the one stopping her.
"Why are you stopping me?"
"Too many eyes are watching; this isn't the Empire. The spies from earlier are surveilling us."
Upon hearing me, Rinne concentrated deeply, scanning her surroundings.
Realizing the pursuers had returned, she bit her lip with frustration.
"... So that's why you stopped. Well, indeed, someone like you would never act without purpose."
Rinne mumbled to herself, and I sighed in relief.
Thinking logically, engaging in a full-scale battle with the Sword Saint now was premature.
Moreover, this wasn't the Adlitan Empire's capital either.
Causing a stir should be avoided. That's all I had in mind.
'In these circumstances, it's just that this damn body responded too intensely.'
Peeking out.
After the commotion subsided, the Empire's proud prince, Eulsis, emerged.
"Haha, so it ends up like this."
See this crazy bastard.
Even though more intense curses rose to my throat, I couldn't voice any.
Though I was an invited guest, the Empire's prince not intervening in the commotion occurring in a foreign land was beyond belief.
What on earth is he thinking?
"Thank you, prince Eulsis. I deeply appreciate your leniency in allowing momentary indulgence."
Cautiously hinting at my thoughts, I spoke, and Eulsis just offered a sheepish smile.
"After all, I should turn a blind eye to small missteps; it's the people you'll keep seeing, not those who've defected."
Eulsis said this as if he had done some weighing.
If he expected gratitude.
He's mistaken, this damned bastard.
***
As the cold night breeze brushed against me, my mind began to clear somewhat.
'Seeing him shroud himself in demonic energy, the Sword Saint knew his body was undergoing demonization.'
Or rather, how could he not know?
As someone who had hunted demons as much as Yulian, he would have easily detected changes in his body.
"Phew..."
Exhaling a deep breath, due to the cold night air, a puff of breath formed.
Protagonist's demonization.
If this were a game, the phrase 'Game Over' would be flashing before my eyes, compelling me to do everything to overcome it.
Yet, strangely, I remained composed.
As the damned Sword Saint stood there in that state, why was I so unnaturally calm?
I truly wanted to question those who sent me here.
What did they desire by possessing me within 'Yulian', causing me to kill the Sword Saint, and transforming him into such a condition?
"Really, this is fucked up."
Even wanting to curse in such a situation, 'Formal Speech' naturally came out, and I clicked my tongue inside.
What amused me was that even now, my face remained composed, akin to observing a tranquil sea.
Undoubtedly due to the trait 「Poker Face」 and 「Duplicitous」 influencing my emotions.
'What in the world prompted the Sword Saint's fall?'
If the process of 'demonization' was solely the Sword Saint's volition, why choose such a path?
'For power?'
Not even Yulian would think that.
'What kind of change of heart did he undergo?'
Deliberating over the person named 'Hayden Reich', I shook my head.
'Now isn't the time to focus on motivations.'
I should instead concentrate on what I need to do now.
There were still those tails who'd been tracking me since purchasing a flowerpot, right?
'Such diligent fellows.'
Their reluctance to detach was perplexing; instead, they should focus on self-improvement.
Fortunately, Eulsis' baptism ceremony had concluded, meaning we would return to the Empire tomorrow.
'Before that, I must collect the relic, ensuring it's a busy day.'
Of course, I knew where the relic was located as well.
A famous landmark of the Holy City, Althea—
The myriad arena.
Frankly, the prime reason for traveling to the Holy Kingdom Fernand was to secure the relic 'Bell of the Silent Night'.
Despite Eulsis being a prince, being the Fourth Prince placed him far from succession.
Interpersonal relations weren't worth the risk of coming to the Holy Kingdom.
However, the Bell of the Silent Night is different.
'Recently, Tenelon has been wary of me.'
Since Gerard's incident, his gaze has sharpened peculiarly.
It wasn't just me. Everything related to the Dawn Society has fallen under his scrutiny.
'Therefore, now is the opportune moment.'
An ideal time to take the first step in engulfing the Dawn Society.