IBDFSML Chapter 41

41

Ah… if I'm unlucky, I might really get hit this time. That thought struck me, and I instinctively tensed up.

CRACK!

"Kh!"

With the harsh grinding of metal, a low groan came from above my head.

"……?"

Wondering what just happened, I cautiously opened my eyes, and gasped.

Drip…

Drip…

Bright red blood was dripping onto the pure white snow in front of me.

"…Huh?"

Staring blankly at the spreading blood, I slowly lifted my gaze.

And there, there was a hand clad in iron armor, seizing the flying blade that had been headed straight for me. It was Sion's hand.

The blade had partially pierced through the back of his hand.

"Lin."

Sion called my name in a low voice. He was checking if I was okay.

Blinking in disbelief at the surreal scene before me, I numbly responded.

"I'm fine."

Just then, the guy, that Dyke whatever-his-name-was—shouted out, probably startled that his attack had been stopped.

"You, using your hand to catch the blade? That's cheating, my lord!"

In response, a voice colder than I had ever heard from Sion escaped his lips.

"…Cheating?"

CRUNCH.

Sion grasped the lengthened blade tighter and snapped it apart.

"You dare talk about cheating, when you swung that kind of lethal weapon, a chain sword, in what's supposed to be a friendly sparring match?"

"Kh… That's…"

"You wouldn't even be able to protest if I punished you right here on the spot."

Sion, now holding his sword in his left hand since his right was a mess, marched forward.

His fierce killing intent and overwhelming aura sent the man reeling in fear, he froze, then dropped to the ground with a thud.

Snapping out of it belatedly, I quickly called out to Sion.

"Sion, stop."

"……"

"Your hand's bleeding badly. You need treatment first. Let's go back."

Sion didn't respond.

Seeing how genuinely angry he was, I tugged tightly at the hem of his clothes again.

Honestly, I wanted to beat that bastard to a pulp myself for hurting Sion.

But first, we had to deal with Sion's injury.

"Sion, now!"

At my urging, Sion let out a breath.

Then, as if trying to calm his boiling emotions, he closed his eyes briefly and opened them again.

"…This duel ends here."

He coldly addressed the gathered knights around the training ground.

And just like that, we left the place.

***

I burst into tears as I looked at Sion's ruined right hand.

"Sob sob, just hang in there a little longer, Sion!"

Just looking at it made my own hand ache with sympathy, how much worse must it be for him?

But the person in question looked far calmer than I did and said flatly.

"This kind of injury won't kill anyone. Calm down."

"But it still hurts!"

I snapped in frustration.

"Sion got hurt because I stupidly panicked! I should've used my power to block it…!"

When that grotesque blade came flying at me, I flinched like a fool and Sion ended up getting hurt because of it.

"This isn't your fault. It was an unexpected attack, and I just reacted too slowly."

Sion replied calmly as we walked down the corridor.

"If I hadn't stopped the chain sword's blade, it might've gone through your body instead of my hand."

"……"

He'd sacrificed his own hand to block that horrific scene from happening. By saying it had been the right decision, Sion was indirectly easing the guilt weighing on me.

Just then, Garen and Diene Schuto appeared from the other end of the corridor.

As soon as Garen saw the blood dripping from Sion's hand, his face went pale.

"My lord? What in the world…!"

"I got hurt during the duel. No need for a fuss."

"But the injury looks pretty serious…"

Diene Schuto peeked at Sion's hand and calmly remarked.

She then pulled out a bandage from her coat and began wrapping Sion's hand with it.

"I've given it some emergency treatment, but this is only a temporary measure to stop the bleeding. He should receive healing from a priest as soon as possible. You know this, right? If the timing is off, even if the wound heals, there could still be functional damage. A knight's hand is critical, after all."

"What!?"

I shouted in shock.

"Is that true!? Are you serious!?"

"…Huh? Huh?"

Diene Schuto, who always had a laid-back expression, looked genuinely startled for the first time and stared at me.

Then she pointed at me and asked Garen.

"…Garen. Is that a fairy…?"

"…Ah, yes. Technically, yes."

Garen replied awkwardly.

I quickly asked the two of them.

"Hey, have you guys seen Genevia?"

"…The priestess? I think she went to the training grounds a little while ago?"

"What? No way, she never showed up!"

"Oh really? That's strange. She said she was running off to meet the young lord."

"……?!"

'What? Did we miss each other along the way?'

I turned to Sion and said.

"Sion, go back to the annex first! I'll go find Genevia!"

"Wait, Lin."

Sion called my name in a low voice, but I pretended not to hear him and flew straight back toward the main building.

***

'Damn it. I'm screwed.'

Genevia, her arms and legs tied with rope, immediately knew she was in deep trouble.

Earlier, when she overheard someone in the annex mention that the young lord was going to a duel, she had a gut feeling.

That the dangerous event the Grand Duchess had warned her about was happening.

'I need to tell Ms. Lin!'

Driven purely by instinct, Genevia had rushed toward the training grounds.

But just as she turned the corner.

'You've made a foolish choice.'

That man, Jerome, the Grand Duchess's aide, had suddenly appeared and abducted her.

Which led to her current state.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

Genevia tried to sound composed, but her voice trembled.

…Truthfully, she was terrified.

She knew all too well what happened to people like her in situations like this.

They disappeared without a trace, never to be seen again.

Jerome calmly polished his monocle with a cloth and replied.

"Are you truly asking because you don't know? You were personally chosen by the Grand Duchess, yet you betrayed even the mercy and grace she extended to you."

'What the hell is he talking about?!'

Genevia clenched her teeth and cried out.

"I was wrong!"

Not even knowing what she was apologizing for, she confessed to imaginary sins, desperate to survive.

"Please tell Her Grace the Grand Duchess that I was wrong! I beg you, please let me live!"

"It's too late. Her Grace does not give second chances to insignificant creatures like you."

Jerome's voice was cold as he stepped forward, holding a black orb in his hand.

Genevia swallowed hard at the sight of the suspicious item with an obviously sinister purpose.

"W-what is that…?"

"It's a very effective tool. It'll silence your pitiful mouth forever."

"…!!!"

Poison.

That was clearly poison.

Sensing what was about to happen, Genevia tightly shut her eyes.

A flash of her pitiful, meager life passed before her eyes, years spent enduring and struggling.

Then, suddenly, her eyes flew open with rage.

She screamed at the man.

"You bastard! I'll curse you even after I die!"

"…How vulgar for a priestess."

"You son of a-! Who cares about titles when I'm about to die?!"

"…Enough noise. Just die already."

"Mmff! Mmmph!"

Jerome tried to force the orb into her mouth, but Genevia struggled wildly, shaking her head to resist.

And just then.

"<!#@#$votion!!!>"

A familiar voice echoed from somewhere.

And then.

CRACK!!!

"…?!"

Jerome, who had been standing in front of Genevia with a face like the Grim Reaper, suddenly rolled his eyes back and collapsed sideways.

Thud.

"…???"

Genevia blinked in confusion, unable to understand what had just happened.

Then, a familiar figure appeared before her.

"You okay?"

It was Lin.

***

I clicked my tongue as I looked at Genevia, tied up tightly in rope.

"Seriously, how do you end up in situations like this again?"

"……"

"Hey, Genevia?"

"……"

She looked totally out of it, like her soul had left her body.

I glanced at the man collapsed at her feet, and at the black orb that had rolled away.

'That's… the same thing those assassins sent by the Grand Duchess had before.'

That wretched poison, he had been about to shove it into the heroine's mouth.

If I had been even a little late, the heroine might've exited the story for good.

'…Honestly, I'm starting to really doubt what genre this world is supposed to be.'

I gulped.

Then, remembering Sion's urgent condition, I quickly turned back to Genevia.

"Anyway, you seem mostly okay. Can you move?"

Genevia nodded.

"Good. Then get up. We need to get back to the annex, now."

"…The annex?"

Genevia muttered with her head lowered. Then suddenly, her whole body began trembling.

Startled, I asked,

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Worried that she might have swallowed even a trace of the poison, I quickly moved closer to check her face.

And then I recoiled in surprise.

"Uwah… huuuu…!"

Genevia had burst into tears, sobbing with a runny nose and everything.

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