Chapter 178 - Storming the Elven Palace and the Second Battle with Wind Blade
"Mash, what's going on? You just arrived in Migul and you've already found two new members?" Cecily asked.
"Found them? I only just learned Marianne's true identity. Nothing's been decided. But I am taking Marmie with me. I have no intention of letting another man have her."
"So you came to take her by force? If you really wanted her, you wouldn't have tried to make Maira talk for you, or let Marmie and the others speak for you. You'd say it yourself. Instead, you're just hiding in the back…"
She saw right through me. She knew I didn't have the words to persuade Marina. I had thought this was a problem Marmie had to solve herself, and that all I needed to do was create an opportunity for her to speak her own mind. But Cecily was right. I was the one who had decided to take Marmie with us. So I had to be the one to act to make it happen. Otherwise, Marmie herself would lose confidence in her own decision and become anxious.
"What's this? Are you jealous?"
Was I just frustrated that she'd hit the nail on the head? The words that came out of my mouth were completely different from what I'd been thinking.
"Yes, I am! Is that a problem? And whose fault is that? Right now, you're not cool at all. You're just… creepy!"
"It's my fault. I'm the one who accompanied Mash while hiding my identity. That's why he's confused," Marianne interjected.
"Outsiders, stay out of this. Even if that's true, I want to hear it from Mash's mouth."
Cecily scanned the room.
"I'm against Marmie joining us. What about the rest of you?"
She looked at Fam first, but Fam didn't move.
"Fam was the first to object. But I knew she'd come around."
A faint smile touched Cecily's lips. She then shifted her gaze to Mizuki, who also remained still. She glanced at Aira. Aira's long hair swayed as she stepped forward, mace in hand, to stand beside Cecily. Cecily's eyes met Maira's. Maira didn't answer, but she raised her own mace and stood next to me.
"I see. Two against two, then. And just so we're clear, Fam and Mizuki, you two stay out of this," Cecily said.
"What are you planning to do?"
"Our party might be smaller now, but this is a rematch for 'Wind Blade.' We won't lose this time."
Cecily raised her staff. A massive fireball materialized in front of her.
The situation I had feared was now a reality. I looked at Aira, standing beside Cecily.
"Aira, stop her!"
"I don't really mind if Marmie joins. But the way you are now, Mash… just like Cecily said. I don't like it."
Aira didn't budge, her mace held at the ready.
"Think about it! I've never had a 'cool' bone in my body, have I?"
"Mash, you are cool," Aira replied, then lowered her stance and tightened her grip on her mace. It seemed convincing her would be difficult, too. I turned back to Cecily.
"Stop it! This is a library!"
As my shout echoed, Cecily unleashed the fireball.
"Crap!"
I used the intermediate water magic I'd just learned from Marmie, creating a water sphere to counter it.
"Mash, no!"
I heard someone yell, but the water sphere was already flying. The two spells collided, erupting in a violent explosion. Flames scattered in every direction and steam billowed up, enveloping the area in heat and a thick, white mist. My vision was completely obscured; I couldn't see a thing. Inhaling the superheated air, I felt a searing pain in my throat and lungs. I covered my mouth with my arm.
"Ugh…"
Just as I tried to wave the mist away, Aira emerged from it, mace raised high. I was completely unprepared for a physical attack. My mind screamed to dodge, but my body wouldn't react. The instant before Aira's mace came crashing down, another shadow leaped in. A harsh clang of metal rang out as Maira's mace intercepted Aira's attack. Aira pressed on, unleashing a second and third strike. Maira met her blow for blow, and a fierce exchange ensued.
"I'll hold Aira off! Mash, you get Cecily!"
"Got it!"
I couldn't tell who had the upper hand, but I didn't think Maira would lose to Aira. Amidst the swirling mist, I pulled my shield and club from my storage and charged in the direction Cecily had been standing.
The mist was slowly starting to clear, but my vision was still obstructed. Cecily was no longer where she had been. She had already moved. I scanned my surroundings, searching for any sign of her. Just then, I felt a different texture under my foot. The moment I stepped down, I heard a crack and realized it was a thin sheet of ice. At the same time, multiple red orbs appeared in the white mist.
"Dammit!"
I instinctively raised my shield. Several fireballs got past it, striking my body. A burning pain shot through me. Fighting the urge to writhe on the ground, I launched a water sphere toward the direction the fire had come from and charged. But Cecily wasn't there either. Again, I heard the sound of an ice sheet shattering underfoot, and a volley of fireballs flew at me. I threw myself to the ground to avoid taking a direct hit. Since staying in one place was risky, I began to crawl forward, trying to get a sense of my surroundings. The clash of maces continued to echo—Maira and Aira were still fighting.
Maybe I should help Maira and take out Aira first. Cecily wouldn't be able to cast spells near her own ally in this situation. As I considered my options, a sudden wave of drowsiness washed over me. Cecily's magic. I remembered the technique Marianne had taught me and focused my mana in my head, trying to block out external magical influences. It worked; the sleepiness subsided. Her strategy was clear: she laid down sheets of ice and attacked when she heard them break. The multiple fireballs meant she didn't have an exact lock on my position—she hadn't expected me to be crawling on the floor. So she was attacking an area, not a point. And now that she'd lost me, she was casting sleep magic in all directions instead of using a spell that would reveal her location. My mind was clear now, the drowsiness gone.
Then, a silhouette appeared in the mist.
Cecily…?
I whispered inwardly as I dashed toward the figure and tackled it.
"Mash!"
Cecily's shriek echoed through the room. I quickly moved to get behind her, trying to pin her arms.
In response, she threw a wild elbow, and one of them connected with my side.
"Ugh!"
The pain almost made me let go, but I couldn't risk losing her in the mist. I tightened my grip, trying to hold her more securely, when suddenly my body was flying through the air. It was one of Cecily's throws. She had bent forward, hooked my leg, and flipped me over.
"I know how to deal with perverts, you know!" Cecily yelled.
She pulled on my arm, twisting my body, and slammed me back-first onto the floor.
"Gah!"
My vision swam, and the impact knocked the wind out of me. She tried to scramble away, but I reached out and grabbed the front of her clothes. She immediately grabbed my wrist. Then, hooking her legs around my arm and neck, she settled her hips down. A triangle choke. She squeezed her legs, tightening the hold on my neck.
"Ugh… you were hiding a move like this…"
"I learned it from Avea. When you're adventuring with a pervert, you need at least this much self-defense!"
"You've been… saying whatever you want…"
My consciousness began to fade from her chokehold.
"The sleep magic didn't seem to work before, but in this state…"
This was already a dangerous situation; I couldn't afford to get hit with magic on top of it. But the triangle choke was perfectly applied, and breaking free was nearly impossible. I mustered all my strength and tried to stand. She shifted her weight, throwing off my balance and preventing me from getting up. All the while, I was on the verge of blacking out.
"GRRAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
With every ounce of strength I had, I forced myself to my feet. She was still wrapped around me, but the choke had loosened slightly. With my newly freed hand, I grabbed her chin.
"I'll slam you head-first into the floor!"
"Go ahead and try! I'll choke you out before you can!"
We screamed at each other, but she didn't tighten the choke.
"…Hurry up. I'm gonna slam you."
"You're the one who's about to get choked out, Mash…"
We glared at each other.
Time passed in a stalemate. I didn't slam Cecily into the floor, and she didn't finish choking me out. I glanced around and noticed the steam had cleared. Maira and Aira had stopped fighting and were watching us.
"Hurry up and finish it," Aira said.
"Mash, you're burned. We need to treat that quickly," Maira said. Their words completely deflated the hostility in the air.
"…Mash, if you're not going to do anything, I'd like you to put me down," Cecily said. It seemed she had no intention of continuing the fight either.
"There's something I have to tell you."
"What?"
"You're not 'Wind Blade.' Me, Fam, Mizuki, Maira, Aira, and you, Cecily. The six of us are special. The six of us are Levante."
They were empty words. I was about to part ways with Cecily and Aira to welcome Marmie into our group. I probably sounded pathetically sentimental after they'd sent me off so graciously, but I couldn't help saying it. I wanted to keep adventuring with them. That feeling had never changed. I wanted them to know that.
"Marmie is a more skilled mage than I am, so if she joins, I can rest easy. So please, find a resolution that everyone can accept. Only you can do that, Mash."
I held her to support her as she untangled her legs from the triangle choke. I set Cecily down on the floor.
"The damage to the library…"
"…It's fine. My mother and I put up a defensive barrier to protect it," Marmie answered. The rest of our companions were also watching us from a distance.
"Why didn't you slam me down?" Cecily asked, smoothing her clothes.
"I could ask you the same thing."
She started to say something in response but stopped.
"I guess there's no need to ask…" she sighed.
I faced her and Aira once more.
"I can't wait for you two to graduate from magic school. I plan to live in this city, but I'm also going to the Demon Kingdom to find out about the Demon Lord. I'm taking Marmie with me. I need her power."
"I heard you the first time. My feelings haven't changed. You should be saying that to Marmie's mother, Lady Marina. And after this incident, our school recommendations might be revoked anyway," Cecily replied.
"No, I had to tell you and Aira first."
"I didn't want to hear it!"
Aira placed a hand on the shouting Cecily's shoulder.
"Mash, I'm sure you understand, but…"
I nodded at Aira's words. Then, I turned to face Marina. Just then, the doors to the library burst open. Marmie's father, Augustus, and Claire stormed in, followed by armed knights.
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