Chapter 43: Prove Your Resolve (5)

Rubia felt like she was about to go insane.

‘What on earth does that leader do?’

Surely, he hadn’t spent that much time with the child. How on earth did he manage to make the kid so obsessed?

It was incomprehensible.

But no matter how nonsensical it was, the reality remained unchanged.

Apparently, that leader had completely bewitched this child.

‘What am I supposed to do about this…?’

Rubia’s anxiety was justified.

As a businessperson, nothing was more important than reading people’s emotions.

The emotion reflected in that child’s eyes, the firm resolve, was unyielding.

It was the gaze of a stubborn person who wouldn’t compromise an inch.

Surely, just as the child had boasted, she wouldn’t back down until she wielded her sword again.

‘Why on earth is she doing this…?’

Logically, she could do nothing and still live a comfortable life. Why would she choose to undertake something so dangerous?

Moreover, the sword just swung was merely a threat.

It was to warn that such dangerous situations could arise. It was meant as advice not to get involved if possible.

And yet, that weakling who couldn’t even fend off this threat wanted to join the Black Fangs?

‘Don’t be ridiculous!’

‘You all are completely unqualified!’

That wasn’t the declaration she intended to make.

However, the child’s words made it seem like a given. This place had suddenly turned into a recruitment test site for the Black Fangs.

‘I’m not even someone great enough to be doing this in the first place!’

He must be someone from another world.

That’s how powerful the leader seemed.

Incredibly competent and strong, the black-haired half-elf kid seemed capable of anything.

Usually quite careless, but sometimes more frightening than anyone, that girl of monstrous strength.

Being grouped with such people was overwhelming for Rubia.

She had no talent for magic.

She couldn’t even cast a Light spell, let alone Fireball.

She hated exercise.

Her fitness was so poor that even one push-up left her panting.

Controlling the sword with magic.

She had shown off a seemingly impressive ability to freely wield the sword.

‘But that was only possible because it was an artifact!’

Rubia recalled the events of this morning.

-Here, take this.

-Huh?

-The mana efficiency is a bit poor, so using magic would be more effective. But for someone who can’t use magic, this is the best self-defense tool.

-Tha-thanks.

-Just drop a drop of blood and chant the spell to use it. The spell is quite long, so I’ve written it down for you. Just recite it as it is.

-How did you even get this?

-...The instructions were written in that guy’s storage.

If the original owner of the artifact knew how to use it, there’s no way it would be in an unrefined state.

Such an obvious lie.

Clearly, he must have figured it out using a power that defies the laws of the world, just like when he ignored the mana oath last time.

Anyway.

The important thing was that this power was something obtained through such a process by chance.

Rubia might even lose an arm-wrestling match against that girl if she took it seriously.

That’s how weak Rubia was.

But...

‘In this situation, I can’t just say it’s impossible.’

The atmosphere here.

It was all under the control of that girl.

If the girl wasn’t convinced, the other children wouldn’t be convinced either.

Saying things like the mana in this sword is almost depleted after one use.

Or if I use it once more, I’ll definitely be bedridden tomorrow, so can’t we just call it a draw?

Such words would never work.

She’d probably get cursed at for joking around.

Since they were so serious, she had no choice but to respond seriously.

‘Please hold out, my body!’

Rubia inwardly screamed as she continued the conversation.

*****

“Alright, if you insist.”

The woman before her said that.

At the same time, the sword moved again.

The sword brushed past the girl in an instant.

So incredibly fast.

‘I knew it...’

She clearly felt something moving.

But it was too late.

In the end, she couldn’t react.

After all that bravado, she couldn’t even touch the sword.

But...

“Please, once more.”

The girl said.

She could feel the woman in front of her being flustered.

However, the girl spoke before the woman could open her mouth.

She couldn’t give up here.

She must not give up here.

So, she had to use any means necessary.

“This is to prove my resolve.”

The girl spoke confidently.

“I haven’t given up yet. I won’t give up yet. So please! Just a little... bear with me a little longer!”

The girl bowed her head and pleaded.

Finally, the woman sighed and declared.

“Twice. That’s the maximum. No more than that.”

“...Understood.”

The girl spoke, focusing all her nerves.

She had to erase it.

Sensing all the extraneous things would only delay her.

So, she erased everything in the world except for that person and the sword.

Breath, muscle movements, where the gaze was directed.

Feel only what was necessary.

She had to react the moment it shot out.

Move her body before her thoughts.

-Whoosh!

The sound of the sword cutting through the air.

It flew towards her side.

The girl quickly reached out.

But...

She failed.

The sword was too fast.

With a body that had lived as a slave for so long, it couldn’t possibly move fast enough to catch it.

“Really. Is it worth going this far?”

The woman in front of her asked.

It was a valid point once again.

Could someone like her really be of help to that leader?

Could an ordinary person like her?

Perhaps she was just meddling unnecessarily.

She might only be causing trouble.

But...

‘I promised.’

She had promised to help that person someday.

To stand by his side.

To become someone who could do that.

“I was, luckily, saved.”

“...”

“If I just appreciated that luck and enjoyed the life I gained by chance, sure, it would be easier.”

As she spoke, the girl looked at the other children.

She had gained a new life.

She had gained the freedom to do anything.

Just being happy with that would make her future life easier.

There was no need to insist on joining that person’s ideals.

There was no obligation to volunteer for a difficult path to create a better world.

“But that would only be easy, not right.”

“...”

“I know it’s foolish. To risk my life after barely saving it.”

“That’s...”

“But we survived because of that foolish act. We survived thanks to that foolish person who risked his life to save strangers like us.”

‘...So how could I ignore the right thing to do?’

The girl turned her head back to the woman.

And without a word, she nodded.

The woman, understanding the meaning, prepared to swing the sword again.

This was the last chance.

The last chance to stand by his side.

So...

‘I absolutely cannot fail.’

Slower Reaction Time?

Can’t reach the sword even if she extend her hand the moment it shoots out?

Then move before the sword is launched.

Don’t wait to feel and react.

Move before it even happens.

The sword is launched.

No, the sword hasn’t been launched yet.

She can just see its trajectory.

She can sense a future that hasn’t yet occurred.

All she need to do is place her hand there.

The exact position.

The precise spot.

‘Right now…!’

The girl reached out.

A perilous timing.

She definitely grasped the hilt.

But.

“Ugh….”

It felt like her arm would rip off at any moment.

Agonizing pain surged through her.

Her frail body couldn’t withstand the force of the sword.

Just as her hand was about to give out and lose its grip on the sword...

She felt something strange.

Around the sword, she could feel the presence of mana gathering.

...It was the other children.

The other kids were straining to squeeze out what little mana they had to help hold the sword.

But that wasn’t all.

Before she knew it, many children had gathered around her.

There was a child using all their strength to hold the hilt with her.

There was even a child holding onto the blade itself, blood dripping from their hands, clinging stubbornly.

They were all combining their strength.

To stop that sword. To prove their resolve.

Soon enough... the seemingly invincible sword lost its power. With a metallic clatter, it fell to the ground.

Her arm felt like it was going to break.

Her legs trembled so much from overexertion that it was hard to stay standing.

But even so.

The girl staggered towards the woman.

It was the natural thing to do.

She had something to say.

Something she had to convey no matter what.

She could feel the woman’s face fill with astonishment. But the girl didn’t care and approached right up to her.

After being caught and living as a slave for four unlucky years,

After four long years, she smiled brightly as if she was her age again.

The girl declared proudly, more confidently than anyone.

“This is our resolve.”

‘Don’t underestimate our resolve.’

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