CHAPTER 20: STRONG

Three years later. It is the beginning of the winter. Seraphin has changed a lot in three years. Her body has slender, though her curves have bonified as well, thanks to the nutritious alimentation she was following under her mistress. She didn’t gain much height but is now more muscular. Her arms and legs looked trained and have a good shape without them being too exaggerated.

“Are you all set?”

“Yes, I think so, mistress.”

“Good. I shall await your return.”

“See you soon, then.”

As Melka judged that she had finished teaching her the basics, it is time for her pupil to pass the trial and start creating her own style.

“Swordwomanship is a style I have created but it is not infinite. Like any others, it has flaws and can be defeated. So, I want you to prove that you can surpass it. Or else, everything we did for the past three years was just a waste of my time. At the end of this forest, there is a vampire lair. Every winter, they wake up and attack humans as it is the period when we are less on guard. Go there and slay them all.”

“Yes, mistress. I will.”

“But be careful. I went there before you and attacked the most powerful among them. I didn’t kill them though, so they will certainly remember my style. If you cannot create something that will surpass it, you will die.”

“I understand.”

“Will you still do it, then?”

“Of course, it is your order after all.”

“I see. Go, then.”

As Seraphin is walking on the snow-covered ground, wearing a chainmail and leather clothes together with a fur coat that she got from her, Melka cannot help but sigh.

‘I suppose I should start making her grave.’

The reason why Melka sighed is that Seraphin is going to a vampire lair without any blessed weapons. She doesn’t have any items that might hurt vampires enough to kill them and she doesn’t have any magic. Light magic is very effective against vampires after all. Melka never asked her pupil why she doesn’t have a single ounce of magic in her body, but because of it, it was sure that she wouldn’t survive.

Melka is sure of it, Seraphin will die, and no matter how strong she can be now, she will die. She doesn’t know that fate could be overcome, and Seraphin will prove to her just that.

***

“What do think caused such earthquakes?”

“I don’t know. The chief said it was probably the dragon waking up. He had been sleeping for so many centuries after all.”

“Eh? Aren’t we in trouble then?”

“Nah, he never attacked in more than a thousand years. We are good.”

In Sigrin, the village near leviathan’s cave. The villagers felt tremors for two entire days and nights five days ago. It has been more than a thousand years since it happened and three years and one month since Lekas arrived at the cave.

While the guards at the gate of the village are discussing, a stranger came, wearing a bear’s fur and shredded trousers as his only clothes. He also has a mask made of a white material that looks like wood covering half of his face, revealing only his mouth and his green eyes.

“Who are you?”

The guards ask him. They didn’t feel uncomfortable at all while looking at him and don’t seem to bear any hatred or any hard feelings toward the stranger. Seeing that, the stranger just politely bows to them then turns around and goes as he came.

“Who was that?”

“Don’t know? A pervert maybe?”

“Why?”

“He was naked underneath the fur.”

“Really?”

***

Melka started digging Seraphin’s grave three days after Seraphin was gone. She still feels really sorry for the poor and sincere girl who came with honesty, seeking her strength. But the world is a dark place. Those who can’t adapt will undoubtfully fall. That is the reality. Just like her, who was betrayed because of her ignorance, Seraphin has now perished because of it.

“I just hope you won’t curse me from the other side.”

“Who will curse you?”

Suddenly, behind her, a voice resounds. She didn’t feel any presence until the voice spoke and still cannot feel it as she heard the voice. Who is it?

‘An assassin? He must be pretty strong. Is it my retribution for sending you to your death?’

“Where is she?”

While she is thinking about a way to reach her sword which is three meters away from her, the voice once again reaches her ears, getting closer.

‘Where is she? Have they been monitoring us all this time? They want to make sure nobody will remain, huh...’

Melka slightly turns her head towards the voice and answers: “She is dead.”

“What?”

Melka jumps and grabs her sword in an instant. Then, while turning, she tries to unsheathe it while releasing as much killing intent as she can. But…

“She is dead?”

She hears the voice in front of her now, together with a shadow that covered her whole vision for a second. In less than an instant, the person closed the gap and even placed himself right at her dead angle. Before she can anything, She is on the ground, her forehead kissing the floor. The stranger’s hand held both of her arms above her head with an unusually overwhelming strength.

“Are you telling the truth?”

Melka manages with great effort to turn her head and looks at the man holding her down. The man talking to her is wearing a white mask. His hair is so long it surely reaches the ground.

“Yes. I send her to a vampire lair three days ago. But she didn’t take anything useful except her sword.”

“I see.”

The stranger releases Melka who jumps back right after standing.

“Know one thing, Melka. If she doesn’t return.” The stranger releases a killing intent so powerful Melka almost faints, getting a nosebleed in the process. “I will kill you.”

If anybody told her that she would feel fear again in her life, she would have certainly refused.

‘What kind of monster have you brought to me, my pupil?’