The Water Magician

After Demon Leonor descended from the sky, the scene of demon versus mage, Ryo versus phantom being was set.

Abel faced three demons' kin.

"You obstructed me from going to help Ryo."

"It wasn't my intention..."

Orenju replied with a grimace to Abel's low, deep voice.

In reality, it was the other kin, Izolda and Vim Row, who had stopped him.

Orenju knew nothing of this.

Of course, he could tell that King Abel was angry.

The atmosphere was different from before...

The movement was sudden.

Izolda and Vim Row's heads were severed.

"...Huh?"

Orenju let out a bewildered voice.

He realized Abel had invaded the space between the two and decapitated them with a movement he couldn't even comprehend, only after their heads rolled to the ground.

Perhaps the two who were slain couldn't comprehend anything at that moment.

"You no longer need to obstruct me. That means the two kin here are unnecessary, right?"

"..."

"One-on-one is the setup. It's clear and fair."

"That's true..."

Orenju accepted Abel's words, unable to argue against them.

At that moment, he finally noticed.

He was trembling slightly.

(Am I scared? Scared of a human?)

He had been looking forward to fighting.

After a year of not crossing swords, he found himself surprisingly stronger.

His heart was overwhelmed.

He acknowledged that.

However, even so, he wasn't afraid.

But this time...

(Izolda aside, Vim Row is definitely not weak. In terms of swords alone, I might be superior, but in overall combat capability, I should be on par with him. Yet, I couldn't move a single step before having my head severed.)

Had he not seen what was happening when he was facing them?

Did he only understand it for the first time by watching from the side?

He didn't know.

He might be trembling because he didn't understand.

However, simultaneously, there was a clear recognition of a different kind of tremble.

Not from fear.

Not from dread.

Joy.

Surprise.

Ecstasy!

"You must be a battle maniac."

Abel seemed to read the emotions within Orenju and pointed it out with a look of exasperation.

"Yeah, I'm also a battle maniac like Abel."

"…Don't involve me. I'm a king who loves peace."

That way of speaking was undoubtedly influenced by some water attribute mage.

"The king fights in place of the people to bring them peace, right?"

"I never said I wanted to fight."

"To swiftly sever kin in an instant, you say that so easily..."

"World peace is truly difficult."

"Abel, where does world peace even come into your character?"

"What a terrible thing to say…"

Abel protested with an expression that clearly showed he was insulted by Orenju's words.

"That desire for battle that wells up from the depths of your heart… As I said earlier, you could frame it as protecting the people, right?"

"Don't create such a strange impression. I've been saying that I love peace."

"Anyone can say anything."

"That's true, but..."

"Abel, give it up."

"Why do I have to be labeled as a battle maniac by a demon's kin?"

Abel shrugged.

"Well, fine. We should settle this. Shall we?"

Abel muttered.

Then, he took his stance with his sword.

That was all he did.

Just that...

Orenju became aware that his breathing was quickening.

At the same time, he felt sweat trickling down his back.

(This is it... During the time I was talking, there was none of this. But the moment he took his stance... I felt pressured.)

Orenju also readied his sword.

However, his five senses screamed.

This guy is dangerous.

It was a mixture of fear and joy.

Precisely, ecstasy.

(But why? Why is Abel so strong? I am Lord Garwin's kin, and Abel is a human. I understand he's an amazing swordsman, I acknowledge that. But still, Abel is human. My strength and speed as a kin should be superior. That should be an unchanging fact. So why do my senses scream at me not to fight? And at the same time, why am I finding joy in the thought of fighting?)

Orenju pondered internally while maintaining his stance.

Even then, the cold sweat wouldn’t stop.

Rather, one could say he was searching for a reason to stop it.

(A year... In just a year, have I changed this much? Is it possible to change? Then I too… can I change?)