Chapter 64: A Temporary Farewell

The sun hung high in the sky. Its warm light brought positive energy, while its heat made the body sweat. Even so, sunlight also benefits health.

On the Nocturne training ground, a shirtless man stood tall with a sword in his right hand.

"Hmph!"

Blue energy instantly wrapped around his body. He then spun around while swinging his sword, leaving a trail of blue energy in the air.

The man then leapt up before driving his mana-charged sword into the ground.

*Boom!

The sword struck the floor of the training ground with a fairly loud explosive sound. Before his body touched the ground, he pulled the sword stuck in the floor back using a thread of mana.

*Whoosh~

Once the sword was back in his right hand, the man channeled mana into it again until it gave off blue energy. In a flash, he swung the sword at the metal training dummy, releasing sword energy from a distance.

*Slash! Slash! Slash!

*Boom! Boom!

Just before his feet touched the ground, the man managed to fire three slashes at the training dummy standing quite far from him.

Of those three slashes, only two hit the target. And they only left minor scratches on the surface of the metal dummy.

A black rod resembling iron then flew out of his storage pouch. It circled around the man several times before he finally caught it.

The man channeled his mana into the object for a few moments before hurling it forward with force.

"Needle Art: One Piercer."

The black rod shot straight toward the training dummy. As it flew through the air, waves of blue energy burst out of it.

Then, a space suddenly opened in the object’s path, making it enter that space and vanish.

At least, that was how it was supposed to go.

But suddenly, a spatial crack appeared right above the training dummy, and slammed into it hard.

*Boom!

A loud explosion went off when the black rod hit its target. The metal dummy’s head was punched through from top to bottom, while the black rod flew back toward the man.

*Sigh~

"I’ve started getting used to fighting with one arm. It looks like I need to switch to a lighter weapon."

It had been about four months since the incident at Blackwood Forest. Over those four months, Elias had started adapting to life with only one hand.

’It was really hard at first. For the first few days, I still thought my left arm was there. Sometimes I even got Phantom Limb Pain. And it hurt like hell!’

But now Elias didn’t experience it very often anymore.

He then let out a short breath before putting his black rod into his storage pouch.

"This bone turns out to be pretty good."

[Ding!]

[First Serpent’s Spine / Big Needle / Black Iron Rod / Just a Bone]

Type: Calamity Relic

Grade: S

Origin: The First Ancient Black Serpent

Description:

One of the bones of The First Ancient Black Serpent, the first Calamity to ever threaten the world’s existence. Its shape resembles a long needle with an extremely sharp tip.

Effect: When it hits an opponent, this item inflicts a corrosive effect. The effect grows stronger as the user’s strength increases.

[Further information is not yet available...]

At roughly 25 to 30 cm long and not very heavy, this black rod was Elias’s best weapon for now.

"The effect it produces is good too. Its corrosiveness is almost like poison, but way more vicious."

Elias then waved his hand at the system board to close it.

"Maybe I should try it out on some monsters."

When Elias turned around, Evelyn and Elysia were already standing right behind him. Both girls were staring at his body with flushed faces and slightly heavy breathing.

Elias was startled and backed away a few steps. He had no idea when the two girls had arrived behind him, let alone why they were just standing there silently.

"Ladies, why are you here?"

Evelyn answered, but her gaze was still fixed on Elias’s body.

"We just wanted to look at you."

"Look at me?"

On the other side, Elysia was doing the same thing. She wasn’t looking at Elias’s face, but at his body.

"Actually, Alistair is looking for you. He said he has something to tell you."

’The head butler?’

Even though he’d lost his left arm and had several scars from slashes and claw marks on various parts of his body, that actually gave Elias a certain appeal of its own.

Not to mention the sweat covering his body after training.

It truly made Evelyn and Elysia want to "pounce on him" right then and there.

Seeing the two girls’ faces grow redder and their breathing grow faster, Elias was clearly confused and scared at the same time.

He thought they were plotting something to hurt him. Even in peak condition, Elias clearly couldn’t win against them. Let alone now, when he only had one arm.

’Don’t tell me they just want to trap me, then torture me under the excuse that Alistair called for me. If he wanted to, Alistair could have come by himself without needing to send Evelyn and Elysia. After all, they’re the young ladies of the family he serves!’

While Elias’s mind was in chaos trying to figure out the two girls’ real plan, Elysia’s index finger suddenly touched Elias’s stomach, glistening with sweat.

*Poke.

"!!!"

Elias was clearly startled and snapped back to awareness.

"W-what are you doing, Lady?"

’Is she using some kind of magic to curse me? Like what Vladir did before?!’

Elysia looked at Elias’s wary face, her index finger still raised in the air.

"I just wanted to touch it, that’s all."

"Is that really it? No magic, right? No curses, right?"

Elysia raised an eyebrow in confusion when Elias started talking about magic and curses.

"What do you mean? Of course I wouldn’t do something low like that. If I wanted to, I’d pounce on you and ’suck you dry’ right now."

"What are you saying?"

"Nothing, forget it."

Elysia immediately turned her face away, still blushing.

’What does she mean by suck me dry?’

Seeing the exchange between Elias and her sister, Evelyn gave a small laugh before walking closer to Elias.

"She’s just joking. Forget it, okay~"

Even though her face looked sincere and warm, for some reason Elias could sense a very strong pressure behind Evelyn’s voice.

"A-alright, Lady..."

Elias could only grimace bitterly while scratching his head.

"So, what brings you two here?"

"Elysia already told you, Alistair is looking for you."

"Hee~ I wonder why he’s looking for me?"

"From what we heard, it’s about bringing you back to Valebrook village."

Hearing Evelyn’s statement, Elias was shocked and didn’t understand.

Bringing him back?

Was this a roundabout way of saying he was being fired or dismissed?

Elias should have been happy if that were the case. He wouldn’t have to risk his life anymore just to look after these two weird girls. He could start his work as a farmer, provide for his sister, then buy a house, start trading, become successful, and watch his sister marry and even have children.

’That’s such a beautiful dream. But why... does it feel so heavy?’

Seeing Elias’s face suddenly turn gloomy, Evelyn and Elysia were a little startled. Evelyn then raised her right hand and touched Elias’s cheek.

"What’s wrong, Elias?"

Evelyn’s face showed obvious concern.

"Is something the matter?" Elysia also wanted to know why Elias had suddenly gone gloomy. Her worry was no less than Evelyn’s.

Elias then looked at Evelyn’s face for a moment before turning to Elysia. He realized he had shown an expression he shouldn’t have shown in front of them.

He started to speak without pulling away Evelyn’s palm on his cheek.

"I’m fine, Lady."

Evelyn and Elysia knew that something was weighing on Elias’s heart. The two of them exchanged a look for a moment before turning back to him.

"We’re curious about that younger sister of yours."

"If I remember right, her name is Mira, right?"

"How do you know her name, Big Sis?"

"Fufu~ This is why gathering information is important."

"Isn’t that the same as digging into someone else’s background? You could get arrested, Big Sis."

"W-what? I found it out through honest, legal means! No coercion or bribes! You’re just jealous because you don’t know anything about Elias’s sister."

Elysia then moved closer to Evelyn with a slight, challenging smirk.

"Then tell me. What does she look like, how old is she, and what’s her favorite food?"

Hearing that question, Evelyn just snorted while flicking her hair back.

"Hmph! That’s easy! She’s a beautiful girl with long black hair and blood-red eyes. Her skin is white as milk, she’s 165 cm tall, and she’s almost 17, practically tomorrow. Her favorite food is baked potatoes. Her favorite color is sky blue—"

"I didn’t ask about her height or her favorite color, Big Sis."

Realizing she’d said something she shouldn’t have, Evelyn was startled. She looked at Elysia with an irritated face while pointing at her.

"You tricked me!"

"How ridiculous. I don’t know what you mean, Big Sis. This just proves you really are digging up someone’s private information. You should be arrested."

Elysia smiled a little, enjoying her sister’s predicament. After all, she probably rarely got to see her sister like this.

Realizing she couldn’t fight back anymore, Evelyn looked at Elias with teary eyes.

"Elias... Help me... Elysia’s bullying me..."

"W-what?!" Elysia was shocked when Evelyn suddenly tattled to Elias.

But Elias just ignored Evelyn, who had just tried to get his attention. He smiled to himself and nodded along, busy thinking about Mira, who, it turned out, had sky blue as her favorite color.

’There’s still so much I don’t know about Mira. I have to find out as much as I can about her too!’

Evelyn and Elysia, seeing Elias’s expression right now, could only fall silent with sour smiles.

"Elias."

"Ah! Is something wrong, Lady?" Elias snapped back to awareness when Evelyn called him.

"You’re going back to your village for a while, right? Can you take us with you?"

"Yeah, we want to look around your village."

Elias looked at the two girls with a hint of surprise on his face.

’For a while? Is this just some kind of leave?’

* * *