Chapter 162

With Mea and Euris supporting him on both shoulders, he somehow made his way to the square where the duel was to take place .

The square was in a terrible state .

“Abel has escaped!”

“What do you mean? That creepy crop is all over the territory! The seeds you’ve thrown away are getting out of control, sprouting vines in the garbage dump of their own accord! What do you want me to do now? Hey, take responsibility!”

“Bring that sorcerer to me and explain . What do you mean he got a cold? Is he making fun of us!”

Amidst a flurry of abuse at me and Lark, Lark is bowing his head as if he’s shrugging his shoulders .

“Abel, let’s turn back after all . It’s definitely going to get worse . ”

“I’m fine, no, really, I’m fine, I’m fine . ”

“You think people who are really okay will say that three times? Can you see the road ahead? I feel like you’ve been losing focus for a while now……”

My whole body is tormented with pain, but on the contrary, I think I’m feeling less and less pain .

The heat has burned through my body, or perhaps I’ve become numb .

I think I’m okay now .

“It’s okay, it’s okay…… Ueeeh, ugh!”

“Ah! I knew it, no! Absolutely not! Just go home with Mea? Okay?”

“It’s okay…… it’s okay, it’s just that I’m starting to feel a little numb……”

“There’s not a single element of okay in it from earlier! You have to understand! Mea’s really worried and concerned about you…… Sorry Abel, but we’re turning back now! It’s obviously getting worse!”

Mea said in a tearful voice, trying to force her body back .

I fought against it and fell to my knees in place, breaking my stance .

“A-, Abel!? I’m sorry!”

“…… I dragged myself all the way up here now…… please, please…… . ”

“But, but, but ……”

While we were struggling, people around us started to notice us .

“Hey, Abel’s here!”

“How dare you come here after all this time!”

“What do you think you’re doing, man! What’s going on with the Ortem gourd! Explain it to me! What are you going to do with this place!”

“…… Huh, he looks like a real pain, doesn’t it?”

“It’s getting painful looking at …… . ”

“Hey, aren’t we done for the day?”

Perhaps seeing my condition, the curses of the residents were becoming quieter and quieter .

Instead, an indescribably awkward silence was beginning to spread .

Soon, Icarus came up to my side with the sorcerers in Icarus’ entourage in tow .

The sorcerers in Icarus’ entourage laughed out loud when they saw me .

“It’s a hell of a laugh, to even perform such a deliberate act just because you’re scared of Icarus-sama . Are you trying to tell us to postpone it because it’s so hard? It’s like a kid’s excuses . ”

“What do you think, Icarus-sama? Disappointing to think that we were being dragged down by such a small person, isn’t it? How dare you…… declare yourself superior to Icarus-sama . My lord too, I’m sure you’ve misjudged the people you’re pairing up with . It appears to me that he has a very bad eye . Or is it more, is it worse up there?”

After he finishes, a loud laugh rises from around Icarus .

My vision isn’t very good right now, so I can only see the two of them vaguely .

My hearing is not good, and even when I hear the words, my brain can’t process them properly .

You need to say it a little slower for me to understand it .

“You’re just making me miserable…… even if I take this thing down . ”

I heard Icarus’ voice .

Rather than looking down on us, he seemed to be deeply dismayed .

“N, no…… I can…… do the duel, I will . ”

I have a promise to Euris .

Even if it means putting my body on the line, I will do something about it .

If I can make up the appearance of a duel, I should be able to fulfill my promise to Euris .

I can restrain them from smashing Lark’s face, and I can also show the residents that I wasn’t faking illness, although it’s a bit awkward .

The position will get worse, and Icarus will probably bring up the matter of this duel, but we have no choice but to somehow cling to the ground and steadily hunt Icarus down again .

“Go home . If we fight now, not only will it mean nothing, but it will make me look bad . ”

It was usually rejected by the enemy .

“N, no, but ……”

“Even Icarus says this!? Let’s go back now!”

Someone interrupts from the side .

“No, Icarus-dono…… the problem of the Ortem Gourd must be resolved, and we must fold up the cause for concern before the earliest possible time . If you think of the residents, I hope you will settle the matter here . We’ve been delayed by a day just because of our adherence to the dueling rules . It may leave a bad taste in your mouth, but it’s …… necessary . You understand, don’t you?”

This voice …… is probably Ringus .

I hear he’s gotten along with Icarus quite well .

I want to glare at him, but unfortunately, my eyes are unfocused .

“B-, but Abel-sama is in no condition to fight……”

Marias, who was following us, interrupted him .

Ringus was somewhat silent, but he immediately laughed out loud .

“He says he can fight, so what’s the problem? Icarus-dono, quickly get prepared . ”

“…………”

Icarus said nothing and walked into the center of the crowd .

“Abel-dono …… I asked you to do this, but, well, you can’t do it after all?”

Euris whispers to me .

“The circle is too small, please tell the residents to move away a bit more . About three times the diameter . ”

With the current size of the area, if a misfire were to occur, the people of the territory could be harmed .

Now that the control of magic is loose due to the cold, that possibility is quite possible .

Euris looked at Marias and his face .

“I think we’re taking enough space, but …… well, if that’s what Abel-dono says . ”

Euris called out to the other soldiers and called for the residents to move back more .

“Abel…… um…… please don’t be reckless, okay……?”

“Don’t worry, I saved a little something . ”

I drink a small bottle with a skull mark on it from my pocket, stand up, and then hand it to Mea .

It’s the Abel Potion (modified) that I improvised to break the current situation .

All the pain and suffering in my body goes away at once .

My vision, which had been cloudy, is clearing up, even if it’s not perfect .

My hands and feet are numb and I can’t feel anything, and a black haze seems to be occupying my head, making it a little difficult to think about things, but it’s somewhat better than what I did earlier .

“Alright, alright! Just throw that vial away and make sure no one finds it . Absolutely no one can find it, please . ”

“…………”

Mea nodded silently and put the vial away with a quick movement as if she had figured out something .

Euris wondered and looked at me and Mea’s faces in turn .

“Mea-dono, the vial he was talking about earlier is ……”

“Me-, Mea didn’t receive anything . ”

Mea quickly turned away from Euris .

With the way she looked, she would safely dispose of the vial out of sight of anyone else .

I followed Icarus, supported by Mea, to the hollow in the center of the crowd .

Amidst the flurry of anxiety, only the sorcerer, who was a member of Icarus’ entourage, seemed to be cursing me foul-mouthed and trying to somehow liven up the cold place .

I grabbed my wand and confronted Icarus .

“Then I’ll let go of your hand……”

Mea whispered and gently released the hand that was holding me up .

My torso wobbles, but somehow I manage to get my hands on the ground .

Mea hurriedly re-supported me .

“Abel, I don’t mean to be prolix, but I still think you should…… back off . You’ve shown enough people that you’re not in good physical condition, and I think it’s better to have…… partitioned at a later date . ”

It’s true that Mea is right, it’s not desirable to get a black star in any form .

Although the Abel Potion (modified) has made me better to a certain extent, I can’t use magic of decent power or exert sufficient control with my current physical condition .

The pain is easing, but my mind is blurred .

Because of this, I lack a great deal of concentration, which is the most important aspect of sorcery .

Even though he’s rotten, the other person is an anti-personnel combat type of sorcerer .

Normally, I wouldn’t know, but I don’t think he’s a sweet enough opponent to let me win right now .

If the confrontation with Icarus is the first thing on my mind, it’s better to start over at a later date when the residents are convinced that I’ve shown my face .

Either way, I will probably get poked by Icarus, but that’s still a better excuse .

But .

“…… But if I back off here, the permission letter I promised Euris will be a moot point . ”

Mea’s expression froze as I said it in a hushed voice .

The reason why Euris promised me about the application form is so that I wouldn’t ruin Lark’s face by going into the duel today .

I’m sure they really don’t like it either, and I don’t want to give them an escape route .

As long as I put my body on the line in good faith, Lark shouldn’t be able to easily go back on his vassal’s promise to the merit of the territory, even if it’s a verbal agreement .

There are advantages to taking the harder way .

“…… Mea is, no matter what happens Mea is on Abel’s side . ”

Mea said and gripped my hand .

“…………”

As I was feeling indescribable, a magic bullet of fire flew near me .

They didn’t seem to have any intention of hitting me, and the distance was somewhat open .

The magic bullets gutted the ground and created a pillar of fire .

Mea gasped for breath, and the spectating residents also shushed back .

“I seem to have been underestimated quite a bit . I don’t know what your intentions are, but to stand in front of me with such a deliberate display of weakness . Do you think I’ll take advantage of it? The name of Icarus the Serial Bullet has been grazed, to be made such a fool of by this little boy . ”

Icarus strikes the ground with the underside of his large staff .

The duel is about to begin .

I silently take the wand from Mea with a glance and let her retreat to the position of the spectators .

“Let me give you some advice . If you’re thinking there’s a next time if you lose now, back off . You Icarus, I don’t mean to be so corrupt as to gleefully wield a sick little boy . ”

Icarus glanced at the crowd, then narrowed his eyes evasively and stared at me again .

I felt like I shouldn’t be saying it now, but it still came out of my mouth .

“…… Despicably, if you lose now, you’re next time…… you just got thrown into the warehouse you came out of . ”

Perhaps it was because of the side effects of the Abel Potion (modified) that my thoughts were hazy .

My muttering that could be taken as sarcasm in my exquisite volume of voice, whether I could hear it or not, seemed to get on Icarus’ nerves in a good way .

Icarus’ eyes widen and he raises his large staff .

“You’ll regret it!”

“Hey, I haven’t signaled yet……!”

Lark’s private army stopped him, but Icarus didn’t listen .

Icarus chants an incantation while swinging his large staff .

Flames in the shape of a ball are released and fly at me .

The duel was initiated by Icarus’ flying .