Part 6

Despite the cold dissipating, Knight was frozen once again as his eyes reflected off the pale blue encasing the small girl.

The frosty silence was broken by a cold laugh, “do you like my sculpture? It’s far from my best piece but she’s definitely much cleaner in there.”

“Wh-what d-do you want with her?” Knight asked.

“Did I say you could speak?!” the man snapped back.

“…”

“That’s more like a lamb, good.”

Knight did not know what to do. Whatever the man did, he could probably do it to Knight as well. There was no way Knight could fight back unless the world’s magic awakened inside of him. So, he couldn’t turn tail and run, but he didn’t know if he could save the girl either. Yet, his thoughts were too slow too even think about what’s going on.

“Ahhh, I do pity you lambs. I really do. You don’t even have the guts to save this golden lamb. Such a shame,” the man spoke with his consistent noble attitude, there was no sign of murderous intent despite the frozen girl.

Knight’s thoughts finally returned to their normal pace, ‘This bastard! What does he want? He can’t be punishing me for escaping the prison, it’s as if he’s playing with me!’

“Well, I guess two little lambs escaping from the farm deserve some sort of gift. Although I’m not sure I can afford to give the golden lamb a present,” the patronising man stated.

“Y-you know?!” Knight blurted out, maybe he was here for punishment after all.

“Why of course,” the man said, a smug smile covering his face, “you did a good job of coaxing the lamb out of there. Thanks for bringing me the gold”

“…!”

“Ah, you didn’t do that for me? Such a shame,” the man faked a frown after seeing the confused look on Knight’s face. “Do not worry, I’m a man true to my word…if I decide to be”

‘What the hell is he going to give me? If I’m going to lose the girl then it better be something good’ he thought to himself, trying to ignore the girl’s feelings, ‘…though I guess I’ll be lucky to be let off.’

“Your gift iiiiiis…” the man removed his gloved hand from the ice-bound girl and stroked his shaven face, “going to be…survival.

Knight was taken back from this; it was certainly something good but did he really want to leave the girl in the man’s hands?

‘Shit, I need help. Even if that voice helps me, I’d rather have someone a bit nicer. But…I guess there’s no point if I die so…’ he asked, taking a step back. Was he really going to leave the girl like that despite what he did for her in the prison and after he even got to know her a little bit? “S-so, I can just walk away, and you won’t attack me?”

However, it seemed Knight wouldn’t be able to decide as the man scoffed in response, “I guess lambs must be far from human comprehension. You think a peasant lamb like you could be rewarded with such a good gift?”

“What...?”

“You are getting boring now,” the man sighed, “I’ll be nice though.”

“…”

“What I meant was you will walk away alive, no question. However, you will have to attempt to save the girl…”

“…what?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard this before but, don’t ask useless questions.” The man sighed.

“…That’s not survival…Just let me go? You know I won’t be able to get the girl from you.”

“Oh, the lamb has an attitude? Well, yeah of course not. But…” the man trailed off as he pulled the other black glove from inside his blazer, “I will barely spare any strength…you have a decent chance, trust me.”

Knight did not trust the smirk that appeared after the last line the man muttered. However, the guy did have a punchable face and a horrid attitude. Despite wanting to save the girl and an urge to punch the man’s face, he was still scared. Thoughts questioning the man’s strength had started to appear, for all Knight knew he could be weak and only caught the girl by surprise, but Knight did not trust his strength in the slightest. He had never fought on Earth, despite getting on a lot of people’s nerves, so he didn’t even know if he could win a bare-knuckle fight. What got Knight the most, however, was the fact he was living an isekai. The man must have magic and Knight had not.

“…Y-you can keep the girl…”

“Oh…I did state that lambs lacked guts…but gosh, you are so pitiful.”

“Huh?” Knight stopped stepping back and looked into the man’s cold eyes.

“Look, if you are scared that I’ll actually take your life then I’ll even swear on the Elder Dragon.” The man attempted to persuade Knight.

‘Elder Dragon…?’ Knight wondered, ‘eh whatever. I haven’t fallen to insults and this won’t be a first. Though, the guy does look feeble, despite having magic. And maybe my magic could awake…No, I just can’t win against him. I learnt my lesson in the prison…though they were monsters to be fair.’

The man seemed to notice Knight doubting his priorities and added fuel to the fire, “Come little lamb. Come and let me pity the shit out of you.”

This made Knight realise something. He always dreamt of being in an isekai, it was evident from his reaction in this world, yet what has he achieved? ‘Nothing. I haven’t done shit. This is an isekai. There has to be magic here, how else is the kid ice and that voice spoke in my head? In most isekai there are powerless Knights….so fuck it. If they can beat magicians why can’t I? I have the chance to become a hero and live a fun life. That won’t happen if I pussy out of every fight or confrontation. I even have something to protect now so…’ Knight rolled up his sleeves, he was ready to do do something for once and he was determined to not let it end like it did in the prison.

“Oh, the lamb is approaching me?” The man chuckled as he pulled his black, scaly glove over his left hand.

“So, fuck it!” Knight shouted as he rushed the man.

Knight threw himself at the man, hoping to tackle him to the floor but,

“Oof” his necked snapped back as the man’s lifted knee came crashing into his face. Stumbling back Knight wiped the fresh blood trickling from his nose. Staring into the man’s cold face only made Knight more confident that he could do something with his fists. That smug smile needed to vanish.

The boy threw a loose jab, only to find the scaly grip of the man’s glove. Yet Knight didn’t let this deter him as he threw a sudden kick to the thin leg of the man, hitting its mark. Yet the man didn’t buckle, he simply scoffed and tightened his grip.

But Knight didn’t spare any time crying over his mashed leg, twisting his body away from the man before snapping it back and sending his limp right arm flying. Only to reach a scaly grip.

“Wow, that was rather innovative. Well done.” the man praised Knight, seeping his fingers into his flesh.

‘What the fuck?’ he scrambled his head for ideas as he struggled to free his useable hand, ‘I ain't kicking that again…what can I do?’

Suddenly, Knight’s hands dropped from the man’s cold clutch, his face frozen with confusion and shock. Knight spared no time over what happened and let out a nasty left hook, finally connecting with the man’s pale skin; then letting out a right kick to the middle of the man’s legs. However, that was a bad idea as the connecting with the man’s balls was like connecting with rock, as he snapped his leg back in pain, shocked at the man’s toughness.

However, that shock disappeared as he saw the busted lip on the man’s contorted face.

“YOU LITTLE-” the man snapped before cutting himself off, staring at Knight’s arms.

Knight didn’t know what the man was shocked about, and he didn’t care, and instead released another left hook. Yet a wall of ice erupted from the ground, bloodying his knuckles as they cracked against it.

“FUCKING MAGIC” Knight shouted, releasing another left hook.

“I hate to say it but there’s been a change in plans, I'd actually like to see you mature into a sheep,” the man said as another wall of ice erupted to mash the oncoming fist.

Ignoring the man’s words Knight flailed his dislocated arm in an attempt to feint the man before releasing another hook, dodging the previous walls. This time no ice shot to protect the man from the oncoming fist. The feint worked and the left fist was going to find its mark...yet, the man simply smiled.

“I said there was a change of plans, strange lamb,” the man repeated himself as he trapped the fist again.

“How?!” Knight shouted.

The man simply sighed, “Let me end this and be on my way. As I said before, I'd like to see the lamb become a sheep. So, You can keep the golden lamb...until I've seen enough at least.”

A snap of cold surged through Knight's left arm and chilled his whole body, blocking the man's last words from his ears.

“Wh-what…”

Ice shards protruded from the man’s fingertips, covering the entirety of Knight’s arm and piercing the air. The sharp edges cutting his face, yet freezing the blood in its place.

Knight’s eyes widened at the icy arm-

The next moment, his arm shattered into millions of pieces, then the unfathomable shock known as comprehension coursed through his entire being.

"AARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!"

“Stop crying, you won’t die. Your blood's frozen…I keep my promises as I said” the man generously reminded the screaming boy. “Well, I look forward to seeing your progress in this world, foreign lamb. Ba-bye.”

The man’s kick froze Knight’s consciousness and sent him flying into the forest.