A mysterious feeling enveloped my chest. The sensation of superiority, a sensation of I can do everything, runs through my veins. Soon after, the warmth of arms wrapped around my neck languidly. I lay my eyes upon Lily and her Fenrir standing frozenly, looking at me dumbstruck.

(Claude, you only have 30 seconds.)

Since our souls haven’t merged completely, I can only use a little fraction of Diana’s power. However, she can forcefully lend me a hand at times like this. Although, it’s not really guaranteed that I can win against her.

(Thanks, it’s good enough)

Taking a large stride, bending my right knees forward. I held the hilt of my sword with both of my hands at the level of my waist, blade parallel to my front leg. This was followed by my eyes locked onto the blond elf and wolf.

[Shifting Point]

In a blink of an eye, I’m in front of Lily and the Fenrir, ready to strike the two. However, the Fenrir reacted cleverly as it instantly created a ginormous wall in front of me, separating the room into two. Despite the wall in front of me, I continued the momentum of my arms and slash through the ice wall.

[Walpurgis Hollow]

After I swung my sword, a blazing bluish-red cleave, shot out of my wooden sword as its void existence decimating the entirety of the ice wall, creating this white fog in front of me—Depriving my sight, making it harder to locate Lily.

“F*ck—! Tsk—!”

From the fog, Lily appeared thrusting her sword directly on my face, blocking it with the front with the blade of Lily sliding to my right hairbreadth away from grazing my right cheek. While we’re in a motion, Lily pulled her wooden sword preemptively which took a step back, and Lily advances forward with a step across, thrusting her sword once again. Noticing it, I ducked down unconsciously, evading the tip of her wooden sword.

Because of the blunder, I can't see anything, so instead, I cast my gaze across between her leg, concentrating on it.

[Shifting Point]

Once again, I teleported, appearing behind Lily with my back against her. Pivoting my entire body, bringing the momentum on striking Lily at the back; however, it got blocked by Lily’s wooden sword hanging on her back. Following that, the Fenrir caught my attention pouncing at me.

(I’ll handle it)

At my side, a violet magic circle manifested right beside me; a black spear pierces the Fenrir right on its chest. As my attention was on Fenrir, the tip of Lily’s sword stabbed me right through the center of my chest. I grumbled in pain.

“Kuh—! Auuugh—!”

I leaped back and got into a stance while still agonizing over the pain. I'm having a hard time breathing because it's directly on my chest. Leaving no breathing room for me, she promptly advances. The exchange of sword strike went for a few seconds before we got interrupted by the Fenrir with its ice needles directly charging at me even though it’s wounded it still manages to recover quickly. Lily backs off retreating to evade the ice needles; seemingly planned all of that from the very start. The intensity of the fight is making my blood boil.

Evading the ice needles by leaping backward, but at that moment, the time limit that Diana gave to me got expired, so I’m all on my own now. Without warning, ice shards manifested below me, blocking it with my sword halfway between my right and left legs; however, one got me, stabbing my left side abdominal. It almost took the entire left side at how big it is. I groaned in pain.

“Aaaugh—!”

(Are you okay, Claude?!)

(I’m fine)

Suddenly, I caught the figure of Lily holding her sword overhand, yelling above me.

“Aaah—!”

“Overload!” I yelled.

A surge of quintessence erupted outside my body, blasting Lily and her Fenrir sending them crashing on the wall. I then successfully got myself out of the piece of ice that stabbed me by pulling myself up. Because of that, I started coughing up blood on the ground.

“*Cough* *Cough*-*Cough* *Cough*”

She’s not showing signs of holding herself on our fight which becomes worrisome for me. If things go on like this, I’ll end up dying. Plus now, I’m clinching the wound on my side, directly applying pressure to hold the bleeding with my left hand. Locking my gaze on Lily, she’s standing up staggeringly. Using the wooden the support my upper body, I held the hilt tight on my right hand. With my eyes overloading in animosity.

“All right stop!”

Master Irene shouted, stopping the fight between me and Lily. After hearing that, a tremendous sigh of relief exuded out of my chest. And then, I flop down to the ground, losing my consciousness.

────────────

“Waaah—!” I abruptly lifted my upper half body.

I looked down and saw my naked self with a white bandage around my abdomen. On my right, I saw Clara standing beside the bed I’m sleeping on with her emotionless expression, as usual.

“You’re awake, young master.”

“U-Ugh, yeah... What happened?”

“You lose consciousness because of blood loss when fighting princess Lily.”

“Oh yeah...”

“If you’re worried about your wound, young master. Worry not, the damage you’ve taken is not severe and you seem to have a regenerative ability, as while tending your wounds; I saw your wounds closing by itself.”

“Really?!”

“Yes, if I may excuse myself, I’ll leave young master.”

“Yeah... Thanks, Clara, as always.”

“It’s my job to take care of Young Master.”

Clara bowed once again before leaving me alone in my room. After she left, I called Diana.

(Diana?)

(Mmhmm...? Claude?)

(Hey, are you sleeping?)

(Yeah... Sleepy~ Healing you took a lot of energy~)

(Oooh... Okay, go back to sleep)

(Okie~)

“Haah...”

Lying on the bed, gazing at the ceiling while mulling over the fight earlier with Lily earlier.

“Where did it go wrong?”

“Sword? Distance? Did I even panic? Or was it because there’s a vast difference between our swordsmanship? From one glance, I can tell she’s experienced at using a sword. Was it because of her spirit? Although the ice barrier really caught me off-guard. I didn’t expect her to still have it since her Fenrir was summoned.”

“If I only struck them faster with the Walpurgis Hollow, they would’ve easily... Wait, that can kill them...”

The sudden realization kicked into me. I almost killed Lily. Luckily, her Fenrir created that barrier, or she would’ve totally been dead right now... Directly getting hit by that would be disastrous. Although no clue how devastating that would be, I got a feeling it’s deadly, plus it’s my first time using it ever. But, she did the same so we're equal on that.

However, at the back of my head, I’ve had a hunch that she’s been wanting to kill me since the beginning. What did I do to her? I do admit that I stalked her like a creep, but other than that... I mean, that alone won’t really... But what if it did? So complicated!

Later on, the door in my room opened. Behind the door would be Lily with an apologetic face. Closing the door, she stood right in front of the door.

“Uhm... Claude?”

I squinted my eyes. “What?”

“I’m sorry!”

Lily bends her upper body in half, bowing to me. Of course, it baffled me because I’m certain she wants to kill me at some point, and even until right now. That’s why I got suspicious of her. I don't buy her apology, there must be a catch.

“What do you want?”

“I’m really sorry about earlier and about last time!”

“You’re only apologizing to me right now?”

“Yes! I’m sorry!”

“It’s no use. So, what do you really want? You’ve been wanting to kill me ever since we’ve met.”

“Eh? Killing you? What are you saying?” replied Lily, as she tilts her head in confusion.

“Don’t play dumb on me, kid. Last time, you clearly had an intention of ending my life right there. Then earlier, you deliberately didn't hold back against me even though it's only sparring. So what’s your game? I’m not someone whom you can easily fool. If you think I’m naïve and a fool, then you’re wrong. Just leave me alone. No matter how many times you apologize, I won’t accept it. Leave me alone and never talk to me. While at it, bring this with you. Think of it as my proper send-off and welcome gift for you.” I gave her the middle finger.

The wound that Lily inflicted hasn't fully healed yet; because of that, it began aching which I groaned in pain. “F*cking b*tch.”

Lily’s eyes widen, and a while later, she lowered her gaze and left my room with tears falling in her eyes. Instead of feeling remorseful about her, it only boiled the anger inside me. If she thinks a simple apology would get me, then she thought wrong.

I have the right to be angry because she's almost killed me. If it weren't for Diana, I would be dead now.