LHAHS Chapter 546
Velkia's sword weaved beautifully through the empty air.
Bihar's eyes darkened as she watched the sword. It was certainly a beautiful sword reminiscent of flower petals, making it hard to believe it was the sword of an undead who had lost her reason.
Still, that sword was different from the one she remembered. Only a cold chill could be felt from the sword aura that once felt warm.
Kwagagagak-!
As the sword aura scattered like petals mercilessly slashed Bihar's clone, she readjusted her grip on the dagger in her hand.
Hwarururuk-!
An aura of flames surged from her sword.
Hwiooo-!
Along with it, an aura of wind coiled around the aura of flames.
Watching the scene from the depths of her consciousness, Chen Xia wore a surprised expression.
Amazing.
Even though she had handed over her body to Bihar, her consciousness had not disappeared. Rather, every sensation felt vivid.
Every single movement. Every single gaze. Everything felt crystal clear.
Their fighting styles resemble Sir Leo.
Experiencing Velkia and Bihar's sword fight up close, Chen Xia caught glimpses of Leo in both Velkia and Bihar. It was truly a strange thing.
Velkia and Bihar used different swordsmanship styles and movements. The breathing when swinging the sword, the irregularities meant to break the opponent's balance, and even the process of predicting the opponent's movements.
She could sense the shadow of Leo strongly in the sword fight between the two.
It was a realm she could only see because she had entrusted her body to Bihar.
She's teaching me.
Realizing that Bihar was teaching her even in this situation, Chen Xia focused her mind and etched every one of Bihar's movements into her memory even more intently.
Bihar used Aura Step. Moving fluidly like water, she burrowed into Velkia's space.
Since it was a confrontation between a sword and a dagger, and Bihar knew she gained the upper hand the closer the distance became, she adhered to that basic principle more faithfully than anyone.
Quickly digging into Velkia's space, she opened her palm and swung.
Kwaang-! Kugugugugung-!
A blow like a heavy boulder struck Velkia's chest. The impact caused the surrounding ground to cave in.
However, Velkia didn't even bat an eye.
Animus Armor.
Chen Xia let out a groan seeing the magic protecting Velkia's body. She had seen Eiran use the same magic before, but the defensive power was incomparable.
"Back then, this was my limit." Bihar said to Velkia, who was swinging her sword at her. "I couldn't move my ailing body anymore."
Chaeng-!
Bihar, having blocked Velkia's sword, said. "So it's not your fault, Velkia."
Her body vanished as if flickering out.
Sreureuk-
For an instant, Velkia lost track of Bihar's movements.
Meanwhile, Chen Xia felt like every bone in her body was shattering. Bihar's technique had clearly exceeded the power she could handle. Even so, she clenched her teeth and endured it.
If I lose consciousness, it's over!
Right now, it was Bihar's spirit moving her body, but it was merely borrowed through possession. In such a situation, if Chen Xia lost consciousness, Bihar would also lose control of the body.
I'm used to pain! So endure it!
[Thank you.] Bihar, expressing gratitude to her descendant enduring with all her might, moved quickly.
Even having lost her reason, Velkia showed chillingly sharp movements, displaying the power of a hero who once shouldered the world and revived it from the ashes.
Still, it doesn't reach her original power.
Bihar's eyes coldly sought an opening. The current Velkia couldn't win against someone of equal or greater skill than herself, and right here, right now, there was the only person in this world who possessed power equal to Velkia.
Bihar closed in on Velkia again, placed both palms on her chest, and released her aura.
Flash-! Kwaang-!
A massive shockwave erupted again.
Her body thrown into the air, Velkia tumbled across the ground, screaming.
"Aaaaaargh!"
Still in agony, Velkia pushed herself up, but she soon seemed to lose strength and collapsed back down on the spot.
"Aaaaaaaaaah!"
Bihar, who had been smiling bitterly while watching Velkia scream in pain, collapsed.
Chen Xia had lost consciousness.
Puk-!
Leo caught Chen Xia's falling body.
"Master… I leave the rest to you," Bihar whispered.
Leo nodded. "Alright."
Bihar seemed relieved and closed her eyes. Leo handed Chen Xia over to Eiran who had followed behind.
Things here had already come to a close. All that remained now was Velkia.
"Aaaaaah!" Velkia let out a scream.
Hate. She hated everything. She cursed the world that had taken away her loved ones.
While cursing such a world, she also hated herself for wanting to burn the world her masters had risked their lives to save.
She hated herself for taking the life of someone like a sister.
"Aaaaaah!"
What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do?
Pat-
As Velkia struggled in agony like a lost child, someone placed a hand on her head.
Hwak-!
Velkia swung her sword. No matter how great the shock she received, she could still strike the neck of someone who carelessly touched her body.
The living are hateful.
She needed to stay true to her instincts as one of the dead.
"What's got you so tormented, you damned disciple?" her attacker taunted.
Uttuk-!
The voice sounded somehow familiar.
"You did enough… no, you did very well."
"Ah…"
"Even though it was hard, you did your best. You didn't just do your best, you excellently accomplished what you had to do. And yet…"
The rough touch ruffling Velkia's hair felt like it would bring tears to her eyes.
"Why are you blaming yourself like that?"
It was the voice that always scolded her when she made a mistake.
"Hating the world we saved enough to want to burn it down?"
However… the voice had always taken her side in the end.
"Well, that can happen. I would have done the same in your place. And injuring Bihar and causing her death?"
It was a voice Velkia wanted to lean on during hard times.
"Bihar said it wasn't because of you. So…"
She had never leaned on it though, because she wanted to show she could stand on her own even a day sooner.
She had wanted to become someone who could be trusted and relied upon, not someone who caused worry.
"Master Kyle, why don't you ever tell me I did well? Not even once?"
"I did tell you."
"That was only one time."
"I only praise you when there's something worth praising."
"Master Luna and Master Aaron praise me often though?"
"Those two would probably praise you even if you just tossed them some food to eat."
"Stingy."
"You did well." Leo gently stroked Velkia's head with sincerity. "You really did well."
Velkia's focus sharpened and returned. Staring blankly up at Leo, she murmured, "Master Kyle…"
Leo, removing his hand from the head of Velkia who had regained her senses, smiled gently.
Then he slammed his fist right into Velkia's jaw.
"Die! Just die already! You caused trouble when you were young and you haven't changed a bit now that you're grown!" he scolded.
Lunia and Eiran were horrified.
"Hey hey! Leo! Stop it! Lady Velkia just came to her senses!"
"Le- Sir Leo! Lady Velkia has been through so much!"
Lunia clung to Leo's arm, while Eiran clung to his waist.
Amidst this, Chen Xia, who Eiran had been supporting, fell sprawled onto the ground, but of course, neither girl had the composure to worry about Chen Xia.
"I'm hitting Velkia because she came to her senses! I'm hitting her because I had a hard time too! Die! No! Die one more time! You damned disciple!"
"Uwaaaaaaaah!"
"Please calm down!"
The roar of the enraged Leo and the screams of Lunia and Eiran echoed into the sky.
"Is that… really alright?" Chen Xia, having regained consciousness while collapsed on the ground, sighed and asked. Her body had reached its limit, unable to even lift a finger.
[After causing so much worry, Velkia deserves to be hit a little,] Bihar replied coldly.
Chen Xia grinned. I shouldn't make Sir Leo worry in the future.
The group entered a house that was undamaged amidst the ruined battle site for a short while.
Sitting in the living room, Lunia crossed her arms and sighed deeply. "This is going to be a headache."
"I agree." Eiran nodded at Lunia's words. Just thinking about cleaning up the aftermath made her head hurt.
"What could those two be talking about?"
"They probably have a lot to talk about," Leo said calmly. "Velkia's lingering regrets and Bihar's lingering regrets, in the end, they were about each other."
Velkia became an undead out of guilt for killing Bihar with her own hands. Bihar became a lingering spirit out of guilt for not being able to help Velkia until the very end.
The undead and the lingering spirit. Though the process of their revival differed, the reason for their revival was each other.
"Don't you have things you want to say to them too…?"
"What is there to teach a disciple who's already all grown up?" Leo rested his chin on his hand and said listlessly. "Even if there was something, she surely learned it already."
Chen Xia smiled gently at those words.
Lunia, who was listening to the conversation, said in a sulky voice, "Right, so this has nothing to do with you two at all, is that it?"
"Because Sir Leo and I just need to return to Lumene," Chen Xia said with a grin.
Lunia's fists trembled at those words. Somehow, that seemed annoyingly smug.
Just then, Velkia came trudging over. "Everyone waited long, right?"
"Ah, Lady Velkia!"
"Is your talk finished…"
"Uh…?"
The faces of the three girls who were getting up stiffened.
Velkia smiled. "Luckily, there were plenty of ingredients left."
The three girls trembled in terror.
"L-Lady Velkia. We aren't hungry yet…"
"You need to eat a lot after moving around so much. That's how you grow big and strong." Velkia, wearing a benevolent smile, started placing dishes on the table.
Leo frowned. "That's too much."
"Master, you've gotten so thin too." Velkia gently grasped Leo's wrist with both hands, wearing a pitiful expression. "To be so gaunt with only bones left. You look like you could break any moment. This disciple's heart aches so much."
Is she still out of her mind?
[Master, regardless of your soul, your body is still in its prime growing period, so you need to eat well. You need to eat a lot,] Bihar chimed in, wearing an expression similar to Velkia's.
"It's fine if there are leftovers, so please eat at least a little. I worked hard making it."
Leo clicked his tongue at the clamoring of his two disciples. "Alright."
Velkia turned toward the three girls. "You three aren't allowed to leave any leftovers, understand?"
The three girls' faces turned deathly pale.
"L-Lady Velkia! Lady Bihar! I am the student council president of Seiren Academy!"
"Oh my, I've heard of Seiren too. I heard it's an amazing place, so being the student council president there must be a high position, right?"
"Yes! Currently, this city of Eldon is in a very chaotic situation!"
"Oh dear… I'm sorry, it's because of me."
"No! It's not because of Lady Velkia! What I want to say is… as the student council president of Seiren, I think I need to go right now to handle the aftermath of this incident!"
"Ah." Velkia nodded. "Well, there's a saying, 'the more haste, the less speed', isn't there?"
"Huh?"
"To have the energy to do big things, you need to eat more." Velkia took food from Leo's plate and placed it onto Lunia's bowl.
Lunia's face turned white.
And so, the meal began with the three girls were eating with dazed expressions.
Leo leaned back against his chair. "I've been curious about something for a while." His gaze turned towards Velkia and Bihar. "Why did you two fight so often back in the day? You usually got along well, didn't you?"
"……"
Bihar hesitated for a moment, then replied, [We fought because of you, Master.]
"Because of me?"
[Yes.]
Velkia said seriously, "We fought over whether you should marry Master Luna or Lady Lysinas."
"Why fight over something like that?"
"How bad do you think must it have been for us to fight over it?" Velkia stared intently at Leo, then made a genuinely pitying expression. "So dense…"
"Right, so you think you know better than me now, is that it?"
Grinding his teeth, Leo punished Velkia.
Some time later, after the commotion died down.
"This is nice, times like these." Velkia smiled gently. "I wish it could be like this forever."
Velkia murmured while looking out the window. Before she knew it, dawn was passing, and morning was arriving.