Chapter 86
Idelin responded with a growl to Revenant’s fierce threat. Revenant’s gaze, which had been on Sian, turned coldly toward Idelin.
“If that’s your wish, that’s not bad. Glorious Idelin.”
Unlike with Brita, Revenant stared at the unsubmitting Idelin with murderous eyes while drawing another dagger with the hand not holding the sword.
“There were quite a few dragons who, like you, refused to submit and died.”
“Reva!”
That blade was white as well. Like the blade pointed at Sian’s neck, the dagger emanating red energy was also a weapon made from Elena’s bones.
“Just how much of Elena’s bones did you carve out?!”
Unlike arrows, if the dagger inflicted a fatal wound, Idelin would be as helpless as Elena. Sian shouted in fury, not caring if Revenant’s blade cut her skin.
“It’s been so long since I killed a dragon. Can you imagine how excited I was to meet one after so long?”
Revenant giggled while adjusting her grip on the dagger in her left hand.
“You maniac!”
Sian readjusted her grip on her sword, prepared to block if Revenant threw the dagger.
CLANG!
But before Sian could raise her sword, the dagger flew into the air with a sharp sound of clashing blades.
“Put down your sword.”
Sian furrowed her brow. Carl had appeared seemingly out of nowhere, his appearance disheveled, pressing his sword against Revenant’s neck.
It was a standoff – Revenant’s sword at Sian’s neck, and Carl’s sword at Revenant’s. Revenant pulled her lips into a smile, showing no fear of the blade pressing against her vital point.
“Dear Prince. How could you point your sword at such a delicate lady?”
“Shut up and put down your sword.”
Carl pressed his sword closer to Revenant’s neck, his voice low. But Revenant didn’t back down, pressing her blade deeper into Sian’s neck.
It wasn’t an ordinary sword but one made of living dragon bones. Though the wound on her neck was shallow and barely bleeding, Sian helplessly gripped her sword handle tight, feeling as if her heart had stopped.
Seeing Sian’s expression twisted in pain, Carl bit his lip and grimaced. The blade of his sword trembled slightly against Revenant’s neck. She smirked.
“Even though you’ve severed the ritual connection with the dragon, given Idelin’s state, you can’t be in good shape either, Your Highness. Shall we test it?”
Revenant turned her head to look at Carl’s tightly pursed lips with a languid expression, as if trying to tempt him.
“Whether Your Highness’s sword is faster, or mine.”
“…What exactly do you want?”
Even with his trembling sword, Carl didn’t back down and lowered his voice.
“You could have lived comfortably as a dragon knight’s wife without being greedy, but you killed the Dragon King and now want to kill Idelin – what do you gain from this?”
“What else? I already have it in my hands.”
Revenant gripped the sword pointed at Sian’s neck even tighter.
Huk, Sian took a deep breath that wouldn’t come easily. More than the sharp pain of the blade cutting and digging into her skin, the red energy emanating from it caused a headache and made her heart pound as if in seizure. The magic of a dragon that died in agony while still alive spread through her entire body like poison beyond the cut skin.
“Remove the blade!”
Carl’s voice turned sharp with dismay.
“You should remove yours first, Your Highness. Shouldn’t those of higher status move first before their subordinates?”
She truly was an unyielding woman. Even with a blade at her neck, she continued her mockery without flinching.
“How can I trust that you won’t harm Sian the moment I lower my sword?”
“I’m not quite that foolish, you know.”
Revenant giggled. Carl narrowed his eyes, considering how far he could trust her. No, there was no need to consider.
I can’t trust her, Carl thought, but he couldn’t ignore Sian suffering from the red energy emanating from Revenant’s sword.
“…Your devotion is impressive.”
It was just a moment when his gaze turned to Sian. Revenant sneered softly.
CLANG!
Revenant swiftly removed the sword from Sian’s neck and twisted her body. The sharp blade that had been pressed against Sian’s neck instantly changed direction to face Carl.
Though he instinctively raised his sword to block Revenant’s attack, his stance crumbled in an instant. As Carl’s expression twisted while biting his lip, Revenant, her face suddenly transformed into a cold mask, raised her sword as if to stab him.
With the red energy no longer choking her, Sian’s eyes flashed open. She could see clearly, as if time had slowed, Revenant’s blade swinging to follow Carl’s neck as he lost his balance and stepped back.
Fortunately, despite his broken stance, Carl managed to block Revenant’s first attack with his sword. At the metallic clash that rang out again, Sian gritted her teeth and kicked off from her position.
Sian swung her sword, aiming for Revenant’s back. But her full-force attack merely cut through empty air.
Revenant noticed Sian’s pursuing attack and quickly withdrew their sword, stepping back.
Without time to regret the failed attack, Sian closely pursued the retreating Revenant. Revenant blocked Sian’s desperate sword strikes aimed at vital points with quite a relaxed smile.
“Fool.”
Revenant coldly sneered while dodging Sian’s powerfully swung horizontal strike by stepping back. Sian was about to grit her teeth. Revenant, whom she thought had retreated, was suddenly right in front of her.
“You, have you forgotten who taught you the sword?”
Revenant’s narrowed eyes smiled like a demon.
“Such an ungrateful girl.”
Revenant’s narrowed eyes gleamed like a beast’s, filled with killing intent. The shift from offense to defense happened in an instant.
Sian, who had been swinging her sword while pursuing the retreating Revenant, suddenly found herself retreating to avoid Revenant’s sword.
Revenant’s movements, determined to cut Sian, were fast and precise. Sian barely avoided the keenly pursuing blade while inwardly clicking her tongue.
As Revenant had said, she was the one who had taught Sian swordsmanship. After meeting Idelin and parting ways due to differing opinions, Sian thought she had grown stronger during her long life as a mercenary, but she wasn’t the only one who had grown.
The same went for Revenant. Moreover, her sword emanating red energy disturbed her concentration, making her shudder just from it passing before her eyes.
This won’t be easy, Sian thought with some displeasure when Revenant’s sword swinging at her shoulder suddenly changed direction.
It was Carl.
Carl had jumped in and swung his sword, taking advantage of Revenant’s concentration on attacking Sian, but Revenant avoided it by changing direction as if dancing and stepped back.
“I heard you were Ivarid’s saint, but isn’t two against one too cowardly?”
…What kind of woman is this.
By this point, Carl was rather dumbfounded. Revenant, known as the greatest dragon hunter, was unimaginably powerful.
Could she even be subdued if dozens of people attacked? Carl pressed his lips together, feeling frustrated for the first time.
…What is brother doing?
