“Oh my… I thought I could definitely take your head off at that timing. As expected, a good reaction.”

Ziguld declares without showing any guilt.

—He clearly stated in words that he intended to kill Aine.

“What are you planning—no, even without asking, that’s what it is, isn’t it?”

“Good grief… No matter how I excuse myself now, I can’t cover it up, so let’s be honest. Either you obey me and come along, or you die here—choose one.”

With his gentle tone unchanged, Ziguld declared.

If presented with such a choice, there’s only one choice for Aine.

Aine readies her sword and stands before Ziguld.

Her opponent is a man called a hero in the Empire—escape will be difficult. Besides, if handled poorly, this man’s power could be a threat even to Lunois.

“You—no, there’s no way I’d go with someone like you.”

“I see. Then, regrettably—you have no choice but to die.”

Ziguld readies his sword.

Aine keeps her sword ready and takes distance from Ziguld as if observing.

She understands Ziguld’s abilities to some extent.

His power called ‘presence concealment’—despite his large build, you can’t notice his existence even when he approaches.

Aine has experienced it once in the past. She noticed Ziguld’s existence in that situation with déjà vu.

If she’d been even a bit slower, Aine wouldn’t be in this world anymore.

She can’t lower her guard even in the blink of an eye.

For Aine, initiating was difficult.

“What’s wrong? Your specialty is swordsmanship, isn’t it? Do you think you can beat me without approaching?”

“…”

Even to Ziguld’s provocative words, Aine doesn’t react. It’s obvious he’s baiting her.

Right now she’s definitely capturing his presence, but if she lets her guard down even slightly, she’ll lose sight of Ziguld even at close distance.

That’s the power of him called a hero. If anything, it could be said to suit an assassin rather than a swordsman.

In fact, she’d heard stories of him assassinating over ten enemies alone without being noticed.

How to move—as Aine is thinking—

“If you won’t come, I’ll go to you.”

Ziguld takes one step forward.

With a clank, the sound of armor echoes around, and Aine stiffens.

Even in a simple sword battle, she doesn’t know if she can win by crossing blades.

She never looks away from Ziguld—yet Aine loses sight of Ziguld.

“…!?”

(No way… I definitely had him in my sight…!)

Though momentarily shaken, Aine immediately checks her surroundings. Being in armor, if he moves fast there should be sound.

But no such sound is heard.

What Aine can rely on—is presence. There’s only that ambiguous but certain sensation of him approaching.

“—”

Aine crouches low on the spot and unleashes a strike backward.

A metallic clang rings out, and the sound of cutting wind reaches above Aine’s head.

Immediately retreating backward, Aine readies herself again.

Immediately behind where Aine was just standing, Ziguld appears.

“Ho… you dodge my strike with just killing intent, and even add a counterattack?”

Ziguld opens his mouth as if impressed.

Aine exhales softly and points her sword tip.

“…I’ve practiced imagining defeating you many times. I can hardly feel your presence—but it’s not that there’s none at all. That’s ‘killing intent.’ Only at the moment you try to kill me, you can’t hide that.”

Aine has repeated battles with those stronger than herself in her imagination.

Among the knights belonging to the Empire, there are several more skilled than Aine—to surpass all of them.

Though she couldn’t react before, the current Ziguld is clearly trying to kill Aine.

That conversely became the clue for Aine to react to Ziguld’s attacks.

Even consciously, he probably can’t erase the killing intent at that moment.

“Hmm, I see. Dodging my attacks relying only on that faint killing intent… That’s already at a level that could be called a miracle—can you cause miracles multiple times?”

Along with his words, Ziguld disappears again.

An existence she should have caught with her eyes disappears before her eyes—even in such an impossible situation, Aine remained calm.

Though it’s been a while since person-to-person combat, Aine’s senses are sharpened more than usual.

A life-or-death battle awakened Aine’s power.

The current Aine probably wouldn’t fall behind even crossing blades properly with Ziguld.

(I’ll defeat him before Lunois returns…!)

That feeling alone filled Aine.

Ziguld came targeting Aine—that means if Lunois returns, there will be battle. Empire people will fight with Lunois again.

Because she wants to be with Lunois, Aine can’t just keep relying on him.

Sharpening all her body’s nerves, Aine heightens her concentration.

She still can’t feel Ziguld’s presence.

As if time had stopped, Aine didn’t move from that spot.

The moment that will eventually come—there’s where Aine has an opening to exploit.

That time arrives soon.

(—Now!)

Matching the killing intent she felt from behind again, Aine takes a step while turning around.

One flash with that momentum. She unleashes a definite strike at Ziguld—should have unleashed it.

“…What.”

(No impact…!?)

Aine’s unleashed strike cuts through empty air.

She certainly felt Ziguld’s killing intent there.

He was definitely there, yet Aine’s sword didn’t reach.

Immediately Aine tries to leave that spot, but—

“Too bad. I won’t fall for the same trick either.”

Such a voice is heard from immediately to Aine’s right.

There’s Ziguld’s figure with his greatsword raised high.

She doesn’t know if she can block it—but Aine immediately takes a defensive posture.

Aine receives the swung-down strike with her sword.

If she receives it straight, her sword will be broken and Aine’s body will be cut in two.

So while slightly deflecting the sword, she tries to flow the power away.

While echoing the sound of scraping metal around, Aine deflects Ziguld’s strike. But—

“I’ve caught you.”

“! Oh no—uah.”

Right after Ziguld swings through his sword, Aine only barely managed to deflect it and couldn’t move immediately.

When her right arm is grabbed, Aine’s body floats in the air. With that momentum—a dull sound rang out.

“Ah, guh…!”

To the dull pain felt in her arm, Aine shows an agonized expression.

“I’ve broken the bones of your dominant arm. Your swordsmanship is excellent, but battle is always changing. You must pay attention to things besides swordsmanship. Though of course, since you were concentrating all your nerves on capturing my figure, that would have been difficult.”

Ziguld excels at swordsmanship, but more than that, you use nerves to capture his presence.

Aine continued concentrating so as not to lose sight of Ziguld’s figure while receiving his sword.

That’s precisely why she couldn’t anticipate being neutralized by having her arm grabbed.

Ziguld easily lifts Aine’s delicate body.

“Ho. Even though I broke the bone, you still grip the sword… I’m impressed.”

Even with her arm broken, Aine didn’t let go of her sword.

The pain in the arm gripped by Ziguld gradually increases.

Still, Aine bravely glares at Ziguld.

“…! Just breaking the bone… what are you planning? Weren’t you going to kill me?”

“I told you. Battle is always changing—the current battle situation is overwhelmingly in my favor. In this situation, I wanted to hear your feelings.”

In the current situation, Ziguld should be able to easily kill Aine.

Yet he’s only breaking Aine’s arm—Aine immediately understood the reason.

“You want me to come to the Empire with you?”

“If you do, I’ll promise not to be any rougher than this. Of course, if you resist… you understand, don’t you?”

Ziguld strengthens his grip.

Enduring the urge to cry out, Aine asks Ziguld while breathing roughly.

“…What is your goal? Are you saying this collar has that much value?”

Being targeted without knowing why—there’s no way Aine could accept the current situation.

What the Empire people are after is the collar Aine is wearing.

If they’re after that, there was no need to put it on Aine from the start, and no need to sell her as a slave.

“Fufu, it certainly does. In fact, I have expectations of you in a way.”

“Expectations, what are you saying…?”

“That you might draw out the collar’s true power. Well, there’s no need to talk more than this.”

“The collar’s… ah, ugh.”

To the arm’s pain, Aine lets out an agonized voice.

Ziguld asks Aine again.

“Now, I have no intention of idle talk. Choose within three seconds. Come with me—or die here.”

Ziguld’s strength increases further, and Aine’s arm bone creaks. Despite already being broken, pressure is applied as if the bone might be crushed.

If she abandons her will to resist here, he apparently intends to keep Aine alive.

But what Aine is thinking about is how to break through this situation.

(My arm is broken and captured. If I had another sword, I might be able to escape, but…)

Even thinking about it, no method comes to mind.

With Aine’s strength, escaping from Ziguld’s hand will be difficult.

In the current situation, she doesn’t think cheap tricks will work either—she’s completely cornered.

Seeing Aine not answer, Ziguld sighs softly.

“…It can’t be helped. If you at least obeyed on the surface, I could have kept you alive. But you here—”

“Take your filthy hand off her.”

“—!”

Aine and Ziguld simultaneously look at the owner of that voice.

Even Aine couldn’t notice his approaching presence.

There was Lunois’s figure swinging his sword toward Ziguld’s arm without any hesitation.

With a swoosh, the sound of cutting wind echoes, and Aine is thrown into the air.

But her body is immediately supported. Looking up, her important person is there.

“Lu-Lunois…!?”

“…I’m sorry, Aine. I should have returned immediately.”

Looking at Aine’s right arm, Lunois lets out such apologetic words.

Aine makes a gesture as if hiding her right arm while shaking her head side to side—

“…Don’t apologize. I really intended to settle this before you came back.”

She reveals her true feelings.

She wanted to settle it before Lunois returned and greet him with a nonchalant face.

But Aine lacked the ability to do that—Aine just feels frustrated about that.

“Settle it… I see. This man is also from the Empire.”

Lunois sends his gaze as if glaring at Ziguld.

“‘Also’—don’t tell me Ralha-san…!?”

Lunois should have gone to Ralha.

Coming back and saying those words means it’s natural to think Ralha also had something with someone from the Empire.

“That story can come later. At least, Ralha-san is safe. You don’t need to worry.”

Hearing Lunois’s words, Aine breathes a sigh of relief.

“From here I’ll do it. Aine, you rest.”

Saying that, Lunois swings his sword. With a snap, blood on the blade scatters.

Ziguld standing ahead looks at his deeply cut arm and nods.

“A bit deeper and it would have reached the bone. By the way, you’re the man with Aine-san, correct?”

“Is there meaning to that confirmation? You… hurt my precious person. There’s no need for questions at all—I’ll cut you down here.”

Inadvertently, Aine looks at Lunois.

That expression is calm, but she can tell it’s filled with anger.

It’s a spirit that makes Aine waiting behind hold her breath.

Even receiving that, Ziguld’s composed attitude doesn’t crumble.

“Fufu, if it’s big talk without accompanying ability, I’d laugh it off, but… you seem to be someone with the ability to make that possible. Therefore, I’ll also face you seriously.”

Along with his words, Ziguld takes his stance.

As if responding to that, Lunois also readies himself.

The ‘Empire’s Hero’ and the ‘Second Generation Sword Saint’—the battle between the two was about to begin.

☆☆

I face off against the large knight.

The sword the knight grips is large enough to be called a greatsword, yet he holds it lightly with one hand. I intended to definitely cut off his arm, but it was dodged without reaching the bone.

The knight wraps cloth around his arm and stops the bleeding.

“When was the last time I was wounded?”

Gripping his hand as if checking, the knight confirms the sensation.

From what I can see, the strike I dealt doesn’t seem to have even caused damage.

“That guy is Ziguld Arneld—one of the hero knights called ‘Presence Killer’ in the Empire.”

“A hero… someone like that is after you?”

At Aine’s words, I’m slightly surprised. The knight—Ziguld shrugs—

“Calling me a hero is merely others’ doing. However, I desire her because it’s necessary. To be precise, I intend to take back her collar.”

He said while pointing at Aine’s neck.

I feel anger at those words but strive to appear calm.

“After making Aine fall into slavery, you’re asking for the collar now?”

“Of course, since it’s necessary. How about it? If you obediently hand her over, we can settle this peacefully—”

“I said at the start. No questions.”

I kick off the ground and close distance with Ziguld.

Without feints, heading straight for Ziguld—I lose sight of him right when I close the distance.

“—!”

I stop once. Ziguld’s figure that should definitely have been there completely disappeared from view.

“Ziguld can erase both his appearance and presence! But he should be right nearby!”

“I see. For someone calling himself a knight, you use petty tricks.”

While holding my sword ready, I probe the surrounding situation.

Despite being in armor, there’s no sound of metal scraping or clashing at all.

No presence, no figure visible. Completely vanished—but I also know there are monsters capable of such things. Monsters that blend into darkness and camouflage.

I’m surprised humans can use that technique.

Moreover, neither visible nor audible—probably measures against smell have been taken too.

Has he not moved from that spot? Or is he closing distance to aim for a chance to definitely finish me? I don’t know.

But what I do is one thing.

“…Come.”

Silence envelops the surroundings. Sharpening all nerves, what I await is just a moment’s presence—that time arrived soon.

“—!”

A metallic clang rings around. The ‘killing intent’ I felt was from ahead.

Targeting my eyepatch side, Ziguld launched an attack.

Despite being able to erase his presence, attacking from my blind spot—what a shrewd movement.

Deflecting Ziguld’s strike, I capture Ziguld within range.

Surely, Aine fought him the same way.

Even with presence erased—the killing intent that overflows at the moment of attack cannot be erased.

Relying on that sensation you can probably barely feel, I block Ziguld’s strike and counterattack.

One horizontal flash—the unleashed strike captures Ziguld’s abdomen.

Ziguld steps and leaps backward—quick reactions for his build. There was impact, but it’s not a fatal wound.

While pressing his abdomen, Ziguld says:

“Between her and… to think two people would break through my technique just today is surprising. Even monsters sensitive to presence have their heads taken without noticing me.”

“I could cut down such monsters without being noticed if I tried. Erasing presence while doing nothing isn’t difficult, but erasing presence at the moment of attack—is impossible.”

Among monsters exist those sensitive to presence at levels incomparable to humans.

Even while hiding and holding breath, they search out prey and hunt—approaching such monsters without being noticed and definitely finishing them.

I’ve learned such fighting methods too.

While Ziguld erases his presence, it’s indeed at a level even I can’t notice.

But the killing intent that emerges at the moment of attack can be felt no matter how much presence is erased. It’s just a matter of exploiting that.

“Indeed you’re right. However, if asked whether there are humans who can react to that, it would be just a handful.”

“That I was one of them is where your luck ran out.”

Pointing my sword tip at Ziguld, I declare.

Perfectly erasing presence and attacking like assassination—that’s his fighting style, and I can respond to it.

But Ziguld’s composed attitude doesn’t crumble.

“Luck ran out—you say. I haven’t been killed by you yet though?”

As if to provoke, Ziguld beckons.

“Don’t worry. I’ll finish it soon.”

Readying my sword, I dash out.

This time for sure, I’ll definitely cut Ziguld—targeting the neck. A swoosh echoes as wind is cut.

Again, Ziguld’s presence that should have been there vanished.

With such a build, magnificent technique. Certainly mastering this would be impossible with ordinary training.

However, it’s meaningless before me.

I wait ready for Ziguld to come.

Immediately sensing presence attacking from behind, I unleash a strike while turning around. But—

“…!”

“Lunois…!?”

Aine showing a surprised expression enters my vision.

I certainly sensed the presence. While turning, I confirmed Ziguld’s figure too.

I should have cut that Ziguld, yet there’s no such sensation at all.

Seeing the figure waver as if cutting a lake surface, I immediately understand. —This is magic.

In an instant, what I sensed was presence from behind. Leaping forward, I immediately turn around.

There was Ziguld’s figure swinging down his greatsword.

“If it’s just erasing presence, anyone can do that—indeed that’s right. Of course, I didn’t gain the ability called a hero with just that level.”

“…Indeed, so it seems.”

Slight pain in my back. Just a grazing wound, but Ziguld’s strike reached me. Not just erasing presence—Ziguld can falsify presence.

“It’s magic I rarely use. After all, basically if I erase my presence, approach, and swing my sword, that ends it. Rather, think of this as an honor. This is—my full power.”

“…I see. If you can falsify even presence, there’s nothing I can rely on.”

“Not just presence.”

Ziguld denied my words. Immediately after—

“Appearance too—”

“Voice too—”

“Position too—”

“Everything is false.”

What’s heard from around are multiple voices. Several knights with the same appearance are standing.

I immediately understood it was camouflage.

Ziguld’s presence keeps repeating disappearing and becoming detectable.

In addition to visual illusion, sound and presence are all scattered.

Even I don’t know where the real Ziguld is. But—

“If you increase numbers with illusions, you think you can beat me? There’s only one real one.”

Even if everything is false, that fact doesn’t change.

Strikes from fakes can’t wound me.

Ziguld nods at my words—

“That’s right, even with this I can’t kill you. By my assessment—regrettably, you’re stronger than me. After all, even using illusions, the strike I dealt you was just a grazing wound. However, there are plenty of ways.”

Saying that, Ziguld’s voice disappears.

But the illusions remain—killing intent coming from every direction hides Ziguld’s real strike.

Still, as Ziguld said.

Even in the illusions, I can barely discern the real strike.

That’s precisely why I could avoid Ziguld’s attacks. Here too, the experience of training with Ralha in dark caves came alive.

To definitely finish him next—for that, I ready my sword.

Whether observing, Ziguld doesn’t immediately attack.

I’m not deceived by Ziguld’s figures appearing before me either.

As if I’ll truly be cut down and killed—even with such a sensation, I don’t avoid the strike the illusion brings down.

The illusion that released the attack waveringly disappears.

Continuing this, I won’t show an opening. It’s completely meaningless action.

Then what is Ziguld aiming for…?

If I have no openings, the next move Ziguld takes is—

“No way.”

I realize too late.

I send my gaze toward Aine.

At a slightly distant location, her figure watching my battle with Ziguld. Behind her—the real Ziguld stands.

Erasing presence, setting illusions on me, what Ziguld was aiming for from the start was Aine.

“My victory condition isn’t defeating you. If I kill Aine Krosinte, that ends it.”

“—Eh?”

“Aine!”

Aine notices too.

But Ziguld has already raised his sword—she can neither block nor avoid.

From my position too, I won’t make it to Aine in time.

“Fighting properly, you probably would have won. However, this match—is my victory.”

—Mercilessly, Ziguld’s strike was swung down toward Aine.