< 74. Dirty bet >
#74
“okay. At stake the essence of fresh blood. “Isn’t it worth trying if there are three?”
Silence fell. There was a tension in the air that was unique to gambling circles. Balzac finally snorted and said:
“Why should I do that?”
“What a fucking mosquito.”
“I won’t deny that it’s interesting. “But I don’t think you have anything worth exchanging for blood essence.”
“well. “Is that really the case?”
Suddenly Ronan untied La Mancha from her belt and placed her sheath on the table. Ophelia’s eyes widened as she watched her. A sound rang in Ronan’s head.
[Ronan…what are you doing now?]
Ronan looked at Ophelia and blinked one of her eyes. It meant that it was okay so let go of your worries. Ophelia tilted her head with a nervous expression. Balzac shrugging his eyebrows in interest approached the table.
“Hmm. “There was one.”
“Even if you only have one eye your eyesight is useful.”
“Can I pull it out?”
“As you wish.”
Surprisingly Balzac asked permission before touching the weapon. It wasn’t too bad to see etiquette observed among prosecutors.
Slurp! La Mancha escaped from the sheath and revealed her true form. The blade pulled straight out was thin and dark like eyelids at night. Balzac who was closely examining the sword frowned.
“…It’s a strange thing. “If only malice is added it is worthy of being called a magic sword.”
“what?”
“Well it wasn’t that unusual earlier.”
Balzac grabbed the hilt of his sword. Suddenly a red energy began to surge from the bottom staining the previously black sword body a crimson color.
“What the fuck?”
Ronan’s eyes widened. It was my first time seeing this while wielding La Mancha. Balzac turned and lightly swung his sword at the wall of the banquet hall.
Whoa! Blood-red sword energy was shot along the gentle sword path. However rather than the usual crescent moon shape it was a sword with a shape reminiscent of a fan-shaped spray of water.
Quagwagwang! A series of explosions rang out and the tomb shook. Dozens of flowers made of stones and dust have bloomed. Ronan cursed as he saw the horribly destroyed stone wall.
“What did you do with the plague?”
“It’s hideous. “I don’t need this.”
“How did you do it?”
“Do you have an obligation to tell me that? “If I have nothing more to show you I’ll just leave.”
Balzac shook his head and handed La Mancha back. I couldn’t let it go like this. Ronan grabbed Sheeta from her shoulder and held her out to him.
“Then how about this? A creature whose true identity is unknown even to thousand-year-old elves. “Your face is smooth quick and warm when you cuddle up and sleep at night.”
“Pyeol?”
“Ophelia the ruby that shines in the snowy fields. “I’ll see you again when I get a chance.”
Sita opened her eyes wide. Balzac turned his back without even responding. It was the moment when he had just said goodbye to Ophelia. Ronan suddenly jumped onto the table and called Balzac over.
“wait. “You bastard.”
The two vampires turned their heads at the same time. Ronan was glaring at Balzac with his hands in his pockets. Balzac frowned at the unexpected eccentricity.
“…What are you doing?”
“I will bet on myself.”
“What?”
“You’re saying you’re going to bet on me. If I lose I will become your household. “Aren’t those conditions sufficient?”
“Ronan…what are you talking about earlier?”
Ophelia who was inferior asked with her voice. Ronan didn’t answer. Balzac laughed.
“I don’t waste my blood on creating vassals or anything like that. “Do I gain anything by making you one of my servants?”
“of course. “I won’t stop training just because I become a mosquito.”
“What do you mean?”
“If I become part of your family I will fight you every time you get upset. A sparring opponent who throws off the limitations of lifespan and continues to grow stronger. Aren’t you going to kill me?”
Balzac’s eyes widened. It was an arrogant yet attractive offer. In the short time he spent fighting he caught a glimpse of Ronan’s electrifying potential. It was a timber that might become the second Jaradin. Balzac who was smoothing his chin suddenly burst into laughter.
“Hahaha! Interesting. “I can’t believe there is someone among mortals who can come up with an idea like this.”
“It won’t happen but it would be better not to relax just because I lose and become a subordinate. “You will be beheaded by me within five years.”
“Okay I’ll take the bet. “Just keep talking.”
“Nothing. “All I want is the essence of fresh blood.”
“What is the content of the bet?”
“I already thought of everything. “We take turns exchanging attacks with each other.”
Ronan explained the rules of the bet he had thought of in advance. They take turns attacking each other once. You are free to defend or evade. However if you counterattack against your opponent or are unable to get up for one minute after being attacked it is considered a defeat.
That was all the content was. There were no provisions that seemed particularly advantageous to Ronan. Balzac tilted his head as if he had heard someone talk in his sleep.
“…Do you really think you can beat me under those conditions?”
“of course.”
Ronan hesitated. Balzac could not understand him. Ronan must have clearly known that there was a big difference in each other’s skills. But what kind of conditions are these when no amount of trickery is enough? Balzac laughed.
“You are overestimating yourself. “The courage of those who live a fleeting life.”
“Maybe because it is a mosquito that has lived for a long time it has a long snout. “Are you scared?”
“You’re so rude. I will accept the bet. “If you become one of my servants I will spend the first hundred years teaching you manners.”
“An excellent choice. “Then would you like to write a contract?”
The two signed the contract with their own blood. Ophelia a third party became an initiate. She kept sending out messages to stop Ronan but Ronan only blinked one of his eyes to tell her that he was okay.
[…completely crazy.]
The rules and stakes of the bet were listed in order. After the two people signed the parchment crumbled and disappeared. Only the letters written in blood remained floating on the paper.
The letters lined up like a chain and seeped into the hearts of Ronan and Balzac. It was the moment when the blood pact was made. Suddenly Ronan instinctively realized that if he did not fulfill his oath he would die.
“I feel like shit.”
“The binding force of the oath… wrapped around the heart.”
Ophelia let out her sigh. There was no turning back for her now. Fortunately her strangeness soon disappeared. Ronan and Balzac stood in the middle of the banquet hall. Balzac spoke in a relaxed voice.
“Give up the first strike. “It would be better to do it thinking it will be the last time.”
“Thank you for that.”
Ronan grabbed the hilt of his sword. Ophelia served as judge. Balzac was laughing the whole time he was waiting for the signal.
He had no confidence in himself. Jill herself. It was more difficult for him to control his strength without killing him outright. Ophelia’s mouth which had been apprehensive opened quietly.
“…start.”
bang! Ronan kicked the ground and rushed forward. The darkness gathered around him enveloped Balzac’s hands and feet transforming into his armor. His armor made with dark magic had as much defensive power as mithril.
The gap narrowed in an instant. Ronan pulled at the hilt of his sword. Balzac who saw the slash flying through the wind shrugged his eyebrows.
‘fast.’
It was a speedy sword that could only be acknowledged for its speed. But that was all. An extremely ordinary attack that just swings and cuts. I avoided it in the fight just now but if I wanted to defend myself there was nothing I couldn’t do.
‘I’m disappointed. Still I thought there were at least a few tricks up your sleeve.’
The scream Ronan would let out was already pleasant to my ears. Balzac smiled bitterly and took his defensive stance. Suddenly! La Mancha penetrated the armor and passed through Balzac’s neck and limbs.
“ah?”
It didn’t take long to realize what had happened. My vision began to spin dizzyingly and at the same time I was in such pain that I lost my mind. A blood-curdling scream burst from Balzac’s mouth.
“Kaaaaaa!!”
Limbs with nowhere to go rose into the air. Balzac’s head fell to the floor and rolled around. Ronan’s boisterous laughter was heard from beyond his lowered vision.
“Hahaha! You worked hard Balzac. “Please accept the essence of fresh blood.”
“How!”
“I have no obligation to tell you that. “I’m lying there thinking about which of the three I will spit out.”
Balzac looked at his limbs scattered around him. It was impossible. The armor made of high-density mana was torn apart as if it were tofu.
“Ophelia. “Count straight for one minute!”
Ronan shouted to Ophelia who was dumbfounded. Balzac’s armor certainly seemed like a very good magic. The sticky feel of the tip of his sword disproved that fact.
Of course it was none of Ronan’s business who could cut mana. He giggled vulgarly and mocked Balzac for being an idiot.
“If possible ask for someone who is sturdy and resilient. “Like a ripe watermelon.”
“Ugh…Do you think I’m going to be treated like this…!”
Balzac gritted his teeth. Large veins appeared all over his face. About 20 seconds had passed. Kwasik! Four limbs exploded out from the clean cut surfaces of his body. Ronan’s brow furrowed.
“Fuck.”
Balzac’s stumbling body picked up his head. The blood vessels hanging down the cut surface were writhing as if they were alive.
He put his head back in place without hesitation. The red line that bisected his neck healed in an instant. Crump! Balzac turned his head here and there glaring at Ronan and said.
“Hehe…hehehe that’s funny…what kind of trick did you pull?”
“I didn’t expect this.”
“Anyway it’s my turn. “Get ready.”
There was no tremor in the voice that had regained its composure. It was an incredible amount of resilience. Even by vampire standards amputation of a limb was a serious injury that took hours to days to regenerate.
“Ronan….”
Ophelia’s complexion was as pale as a glacier. Ronan reassured her with a wave of his hand and returned to her seat. There was no trace of composure on Balzac’s face as he settled into his posture.
“I will no longer look down on you. Fake Jardin. “No Ronan.”
“Damn it hurry up.”
Balzac looked at Ophelia. She hesitated chewing her lips then whispered.
“…start.”
In an instant red and black energy was sucked into Balzac’s feet. The mana in his atmosphere dried up as if it had been depleted. No matter where you go darkness stirred everywhere and beasts made of shadows appeared. Ronan laughed.
“Is this also a one-time hit?”
“Even if it’s torn to pieces I’ll fix it so don’t worry.”
Balzac stretched out his hand. The blood flowing out between his fingernails formed a long spear and was aimed at him.
There are a total of five polearms circling above Ronan’s head. It was a large vessel each of which was about 3 meters long.
Perfect! Balzac snapped his fingers. As the wild beasts charged furiously his spear of blood poured down. Ronan tugged at the hilt of his sword.
“Okay…let’s go until we get there.”
Ronan lowered his stance and delivered a slash to his side. The two heads of the shadow wolf rose into the air. Ronan who had disposed of three more rolled to the side. Quang! The front paw of the shadow bear rushed right behind him and struck the spot where he was.
After chopping up the bear he raised his head and saw a red polearm approaching right before his eyes. Ronan cursed as he saw the long spear flying past even piercing the beasts.
“Shit.”
Suddenly! Ronan spun briefly and cut down his bloody spear. The beasts immediately leaped and surrounded Ronan. He swung his arm widely and shot out his sword energy. The shapes of the cut-up beasts collapsed creating gaps.
But there was no time to take a breath. Two polearms circling in the air flew in filling the gap. It’s too late to judge by looking at it. La Mancha stretched out according to instinct and cut the polearm in half vertically.
‘It’s similar to back then.’
Suddenly Ronan remembered the battle with Ahayute. The spear of light fired by the bald head blew away a battalion in one blow. The monsters that rose up from where the feather fell single-handedly attacked the knights.
Only after Ronan cut them all down was he able to reach Ahayute. As he tramples the bodies of his comrades who sacrificed themselves to clear the way.
Compared to that time it was like child’s play. However a body that had not yet ripened was holding onto his ankles.
Suddenly. Ronan chopped the shadow lion that had scratched his thigh into pieces. He had a fairly deep wound but he didn’t feel any pain. Feeling his mind gradually becoming sharper Ronan swung his sword as if dancing. Balzac who was watching expressed sincere admiration.
“That’s amazing.”
I thought I knew why he proposed that type of bet. He was a much better swordsman than he thought. There were probably a hundred wild beasts being cut down at an unbelievable speed.
“But…I’m still immature.”
Balzac shook his head. His ‘blow’ was still in progress. His decision was to target a blind spot in the simple rule of taking turns exchanging attacks.
When he signaled with his hand all the remaining beasts rushed at Ronan. Eventually his figure disappeared among the wild beasts. Ophelia realizing what was about to happen screamed as if she were screaming.
“don’t do it!”
Balzac ignored Ophelia and snapped his fingers at her. A thick shield blocked his and Ophelia’s path.
-Kaaaaaa!
-Ouch!
Suddenly the beasts’ bodies began to inflate like balloons. The remaining spears simultaneously pierced the beasts. Quaaaaaaaaa! A huge explosion of blood and shadow engulfed the banquet hall. A sigh flowed from Ophelia’s frozen mouth.
“Ah…ah….”
“My attack ends here.”
It was not an explosion that could be survived. The shield disappeared. The view of the banquet hall which was expanded after being destroyed caught my eye. The thick rising dust was blocking my view. How many seconds have passed? A sudden coughing sound echoed through the smoke.
“Cough.”
“…!”
The two vampires’ eyes widened. Unsteady footsteps were getting closer. Balzac laughed at the sight of Ronan who was soon revealed.
“How can you endure this?”
“Gagging gasp… I really… almost fell over you bastard…”
Ronan’s features looked like a rag that had been dipped in blood and then removed. Blood was flowing from wounds all over his body.
However there were no fatal injuries such as cuts or breaks. This was possible because I had a similar experience twice.
One time was with Ahayute and the other time was with Schlieffen’s storm sword which I had beaten to death not long ago. When Sita flew in and used healing magic most of his wounds disappeared without a trace.
“Ttaaa!”
“Thank you Sita. Phew I think I’ll buy something now.”
“What…recovering with the help of others…!”
“There was nothing in the contract that said no.”
Balzac twisted his lips. It was a clear misjudgment to think that Ronan was immature. He also explored the weak points in the contract. And even more cunningly than Balzac. Ronan relaxed his body as if stretching and raised one corner of his mouth.
“Then…now it’s my turn.”
Ronan grabbed La Mancha. Ophelia who had been frozen managed to give her signal. Balzac shouted in an angry voice.
“Do you think you’ll get hit twice!”
At that moment Ronan’s figure disappeared from sight. After drinking blood La Mancha’s slashes were coming much faster and sharper than before.
On the other hand Balzac’s body became heavier. It was because his regeneration and energy had exhausted his blood. He attempted to absorb the remaining blood and mana around him.
“hmm…?”
But something was strange. Obviously the blood and mana that should have been scattered with the explosion of shadow beasts and long spears was not felt.
At that time Balzac’s eyes turned to the strange creature behind Ronan. All the blood and mana nearby was being sucked into Sita’s body with her wings spread wide. Sita who met his eyes tilted her head.
“Pyeol-ah?”
“Such filth…!”
It was a rigged match from the beginning. The moment he realized that Ronan’s slashes rained down.
Lamancha tore off his armor again creating dozens of red lines on his defenseless body. Ronan’s voice rang out in his rapidly blurring vision.
“I am sorry. “He is an uneducated person.”
Balzac’s consciousness was interrupted.
