Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Duel Standing before Milano was a young elf wielding a plain white stick, which prompted a look of puzzlement to emerge on Milano's face. The reason the elf had interposed himself to protect Selene was unclear, and what's more, his bizarre appearance—with a bumpy iron pot on his head—was certainly out of the ordinary. "Hey, are you listening, adventurer? If you don't want to get hurt, beat it quickly." "Adventurer? Ah, I see. No, what I mean is..." Milano almost claimed to be a prince—not an adventurer—but then he shut his mouth. Even if he were to assert his status as a prince of the great nation of Helifarthe, it wouldn't carry any weight with the elves living in the forest. At this moment, Milano was not visiting as Prince Milano of Helifarthe but as a young man who had come in search of Selene. He was a risk-taker, which in a sense could be considered an adventurer. "No, it's nothing. Elf sir, I apologize for intruding into your territory without permission, but I haven't come to cause harm." "Is that so? Adventurers are a bunch who lie easily when in danger." "It's true. We have come looking for that child, for Selene. That's all." "For Selene?" Gee looked back, but Selene herself hadn't recovered from the shock of the prince's appearance and was muttering to herself. Clearly, she wasn't welcoming the blond human in front of her. "(Could it be that Selene is famous even in the human world?)" If the adventurer's words were to be believed, they had purposefully invaded the White Forest to obtain Selene, and they claimed they were not after the elves' resources. In other words, they sought an existence worth ignoring the Elf resources for. "You attach such importance to one child. Is she that precious to you?" "Yes, to me, she is very precious and irreplaceable." "I see." Gee's suspicions turned into convictions with Milano's response. Selene had the ability to command dragons. It was inevitable that a human with such power would be considered valuable. It made sense for an adventurer to desire her, disregarding the White Forest's resources. While Milano stared him down without flinching, Gee had become adept at grasping the general capabilities of anyone he faced, even without crossing swords, through the mere atmosphere they exuded. This blond adventurer, though seemingly gentle in appearance, emitted an aura very different from the small fry he had encountered before. "(It must be some leader of the adventurers who has come calling.)" These adventurers, unlike the petty thieves of yore, clearly sought to retrieve the treasure that is Selene from the elves, probably sending an expert assassin for the task. Gee came to this conclusion. Having interacted with Selene, Gee knew that not all humans were villains, but that distinction lay within the broader category of "humans" and did not change the fact that "adventurers" remained a loathsome entity to elves. The adventurers who snuck into the White Forest from Valber were all uncouth ruffians without a sense of decorum. As a result, the equation of adventurers equaling villains had taken root among the elves. Handing over a delicate young girl to the chief of such villains would predictably result in disaster. Selene must not fall into their hands. "She's important to us too, so, no, we can't simply hand her over and let her go. Just go back already. We'll take care of her properly, don't worry." "Take care of her... properly?" Gee had labeled Milano as a dirty adventurer, but to Milano, who was brought up as royalty, the rough-speaking elf, brandishing a wooden stick and donning a strange iron pot, seemed nothing more than a bandit. It was painfully obvious how such a person would treat a young and beautiful girl. The words "take care of her properly" could only be interpreted as sarcasm. Milano had to reclaim Selene from the elves at all costs. "The girl is a human, and I am her guardian. We wish to take responsible custody of her." "That's not going to happen. Adventurers are not to be trusted." "Then what would it take for you to trust us?" "Well then... How about this?!" As Gee spoke, he suddenly swung the sacred tree branch horizontally with tremendous force. The solid sound of impact echoed through the forest with a metallic ring. "Damn!" Just before the powerful strike could sink into Milano's body, he swiftly drew the sword at his waist and parried the unexpected blow. Gee's eyes widened for a moment, impressed by his opponent's skill, and he immediately jumped back to ensure distance. "Phew! Not bad!" "Such a direct attack, and the previous throw too. Elves really are quite barbaric, aren't they?" For Milano, who valued chivalry and knighthood, Gee's fighting style seemed laughable. He couldn't help but reproach Gee's unorthodox methods. "You're supposed to launch a surprise attack." However, Gee remained unabashed and retorted with a mocking tone. "I know how you fight; it's called 'chivalry,' right? Something about 'I am the whatever of something or other'... announcing yourself before a fight like some grand speech—aren't you foolish?" "How dare you!" "When all living creatures die, they return to the soil. Death is the end. Defeat is the end. So why bother with lowering your chance of winning before even starting? I just don't get it." Milano furrowed his brow. Having cherished the concept of chivalry from a young age, he found it difficult to accept Gee's inclination to strike with deception. Nevertheless, this was the world of the elves, not humans. Perhaps human common sense didn't apply here. Milano refrained from pursuing Gee's behavior any further and decided to convey his reason for being there succinctly. "I'm not here to debate philosophy. I will say it again, will you not hand over Selene to us?" "What if I say no?" "I prefer not to resort to conflict, but I swear on this sword that I will retrieve Selene." "Nice. That makes things clear." In response to Milano's declaration of war, Gee appeared composed on the surface, but internally he was anxious. This human was no ordinary person—a feeling Gee wished he could disprove yet was compelled to acknowledge. The previous attack, had it been an ordinary adventurer, would have ended the fight with a single surprise blow. Even had it come to a head-on battle, a blunt weapon should have easily broken against the blow from the sacred tree branch. Milano himself and the large iron sword he carried were not to be underestimated. "(I've got to get serious with this one...)" Milano didn't show it, but the urgency within him grew. This elf was no regular fighter—a fact that Milano begrudgingly had to admit. While the elf's behavior might have been coarse, the sharpness of that single attack suggested he was more capable than anyone Milano had faced before. And then there was that white branch, an item Milano had never seen before. He had assumed it was just a barbarian's weapon, but without the great sword borrowed from his father, it would have easily been shattered. "(This elf youth, he's not to be underestimated!)" Milano and Gee glowered directly at each other. Negotiations had broken down. Thus, it was through a duel that one would find a way out. Elf and human, though their races and beliefs were different, they both were young men who had honed their skills in arms—a shared sensation. "I'll have you know, don't expect your comrades to come to your aid. By now, my companions are likely beating yours to a pulp." "My elite chosen won't be taken down so easily. It's in your best interest to surrender now. I'd rather not harm you more than necessary." "Quite the confidence you've got there. You'll regret it later, you know?" "I'll return those words to you just as they are." Gee and Milano intimidated each other with words, but their spirits were not the kind to shrink back in fear. Above all, both young men had their own undeniable reasons to stand their ground. "(Selene, just wait. I'll rescue you from these barbaric elves right now!)" "(Selene, hold on. I'll thrash that damn adventurer!)" Yes, they had to protect Selene. They had come so far for her sake. With their convictions held close to their hearts, the battle between the human prince and the elf chieftain began—the match had been struck! "Let's go, human! I won't be responsible if you die!" "Come at me, elf warrior!" The sacred wood and the great sword clashed violently. The beast-like attacks unleashed by Gee's natural talent were deftly diverted by Milano's years of cultivated swordsmanship. The scene of their fight, by the pure spring against the backdrop of the white forest, was picturesque, even life-threatening as it was. Amidst such a beautiful yet tense atmosphere, Selene stood somewhat apart, lost in thought. Somehow, Milano and Gee had started a fight to the death without her grasping the situation. It was as if she was an onlooker to their plight. 『Quite the troublesome situation we find ourselves in...』 "Ah, Butler." Drawn by the noise, Butler made his way through the white fallen leaves to Selene's side. When Selene crouched and extended her palm, Butler climbed onto her shoulder and looked towards Milano and Gee. From not too far a distance, Butler, with his excellent hearing, had caught the gist of the conversation and understood why things had unfolded this way. However, the fervent battle between the young bloods had begun without any room for his interference. 『Hmm, whatever are we to do...』 "Pray." 『Pray, is it?』 "Yes." With that, Selene closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, and assumed a posture of prayer. She prayed for the best outcome for her knights. That was all the powerless Selene could do. Butler gazed at her earnestly praying profile and spoke. 『Indeed, both parties are fighting for the princess. It seems all we can do is watch.』 Unlike Selene, Butler possessed considerable fighting prowess, but after pondering whose side to take, he decided to adopt a neutral stance instead. Milano and Gee were both fighting to protect Selene, giving their all. If Butler were to intervene carelessly, he might give either one an advantage, potentially leading to a fatal blow. As Selene had put it, they had no choice but to pray to the heavens. A conclusion would come, no matter who won. And if, at that moment, the battle's excitement didn’t simmer down and they sought each other's lives, that would be the signal for Butler to join. That was the conclusion he had come to. 『For now, I shall remain neutral and stand by. Rest assured; I will intervene if necessary.』 "Butler, chu-ritsu(neutrality...)" [T.N: (chu -> squeaking noise of a mouse in Japanese)] A pun fitting for a mouse. A nonsense dad-joke that Selene thought up made her smirk on her own, but Milano and Gee were in the throes of battle, with Butler poised for combat on her shoulder, so not a single soul noticed her silly remark. Selene felt slightly hurt that her joke had been ignored. Both Milano and Gee were important to Selene, and she couldn't afford to lose either. While Butler was tense with the weight of his responsibility, Selene, having been ignored, sulkily returned to her prayers. ―― May the prince lose and die to Gee... If she disappeared, the shackles of Arue would be lifted. Fearing this, that prince must have led his followers into the White Forest to retrieve her like a dead weight. He was determined not to let the angel like Arue escape—what persistence. A terrifying man. Ironically, it was Selene who harbored an abnormal obsession, and the terrifying person was Selene herself, though she was utterly unaware of it. "Good luck, good luck." Selene fervently prayed to every dark deity and demon she could think of. If Gee won, he could annihilate the intrusive prince in the White Forest. On top of a savage forest, the location, inaccessible without magical power, was perfect for discreetly disposing of the prince. The prince would vanish mysteriously in the white forest, while she and Arue could live quietly and contentedly in the elven retreat. Gee's victory would open up a dazzling future that was nearly closed to her. Come on, Gee, don't lose, if not you, then who? Who else will do the killing? "Haaaah!" "Wooaah!" The two valiant young warriors fought with pride and determination, while a young, beautiful princess prayed for their safety. At least, on the surface, that's the scene that unfolded.