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“After feeling the pressure of my power at that level, even though it is only a meager scale and claw, but to have the guts to throw a sword at me, should I praise you for your bravery and fearlessness, or should I mock you for not measuring yourself.”

Cornelia was indifferent to the sudden appearance of golden sword light. She merely grabbed the golden rapier that was flying toward it.

Her fair, slender and jade-like hand reached out to the sword light that could tear through space. In the eyes of others, it looked no different than a moth drawn to a flame, and was about to be burned to ashes in the next moment.

However, this time, the outcome of the roles switched. The moth wings flapped and the flame wavered like there was no telling if it might be extinguished by the wind in the next moment.

The sword light immediately dimmed.

Cornelia grasped the rapier within her fingers. The sacred artifact named Golden Stella emitted an unbearable creaking noise, making it seem as though the harmless-looking, adorable and lickable hand was crushing it with immense force.

“GO NOW, I’LL HOLD HER BACK!”

Durance’s face was pale. His attack was only as good as slashing at a huge waterfall, with an overflowing force that rendered his own effort useless. No matter how hard he tried, he could barely cause a difference. Even so, he gripped so hard on the hilt of his rapier that one could see the blue vein throbbing on his temples. Unfortunately, his rapier still failed to advance by even an inch.

“But…” Rosdell hesitated when he heard Durance’s instruction.

“Cut the crap and go now!”

“No! We’re not exactly on friendly terms, but we’re still comrades for the time being! I, Rosdell, am definitely not the kind of person who would abandon a comrade!” Rosdell stated, his eyes wide like saucers. The education he received since childhood had taught him that he must not abandon his comrades and run away, even if said comrade was an enemy not long ago.

“If you don’t abandon your comrade, we’re all gonna die!” Durance yelled back at him angrily, “Do you wish to watch your beloved princess die here?”

“You… How do you know…” Rosdell’s eyes widened as he squirmed like a big boy in love. “I’m sure I’ve never told that to anyone.”

“Stupid! Anyone who isn’t blind can tell!”

“Ugh… Damn it, I thought I hid my feelings well…!” Rosdell pounded the ground with his fists as his face flushed crimson.

“Stop dilly-dallying! Hurry up and go! I’ll stall her!” Durance yelled at him again.

After thinking for a moment between girl and righteousness, Rosdell chose the former without any hesitation. With a solemn nod, he said, “I won’t let you sacrifice in vain. Not just the princess, I’ll bring everyone out of here unharmed. So…”

Rosdell’s eyes reddened at Durance’s devotion. “Try to stay alive, our duel isn’t over yet!”

“Of course… but next time, I’ll definitely win!” Durance unnoticeably nodded and squeezed a smile.

“Nonsense! I’ll definitely be the winner!”

Rosdell grabbed Choobchoob, who was next to him. “Let’s go now. We mustn’t let Durance down!”

“But…”

“No buts, you want his sacrifice to be in vain?”

Rosdell, the man who was known to be as strong as a lion at the Royal Military Academy of the Macedonian Empire, could not help but choke up at this moment.

A man should not easily shed his tears. However, seeing his former enemy put his own life on the line to save them was a sight that could melt even his heart of stone.

Only at a moment like this… a man should cry! And out loud!

“Hahaha, Aneva Durance, you are my friend for life. If you lose your life, I promise I will drink with you in front of your grave!” Hot tears spilled from Rosdell’s eyes as he strode toward Lilith.

“I’ll be waiting for your wine then!” Durance’s eyes were also brimming with tears.

Why had he never realized that this annoying guy had a cute side to him too?

If he survived this… Then… It was not entirely impossible for them to be friends in the future either.

“Fortunately, today I, Durance, am going to rebel against my fate! Hahahaha!”

“……”

Lilith watched the entire exchange with a dumbfounded expression. She poked Lesiah’s slender waist and asked, “What are they doing?”

Standing next to her, Lesiah scratched her cheeks awkwardly. “I guess this is what they call… the friendship between two men?”

……

Durance gritted his teeth. His eyes lit up as though he had just made a decision in his heart.

He bit his own tongue hard to draw enough blood so he could spray it on his rapier to awaken Golden Stella’s potential.

Although this might cause irreversible damage on Golden Stella and expose it to unknown danger, it was still better than losing everyone’s life here.

“I’m sorry, Stella.” Durance looked at his sacred artifact with deep emotions. “I will make it up to you later, but please forgive me for what I am about to do… I… UGH?!”

Durance’s little moment ended abruptly. He did not even spray the mouthful of blood that he had gathered when he got smacked by a shoe that came flying out of nowhere.

“What are you doing?! Why do you keep stopping me, do you want to die?!” Durance peeled off the smelly and rotten shoe that was stuck on his face and glared angrily at the culprit. “Even if you want to die, don’t drag the others down with you!”

“You are the one who keeps stopping me! You have been told that this battle is not yours…”

Lilith took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped her hands. Just touching the stinky shoes of this pervert named Lucas disgusted her.

The indifference written on Lilith’s face got Durance laughing angrily. “Lilith, who gives you the right to say that? This is neither the academy nor a place for you to fool around. Do you know that it was your stupidity that landed us all in this situation?”

Durance was livid. Here he was, determined to risk his life and fight for everyone’s survival. Yet this ignorant little girl did not appreciate it in the least, and kept interrupting him. Who did she think she was?

“Rights?”

Lilith remained indifferent to Durance’s anger. “Is this enough?” she asked calmly.

She lifted her head, locking her molten golden dragon eyes with Durance’s eyes.

Durance instantly froze. He felt as though an invisible sledgehammer had hit his brain, driving a fine needle deep into his brain. The intense pain even shut his brain off for a moment.

In his trance, he thought he saw an ancient beast clad in golden scales curled up in front of him.

The beast woke up from its slumber. Its massive body rose from the ground, causing the world to shake.

It slowly raised its own huge and ferocious head and unfolded its wings that could easily cover the sky. The passage of time felt non-existent as everything was frozen.

Thunder and sky fire descended at the same time. A bloody rainstorm flowed backward into the sky.

The beast lowered its noble head, focusing its majestic pupils on the grain-sized insect in front of him. Its cold eyes were filled with anger at those who had violated the might of heaven.

[ Are you seeking for death, worm? ]　

By the time Durance snapped back to his senses, his clothes were already drenched in his cold sweat. His heart pounded as he looked around, only to realize that everything he saw earlier was just his hallucination.

He subconsciously placed his hand over his heart to calm it down.

What the hell was that beast…?

That was only an illusion, but it nearly broke him mentally…?

“Hehe, not bad. I thought you would have fainted by now.”

“W-Who… are you exactly?” Durance’s voice was a little hoarse. Just when he had finally calmed his heart that was beating so wildly, the same feeling came back again when he saw Lilith. His heart started pounding wildly again against his will.

“Who am I? Your cute and lovely junior, of course~”

Lilith poked her dimples and smiled sweetly. “I’m definitely not a dragon, those creatures aren’t cute at all.”

“Dragon…?” Durance was shocked. “You are a dragon?”

“I told you I’m not a dragon~ If you keep talking nonsense, I’m going to punch your chest with my cute little fist…”

Lilith raised her small fist teasingly. Although it looked like a harmless small fist, it was no inferior than Lucas’ visual nuclear bomb to Durance right now.

It was just as terrifying.

Durance could only smile wryly, feeling extremely embarrassed…

It seemed like he was the clown all this while. It turned out that Princess Lesiah was right. As long as they could free Lilith, their chances of winning would increase by fifty percent.

Only a monster could deal with a monster.

And his conceited behavior earlier, the dramatic parting scene… Those were all nothing but monkey shows in the eyes of others.

It just so happened that a few others thought they were so fearless and righteous that they were going to make the feat of saving the world. It turned out that the world did not need them to save in the first place, and only needed them to be sidekicks and applaud for the protagonist…

Durance looked at Rosdell and Choochoob who were next to him. Rosdell’s eyes were filled with shock and shame… His face turned even redder. The latter was directly stunned into silence.

Durance sighed inwardly, then sat down cross-legged. He took out a small bottle from his chest pocket. It was filled with strong liquor that he rarely drank. He titled his head and emptied the entire bottle.

Since he no longer needs to drink that on his grave, he might as well drink it now.

“You remind me of a person I know,” Lilith suddenly said.

“Oh, he must be a very impressive guy for a dragon like yourself to remember.”

“No, that guy is weakling, coward and lecher. He’s also very unreliable, especially at critical times, a joker who always screwed up at important moments. But generally speaking, he is a good person…”

The expression on Durance’s face stiffened. Why did that description sound like…

“Let’s forget it for now. Although that guy owes me a lot of money, it doesn’t matter. The longer he takes to clear his debt, the happier I am. Based on the daily interest rate of one percent of the principal amount to be equivalent to 10,000 gold coins, it won’t be long before he owes me an amount that he can’t even pay in ten lifetimes… hehe… By then…”

Lilith smiled cunningly, as though she had some great idea brewing in her mind.

Durance shuddered as he recalled that guy’s abnormal behavior ever since he returned from Luminous Theocracy…

He wiped the cold sweat beading on his forehead and decided to remain silent for the time being.

Durance pulled out another small bottle of bitter and strong wine, then ruthlessly downed it.

Luck was not on his side today and he wondered if wine could dispel this rotten luck of his.