Chapter 17 - Fighting Valletta?
By the time Valletta reacted and tried to withdraw her hand, it was too late.
Noah's 'third hand' dropped away as he took the dagger from his left hand, thrusting the sharp blade through the dandelion and deep into Valletta's lower abdomen.
With a sickening sound of tearing flesh, mixed with Valletta's sharp gasp for air, the blade found its home.
The severe pain from her vitals made her eyes dilate.
She suddenly threw her head back and let out a deafening, miserable roar.
"Gaaaaah!"
On the north side of the city, in front of a food distribution stall.
"Ah! Don't pull me! Don't pull me! I still have so much to talk to Lady Nine hells about! Lyra! Kaguya! You guys should back me up!"
"Stupid Alise! What do you think we're doing right now? A party? Get back to work!"
"I'm the captain! The captain! Lady Nine hells! We'll talk next time!"
Watching Alise get dragged away by the Pallum and the human girl, Riveria forced a smile.
"Uh, okay, fine. Let's talk some other time!"
After the Astraea Familia had left, the elven royal sighed and rubbed her brow. Although Orario was currently shrouded in a tense atmosphere, Riveria was indeed happy to see a cheerful girl who could ease everyone's mood.
However, bearing the full force of that enthusiasm herself was a bit much. After all, she had always been strict in managing her own Familia members.
Alise was like an overly cheerful puppy.
No, a big cat.
Let's ask Gareth to come next time. He should be better at chatting with kids without putting on airs. They could probably drink and dance together until they dropped.
Riveria couldn't help but complain in her heart. Then, she composed her expression and turned around, staff in hand.
After taking only two steps, she saw a blonde girl standing at the edge of the crowd, staring around in a daze.
To Riveria, the way she looked around, sometimes with surprise and sometimes with disappointment, was like a lost child looking for her parents.
Walking up behind Ais, Riveria saw that she hadn't reacted at all.
She couldn't help but sigh, the emotions between her brows growing more complicated.
Although a life saved should be repaid, Riveria felt conflicted that the little girl she had taken care of for a year was now so preoccupied with someone she had only just met.
"Ais, are you looking for that person again?"
The sudden question made Ais's body tremble. She subconsciously flinched and gripped the hilt of her sword.
When she turned and saw it was Riveria, she breathed a sigh of relief. But when she recalled the question, the girl's expression became complicated again.
"Riveria, I..."
Confused, bewildered, and lost, these emotions were written all over her small face.
It was obvious she wasn't refusing to answer, but that she truly didn't know what was on her own mind.
She had only vaguely seen the figure through her blood blurred eyes at that critical moment, and she had passed out before she even saw his face clearly.
And yet, these past few days, the scene from that day kept replaying in her mind.
When she was awake, practicing her sword, resting, eating... she thought about it all the time. The scene became more and more blurred, yet more and more profound with each repetition.
She could no longer remember the details, only the feeling of being held in that person's arms remained on her skin.
As time passed, it didn't disappear but grew clearer, even a little hot, as if it had penetrated deep into her muscles and merged with her bones.
But this did not change the confusion in Ais's heart. She wanted to see that person, but she didn't know why.
What was the ripple he had left in her heart? Was it the feeling of being saved at the moment of death? Was it because she sensed his strength and wanted to learn from him? Or was it because she felt a fatherly presence from him?
It seemed like it was all of those things, but also none of them. Ais wouldn't even know what to say if she saw him. However, a sour and hot feeling was surging in her chest, stirring up all the depression and grievances that had been accumulating in her heart for so long.
That sword light, like moonlight piercing the darkness...
Ais felt like a child who had been stumbling on a dark road for ages. When she finally saw a light illuminating the way ahead, she couldn't help but want to pursue it, to touch it, to feel it.
This sense of anticipation had been building until it was almost overflowing, to the point that Ais was a little scared.
What if the other person was just an ordinary man who couldn't answer her questions or meet her expectations at all?
Then, Ais felt selfish for only wanting to ask things of her savior.
"Riveria, will I ever see him again?"
Riveria didn't dare to guarantee the answer. In the past few days, the Loki Familia had used various channels to inquire about him, but they had not obtained any accurate information.
"Well, it's hard to say. Maybe it will take some time, or maybe it will be in the next second..."
In that next second, a scream resounded over the city.
"Noah Sifel! You despicable villain!"
Ais subconsciously drew her sword, but as she looked towards the source of the sound, she froze, and a smile appeared on her small face.
"Riveria, you're amazing!"
Looking at the silver-haired figure entangled with Valletta in the distance, Riveria was also stunned.
When did I do?
"Go to hell!"
Along with the roar, a long sword cut through the air with a whistling sound.
Facing this strike, Noah narrowed his eyes, planted his feet firmly, held the hilt of his sword with one hand, and supported the blade with the other.
Then, he met it head on.
CLANG!
Sparks flew as the swords collided, and the harsh sound of metal on metal echoed, sharp enough to make one's teeth ache.
Although Noah was prepared, the huge force coming through the blade still caused his body to slide backward. The soles of his shoes left long, charred black marks on the slabs, and he finally steadied himself just as he was about to hit the alley wall.
"Is this the strength of a Level 5 adventurer?" Noah swung his sword and flexed his wrist to get rid of the slight soreness.
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