Confidence and conviction, although they aren’t decisive factor in a fight but they lay a critical foundation to one’s victory. A long term martial arts practitioner may lose to a simple street thug if the martial artist holds no confidence or conviction in his fists. Doubts lead to hesitation. Hesitation leads to internal conflict. And internal conflict causes one’s defeat.

Or at least that’s my interpretation.

I can’t say I’m completely confident with my skills and strength now but I do have more fate in myself more than before. Although, that’s not enough against Djin Sol.

It’s the late morning after last night’s Water Serpent culling. Breakfast was alright but dull. It was a vegan menu once again. Not that I mind but I’m starting to miss the taste of meat. But I am curious on the varieties and freshness of the fruits Hyx got his hands on. I remember him telling me about one of his party member’s Divine Art having something akin to controlling plants. Maybe that’s where he got these fruits?

Along with Nilin and Cormac, Hyx has gone to Bluebell Town to sell Water Serpents carcasses in the morning. He said he will be back by noon. I don’t have any basis but I doubt his words.

And so, Lucy and I are left alone with the remaining nembers that are; Senna, Kirin, Djin Sol, and Citra.

Not wanting to waste the day away, I spar with Lucy until Djin Sol, the walking suit of medieval armor came up to me offer to coach me. Now, I find myself facing off an opponent that might be the strongest in terms of swordsmanship. As an antithesis of me, his swings are completely doubtless and filled with nothing but conviction. He moves not too much to be wasteful and not too less to be lacking. I can’t even find an opening in his form.

I have been at his mercy ever since our swordplay began. If he simply wishes, he could have broke my guard and stance and went for a victory. I guess he didn’t do that simply because he was trying to teach me, not trying to beat me. Honestly speaking, I wish he would just end it. Prolonging a fight is not my forte. My skills in sword are honed to finish a fight quickly since I fear for my physical and mental fortitude.

While I’m exchanging blows after blows with the golem, Lucy is watching at the sidelines with fascinated eyes. She looks seriously impressed but it is less so for me since I’m the subject here.

Not just Lucy but even Senna and Kirin are watching. Citra is dangling on a branch of a tree. I didn’t see where Citra actually is, I just sense her position that’s all. I wonder what that Wyrm is doing.

Kirin looks bored. She’s sitting on top of piled up crates which is too high for her that her feet are left swinging. Her gaze is alternating between her swinging feet and the fight. It’s funny how I’m barely holding my own against Djin but I’m still able to perceive my surroundings. I wish I can somehow figure out a way to direct every ounce of my focus at my opponent.

“Focus on your opponent, Lady Shizuka.” Djin chided. “Your audiences are irrelevant. They are not a factor.”

Amazing. Even though I wasn’t looking away, he knows I’m not completely focus. As a firm reminder, he landed a blow on the blade just above the guard. The shock carries through to my grip. If I wasn’t familiar with pain, I would have dropped Talia. Grinding my teeth, I withstood the numbing pain and continue guarding against Djin’s blow. Normally, swords or any other weapons would have snapped into half if they do what Djin did. But, the sword, Indara, in Djin’s hands is a Mondra like Talia.

Talia Lox is a Katana-Saber hybrid while Indara is a greatsword. Like Djin, Indara is also a product made by Hyx. That boy really is amazing but it’s a shame that his attitude and personality offsets it.

After a few more blows, I finally gave up as Talia is knocked from my grip.

Senna clasped her hands together. “Okay, now that’s over with. Now, would you all mind giving us two some space? I would like to have a discreet chat with our guest here.” She’s smiling but her eyes aren’t. As a girl myself, I understand this is a tactic that sends even the mightiest of men to shiver.

Djin bowed towards Senna, “as you wish, milady.” He then walks off the field and carry Kirin into his arms. I could be wrong but I think I heard Djin addressing Kirin with “your highness”. What’s up with that?

Lucy was reluctant at first even after assuring her I’ll be fine but she relented after being given a “smile” from Senna directly. She scuttled away immediately. For some reasons, it felt like I was betrayed.

Great, now I’m feeling nervous being left truly alone with this Angel cum Majin. I have a feeling our private talk will be full of misunderstanding and drama. These two sure loves to come into situations hand in hand.

She sits on a stump nearby. After gracefully and gently placing herself on top of the old log, she pats the stump next to her, gesturing for me to take a sit by her.

“I’m good. No thanks. I’ll stand.” I refused her invitation.

Her smile is still floating when she tilts her head to my refusal. “Nonsense,” she said, gently. “Don’t be foolish. Come have a sit here. I won’t bite.”

I can’t find any words to respond to her gentle voice. I don’t want to be rude but I have a bad feeling to be sitting beside her.

“Refusing a seat that was graciously offered by the host is quite rude, Shizuka. Are you being rude?”

“O-of course not, ma-- milady.” I caught myself in time before “ma’am” could escape my lips.

“Just Senna will be fine,” she assures me. “Now come, sit.”

I have received a lots of piercing gaze before but none could compare to Senna’s. Is the strength of an S class? I felt that if she stares at me any longer, I would burst up in black flames [1]. I shudder to that thought being a reality. It’s not, is it?

As soon as I sat myself down to her left after giving into her intimidation, she places her hand on my shoulder.

“You’re less reserve when you’re conversing with Hyx.”

It was not a question nor a confirmation, it was a statement. She leaves no room for me to deny.

“I’m sure last night you have a wonderful glimpse of his strength and capabilities.”

I simply nod at her smiling stare. Her eyes still aren’t smiling.

“How’s your acquaintance with his peculiar nature last night?”

Her unsmiling eyes spell jealousy and suspicions. I knew it, she’s probing to see whether I’m going to steal her man away but why would I do that? His looks aren’t even average. I think she’s rating him too highly.

“It was refreshing, to say the least.” When I sneak a glance at her eyes again, I could have swore they narrowed. “However, it takes a lot out of me to deal with him.”

“I see,” she said, nodding along as she slowly inches back away from me.

Oh damn, I didn’t even realize she had inched this close to me. I was too focus on her ensnaring stare.

“You know, on the first week we arrived here, we went to town together. Not all of us, just me and him. I was already with his child by then.”

From her tone, it sounds like she’s beginning a long narration of her not-so distant past. Also, I didn’t miss the triumphant grin she flashed me on her last sentence.

“His facial appearance leaves much to be desired but his eccentric character, it drew a lot of unneeded and unwanted curiosity and attention from those bit- women.”

You were going to say “bitches”, weren’t you?

“Of course, most of them were just lip services but I couldn’t help but felt that, underneath those flatters, some of them were genuinely curious, even if they weren’t showing it. It’s like they longed to have a taste of something different. Those vi- shrewd women…”

I’m not sure who is she trying to fool here but she’s really adamant with her “cool” facade.

“As a woman myself, I can tell that even those who doesn’t seem interested, it was only on the surface. Deep down, unconsciously or not, his character attracts them like a foolish moth to a flame.”

She casts a glance after she finish. Rather than a glance, it’s more like a glower. I managed to hold down a shudder I instinctively had.

I understand her concerns. She’s plainly jealous. Jealous of the fact that I came from the same world as her husband and I have more room for empathy to her husband than her. I had been in a relationship but only for a brief period. Safe to say, I’m still just a novice in love matters. So I can’t offer any sound advice to her. What I can offer however, is assurance.

“I’m no interested in him, romantically. I will never steal him away from you.” I gave it to her straight. Under normal circumstances, those are words that I could never have the courage to say but perhaps I got caught up in the mood. “And what’s more, he seems to only have eyes for you.”

“It was the same for me, you know? I held no romantic interest towards him at first but just getting to know him for only a few moments, those interests appeared.”

She is really rating him highly. This is really getting on my nerves. If it wasn’t for the difference in strength, I would have shouted at this point.

“You know, he had actually cheated on me.”

My eyes widened. My gaze froze on Senna who had just casually dropped a bomb.

“It was only the second night since we arrived here. The cottage had just being completed and I was experiencing some kinda of sickness caused by pregnancy. I was in no condition to be his partner for the night. He told me he only wanted to take a walk in the town for a change of pace. It ended up that he didn’t came home until the next morning. When he did came home, he immediately fell to the ground before me, confessing his infidelity and pleading for forgiveness.”

Oh god, why did it come to this? I do not want to be involved in this. Our partnership was just until we slayed the Q’nu. Their married life was not in the arrangement. Could it be that she was looking for someone to talk to since there was no other choice of personnel? There are Nilin and Kirin but the two seemed too immature for this sort of talk even though they are way older than me. Nevertheless, I don’t like this. I don’t want to be a part of a Shuraba.

Contrary to my expectations, Senna giggled. “Still, he came clean with me right after having cheated on me. He even begged for punishment in addition to forgiveness. At that moment, I can tell, he really does love me.”

At her last line, she flashed a grin at me. Like I have said, stop showing off!

“Despite his superficial appearance and presentation, he is honest and reliable. He’s not completely faithful but I can rest assure that he will never stab me in the back. I think I’m lucky to have a man like him.”

Noticing my cramped smile, she smiled amusingly. Please stop that.

“Just so we are on the same page, I’m neither accusing nor blaming the two of you. I’m just saying, anything can happen. You never know when you might get swept off and have your virtue stolen by him. He is wolf in the sheets after all. Ah~ Now I’m just dreading of the future where he will come to know more women.”

I flinched at her assumption of me being inexperienced and she didn’t miss that.

“Oh my? Could it be— you are no virgin?”

Wow, she’s blunt but no matter, that was the truth. I reluctantly nodded.

“Ah, how unexpected. Your conduct didn’t seem like someone who was well acquainted with the subject. Could it be that you’re first was an unpleasant one?”

I didn’t flinch this time but I did jump a little. “Wh-what makes you say t-that?” Granted, my shaky words didn’t have much force.

“Woman’s intuition.”

I’m a woman too, you know.

“How about I lend you Hyx for a night to let you experience what true procreation is like?”

I hopped away from her. Yes, I literally retreated a few meters away from her like she was the greatest threat in the world.

To my reaction, she laughed. “Oh my, oh my. Do you really hate his guts this much?”

What the fuck is wrong with this woman? At first, she’s jealous but now, she’s readily offering her husband up to me. Could it be that the whole party actually has screws loose in their brain?

Before I can ask her the meaning behind those heavy statements of hers which might not be a joke, I felt a twitch in the atmosphere. Someone entered my field of detection. Although I can’t discern one’s identity just from my field of detection, I can vaguely tell if it’s someone I’m acquainted. I can also vaguely judge the masqueraded intent of the intruders. Because of this, I know the people who has just crossed over into the area are hostiles.

“We have guests?” the Nephilim tilted. Looks likes she also picked up their presences. Her expression had already turned grave and serious.

Following her unassuming guess, Jin comes out from the cottage with Indara at the ready by his waist. “Milady, I have detected intruders harboring ill-intents coming at our way.”

For a moment, an unprecedented rage overwhelms me. Needless to say, it came from Senna but she retracted that sudden and brief outburst of hers. As if to brush it over, she plasters a gentle smile on her face.

“Let’s go and greet our guests then.”

“Milady, I can’t allow that.” Jin stops her as soon as she stands up. “Lord Creator has specifically ordered me to keep you and his child out of harm’s way, no matter the scale of the threat.”

The smile turns into a frown but slowly morphs into an understanding expression. Jeez, she’s really good with her expressions without exaggerating it. Even in vexation, she emanates elegance.

“I’ll go,” I volunteered. Not because of some benevolence reason but anything was better than here, beside a jealous woman who had just offered her husband for me to gobble up. “I’ll be more than enough. I’m sure you’ll agree, Jin Sol.”

“Affirmative, you are indeed more than sufficient to deal with those unwelcome guests.” Replied the walking suit of armor with agreement to my words.

Senna sighed, “well, if that’s so, I guess you will do. Give them a warm welcome. I don’t mind if it’s something that invalidates them permanently.” Saying so, she sat back down.

I don’t mind if you kill them, in other words. Although I have slaughtered a lot of monsters and magic beasts, humans are still a challenge for me. My common sense from Earth is fading but this one in particular, the guilt of taking a person’s life, it is deeply ingrained. Maybe I chose to keep that sense, because it is the last connection I have to my former world. Maybe I’m afraid to lose all connections and attachments to Earth.

With a flick of my finger, Talia flies back into my grip.

“Shizuka, do you intend to kill those bandits?” My sword asked.

“I don’t intend to,” my grip tightened. “But I think I have to.”

Putting the priority over my feelings, I head towards the back of the cottage, to the direction of where the bandits are closing in from.

There were seven of them. All unarmored except for one, which must be the boss of the group.

As expected of bandits, their speech and gaze were as vulgar as it could be. They spat out the usual threats. Nothing new but what surprised me was their knowledge of us. I caught their conversation as they were heading toward my way. They knew about us to some extent. They had been watching and biding their time. They waited until the time is right. Night would be the ideal time but they purposely chose now because Hyx wasn’t here.

I intercepted them just right before they reach the clearing where the cottage is. The bandits froze at my appearance but their face twisted into an appalling delight when they saw only a girl in front of them.

Two of them stepped forward. Rusty sword in hand. Licking their lips like they had just found a good prey. But they stopped and retreated. Their eyes soon fell upon my right arm, my ethereal right arm which is wielding a sword. This sight made them understood their situation a little but being men and unintelligent, they charged straight at me while spouting crap like; “Don’t get cocky, little girlie,” and “Don’t underestimate us. We’ll make you regret it later when we have our way with you.”

“Absolutely vulgar,” Talia commented.

At first, they came one by one at me. I meet their blades with Talia, breaking each blade she made contact with.

“Wh- How?!” one of them shouted.

When they realized the tipping odds, they attacked all at once with their reserved blunt weapons this time. In a single swift motion, I sliced their dominant arm off and kicked them to the ground after.

Their agony cries startled a few birds as they soared to the skies.

I didn’t kill them. I forced myself to do it but my hands refused to comply. Their eyes met mine, those desperate gazes of theirs somehow invoke the little mercy in me. They seemed to be genuinely pleading for their lives with their unsightly figure. It would made one think that their conducts from before were just an illusion.

“Shizuka. I know you don’t like it but the best course would be to finish them off. You’re in a big picture now. Loose ends will bring complications in the future.”

“I know.” I told Talia with a raised voice but there was no essence in it.

Skill Point(s) gained +4

Ability Point(s) gained +4

Suddenly, I received this notification.

I looked to the source and found one of them having their status reads; Deceased.

Ah? Did he died of shock? Seriously?! Does that mean that I had j-just…

“Shizuka,” Talia’s voice shook me. “One of them is running away.”

One of them was already back on his feet. He has somehow stopped his bleeding. It was the one with armor, the leader. Although he was hurt, his speed was not slow. He seemed capable of enduring the pain of losing an arm.

However, he didn’t make it far.

A boy stood in his way.

“Out of my way!” The bandit leader screamed as he tried force Hyx out of the way with violence.

The next moment, the bandit leader was fling to the side. His body snapped as he crashed into the trunk of a tree. Bones broken but the bandit leader lived. Having the air knocked right out of him, he gasped for mercy,

“Yes,” said Hyx as he approached the bandit laying on the ground. “You’ll do just fine as a measurement for my moral compass.”