The Book Of Flowers

Seriously

-- The next day ---

Verdea gulped her saliva in nervousness. In front of him I stood, just like when we had rehearsed before on this river

But he's only alone. I was also surprised Remina resigned to this exercise. Usually they will not want to lose with each other regarding the best performance

"So, why are you alone?" I asked Verdea

And also, Remina was there. He was watching with some of my friends. Today it looks more onlookers than ever before somehow

He didn't answer my question. It seems like he does have something to do with this

"... I-I want you to fight seriously with me!"

...

Huh huh?

"Seriously fight that... Meaning what?" I throw back the question

"I want you to actually fight against me like you are against Jael or a powerful enemy!" He answered loudly

Huh huh?

Everyone in the audience was impressed while I was still confused as to why he asked for it

Ughhhh... Let's first elaborate

"Why all of a sudden?"

"... I just want you to fight with me as hard as you can"

That doesn't answer anything. But yes it is. He will only repeat the same answer even with different questions on this topic

"You're gonna get hurt, huh?"

"I don't care"

He's making me even more confused. I don't have to hurt her too much, do I? I'm sure he won't put up with my attack if I'm serious

How is this yes...?

"... Then let's just say this!"

Hm?

Veskal suddenly raised his hand from the audience. Looks like he has a proposal

"If Verdea manages to hit your head at least once, he wins! But if he was exhausted first, he lost!"

Oh~?

That's good advice. That would lower the difficulty level for this 'fight'

"How, Vainzel?"

"alright. But I won't attack you hard directly. I'll increase the tempo to your tune"

"... Alright"

He gulped once more, then began to put up the horses that were still in disarray

Hm... Let's take a look...

Ah yeah. Use that technique only

I took a deep breath. Slowly, my horses formed into a form of dance preparation

Verdea gulped when she realized I was putting up my martial horses

I was silent not answering

Meanwhile, from a distance, Albert saw my position

"Verdea won't last long" He predicted, making Veskal nod in agreement

"... I'm gonna move now..."

One, two, hup!

He ran towards me. But it was so slow that I could easily predict it

He clenched his right hand. And at that moment, I immediately knew what he was intending for

Everything is in accordance with my predictions

I dodged to his left, held his hand and back, then pushed him with a twisted pedestal

He almost fell into the river because he was twisted by my movements just now and pushed far enough to make a small space between us

"Why? Still want to continue?"

Verdea is back to serious

This kid is serious. He's like someone who's going to finish me off or something

Okay, I have to be serious, too. It wouldn't be fair if he was the only one serious, would he?

"Oh, those horses!" Albert exclaims

The same horses I used against him that night

"He wants to end it? It's not even 5 minutes" yet"

"Let it go" Cyth suddenly interrupted Albert

"Why?"

"... That would be Verdea's benchmark, for him to know how far their power differed"

Veskal and Albert stared at Cyth

Returning to our fight, Verdea immediately felt uneasy when she saw my position. He was trying to find a possibility to win, but the aura I let out really depressed him

"... Hmh!"

Without hesitation and without arranging his movements in advance, he immediately drove towards me while shouting loudly

"Sorry" I said

I ended that fight. I dodged up his head, tied his right hand, then slammed it in front of me

I then jumped up again and put on my feet like I wanted to end my fight with Albert that time

"Vainzel's! No!!" Veskal exclaims

But...

*BRAK!*

...

I had no intention of stepping on his head...

I just stepped a little closer from the side of his head. Not about it at all

it only takes one more step, I can step on his head. But I didn't do that. He would have died if I did

Just look at the land in this river. Directly imprinted like my feet with cracks on its side

That's why I was impressed that Albert could withstand my strength back then. Ordinary humans would not be able to live, let alone remain conscious when I did this

"Hows it? Still not giving up?"

"... Shut up and move on!"

He splashed the river water against my face, but I parried it with my robe. When I lowered my robe back, Verdea was already closing in on me

I took back the left as he tried to beat me up. This time I bowed and kicked her leg until she fell down

But he's still waking up. I don't know how many times I made him fall, he just kept getting up again. He even tried to beat me up repeatedly. But I certainly dodged all of his attacks easily. He still has a lot to learn

...

How else. He won't give up

I took back the avoidance, then without hesitation, I hit him on the back until he was thrown and slammed into the river

The sound of the impact on the water was so loud that I was sure that all of Miralius could hear it

"It's done"

As I said so, Verdea fell to the ground for the last time. But again, his consciousness was still intact. I was amazed by his body's resilience

Or was it my body that did not heed to hit him until he was in a fatal situation?

...

His body seems to be exhausted. He used too much force in the attack earlier, and I believe the wound I gave him made him even more immobile

"It's okay?"

"I... Still want to go on...!"

This brat...

"That's it. Veskal!"

I gestured to Veskal to help Verdea climb over the edge. He did exactly what I asked

I then healed the bruises that were on Verdea's body while she sat down with an irritated face

"One-sided as always...?" Cyth said as he approached

"I wonder why you want to continue, boy. If I were you, I'd stop when I see marks on that land"

"..."

He seems to be upset right now. He would be silent and disregarding anyone if there was something that made him what he is today

Usually, good food will make him talk again...

"B-how about we just evaluate your abilities today? How's he, Vainzel?" Veskal interrupted

We know for ourselves, don't we? Why should I tell him to try?

"There's no evaluation from me. It's a fight, isn't it? I'm your opponent, and there's no way an opponent can help you, right?"

Veskal immediately looks awkward when Verdea's face shrinks

"... But I can give you this advice only. Evaluate yourself and your opponent's weaknesses"

"... He said it wouldn't help"

"That's it once. After all, by acting like this I'm sure you'll be more developed when we 'fight' again later"

"Huh?"

"I know you intend to continue challenging me later. You're not the kind of person who stops in the middle"

Verdea immediately shuddered in shame because her intentions were discovered

"I'm also curious who gave you that advice against me huh!?" I exclaimed loudly

Remina who this time creeps because it was discovered

"That's it. We'll do enough today. There's still a lot of things I need to take care of"

I got up from where I was kneeling

...

"... Actually, what is your intention to challenge him, boy?" Cyth asked Verdea

"... I just want him to do one thing"

"It's okay. You can still do it tomorrow" Remina cheered

Verdea just sat down. He slowly played his finger as his mind was in a state of turmoil

He wondered, 'What could make Vainzel lose?' in his mind

"I want to follow him"

"He-Y! Verdea!"

But Veskal's late. Verdea's already gone looking for me

"... What does the boy really want to try?"

"... I don't know, Captain. I'm confused myself"

He's after something big, and Veskal knows it. But what should he do now?

"Let him go" Eleanor interrupted

"... I hope the boy stays fine" Veskal said

Whatever he's after, Veskal will support him. Because whatever he's doing right now, it's for both of us

......................

"So, how's Zaphir?"

I let out a question, so Zaphir suddenly appeared beside me from behind a shadow

He's been waiting for me since then, that's why I ended the fight just now

"The officials already know about this. You're the only one who doesn't know

That Sigil belonged to Bathin. He was like the real one, but I found the difference. The Sigil was made entirely by black Mana. That shouldn't have happened. The Sigil that hit my body at that time was made of poisonous demonic blood"

It is true that sigil needed blood to make it. The circle will give power to the devil by eating the life force affected by their curse

But, the circle that hit Seren is made of black magic?

That's a very far difference. Black magic is indeed very dangerous, but if the seal is made of black magic...

"Then Yael was also affected"

"That's right, Oberon"

The natural nature of black magic is that its Mana will consume the life force of the shipbuilder. The Sigil that the demons used to curse was not his strong play. However, since the sigil was made from black magic, then the payment from the magic was as painful for Seren and Yael

But Yael will be healed

"But, why didn't he use his blood to make the seal? He's a demon, isn't he?"

"... I only know of one kind of demon that could not use such a seal despite already being a loyal follower

Half Devil. Due to the presence of blood other than the devil in his body, they could not have a strong bond to the demons who did not care for the other people"

...

That's... That makes sense

I had expected Zaphir to be useful in investigating this. He was indeed the most experienced among the higher-ups, even more so than me

2,000 years of his life I'm sure he never used to fool around

"Then, where are the higher-ups?"

"Everyone has gone to perform their own duties. But I haven't heard from Amelia watching Hortensia"

I think sending Amelia there is a rash thing. But since Yael is being exposed to the effects of his own magic right now, I'm sure he can be fine

And...

It's a good opportunity, isn't it? If Jael can't be moved by Rosalia, then it will give me more time. That bastard was the biggest obstacle for me to get rid of Rosalia

I'll just let him do it. I don't need to rush to attack him. However, while he is still inactive, I will move quickly to reach the goal. Clearing my people's names first is a priority

"Then, Verdea. No need to sneak around like that"

Verdea immediately shuddered from being caught. Then he came out from behind the tree

"How do you know try? Veskal alone cannot be caught using that method"

"Because you're not him and I always know when he's around, just so you know"

Verdea grumbled at my words

"You are too strong. What are you trying to do that you can't?" He said as he moved closer to me

"Taking care of a boy like you"

"Stop calling me a boy! I'm 14 years old!"

"Good, fine. Sorry"

He still acts like a kid

"Then why are you here?"

"I'm just following"

"For what?"

"... Finds weakness..."

...

When he said that, I couldn't bear to laugh. It made him look embarrassed

"Minds me of someone..." Zaphir mutters

"You're right! He acted like Veskal when he faced you!" I said and then laughed again

"What's wrong trying!?" Verdea insists

"none. It's just that the way you approached us like it was very precise" Zaphir replied

"Even the self-destruct technique you just used was taught by Zaphir you know?"

"H- huh?!"

That's new news for Verdea. But all my other friends knew that it was the Moon Elves who created the technique. That was why they could barely be caught while hiding in a shadow-filled night

"Ha... You want to be strong by having me fight just now, don't you?"

"... Not only that..."

"What else?"

"... I want you to listen to me once in a while and just rely on me..."

...

I laughed again, although not as hard as before. I tried to hold him back this time because I didn't want to hurt his feelings too much

"I'm serious you know!?"

He immediately pouted and threw away his face as usual. But this time he really looked riled up

"sorry. But, what you said is still impossible"

"... I thought you were gonna talk begi-"

"But if you want me to rest, work hard to be strong first"

"...!"

I slowly showed a smile towards him

"Vescal also asked me to rest. I know you're right, but it'll take away our chances in this war"

"Then, why?"

"Well... Rosalia's always moving too you know? It just takes time for him to get rid of us"

"... But..."

"That's why I'm asking you to be stronger. I just realized, if we want to move faster, we all have to align the speed

I shouldn't walk in front alone, should I?"

He's helped me a lot all along. Either by words or deeds. I should have appreciated it all along

...

Verdea was stunned

Slowly, he smiled

"It seems you've found the answer for yourself later..."

I laughed looking at him

"Not completely"

Our road is long. But I'm sure I can find all the answers later long before this trip is over

I want the two of them to accompany me to look for that answer later. Only they can pull me back when I need them later. That's all the answer I got for now

"Ahem!"

Oh yea. Zaphir is here

"So... Where are we going now?" He asked me

"How about we just visit the kids?"

Zaphir immediately frowned, but...

"Whatever. We better hurry up 'cause I want to rest"

He did not even refuse a bit

"How's Verdea?" I turned to Verdea for her approval

"It's okay" He replied

It's decided. After all, occasionally checking Andromeda's children's condition should I not? Who knows if they feel uncomfortable

...

Hehe... This kid really seriously wants to make me back off hm?

But, like I said, I can't stop. If they want to move forward, I have to be in front

However, I want to see what he can do when he is next to me. I also want to convince myself that he has the ability

A bird will eventually leave its nest. I won't continue to protect Verdea, so she'll have to defend herself later. I just wish he could be better than me

Maybe I should stop treating her like a child...