Published at 29th of November 2020 04:14:37 PM
Chapter 101
hapter 101: The Story of the Rat
「A surprise attack by using the shadow of your allies as shields . Moreover, a surprise attack led by a decoy of my niece . No, in fact, it is surprising that a human managed to come this far . I admire you . 」
It was not sarcasm . I noticed from his mouth’s movement that he was sincerely impressed . Lagias’ voice felt a little too relaxed for my taste, as we all stood in a very desperate situation .
That attitude irritated me from the depths of my chest .
「I thank you for that . I couldn’t think of any other way to win this war . But, you seem to be quite confident, aren’t you . I envy that aspect of yours . 」
I shrugged my shoulders when I spoke . I was the one who came up with this idea and not Eldith . But, I didn’t care nor did I want credit for coming up with this strategy . She actually came here with some of her soldiers in order to help me .
Of course, I was grateful . Without her support, I would have been dead by now as Lagias’ elite soldiers were too resilient . This underground passage could have become my grave .
「If you want to play for the sake of your sore feet, then let’s play . But, if you’re willing to step over the line, then you must be prepared to accept the final moments of your life . 」
Unlike me, who couldn’t speak that freely, Lagias sure had a freedom of speech . He spoke whatever he had on his head . I did not know if his confidence was just a resignation to accept his fate, or if he had a hidden trump card somewhere .
「…Uncle . I want you to tell me just one thing . 」
「It’s been a few years since I met you face-to-face like this, my niece . Okay then, since I am no longer avoiding you . I shall answer your question . 」
Eldith, who had decided on something, spoke suddenly, and Lagias, who stood there, exchanged some words . Her voice was low, and I could hardly hear her . Either way, I thought that I wasn’t meant to interfere with her anyways .
The conversation between the uncle and niece was probably the first time in a long time . When I asked Eldith if she was okay, she shook her head and replied .
「…Nothing . It’s nothing . It’s really nothing, Lugis . 」
The voice of the Eldith’s illusion echoed next to me .
I blinked my eyes as I listened to her words . Her response was rather strong . Yes, Eldith’s voice sounded tense and unwavering .
There was no doubt that something intricate shadowed her own heart . She must have a strong grudge against Lagias . After all, Lagias was the uncle who murdered her father and seized the position of Fin . Besides, Eldith’s uncle trapped her in the Tower for many years .
I see . Her expression was somewhat calm, but her inner heart felt completely different . I bet her viscera boiled as fire . I had no doubt that she probably wanted to grab Lagias’ neck and exterminate him immediately .
I knew that Eldith didn’t want to talk to Lagias anymore . But if she decided to speak, then it was her choice . I would not stop her . However, I could see her blue eyes narrowing as her front teeth bit her lips .
Therefore, I took a step forward and stood in front of the old elf instead .
「Fin Lagias . Or do you have a different name, old man… 」
「…I don’t have a different name . I…yes, I am Lagias . I am myself and no one else . 」
I could see the movement of the old elf’s wrinkles . He even moved his cheeks slightly . His eyes were old but their reflection did not lose their brilliance .
「I see . So you are the human called Lugis who pushed Eldith my niece into action . 」
「Yeah, but I didn’t do that much . I am just a random rat . Too bad old man . If you faced against a hero, he would have spared you . But I’m not here to spare your life as I’m not a hero . 」
I thought so, sincerely . Was not the rule of a hero to negotiate first and, if necessary, ally with the former mighty enemy for a good cause?
I was a lowly being, so I couldn’t do that . My body did not have that kind of forgiveness nor compassion .
Sponsored Content
There’s no way that I would spell some hero’s words, or do a hero’s actions . That’s why I was no hero, but a mere rat . I raised the treasure sword above my head and held it firmly with my left hand . In front of my blade stood my target, the old elf . I had a clear and murderous intention .
I shall kill this heroic masterpiece . Right now .
Lagias muttered upon seeing my stance . I noticed that his expression changed from a calm-looking one to a mysterious one .
「…Don’t make a fool of me, kid . 」
I quivered my eyes involuntarily . The tone had changed considerably from a playful tone to a more serious tone .
I felt as if the color of his words gained the original weight . Perhaps, this hard-sounding voice was his real voice, not the playful one .
「I’m not making a fool of you, in fact, I have a lot of respect for you . 」
I did not feel like arguing with him anymore . All I had to do was focus . Everything came down to my blade and myself . The civil war in Ghazalia, Eldith’s fate and the life of the old elf were in my hands right now .
「It is a shame that you lack awareness, human Lugis . 」
Lagias’ plain words echoed in the underground passage . The tone was serious, but at the same time, relaxed . It was as if he had no interest nor fear in the sword pointed at him .
「Lugis, you have cornered me here, and now you are even trying to take my life with that blade . You loathe yourself as a mere rat…Let me say this again . Don’t make a fool of me, kid . 」
His voice showed an unmistakable quiet indignation . Lagias’ eyebrows raised, and his eyes intensified with clear anger .
Those words made me open my eyes wide . To be honest, I was prepared for any kind of abusive and miscellaneous words . I was getting used to my curse as a rat .
However, those were unexpected words . I just couldn’t understand what Lagias was saying to me . The tip of my sword supported by my left hand began to tremble .
Sponsored Content
「I have to say this, I have never thought of myself as an ordinary elf . Just look at me, I’m the usurper of Ghazalia, the big villain who trampled on the tradition of the Elves . It is me . And now, look at you . At this precise moment, you are trying to destroy me . That intention is clear . And your path is known . You have to trample on my own corpse and use it as a stepping-stone in order to move forward . 」
Lagias’ dead branch-like fingertips pointed to Eldith’s soldiers, the ones who died and fell on the stone pavement .
Ah, I didn’t want to hear his words anymore . He was joking with me . I truly didn’t want those words to reach my ears . Nonetheless .
「The same is true for the soldiers who shielded you . The same is true for the opponents you’ve won against . You are here with everything you’ve got as you put your life on the line . That’s the trigger of your success so far . Listen, Lugis . My enemy . You are no longer in the muddy path . It means that you are no longer a rat . 」
Brilliant eyes were shinning under his wrinkled eyelids . Those eyes were glittering as if his will had never disappeared, even on the verge of death .
My heart swayed . A slight pain ran on my skin as if a thorn pierced me . I felt that some tension and excitement circled throughout the whole body along with the blood flow .
「That’s quite a statement . Based on your words, what do you want me to do, old man?」
I spoke with a teeth grinding . Lagias laughed upon hearing my words . Odd . He looked at me with a real, full smile . Yes, full of a strange charm . This elf named Lagias was an enigma .
「You must kill the rat in you . Just strangle it . And then, face me, hero . That is the duty of a winner . Just come, don’t hesitate, as the destination of your path cannot be undone now . 」
Hero . Did Lagias just call me that?
He was said to be a truly heroic masterpiece, and yet, he was describing me as a hero, when I was just a mediocre little rat .
Somehow, my cheeks were greatly distorted . The emotions that surged in my heart were different from joy . However, nor they were fear nor astonishment . In fact, all of these emotions melted into each other, and consumed my heart .
However, even if my emotions were out of control, Lagias’ words remained exact in my ears like a permanent curse .
Sponsored Content
「…I’ll keep that in mind . Well then . Fin Lagias, the King of Elves . See you on the other side . 」
This must have been the first time that both Lagias and I exchanged words with one another, not only in this era, but also in the past .
However, I felt a strange and mysterious lightness . I did not know the meaning or the reason why I felt this way . However, it was certain that there was a strange empathy between Lagias and me .
「…Yeah, see you again, Lugis . My enemy, the great human hero . 」
At the end of those words, I shook my left arm against the old elf without any hesitation . I did it as the last courtesy against this almighty elf .
Again, a reddish black blood soared in the underground passage .
—
The death of Fin Lagias, the usurper of Ghazalia .
Not many saw his last moments, his last breath, and his death . However, his death was not a vain death . Rather, his death marked a starting point, as the pace of history began to speed up .
The civil war in Ghazalia had ended . Nevertheless, one could say that this moment was only a short break until the next war .
There was no peace yet . This event was only a stepping-stone to the next beginning .
Many rumors surrounded Lagias’ death, but there was only one true thing that remained intact . The truth about the one who brought Lagias to his death at the end .
…The only true one . The story of the rat ends here . That is all .