“May I ask why?”
“Of course. Jared-dono has every right to do so. I was once Cassandra’s fiancé.”
“I see.”
He circulated explosive magic power within his body, momentarily gaining superhuman stamina and shaking off Dennis’s arm. He then thrust his fist towards Dennis, but the shadow at Dennis’s feet stretched out, forming a pitch-black shield to block it.
“…My arm hurts… I see, so this is your magic.”
“Let’s stop. I have no intention of fighting you.”
“But you have no intention of letting me kill Cassandra Hagedorff, do you?”
“I don’t know the full details. I was merely following you to help. However, I never imagined things would come to this.”
He didn’t know the details. But he couldn’t overlook Jared killing his former fiancée. Dennis had moved his body to protect Cassandra almost without thinking.
“I don’t care that you were the Duke Hagedorff’s fiancée. But if you get in my way…”
“Then what will you do?”
“I’ll defeat you and then do as I please.”
“I can appreciate that spirit. However, I am the First Seat Court Mage. Defeat is not an option. That remains true, even if my opponent is you.”
“I feel the same way. To get Olivier back, I’ll defeat you and kill Duke Hagedorff.”
He circulated explosive magic power once more, enhancing his physical prowess. The strain from his repeated superhuman physical exertion was already assaulting Jared’s body as pain, but he didn’t care. If there was even a sliver of a chance to get his fiancée back, he didn’t care what happened to himself.
“…To get Olivier back? Ah, I see, so that’s what it is.”
Dennis, having heard about the condition for the Progenitor’s revival beforehand from Jared, seemed to have grasped what had happened. More than anything, the fact that he was prepared to kill someone indicated as much. It was easy to surmise that something had happened to Olivier.
“There’s nothing I can say to you, who had your beloved taken away, that won’t sound like an insult.”
“You’re not saying I’ve lost my mind.”
“Of course not. You are sane. Precisely because you are sane, you’re clinging to a sliver of hope. At the same time, you’re exploring other possible means. …Normally, you should be enraged and rampaging, but you’re rational. That’s what’s terrifying. I regret having to fight you in this situation.”
“I feel the same way. I hold no grudges against you.”
Still, they had to fight. For the Progenitor’s desire, he would kill Cassandra.
Jared charged. Like a beast crawling on the ground, like a ferocious beast intent on devouring its prey. Silently, swiftly, yet filled with killing intent.
In response, Dennis unleashed his shadow. Numerous tendrils of shadow extended from him like limbs. They assaulted Jared to restrain him, but the boy dodged them by a hair’s breadth.
His caution heightened at this magic he had never seen before. Not knowing what would happen if he were caught, he could only click his tongue and create distance.
“Earth.”
He placed his hand on the ground and flowed magic power into it. The Earth Spirits, in response to Jared’s wish, caused the ground to rise like spears. The ground, transformed into earthen spears, attacked like a tsunami. Dennis would have easily avoided it. However, behind him lay the fallen Cassandra and Rasmus. He was curious to see if Dennis would try to save them, leave them, or how he would react.
“Shadows, pierce them!”
Countless shadows sprang from Dennis’s shadow and went on a rampage. They destroyed the encroaching waves of earth, killing their momentum. In that brief moment, he scooped up the fallen Cassandra and Rasmus and leaped onto the second-floor terrace of the mansion. From there, he leaped once more, landing behind Jared.
“…Having extra weight is a hindrance, isn’t it?”
“Indeed. Dealing with you presents a slight problem. However, that doesn’t mean I can abandon them.”
“I’ll tell you, I like you. You’ve looked after me, and if possible, I don’t want to fight you.”
“I agree. However, if I don’t fight, you will kill Cassandra.”
“Yes, I will kill her without any hesitation.”
“Then I must defeat you, Jared-dono.”
“…A shame.”
“Yes, truly.”
They exchanged words, smiling somewhat vexed. In the next moment,
“Snipe them, Earth Spears!”
“Bind and tear them apart!”
The raised ground shattered and regenerated into over twenty spears, which were then launched. Tendrils of shadow extended from Dennis’s magic, straightening into a line.
