42 A Reminder to His Evil

Lancell sat as he waited in Aria's room. He wasn't actually anxious that she'd fail, he was more anxious that she'd do another stunt that would instantly make their group jump up to fame.

Although that in itself had its own merits, it would also mean more watchful gazes. Something that Lancell didn't like.

After about an hour of waiting, the door opened as Aria entered as she hopped and skipped while singing a tune. "I'm back~!"

Lancell sighed. He was now preparing for the worst. "So? Can I ask how it went?" Lancell asked.

Aria beamed a smile as she gave a V-sign with her fingers. "Hm! I did it. It wasn't easy, but I did my best."

Lancell grew nervous at her words. That smile, that sign, that happiness she was exuding, it was basically screaming to Lancell 'I did something ridiculous again!' or something along those line.

"C-Can I ask how you did it? Y-You couldn't have killed your own father, did you?" Lancell asked as he stuttered. Which was something rare, as even Arthur seem to be listening intently at their conversation too.

"Ugh..." Aria groaned, and then explained. "I-I didn't!..."

Lancell heaved a sigh of relief at her words, but what followed made his heart leap to his throat.

"...I just pointed a sword at his throat." She stated.

Lancell "..."

Arthur "..."

Carlos seemed to be napping at the nearby couch, but he suddenly flinched as he groaned a bit as he looked like he was having a nightmare.

Lancell was already doubting is coming to Selvenia was the right thing to do, as all that happened the moment he came here was all trouble. He just wanted to get stronger! How did he get caught in these matter?!

Well, even if he thought more about it, it would probably be pointless as he was a fighter in his two lives. He wasn't good at deducing things, other than his combat experience and techniques.

Lancell sighed, for the umpteen time, as he thought. 'Well, what happened has already happened. We're probably hated now.'

"Hm? What's wrong with everyone? It suddenly feels silent." Aria spoke after feeling the change in atmosphere. Lancell shook his head as he reassured.

"No. It's alright. Then? When are we getting summons." He asked. In order for the king to help them, he needed to know them more, which naturally means they would get summoned soon enough.

"Huh? So you know you're getting summoned? You're more familiar about matters in nobility than I thought." Aria commented with raised brows.

'Well, that's obvious. I'm a former Baron in the Holy Kingdom during my past life, after all.' Lancell thought. He thought it was a complete bother during his past life as was in the first decade of the Great Shift already. He never thought those pointless knowledge he was drilled with by Arthur, would be useful now.

Lancell gave Aria a wry smile. "About this favour, I'll be sure to repay this in the future. I currently can't take on the Holy Kingdom with my current strength, but one day, I definitely will pay this back."

Aria waved her hand with a smile as she spoke. "It's okay, it really is. I mean, we're friends, aren't we?" Aria stated as she emphasized the word, friends.

Arthur, who heard Aria words, couldn't help it anymore, and the laugh she was supressing leaked. "Pfft...fufu...fufufu..." her shoulders trembled as she turned around.

Lancell and Aria looked at her with curiosity, as they asked. "What's funny?" "Is there anything funny?"

They asked at the same time, and asked the same question, but their tones were completely opposite. Aria had asked in a curious manner, while Lancell had asked in a cold tone.

Arthur who heard them asked in sync, laughed as she couldn't take it anymore, and spoke.

"Fufu...ahahaha hahaha!!! The hell! This is amusing as shit, hahaha." She stated with a laugh.

Lancell frowned at her words, but Aria asked instead. "Amusing? What is?"

Arthur calmed down from her laughter, as she spoke. "Oh, it's nothing yeah. It's just a certain asshole's so meek like a cat now. It doesn't suit him at all—" and before she finished her words.

CLAAANG!!

She instinctively materialized Excalibur, and blocked an incoming slash from Lancell.

"What the hell are you talking about, Divine King?" Lancell spoke sarcastically. Arthur grinned a fierce grin and spoke back. "What about you? Have you gotten softer? Divine Sword?"

Her remark brought clarity to Lancell's mind as he realized he was indeed quite soft lately. And as if seeing through his thoughts, Arthur continued in a manner only Lancell could hear.

"Were you lonely? You must be, right? Arkenvalle's not here to pamper you anymore after all. In the end, you didn't change even after coming back. You're just relying on someone else. Again."

"Shut up."

"Oh? Did I hit the spot? I should have, right? After all, I know everything about you. And the you right now is no different from the one I knew."

"I said shut up." Lancell spoke as he applied more force into his blade. However, his Guidance Tome was one that specialized in speed, so it was impossible for him to overpower Arthur. In fact, he was slowly getting pushed back.

And Arthur continued. "No, you're quite softer this time. What are you getting scared of? Did you really fight the Calamity Dragon? Compare to that, why are you scared of a mere Elysion? Or have you forgotten what you did back then?..."

Lancell grit his teeth as Arthur reminded him of what he'd done.

"You killed us. The fact the you could have saved us, you let us die in your quest to be the strongest. And you know I wouldn't hate you despite that, so perhaps this was the reason why you chose to bring me back?"

Arthur's face had a small grin on it, but it terrified Lancell. The fact that he had done 'that', was indeed his fault. They were much younger than him, and had weaker motivation in getting stronger, yet they were all madly talented. So much that Lancell envied them.

Lancell slowly weakened the force he exerted as he then took a step back and stowed Arkenvalle. Arthur did the same too.

With a sullen expression, Lancell spoke. "I have somewhere to go."

He then activated Void Wind Guidance, and ran and jumped from the veranda.

He needed time to reflect.