CHAPTER 11: VALKYRIE OF WAR

"Valkyrie of war, I would like to be honored with the task of judging if this man is truly what we need for our world."

This guy has a lot of zeal. I hope you are as strong as you are pretending to be.

"Are you saying I don't have the necessary qualifications to do so?"

"No, of course not. I would never." Yeah, I guess if she let him do it, then it will look like she is weak somehow.

"So tedious about the most stupid things." I wonder where Telestal is right now. If he was here, I am sure he would have shut this guy's mouth for talking to Emilia like this. I wonder if it is only respect he has or something else.

"I believe only a hero can show us the truth about another hero then."

"Eh?" Wait, what happened? I wasn't listening to everything they said. Why is Sarah looking at me with that smile?

"It will be my pleasure." Sigh…you guys are wasting my time.

"The judgment will take place in two-"

"I am not agreeing to this." I stop Emilia before she can continue. "I don't have time for this. If someone here has something to say. Just say it and let's get this over with."

"How dare you!!" The guy who has been opening his mouth a lot until now comes to me. He is closer than before now so Emilia doesn't get the time to stop him.

He swings his fists with a diminished precision due to rage and after dodging him two or three times, he leaves his face wide open so I strike his jaw with the palm of my hand. I can't remember how many times he did that to me.

The guy falls to the ground like a rock. And now, I have to face the astonished faces of the people who just saw this.

***

"Wha…What just happened?" Emilia seems to be the most lost. Her eyes are about to leave her head as if they need to see this from another point of view.

"Gerard…Gerard was defeated? This is impossible."

"Are you guys done? Can I leave now?" Sarah, stop looking at me like this. Her face right now is showing delight as if she is somehow way too happy about something. I don't know what makes her so happy but it gets on my nerves.

"N-no, of you can't leave." I knew it. "You are to face your comrade hero here to prove yourself worthy of our trust." Seriously?

Following Emilia's command, I run to Sarah but before I can reach her, Emilia once again releases her aura. Does she think it is the solution to every problem?

"I didn't say you guys get to fight now."

"Leave him be. I can handle him."

Now that I think about it, Sarah doesn't seem to be affected by her aura. Does that mean she has managed to wake her own aura already? I guess those favored by God are really lucky.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, don't worry." You two almost look like twins that grew up in different places. "Come. Let me show you the results of my training." Sarah advances a few steps and takes a stance that makes her look weird. Or perhaps it is only me that thinks so. It should be pretty normal here.

"Have you managed to use aura?" Also, what do you mean by training? You have been here for four days only.

"Why don't you come and find out? Or are you scared now?"

"Sigh…I forgot that's just how you are."

I go to her, calmly, slowly, while walking. I can feel the tension rises as I walk, both from her and the people looking. Do they really have that much hope in her? They will take a cold shower then.

Right when I reach her, she starts shining a little, proof that she is using magic.

"Fated to touch." Her hand moves towards my chest at a very fast pace. I move to the side but she managed to follow me as if I didn't evade. "You can't esc-"

Before she can reach me, I grab her own hand and stop her. Fated to touch, huh…I guess it is a troublesome skill if you are careless.

"What? How?!"

"Is that all?" It's too early for you to be surprised.

She yanks her hand back and takes a step back then she shines again and places her arms before her.

"Lightning spear." Just as he says that, a spear appears in her hands. One that is shining brightly yellow.

"Wow."

"Incredible."

Her personal guards are all impressed. And I have to admit, I should be as well. But that bastard has already shown me enough to be surprised for a lifetime.

"Here I come!"

She pounces on me and starts thrusting her spear with anger. But I have faced worse than that, though I almost died to it two times. I dodge her attacks times and again but right when I try to move in, she backs away and shines. Yep, she is going to use it again.

"Fated to touch!" I knew it.

She almost flies toward my chest again. It seems this skill always targets the chest's area. Or maybe she is making look that way. Anyway, what to do now? He said something about keratin being able to stop lightning or something like that, right? Since my nails are made of it, that means my body can produce it enough. Okay, let's try it.

"Amplify." I block the spear's tip while amplifying the production of keratin on my hand and to my own surprise. "It works."

"No way!"

"Yes way."

Before she can back away again, I grab her hand and destabilize her by kicking her foot. Sarah falls on her back but I hold her before she can knock her head. Though there is no real need. She can use heal so…

"You bastard!!"

"You should thank me instead." She starts insulting me and gets up fast, as if she wants more.

"You are just a lying bastard!!"

"What did I do now?"

"You were pretending, right? All this time!! You were pretending to be weak!! Letting them beat you!! Letting me get worried!! For nothing!!"

She slaps me so fast I can't evade it then she starts crying and leave inside the mansion. Shouldn't I be the ones to cry here? After she has left, I look at her twin and she simply nods.

"I hope there won't be any further time wasted like this."

I turn around and leave as well. It's time for a little snack.

***

About an hour later, when I go to my room, it is close. The maid is still standing in front of it though.

"Hm…"

"Miss hero went inside and she hasn't come out yet."

"Huh…" What is this girl's problem? "Tell me when she comes out." I won't ask why you didn't stop her from entering.

"I will without fail, Sir Will."

I go back downstairs and find her twin sitting in one of the rooms. I didn't really pay any attention to that room but there is a big bedroom inside. Wait…

"Hm…Isn't that Telestal's room?" I leisurely enter to make sure she can't chase me away.

"Ah…Sir hero. Yes, it is his room." Emilia turns around without surprise and answers with a sad smile.

"And yet you have entered it just like that. Are you two like that?"

"Like what?"

"Lovers."

"Ah…Well…" She becomes even sadder as she hears that. I guess I have woken up a difficult moment.

"You don't have to speak about it if you don't want to."

"It would be preferable, yes. Perhaps another time. But tell me, Sir hero-"

"Call me Will. I don't like you calling me sir when you are older and stronger than me."

"Hm-mhm…Will, tell me. How come Telestal has managed to complete your training in such a short time? I know he is the best when it comes to teaching other people but still…"

"Am I stronger than the other heroes?"

"Frankly speaking, yes. You seem to be. Before we left the capital, Sarah was on par with one of your friends who had also received five skills like her. The speed of learning is quite frightening but now that I have seen you…I don't really know what to say. Even more so because you only have one skill."

I can guess who that other person is but that's irrelevant for now. What's interesting is what she is saying compared to the others at the capital.

"You guys brought all the heroes to the capital."

"Huh…Yes, we did. It is what was initially planned after all. Most knights of the order reside in the capital after all."

"And why did Telestal decide something else instead?"

"I don't know myself. He was not supposed to take a hero's training upon himself since he is in charge of controlling the borders against the demons."

"I see. Which means that right now, he went to hold them off again, right?"

"yes, that is most likely the case."

"Tch." You dirty bastard. You went off to have fun on your own.

"Will? Is there a problem?"

"No really. But I would like to know if you can spare some time to spar against me."

"Oh, well, of course."

"Good." Let's see, now that I have almost everything I need, how big is the difference between me and someone of his level.