Chapter 89: The Unfinished Duel 2
Alvaric’s body was laid on the ground. More precisely, he was placed near Serya, who was still lying unconscious. Velka, the only one still conscious, stepped back a little. Of course, she was afraid—standing before her was a Grand General.
It was impossible for her to win. Even if she were not injured, the result would be the same. One against three, they had already been defeated with ease. And now, it would be one against one against the Grand General.
"Relax. I have no intention of killing you," said the demi-human.
Of course, Velka did not trust him so easily. She prepared herself to fight. She was terrified and fully aware she could not win. But if her lady was harmed, then she would fight to protect Serya. Even if the price was her life.
The demi-human glanced briefly at Velka. Then he turned his focus back to Alvaric. He touched Alvaric’s neck. The pulse was still steady. That meant he was still alive.
That should have been good news. The demi-human reached into his pocket, searching for medicine that might heal Alvaric, but he found nothing.
"I forgot I came without bringing anything," he muttered. He turned his head toward Velka, his gaze slightly weary. "Do you still have any potion?" the demi-human asked.
Velka immediately shook her head. "Of course not. You should know the reason," she complained.
They had carried plenty of healing potions. But all of them had already been used in their fight against the very demi-human now sitting beside Alvaric’s unconscious body. She could never have imagined it would end up like this.
"If you hadn’t attacked us, we would still have many potions left," Velka added bitterly.
The demi-human said nothing. He only focused on Alvaric. He scratched his head, uncertain what to do to wake him. Once again, he searched through his clothing for any medicine. The result remained the same—nothing at all.
The demi-human placed his palm on Alvaric’s forehead. Closing his eyes, he tried channeling his magic energy into Alvaric’s body, hoping it might help him recover. But unfortunately, it had no effect. Nothing changed.
***
Velka, who was nearby, frowned in confusion as she watched the general before her. His expression looked flat, as if he didn’t care, yet his actions clearly showed his desire to heal Alvaric. This left Velka puzzled and conflicted.
"He has an incredible regeneration. Lord Alvaric will heal himself," Velka blurted out.
The general turned his head toward her. He stared at Velka for a while before looking back at Alvaric. He seemed lost in thought for nearly ten seconds before finally letting out a long sigh.
"Are you sure?" the general asked.
Velka nodded. "I’m very sure. Just wait if you don’t believe me," she answered.
The general nodded, trying to trust her words. But three seconds later, blood began to pour from Alvaric’s nose, eyes, and ears. It was a terrifying amount. Both the general and Velka were shocked. They immediately reached out to Alvaric’s body.
They tried pouring their magic energy into him. But the blood kept flowing from every opening. Panic struck them both. Whatever they did, it had no effect.
Ten minutes passed before the bleeding finally began to subside. Both of them instinctively wiped away the blood remaining on Alvaric’s body. Afterward, they fell silent, dazed for even longer than before. Neither of them wanted Alvaric to die, though for different reasons.
"You said he would heal himself, but why didn’t it happen?" the Grand General complained.
Velka fell silent. She could not answer, for she too was shocked and confused. From what she knew, Alvaric’s regeneration defied all logic. Healing from minor wounds should never have been an issue. Even a severed head could still recover.
This situation was truly strange.
"I’m sorry. I don’t know," Velka finally whispered, her voice barely audible.
***
Elsewhere, more precisely in the Ant Bee’s nest, Lyrith was sitting when she suddenly stood up. Her gaze turned sharply toward the west.
Dion, Lisse, Marie, and the other members of Hollow Fang immediately rose to their feet as well. Seeing the usually calm and quiet Lyrith suddenly stand was a sign that something grave was happening. Dion, Lisse, and Marie swallowed hard.
"What’s happening, Lady Lyrith?" Dion asked.
Lyrith said nothing. She did not answer.
Dion, Lisse, and Marie exchanged uneasy glances. They had no idea what was going through Lyrith’s mind, but if it was something bad, they would do whatever they could to support her.
They could have been killed the moment they first arrived in this world, surrounded by the Ant Bee and Lyrith herself. They had even fought briefly, but suddenly Lyrith had halted and proposed peace. At first, they hesitated, but they had no choice—continuing to fight meant certain death.
In the end, they agreed. They were brought into the main chamber and treated surprisingly well. Days passed, and they gradually grew accustomed. In fact, they had grown rather comfortable there, as everything they needed was provided.
Marie, who had been tilting her head in confusion, suddenly widened her eyes. She stepped forward two paces. "Is this..." Marie swallowed. "Is this about Alvaric?" she asked.
Instantly, Lyrith turned her gaze toward Marie. At that very moment, Marie’s heart pounded three times faster. She swallowed twice. Her hands even trembled. A terrible premonition filled her chest. Of course, she hoped she was wrong.
"Alvaric is in trouble. He’s..." Lyrith paused. "...critical."
Hearing that, Marie’s eyes grew wider. She shook her head. Her chest tightened painfully. She wanted to deny Lyrith’s words, but it felt as though something held her tongue back. She could not speak, until at last her knees buckled and she collapsed weakly onto the floor.
"I’m going. I will go," Lyrith said.
Marie raised her hand. "I... will come," she said.
"You will only be a burden," Lyrith replied curtly, her words sharp as a blade.
Marie tried to stand. Her body was still weak, her movements sluggish. Yet she forced herself to walk toward Lyrith. She reached out her hand, looking into Lyrith’s eyes with desperate pleading. The reason she had returned to this world was to see Alvaric.
It would all be meaningless if Alvaric were to die.
"I beg you!" she pleaded.
Lyrith stayed silent. She gazed into Marie’s eyes for a long while. Then she blinked slowly, finally making her decision. She nodded.
"Very well. But you must not die. Run the moment you’re in danger," she said softly.
Marie nodded. "I promise."
Dion, Lisse, and the Hollow Fang members stepped forward, about to offer themselves to join. But before they could say a word, Lyrith had already spoken.
"No one else is allowed to come!" she declared firmly, her expression deadly serious.