Volume 3, Chapter 23 – The Unexpected Turn of Events

After a simple breakfast—or, more accurately, lunch—with Tiffany, a constantly yawning Yisi arrived at the front yard of the mansion.

Yisi had originally come to give Camilla and Mary better equipment, but because they were in the middle of combat training against the other adventurers, Yisi waited for them to finish before calling the two of them over during their break.

The two were fighting against Clementine and another level 12 adventurer. As expected, they both lost. Even Camilla, facing the level 19 Clementine, had no chance of winning and only lasted for less than half a minute.

Without even having time to wipe the sweat from her forehead, Camilla, her golden hair damp, walked guiltily to Yisi, biting her lip in frustration as she lowered her head to apologize.

“Onee-sama, I’m sorry.”

“Did you do something wrong, Camilla?”

Yisi tilted her head. Perhaps because everyone else was taking a nap, there was no one else in the front yard except Clementine and the level 12 adventurer.

Seeming to find it difficult to speak, Camilla swallowed and then struggled to answer Yisi.

“I lost to a man like that… I have shamed you, Onee-sama.”

“No… I don’t feel ashamed at all. Camilla, you fought Clementine to improve your skills, didn’t you? It’s no big deal to lose once. The important thing is to surpass Clementine in the future.”

Yisi took out a handkerchief and gently wiped Camilla’s forehead. Camilla, like a startled bird, suddenly lifted her head.

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“O-Onee-sama?!”

“Just think of it as a reward for your hard work. Camilla, just accept it.” Smiling in reassurance, Yisi turned her gaze to Mary beside her. Compared to Camilla, Mary had a weaker opponent, so she lasted longer. “Mary did very well, too. To be able to hold out for so long against an opponent who uses two swords shows great progress.”

The level 12 adventurer was a flexible fighter. Every time Mary blocked a frontal attack, the adventurer would swing his other hand from the side with a second sword. Under normal circumstances, a normal shield warrior wouldn’t have time to react and block it, but Mary used sheer brute strength to make her shield move, blocking the attack. In terms of strength, Mary’s strength was twice that of Camilla.

This might explain why Mary’s weight is equivalent to three Camillas.

As for why Mary was defeated, it was because her stamina couldn’t keep up with her opponent, and she was eventually defeated due to a lapse in her defense.

Mary, who had been praised, put her shield to the side and smiled shyly.

“Hehe… That’s all because Miss Camilla has been making me practice.”

“My Lady, Mary is very talented in combat. If not for her lack of stamina, I might have been defeated by such a young girl. Haha, My Lady is better at cultivating talent than us adventurers.”

“That’s just Mary’s own talent.”

“Without a qualified teacher, talent alone can’t achieve anything.”

The level 12 adventurer laughed heartily. Clementine from the other side also walked over. He was the most relaxed person on the field besides Yisi and Tiffany, as his confrontation with Camilla hadn’t cost him much effort.

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“And Miss Camilla’s defeat was also due to her unfamiliarity with her new weapon. If I’m not mistaken, Miss Camilla just got this weapon, didn’t she?” Clementine’s amber eyes looked at Twilight of Eternal Frost. “This is the first time I’ve ever seen such an exquisite weapon. Even for a staff, it’s too magnificent. I can feel the powerful magic contained within it. If it were released all at once, it might blow up the entire mansion.”

“Hmph. It’s Onee-sama’s weapon. I’m just borrowing it for now.”

Camilla let out a disgruntled snort and turned her face away. Just as Clementine said, because Twilight of Eternal Frost contained so many functions, Camilla hadn’t fully mastered it yet, and her lack of proficiency naturally prevented her from fighting with her full strength.

“Miss Yisi, could you please tell me the price of this weapon? I know my own limits; even if I mortgaged all the assets of the Flame Conquerors, I couldn’t buy it. I’m just simply curious how many jewel coins you spent.”

It was worth noting that one jewel coin was equal to ten thousand gold coins, and was only possessed by nobles of a count’s rank or higher, and royalty.

After saying that, Clementine suddenly became mysterious, carefully pushing his other adventurer companion out of their circle.

“Is this an Orichalcum-rank weapon? Or a legendary Scarlet Gold-rank weapon? This can’t possibly be a staff that can be bought with money, can it?”

Clementine’s envious expression made Yisi unable to hold back a playful smirk. She brought her index finger to her lips.

“2 Republican coins.”

“Republican coins? What are those?”

“It’s a secret.”

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If she told Clementine that Twilight of Eternal Frost was actually a godly artifact that she had obtained from a gacha game for the equivalent of just two copper coins, he would surely go insane with jealousy. Yisi had a feeling about this.

With an expression that read “I knew it,” Clementine sighed and waved his hand.

“I knew Miss Yisi wasn’t an ordinary noble. But that doesn’t hinder my deep affection for you, Miss Yisi. And for Mary-chan and Tiffany-chan too.”

“If it’s you, Mr. Clementine… I just don’t think I can accept it.”

Mary made a fatal statement without a change in her expression. Clementine clutched his chest dramatically, as if he had been pierced by a poison arrow.

“Ugh! That’s the biggest blow I’ve received today. I’m dead.”

“Mary, Tiffany, go find a place to bury this maggot.”

“Mm.”

“Tiffany, it’s better not to do something so cruel…”

Mary took Tiffany’s hand.

The small skit to lighten the mood quickly passed. A serious expression appeared on Clementine’s face, and he spoke in a measured tone.

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“Miss Yisi, the Count has decided to set out tomorrow to find the origin of the Flame Giant. This matter can’t be delayed any longer.”

“Why? Didn’t you say that preparing supplies and troops would take at least half a month?”

“It’s because of the anomaly last night.” Clementine’s words made Yisi’s entire body stiffen. “An anomaly appeared over Antonio Lake last night. Not only was there a lightning storm that resembled a forbidden spell, but there was also a blue holy light that shook the heavens and earth. After that, the figure of an energy thunder beast appeared. The Count and we all agreed that it’s a new, powerful monster that we must nip in the bud before it can grow.”

Just as I thought.

If she could, Yisi would want to find a crack in the ground to crawl into. Although she had been too scared to admit it and had made all kinds of excuses to avoid it, now she had to face reality—she was actually ridiculously overpowered. Not only was she beyond what an ordinary person could achieve, but she could even easily crush a Fallen Angel.

“Uh… Clementine, I… can this plan be postponed? What I mean is, what if we’re just being too nervous and getting paranoid? It’s better to be fully prepared before—”

“The Count has already made his decision. Although I also think it’s too hasty, time waits for no one. If another Flame Giant were to appear, we wouldn’t have a second Antonio Lake to sacrifice for us.”

“That’s also true…”

It seems I can’t easily change it.

Yisi sighed deeply in her heart, then waved her hand weakly, motioning for Tiffany to empty the countless weapons from the sack.

“Alright, I understand. It’s a good thing I made some preparations yesterday. These are the magic weapons and equipment I recently acquired. Camilla, Mary, and Tiffany, try them on.”