Heron, Irene, and Icarus returned to the Vincha Cask bistro, finding May and Alessia already there, finishing the last of their meals.
“Hikki!” May spotted him first, waving enthusiastically. “How did the training go?”
“You know, you should really learn the meaning of ‘discreet,’” Alessia muttered, elbowing her.
“Right, right.” May nodded seriously, then leaned in with exaggerated secrecy. “Hikki, how did the thing go?”
Alessia facepalmed. “I think you’re doing it on purpose.”
“Doing what?” May grinned.
“Just forget it,” Alessia sighed.
“It went pretty well, I’d say,” Heron said, unable to hide his pride.
“Indeed,” Irene agreed. “He was really good. I’d go as far as to say amazing.”
The three of them joined their table.
“So, what did your training entail?” Alessia’s curiosity piqued.
Heron’s confidence wavered. He suddenly realized how absurd the truth would sound, so he tried to spin it. “I managed to control my miasma flow for two hours.”
“That is impressive.” Alessia lifted a brow. “Which weapon did you imbue?”
“Umm…” Heron glanced helplessly at Irene, then mumbled, “A toothbrush.”
Alessia blinked. “Sorry, what?”
He straightened his shoulders. “A toothbrush,” he repeated, a little louder this time.
The silence lasted only a heartbeat before Alessia erupted into laughter. May fought to keep her composure, her cheeks puffing out as she desperately tried to swallow her own giggles.
“I know it ain’t much,” Heron said quickly, “but it’s a start.”
“Oh, it’s definitely a start,” Alessia wheezed through her laughter. “Don’t know a more precise weapon than a crystal toothbrush. Gotta polish those teeth nice and white.”
“He managed to control something. Unlike you.” Icarus’s voice cut through the laughter like a knife.
“Excuse me?” Alessia’s face hardened, as her amusement was replaced by offended surprise.
“Heron has a problem interacting with crystals, so he is addressing his weakness,” Icarus stated. “Yet, I remember you missing the whole beast with a flame burst.”
“I was in midair and unfamiliar with the weapon,” Alessia snapped. “And what do you remember? You can’t see anything.”
“Alessia, don’t,” May pleaded, tugging her sleeve.
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“Don’t butt in.” Alessia brushed her hand away without looking. “Since he’s so eager to stand in for Heron, he can stand up for himself.”
“She’s right, May. I can take care of myself,” Icarus said, raising a hand to signal her not to interfere. Then he turned toward Alessia. Even blind, the way he angled his head made it feel like he could see her perfectly.
“While I may not see the same way you do, I am aware of my surroundings,” he calmly said, “And unlike you, I have a high success rate in what I set out to achieve.”
Alessia’s eyes narrowed. “What exactly are you implying?”
“That you are little more than spoiled nobility. A girl being forced into a marriage because she provides no other value to her house. You proved as much with your failed escape, just as you proved it with your failed support of this party.”
Alessia didn’t answer. She simply snatched up her mug and swung it at his face.
Icarus caught it an instant before it connected. The impact didn't even make him flinch.
“You know, if you wish to get physical, we can arrange a duel,” he said, not even raising his voice, “It would be the quickest way to put me in my ‘rightful place,’ wouldn’t it?”
“I think we’ve all had enough excitement,” Heron cut in quickly, raising his hands in a placating gesture. “Let’s try to calm down.”
“No, I think it’s a wonderful idea.” Alessia’s voice had gone higher, brittle. “But I have one condition.”
“Name it,” Icarus replied.
“You aren’t allowed to use your plants. I’m not exactly in my prime, and you seem to have your eyes wide open despite the blindfold.”
“Agreed.” Icarus set the mug down as if nothing had happened. “Tomorrow after breakfast?”
“Deal.” Alessia’s smile turned mean. “Don’t coward out on me.”
“Wouldn’t dream of disrespecting the agreement,” Icarus said, still composed.
Without another word, Alessia shoved her chair back and stood. Without another word, she turned and walked away.
“Icarus, are you sure this is a good idea?” Irene carefully asked, watching her go, “ What if she gets hurt?”
“I’ll just rough her up a bit.” He shrugged. “To be honest, she’s been getting on my nerves for a while now.”
Heron studied him. “You seem rather confident you’ll beat her.”
“I am entirely confident in my abilities when the opponent is her. Furthermore, once I’ve dealt with her, the pressure will be on you to prove you can manipulate miasma while keeping your eyes open.”
Heron blinked. “Wait, where did that come from?”
“Well, since you doubt me, let's make it interesting. Once I show you that I can defeat her in less than five moves, I expect you to show me that you are taking our training seriously.”
“Icarus, we don’t have to rush him,” Irene cut in.
“No, it’s fine.” Icarus waved off her concern. “He can just do five spins for the exercise.”
“Fine,” Heron said, nodding slowly. “That seems doable. You have a deal. You beat Alessia in less than five attack moves, and I’ll do my hardest to spin that head five times.”
The next morning, they gathered outside the Vincha Cask after breakfast. Almir stood apart from the group with arms crossed and a deep frown on his face.
“What kind of stupidity am I about to witness?” Almir asked.
“A duel is not stupidity; it is a refined method of clearing grievances through the application of force,” Icarus replied smoothly. “And you, Irene, and Heron will serve as the necessary witnesses.”
"Fine. Whatever." Almir spat to the side.
"Let’s get this over with." Alessia’s impatience slipped through the edges of her voice. Tiny flinches betrayed the anxiety she was trying to wrestle down. “Where do you wish to hold this duel?”
“It’s about a twenty-minute walk from here,” Icarus said, his head tilting slightly. “I trust you left your pet in good hands?”
She stopped fidgeting. "I gave him to Lucia and May, not that it's your concern." Her eyes narrowed. "Wait. Why the concern? Something to say?" Her voice rose, cracking slightly at the end.
"Nothing. Please forget I mentioned anything."
"You are pissing me off even more!" she snapped.
“Consider it motivation for the duel, then,” Icarus said with a nonchalant shrug. “We should get moving. Heron needs to return to his training afterward.”
“Hey! Don’t act like you’ve already won!” Alessia protested, her voice rising.
Icarus offered no retort. He simply turned and began walking toward the direction of the abandoned stables.
The rest followed. Behind them, Alessia trailed with her jaw tight, teeth grinding with anger as she forced herself to keep pace.
[LitRPG] [Cultivation] [Crafting] [Smart MC]
Synopsis (Click to Expand)
To transcend the heavens, one must first forge the ladder.
He is a Cultivator who values volume over speed.
He is a Chronicler who will not stop at the sky.