abcnovels
Chapter 87
Chapter 87
Chapter 87 – Who Are You? (2)
Winley clenched and unclenched her fists repeatedly, her face noticeably brighter.
‘I can become so much stronger than I am now.’
This was the greatest takeaway from her journey.
Someone she acknowledged as a genius among geniuses, and the very future she was working towards had recognised her abilities.
‘They told me I had talent.’
It felt completely different from the countless compliments she had received from Duke Herman.
There’s a distinction between encouragement from a successful adult, and recognition from a peer who routinely comes first in everything.
‘I knew I did.’
Though it felt embarrassing to say it herself, Winley had long been aware of her own talent.
No one her age had stood a chance against her. However, she didn’t allow herself to grow complacent.
She knew her physical limits as a woman, and was more aware than anyone of her shortcomings.
‘So figuring out how to widen that gap had always been my goal.’
She was unrivaled among those her age. But this was temporary.
It’s common for girls to be stronger than boys during childhood, as their growth rates differs. But that gap narrows quickly with age, and before long, the tables turn.
‘I’ve felt it already. If I stay like this, I’ll soon be overtaken by the boys in my country, let alone those across the continent.’
Winley had turned sixteen this year. Among her fast-growing male peers, some were already a full head taller than her.
At this rate, even the trio (Harun, Jan, and Kirian) would soon catch up to her.
‘That can’t happen.’
She had to remain the best among her peers, at the very least. There’s nothing more obnoxious than someone with no real skill who speaks the loudest.
Luckily, she had found a clue.
‘Change.’
Dazzling movements that bewilder the opponent, hiding a lethal strike amidst feints to cut them down.
‘……I like it.’
Is this what it feels like to find the answer in a maze? At that moment, Winley felt as though her entire body was about to float away.
Then suddenly—
Dash! Step, step! Tap, tap, tap!
“Wh-What is that!?”
Winley’s eyes bulged; any wider, and they’d pop out of her head. That’s how shocked she was. Because there was someone who was, quite literally, floating up into the air before her eyes.
An endlessly steep cliff, so tall that its end was barely visible. It had to be at least a hundred meters high.
“I-I’m not dreaming, am I?”
A child was flying up that sheer rock face as if they had wings. The murmur of the knights nearby confirmed that this was no dream, as if slapping Winley awake.
“How can that be……?”
“E-Even a mountain goat would leap off a cliff in shock after seeing Prince Andrew.”
“A mountain goat? They can climb cliffs thanks to their special features. Their sharp front hooves fit easily into cracks in the rock. But humans? Our bodies aren’t built for that.”
“……!”
Winley, who had been quietly listening, suddenly lit up. Humans aren’t built for that. That phrase stuck in her mind.
‘Overcoming the limitations of the human body……?’
Yes.
That child was showing her exactly that. In front of everyone, they were breaking the limits of what it meant to be human.
With that, how could she not overcome the so-called limitations of ‘gender’?
Whooooosh!
Just then, a strong wind blew directly at Winley. She widened her eyes as she recognized the source of the wind.
“M-Marquis Milon!?”
“My apologies, Your Highness. I’ll be right back.”
Without waiting for a response, Milon shot up into the sky using flight magic.
“Why are you following him!?”
“He’s still a child. I have to help him.”
“That doesn’t apply to him!”
Marquis Foltaine shouted after him.
By then, Milon had already risen far above their heads. All eyes shifted toward Marquis Foltaine, and he coughed awkwardly.
“……I need to protect the princess, you fools.”
“……”
“Why are you all looking at me like that? You expect an old man to climb that damn cliff?”
“……”
“Ouch, my back is starting to hurt. I’m getting old.”
No one had said anything, but Marquis Foltaine still muttered and patted his back, offering an excuse that nobody had asked for.
The knights’ surprise only grew as they watched him. Would even a Master like him struggle with such a feat?
‘……Sure, I could climb it if I had to.’
Marquis Foltaine’s gaze shifted toward the towering cliff. As a master, he instantly understood Ancelot’s technique.
‘He’s channeling mana through his feet instead of his sword. And by using the same principle used when pulling enemies to yourself, he’s sticking to the cliff face like glue.’
But that wasn’t all. When he stepped, he used adhesion to hold on. When he pushed off, he used elasticity to launch himself even higher.
Of course, his climb was possible in theory.
But if everything that could be done in theory could also be carried out in reality, life wouldn’t be so difficult.
‘And they say geniuses are heaven-sent. How in the world can he manipulate mana like that?’
Marquis Foltaine could easily replicate such a technique with a sword. Sometimes, he would stick his opponent’s weapon to his own, and reflect it at others.
‘But to do that with a frail human body?’
Marquis Foltaine shook his head. It was no easy feat. It wasn’t something that could simply be learned.
Receiving forging techniques from a dwarf doesn’t give you their craftsmanship skills, after all.
‘Hahaha. How much more do you plan to astonish me, you little monster?’
While Marquis Foltaine was silently marveling at his talent, Ancelot had already disappeared over the top of the cliff.
* * *
Reaper Scans
[Translator – San]
[Proofreader – Abstract]
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The peak was just within reach. As I reached a specific point on the cliff, I channeled mana into the soles of my feet with full force.
Whoosh!
My body shot upward in an instant.
‘Where is he?’
I quickly scanned the top of the cliff.
The higher I ascended, the more vast the upper section of the cliff appeared. Yet, the one I was chasing was nowhere in sight.
‘I can sense him.’
I immediately expanded the range of my senses.
In my prime, I could detect even an ant hundreds of kilometers away. Now, my limit was about a 5-kilometer radius, but if he was within that range……
‘……Below!’
My eyes flashed open.
I felt it. A presence rapidly descending the mountain beyond the cliffside’s edge.
‘I can catch up.’
I didn’t hesitate to channel more mana. There was no way I could let him slip away.
“Ancelot!”
A familiar voice called out from behind me. But there was no time to turn around.
‘I can’t let him get away!’
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, my body propelled forward.
Whoosh!
Wind slammed into my face, branches scraped my cheeks, and rocks jutted out dangerously from the cliff face.
Cuts formed all over my body, but I ignored them all. My sole focus was catching him. Perhaps it was that determination.
‘There……!’
Before I knew it, the figure I was chasing had become visible in my field of view. A silhouette moving swiftly, fleeing ahead of me.
‘It’s definitely one of the two involved with the bodies.’
My eyes narrowed sharply. I briefly worried he might be from a different race, like an elf.
This was, after all, near the border of territories where non-human races lived, and the chances of encountering them were high.
It wasn’t called the land of the dead for nothing.
‘Even the other races here are hostile to humans, not to mention monsters.’
Humans had done terrible things to them in the past.
But fortunately, this one wasn’t from another race.
His outfit was familiar, even to me.
“Stop right thereeeeeeeeeeeee!”
I roared, my voice echoing like a predator’s growl.
Flinch.
The figure looked back at me in disbelief.
No, he didn’t just look back— he actually stopped in his tracks.
‘I didn’t think he’d really stop.’
Well, that worked in my favor.
“Don’t moveeeeeeeeee!”
We were in a spacious clearing nestled in the mountains.
Boom!
I landed with a thud, about ten meters from him, causing the ground beneath me to crack and splinter.
“……”
Despite seeing all this, the figure remained motionless.
“Who are you?”
I glared at him with beast-like intensity.
“To think you climbed that cliff…… I can’t believe it, despite seeing it myself.”
“You bastard. Who taught you to ignore a question and change the subject like that?”
I was irritated, and naturally, my words were harsh.
“……Go back. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Hurt me? Who, you?”
“I don’t have the time to……”
Suddenly, he stopped talking.
Rustle.
“……!”
At the same time, I sensed movements all around the forest.
‘Could it be that he’s being chased too?’
That thought briefly crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. His reaction was far too calm for that. More importantly, the energy of those approaching felt very similar to his.
‘Aha. So I’ve walked right into the tiger’s den.’
It seemed I had stumbled into their hideout.
My suspicion was confirmed when, moments later, another figure wearing the same outfit quietly appeared and knelt.
“We found Tail Star.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes. However……”
The newcomer hesitated briefly, casting a sideways glance at me.
“……I didn’t expect there to be a guest.”
“He’s Anemochory, who Full Moon has been watching.”
“Full Moon? But for this mission……”
“They’re an uninvited guest.”
“……!”
Immediately, killing intent surged from all sides. But I didn’t care.
“You see, I don’t understand what’s going on right now.”
“……”
“So, you’d better answer my questions from now on.”
“……”
“Tail Star, Anemochory, Full Moon. Why do those code names sound so familiar to me?”
I saw it, one of them flinched visibly.
Now that I think about it, the energy they were giving off felt strikingly similar to someone I knew.
“You. You’re not from that group I think you are, are you?”
There were at least thirty presences around me. All of them wore the same outfits as the corpses I’d encountered earlier.
Which raised an even bigger question.
“Why the hell are you wearing those clothes? Damn Mask bastards.”
***