Book 1 Chapter 546

Berthia's sword moved.

The sword beautifully weaved through the air, unbelievable for a sword wielded by an undead creature devoid of reason.

Bihar's eyes, watching the sword, grew distant.

It was a beautiful sword, reminiscent of flower petals.

However, it was different from the sword Bihar remembered.

The sword energy that used to feel warm now felt only chilling.

Kwagagag-!

The sword energy, scattering like flower petals, mercilessly slashed through Bihar's clone.

Bihar tightened his grip on the dagger in his hand.

Hwarururuk-!

A flame aura surged from Bihar's sword.

Hwioo-!

Along with it, a wind aura wrapped around the flame aura.

'Amazing.'

Chen Xia, watching the scene from the depths of consciousness, wore a surprised expression.

Chen Xia had lent his body to Bihar.

But his consciousness had not disappeared.

On the contrary, all his senses felt vivid.

Every movement.

Every gaze.

Everything felt sharp and clear.

'He resembles Young Master Leo.'

Having experienced the sword fight between Berthia and Bihar up close, Chen Xia glimpsed Leo's shadow in both of them.

It was a truly strange thing.

Berthia and Bihar used different sword techniques and movements.

However, the breathing when wielding the sword, the unconventional tactics to break the opponent's balance, and the process of predicting the opponent's movements.

In the sword fight between the two, Leo's shadow was deeply felt.

It was a realm he could only perceive by entrusting his body to Bihar.

'He is teaching me.'

Knowing that Bihar was teaching him even in this situation, Chen Xia focused his mind.

And he etched every one of Bihar's movements into his memory.

Bihar stepped with an aura step.

Moving fluidly like water, Bihar plunged into Berthia's embrace.

A duel of swords and daggers.

The closer Bihar got, the more advantageous it was for him.

He adhered to this fundamental principle more diligently than anyone else.

Quickly closing in on Berthia's embrace, Bihar unfurled his palm and swung it.

Kwaang-! Kugugugugung-!

A blow like a heavy rock struck Berthia's chest.

The impact caused the surrounding ground to sink.

But Berthia didn't even flinch.

'Armor of Animus.'

Chen Xia groaned, looking at the magic protecting Berthia's body.

He had seen Eiran use it.

It was clearly the same magic, but the defensive power was incomparably inferior.

"Back then, this was my limit."

Bihar spoke to Berthia, who was swinging her sword at him.

"I couldn't move my sick body any further."

Chaeng-!

Blocking Berthia's sword, Bihar said.

"So it's not your fault, Berthia."

Bihar's body seemed to dissolve and disappear.

For a moment, Berthia lost track of Bihar's movement.

Chen Xia felt his bones shattering.

This was clearly beyond the power Chen Xia could endure.

But Chen Xia gritted his teeth and held on.

'If I lose consciousness, it's over!'

It was Bihar's spirit that was moving Chen Xia's body right now.

But it was only borrowed through possession.

In such a situation, if Chen Xia lost consciousness, Bihar would also lose control of the body.

'I'm used to pain! So I'll endure!'

'Thank you.'

Bihar, who offered thanks to his descendant enduring with all his might, moved quickly.

Even in her irrational state, she showed a chillingly sharp movement.

It was the power of one who once carried the world and brought about its revival.

'But still, it's not her original power.'

Bihar's eyes coldly sought an opening.

The current Berthia could not win against someone of equal or greater skill.

And here, in this world, there was only one person with equal power to her.

Plunging into Berthia's embrace, Bihar pressed both palms against Berthia's chest.

And unleashed his aura.

Flash-! Kwaang-!

A massive shockwave erupted again.

Berthia, her body thrown into the air, rolled on the ground.

"Aaaaargh!"

Berthia screamed and tried to get up.

But soon, as if losing strength, she collapsed on the spot.

"Aaaaaaah!"

Bihar, who smiled bitterly watching Berthia scream in pain, collapsed.

Chen Xia had lost consciousness.

Thud-!

Leo caught Chen Xia's collapsing body.

"Master… please take care of the rest."

"Understood."

Seeing Leo nod, Bihar closed his eyes with a relieved expression.

Leo handed Chen Xia to Eiran, who had followed them.

This part was already settled.

All that remained was Berthia.

***

"Aaaaaargh!"

Berthia screamed.

She hated everything.

She cursed the world that had taken away her beloved ones.

While cursing the world, she also hated herself for wanting to burn down the world that her masters had saved with their lives.

She hated herself for taking the life of someone like a sister.

"Aaaaaargh!"

What should she do?

What should she do?

As she writhed in agony like a lost child.

Tap-

Someone placed a hand on her head.

At that moment.

Whoosh-!

Berthia swung her sword.

Even after receiving such a great shock, she could still sever the neck of anyone who dared to touch her body.

The living were hateful.

Just as she was about to be faithful to her instincts as an undead.

"What's bothering you so much, you damn disciple."

Stunned-!

The voice she heard was somehow familiar.

"You did enough… no, you did very well."

"Ah…"

"Even though it was hard, you did your best. You did more than your best, you brilliantly accomplished your task. But…"

The rough stroking of her hair made her feel like crying.

"Why are you blaming yourself so much?"

It was the voice that always scolded her when she made a mistake.

"You wanted to burn down the world we saved because you hated it?"

But.

"It's understandable, I would have done the same."

But it was the voice that was always on her side in the end.

"You hurt Bihar and made her die?"

It was the voice she wanted to lean on when she was struggling.

"She said it wasn't your fault. So…"

But it was a voice she had never leaned on.

She had wanted to show him that she could go on alone as soon as possible.

She wanted to be someone he could trust and rely on, not someone who worried him.

'Why doesn't Master Kyle ever tell me I did well?'

'He did.'

'Only once.'

'He'll only praise me if there's something good to praise.'

'Luna Master and Aron Master praise me often, though.'

'They'd say you're doing well even if you just handed them food.'

'You stingy guy.'

"You did well."

Leo gently stroked Berthia's head with sincerity.

"You really did well."

Berthia's focus returned.

And she mumbled, looking up at Leo blankly.

"Master Kyle…"

Leo, who removed his hand from Berthia's head, smiled gently.

And then he punched Berthia in the jaw.

"Die! Just die! You worried me when you were young, and you haven't changed even when you're grown!"

Seeing that, Lunia and Eiran were horrified.

"Hey! Leo! Stop it! She just regained consciousness!"

"Leo-nim! Berthia-nim went through so much!"

Lunia clung to Leo's arm, and Eiran clung to Leo's waist.

Meanwhile, Chen Xia, who was supporting them, collapsed on the floor.

Of course, they didn't have the presence of mind to care about that.

"I'm hitting her because she's conscious! I'm hitting her because I went through a lot too! Die! No! Die again! You damn disciple!"

"Ughhhhhh!"

"Please calm down!"

Leo's furious roar and Lunia and Eiran's screams echoed in the sky.

"Is… is he going to be okay like that?"

Chen Xia, who had regained consciousness while lying on the floor, asked with a sigh.

His body was at its limit, to the point where he couldn't even wiggle his fingers.

-After causing so much worry, she should be hit a little.

Chen Xia smiled faintly at Bihar's cold voice.

'I shouldn't make Young Master Leo worry from now on.'

***

The entire city was in chaos.

The Speaker and the entire Templar, the core force of the Council, had been subdued.

The elves from the underground city had escaped and come to the surface.

The group entered a relatively intact house near the ruined battlefield for a moment.

Sitting in the living room, Lunia sighed deeply, crossing her arms.

"This is going to be a pain."

"I agree."

Eiran nodded at Lunia's words.

Just thinking about cleaning up was giving her a headache.

"What do you think those two are talking about?"

"They must have a lot to talk about."

Leo said indifferently.

"Berthia's lingering regrets and Bihar's lingering regrets, in the end, they are each other."

Berthia became an undead due to guilt for killing Bihar with her own hands.

Bihar became a spirit due to guilt for not being able to help Berthia until the end.

Undead and spirit.

Although their resurrection processes were different, they were resurrected for each other.

"What Leo-dongsaeng has to say…"

"What is there left to teach a grown-up disciple?"

Leo rested his chin on his hand and said listlessly.

"Even if there is, she must have learned it."

At those words, Chen Xia smiled softly.

Lunia, overhearing their conversation, said in a pouty voice.

"So, it has nothing to do with you guys, right?"

"We just need to go back to Lumern."

Chen Xia smiled faintly and said.

At those words, Lunia's fists trembled.

For some reason, she found it annoying.

Just then, Berthia walked over, shuffling her feet.

"Everyone waited a long time, didn't you?"

"Ah, Berthia-nim!"

"Have you finished talking…"

"Huh…?"

The faces of the three girls who stood up stiffened.

"Fortunately, there was still plenty of food left."

The three girls trembled in fear.

"Berthia-nim, we're not hungry yet…"

"After moving so much, you have to eat a lot. That's how you grow."

Berthia, with a benevolent smile, began placing the food on the table.

Seeing that, Leo frowned and said.

"That's too much."

"Master, you've become so thin."

Berthia gently held Leo's wrists with both hands and looked at him with pity.

"You're so bony, it looks like you'll break any moment. This disciple's heart aches so much."

'Is she still out of her mind?'

-Master. Even if your mind is not right, your body is at its growing stage, so you must eat well. You should eat a lot.

Bihar chimed in with a similar expression to Berthia.

"It's okay to leave some, so please eat at least a little. I worked hard to make it."

At the urging of her two disciples, Leo clicked his tongue.

"Alright."

"You two can't leave any, okay?"

The faces of the three girls turned ashen.

"Berthia-nim! Bihar-nim! I am the student council president of Seirun Academy!"

"Oh my, I've heard of Seirun too. I heard it's a great place, so being the student council president there must be a high position?"

"Yes! Elden is currently in a very chaotic situation!"

"Oh dear… I'm sorry, because of me."

"No! It's not because of Berthia-nim! What I mean is… as the student council president of Seirun, I need to go right away to sort out this incident."

"Ah."

Berthia nodded.

"There's a saying that the more urgent it is, the more you should take your time."

"Yes?"

"And to do great things, you need to eat more."

Berthia took food from Leo's plate and placed it on Lunia's bowl.

Lunia's face turned ashen.

And so, the meal began.

As the three girls ate with dazed expressions.

Leo leaned back against his chair and asked.

"I've been curious for a while."

Leo's gaze turned to Berthia and Bihar.

"Why did you two always fight so often back then? You were usually on good terms."

At that, Bihar let out an "Ah…" and said.

-We fought because of Master.

"Because of me?"

-Yes.

Berthia said seriously.

"We fought over whether Master should marry Luna Master or Lysinas Master."

"Why would you fight over that?"

"How much do you think we fought for it to happen?"

Berthia and Bihar stared at Leo, their expressions genuinely pitying.

"So, you're saying you've grown up, huh?"

Leo bared his teeth and retaliated against Berthia.

After a bout of chaos.

"This is nice, this kind of time."

Berthia smiled gently.

"I wish it could be like this forever."

Berthia murmured, looking out the window.

The dawn had passed, and morning was approaching.