“Demons returned to roam the world even though it had only been twenty years. Their current leader, the Immortal Dark Star, has orchestrated two attacks that nearly caused our military might to plummet. I believe he is too dangerous.”
“But both incidents were handled without casualties. I handled them.”
“And without you, my daughter would have been dead. Twice.”
“...”
Indeed, without Ark's protection, Silvia wouldn't have survived. Thinking about his current power and abilities, he also believed that he had created a large gap between the two.
But she was still one of the greatest talents he had ever seen. If given the time, not even the Demon King would be able to take her lightly. She was that good.
“Do you know why it took several minutes for the commanders to reach you during the demons' ambush? With the Sage's teleportation magic, it should have taken a moment.”
“That's...” Ark realized that it was indeed peculiar. He hadn't noticed this before because he never expects external help in battle. “Why?”
“Twenty barriers. There were a total of twenty anti-teleportation barriers placed around the area in which you gathered. Moreover, they were each trapped very meticulously.”
Ark frowned. He was certain the barriers were placed only after the mass of dark elements was fired, because only then would he have failed to notice.
The ability to conjure so many barriers in such haste and place protective measures that would hold against the magic genius Sage is at least Titan-class.
(I mean, I could do the same. But that would take half a year. The perpetrator is either a very old demon or very talented.)
Ark figured it's the former. Demons were strong from the start and usually relied on their innate abilities. Unless they are thousands of years old, they wouldn't realize the limits of brute force. By then, their mental capacity is already formidable. Enough to make them first-class magicians.
“Arcadia is about to face difficult times. The enemy is too much; the danger is too much.”
“Yeah, and the alternative is much better.” His voice was dyed with heavy sarcasm.
The duke was willing to kill men who approached his daughter as if they were flies. He was an overprotective father before anything else, even being a duke. It was something Elizabeth herself had stated once, so Ark was sure the information was true.
(Are you holding back because the other party is a nobleman from Valencia?)
It made Ark resentful as he remembered the vividness of the threat he was under. He wasn't afraid, but the man who threatened him could strip him of every achievement he had accumulated.
“I have no obligation to discuss this with you. I believe the trust and respect I have shown by sharing this information with a third party like you. Please drop the matter. I wouldn't have sent my daughter into a life in which she would be unhappy,” Gabriel said with sincerity and conviction.
“I see. Parents know their children best.” Ark raised his hands as if he had given up. “By the way, you give a lot of focus to the west. "Are Silvia, Gideon, and Darius already on their way to the empire?”
“...Yes.”
“I have no further questions. Thanks for taking the time to answer me like this. I have been enlightened.”
Ark had all the information he needed to know from Gabriel's answers and Gabriel's intent. There were things he found peculiar, but there's no need to verify them.
After all, he had already found his answer.
What he should do now became obvious, and Ark felt his heart becoming lighter at the thought.
Turning away from the door, Ark left his final piece right before leaving. “You are a fool. So much that I pity your daughter.”
“What!?” The sudden remark resulted in a fierce reaction from the duke, who had failed to control his emotions temporarily.
“Never once. You didn't ask for her feelings and opinions even once.”
As if lightning had struck his head, the duke reached a frightening realization as he watched Ark's back. His hands trembled as he realized his mistake. “What are you...?”
He couldn't answer the question, as he didn't even understand what he tried to ask. But Ark seems to have grasped the gist of it.
“Even she didn't bother to ask herself, so I guess I wouldn't either,” he said.
Ark had decided. He will save Silvia from this entire arrangement, regardless of her will or anyone else's. It was an incredibly selfish decision.
And it was this selfishness that Silvia needed the most.
“Are you excited? We will soon cross to Valencia.” Gideon didn't wait for a reply. “By the end of the week, our marriage will be finalized.”
“...”
He viewed Silvia more as a trophy than a wife, a political tool to boost his status. Once they reach the empire, his position will strengthen, and even the emperor will be pleased with him. Gideon's strict father will also finally allow him to become the head of the Alba house. Everything is falling into place.
'It's not just her, but her children will also be valuable for the empire.' His lips curled up into a crooked smile. 'I will have to fulfill my duty as a husband faithfully.'
Before, Gideon held back and acted like a gentleman, simply in fear of retaliation. If he had tried to force himself on her, Silvia might even kill him by accident. She was stronger than him, after all.
However, Silvia will soon resign to her fate. Nothing could be done to stop Gideon from living the perfect future he envisioned.
Boom!
Falling from the sky like a meteor, a figure descended and shook the earth. The minor tremor he created rattled the carriage and frightened the horses.
As the dust scattered, it revealed the figure to be Ark. He stood there and breathed heavily.
(It was super fucking exhausting!)
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
In order to get from the capital to the border in time, Ark had to sprint with all his might. He used his Void Spirit, Ventus Potentia, and even Fairy Waltz whenever he could.
Gazing at the border behind him in the view, he muttered, “I was almost late.”
Imperial knights drew their weapons and aimed at him. Ark didn't want to fight them, but he was already viewed as an enemy with his abrupt entrance.
Although he would have preferred for them to wait until he caught his breath, a certain knight didn't wait and thrust his spear.
“Back off.” Glaring at the knight, he elevated his aura to intimidate these seasoned knights. The one thrusting the spear inadvertently dropped his weapon.
It was a bluff. The spear nearly pierced his neck, as he was temporarily fatigued.
“There is no need to be rash. I am not an enemy.” Ark picked up the spear and returned it to the knight. “Sorry for the mess.”
“Um, you aren't an enemy?”
“No.”
Ark didn't pay any more attention to the knight and passed by the other knight amidst their confusion. By then, Gideon had come out of the carriage, with Darius following him silently.
“Move it. You are in the way.”
It seems Gideon has abandoned his politeness. He bluntly ordered Ark to move, and he stared at the latter with rage.
“I'm taking Silvia, so you should be the one to move.” Ark smiled arrogantly, looking down at the imperial nobleman.
This infuriated Gideon further. “Are you out of your mind? How dare a mere knight interfere in an agreement between kingdoms!”
Had Ark said something before, Gideon would have dismissed him with ease. But the act of Ark coming here shows he is unwilling to step back. It's troublesome because the aura he demonstrated was high-level. Nevertheless, Gideon remained condescending.
There's nothing Ark can do. Silvia wouldn't willingly break the agreement, and he wouldn't be able to force through it without the cooperation of the escort knights with Darius.
However, both of these options became obsolete with one single sentence.
“I, Ark, Sword of Arcadia, challenge you, Gideon Alba, nobleman of Valencia, to an imperial duel.”
The knights that were about to shake their confusion sank deeper. Everyone went silent, understanding the implication of his actions.
An imperial duel with an outsider meant not only staking the honor of the opponent and their house but also of the empire itself.
“I accept,” Gideon said as he gnashed his teeth.
Refusing wasn't an option. The challenge phrase was said flawlessly, so it couldn't be used as a legitimate excuse.
“When I win, the agreement will be maintained, but Silvia will be excluded.”
That was akin to making the empire support Arcadia for free.
Gideon caught glimpses of the black armor as he looked for Darius. His presence alone boosted Gideon's confidence.
'With a Knight of Black, losing is impossible.'
“And what if you lose? Surely you have something of equal value to this brazen demand.”
“If that were to happen, I would offer myself as your slave.”
(Not that I will lose in a billion years, punk.)
Gideon chuckled sarcastically. “You, a commoner, believe yourself to be worth that much? Keep dreaming.”
“My worth is immeasurable, far more than the likes of you could possibly imagine.” Ark stopped for a moment to contemplate his next words, deciding what he wanted to reveal. “I'm the only non-attribute person in the world, and I can use every element, including light.”
Paying special attention to the sun, Ark absorbs particles of light element and chants to create a small orb of light.
“I annihilated dozens of demons with light magic alone, you know.”
Light magic was rare even in the colossal empire. After a short deliberation, Gideon agrees with a smirk. “Then it's settled.”
The stakes were made, and the duel was set. Ark unsheathed his sword as he moved back into a more open space.
“I nominate Darius, the Knight of Black, as my representative.”
Of course, Gideon had no intention of being the one fighting. Ark remained unflinching.
Darius' helmet-covered head nodded slowly, as if accepting his fate. He took a defensive stance as he drew a black sword matching his full body armor.
“The Knights of Black are the strongest knight order in the empire, taught by the strongest man in the empire. The minimum requirement to join is S-class strength. Please, go back on your word before you suffer as a slave.”
Ark clicked his tongue. “Useless consideration,” he muttered in annoyance, preparing to strike. “For someone like you, I won't even need to go overboard.”
He was determined to not even sustain a long-lasting injury. It was confidence birthed by his continuous bursts of incredible growth.
Now, the duel has...
“Wait, Ark! Don't do it!”
Silvia came out of the carriage.
“It's my duty as the daughter of a duke. There's no need for you to get involved, Ark. For Arcadia, I will do it, and it's not like I'm resigning myself to a bad life or anything.”
Ark didn't pay much attention. It was all the prattle of a self-sacrificing and clueless girl.
“Stop talking. I won't change my mind.” Ark looked at Silvia with pity. “Silvia, you are not their dog.”
“I just try to do the right thing! Why can't you respect my wishes and leave me be?” Silvia yelled like a child, throwing a tantrum.
She felt weary as the man in front of her wouldn't drop the subject. All the fear and anxiety broke her composure, but Silvia did not lose her resolution to do this through.
It was for the sake of her family and kingdom. She was willing to sacrifice herself in a heartbeat. The pain didn't alleviate it, but it won't stop her.
“You are worse than a dog. You can't be considered a sentient being at this point; just a tool to play around with.”
And for that kind of Silvia, Ark only felt disdain.
Her moral compass, which made her throw her life to the dogs without a fight, sickened Ark. He was so pissed that he didn't even bother to hide it.
“Since you don't mind living as a tool, that means I can assume your opinions are irrelevant. You gave up any right to respect voluntarily.”
“It's a selfless act, the way I see it. Very commendable.” Darius muttered from the sidelines.
"Side commentary isn't appreciated, Darius! I will deal with you in a moment, so shut it."
The honorable Knight of Black obediently shut his mouth. It was the first time in years he had been disrespected in this way by an outsider, but he quietly let the conversation continue.
“Selflessness is overrated. We wish to make people we care about happy because it makes us happy. Once you break this cycle and try to make them happy at your expense, that's where selflessness is born. A selfless person is one without goals or desires. A tool.”
The cold in his eyes chilled Silvia. She averted her eyes and kept herself from falling apart.
“It isn't... it's for my family! The alternative is just regret.”
“Even so, this path will make your existence worthless. It won't matter if you save the world; you will amount to nothing and remain nothing. At the end of the day, all that will remain is an empty shell. A shallow excuse for a life,” he sneered.
His words meant to cut deep, then Ark twisted the knife. Silvia's actions were a direct insult to Ark's beliefs.
He was excessively selfish, placing his life above others without much thought. But the lack of it made Silvia discard her life. It wasn't noble. It just made life look cheap.
You only have one life to spend as yourself. Giving it up and giving up on yourself only to live a shackled life and kill your emotions is tantamount to not living at all.
That's why Ark said it was worthless. What 'you' achieve or do won't mean anything without your own desires and dreams.
That's why he was angry.
Why, regardless of how much he hated being involved with her, he refused to let Silvia go.
“Do you have dreams? Something you want?”
So he asked, Do you have a will?
If the answer is no, then there is no point in saving her. Then she is just a tool that will live according to the whims of others.
“I will give you one last chance to prove yourself. Don't you dare waste it.”
So she will be saved because of his own whim, and then he will sever the ties with her completely.
(Be worth it. Be worth the effort, please.)
Ark didn't stop looking straight at Silvia, even as Darius stood before him, his weapon drawn. The request to make this endeavor worthwhile was reflected in the eyes of Ark.
It was a small wish of his.
“Sir Darius said that his master is a man far more influential than the Alba house, and he will take me under his wing. I won't actually be Gideon's wife.” Silvia used magic to carry her words that no one could hear directly to Ark's ears.
Darius nodded, hearing the words with keen senses. “My master was interested in the Wind Avatar. She will be treated well.”
(So that was the arrangement the Duke talked about.)
Not being forced to marry his daughter and getting her the empire's strongest as her master? Any parent would inevitably think this was the best course of action.
But Ark was still unconvinced. “Lady Clarent, Sylphid, Wind Avatar... you lot only care about those insignificant titles. Did any of you high and mighty people bother asking Silvia? Isn't that the one who matters the most, in the end?”
Ark's lack of awareness meant Silvia herself didn't know until after they last met. Meanwhile, she spent days thinking she'd have to marry a scum like Gideon.
He himself had collected numerous titles, but none of them felt more important to him than his given name. His name encompassed who he is, while other titles merely reflected an achievement. It was unnecessary.
“What... 'I' want?”
Silvia, who had lived her life under a title of sorts, finally asks herself without considering anything but herself. Just Silvia.
And she found the answer in seconds. “Please save me. I don't want to leave Arcadia, my family... Please.”
“You got it.”
Deploying his Void Spirit, Ark emits intense pressure as he charges at Darius with explosive speed.
The duel between Ark and Darius, the Knight of Black, has begun.