Path to prosperity a lit.., p.38
Path to Prosperity: A LitRPG Adventure, page 38
Only Melissa’s glare stupefied him. She didn’t appear shocked. Instead, she scowled at him.
“Do you have a death wish?!” she asked coldly.
Percy smiled in response, but only for a moment. He was too excited about his progress to recognize that Melissa Reeze behaved differently. She was serious. Dead serious.
Huh? What’s wrong?
“I know you’re stupid, but you’re going too far! Trying to copy my Inheritance technique right in front of my eyes. Why would you do something this stupid? This Inheritance technique belongs to my bloodline. Nobody else is allowed to use it, Impbrain!”
Percy’s lips parted, but no words came out. What was he supposed to say in response? Ulfhar told him to study their movements and to replicate them. Did that not include Melissa’s technique? If so, Ulfhar would have told him, right?
I have no idea what Inheritance techniques are or that you practiced one. Sorry for trying to steal your family’s technique. Yeah, that sounds stupid. I’ve never seen her act like that, either. She is not joking around.
Percy winced, looking around for help.
The shocked expressions of the Glacia Knights made a lot more sense now. Some might be surprised at his rapid progress, but most were probably baffled by his stupidity. That was what he thought until he noticed something amiss. The shocked expressions shifted, the corners of their lips curling into smiles.
They… smiled at him!
Percy’s chest tightened, and his gaze snapped to the Glacia Knight Captain, who was smiling at him as well. It was a fiendish smile—one that couldn’t mean anything good.
He had no idea why the Glacia Knights remained silent, but one thing was clear.
Percy had been tricked!
45
TRICKED
Cold sweat dripped down his temples as he stood there, frozen.
He had trusted the Glacia Knights, only to be betrayed. But… why? It didn’t make any sense.
Percy’s gaze followed the Glacia Knight Captain as he stepped forward and calmly lifted his hand. He intervened, clearing his throat before the noblewoman could do anything drastic.
“I apologize, my lady, but it appears that Percy was in a trance. Therefore, his actions are not punishable—not for following a few movement sequences,” Ulfhar said calmly and interjected before Melissa could speak. “Since he tried replicating the Reeze Inheritance technique while in Trance, it would be better if we kept this incident a secret from anyone outside the Reeze Household.”
“But why should I spare him? He deliberately copied my Inheritance technique!” Melissa cursed, the tip of her sword pointed at Percy.
I didn’t do it deliberately, though, he grumbled inwardly but stayed silent. Responding to the young noblewoman didn’t seem like a smart thing to do. He was on the losing side no matter what. If she truly wanted to, Lady Reeze could order his death. That was the bitter truth, whether Percy liked it or not.
“I don’t have the right to tell you what you should do, but the Glacia Knight Order would be happy to gain someone like Percy. It will require little effort and resources to turn him into a proper Glacia Knight,” Ulfhar added. “Or do you think he’s not talented enough to become one of us, even after he copied and fused our techniques?”
Melissa’s cheeks turned red as she glared at Percy.
“The Glacia Knights won’t reveal what happened to anyone other than our lord. If you—”
“Stop,” Melissa interrupted suddenly, her eyes drifting to the Glacia Knights. They tried hard to hide their thin smiles, but some failed miserably. “You planned this, didn’t you? This fool has been watching our training for days, and you didn’t deem it necessary to tell him about the rules regarding Inheritance techniques, did you?”
Percy noticed the noblewoman’s anger subside significantly.
“Why did you do that?” she asked Ulfhar.
“I apologize, but I don’t know what you’re talking about, Your Grace.” Ulfhar bowed respectfully to Lady Reeze, but Percy caught the knight captain glancing at him—just like the other Glacia Knights. Their smiles didn’t cease, but there was something else Percy couldn’t quite place. Did they look expectant? Curious? Pleasantly surprised?
“If you are so clueless, how about I punish this peasant according to Imperial law?” Melissa asked sharply, but Ulfhar merely smiled in response.
“To punish Percy according to Imperial law, you’d have to drag him to court. Of course, if he had attacked you or publicly revealed his comprehension of the Reeze Family’s Inheritance technique, the situation would be different. But the Glacia Knights are loyal to the Reeze Household. We are part of your household, and this incident therefore cannot be considered public humiliation.”
Melissa gritted her teeth, her cheeks flushing red.
“You’re walking on thin ice, Captain!” she cursed, but Ulfhar merely bowed.
“If you do not wish to take Percy to Imperial court—which you don’t, since the case would tarnish the Reeze Family’s reputation—you have two… maybe three options.”
Melissa’s eyes narrowed into slits.
“What options?”
“First, you kill him right now. The Glacia Knights wouldn’t stop you,” Ulfhar said coldly, causing Percy to shudder involuntarily. “But we would have to tell your father about this incident. The report would contain everything, including that Percy is an Ego user with a special Monster Card and exceptional comprehension.”
Percy swallowed hard, still unsure where this was going. Melissa, on the other hand, sensed something was wrong.
“What are the other options?”
“You can forget about this incident, and we will keep quiet as well. Nothing will happen, and Percy will never copy your technique again… right?” Ulfhar turned to Percy at the last words. He nodded, but his stomach dropped when Melissa shook her head.
“His actions are unforgivable!” She clenched her fists and pointed her sword at Percy again. “He has to be punished.”
Can’t you be a little more flexible… please? This is my life you’re talking about so casually! He felt like shouting at the noblewoman, but that would only make matters worse.
Ulfhar just nodded. “That leaves us with only the third and final option. Challenge him.”
“Challenge?” Percy blurted out, shuddering. Did he have to fight her? That… didn’t make any sense! His attention trailed between Ulfhar and Melissa, relieved that she didn’t glare at him for voicing his confusion this time.
“To the death?” Melissa asked, but Ulfhar shook his head.
“No. This is going to be an Imperiat—a traditional fight without Artifacts, Monster Cards, or Egos. Two combatants and a pair of unenchanted swords.”
The young noblewoman grumbled but nodded. She didn’t remove her armor but switched her sword Artifact with a Tempered Silvron Sword.
“If I win, I will punish you as I see fit,” Melissa said, deadly serious. “That is within my rights after an Imperiat.”
Percy stared at Ulfhar, his eyes widening in surprise as the Glacia Knight Captain slowly nodded toward Lady Reeze.
“And you will be the bigger person and forgive him if the Imperiat ends in a draw or your loss.”
Do I have to do this? Was that their plan all along? They’re pushing me to fight Melissa… but why?
Percy studied the Glacia Knights but couldn’t detect any malicious intent. Quite the contrary—they smiled at him, their expressions almost encouraging.
Do they think I’m going to win? No, they don’t believe that. Percy shook his head.
He swallowed hard and clutched the Silvron Sword tightly. Retrieving another potion, he glanced at Ulfhar, who nodded slowly.
“You can replenish your stamina and mana first. The Imperiat is an honorable event; the fight will be fair and square,” the Glacia Knight Captain declared.
“Do I have to remove my Monster Card? I know we’re not allowed to use it, but I have a passive Augmentation,” Percy pointed out, emptying his last pair of Ego-augmented potions. If he was being forced to fight Melissa, he would give it his all. However, if he managed to end the Imperiat in a draw, he didn’t want to hear any complaints from the young noble. Not that he expected to win in the first place.
“Keep it. I’m at a higher rank than you anyway. It doesn’t matter what Augmentations you have. You will lose!” Melissa hissed, brandishing her sword. She shifted into a combat stance, ready to fight.
I really have to do this, don’t I? At least I can use [Blade Mastery] and [Minor Strength Boost], Percy grumbled inwardly.
Taking a few deep breaths, he steadied himself. Entering a fight nervous and anxious wouldn’t help him. He might as well have lost already.
But he didn’t want to lose.
I’m going to win. I saw her movements and the flaws in her style. The insight from upgrading [Blade Mastery] will be my victory!
He tried to encourage himself, but it didn’t make him feel much better. The entire situation was too frustrating to be real. Never had he imagined things would escalate like this. All he had wanted was to upgrade [Blade Mastery] to a three-star Augmentation, then use the influx of knowledge to improve his understanding of the sword styles he’d observed over the last few days.
Lost in thought, Percy missed the countdown. He only snapped back to reality when Ulfhar’s resounding “Fight!” reached him.
Mana stirred within him as he willed it to enhance his strength and speed. However, Melissa was already in front of him, her sword flashing.
He barely managed to intercept, lifting his sword just in time to block her first strike before she accelerated again. She slashed at him multiple times, moving much faster than he could. Still, he blocked three out of five attacks. The last two scratched his shoulder and thigh.
Percy groaned, but his eyes gleamed like the ocean. At first, he followed Melissa’s blade, but his focus quickly shifted—to her wrists, arms, upper body, and eyes. Her body language was complex and difficult to read.
However, without her Ego in the Imperiat, Percy realized something—Melissa couldn’t use her Inheritance technique to its fullest without the freezing hue shrouding her.
Did she have a lower mastery of the Inheritance technique than he had expected? He hadn’t noticed from a distance, but fighting her up close changed everything. [Blade Mastery] activated at full force, draining his mana bit by bit.
Percy panted after the first dozen clashes, but the corner of his lips curled upward even as Melissa accelerated, slicing him multiple times. However, the cuts were light, barely affecting his movements.
She isn’t allowed to kill me! No… she doesn’t want to kill me in the first place, Percy realized. He flashed forward, utilizing his only advantages: his delicate mana control, [Minor Strength Boost], and [Blade Mastery].
Percy kicked off the ground, leaving a deep imprint in the moist soil as he dashed forward. His blade flashed through the air, altering the trajectory of Melissa’s first strike. Her blade grazed his cheek, but the pain only fueled his determination to end this fight before things got worse.
No one was allowed to be killed during the Imperiat. But… did that mean no one could try?
Percy ignored the dark thought and let the Gnoll’s bloodlust surge through him. Melissa tensed at the sudden shift and twisted her blade, but she was too late. The Silvron Sword in Percy’s hand cleaved downward, threatening her life. And Melissa responded to the danger.
Before Percy could strike the killing blow, the scenery around the noblewoman changed dramatically. The temperature plummeted, and then it dropped further as something emerged from her chest. A glacier-blue lizard appeared in its full might before Melissa, roaring protectively. It glared at Percy, ready to attack if he didn’t move away in time.
Percy wasn’t a fool. He discarded any thoughts of continuing to fight after he had unleashed the Gnoll’s bloodlust through his body. That was the only way to avoid getting killed by Melissa, her summoned Monster Card, or her Glacia Knights.
He noticed the Glacia Knights move, their weapons already unsheathed. But they didn’t have to step in to protect the young lady. Percy had anticipated their involvement and reacted much faster, retreating to make it clear that he never intended to kill her.
“Your instincts are great, Lady Reeze,” Percy said, bowing deeply toward Melissa, who stared at him wide-eyed. “But you lost.”
He sheathed the Silvron Sword, smiling at the roaring lizard as a chilly hue coated Melissa’s body.
“You used your Ego and a Monster Card!”
The lizard summon continued to hiss angrily at him, stomping toward Percy. Its tail smashed heavily against the frozen ground, splitting it open.
No matter how Percy looked at the creature, it was definitely not a Common Monster. It was a special Monster Card—one at the Elite Rank.
His full attention lingered on the three-meter-long lizard as it advanced. He swallowed hard, watching the beast open its maw wide. Glacier-blue flames erupted, freezing everything in their path. If he hadn’t retreated further, he would have been encased in ice within seconds.
Hello? Percy’s head whipped around, searching for help. Someone… please?!
Ulfhar seemed to notice his helpless gaze, but instead of intervening, he glanced at Melissa, much to Percy’s irritation.
“You cheater! I don’t acknowledge this. I am not done yet!” she exclaimed, her cheeks flushed with anger.
The Glacia Knight Captain sighed and finally stepped in. “Actually, the Imperiat is over.”
Melissa’s eyes widened slightly at Ulfhar’s words.
“But he…” She gritted her teeth and glared at Percy, making him shudder as the lizard continued its advance. But no matter how Melissa looked at the situation, Percy knew he had won. She had used her Ego and Monster Card, even if it was just an instinctive reaction to the bloodlust.
Maybe it wasn’t fair to use the Gnoll’s bloodlust, but it wasn’t like anyone could tell it wasn’t Percy’s own skill. At least, that was what he was betting on.
Percy breathed heavily and winced as the dozen or so shallow cuts burned, but he remained still as Melissa’s summon finally stopped moving. The noblewoman shuddered for a moment, nibbling on her lower lip. She took a deep breath and de-summoned the lizard.
“Did you use the Gnoll’s bloodlust?” she hissed, startling Percy.
How did she know?
He remained silent, watching Melissa as she took a few more deep breaths. She seemed to be struggling internally before fixing him with a sharp stare.
“I… forgive you…” Melissa said through gritted teeth. “However! I will behead you personally the moment I see you using my family’s Inheritance technique again. There will be no Imperiat, no rules—nothing to protect you!”
With that, she stomped back to the carriage and slammed the door shut.
Percy’s legs buckled, and he slumped to the ground. He had survived! His heart pounded wildly, and he wanted to shout with joy. Unfortunately, his relief was short-lived as a firm hand landed on his shoulder, pressing down on one of his deeper wounds.
He turned to see the old knight Liam smiling at him. Something also shimmered in the corner of his eye, and he caught it smoothly—a potion.
Percy’s expression twisted as he stared at the old knight. He felt like punching Liam and the other Glacia Knights for tricking him, but instead, he emptied the glass vial, allowing various thoughts to race through his mind.
Training with the Glacia Knights had been interesting. He could tell that his spar—the Imperiat—with Lady Reeze had taught him a lot: noble’s pride, their power, and what could happen if he fought Ego users with strong Monster Cards again.
He shot a glare at the Glacia Knights, telling himself to chew them out later. Still, he turned to the carriage, following his gut feeling.
Please don’t let that be another mistake.
“I hope we can spar again in the future, Lady Reeze,” Percy said loudly, trying to sound as polite as possible.
No answer came from the carriage, but at least she didn’t storm out to attack him again. That was a victory in itself.
“Why did you ask that?” Knight Liam inquired quietly when Percy turned back to them.
Percy didn’t answer right away. His eyes narrowed into tiny slits as he considered what he would do if the Glacia Knights tricked him again.
He thought about it for a moment and shrugged inwardly.
One step at a time.
“I think it’s better to be on good terms with Lady Reeze. It seems like she hates me, but while the Imperiat might not be considered a casual spar—to be honest, I still don’t even know exactly what it entails—I think I understand her a little better now,” Percy admitted, scratching his cheek as he searched for the right words.
“Lady Reeze seems to bear a heavy responsibility at such a young age. Maybe sparring with someone her age, even if I’m neither a noble nor as talented, will help her de-stress. As long as I don’t die, I guess I’ll be fine. If anything, sparring with her will help me learn and grow stronger at the same time.”
“Plus, I want to be on good terms with the future Duchess of the Reeze Dukedom if possible. Making her an enemy would be as good as signing my own death sentence. Other than that, I feel like reaching the Wintermoon estate instantly is a basic necessity. Last but not least, if Lady Reeze doesn’t hate me, I should have a good chance of receiving permission to attend the Imperial training… or maybe not, judging by the look on your face. Maybe it’s a little far-fetched to hope I can join the Imperial training, but I can always hope, can’t I?”
Percy smiled, shrugging helplessly. Putting aside her cold attitude and the way she’d been looking at him since they first made eye contact, he could understand her antics. He was aware of his ignorance and obliviousness to society’s rules, while Melissa Reeze had probably been taught all about them from a young age. Getting angry because someone repeatedly acted in ways that went against the rules you’d followed your whole life made sense.
