Chapter 57: The Exiled Marquise, the Lady’s Kick of Fury 2
*
Honestly, I doubt whether my reply of “Yes” even reached Erica.
It wasn’t because Erica was angry, but because she swung through with the leg that had perfectly stopped the Ogre Knight’s fist. My ears rang from the Magicka Wave that erupted.
Humans can only fight on equal or better terms with Monsters once they can use Physical Enhancement magic.
Therefore, defeating a Monster capable of using Physical Enhancement or similar magic single-handedly is the condition for reaching Rank 8 in the Faltar Kingdom.
However, that doesn’t mean one can match such Physical Enhancement-using Monsters equally in terms of physical ability.
After all, we’re human; we should use tools.
So, well, the reason I was stunned by the reality unfolding before my eyes is because I have common sense, and it’s also proof that I’m just an ordinary person.
The Ogre Knight, whose right arm had been desperately trying to swing through, was kicked straight back, causing it to lose its balance significantly.
And then—
The Ogre Knight’s black hide is said to rival the scales of a mighty Dragon, or so they say.
That Monster’s head is covered in a thick hide, much like a human Knight’s helmet.
—Erica’s kick exploded onto its face.
Kicking it with a human leg would never make a sound like that.
That sound remains vividly in my ears.
Even though the strength of my Physical Enhancement was far from its maximum, my eyes managed to keep up with the movements.
The Ogre Knight’s giant frame lost its balance nicely, and as its head dropped to a convenient position, Erica kicked it upwards with beautiful form.
I could tell she used wind magic the moment she kicked upwards to accelerate the kick.
Is she enhancing the movements of her physically enhanced body further using different magic?
I know there are things similar to Skills.
But I don’t know anyone who can purely replicate that with magic.
I reflected.
I reflected deeply.
To be honest, until just a little while ago, having been able to clash swords head-on with the Ogre Knight, I had started thinking, ‘Maybe I’m actually something of a genius?’
What an embarrassing guy I am.
Master said it too, didn’t she?
That any human can reach Rank 7 if they’re motivated enough… no? Was it ‘prepared to die’?
Learning at the academy, and on top of that, receiving instruction from an exceptional master like ‘Kind Barbara’—setting aside her personality, really, setting it aside—
Someone like me, who Master says has finally reached the equivalent of Rank 7 only in sword combat, is still just an ordinary person after all.
Facing a true genius, I felt ashamed of my own arrogance.
I should apologize to Erica later. Tell her that while I thought she was a genius, I had still underestimated her.
But still—
Why is Erica fighting using only kicks?
Using the momentum from having its head kicked up by Erica to regain its posture, the Ogre Knight let out an angry roar and swung its fist down like a hammer.
Erica dodged it with minimal movement and unleashed a kick aimed at the Ogre Knight’s stomach.
In an instant, three kicks pierced the Ogre Knight’s abdomen.
The Ogre Knight—the King of Monsters—writhed in agony.
The Ogre Knight staggered back a step, swaying unsteadily.
Then, Erica glanced over here.
Eh? What’s with that look? What kind of look is it?
Confused, I couldn’t understand the meaning behind Erica’s gaze.
Almost tilting my head in confusion, I moved my right leg to confirm that the bone in my leg, which had been broken—or rather, shattered—had mended.
I thought I heard Erica mutter, “I see… the legs are next, then.”
The Ogre Knight attacked Erica while she was looking away, but strangely… no, perhaps it was expected. It was expected.
I didn’t feel the slightest bit of anxiety.
As if it were only natural for it to happen that way.
The Ogre Knight’s attack sliced through the air.
The sound that followed was like the crack of a whip.
…Why a low kick?
The simple kicking technique, delivered with beautiful form, struck the Ogre Knight’s right leg, but only made it stagger.
No, really, why are you sticking only to kicking techniques?
Perhaps thinking it was being mocked, or maybe due to some other emotion, the Ogre Knight let out a clear cry of anger.
—But then, Erica added a furious follow-up attack.
Low kick, low kick, low kick.
Just relentless low kicks.
Could it be that, unbeknownst to me, low kicks were actually a required subject for noble young ladies at the academy?
A clear look of panic appeared on the face of the Ogre Knight, who had been angered and scornful of the petty attacks.
No matter how much it swung its fists, they didn’t even graze Erica, so it was bound to panic.
Moreover, Erica elegantly dodged while relentlessly repeating the low kicks, so the Ogre Knight couldn’t take it anymore.
“Uwah…”
The sound escaped me unintentionally.
Finally, the Ogre Knight made a face like it was crying ‘Aaargh!’ and crumpled to the ground.
Its right leg was swollen and purple.
I could only stare dumbfounded at the unbelievable sight of the Ogre Knight, feared as the King of Monsters, being unable to stand up due to low kicks.
And Erica just looked down quietly at the Ogre Knight.
She didn’t follow up on the immobilized Ogre Knight; she simply, quietly looked down.
The Ogre Knight raised its head, looked at Erica’s face—and fled.
The Ogre Knight, one of the King Series feared as the King of Monsters, turned its back and simply ran away, dragging its leg.
Erica turned around and smiled.
“Is that sufficient?”
I just nodded.
I didn’t understand the meaning of the question, but I nodded reflexively because I was asked. She had that much undeniable presence.
For a moment, I had a vision of myself being scolded by Erica about my grades in a classroom at dusk.
Somehow, the ‘me’ in the vision looked a little happy.
Me, of course.
No, no, what is this delusion?
While I was feeling serious doubts about my own delusion, Erica leaped lightly.
In reality, her Physical Enhancement was pushed to the limit, so her speed was difficult to follow with the eyes. The power packed into her every move transcended the human realm.
But the Erica reflected in my eyes was light and graceful.
Her figure, closing in on the fleeing Ogre Knight’s back in three light steps—tap-tap-tap—possessed the elegance of a waterfowl landing on the water’s surface.
The corner of the forest, suddenly transformed into a sunlit clearing, seemed like a water surface glittering with light, and her red hair, colored by the Golden Magicka rising from her body, looked like beautiful feathers.
That’s why it looked almost gentle.
Against the back that had abandoned all Pride and everything else in its flight, Erica’s leg connected as if gently laid upon it.
The resulting outcome was the polar opposite of the image I’d held.
The Ogre Knight’s giant frame flew sideways at blurring speed, crashed into the wall of the crater it had created, and sank into a cloud of dust.
I was certain that the Ogre Knight would absolutely never stand up again.
Let me be honest. I had prepared for death, and I was terrified of it—that was just moments ago.
But I truly pitied the opponent who had forced such resolve upon me.
In other words, that’s what it means to stand before an angered Erica as an enemy.