The Trash's Guide to Rewriting a Parallel World

XI

If... I trained hard as well... Can I use a sword as beautiful as this?

Magic swordsmen and swordmasters are different. He can't make his sword look as beautiful as this. Even when he's trained by the dark elves or the calculative Lief, Alberu knew right away that he couldn't compare with the red-haired.

"Your Highness," Cale called, "is your sword for decoration? "

That playful smile.

That accusing smirk.

Cale's action wasn't to insult him but to urge him to fight as well.

With a strong slash, he cut down the enemy on their way. Magic flaring powerful but not as grand and mighty as the aura.

However, Cale, who has yet to see anyone use a magic sword, immediately had a stupid, awe-struck face watching Alberu.

He loved watching Choi Han fight with his black aura, but this is the first time he saw a magic swordsman.

He didn't know why but his blood boiled and made every nerve in his body tingle with excitement.

The thought—I want to fight him. Kept echoing inside his head.

Slashing the last enemy, Alberu was about to keep dismissing his magic when Cale's sword slashed through the air, aiming for him.

"You bast—" clink! clang!

Cale was smiling while attacking the prince. Alberu could only grit his teeth and smile the moment he realized that Cale Henituse was indeed a hardcore bastard!

"Dance! Your Highness! " Cale laughs and attacks him as soon as both of them are about to unleash their power. However, Alberu's action was stiff, someone forcefully trying and pushing himself to wield his sword.

Cale immediately noticed the distraction in Alberu's gaze.

Whose... silhouette are you seeing right now?!

"Haha." Cale laughed. It made Alberu flinch. "What a pathetic excuse of a coward."

Cale found someone who's even more broken and pathetic than he is.

A boy who clings onto hatred but keeps a farce in his so-called vengeance when he's actually afraid of the sword.

Lief stood between them and stopped both their swords with his bare hands.

"Stop killing each other," Lief said.

Cale immediately noticed the difference. It's not the Lief from before.

Alberu glared at Lief and drew his sword back. It's the annoying Lief again.

Just how fast do these Liefs change in an instant?

Cale paused and drew his sword. He instinctively knew that he couldn't go head-to-head against this man yet. But I wondered, then, who was the Lief Cicero accompanying us a few minutes ago?

He wanted to ask but the moment he noticed Alberu's expression, he stopped himself from doing so.

He couldn't hear what the instructor whispered into Alberu's ear but it was eerie and definitely not good.

Alberus' broken gaze was enough proof of his brittle side.

"Wha—" Even before he could call out to the prince, footsteps echoed, and Cale and Alberu kept their swords and wore their usual smiles.

"Your Highness! " The guards, too late to come to the rescue, earned scornful laughter from Cale.

Everyone, nobles and royalty alike, immediately knew what the master of the Northeast would do.

"I guess. You're not as loved as in the rumors, your highness." Cale's cold words echoed painfully. The royalty, who were neither too strong nor weak, including the guards that were supposed to look into the welfare of the First Prince, seemed like a joke right now.

"You should fire them all, Your Highness." The vicinity should be one that allows immediate response, but they only came when the commotion died down, "and place them with people who can protect you..."

Cale walked past the people, calmly and proudly.

He glared at the part of the Palace of Joy with such intensity.

"I can tell this place is trying to kill you, My Friend."

Then Cale looked away and left the supposed peaceful tea party.

[*****]

"He's sharp," Hannah said the moment the fight stopped.

Working in the arm again made her seethe in anger but that's fine. It's so much fun playing the villain again.

"I didn't think Choi Han would be able to create such a monster." Clopeh laughed, totally wanting to fight his god's version in this world, "to think he was able to detect us when we were using an aura-suppressing tool already."

Choi Han wonderfully fulfilled his job in honing and creating such a powerful swordmaster.

"The issue now is Alberu." Cale spoke. "Little Alberu's resolve is not commensurate with his power."

"Even with the golden chipmunk training himself, there's a limit to human resolve."

Unlike Cale, who found a goal, Alberu's attachment to his goal is weak.

"I guess simple assassination doesn't give him the realization yet."

Revenge is a strong attachment but that's that. Unlike Alver, who was able to grow up powerfully by being a shitty son of a bitch and scamming people, this Alberu is different; Alver Crossman turned him into someone who's overly obsessed with himself.

"What are you planning, golden chipmunk? "

It's either he's pushing Alberu to become a tyrant or—

"His self-destruction," Cale solemnly said.

Cale's words hung heavy in the air, a grim reminder of the path that lay ahead. He knew that if Alberu continued down this road, his downfall would be inevitable, leaving devastation in its wake.

Alver Crossman, just what are you trying to do?

Changing the flow of the world already comes at a cost. Cale felt a surge of urgency as he contemplated the implications of Alver's actions. Every decision made now could ripple through time, leading to consequences that none—not even he—could foresee, and he resolved to intervene before it was too late.

This world will die if Alberu gets destroyed.

Cale's heart raced as he envisioned the chaos that would ensue, a dark shadow looming over everything.

He understood that he needed to confront Alver and persuade him to reconsider, as the fate of their reality hung precariously in the balance.

But... he also knew... that Alver wouldn't do anything without reason.

TBC