Perhaps realizing that I was awake, Nina immediately swung the knife down around my neck.
"--Okay!
Reflexively, I put my arms out in front of me to cross my arms.
He swung down and the knife - just short of my neck and stopped without stabbing.
The crossed arms hit Nina''s wrists and succeeded in holding her down.
For a moment, me and Nina''s arms went rigid in the form of overlapping arms.
But soon I''m the stronger one, so I start pushing back.
''''Ugh...!
At the same time, Nina, who was on her belly, loses her position as I raise her upper body at the same time.
I return my own wrists to take the wrists I was holding there.
As I do so, I easily succeed in taking the knife that Nina was holding.
''Wow!''
I forcefully take the knife from her and Nina''s stance collapses as hard as she can and she falls off the bed and collapses.
She immediately tries to get up to correct her position, but she stops moving when the sword is placed on her neck from behind.
''Don''t move. If you move, I''m going to blow your head off.''''
Behind Nina was Mr. Liberto.
He apparently woke up when he felt Nina''s killing intent.
''Are you okay, Eric?''
Yes, somehow.
I reply, holding the knife in one hand.
If the blade had been a little longer, it would have stabbed me, it was a close call.
''You don''t have to ask me what I''m doing, do you? It''s probably Felix''s revenge anyway.''
Liberto-san speaks while holding the sword by Nina''s neck.
When I looked at Nina''s face, she didn''t look particularly impatient and seemed emotionless.
No, it might be a face that looks like she''s already given up.
She''s staring at my face with empty eyes.
''''........Your brother was strong. So the only way to kill the guy who killed that brother was to strike at night.
''Yeah, well, that ended up being a mistake too.
I was the weak link. I don''t have to tell you anything. Just kill me.
He takes a stance, meditating and waiting for the blade to be brought down on its neck.
''Right, then.''
Mr. Liberto raised the sword that was attached to his neck once.
''Wait, Mr. Liberto,''
I stop the sword I was about to swing down.
Mr. Liberto, who stopped with his sword raised, looks at me and puts it back in its scabbard.
''''Well, I''ll leave it up to you. This guy doesn''t look like he''s going to kill anymore either. I''m going to go to bed.
Thank you.
Yawning, I put the sword on the side of the bed and fell asleep.
I guess it was partly because it was a hassle, but I have to thank Liberto-san for letting me take care of everything.
''Nina, will you follow me without disobeying me?''
He gave a small nod when I asked him that question.
Continuing to talk here would certainly disturb everyone''s sleep, so I went outside.
Nina didn''t do anything in particular and followed me outside.
I talk to Nina at the back of the house.
The moonlight is very good today, so I can see Nina''s face clearly.
''Come to think of it, I didn''t tell you my name. It''s Eric Aulin.
He doesn''t respond to my introduction of himself in any way.
''Nina can''t use a sword or a knife, can she? Why did you attack me with a knife earlier?
When he swung the knife down and held it down, he could easily take it away from her.
If it was something I was used to handling, it would have been a bit more responsive, but Nina didn''t have that.
''I can''t use magic that can kill more than a knife,''
''What? Protection magic is a difficult magic, right? Then.....
The most difficult magic is the most difficult to manipulate, but after all, the amount of magic power is the most important thing.
Moreover, if you can expand the size of this village enough to surround it, that''s a lot of magic power.
I''m not sure I''m going to be able to find a way to get the best out of it.
It''s a good thing that the only magic I can use is life magic, except for protection magic.
Is that so?
''''I can do a little wind magic, but I can only create wind. I can''t do a blade of wind, that''s something I can''t do.
You''re kind of incredibly biased.
You have the best defensive magic, but you can''t do offensive magic at all?
But it''s still impossible. You can''t kill a strong person with something you''re not used to using. I used such a cowardly hand.
Nina laughs to herself.
''Your brother uses some pretty cowardly moves too, so I tried to imitate him.
Yeah, he didn''t show up until I was weak. And he took me by surprise when I was weak.
Well, I didn''t take him by surprise, but he did.
Yeah, so what''s the point of talking to me? Don''t you kill the guy who tried to kill you?
We''ll talk about it. You''re not going to kill me now, are you?
Hmm. So, what''s the story?
Tell me about Felix Gladio.
My eyes widen a little at my words and I''m surprised.
''Why? What do you care who you kill?
Normally I wouldn''t mind, but that guy''s a bit special.
The man who took almost everything from me in a previous life.
What did he think he was going to do when he became king?
Earlier, the people of this village, my home town, refused to allow Felix to become king like that.
I have no regrets about killing him, and I have no intention of doing so in the future.
But I''d like to know why he became king, even though the people of this village where he was born and raised opposed him.
''If you were his sister, you would have grown up in this village, right? I want you to tell me why that guy wanted to be king.
When I ask her that question, Nina removes her eyes from my face and looks into the distance.
She looks at me as if she is remembering something.
"...I didn''t grow up in this village.
''Oh, really? That''s his, Felix''s sister...
''I''m not related to your brother. It''s just that I think of Felix as my brother and he thinks of me as his sister.
So that was it. I think the atmosphere is a bit similar, but I guess that''s why we don''t look alike in terms of faces and such.
Nina continues to speak.
It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out what''s going on.