My Servant Is An Elf-Knight From Another World

Chapter 32

"Bargain?"

There was a moment of utter disbelief, then through repressive grunts, she started feebly chuckling at me.

"You offer nothing of value to me," she said, her laughter ceasing almost at once. "You expect me... to listen? I don't need this, leave me be or kill me. Pick one so that I don't have to listen to your grating voice any longer."

Ria whistled. So much hostility on the verge of death, even I was somewhat amazed.

Luckily for me, I already expected her wholehearted uncooperative-ness, she can tell me to get lost all she wants, I wasn't going anywhere. Besides, it's not like she could either.

"You need help with your sister," I said. "What kind of help, I can't say for sure... but you were fighting her. I get the feeling you're not looking to kill her but just to make sure, do you want her dead?"

"I want you dead."

Okay then... so much for being civilized.

'We can help you. I know you don't have a lot of time. That sun comes up, you go to sleep, no telling what will happen next, right? Ria's a phoenix... fire is a valuable asset here, Adalia shrank away from it. All I'm asking is that you release Ash. You do that, then I can convince her to help you too, and then you could - "

"Stop."

A demand uttered so simply, yet spoken with such intensity that I felt compelled to comply with it. I had thought given her weakened state, I was able to take control and steer the discussion where I wanted it. The one with all the cards in his hand.

How wrong I was. Amelia was already sitting up, already healing, already fine. The swelling, the scars, gone. Like they were never there in the first place.

"You want to bargain?" She said, speaking without struggle. "You can't. You won't. Not on your terms."

Her eyes then shifted over to something over my shoulder. Curiosity went ahead and got the better of me and I turned to follow her gaze. The moment I did, I froze.

The glistening tip of a sword was pointed directly in-between my eyes. The wielder smelled of burnt flesh and singed clothes. How, where, when... those questions were all thrown out the shattered windows of the building as I took in the sight of Ash again, ready once more to deliver the killing blow, as she had so many times before.

Ria, who was supposed to be watching over me, had her hands cupped over her mouth with the most dumbfounded look on her face.

"I didn't even see her..." she said breathlessly.

Amelia spoke again, the same tone, the same intensity. "Back away."

When Ash lowered her sword and retreated a few steps back, that's when it clicked. How aloof she seemed even at the face of death, how Ash had suddenly snuck up on us beneath our notice... Illusion magic... this Matriarch... I was never the one Amelia was telling to stop. The cards were never in my hand.

Unsurprisingly, with such a turn of events, I wasn't feeling as daring as before anymore. Every nerve, every muscle in my body started twitching, between fight or flight, it chose flight, yet I had to see this through. I might never get this chance again.

"You haven't killed me yet," I said, treading my words in the side of caution. "I'm guessing you know you need Ria for this."

"If not for her, human..." Amelia said ominously, the scowl in her expression turning towards Ria. "If not for her..."

Ria for her part did not do much to diffuse the tension.

"Please, excuse the human," she said, straining a smile. "He's just a bit grumpy that you made his girlfriend break his leg."