Su lightly shook her body in place, then stared blankly at Berik, as if to say it was his turn to start.
"Shall I start the tir, then?"
Click.
Su set the pocket watch attached to her waist. Simultaneously, Berik charged at Su, throwing a punch.
"Don't cry when you get hit!"
"Sure!"
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sound of fists cutting through the air was chilling. Berik moved with a killing intent in each of his movents. In contrast to his desperate efforts, Su was remarkably relaxed. She evaded every attack by simply taking a step back.
"One minute has passed."
"Damn it! Are you going to just keep running away?"
"And if I don't? Can you handle it?"
"What bullshit! Fuck! Fight properly!"
His emotions started to disrupt the flow of his punches. Ian sat on a well-cut rock, watching them. He understood the aning behind Su's words.
"This is what happens when I attack!"
Thwack!
As if enjoying himself, Su struck Berik's jaw.
The punch landed squarely. Berik's balance wavered, but he managed to stay upright by sheer force of will, digging strength from his thighs.
He hesitated, looking up at Su. Honestly, the shock seed to co more from surprise than the impact itself.
"You..."
"Isn't it pathetic? Getting your ass handed to you without landing a single blow on your opponent? Well, if you're happy, I'm happy too."
"This crazy, psycho bitch..."
Thwack!
Before he could even finish his curse, Berik's head snapped to the left again. Su unleashed a rapid barrage of attacks, giving Berik no respite.
Ian, resting his chin on his hand, could only sigh.
'He's t his match.'
With her personality, he doubted the sparring match would end cleanly. Berik had no choice but to stand there and take the blows raining down on him from all directions. Su's strikes, like dozens of bees stinging relentlessly, exploded all over him.
Thud!
"Berik, are you alright?"
"Fuck, don't talk to ."
"Glad to hear you're okay."
Berik glared at Ian, his eyes blazing. Even a slight lapse in concentration would allow his opponent to exploit an opening. Defense was his only option now.
Ian checked his pocket watch and glanced at the annex. A man, presumably Nersাচারn, stood by the window.
"Two minutes left."
Thwack! Thud!
At Ian's announcent, Su's kicks intensified. She looked like she was enjoying herself, almost disappointed that ti was running out. Though ti was short, one thing had beco clear after three minutes of sparring.
"Su, you're really fast."
"Of course. Do you think Nersাচারn brought along for no reason? No one in our tribe can keep up with ."
"But do you know what?"
Perhaps it was the hint of laughter in Ian's voice that made Su turn her head back involuntarily. For a mont, in the darkness, Ian's eyes seed to gleam gold.
"You've been relentlessly attacking for dozens of tis now, but Berik is still standing. You're fast, but you lack substance."
Even with the aid of mana and Berik's robust physique, it had been a one-sided fight. Berik was taking hit after hit, yet he refused to fall.
Su's coppery skin flushed red, as if Ian had struck a nerve. She was probably aware of this flaw herself.
"You...!"
"Normally, he should be a bloody ss by now."
"Ha! I was going easy on you, and now you-!"
Su let out a shrill cry in her excitent. Her kicking stance wavered, adding unnecessary movent to her attack. Berik, who had been shielding his neck, seized the opportunity and grabbed her ankle.
"It still fucking hurts, even if there's no blood."
"Hey! Let go! Let go, I said!"
"Would you, in my place?"
Su, with her leg awkwardly caught, tried to use her upper body for support by closing in. But Berik was faster. He quickly struck her abdon, forcing her onto the ground.
Thud!
"Argh!"
"I told you before we started, didn't I? Don't cry when you get hit."
"Who's crying? Are you crazy?"
And then, ptui! Her spitting was truly an art form. Berik mounted her, pressing down on her face to keep her still.
"I'm going to show you what a 'bloody ss' really looks like. Look forward to it."
"Get off! Get off , you redhead!"
"You're one to talk. I'll make you look just the sa."
He rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a vial of red pignt. Su froze, montarily unsure of his intentions.
Ian checked the window, then slowly approached the two, crouching down. The shadows by the window had multiplied to three. It seed Nersাচারn, Gansha, and Muzulun were all curious.
"Su, don't take it too hard."
Ian tried to calm Su, who was struggling under Berik's hold.
"Even in an agreed-upon spar, it wouldn't be good for either of us to draw blood. The fact that Nersাচারn sent you, the youngest, instead of Gansha or Muzulun, shows his wisdom in wanting to avoid serious harm to the opponent."
"That's not it! Shut up!"
"Well, it's up to you to accept the truth. But the important thing is, you're currently pinned down by Berik, and if this were a real battle, you'd be dead."
Su grunted in frustration.
Berik, with a triumphant grin, sared the pignt all over Su's face. In an instant, she looked like she was covered in blood.
"Now go back and tell them this. We won't knock you out for external reasons, but if you acknowledge our victory, we'll give you a solution to clean this up. If you leave the mansion like this, the Cheonryeo tribe will be rembered in a rather embarrassing light by the citizens of the Bratz territory."
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The alarm of the pocket watch sounded just as Ian finished speaking. Berik, having ticulously applied the pignt, released his hold. Su imdiately kicked him in the stomach and scrambled to her feet. She tried to wipe it off, but to no avail.
"Ugh! What is this!"
"A special pignt my mother uses. She likes it because it doesn't wash off with water or sweat."
Su looked up at Ian with despair in her eyes. Everything except her white irises was red. She gnawed on her lip, gave Berik's head one last whack, and then fled to the annex.
Thwack!
"Ow! That little...!"
Berik rubbed the back of his head, cursing Su's retreating figure. Ian offered him so solace, infusing him with more mana.
"Good work."
"But is it really okay to let her go like that? Shouldn't we have beaten her up as they wanted, to avoid any trouble later?"
"Your choice of words is crude."
"Shouldn't we have destroyed her, Master?"
"...It's fine. If Su's condition is bad, Derga will surely notice. Even if they agree, the Count might interfere. And above all, the Cheonryeo tribe values their family bonds."
If they had actually beaten her to a pulp, there was no telling what kind of retaliation they might face across the border. They needed a way to get their approval without bloodshed.
"But it really went as you said."
Ian had ntioned two things before the spar.
First, if the opponent only evaded instead of attacking, use provocation to draw out an attack. Rather than chasing an opponent you can't catch, change the direction of force to make them co to you.
Second, endure. The Cheonryeo tribe is a bellicose people. Endure until they beco intoxicated by the elation of a one-sided battle, and an opening will surely appear.
Ian created the opening, but it was Berik's role to seize it.
"It's not just because they're Cheonryeo, it's usually like that. Those who are agile often lack power."
Su had already disappeared into her room through the window. Red stains marked the ivy on the wall, but no one would likely notice.
Ian nodded, signaling it was ti to return.
"Lord Ian? Where are you going?"
"Just to the main building for a mont."
"Please refrain from going outside tonight, as security is tight. And you are ordered not to let any outsiders in."
The guard reported, blocking Berik's path. It couldn't be helped. Ian nodded, and Berik said he would return tomorrow before leaving the mansion. Ian passed his own room and went up one more floor.
Knock, knock.
"It's Ian."
"...Co in."
"No! Tell him not to co in!"
"Su, be quiet."
The room was in chaos when he opened the door. Gansha and Muzulun were trying to wipe Su's face with a cloth. But it only sared the pignt, making things worse.
"If you wish, we can provide you with a solution to remove it."
"Giving poison and then the antidote? Are you kidding ?"
Nersাচারn raised a finger, signaling for silence. Then he turned to Ian.
"We agreed to a spar, and now this mockery. I find it insulting."
"Is that so? I apologize if that's how you feel, but wouldn't it be better than leaving Bratz with a bruised and swollen face?"
"There are no 'what ifs' in a battle."
"But Su's face makes 'what ifs' possible. If the pignt is applied to this extent, there is no need to say more."
Nersাচারn narrowed his eyes. Su gritted her teeth, looking like she could explode any mont, while Gansha and Muzulun exchanged unreadable glances.
"Ahaha! Haha!"
The silence was broken by Nersাচারn's laughter. Gansha and Muzulun joined in, leaving only Su with a long face.
"Alright, we lost. There's nothing more unsightly than refusing to accept defeat. Berik, was it? Su was grinding her teeth, saying she'll take him to the Great Desert and make him work like a slave."
Despite his words, there was no slavery in the Cheonryeo tribe. They were all family. Ian added respectfully.
"Please forgive the rudeness, but I hope you understand that I have correctly interpreted your intentions, Nersাচারn."
Soone's injury and Count Derga noticing it could have unforeseen consequences in their communal relationship. If things went badly, both Ian and the Cheonryeo tribe would be in a difficult position.
Nersাচারn smiled, a long pipe in his mouth.
"Very well. I'll bring an extra Kushil for the peace ceremony."
He ant he would bring transportation for Berik. Ian expressed his gratitude and took a small vial from his pocket.
"Mix this with water when you wash, and it should co off."
Snatch!
Without a word, Su snatched the vial and rushed to the washroom. Gansha and Muzulun chuckled, shaking their heads, and Nersাচারn offered Ian so wine.
"Care for a drink?"
The Cheonryeo tribe didn't impose restrictions based on age. Everything was simply free under responsibility. Ian felt a sense of euphoria, savoring the wine after such a long ti.
"Nersাচারn."
"Yes, Count."
Dawn was breaking.
The city was still asleep, but the Bratz mansion was as busy as midday. The guests, who had arrived like the wind, were preparing to leave.
They gathered in the main building's dining hall, filling their stomachs. They had a long journey ahead.
"I accept your request. The peace ceremony will be held a week from today. It's short notice, so we'll keep the preparations to a minimum."
"On behalf of the Cheonryeo tribe, I thank you for your understanding, Count."
"Please convey my best wishes for success to your chieftain."
Derga had returned a few hours ago, during the darkest part of the night. He must have had a long discussion with Sir Molin. It seed Sir Molin would also be leaving for the capital soon.
Although it was for Ian's adoption, they would likely present the Emperor with a whistleblower's seal instead of the adoption papers.
"Then, until we et again, Demosha (Under God's blessing)."
With their farewell, the Cheonryeo tribe mounted their Kushils. Su, her face now clean, looked at Ian from under her hood. When Ian smiled slightly, she bared her teeth unseen, expressing her annoyance.
"Let's go!"
"Open the gates!"
Neigh!
The Kushils' cries and the sound of hooves echoed loudly. They quickly left the mansion, just as they had arrived.
Derga, the Countess, Chell, and most of the servants watched them go. They seed to still be in a daze from the early morning.
"The peace ceremony is in a week. We must prepare without fail, even if it's simple."
"Yes, understood."
It was the butler who urged them on. The servants snapped to attention, turning to look at Ian. The child's expression was unreadable.
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