Meredith was burning. Not quite literally.
But a fierce violet flame of defiance blazed in her eyes—one that Auren never thought he'd witness, never imagined she was capable of producing.
Meredith had always seemed like a cool, indifferent person. Auren had assumed even her anger would be cold and impassive.
But for the first time since meeting her, her eyes reflected raw emotion—a malevolent mixture of hatred and indignation that transformed her face.
Her reaction to the broken spear seemed excessive. It was just a spear. Yet Auren understood how one might grow attached to an object, especially a weapon that had accompanied someone through countless battles.
The discrepancy, however, was that this was Meredith's first battle, so that reasoning didn't quite apply.
He didn't need to overthink it though. Attachments could form from any source. What he needed now was to contain this situation, to keep it from spiraling beyond control.
Auren wasn't certain how to calm her down, wasn't sure if anything would work even if he tried.
In this case, his judgment was to let events unfold. Whatever Meredith planned to do, she should do it first...
'...I need to get rid of the two of them.'
He wasn't being stupid—it wasn't about protecting them, or maybe it was, but he didn't care. With the three of them present and one under the influence of intense emotions, his control was precarious at best.
If it were just him and the knight alone, Auren would feel more at peace with that.
While he was thinking...
Meredith shot forward.
Auren's eyes widened as he watched her move. She became a mere silhouette, blurring across the distance, her speed truly astonishing!
But despite her tremendous velocity, it proved futile. The knight simply stepped forward, thrust out his hand, and caught her by the throat.
Her body dangled in the Knight's grip. He grimaced darkly and slowly raised her up, tilting his head slightly as he examined her with a dangerous, stern red light burning in his eyes.
"I have no use for useless maggots like you. Don't get in my way."
He hissed and tossed her aside, just as he had discarded her spear. It seemed like an effortless, casual throw, but Meredith's body tumbled through the sand, rolling over multiple times before finally coming to rest, half-buried in the black sand over a hundred meters away.
Auren was appalled. Yet simultaneously satisfied. He had confirmed now that he was the Knight's true target, which meant the others could flee and get out of harm's way.
He would handle this alone.
He stood tall, carefully studying the Knight's face.
Unlike before, the Knight wore no helm to cover his features. But the rest of his armor was unmistakably the same.
Auren couldn't forget. It was too fresh in his memory. He'd probably never forget, not until he had killed this man.
That white cloak, the darkened steel armor, the red cross embroidered on the cloak—every detail was seared into his mind.
And the indignation that burned in the Knight's eyes toward him. He recognized it instantly.
'It's you, isn't it...'
Auren grinned.
'The guy I roughed up and stole his sword from.'
The Knight's eyes burned even more fiercely, the crimson light flaring brighter.
But Auren didn't stop. He continued speaking, raising his chin with a condescending smile playing on his lips.
"A Knight like you losing his sword. I'm sure it must have been a great stain on your divine honor. You let a scrawny prisoner escape, unable to mow down a single child. What a disgrace you must be to your sanctum, or whatever the hell you guys call it around here."
The Knight's eyes burned even more fiercely as he cautiously watched Auren begin to walk forward with a crooked grin.
The Knight observed him, indignation searing his gaze. Yet he remained motionless, carefully tracking Auren's confident movements.
Auren meanwhile...
'Ah shit, hope it works, hope it works, hope it works. If he decides to rush me, I'm dead! Well, death isn't the worst thing to worry about... what am I saying? It IS the worst! I don't know when I could die for real!'
His mind was in chaos, a complete contrast to the composed facade he presented to the Knight.
He had managed to reach the Knight's left side, not far from where his sword lay. The landing shockwave from earlier had catapulted his weapon, and it now rested just four steps away.
The Knight watched him with sidelong eyes, then shifted slightly as his gaze trailed to where the sword lay.
Auren noticed this and bit the inside of his cheek.
'Oh, hell!'
Strangely, the Knight showed none of the reaction he'd displayed with Meredith. He merely rolled his eyes and sighed with disappointment.
"So what do you think a heretic like you can do with a holy sword?"
Auren grinned broadly, glaring at the Knight with a demented light in his eyes.
"It's been pretty useful, for carving meat."
The Knight's eyes widened. Suddenly, all that calm demeanor shattered.
"You worm! What did you just say?"
His voice trembled with rage.
"You used my holy sword... forged with the steel of a thousand lights, a grace bestowed upon us Paladins by the Father of Light?!... You used it to carve... meat?"
Auren's brow furrowed slightly. He had moved those four steps and was already picking up the sword.
He examined the silver metal with a slight frown, then looked at the Knight, his expression suddenly shifting to innocent confusion.
"But it's very sharp and really cuts meat easily. What else could I have used it for? Don't you use it to cut meat?"
Auren perfectly matched his face to the innocent tone of his words.
But he was being deliberately provocative, and he knew it well. He had no chance of defeating the Knight in a fair fight. He needed the holy fighter—this Paladin—to lose his composure completely.
His earlier condescending comment had been too slow to provoke the desired reaction.
This one, though... seemed to be working quite well.
'Religious people are so predictable…'
The Knight's face got furious, and he lunged.