Chapter 91: Lullaby for the dead
Axelius now stood at the center of the arena, right in front of the watching crowd. He raised his arms slowly, let out a long yawn without shame, and stretched his back like he had just woken up from a nap.
In front of him, standing straight with narrowed eyes, was a familiar girl — one of the twins who had ambushed him during the earlier part of the trial. Her expression was sharp, her hands clenched, and her pride clearly wounded.
"You just got lucky earlier," she said coldly, stepping closer. "This time, everyone will see how weak you are. They’ll laugh at you."
Axelius blinked slowly. He reached a finger to his ear and wiggled it lazily like he was trying to clean it out, then blew the dust from his finger as if her words didn’t even reach him.
The girl’s face turned red in anger.
A knight then approached from the side, carrying two training swords. The girl stepped forward first, snatching her sword with confidence and stepping back to her position.
Another knight came and handed the second sword to Axelius. He accepted it with one hand, tested its weight, and gave it a lazy swing — then another — and another. The blade sliced through the air easily.
"Now I miss my katana," he whispered under his breath.
Owen, resting above Axelius’s head, bounced up and down in excitement.
"Oh! Oh! Let’s go make a katana! Katanas are way cooler than these clunky swords!"
Just then, the horn blew — its sound echoing across the wide trial field. It was the signal that the battle had begun. The girl’s face darkened. She glared at Axelius, who was still talking to himself, swinging the sword like a bored child.