IRER 30

Chapter 30 — You Picked the Wrong Opponent

‘What an insufferable bastard.’

Aidan gritted his teeth and spun halfway around, shielding Brody from Jax’s sword.

The blade narrowly grazed Aidan’s back.

With a powerful upward slash, Aidan knocked Jax’s sword away and slammed into him with his shoulder.

Boom.

Jax’s bulky body crashed into the wooden inn wall, leaving a deep dent.

“Brody, are you okay?”

Wielding a sword that would be a two-hander for an average person effortlessly with one hand, Aidan swung it like a twig, even while holding Brody in his arms.

Despite his massive build, he was so fast that Brody felt like she was on a rollercoaster, barely able to register what was happening.

Her head was spinning, but she just nodded.

Once Aidan confirmed she was unharmed, he approached Jax, who was staggering to his feet.

With terrifying force, Aidan brought his sword down.

Jax groaned and caught the blow with both hands on his sword, barely managing to block it.

The impact was so heavy it felt like his feet might sink into the floor.

Jax pushed forward, slipping free of the lock just in time.

But Aidan didn’t miss a beat—he spun and slashed at Jax’s back.

Unfortunately, the blade only managed to rip a long gash through the back of Jax’s coat.

Jax seemed more offended by the damage to his clothing than the pain. He clenched his teeth and glared at Aidan.

‘So close… I could’ve finished it.’

Aidan clicked his tongue internally.

Unfazed by Jax’s snarling, Aidan moved again in silence, face emotionless.

His sword once again lunged toward Jax.

Jax dodged desperately, knocking over furniture and wrecking the room in the process.

“A… aah… s-sir, please…!”
The innkeeper’s whimper echoed through the room.

Other staff and guests gathered outside the narrow door, murmuring nervously.

But no one dared step inside the chaotic room.

Jax ignored them all—or rather, he couldn’t afford to notice them with Aidan’s relentless assault—and kept destroying everything in his way as he repeatedly targeted Brody.

Aidan grew uneasy with the growing crowd.

Earlier, he had passed off the situation as a lovers’ quarrel to avoid suspicion and made Jax look like a lunatic, but now that he was openly revealing his skills, someone might start questioning his identity.

Even if Jax was ignored, the Grand Duke of the North couldn’t risk exposure.

Brody finally caught on. She realized Jax was fixated on her, and Aidan was worried about the onlookers.

As swords clashed near her, the unfamiliar sound made her flinch—but she soon made up her mind.

She shouted toward the open door, where people were watching.

“Quite the big brother, isn’t he? He calls me his little sister and now he’s trying to kill me with that murderous glare.”

“……!”

Jax flinched in shock and finally noticed the crowd.

He quickly dashed to the door and slammed it shut with a loud bang.

Screams erupted from the startled people outside.

Jax tried to lock the door, but the latch had been broken when he barged in. He looked frustrated.

Just then, a plant suddenly grew from the door, twining around the latch and sealing it shut.

Jax whipped his head around to stare at Brody.

‘Why… her?’

To his surprise, Brody was smiling sweetly.

It was as if she were saying: Now that the door’s closed, who’s at the disadvantage?

Jax clenched his teeth in frustration but couldn’t bring himself to yank the door open again.

Meanwhile, Aidan, still holding Brody, calmly approached.

Jax felt sweat gathering in his palm around his sword and glanced toward the window.

If things went south, he’d have to jump.

“Planning to escape through the window?”

Brody’s clear voice rang out.

“Well, I guess honor doesn’t matter when you’re losing.”

“Ugh!”

As Jax bit his lip in frustration, something yanked at his ankle, and he fell with a loud thud.

A plant had sprouted from the floor, winding around his legs.

“What the hell are you doing? Brody, how—how could you do this to me?!”

Jax shouted in disbelief.

That Brody—his Brody, who once would’ve risked her life for him—had dared to lay a hand on him?

“Brody.”

For the first time during the fight, Aidan’s expression changed. He furrowed his brow and called her name.

He was likely worried—Brody hadn’t fully recovered yet, and now she was using spirit magic.

“Shh.”

Brody simply smiled and pressed a finger to his lips.

Meanwhile, vines continued climbing Jax’s body, wrapping tightly around him.

The first thing they silenced was his chatty mouth. All he could do now was grunt.

“Oh, come to think of it, poison ivy works wonders. What do you think, Your Grace? Interested?”

A red-leafed, toxic plant began growing in front of Jax’s eyes.

He flinched and tried to squirm away.

“If you plan to kill him, I can…”

Aidan whispered in her ear, but Brody shook her head.

She didn’t plan to kill Jax. Too many eyes had seen this place already—leaving behind a corpse would be a problem.

And besides, she had never killed anyone before. Just thinking it was hard enough.

But in this cruel world, she knew better than to say that out loud.

She motioned to Aidan, who understood and knelt slightly so she could speak more directly to Jax.

“So, Your Grace. How about we make a deal for your life?”

Jax, eyeing the threatening plant inching closer, gave a resigned nod.

“Tell me how you cast that magic on me.”

Jax—and even Aidan—froze at those words.

Brody shoved the poison plant closer when Jax hesitated.

“Mmmf!”

He flinched in terror and shook his head violently.

“I’ll count to three. Decide before I finish. Three, two…”

“Mmf!”

Before she reached “one,” Jax frantically nodded.

Brody shrugged and removed the plant from his mouth—though she kept the poison hovering near his face.

She tilted her head, gesturing for him to speak.

He stared at the poison and gasped out his answer.

“M-Magic… uses an artifact as a medium. The mana… comes from Her Highness, the princess…”

“Where is the artifact?”

Jax hesitated again, biting his lip.

But the hesitation didn’t last. The poison brushed his eye.

It wasn’t lethal, but the sting was sharp enough to send tears rolling down his cheek.

Through the tears, he whimpered out, “N-necklace.”

Before he even finished the word, Aidan’s hand darted out.

With a grimace, Aidan dug into Jax’s clothes and retrieved a necklace.

Finally. That should be the end of it, Brody thought with relief.

That nightmare would never return.

But as Aidan examined the necklace, he spoke.

“This doesn’t seem to be the only one. If an identical artifact exists, the magic can still be triggered. And since it doesn’t affect me… it seems limited to you. But how… I don’t know.”

Jax flinched at Aidan’s accurate assessment.

“Oh? So you gave us half the information? Should I take half your eyesight in return?”

Brody wiggled her fingers toward his eyes.

Jax screamed and squeezed his eyes shut.

“I-It must be deactivated!”

“Deactivate…? You mean something’s still active on me?”

Aidan’s tone turned grave.

“They must’ve made her ingest a potion that renders her vulnerable to specific magic.”

Brody tilted her head, confused. She had only met Jax after coming south. She’d never eaten or had contact with him before the spell.

That meant…

“You fed it to me already… even before I left the ducal estate…?”

Her hands clenched around Aidan’s shoulders.

She hadn’t personally experienced it, but she had Brody’s memories.

That same Brody who gave everything to him—and he’d secretly poisoned her, just in case?

“It… it was Father’s idea. Said you never know what might happen with people. But Brody, I never thought I’d actually use it on you… I never imagined you’d betray me…”

Betrayal? You’re the one talking about betrayal?

Brody nearly laughed.

She wanted to gouge out his eyes right then and there.

But not yet.

She steadied her trembling body and spoke.

“This is your last chance. What kind of potion was it, and how do I undo it?”

The poisonous plant extended to both of his eyes.

Jax whimpered, crying from the sting as he begged.

“I… I don’t know! I swear! Oh, Brody… are you really going to blind me? You’re too kind for that…”

“You don’t know?”

“I swear! Even if it exists, I wasn’t told! Her Highness said the effects could last years—or forever. She said knowing was pointless, since I couldn’t do anything anyway.”

Brody saw Aidan, his face dark, giving her a slight nod.

Jax wasn’t lying.

That truth crushed her more than any lie could.

She had hoped for a quick solution—but now, it might take years. Or never.

Would she have to keep living like this, with her life and identity constantly under threat?

Unless she could take down the spellcaster.

That was the only option.

In the end… we have to go after the princess.

As Brody’s expression hardened, the vines around Jax tightened, digging into his flesh.

“Argh… gahhh!”

Jax screamed, unable to open his eyes as the plants squeezed him painfully.

“Brody… p-please… I’m still your brother… I… I truly…”

Brody cut him off, silencing him with vines again.

“Farewell, Your Grace.”

“Mmmmf!”

Jax let out a muffled scream before his body went limp.