"Seika, I think he's dead for real this time," Rosa muttered as Gruen didn't stand up again. "There was a breaking sound earlier."
"His bones may be broken, but not his spirit!" Arthur tried to patch it up, but this was beyond simple patching. This matter was full of holes. As he wondered if the dwarf died, the man in question rose again while coughing dirt.
"I'll bake you!" The dwarf roared as he stood up and ran toward the machine.
"Oh damn, he's alive?" Rosa muttered as the dwarf passed by them. Arthur slapped his back lightly as he passed by, and the dwarf's body glowed. "What did you do?" The assistant asked.
"Oh, just healed his broken bones. He's pumping with so much adrenaline that he can't feel a thing." Arthur looked at Gruen, who was hugging the arm of the mecha with amazement.
"Are you… a spellcaster?" Rosa asked with a frown, and Arthur turned to her with puzzlement. "The fairy tale," Rosa's cheeks blushed. "The one about that spellcaster, capable of teaching others magic."
"That's just a fairy tale." Arthur shook his head as he turned toward the dwarf, who was getting calmer and more creative. He pulled Rosa back and threw up the barrier. "There's no such thing as spells."
"I see… why don't you give Gruen a barrier too?"
"I want him to face his death," Arthur said, which made Rosa look at him with shock. "Of course, I want him to live. It's just that awakening can't be achieved through a normal mindset."
"What sort of mindset can it be awakened through?"
"You see," Arthur's voice was distant. "Pain is a powerful incentive to change."
"AGH!" Gruen screamed as the mecha waved its arm. The giant machine slammed him to the wall, where he let go of the mecha and fell.
"It's futile. He can't win." Rosa shook her head, her black ponytail swinging along. "He'll just die if he keeps trying."
"He doesn't need to win but to awaken."
"Can't you see his body covered in wounds?" Rosa snapped at him. "I'm going to help him." She said as she dashed forward before something ethereal wrapped around her body, making her fall.
"Don't interfere." Arthur walked toward her and crouched beside her. "You might not believe in him, but I do."
"You just believe what brings you benefits."
"That's also a way to look at it. I'm an optimist, after all." Arthur nodded with a grin. "Just sit back and let the guy have a go at it."
"You're grinning now?" Rosa looked at him with distaste. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"You have a sharp tongue for an assistant." Arthur sat in a lotus shape and looked at the battle. "And it doesn't sit well with your idealistic beliefs about peace and battle."
"If we can avoid battle, why choose it?"
"Because it makes us grow stronger. Look at this guy. He's standing up livelier the more he gets beaten up." Arthur pointed at Gruen. "Didn't you notice that he never tried to run away or ask for help? The greenhorn knows he can't stay like that forever."
"Foolish," Rosa said with a complex gaze. Arthur turned toward her with interest.
"These ideals of peace don't stem from an ideology, but an experience." He stared at Rosa's frowning face with squinting eyes. "From a traumatic experience."
"It doesn't change anything," Rosa said as she struggled to break free but gave up when she realized she could not. "This is your choice, Seika. You either save him or let him die."
"And it would decide whether you'll work for me or not?" Arthur asked with a hint of amusement.
"Yes," The blacksmith apprentice nodded without hesitation. Arthur didn't pay them cheaply, so such determination was beyond his understanding.
"Suit yourself," Arthur said and turned toward the fight. The mecha was turning Gruen into a bloody pulp. Without his mana, the dwarf would have kicked the bucket long ago. Yet, even with his body breaking and his cowardice, the dwarf's will didn't break.
'I chose well,' Arthur was satisfied by Gruen's unbreakable will. He looked at the ground and saw metallic bits shake. 'It's close.'
However, his disappointment wasn't late to arrive. After the mecha slammed the dwarf for what seemed like the hundredth time, Gruen didn't stand up again. He passed out without awakening.
***
"All for nothing," Rosa spat as Arthur placed Gruen down on the bed in his house. "He just suffered for nothing. You were wrong, Seika."
"What happened to your timid personality? I liked it better." Arthur grumbled as he kept healing the dwarf's wounds. Even though they were healing rapidly, some of his bones were broken beyond recognition.
He didn't even look like the same person.
'Why didn't he awaken?' Arthur was confused, as he was sure that would be enough to awaken him. They fled using his teleport after Gruen passed out. Arthur wanted to deactivate the mecha without damaging it, so he didn't fight it.
"Gruen!" Aimee barged in as Arthur was healing him. Glaring at Rosa, who seemed to be the one who called her, Arthur stood up to the side.
"His wounds have healed," Arthur told her. "He should wake up any moment now."
"What happened, Seika?" Aimee glared at him. "You told me it wouldn't be this bad. His blood is everywhere!" She had tears in her eyes as Arthur stood there uncomfortably. He wanted to fire Rosa for calling her before Arthur got to clean him.
"The awakening failed."
"Do you think I care about that?" Aimee was baffled. "Is that everything in your damn head?"
'Is it just me, or does it feel like everyone is disrespecting me? Aren't I the lord or something?' Arthur scratched his head, but he felt like he might be the one in the wrong here.
As they stood there, Gruen grunted and began to wake up. The dwarf opened his eyelids, which were bloodied as well. His dazed appearance made Aimee's tear fall faster as she bit her lips.
"Did I… awaken?"
The question was the first thing that the dwarf muttered. His voice hoarse, but Arthur didn't know if his vocals were wounded or if it was from the shouting.
"No. You almost died," Aimee answered instead of Arthur, a sob leaking. "What were you thinking?"
"I…" Gruen closed his eyes with a pained expression. "Without this power, what worth do I have for Hidden City? A subpar blacksmith?" The dwarf coughed as he pulled himself up. "Even Ma is a better fit to be the manager than me."
"That doesn't mean you can throw away your life…" Aimee said as she calmed down.
"I'm not trying to throw anything away." Gruen gritted his teeth. "I just want to be of value. I want to create something here." He turned toward Arthur. "Please, Seika. Let's go back to the mountain. I want to try again."
As they heard his words, Rosa and Aimee turned toward Arthur with nervous expressions. Gruen's face was full of blood, but Arthur could sense his pleading to try again.
"No," Arthur refused, and the dwarf clenched his fist tight. "You are useless." Arthur continued as he walked toward the dwarf. "No backbone, no courage, not even the ability to grab the power in front of you."
"What are you saying?" Rosa pulled his arm back.
"Let go unless you want to die." Arthur glared at her as he spat. After meeting his eyes, Rosa's body trembled as she released her grip.
"You've said too much!" Aimee glared at him without fear, but Gruen grabbed her wrist.
"The Seika is right," Gruen said with a shaky voice. "I failed him."
"Pathetic." Arthur gritted his teeth. "You don't even dare to stand up for yourself? Do you know how much I risked for your worthless love?"
As he said that, Arthur waved his hand, and restraints sprung into existence like snakes. They seized Gruen and Aimee, separating them.
"What are you doing?!" Aimee shouted as her restrained body rose in the air against her will. Gruen looked dumbstruck by Arthur's actions and looked at him with confusion.
"Do you know what would happen if her father knew I took her away?" Arthur walked closer as a sword appeared in his hand. "She's nothing but a blathering time bomb."
"What are you doing, Seika?" Gruen asked with confusion, not registering what was going on.
"Taking care of a bad investment." Arthur's words were cold as he stood close to Aimee in front of Gruen. "I'm sorry, Gruen. I've done everything for you, but your failure brought this."
"No, Seika, please, no…"
"I don't want to hear your pathetic begging." Arthur's expressionless face turned into a grin. "I told you before, didn't I? I will kill you if you betray me."
"I didn't betray you!" Gruen struggled.
"Your incompetence did." Arthur continued. "You know what I did to that noble, right? Can you remember?" Arthur raised his sword.
"Please, no," Gruen muttered as tears flowed down his face. However, Arthur ignored him and swung his blade.
"STOP!" Gruen roared, but Arthur's blade descended without mercy. Gruen's body shook as the blade struck Aimee's neck, passing through it cleanly. "NO, NO, NO! PLEASE NO!" His tears flowed down his face unceasingly, and his mind threatened to break.
"Congratulations, Gruen." Arthur grinned at him as he raised the sword. The blade was bent unnaturally, making a sharp angle with the handle. Arthur placed the sword in front of the dwarf as he released them. "You awakened."
