And here we finish chapter 3 of the story! Guess we just covered the OVA that might or might not come out in 2 years?
Enjoy!
Chapter 3: Beautiful Fighters, Vanquished (Part 2)
Echidna’s Strike (3)
“That’s right, you’re empty-handed now.”
A further brandish from the snake sword exposed Elina’s breasts under the light of day.
“Kyah!”
A magic snake could be seen entangled in the white chest, as if playing with it.
“Eat this!”
The blonde wasted no time, and hiding her breasts with her left hand, she swiped at Echidna with the claws in her right.
*Thump!*
It did feel like she had hit a hard object… but the tickling in her left side ended up making her lose her strength.
“Kuh…”
Between the blow having been blocked by the shield and the never ending abuse from the magic snake, Elina didn’t have the strength to keep going. She just couldn’t stand anymore.
Buckling down, both of Elina’s knees touched the ground, but she still looked up at the elf, defiantly:
“I won’t… admit defeat… if it hadn’t been for these snakes…”
Her body might have given up, but her heart wouldn’t.
The elf sent a clear look to that kneeling warrior still full of fighting spirit:
“Stop blabbering and admit defeat, li’l lady.”
The snake sword flashed dangerously in her hand.
“If the snakes got to you, it was because you messed up. If you had just avoided them, nothing would have happened to you.”
The sword’s tip aimed towards Elina’s waist.
“Keep going, and you’ll end up wandering the streets in the buff.”
Her breasts were already exposed, so the only thing guarding her modesty were the clothes around her waist, indeed.
“T-That’s enough!”
Michel had been watching the fight so far, but it was then that he decided to intervene, just before Elina’s nakedness was exposed for all to see.
***
The boy gathered up his courage.
[We can’t keep waiting for Airi to come. Elina’s been protecting me so far, it’s my turn to do the same for her.]
“That’s enough!”
“Michel! Don’t!”
The scream that came out of the blonde’s mouth wound up sounding more like a shriek.
[Echidna’s is after me. I don’t think she intends to hurt me.]
That was his best guess.
But… was he right?
***
“That’s some nice courage you got there.”
Echidna stayed her weapon.
“Michel… I told you, don’t interfere. Because, I’ll protect you…”
Elina’s voice sounded strained as she writhed. If she relaxed even for a second, the innumerable snakes crawling all over her bare skin would try to get into places they shouldn’t. Fighting was already over for her.
“B-Besides… just a little longer, and Airi will…”
The elf’s next words determined the winner:
“Too bad, but I don’t think your assistant will come anytime soon.”
At the same time she spoke, an object was tossed at the floor from somewhere behind Elina and Michel.
“That’s…!”
Both of them opened their eyes wide; it was the chained collar Airi had worn.
Unlike the maid’s wraith clothes, that consisted of the same spiritual matter than her body and were maintained by her own essence, that was an actual solid object Elina had placed on her as proof of obedience.
Seeing it now on its own in front of her eyes, the blonde found herself at a loss for words.
“ ‘Your inn is the Silver Twilight Pavillion’. That’s the message your attendant left.”
The girl who had thrown the collar spoke to Elina.
“She was a fine attendant.”
[Airi can’t come to help.]
When the realization hit her that her maid had vanished, most probably after running out of essence, all will to fight left her eyes… and Echidna was quick to notice.
“Nagare, capture the boy.”
Following the girl’s order, a shadow at the boy’s feet climbed up his body, restraining him.
“Ah! Aah!”
Elina recognized the technique. That was the favorite method the Kouma used to capture their victims, as the fight against them back in Hinomoto had shown. Which left no doubts: Echidna had allied herself with the Kouma.
“Michel!”
Despite Elina’s attempts, the elf got to the captured boy before her.
“The fight is over, li’l lady.”
The veteran mercenary carried the boy under her arm, then made a signal to one of her allies, that had appeared from behind Elinla.
“I’m taking this child.”
Echidna needed to say no more to state her triumph.
“Sagari, cover our retreat.”
Obeying her orders, the female ninja made a fog wrap around them all.
Despite the newcomer being behind her, the Vance girl never looked back; instead, she kept a fixed gaze at the boy captured by the elf.
“I’ll get you back if it’s the last thing I do.”
He gave a silent nod acknowledging her words full of conviction; that was the last she saw of him before the fog engulfed him.
***
A white darkness took away her sight. Rather than a typical smoke screen, it was more of a dense fog.
The snakes toying with her body lost their energy and fell to the floor. Wriggling snakes no more, only lump of metals now, their shape a mere mockery of a little serpent’s.
[Echidna is gone now. And she obtained what she came here for…]
“Uwaaaaaaaaaah!”
It had been her first defeat as far as she remembered; the scream carried with it the frustration she felt at her own carelessness.
On the other hand, apparently the people interested in Michel didn’t limit themselves to Airi’s mistress and her goons.
Maybe it was news of their feats in Hinomoto that had raised Echidna’s curiosity in the boy. Not just that, she had come up with the perfect plan to ensure her victory.
[Would I even have been able to win if we had just fought normally?]
That was the source of Echidna’s strength, however: get rid of any factors that might contribute to your defeat, stay focused at all times, and crush the opposition relentlessly.
...However, considering it all, the elf had made a small mistake. One so small, she might not even have noticed herself.
Which was: since their fight hadn’t been an official Queen’s Blade match, Echidna’s victory hadn’t come with any kind of binding request to give up on the boy.
“You just watch… I’ll definitely… definitely get Michel back.”
Elina made a vow to herself, as she held the collar Airi had left for her.
Claudette at the Drill Grounds
‘Spend one hundred days developing a soldier, to exhaust him in one morning.’
She heard it as a proverb in the East, but for Claudette, it was demonstrably true.
As both the eldest daughter of Earl Vance and the general in charge of his army, Claudette made it a point to be present during the soldiers’ training.
Regardless, her mind was presently preoccupied with the movements of Elina, as she chased after their runaway sister Leina. And she could hardly be blamed for being worried.
According to the latest rumors, her sister had left for Hinomoto accompanied by one wraith… the general could only hope she was safe.
[Speaking of Hinomoto, that’s the homeland of the Warrior Priestesses, isn’t it? They and their pure white kimono with a vermillion hakama… Elina sure would look good in a snow-white kimono.]
The image of Elina wearing a shrine maiden costume popped up vividly in her mind.
“How adorable…”
Her features relaxed in an instant.
[Granted, the dresses she wore at balls were exquisite as well, but those priestess attires full of exoticism are a league of its own.
Unlike me, built only to wear war regalia, Elina also looks great in gorgeous costumes. I wonder if I can get her to try on some for me when she comes back, opposed as she might be to the idea.]
“Is there any problem?”
An adjutant standing near her asked, having seen how her expression changed. After all, that was their job; if the general noticed any kind of fault with the soldiers’ training, it was of utmost importance that it be fixed as soon as possible.
“Oh no, it’s nothing.”
Claudette answered calmly, trying not to let her emotions show.
“The soldiers are fulfilling their duties admirably. I’m looking forward to leading them in the battlefield.”
If there was something the Vance general was good at, it was keeping a poker face.
[If I could, I’d like to go to Hinomoto right away and help Elina. And why miss the chance to see her in a priestess outfit while I’m at it!?]
But, as the remaining Vance daughter, not to mention the eldest, her responsibilities as the army general tied her there.
(Hard as it might be… I can only believe in her and wait.)
With a sigh, she turned her gaze to the sky far away.
Episode 3 END
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