When it happened, I was sitting in my room, poring over some dusty old scrolls about mana manipulation. A magnificent ice statue of my dear Nii-ni materialized in the middle of my sanctuary. I was momentarily speechless, awed by its intricate detail.
But before I could even contemplate why or how this happened, the statue exploded into fragments, disappearing as suddenly as it had appeared. My eyes widened in disbelief, my heart pounding in anger.
Who would dare? Who would dare destroy a statue of my beloved Nii-ni?
I don't know what's happening, but I know one thing for sure. Someone's going to pay for this. And that's a promise.
As I stepped onto the scene, I felt the air yield to my icy aura. The mist solidified, taking on a spectral form that swept through the air like a haunting waltz of winter spirits. I didn't walk so much as I glided, each step giving birth to ephemeral ice flowers that seemed to suck the warmth from the earth itself.
I emerged from the fog, my arrival as irrevocable as winter's first storm. My eyes met those of the stunned spectators. A man of considerable might looked bewildered.
Beside him, Pedro, the one holding a shattered replica of Ryujin's sword, appeared utterly feeble. Ester was there, too, standing back as if trying to fade into the scenery. My eyes, a piercing shade of azure, might have been colder than any glacier, but within them raged a fire — a conflagration of emotions and purpose that could easily scorch the soul.
(A|N: Amelia did not listen to his name, so it'll be weird if she knows. That's why I didn't put his name and left just as a man.)
I looked at each of them in turn, and my voice tinged with a frosty calm, leaving no room for ambiguity.
"It seems like your time just ran out."
The audacity of Pedro never ceases to amaze me. To think that he would still be causing trouble after the chaos he and Suzune initiated against my precious Nii-ni. My gaze then shifted to Ester, who looked like she'd be swallowed by the earth rather than stand there.
"Ester, my cousin, what are you doing with that damn Pedro?"
"Cousin?" Pedro's eyes widened as if he'd heard the most absurd thing.
"Yes, my cousin. What is she doing with you, you bastard?"
"He… I… I… I was after that sword he was holding. He stole it from Ryujin,"
Ester stammered, her voice trembling like a leaf in a storm.
"This fake sword is all broken? Do you take me for a fool, Ester? Anyone with half a brain would know this is a fake. You can't be that naive." I looked at the broken sword and then back to Ester.
"I thought it was real, and I came after it, I swear." Ester's voice trembled with nearly suffocating fear.
I know that sly fox well enough to see when she's lying.
"What? False, but..." Pedro's voice trailed off into a whisper. Panic washed over his face, a poignant blend of despair and regret. He tossed the broken sword to the ground.
"Yes, Pedro, it's fake. How utterly amateurish of you... fufu."
I couldn't help but chuckle at the spectacle of his ineptitude.
"Amanda-sama… well… changing the subject, this guy who hit Pedro destroyed the statue I made in honor of Ryujin. I made it with so much care, and yet he destroyed it!"
"What?" I could feel the blood drain from my face.
That bastard, he was the one who destroyed the statue of my beloved Nii-ni. He would have to pay for this unforgivable transgression.
"You, what do you have to say in your defense? Who do you think you are to destroy the statue of my beloved Nii-ni?"
"General of Famine..."
In a blend of fluid grace and deadly intent, I executed the [Frost Impact] spell. Ice spears coalesced around me, crystalline tips glinting menacingly in the dim light. With a flick of my wrist, they shot forward, screeching through the air as if crying out for the blood of the one who dared to desecrate my Nii-ni's statue.
The General of Famine, taken aback by my magic's potency, hurriedly chanted an incantation. A wall of thick earth materialized before him in a desperate attempt to block my attack. The collision between my ice spears and his earthen wall resulted in an explosive burst of soil and frozen shards.
Several spears broke through his defensive magic, puncturing him in various places. He staggered, grimacing as he plucked out the icy projectiles, his eyes meeting mine with a blend of disbelief and fear.
"Heh, did that hurt? You're only starting to pay for your insolence. No one and I mean no one, touches anything related to my beloved Nii-ni without facing severe consequences."
"Thank you for sav--"
My face twisted into a dark, unsettling smile, abruptly halting Pedro's words. With a swift motion of my hand, I formed a spear of ice in the air, its point as sharp as my contempt for him.
He gasped, clutching his abdomen, the realization dawning on him too late.
"You thought I'd forgotten about you? You will also pay for what you did to my Nii-ni!"