Love Letter From The Future

The axe blade traced a silver line as it embedded itself into the object. A sharp sensation reverberated through my hand as the blade disturbed the solid texture.

Until then, Senior Delphine showed no signs of movement.

There was no need for her to do so.

My hand axe struck the goblet she allowed. With a sound of crashing glass, shards scattered through the void like falling snow. And the sweet scent of wine brushed against the tip of my nose.

The wine flowed down like blood. The wine of deep purple spilled over, soaking the table and quickly flooding the surface.

In the void, my eyes met Senior Delphine’s. She did not seem surprised or flustered at all. She merely let out a soft, sly laugh.

Her blood-red eyes remained calm. I did not like that fact one bit.

“Senior Delphine.”

“Yeah, right.”

Her nonchalant demeanor stirred irritation in my eyes. I narrowed my brows slightly and spoke to her in a voice that barely concealed my simmering frustration.

“…Please stop scraping.”

“Did it show too much?”

And the goblet tilted once more. The woman, like a sun hidden behind the moon, sipped wine with an alluring grace.

A playful smile lingered at the corners of her mouth. Though her gaze was laden with blatant affection, it did not feel pleasant to me.

It was the gaze of a stronger individual. It was as if she were looking down on me like a toy that piqued her interest, knowing I posed no threat.

My eyes flared with increasing ferocity. Senior Delphine laughed as if she found that adorable.

The hand gripping the hand axe trembled. But I had to endure it. My opponent was none other than the heir of the prestigious Yuridina Clan, and before that, a half-naked woman.

Being invited into a noble’s private space meant I had to trust them entirely. I could not betray that trust. Especially considering that for an imperial noble, nothing was more precious than honor.

No matter how much she provoked me, I had to remain composed. To give in would be to trap myself. And, above all, that unwavering gaze of hers.

It meant she had considered all the possibilities of me lunging at her. It showed her confidence that she could subdue me.

If I could not even capitalize on the element of surprise, there was no reason to assault her. Gritting my teeth, I withdrew the axe that had struck the table.

The antique table bore a grotesque mark left by the blade. The spilled wine flowed into that scar, staining it a deep purple.

If asked to compensate, I would have to oblige. Of course, for Senior Delphine, the rightful heir of the Yuridina Clan, it would likely be a trifling amount.

Seeing me strap the hand axe back to my belt, Senior Delphine nodded slightly as if she expected it. Then she tossed the remaining wine in her goblet into her mouth. She seemed to be feeling the effects of alcohol, a blush rising on her cheeks.

Her eyelids traced a gentle curve. It was a captivating wink.

“When I find someone I like, I tend to want to tease them… What about a mischievous woman?”

I let out a chuckle that almost escaped me. Though my eyes remained sharp.

“…I don’t think it’s that pleasant, experiencing it today.”

“That’s too bad, but it’s okay. After all, you’re going to come under me anyway.”

With that, Senior Delphine walked slowly to stand in front of me. Her body edged closer. With a little focus, I could feel the subtle warmth of her skin nearby.

The fragrant scent of wine brushed past my nose. Senior Delphine’s warm breath dampened my ear and neck.

“To trust each other, secrets shouldn’t exist, right? That’s why I told you something special.”

“You will regret it.”

“Regret… me? Ahaha!”

Senior Delphine burst into laughter, as if she’d heard an amusing joke. Her movements were a bit exaggerated, likely due to the alcohol. Now that I thought about it, I too might have felt a little tipsy.

So, with someone as significant as Senior Delphine before me, I could speak without trembling.

It was not merely a matter of composure. My cold, settled gaze was still observing every vital point on her.

Her snow-white neck was currently the most vulnerable area. However, whether she knew my thoughts or not, Senior Delphine laughed for a while and whispered in my ear.

“…I-an, Perkins.”

The fleeting glance of her blood-red eyes seemed vaguely dazed, yet they could not conceal the distinctiveness deep within.

The pride of a beast, along with absolute confidence in herself.

“I have never regretted anything, not once. If such a day comes, it will only be when I face defeat.”

In other words, it meant she had never lost until now. Her words exuded an absolute confidence that hinted she would continue to prevail. If it were anyone else but Senior Delphine, I might have laughed off such arrogance.

But since the speaker was Senior Delphine, it was different. She had the qualifications to say so. Her life’s trajectory served as proof.

I well understood that language’s weight varies depending on its speaker. Still, my grumpiness bore a sardonic reply.

“You shouldn’t be too careless… especially when you’re unarmed like this.”

“Want to test it out?”

A provocative smile graced Senior Delphine’s lips. I sighed and turned my gaze away, feigning disinterest.

My hand axe drew out at that very moment.

With a swift sound slicing through the air, the axe blade gleamed. Like the guillotine’s blade, the hand axe fell along the optimal trajectory.

A straight, simple, yet most powerful strike. Generally, short-ranged weapons incur disadvantages, but that was a different story if there was an enemy this close.

The shorter it is, the easier it is to accelerate instantly. My hand axe was no exception. It struck downward at a speed quicker than an unsheathed sword, a chilling light.

However, it was before that line could be drawn.

With a clash and an eruption of flames, the golden light radiated.

Senior Delphine’s hand, previously wandering near her thigh, shot forward like a ray of light. A golden sheen glimmered as she swept upwards from below.

It was a dagger. The golden aura around the dagger effortlessly deflected my hand axe. Surprised by the unexpected impact, my hand axe was flung high, and that was the end of it.

The dagger, draped in golden aura, pressed against my neck. I felt a gentle heat against my skin.

I heard that Senior Delphine’s aura could melt even ordinary metals just by touching them. If it only felt warm, it meant she was holding back.

A dissatisfied grunt escaped my mouth. Senior Delphine flashed a sly smile.

The sudden motion caused her gown to slip from her shoulders slightly, but I averted my gaze with effort.

Otherwise, I would feel as if I were losing, both as a swordsman and as a man.

Once my hand axe was thrust high and stopped moving, Senior Delphine retrieved her dagger, displaying a satisfied expression. The golden aura dissipated from the dagger.

“…You were hiding your weapon, weren’t you?”

“Of course! Do you think someone like me would face someone without a means of self-defense? Oh, but if you want it, you can take it. It was strapped to my inner thigh.”

So that was why the blade had that fragrant scent. I suddenly realized the identity of the vaguely sensed aroma when the blade brushed against my throat.

Senior Delphine looked at me playfully, her eyes exuding confidence. She seemed genuinely pleased, and perhaps I didn’t know. If I were to ask, she might genuinely lend me the dagger.

It was an enticing offer, but my answer remained the same as always. I looked at Senior Delphine with an expression of reluctance.

“I don’t need it.”

Her pride slightly wounded by my repeated refusals, Senior Delphine’s face fell. But soon after, she shrugged, seemingly indifferent.

“Anyway, you get it now, right? Whether you’re careless or not, it’s impossible for you to defeat me…”

At that moment, I clenched my hand around the axe handle tight again.

The hand axe held high, it collided with Senior Delphine’s dagger. It remained in place, and at the moment my arm muscles tensed, what happened next was almost predetermined.

Cutting through the air, the axe blade came crashing down at high speed.

It was yet another ambush. I thought it a perfect attack exploiting her carelessness, but Senior Delphine’s response was even swifter.

Her blood-red eyes grew cold again, and her dagger shot forth like a serpent. It was clear the previous situation would repeat itself. A faint smirk flickered in her gaze.

However, in the next moment.

There was a sickening tearing sound, and blood sprayed forth. The startled gaze belonged to Senior Delphine.

Because the palm of my hand had blocked her dagger.

A burning pain coursed through me. The sensation of flesh and muscle being torn apart never became familiar, no matter how many times I experienced it. The pain felt as if needles were piercing my spine, and I bit my lips to stifle the scream that almost escaped.

Senior Delphine’s eyes widened in disbelief. It was as if she never thought it would come to this.

It was a cowardly tactic. But what could I do? I could not endure unless I landed a blow against her.

At long last, my hand axe made contact with her.

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