"HALT!"
Dove's command cut through the deafening roar of Nico's spells.
[Here comes the classic entitlement…] Nico sighed as he cut the mana flow, snapping the barrage out of existence and leaving a sudden, ringing silence in the clearing.
For Alaric, the end wasn't nearly as graceful.
Alaric almost tripped forward as the relentless pressure of the ice bombardment ceased, and so did the wall.
He didn't consciously lower it; it simply gave out.
As the thick curtain of steam and dust slowly drifted away in the wind, the full extent of the disparity was laid bare for everyone to see.
Nico stood relaxed, his hands still coated in a thin layer of frost, looking as if he had just finished a light warm-up.
He exhaled a final puff of cold mist before the blue glow in his irises faded as he deactivated Ice Reinforcement, returning to his normal state with a casual shrug.
Alaric, on the other hand, was on his hands and knees amidst the rubble.
He gasped for air in ragged heaves as his body trembled through the backlash of overexerting his circuits.
"As the presiding authority of this duel," Dove announced, carrying no room for argument as she looked down at the broken mage. "I declare Nico the victor via the clause of Preemptive Assessment."
[And… here comes the tantrum.] Nico smirked as he watched Alaric slowly stand up on his feet while supporting his weight on the staff with a face still flushed and teeth still gritted.
As the others closed in, Alaric produced a small glass vial from his belt and downed it in a single gulp before taking a deep shuddering breath as the mana potion took effect.
And when he finally looked up, he glared at Nico with eyes that flickered with genuine fear.
Then, he took another deep breath, forcing his expression back into neutral as Peko and Nom-Nom took their places beside Nico.
Without waiting to be told, and under Nico's surprised gaze, he began walking straight toward Nom-Nom's direction.
Stopping directly in front of her, Alaric didn't shout or call for a rematch. Instead, he lowered his head in a respectful bow.
"Forgive me for my earlier words," Alaric spoke, his tone carrying far more maturity than Nico had anticipated. "They were harsh, insolent, and unearned. If there is anything I can do to correct this, please do not hesitate to ask."
Nico stared at him, his brain momentarily short-circuiting.
[The hell!?] Nico thought, stunned.
[Wasn't he supposed to get all pissy about losing? Then go bitch about us to his powerful family, who would send assassins after us? Isn't the script supposed to be endless escalation until eventually, we have to destroy his whole clan?]
Nico looked at the bowing mage, completely thrown off balance. This level of self-awareness was not in the isekai package he was expecting.
Beside him, Nom-Nom looked up at her master, unsure how to handle the apology. But upon seeing Nico give her a nod, she turned back to Alaric with a bright grin.
"Okay! I forgive you," she chirped, before her expression turned serious and her voice dropped to a softer, scolding tone. "But calling people 'cripple' is bad."
"I…" Alaric stammered as he looked up her sincere gaze, "Understood. I will reflect upon my actions."
Nom-Nom gave him a heavy nod as she let a big smile spread across her face.
And just as the silence settled, Dove's voice rang out from ahead.
"Now then," Dove said, as she gestured toward the vehicle waiting on the path. "Let's move on. If you would please board the carriage."
Nico gave a stiff nod to Alaric before moving his feet, still reeling from the emotional whiplash of Alaric's personality flip.
Alaric, too, seemingly recovered enough to ride, offered one last respectful nod before walking silently toward his own mount.
The carriage awaiting them was a stunning piece of craftsmanship with a midnight-black cabin detailed with gold designs that shimmered in the sunlight, drawn by two pristine white horses that stamped softly as the group approached.
For the trio, this wasn't just a mode of transport; it was a milestone.
Nico, being from modern Earth, had ridden in plenty of cars but never a horse-drawn carriage.
But for Nom-Nom and Peko, the significance was even greater. Having spent their entire lives in containment, this was only the third day of their freedom. To them, everything was a new experience.
Nico stepped up to the cabin first. Relying on the sheer muscle memory of opening thousands of car doors back home, he instinctively found the latch and clicked it open, saving himself the embarrassment of fumbling with the mechanism in front of the knights.
Stepping aside, he held the door open before gesturing with a grin. "After you."
Nom-Nom didn't need to be told twice. She practically vibrated with excitement as her wide eyes ran over the carriage.
She poked her head inside to inspect the plush seats before bouncing up the steps, eager to touch everything within reach as she plopped down onto the seats.
Peko, however, was far more reserved, but no less curious.
She slowly approached with her gaze sweeping over the gold inlays and the velvet interior with a look of quiet wonder.
She didn't say a word, but as she climbed in after Nom-Nom, Nico caught the faintest sparkle of delight in her eyes.
[Why do I feel like I've finally achieved something in my life…]
Shaking his head with a chuckle, Nico too boarded the carriage before seating himself beside Nom-Nom, who was very intently staring at the mana stone-lit little chandelier on the ceiling.
"Master," Nom-Nom turned towards Nico, pointing at the chandelier and spoke in absolute seriousness in her voice, "We absolutely need to have that if we ever get a home."
"Sure, Nom, 'when' we get our home," Nico said with a soft laugh, "And if I get my way… We'll have a whole lot of those little things… even the bigger ones."
Even Peko let out a quiet chuckle as she watched Nom-Nom nod with a satisfied smile.
And just as Nico rested his head against the seat, the carriage tilted a little as Dove climbed in.
"I hope there's space for one more," She said with a small smile.
[Beep me… more mind games?!]