You don't even want to call me godfather

"Dream? Of course I do. Sometimes I even dream of a hound covered in fire."

"Do you have nightmares?"

"Nightmare?"

"Well, I had a nightmare last night," Little Laplande lost her usual smile on her face. She curled up beside Koshe in an extremely insecure posture. "I dreamed that a group of people with weapons rushed into my house. My parents were killed by them. I was the only one who escaped with the help of other family members. At that time, many people died. Many people."

"No wonder you're in such a bad state today," Little Koshe turned sideways and lay face to face with Little Laplande, "It's just a dream, don't think too much about it. How could someone suddenly break into someone else's house in Syracuse in reality?"

"Yeah... that's right," Little Lappland replied nonchalantly, "It's so strange, what's wrong with me today, this is not my style at all."

"It's not a bad thing to do this occasionally. It's tiring to keep the same expression all the time. Just think of it as a break."

Little Koshe stretched out a hand, supported little Lappland's head, rested his chin on her head, and narrowed his eyes.

"Well... this feeling... is not bad..."

Little Lappland smiled, a warm smile that was completely different from the usual smile on her face.

Just like a normal kid should be.

After an unknown amount of time, both children woke up.

A thick cloud blocked the sunlight and the sky gradually became dark.

"It looks like it's going to rain."

Little Koshe was the first to get up from the grass, looking at the gloomy sky and said.

"Well...but, we haven't had any training today."

Little Lappland opened his eyes dazedly and said.

"Then don't lie on the ground anymore, get up quickly," Little Koshe stood up and stretched out a hand to Little Lapland, "It's better to fight quickly before the rain gets heavier and decide the outcome in one round."

"Okay, that's what I asked for."

Little Lapland held little Koshe's hand and was helped up from the ground.

She picked up the bamboo sword that lay beside her, and little Koshei also got into position at the same time.

There was only one chance. Little Lappland aimed at little Koshe's figure and prepared to attack the ribs where the least defense was.

"coming soon!"

she cried, leaning forward and taking her first steps in the direction of little Koshe.

But then, both of her feet left the ground at the same time, and a strong hand grabbed the back of her collar and threw her backwards.

It was Lapland now. She rushed forward with a long knife in her hand and swung a swift blow at little Koshe.

"Ding!"

The long knife was caught steadily. The place where little Koshe should have been was now filled with anger and hatred, but Koshe was unusually calm. He held the short knife to resist Lappland's attack.

The locations of Little Lapland and Little Koshe are now occupied by Lapland and Koshe.

The intimacy of the past is gone, and complicity and communication have turned into hostility and silence.

Koshe held Lappland's long sword and pushed it to the side, following Lappland's force and letting her attack hit the ground.

Koshe then stabbed Lappland again, this time aiming for her unprotected abdomen.

"Tsk."

Lappland was shocked. She drew back her sword and blocked the attack.

Then, she turned the blade over, and with her flexible sword skills, she pushed Koshe's short knife and hand upwards, and took a step forward. Another long knife followed, pointing directly at Koshe's neck and chopped it off.

"Uh!"

Koshe used his dagger to block the blow in time, but the huge force caused the back of the dagger to dig into his neck and knock him to the side.

Koshe fell to the ground and tried to get up, ignoring the bleeding wound on his neck.

But Lappland would not miss this opportunity. Taking advantage of his strength, he slashed fiercely from top to bottom.

Koshe held two daggers above his head, and Lappland's first blow made him half-kneel on the ground, forcing him to become the defender.

The next few blows were more and more fierce. He realized that he could not withstand more attacks. He supported Lappland's next swing, and Koshei timed it well and bounced back Lappland's attack.

Lappland's long sword was bounced away, and Koshe took the opportunity to stand up.

For a moment, the roles were reversed and Koshei became the attacker. He did not miss any opportunity to attack and kept swinging, stabbing and slashing. The advantage of the dagger was magnified at this moment, and it became more powerful and faster.

Lapland maintained a blocking posture, and she was a little overwhelmed. Every time she wanted to attack, Koshe would throw the dagger into the air, then catch the falling dagger after dodging and continue attacking.

Finally, she found an opportunity. In a feint, she used a fake attack to trick Koshei into throwing the dagger up. Then, she swung her long sword and knocked the falling dagger away.

With the loss of a dagger, Koshe's advantage gradually diminished.

Two fists are no match for four hands, and a short sword is no match for two long swords. Finally, when one attack was blocked by Lappland and the two were in a stalemate, Lappland used his other long sword to hit the short sword's blade with force, and the up and down force broke the short sword's blade.

Koshe lost his weapon. Looking at Lappland who was slashing at him with both swords, he decisively threw away the broken swords, tilted his body, and let Lappland's double swords cut into one of his shoulders.

With this, he grabbed Lappland's wrist in one move and pulled her towards him.

The blade moved in the shoulder as the body moved. Koshe endured the severe pain, bent the free arm, and hit Lappland's throat hard with his elbow.

"vomit--"

This move stunned Lappland, but before she could react, Koshe grabbed her shoulders and used his lower body force to throw her over his shoulders, and the two swords were pulled out of his shoulders.

"Ahem——"

Lappland fell on his back and even bounced up a few centimeters. His two swords slipped out of his hands and fell beside him.

Koshe quickly pressed Lappland down with his body and restrained her arms with his hands.

"you lose……"

Koshe was panting. It was not very pleasant to fight in such a physical condition, but he had no choice. At least he had controlled Lappland now.

But although Lapland was suppressed, she was not panicked at all. She smiled contemptuously.

Then she sat up suddenly and hit Koshe's forehead with her own.

Koshe's hands loosened a little, and Lappland took this opportunity to quickly pick up the two long knives at hand, pressed Koshe in turn, and inserted the two knives into Koshe's coat sleeves. The blades penetrated into the ground, completely restraining Koshe.

"No, you lost."

Lapland smiled contemptuously. There was blood still flowing from the crazy woman's forehead. The blood flowed down her eyes and nose and dripped onto Koshe's face.

"Don't forget, Cascade, you taught me all these physical skills." Laplander shook her hair that had become messy due to the fight, and looked at the blood dripping onto Koshe's face, or more precisely, onto the corner of his mouth. She bent down and said maliciously, "So, since I won, shouldn't I ask for some reward?"

"Varied--"

Before Koshei could say anything, his lips were suddenly blocked by something.

His eyes widened in disbelief, his pupils shrank, and he was completely unable to react to the current situation.

Taking advantage of Koshe's distraction, Lappland broke through his defense in one fell swoop.

When Koshei tried to break free, he felt a slight pain on the tip of his tongue.

This crazy woman actually...

Chapter 33 Empathy

"Aha--"

Laplande left Koshe's lips and took a deep breath. The fierce attack just now made him feel almost suffocated.

"This is the first time I've defeated you, Cascade." Laplande stood up and licked the bloody corner of her mouth with a playful expression. "The dead are evil, and the winner is righteous. Since I'm the loser, I have to obey the winner, right?"

"Lappland..." Koshe looked at Lappland and shook her head in disbelief. "You are such a crazy woman."

"Crazy woman? Mad man?" Lapland laughed wantonly, as if he had heard something funny. "Hahahaha, Cascade, um, Cascade, do you know why I haven't corrected my address to you for so long?"

"..."

Koshe didn't say anything. In his opinion, the woman in front of him was completely crazy and there was no possibility of conversation at all.

"Not talking? Fine, then let me tell you, Koshe," Laplande called Koshe by name, which was rare. She leaned down, lifted Koshe's chin with her finger, and said viciously, "Because I will never forget that day. You told me that no one would break into my house, but Cascade! Cascade family, you did it! Break into my house and kill my parents! Kill my family's followers! Kill all the important people to me! I will never forget it!"

Lapland's expression was distorted by anger, and even though he was only a few centimeters away from Koshe, he did not try to hide the murderous intent he exuded.

"I will let you know how I feel, Koshei. I will let you watch your family members, your friends, your father, and the false godfather, die in front of your eyes. I will let you feel everything I have experienced. I will let you know... the helplessness when I hid in the corner and watched my family being slaughtered... the confusion when I had nowhere to go after surviving the disaster... when I..."

Lapland cried, tears rolling down her cheeks and dripping onto Koshe's face.

"Lappland..."

Looking at Lappland's appearance, Koshe leaned his head weakly on the ground.

He seemed to be hesitating about something, his right hand retracted into the sleeve of his coat that was trapped by the long knife, and then he pulled out a short knife hidden in the sleeve.

He pulled out his right arm, freed from the restraint of his coat, and slashed the dagger across Lappland's left eye, leaving a splash of blood.

"Ah...ah..."

Lapland covered her eyes and fell backwards. She simply lay on the ground, blood flowing out from between her fingers, but she remained unmoved.

Koshe took off his coat, stood up from the ground and looked at Lapland, not knowing what to say.

"I know, Koshe, you won't forgive me," Laplande said as she lay on the ground. She had completely lost the desire to continue fighting. "You told me to keep your private life separate from your public life. So I know you. You won't forgive me. Kill me now."

"I won't kill you, Laplander," Koshe wiped the blood off the dagger on his clothes and said, "I said it in the bar, I won't kill you."

"No, you will, you just don't want to do it yourself, I know you, Koshe," Laplande shook her head, she stretched out her other hand, "but at least now, let me have your friendship for the last time, help me up, Koshe, this is fucking painful."

"..."

Koshe bit his lip. The tip of his tongue had just been bitten by Lappland and it still hurt a little. He nodded and reached out to hold Lappland's hand.

But Lapland was unwilling to get up. Instead, she pulled Koshei hard and fell towards her, and when Koshei fell on her, she hugged him tightly.

"What are you doing, Lapland?"

Koshe was once again confused by Lappland's magical behavior and thinking, but Lappland even entangled her legs around him and he couldn't break free at all.

"Koshe, what I want to tell you is very simple," Laplande said with a little cry in her voice. She said seriously and softly, "Listen, sometimes I am actually very fragile, okay?"

"Well, I know you are vulnerable. I have always known it."

Lappland's words made Koshe stop struggling. He relaxed his body and hugged Lappland.

"Very vulnerable... Really, Koshei, I just want your friendship, but... I'm really... really... sorry..."

The limbs that Lapland had restrained Koshei gradually relaxed, and she patted Koshei on the back, signaling that he could get up.

Koshe stood up and extended his hand to Lappland again.

But this time Lapland had no intention of getting up. She just wanted to lie there and wait for Koshe's judgment on him.

With mixed feelings, Koshe took out a pack of cigarettes. The cigarette box had been deflated during the fight. He took out the last two cigarettes from it and threw the box away.

"Crack, snap."

He lit one for himself, took a deep breath, and exhaled the smoke.

"Give me one, too, Koshe."

At this time, Lappland, who was lying on the ground, said.

"Don't you know how to smoke?"

"You smoked, and I want to smoke too."

"...Really, you're always like this."

Koshe handed the last cigarette to Laplande and lit it for her.

“Hiss… huh… cough cough——”

Lappland took a sip of the liquid in a formal manner and then began to cough.

"Look."

"Forget it, I'll get used to it eventually. At least this one tastes much better than the one you gave me last time."

Lappland coughed and said.