Reincarnated With Zero Aptitude For Magic

Chapter 11: I can defeat you without using magic

After being unconscious for an estimated time of 6 minutes and 28 seconds, Arion went back to cognitive thinking and found himself lying on the floor while a lady was sitting above his abdomen.

Thanks to his Mechanical Exoskeleton attached over his body intact, spiraling from his guts down to his legs like an extensible outer carapace of ribs, he never received any kind of visceral feeling or whatsoever.

Later the clamoring crowds encroached his ears, observing the situation where he's currently in position. Reclining in the midsection of the lobby as the other mages were gazing at him in utter disgust while the lady is sitting above him as if it was a reasonable thing to do.

"I heard he scored zero in the aptitude test, could he be a degenerate?" A guy from the crowd said.

"No, I eavesdropped earlier and found out he actually succeeded in overcoming the second test, and it's the reason the Jade Princess showed herself." Another one of the mages spoke.

Unbeknownst in his wake, he thinks it's time to react to the current circumstances.

"Who are you? I beg your pardon, but will you please get out of my way?" His intuitive way of fixing the situation while maintaining his chivalry was none other than just his formality.

In the first place, Arion angered the Jade Princess when he forcibly opened the door outward without knowing the consequences. And now he's further provoked her from not dispensing any manner of respect.

While looking at her in a close-quarter, she has beautiful white hair extending below her waist. Her beautiful eyes had the aura of the velvet moon and crimson red, a fine body, and truly fair skin, though locking something on her upper bosom from wearing a long loose robe with sleeves tailored with the pattern of mother nature perfect for a dryad as herself.

Despite having no riped chest at all, it was toppled off by how elegant her tingling long ears could be. "They were the same with Lilith." He thinks directly in his head.

"Who am I?" She finally snapped her reasoning. " I am great dryad of the Moonlight Forest, Adriel Induis, or known as the Jade Princess!"

"Wow. A dryad! I'm Arion Aldrehrt " His reaction was pretty lackluster. Still, deep inside he especially was amazed seeing a tree spirit up close.

It could also be the reason why he thought her race was an elf. He can't determine the subtle difference between the two. His mind can't follow up on the logic of this world deciding he'll just stick with the reality of science he once knew.

"That's it!" Adriel stood up in a clank, utilizing the 4 inches heels of her unconventional footwear to trample over his legs. Good thing again that her Mechanical Exoskeleton is covering his entire body except it has compartments of space in between just like any kind of rib bones which makes his carapace armor vulnerable to bullets. And as if there are guns in this world of magic, he thought to himself.

"Accept my duel right here and now! I don't care if you destroyed my black magic crystal, but if you ever lost..." Adriel gestured her hands and a magical staff which has a spiraling motif of emerald and green ornamental jade appeared out of thin air.

"What if I lost?" Arion interjected. He was using his pinky finger to remove his ear wax as if non-verbally saying he doesn't care.

"If you lose Arion, you shall serve under me!" She declared and the entire crowd blared.

"What's the deal with these people? Are they thinking this is some kind of chicken fight?" He really hated blaring loudness since he got accustomed to silence whenever he's inventing stuff.

The pride he had swelled in his presence, Arion valued Adriel's vanity and clout as the Jade Princess, facing her head-on despite the odds against him. It only started with a simple misunderstanding and it turned into a situation that even the mages gathering around have no way of hindering the both of them.

Worried that her master gets defeated, Lilith who was standing outside their vicinity came straight running towards him. "You mustn't Arion! She's the strongest mage amongst us here and acquired the title of Magister..."

She kept tugging him from getting out of the situation before it gets messier than before. Now that Lilith mentioned to him, it's evident from the adamantine emblem attached to her flat chest that she has the title of Magister, the highest title a mage can acquire.

"No, a man must face a lady with grace, and through grace, a resolution can be found." He's spouting philosophical nonsense.

"What...?" Even Lilith had no comment.

"Forget it. I can't just let her off the hook when she challenged me. More like, would you please explain why does destroying the black magic crystal be an amazing thing?" Arion was pondering over it.

The most crucial thing they should see was that he's in fact have no ability to bend the course of magic nor have any kind of control over it, confirmation that the magic mirror reflected a zero score.

Lilith then beckoned Arion to come closer. He lowered his head near her cheeks as he can feel her soft breathing. Holding his chest while listening, he undoubtedly skipped a heartbeat for a moment.

"You should know this already. Long story short, the magic crystal you destroyed was enhanced using her alchemy magic, and only those who are stronger than her are those who can shatter it. Meaning, you just proved you are more powerful than her, that's why she's angered to the point she wants you to work as her servant." Lilith explained the entire situation that cleared Arion's doubt.

They were whispering with each other for a while and Adriel was left behind. She appears to be talking about a non-existent object and decided to interfere between the two.

"Hey! I said listen to me! And you fire witch... get out of my way!" Out of ferocity, Adriel clenched her staff and clobbered it upon Lilith's left shoulder causing her to get driven directly against the wooden platform.

The collision of Adriel's staff was actually accompanied by strong wind magic that Lilith hit her head on the deck, receiving a mild concussion in the blink of an eye.

"Don't ever get in my way! Now that she's out, we shall now–" Adriel suddenly stopped in motion when she took a glimpse of Arion's blank face.

The eyes of someone who lost all hope, he's firmly gazing at his companion unconscious on the first threshold, blood dribbles over the wooden floor.

Those who have seen his countenance understood the meaning of fear. Arion's Mechanical Exoskeleton began ticking so loudly, the clockwork within his chest reverberated a noise they have never heard before, along with the steam and smoke coming out of his physical form.

"Adriel..." Arion called her name while facing downwards.

"Wh-What? She deserved it!" Instead of saying an apology, she further humiliated her condition.

"If I ever defeated you without using magic... then you shall be mine!" Arion declared his unyielding confidence.

A conviction that snapped his rational thinking, he would never just accept the fact someone had hurt his companion. He shall make sure justice shall be preserved, even if it means hitting a lady once in a while.