Black String of Fate

Chapter 38: The Demon King and the Magician (3)

"W-What do you mean, 'glass canon'? Is this what you remember me as?" Seraphina asked with indescribable desperation in her voice. She found it hard to accept her evaluation in the Demon King's eyes.

"I mean... Yeah. You were an Archon, but you were nowhere near me or the hero. The only thing you could do was stay in the back lines and fire some annoying spells that irritated the hell out of me. Once your barriers were down, I moved in to take care of you, but when you flew away in a single half-assed strike, believe me, I was surprised too.

I know mages are supposed to be weak physically, but that weak?

I'm already bad with names, so when someone who was like a glass canon appeared before me, I would remember them as a glass canon only."

The more Xavier spoke, the more it hurt the pride of the magician.

'For me, Xavier the Demon King was like a primal fear, an absolute battle god that never seemed to fall. His inhuman resilience and freakish strength had left a mark that could never be forgotten by the whole hero's party.

Yet, such a person, who I believed I had a grand, memorable battle with, remembered me as some spell-flinging fly who got swatted away with an off-hand strike... Ugh, I just want to dig myself a hole.'

The mental shock was enough to drain all the fighting spirit Seraphina had. Even though she was not as talented as the hero or the demon king, she was still an Archon Magician. If ranked, she was probably the third strongest of her generation. Being disregarded this way was not something she was used to.

Xavier also confusedly relaxed himself as he saw her will to fight disappear for some reason. He was just being honest, did her words hit her so hard?

'Looks like her pride was a fragile thing...'

"Now listen, glass canon. Even though you may feel threatened by me, I reciprocate no such feelings. I have retired from my title of the Demon King, and I hold no similar ambitions I had in my past. I now know that the hero will do a much better job at that, so I leave everything up to him.

I am still trying to find my way around this second life of mine, once again

"Sure, but..."

Xavier was walking away when Seraphina called out,

"Why do you keep calling me glass canon? I believe I have properly introduced myself."

Xavier, without looking back, replied,

"Why not? It's fun. I just have a nasty habit."

"...Huh?"

Seraphina was dumbstruck for yet another reason.