Episode 79. The Thorny Rose
The morning after Rose grew stronger-a day when the sun beat down fiercely.
My three daughters and I paid the innkeeper a small sum to temporarily borrow the front yard as a training ground.
Camellia stood on the opposite side, kicking dirt off her shoes as she grumbled.
"Seriously, this is ridiculous."
Last night, Camellia had reacted with utter disbelief and visible irritation to Rose's duel challenge, while Ricoris merely shrugged and settled in the shade to read a book.
As the eldest daughter, Camellia accepted the duel to "properly establish our hierarchy." But the second daughter, Ricoris, dismissed it as "utterly pointless."
"Do you truly refuse to compete, Second Princess?"
"Ricoris has a name-Ricoris. Using it would please both Ricoris and Mother."
"I fail to see why our liege is relevant here."
"Because Mother dislikes such hierarchical titles among us."
"...Noted. Then shall I consider your refusal as forfeiture and defeat in this hierarchy competition?"
"Think as you wish. Ricoris finds supporting Mother far more important than competing over meaningless ranks."
"Do you believe you'll remain by our liege's side even after being demoted in the hierarchy?"
"Do you think Mother cares about ranks decided by the likes of us? How amusing."
Rose provoked Ricoris into joining the duel, but ultimately retreated, clicking her tongue at the younger sister's stubbornness and sharp tongue.
Though I couldn't read Rose's mind, the flash of contempt in her eyes and her faint whisper gave me a glimpse of her thoughts:
"Coward..."
Thus, only Camellia agreed to duel. The two stood at opposite ends of the yard, awaiting Rita's instructions as the appointed referee.
"This spar will be single-round. It ends when one becomes incapacitated or surrenders. Since this isn't a life-or-death match, lethal attacks will result in disqualification. Understood?"
"Yep~"
"Yes, understood."
Camellia leaned casually on her shadow-forged spear planted in the ground, while Rose gripped a practice shortsword bought cheaply from a nearby smithy, adopting a textbook swordsman's stance.
To any observer, Camellia appeared arrogantly relaxed-but only I, with my all-seeing skill, knew she'd prepared thoroughly to crush her sister completely.
Three shadow hounds lurked in Camellia's shadow. A serpentine shadow beast hid in Rose's shadow. Bat-like creatures waited in surrounding darkness, while chains and manacles primed to ensnare Rose lay concealed in pillar shadows.
Since no rules forbade pre-battle preparations, I remained silent. I wanted to see Camellia's true capabilities and didn't wish to limit their potential with adult interference.
"Triae, are you sure we shouldn't stop them?"
"Let them be. This was inevitable-if anything, we've suppressed it too long."
"But...? They're both so strong. What if someone gets hurt?"
"Rita and I will intervene immediately. Some injuries are unavoidable, but if they learn from this, it's a cheap price."
As Cecilia fretted, Rita signaled the duel's start.
"Begin!"
"Little sister? Come at me. I'll give you three free moves."
"How long can you keep that attitude...?!"
Clang!
Rose charged first, swinging her shortsword fiercely. Camellia raised her spear shaft to block the blade.
Camellia deflected the sword downward before flicking the shaft upward to strike Rose's temple.
Thwack!
"Guh...!"
"Did you really think I'd give you free moves?♥ Hahaha!"
"This duel concerns our hierarchy! Don't insult it-fight seriously!"
"Oh my? I am serious. Or are you making excuses already because you're losing?"
Rose scowled and launched another furious assault.
Camellia deflected each strike like a staff wielder, but Rose's superior Strength stat gradually pushed her back.
Camellia's style-wide, swift strikes while exploiting openings-proved ineffective against Rose's relentless, straightforward charges. After two more exchanges, Camellia suddenly transformed her shadow weapon mid-swing.
"Hup!"
Swish!
As a blade sprouted from Camellia's spear, morphing it into a scythe, Rose bent backward with supernatural reflexes, barely dodging.
Several hair strands fluttered to the ground, severed by the blade. Cecilia gasped and buried her face in my arm.
"Kyaa!"
"She's not hurt yet, Cecilia. Don't panic-you'll need to heal them if they get injured."
"Y-yes... But this is nerve-wracking."
Meanwhile, the duel raged on. We lifted our heads to watch again.
"Hah, dodged that? Not bad."
"..."
"Aw, look at those glaring eyes! Mad over a haircut? I even sewed your clothes, and this is how you repay me?"
"..."
"Silent treatment? Fine. If you want seriousness, I'll stop holding back."
Camellia snapped her fingers. Three black hounds erupted from her shadow, lining up before their master.
Each wolf-sized beast (though "small" for shadow creatures meant large-dog size) bore saw-like fangs. If I encountered such monsters as an adventurer... ugh. Just imagining their pursuit-how they'd shred muscles with those teeth, swarm in packs, attract more with bloodscent-made me shudder.
I snapped back to reality as the hounds charged Rose.
"Tear her apart!"
"Grrrrr!"
The shadow hounds closed in with spine-chilling growls.
Could a sword cut shadow-made beasts? If magic gave them form, could they be severed? Rose alternated glances between her sword and the approaching jaws before closing her eyes. When they snapped open, she swung.
Shink! Clang!
The metallic collision startled Rose.
'I underestimated them because they're beasts... but Older Sister's shadow magic creations are iron-hard. They follow orders yet act intelligently. Ordinary attacks won't work.'
Realizing she'd underestimated Camellia too, Rose steeled herself and got serious.
Vwoom!
"Yipe!"
A radiant sword bisected the charging hound.
Sword Aura? But different-instead of wrapping her blade thinly in mana for sharpness, Rose forged an entirely new mana blade over her sword. Wouldn't that waste mana? I glanced at Rita, who watched wide-eyed.
This method gave Rose customized reach and power, letting her slaughter shadow beasts effortlessly.
What should we call this? Sword Aura blade? Aura sword?
-Ding!
- - -
<Vassal Rose Karyen has gained enlightenment and acquired a new skill. Active Skill 『Intangible Sword』 has been acquired.>
『Intangible Sword』
Creates swords from available mana. Sword form/length varies by will. Maximum number, duration, and power scale with Magic Power stat.
- - -
Huh. The status window preemptively named it before I could invent something weird.
Rose stepped over the bisected hounds, grinning triumphantly as she charged Camellia.
"See how your hounds fall? Your magic can't touch me! You're not the only one with special power!"
"Hmm, didn't expect this-"
"This ends now! Haaaah!"
"Still not enough."
Clatter! Snap!
"What...?!"
As Rose's blade descended toward Camellia's head, black chains erupted-binding Rose's limbs mid-swing.
Camellia wasn't done. She summoned the serpent hidden in Rose's shadow, coiling it around the immobilized girl with fangs poised at her throat.
Rose couldn't twitch a finger under the dark chains. Any struggle risked the serpent's bite.
With Rose clearly defeated, Camellia spoke first.
"Well? More prepared tricks than this, but didn't expect to use even these. Did I overestimate or underestimate you? So, surrendering?"
"I... ugh... lose...!"
"Don't care. Next time, drink more of Mother's Vital Energy before challenging me, stupid sister."
Thud!
Ignoring Rose's surrender, Camellia-now behind her-morphed her weapon into a hammer and smashed Rose's skull with a resonating crack.
As Rose collapsed, Camellia dismissed her shadow creatures and caught her sister. Beaming at me, she boasted:
"Hehe, I won. Did I do well, Mother?"
Should I praise her for knocking out her sister? Well, it was a consensual duel. I applauded her victory.
"Yes, well fought. Want a reward?"
"Hmm, a reward... Oh! If Mother permits-"
Camellia paused, glancing at Rose slumped beside her before continuing.
"May I play with-no, educate my sister a bit?"
Her eyes glittered-not with sisterly concern, but with the desire to torment the arrogant challenger who'd dared oppose her.
As the rightful victor, Camellia deserved her spoils. As their queen, I acknowledged the First Princess's authority by granting her request.
"Very well. But don't go too far."