Chapter 259
Chapter 259
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Husband Examination (4)
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“….”
Only after mountains and a lake had formed inside the sparring arena did Lize and her disciples rise from their seats.
They bowed their heads silently, then descended the stairs.
「The match will now begin!!」
With the referee's booming voice, three of the four backed away.
Thanks to that, I faced off against a single magic swordsman, a lake between us, staring each other down.
‘These guys are the type who use magic and swordsmanship at the same time.’
Magic fundamentally leverages terrain and ground to conserve mana and disrupt the opponent—that's the standard approach.
Following that, they'd reshaped the arena to their liking.
‘Of course, I have no intention of complaining about it.’
The alliance was still just verbal for now.
In fact, I'd essentially walked right into the heart of enemy territory.
「I wonder if the empire guys can even handle our style—?」
「They'll probably just run around and surrender—. They always do!!」
As if accustomed to the terrain shifting, the spectators cheered.
It seemed this large-scale sorcery had become a major spectacle for them.
“Hoo….”
On the opposite side of the lake stood a man with short blue hair.
Anyone could tell he was proficient in water magic; he raised the hand wearing a bracelet.
At that, the water submerged in the lake slowly rose, floating in the air.
Like massive arrows.
“Hup!!”
The blue-haired knight shouted and pointed a finger at me.
The blue water droplets then arced toward me in unison.
“…!!”
Faster than arrows, I twisted my shoulder aside.
The condensed water streams grazed past me, slamming into the massive pillars rising behind.
Kwaaaang―――!!
Splash….
“As expected of someone who steps up alone. Impressive reflexes.”
The magic swordsman probed like in a scouting skirmish, raising more water from the lake.
He swept his palm in a dance-like motion, firing streams of water at me repeatedly following his hand.
“But I wonder how long your stamina will hold…!!”
The basics of magic: if you have the resource, just use it.
Thanks to that, he freely unleashed a barrage of water bolt crossbows, trying to wear me down.
“Swordsmen who rely on tricks.”
In response, I circled the lake at high speed, chasing him down.
He noticed and kept circling opposite me, maintaining distance.
Some spectators watching from afar even poked fun at me.
「Slow, slow!!」
「How long will it take you to catch up like that, haha…!!」
Jeers as if venting the inferiority they felt toward the empire.
But I paid them no mind.
Things like humiliation had vanished completely in my previous life long ago.
I accelerated even more.
My legs, trained obsessively since childhood, burned like fire as I ran and ran.
In an instant, the distance closed.
“Hm…?!”
Startled, the magic swordsman swept his palm wide like painting a broad stroke.
A wave crashed in, splitting the space between us.
Shwaaa――――――!!
With the distance restored, he grinned and drew his sword again.
Now serious about draining my strength, he began conducting with both hands.
Countless water droplets floating in the air.
They poured down on me like an archer unit loosing arrows.
I lightly reinforced my body with mana to defend.
“Knights who snipe water streams from afar.”
Through the gap between my arms shielding my face, my black eyes flashed.
Seeing it, the magic swordsman smirked and retorted.
“Using terrain and ground is basic knight fundamentals. Don't the empire guys know that?”
My dress shirt was torn in places, revealing the scars crisscrossing my arms.
But I ignored it.
I simply stared piercingly at the fake knight before me.
“Well, your eyes are at least worth something….”
Perhaps unnerved despite himself, the blue-haired magic swordsman added.
He slowly backed away, maintaining the same distance as when the match began.
“But what can you do? Swinging your sword at empty air won't beat me.”
He said leisurely, hands behind his back.
Even so, it was the tone of someone showing mercy to an empire guest, allied or not.
“So surrender. It's the last way to preserve your honor as a knight.”
As if agreeing, the spectators began jeering that it was boring.
「If you suck, don't waste time—surrender!!」
「Send out your captain!! Let us see some swordmaster skills!!」
As the crowd's clamor grew, Luke cleared his throat.
He gazed intently at Leah with eyes certain of victory.
“Haha…. My apologies, Your Highness. It seems sparring matches are the one joy for Bellair's crowds.”
“….”
But the empire's chief strategist gave no reply even after hearing him.
She simply stared intently at the lake that had formed in the arena's center.
Her blue eyes, reminiscent of the sea, sparkled.
She was thinking the same as me.
「Leverage the terrain and ground.」
I drew Hector.
The empire's famed sword, renowned for its greatest power and durability.
Then, with it sheathed on my back, I turned away.
「What, trying to surrender?」
「He hasn't dropped his sword yet…?」
The crowd eyed my turned back suspiciously.
The magic swordsman and Luke did the same.
Only Mago and Leah understood my intent, smirking faintly.
“….”
I silently raised the drawn Hector into the air.
And stared piercingly at the pointed hill that had formed behind me.
Then, still facing away from my opponent, I sprinted toward it with all my might.
Thinking I was fleeing, the crowd began to laugh.
But their laughter soon stopped.
No, it had to stop.
The moment I reached the hill and swung Hector with full force.
――――――!!
A single strike cleaved the massive hill.
Yet the cut surface didn't collapse right away.
A cleanly severed section wouldn't give until touched.
“What, why's he suddenly slashing at a pillar…?”
Grand Duke Luke and the previously smug magic swordsman both furrowed their brows.
As if to answer, Leah said to Mago.
“Open an umbrella for me.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The great witch nimbly unfurled a dainty umbrella with her small hand.
She stood close to Leah, holding it over her.
Luke wore an expression of utter incomprehension at the princess's eccentricity.
But at that moment.
Kwaaaa――――――!!
A massive explosion rocked the arena, like a meteor strike.
I'd hurled the hill I'd sliced into the lake in the arena.
“What is this…!!”
The magic swordsman's eyes bulged at the hill smashing his protective lake.
He covered his eyes with his arm against the flooding water streams.
But that was a mistake.
「Seems your fundamentals are the sloppy ones?」
The moment the water scattered, I leaped over the hill that had crushed the lake.
Swinging my sword, I aimed for his nape.
“Huat…!!”
Pretending to be a knight, he raised his sword to block.
But having neglected strength training for magic, his arm….
Kaaang――――!!
“Krhaaak…!!”
Twisted grotesquely.
Even so, I showed no mercy.
I made him pay dearly for the annoyance.
“A so-called knight full of style over substance!”
I spun the sword and gripped the hilt.
Then, before everyone's eyes, I smashed his pale face with my fist.
Even though aiming my sword at his throat would end it.
Ignoring that, I spun my body and drove my elbow into his temple.
“Kgh…!!”
Head rocked, he staggered badly.
He crumpled to the ground.
「…….」
The man whose swordsmanship and basics fell woefully short despite his flashy magic.
The crowd fell silent at his sight.
The lake where the rock mass had crashed soon had a huge landmass in the middle.
Only the clear sound of trickling water echoed from there.
I lightly leaped onto the rock.
Then looked up at the half-dazed Luke and the elegantly watching Leah under her umbrella.
“….”
I said nothing to them.
The outcome was obvious to anyone.
I simply raised two fingers.
“2…?”
The grand duke muttered, brow furrowed.
To him, who hosted this show, I kindly replied with unfocused black eyes.
“I won 1v1, so now send two more.”
I squeezed and wrung out my soaked dress shirt.
As if merely playing along with children's water splashing.
“No. To save time, all three at once.”
I rolled up my sleeves.
Flexing my tensed forearms, voicing my irritation.
“I'll properly teach you what real combat is before I go.”
Luke swallowed hard at my demeanor.
Slowly turning, he looked at Leah leisurely sipping tea under the umbrella.
“I told you, didn't I?”
Feeling his gaze, Leah didn't even glance his way.
She simply stared at me standing atop the rock covering the lake and smiled brightly.
“One guard knight is enough.”