The Princess's Challenge
"The enemy will need time to reorganize their ranks. I believe they will not make any major moves for the time being."
Adolf Kareha looked down at the map.
Enemy positions marked in red pen and imperial forces marked in blue were locked against each other in a tight interlocking pattern. An advance looked possible, yet the opponent was no easy mark.
The Liberia Empire fielded powerful cavalry and magic units. Rumors among the soldiers claimed their princess possessed such military talent that she herself took the field.
"Matters have gone smoothly thus far," Adolf said.
"But we cannot afford complacency. We do not know what countermeasures the enemy may still hold in reserve. Strengthen the watch and the supply lines further. Report at once if you detect any move against our rear."
The officers answered as one with affirmative nods.
Yet the war was already showing clear signs of settling into a prolonged struggle. Small-scale skirmishes alone would no longer be enough to overturn the balance completely. Adolf knew this well, and a strange unease had taken root in one corner of his mind.
Drawing on the memories of his previous life, he had expected this war to erupt at a somewhat different moment. Everything had shifted, and the clash had begun earlier than anticipated.
Liberia may yet put their princess forward and demand a single combat.
The thought crossed his mind. The enemy had proposed one-on-one duels before. Each time, his side had either ignored the challenge or simply crushed the opponent through brute force of arms. This time the situation might prove different.
That evening a modest meal was prepared in the army tents. The soldiers staved off hunger with dry bread, corn soup, and a little dried meat. Unless circumstances were exceptional, the officers ate much the same fare. Adolf shared a meal little different from theirs while conducting an internal council.
"Intelligence has reached us that the enemy may once again propose something like a formal duel," one aide said in a low voice. "Elite units on both sides are locked in repeated clashes. They may be trying to reverse public opinion and shift the tide of war through such a contest."
Another officer twisted his lips in a sneer.
"What meaning could a duel hold? Our empire is not at a disadvantage. There is no need to accept."
Adolf listened in silence, lost in thought. Under ordinary circumstances it was better to press a full-scale war to advantage, yet diplomatic and political pressure—or questions of morale—sometimes made a duel impossible to refuse. The possibility that the enemy princess herself might step forward weighed especially heavily on his mind.
Rumors of the Liberia princess's martial prowess were plentiful, yet her true strength remained uncertain. Scattered reports claimed she wielded powerful magic or that she was a commander who made bold decisions.
If the Liberia princess herself requests a duel, the situation will grow delicate—politically and for the course of the war alike.
Time passed, and the very thing he had foreseen came to pass.
The next morning, while the dawn air still held its chill, an official letter arrived from the enemy camp. The letter contained only a single sentence.
The Princess of Liberia, Aisia Lil Shuhain, hereby challenges you to a personal duel.
The imperial high command erupted into uproar at the news. Some officers insisted the challenge be ignored outright or refused on principle. Others argued that defeating the princess would deal a crushing blow to the enemy's will to fight. Opinions stood in sharp opposition, and Adolf Kareha stood at the center of the conflict.
"If the general himself takes the field, he will win easily no matter what magic the princess employs!" one officer declared passionately. "It would be as good as piercing Liberia's heart. The entire course of the war could swing decisively in our favor."
Another voiced strong opposition.
"The risks are far too great. What if the general is wounded? What if the princess resorts to poison or some unforeseen scheme? We are not being driven back in this war. There is no need for reckless adventure."
The two views clashed fiercely, yet in the end the emperor's close advisors and the military leadership decided to accept the duel. They placed absolute trust in Adolf's record and tactical brilliance, and they intended the contest to deliver a powerful message to the enemy.
That afternoon detailed letters concerning the duel were exchanged. The site was set as a plain near a small gorge along the border between Liberia and the empire. Both sides agreed to bring only a minimal escort and to fight under mutual observation.
"So it has come to this after all," Adolf murmured low as he issued final instructions for the duel inside his tent. The knowledge that he would face the Hero's mother directly set his heart pounding.
His aide, voice tight with tension, asked, "You will take the field yourself, will you not?"
"I will. We cannot send another. The enemy will almost certainly field the princess in person. We must show our full strength as well."
His answer was firm. The aide was silent for a moment, then bowed his head in respect.
"You will surely be victorious, General. We will maintain full readiness in the rear."
Adolf inspected his armor and weapons one by one, checking the smooth curve of the blade and the solidity of the specially commissioned armor designed for greater protection. His heart felt a quiet tremor, yet calculations continued without pause inside his mind.
How should one respond when facing a magic-user in single combat?
The novel he had read in his previous life contained many descriptions of magical battles, yet his actual experience against ultimate-level magic users was limited. Still, he possessed strategic insight and reaction speed far beyond those of ordinary knights or mages, and the hard-won experience he had accumulated across countless battlefields stood behind him.
Several days later, the day of the duel dawned.
Each side advanced toward the agreed plain with only a small force. Shallow grass swayed in the wind at the center of the field; beyond it, soldiers and riders watched from a distance. Neither side had agreed to station large numbers near the dueling ground, yet both maintained a wary watch from afar against the possibility of betrayal.
"The princess will appear soon," the aide said, scanning the front. Adolf raised his gaze and stared into the distance.
A strong gust of wind passed, and far off a banner bearing the crest of the Liberia Empire came into view. Beneath it a line of riders approached at a gallop.
"At last they come," he murmured.
At the head of the Liberia column rode a woman wrapped in a crimson cloak. Long, slender golden hair streamed in the wind as she maintained a noble posture in the saddle. As she drew nearer her expression became faintly visible—resolve and anger mixed in her eyes.
"That is the princess of Liberia, Aisia Lil Shuhain," an imperial soldier whispered nearby.
Adolf watched her dismount. Aisia Lil Shuhain stepped out from behind the banners her escorts had raised and instantly captured every gaze on the field. She wore imperial-style armor of white marked with crimson patterns, and a sword engraved with magical runes hung at her waist.
"Adolf Kareha," Aisia said in a low, clear voice. "I heard the rumor that you would answer the challenge. Indeed—such courage befits one called a hero of the empire."
When her gaze settled on him, the surrounding soldiers fell silent, momentarily overawed. He returned a light nod in greeting.
"Princess of Liberia, Aisia Lil Shuhain. Your side requested this duel. I have merely accepted it."
His reply was calm. A faint smile touched the corner of Aisia's mouth.
"Well done. Now cease the empty talk. I shall confirm for myself just how strong you truly are."
Soldiers and officers of both sides watched with taut faces. Duels of this kind sometimes occurred even in the midst of war, yet it was rare for royalty to take the field in person. Moreover the opponent was a young general of the empire who had already distinguished himself in multiple battles; neither side was likely to emerge unscathed.
When the flag signaling the start of the duel was lowered, Adolf Kareha and Aisia Lil Shuhain closed the distance and took their stances. Around them the soldiers who ringed the field held their breath and watched the contest begin.