Losing... Are You Scared?
The crowd's eyes all turned toward Leonia. Every single one of them pinned their hopes on her. They wanted her to defeat Selene.
"...Understood."
Leonia rose to her feet. The empire's strongest sword stood up. Her family had once fallen into ruin because her grandfather lost during the imperial succession war.
When a new dynasty without any grudge against House Valteria helped rebuild them, one of the justifications they used was this:
To let the empire's strongest sword rot away would be a tremendous loss for the empire.
To protect that justification.
That's right. Once more... I'll try again. I'll remember Selene's swordsmanship and challenge her again!
Leonia took a deep breath and approached Selene.
"Good! Valteria! Come down and choose your weapon!"
In a world ruled by magic, pure swordsmanship wasn't actually all that helpful to the empire. But its symbolic value was more than enough to earn the respect of the nobility. That was why Leonia could not afford to lose the reputation that had helped rebuild her family.
"I'll go with this."
"What the hell, Leonia? You're not using your usual longsword?"
"No."
"Hmph! Do whatever you want. You're the one who gave me a proper fight last time, so I'll let it slide."
After careful consideration, Leonia picked up the rapier hanging on the weapon rack.
"A rapier..."
"Professor Selene."
"Then... I'll take this."
And when Selene saw that, she reached for the heavy weapon beside it.
"A mace? You want to use a mace?"
"Huh? You little bitch? What's your game? The tall Leonia picked a rapier, and you're going with that?"
"This should be... fine."
"I can't tell if you're an idiot or just arrogant."
"Not an idiot."
"Ha! Whatever! Both of you, get up on the dueling ground!"
A short while later, the two stood facing each other on the dueling ground.
She deliberately changed her weapon. What does it mean...?
Leonia alternated her gaze between her rapier and Selene's mace, lost in thought.
No. For now, I'll just clash with her. Overthinking will only make it dangerous.
She took a steadying breath, gripped the rapier in one hand, and assumed her stance.
"Begin!"
And so their swordsmanship duel began. Nothing official was on the line, yet so much was at stake.
Clang!
The rapier sang a clear note as it collided with the mace.
So this choice was right after all?
After exchanging several blows, Leonia felt her confidence grow.
Keeping distance is the answer.
Selene was short. Leonia was quite tall. A mace delivered powerful strikes but had short reach. A rapier had longer reach, giving it a wider attack range.
On top of that, rapier swordsmanship maintains even greater distance than a longsword even at the same length!
Clang! Clang!
That's exactly why people use one-handed swords!
Selene, gripping the mace with both hands, barely managed to block the rapier. She occasionally thrust the mace forward to attack, but holding it with both hands prevented her from extending it very far.
"Haaap!"
Whoosh!
In contrast, the rapier held in one hand could pierce much deeper into the opponent's space. Leonia twisted her waist, bent her knees, and leaned her upper body forward as she thrust her blade.
Swish!
With a flexible stance she could never have managed with a two-handed grip, Leonia relentlessly pressed Selene back.
So this really was the answer? Can I actually beat Selene?
Growing more confident by the second, Leonia pushed Selene even harder. It was the complete opposite of their previous match when Selene had used a longsword.
The synergy between their physical differences and weapon characteristics made it look like Leonia had gained the upper hand.
But... but why did she choose a mace?
Precisely because of that, Leonia couldn't shake an inexplicable question from her mind.
Did she just make a mistake? Does she not know what kind of weapon a mace is?
Clang! Clang! Clang!
No. That can't be it. These movements.
She couldn't understand why Selene would deliberately choose conditions so disadvantageous to herself.
There's no doubt about it. Selene has considerable skill with mace-type weapons too.
There were simply too many suspicious points for it to be a simple error in the opponent's weapon choice.
Besides, why does she keep fighting me with a two-handed weapon?
Clang!
The advantage of two-handed weapons was flexibility. Most people thought it was to handle the weight, but that wasn't the main reason.
By using both hands, one sacrificed reach in exchange for flexible and rapid attacks. That was the usual strategy for two-handed weapons.
A rapier, with its short hilt, was generally evaluated as a weapon that almost completely abandoned that two-handed strategy in favor of the long reach advantage of one-handed weapons.
Weapons with long grips are different. They can switch between two-handed and one-handed styles at will. So why?
And yet Selene continued to grip the mace with both hands, moving with flexibility and speed.
Why isn't she trying to attack from a distance with one hand? Why is she using both hands...?
She was only defending.
Why isn't she attacking me?
Bang! Clang!
"Whoa, this is incredible. How many exchanges has it been?"
"Selene... that person's pretty amazing too, huh?"
"To hold out this long against the empire's sword..."
The spectators seemed to think Selene was enduring Leonia's attacks. However.
"What the hell is she doing?"
The former swordsmanship instructor Brika, and...
No way...
Leonia, who was directly facing Selene, already knew.
Is she holding back against me?
That Selene wasn't fighting with her full strength...
"Ugh! Fight me properly, Professor Selene!"
Whoosh!
Unable to hold back any longer, Leonia charged forward with those words.
Whoosh!
"Ah?!"
But that moment of anger created an opening in herself instead.
Damn it! The distance...
The distance between Selene, who had deflected the sword's trajectory, and Leonia suddenly closed. The advantage of reach that had been in her favor just moments ago vanished in an instant.
"Ah!"
She had to move. She needed to take the next action to defend herself. But she couldn't.
I'm going to lose...
There was no time. Selene had already closed the gap to about two handspans. Since she had simply deflected the rapier to the side, the mace in her hand still had plenty of room to swing into an attacking position. If she moved the mace even a little now, the fight would be over.
"Ugh!"
Thinking she had given up a point due to her own mistake, Leonia squeezed her eyes shut.
Swish!
"Hm?"
However.
"Ooooh! That was so close."
"Leonia almost took a hit. What a shame."
"Haa... Professor Selene, was it? Her movements are excellent."
When Leonia, who hadn't felt any impact, opened her eyes, Selene was no longer in front of her.
"What?"
Selene had skillfully slipped away like an eel and now stood behind Leonia.
"Waaaaah!"
"That's insane."
The moment a brief opening appeared, cheers erupted from the spectator seats. In swordsmanship sparring matches that usually ended in the blink of an eye, such a long battle was a refreshing experience in itself. The students went wild at a sight they rarely got to see.
"Just what... just what is going on?"
Leonia began to feel uneasy about this incomprehensible situation.
Selene could have beaten me. No, I should have been knocked down several times already.
But why?
Why is she holding back against me?
With so many thoughts flooding in, Leonia couldn't move. Strength gradually drained from her hands. Fear began to creep over her. It felt like her hard-won family was slipping from her grasp once again.
"Selene..."
In a small murmur that couldn't be heard amid the cheers...
"Why... why are you doing this?"
Leonia asked Selene with eyes filled with growing anxiety.
"Hm?"
At that moment, Selene's voice began to echo inside Leonia's head.
Transmission? How can she use telepathy inside a magic-sealed area?
Professor Selene.
"Ugh?!"
Hearing Selene's words through the telepathy, Leonia froze once again.
I, I...
"That's..."
"What? But..."
"But... if you do that, Professor Selene's position will..."
"What do you..."
"No... that kind of method... I... I..."
Leonia's hand trembled violently. Meanwhile, Selene quietly raised the mace with both hands and assumed a stance.
Her lower body moved away from the weapon, gradually exposing her weak points. It was as if she was deliberately inviting an attack there...
This... this is dishonorable. I can't win like this.
Leonia staggered backward. She even thought it might be more honorable to simply declare surrender.
But... if I do that...
At the same time, various faces flashed through her mind. The opposing factions within House Valteria, including Balcazar...
Although House Valteria had finally been revived, the seat of family head left vacant by her father's death had ultimately gone to those who had opposed them...
Those who insisted that the remaining blood relative, Leonia, must prove her ability to take the position of head... And the empire's sword. Perhaps the only lifeline barely holding onto Leonia's qualifications.
"Selene... I... I..."
Was it right to destroy that? Was it okay to give it up like this? Even if it meant losing House Valteria, which had finally caught its breath again?
"Selene..."
"Fight! Fight!"
"Lady Leonia! Crush Selene!"
The spectators' cheers grew louder and louder. Everyone wanted one side to fall quickly. They wished for one of the two to become their entertainment as soon as possible.
Leonia's hands shook uncontrollably. It was time to choose. Leonia squeezed her eyes shut. She had made a decision. All that remained was to act on it.
"Professor Selene... I'm sorry..."
Just as...
Tap.
Leonia took a step forward.
"Stop right there!"
Someone's shout interrupted their duel.
"Stop this ridiculous farce immediately?!"
"Ugh? And who the hell are you?"
There stood Rubelia, seething with anger.
"End this farce right now! The academy does not tolerate duels like this!"
"What?"
Brika stood up with an irritated expression and glared at Rubelia.
"Who the hell are you to tell me what to do in my own class?"