Chapter 13
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 13
First Opponent (3)
Even though a letter was sent from the family, Aniel didn't particularly care.
"They're really annoying."
There were largely three things they would convey to her.
Demons appeared in the Grand Duchy so requesting help, a banquet is being held at the Imperial Palace so asking her to go once, or if not that, marriage pressure.
Excluding those, there was no reason for the so-called parents to contact her.
And as expected, the letter was one of the three.
"Telling me to go to an Imperial Palace banquet, what carefree people."
A cynical smile came out. The world is going to ruin right now.
Was it 14, no 15? Aniel saw with her two eyes. How demons treat humans.
Just killing is generous. They ate them alive or confined them in cages like livestock to breed them.
This wasn't happening in just one place but almost everywhere on the continent.
Due to human hunting and massacres, the number of humans dying in a single day could go from hundreds to thousands.
Although this Empire is running somewhat stably right now, even this was like a lamp in front of the wind, not knowing when it would be covered in darkness.
It was funny that there remained stupid tribes who still thought the world revolved around the Emperor and nobles.
It might be possible in peaceful times, but now was chaotic times, no, a crossroad where the world might perish.
Soon, not only the logic of power but also the weak and the strong spoken in survival of the fittest would have to be redefined.
There is no reason to save the world. Not only does she not love the world, but she is also not a devout believer who believes and follows the Creator who made this world.
Is that why. There were often times when she thought it wouldn't matter even if a world like this perished.
Aniel sighed and leisurely stared into the empty air.
If there was at least one interest that arose recently, it was only one.
"It hasn't finished already, right."
Aniel thought of Allen.
What happened to him? Who did he end up sparring with?
With Allen's current skills, he couldn't win against anyone among the Academy students yet.
Defeat was a natural result, but nevertheless, Aniel anticipated a little, just a very little.
Thinking that if it's him whom she saw, wouldn't he at least try to reap the beauty of the end even if he couldn't do well.
"I should hurry and go."
I barely dodged.
But it was too early to be relieved.
Seeing Iris who just approached and tried to throw a blow at me, I realized the gap in skills clearly.
It's not a joke. She's not going easy like Aniel either.
Just like the words the infirmary teacher said to me, that bitch is real.
That she would make me owe my life to a hospital room for a while just as she said.
This is why I didn't want to come to the Academy.
Asking how I, a weakling, am supposed to survive in this place where only completely strong people among the strong gathered.
Already, the feeling of wanting to surrender is crawling up.
I didn't think I could win against the opponent at all.
The professor is also present. Putting down the sword means surrender.
Attacking an opponent without a weapon was absolutely not an honorable thing.
But the more I thought of Aniel's appearance, the more strength entered my hand.
"Stop running away like a rat!"
Right now, the opponent is in an excited state.
Let's drain the enemy's strength as much as possible. And aim for the moment of carelessness.
The only struggle I could do was barely this much.
However, the problem was that if it goes to a battle of attrition, stamina drops first on my side, and Iris's feet were fast to keep running away.
"Try blocking this!"
I can't dodge.
A level where even a graze is practically a critical hit. But can I block it?
Watching the sword approaching slowly like slow motion, I gritted my teeth.
I must block unconditionally. I clashed my wooden sword with Iris's wooden sword.
Even though I blocked just once, my hand trembled.
Due to the pain felt in my wrist for a moment, I almost dropped the wooden sword.
I barely maintained my stance by planting the sword on the ground.
"It's quite a sight to see you struggling after blocking just that one."
Seeing me like this, Iris let out a ridicule.
"Do you understand a little? The fact that something like you is not a vessel to be in this place."
Words I cannot deny.
Because my being here is all thanks to my father.
Other people in the place were also not making any particular refutation to those words.
Probably everyone thinks the same.
However, acknowledging and giving up are different.
I must not be swayed by the opponent's words.
Although she probably didn't think much of it, there was something I realized from that one action of Aniel.
Never lose my pace.
I held the wooden sword and aimed at Iris.
Iris was a little, just a very little flustered.
Although she reduced her strength very much, nevertheless, she absolutely didn't think he could block that blow.
But he blocked that blow spectacularly. Did he really have something like hidden skills?
But sadly, it didn't seem to be the case.
Allen was barely standing using the wooden sword as a cane as if even that one clash was burdensome.
As expected, it is not fitting for a man like this to be by that person's side.
Aniel is the very one who will defeat all demons that appeared in this world.
There was a time in childhood when many people including her father almost died due to demons raiding the Imperial Palace.
Seeing Aniel who protected her father, the Imperial Family, and the Empire, Iris felt she was like a living god.
That was why. The reason she thrust a sword at the man whom she vowed not to even face let alone speak a word to.
A guy who was a scoundrel and a god are a combination that doesn't match.
Iris thought if he realized the gap in power, he would not even come near Aniel anymore now.
"What are you doing, right now?"
"What am I doing. The match isn't over yet."
"Ha! I'm experiencing all sorts of things today! Are you saying you want to die?"
But that Allen corrected his stance again and was aiming the wooden sword towards Iris.
Iris felt annoyance soaring for a moment.
Even the mind that intended to end it moderately plummeted completely.
"What are you doing. You said you wanted to make me owe my life to a hospital ward. Without coming at me quickly."
She gritted her teeth. Since the opponent comes out like that, there would be no need to go easy anymore.
Iris put strength into the wooden sword to end it in just one clash.
On the other hand, one scene came to mind in Allen's head.
Those movements Aniel did to him while sparring several times.
Since it's only by eye, he didn't have confidence that he could execute it perfectly.
But nevertheless, Allen wanted to try it once. For Aniel who planted confidence in him.
"Iris. Isn't she going to cause an accident like that?"
"Hey! Even so, it's Wiesent! Do it moderately!"
"P, Professor! Shouldn't you stop them?!"
Those watching were flustered. They thought Allen would surrender moderately, and Iris also just said that but wouldn't use full power.
But seeing the strangely turning situation, they were saying shouldn't it be stopped.
However, the professor watching this didn't agree and kept his spot like a wooden block.
The professor captured Allen standing with a resolute determination in his view.
Because it was the first time since serving at the Academy to see a person changing in an instant like Allen.
Thinking there is a necessity to keep an eye on him, the professor observed the situation.
He considered that if a moment of real crisis comes, he just has to run out immediately and stop it.
And one clash followed.
"Kugh!"
Thud.
"Winner is Iris!"
"You must be happy to win."
"Right, if it enters the Princess Your Highness's ears, surely she will like it."
Surrounding friends ran over and congratulated Iris.
"I thought you would do something to Allen Wiesent, that man?"
"Right. Honestly, looking at your eyes back then, they were slightly rolled back so I was scared."
Although Allen collapsed, he wasn't seriously injured, so they said congratulations on winning for now.
Iris, who was actually receiving congratulations, didn't have a good expression.
Don't know why, but right now she looked very anxious.
"Sorry. I'll go somewhere for a moment."
"Huh? Why are you like that. Hey!"
"Where are you going!"
Iris, looking here and there like an anxious person, headed elsewhere as if she couldn't endure anymore.
Friends kept shouting from behind asking where she was going, but nothing reached Iris's ears right now.
"Haa, haa."
Only after arriving at a secluded place could she review the situation that happened just before.
Her gaze was definitely aiming at herself, but the victory or defeat was already decided.
His stance was completely collapsed and his speed was also very slow.
For Iris, it was practically a perfect chance. A chance to crush him certainly here.
But she didn't do so. No, she couldn't do so.
"G, Grand Duchess. Why on earth...."
Because her gaze met a gaze located far away.
Intense eyes. The woman who was already no different from a god in her world as well as to her father was sending a murderous gaze she had never seen before.
The moment she met the gaze, an image flashed through her head.
The appearance of her limbs being completely twisted on the spot the moment she gives even a big wound to Allen.
That was a kind of warning.
A warning to be prepared if she does anything to Allen on that spot.
The moment the thought occurred that she must run away to a safe place.
"Lady Iris Teira. Would you have a moment."
Someone had appeared next to her.
"The Princess Your Highness is looking for you."