A Duel of Blushing Hearts
The kind of fierce showdown that leaves you gripping your seat in suspense? After somehow resolving the earlier incident, the Demon King and the hero resumed their interrupted match. Yet at this very moment, the two of them found it strangely difficult to approach the duel with any real seriousness. The aftermath of holding hands all the way here weighed heavily on them.
Damn it… No matter how you slice it, this feels all kinds of wrong. How am I supposed to swing my sword with full force at my own lover? Especially someone I was just holding hands with moments ago…
Why is this… This feeling lingers so uncomfortably in my heart. I, Jim, certainly entered this arena because I wished to cross blades with the hero in earnest… So why do I now hesitate like this?
Even now, simply looking at the person standing before them made both their hearts race. In a situation where all they wanted was to reach out and clasp hands again like before, engaging in a proper duel was psychologically impossible.
Still, they could hardly call the match off at this point. As a result, one thought automatically rose in the hero’s mind.
Well… honestly, haven’t we done enough already? Defeating one of the royal guard members was plenty to show my strength. And let’s be real — if it’s the Demon King, she’ll claim the championship without breaking a sweat anyway.
Besides, if word got out publicly that he possessed power surpassing even the Demon King, it wouldn’t exactly be a good thing. The fact that even Belzebeuty, who already knew the truth, was already trying to keep him in check proved that much.
Therefore, the hero decided to fight the Demon King half-heartedly and lose on purpose… and the Demon King had reached the exact same conclusion.
After all, it is already all but decided that the hero will take the championship… Since Jim has no particular desire for the title of Narsil, there is no need to draw unnecessary attention here.
Both of them had casually settled on the idea of simply letting the other win. And so…
Clang!!!!
The moment the duel started, the two of them brought their swords together with just enough force. But in that instant, both warriors — tempered to the absolute limit — instantly understood.
!.. This… this is…
Demon King… could it be?
The truth they recognized the instant their blades met… was that the opponent’s sword carried no killing intent or competitive spirit. Instead, it radiated a clear will that said I don’t want to hurt you.
Although their fundamental combat power was so overwhelming that, to the spectators, the resulting shockwave of magical energy looked terrifyingly intense, the two people actually involved felt something entirely different.
Through the sword strikes filled with the other’s “heart,” they both realized one simple fact: the person standing before them was thinking the exact same thing.
So that’s how it is… It wasn’t just me. The Demon King feels the same way…
As I thought… You too, hero…
On the surface, the two of them appeared to be locked in a tense, evenly matched sword fight. In reality, both were blushing furiously beneath their helmets, drowning in deep embarrassment.
The person they held genuine affection for was thinking the same thoughts and trying to do the same thing. Just knowing that made them feel as if their hearts were truly connected.
Their swords, perfectly balanced and almost completely still, transmitted the other’s power in a way that felt like the sweetest expression of love.
What is this… This feeling… Just pressing our blades together feels this good?
They say warriors can feel a communion of souls during battle… Perhaps this is related to that.
They didn’t fully understand why, but both of them began to feel that this very moment was incredibly happy. For roughly ten minutes, what should have been a contest of strength became something that could only be described as lovey-dovey skinship.
As the crowd watched the two of them continue what appeared to be “a fierce battle of pride between warriors” for ten whole minutes, they naturally broke into a cold sweat.
“Incredible spirit… To endure for over ten minutes while releasing that much power…”
“He’s the hero who defeated even Nadan, one of the Four Heavenly Kings. If his opponent’s strength is on par with his, then this level of intensity is only natural.”
Two legion commanders stood on one side of the arena, watching the duel with serious expressions. Ilios and Samson. They observed the clash between two powerhouses that far exceeded expectations.
However, their thoughts weren’t limited to simple admiration of raw power. Unlike the other demons, these two possessed sharper insight into the deeper situation. In their minds lay a secret that only a handful of people inside this entire arena knew.
“The armor and aura are a little different… but a warrior possessing that level of strength can only be her, right?”
“There’s no one else it could be. In this entire Demon Kingdom, there is only one person capable of making light of tasks that even we would find difficult.”
“Good grief… Even so, I never imagined she would pull a stunt like this.”
The moment she heard Samson’s confirming words, Ilios frowned and slowly shook her head. He gave her a small smile and said,
“It can’t simply be called a prank. No matter how it looks, she is a monarch before she is anything else — but she is also a warrior at heart. Enjoying battle against the strong may simply be part of her nature.”
“…Well, if it’s you saying that, I suppose it must be the right answer… But honestly, I’m worried. That person’s body does not belong to her alone anymore.”
“That is what they call overprotectiveness. Even though you have watched over her since she was a chi— ahem… Even so, you always worry too much. Objectively speaking, her skill has already reached a level beyond comparison with yours, hasn’t it?”
“Sigh… That may be true, but…”
Ilios let out a small sigh at Samson’s words, yet her gaze remained fixed on the intense duel ahead, still filled with concern. Watching her, Samson unconsciously smiled to himself.
Still… personally, I quite like that side of you. In the world at large, they call that kind of thing thoughtfulness, after all.
*
The time spent locked in a contest of strength with the Demon King was, in truth, a disguised moment of shared affection. Though it hadn’t been intentional, the sweetness of this time far exceeded my expectations. If possible, I wanted it to continue forever.
As if responding to my wish, the Demon King continued adjusting her strength the entire time. I knew this could go on for quite a while longer. Honestly, the question of “how exactly is this duel supposed to end?” had become something of a mystery, but I eventually stopped thinking about it and simply decided that things would work out somehow.
With victory pushed completely to the back of our minds, the two of us continued our weapon-clashing dance — until suddenly…
Crack!
“Huh?”
“Eh?”
A sharp sound reached both our ears at the same time. For a brief moment, the Demon King and I both felt an ominous premonition and wondered if we should stop what we were doing.
Then—
Shatter!!!
“Ah!...”
“Ah…”
The unexpected event happened in an instant. The sword the Demon King had been holding simply snapped and broke apart.
“W-what the…”
I was visibly shocked by the unforeseen development, but I quickly realized the reason. The sword I held was the famous blade the Demon King had gifted me. It could slice through ordinary steel like tofu and was strong enough to withstand my immense magical power without issue. Its durability as a greatsword was an added bonus.
On the other hand, the weapon the Demon King had been using against that greatsword was nothing more than an ordinary iron blade. Since she was currently disguised, she couldn’t use her usual supreme armaments and had to make do with relatively cheap equipment. That was unavoidable.
In that situation, no matter how much we were holding back, it was only natural that an ordinary iron sword couldn’t endure the attacks of two people whose power far surpassed that of ordinary beings.
Winner: Black Knight Hero!
And so, our duel came to an end, leaving behind a far deeper sense of regret than I had anticipated. But right after, as the Demon King stepped down from the arena, she whispered softly into my ear.
“If you don’t mind… shall we do this again sometime…?”
“!... Ah… Yes. Understood.”
“Hehe…”
With a small, gentle laugh, the Demon King left the arena. Watching her retreating figure, I could only stand there with a flushed face, feeling utterly dazed.
It was as if I had been the one who lost the duel just now.