Clang!
The clash of wooden swords rang out as if they were real steel blades colliding. Jade effortlessly parried the thrust I aimed at him. Without pause, I swung my wooden sword at him again and again.
Abigail's body wasn't just tough—it had incredible reflexes too. Before I could even think, it dodged the incoming strikes instinctively, blocked them, and countered.
"Hah, hah."
"……."
My breath came in ragged gasps, while Jade remained utterly serene, as if he hadn't lifted a finger. I gritted my teeth.
"Hah!"
I struck first again this time. Jade mostly just blocked my attacks, never launching his own. The gap in our skills was so vast that he never took the offensive against me. Still, I was always at the disadvantage.
I gripped the hilt with both hands, twisting my wrists to the right. Northern swordsmanship incorporated plenty of unorthodox techniques. In brutal fights, it was like mixed martial arts—even kicks were fair game. Taking advantage of our sparring session, I was testing every trick I could think of against Jade.
"Kuh."
As my wrist twisted unnaturally, a pained groan escaped Jade's lips. That created a tiny opening for Abigail's body to slip through. Ignoring the sharp pain in my own wrist, I dove into his guard.
"Urk!"
But Jade noticed first and brought the hilt of his wooden sword down on me. I barely raised mine in time to block, staggering back a great distance.
I grumbled in complaint. "That's cheating. You said you wouldn't attack first. I almost had you."
"Fuu."
It was a fight where the first to land even a graze on the opponent's body won. But I'd never beaten him once. I'd nearly done it that time, only to retreat like a fool.
"Truly, Lady Abigail, your movements are impossible to predict."
"Is that a compliment?"
Jade's face grew a touch more serious at my question. "However, you mustn't rely on tricks to scrape by. You're at the stage where you need to master the fundamentals……."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Master."
I had an insanely competitive streak. Once we started sparring, I got obsessed with winning. I'd been training diligently just as Jade instructed all this time, so it stung that he didn't acknowledge it.
As I pouted, Jade approached with a smile. "Soon, you'll surpass me, Lady Abigail."
"You saying that to piss me off?"
"No. I mean it."
"Tch."
I stuck out my lip in disbelief, and a flicker of amusement crossed Jade's usually stoic face. It was a bit much for a joke aimed at a total novice like me, who'd only just started training.
Then, the surroundings suddenly grew noisy. I turned to see the duke approaching.
"…Father?"
"Looks like you're working hard."
Serrian Sinus, the knight order commander, stood beside him. The duke must have recovered enough to observe the knights' training.
I eyed his brooch to make sure it was pinned properly. Sure enough, the red brooch I'd gifted him recently adorned his shirt. It wasn't just any accessory—it held Ren's mana. Not enough to lift the curse outright, but Ren had said it could at least interfere with it.
I'd made the duke promise never to take it off when I gave it to him.
"Greetings, Your Grace."
Jade set down his wooden sword and bowed deeply. The other knights, who had been glancing our way during the spar, did the same.
"Rise. I only came to see my daughter training."
"……."
The duke's tone was oddly affectionate, leaving me deeply embarrassed. It had been better when he was cold.
I smiled awkwardly up at him. "Father, is it okay for you to be out here like this?"
It was midsummer, and the sun beat down mercilessly. But his complexion looked far healthier than before. The brooch from Ren was clearly doing its job.
"It's fine. Lately, my body feels remarkably light."
"I'm glad."
"I've improved a great deal since you gave me that brooch. It must be thanks to you."
"Haha…."
Well, it was, but playing the dutiful daughter was harder than I'd imagined. The duke's gaze brimmed with utter trust, which only made me uncomfortable. You weren't like this before. What's gotten into you?
Ever since we'd viewed the duchess's painting together, he'd become a completely different person. It was hard to adjust.
"I saw you sparring with Sir Jade earlier."
"Yes. He went easy on me a lot."
The duke looked at Jade with keen interest. Jade bowed his head, speaking in a stiff voice. "Lady Abigail's talent is exceptional. I'm astonished every day."
"Hohoho, even an advanced knight of the 1st Order says so."
"Ha, haha."
Stop it. Please stop, you two! It felt like being the child caught between gushing parents who call their kid a genius even if they just picked up a rock. They were masters at making people cringe.
Heat flooded my face. "I'm just a beginner."
"Such humility."
"Lady Abigail is too humble."
"……."
I wasn't being humble—I meant it. If I stayed here any longer, I'd lose my mind. I was about to speak up when—
"Your Grace, a moment……."
"Hm?"
A servant came panting up and whispered in the duke's ear. His brows furrowed.
"Is that true?"
"Yes, Your Grace."
"This is troubling."
Rubbing his forehead in annoyance, the duke turned to me. "Abi, come to my study after training."
"Yes, Father."
"Let's go."
He left the training grounds with his attendants. I watched his retreating back for a moment before glancing at Jade beside me.
"Shall we continue?"
"Of course."
"This time, I'm winning one for sure!"
I shot him a challenging glare.
* * *
After training, I headed to the duke's study. I expected to find him and Dominic waiting, but there was an unexpected guest as well.
"Greetings, my lady."
A mage in gray robes bowed politely. I looked at him curiously.
"I am Christopher Pell, an advanced mage from the Magic Tower for the upcoming Magic Festival."
"Ah, nice to meet you."
I nodded in return. "But what's this about? Why call me here?"
"Hm."
I glanced at the man calling himself an advanced mage. From what I'd heard, that rank was just below the Magic Tower Master—one of the few who could assist them directly. Did seeing the cursed duke not strike him as odd? Unease stirred in me.
"The Magic Tower Master will attend the Magic Festival in person."
"Pardon?"
The Tower Master coming here? Unprecedented. Why would he bother with a northern festival like ours? Hadn't he always ignored the north? Especially since the current one had no interest in it…….
"It's true. The Master sent me today to deliver the news."
The advanced mage smiled, driving the point home. I stared at him dubiously.
"The Master will visit the ducal house soon."
The Magic Tower was essentially a nation unto itself, transcending borders. Though located within the empire, its territory enjoyed strict neutrality. Even the mighty Rampas Empire couldn't touch it lightly.
During the continental wars of old, the Tower stayed neutral. Some mages joined their homelands, but most barricaded themselves inside, refusing to sully magic with petty conflicts.
Until one kingdom broke the treaty and invaded Tower lands. Its king, coveting their power, provoked the Master. Soon after, that kingdom lay in ruins. Having made an example, the Master returned to the Tower, and no nation dared provoke him again.
The Magic Tower Master at the pinnacle of magekind wielded near-absolute power. Even the emperor couldn't command him at will. For him to visit us personally was monumental.
"What an honor. We'll prepare without fail."
"Thank you, Your Grace."
The mage bowed, then turned to me, his eyes glinting strangely. "The Master eagerly awaits meeting you, my lady."
"…Me?"
"Yes. He specifically wishes to see you."
"……."
Because of Ren, no doubt. I sighed inwardly. The Master's sudden interest in the north must stem from my contact with Ren. I couldn't tell if it was a boon or a headache.
"Meeting the Master is a great honor, Abi. It will greatly benefit your future."
"Yes, Father."
The duke was thrilled. Inviting the Master had been his predecessor's long-held dream, the very reason for the Magic Festival. Yet he'd never piqued interest before. Now that he had, the duke was elated, looking almost boyish in his excitement.
In the buoyant atmosphere, I was the only one feeling glum.
* * *
Benjamin Wall. The current Magic Tower Master. And a character who never appeared in the original novel.
Because by the time Ren showed up, he was already dead.
After the duke's death in the story, monster outbreaks plagued the north endlessly. The monster crisis. With no warning, they swarmed the region.
Amid that chaos, rebellion erupted in the Magic Tower—over the crisis itself. Debates raged among the mages.
Like many past Masters, Benjamin Wall chose to observe without intervening. But hardliners argued this was no mere human squabble; it was war between monsters and mankind, demanding participation.
The hardliners, who wanted to aid the empire fighting the beasts, clashed with the moderates loyal to the Master. Factions formed, and the hardliners rebelled.
After fierce fighting, they won—thanks in large part to Ren, their leader. He slew the Master, claimed the title, allied with the empire, and eradicated the monsters with brilliant magic. Thus earning titles like Sage of Insight and Archmage of White Flame.
The current young Ren seemed on good terms with his master. He spoke of him with respect. Yet they'd clash over differences and he'd kill him. It left a bitter taste.
Parts I'd skimmed as "oh, okay" in the novel felt strangely real now.
"…Lady Abigail?"