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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Duel
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The next day.
I figured I'd try to raise Romeo and Calix's favorability a bit more before the other friends arrived.
With that in mind, I went to find them, but their rooms were empty.
‘Where did they go?’
I asked the soldiers guarding the residence, but they said they didn't know.
Unfortunately, there were no servants passing by, so I had no one to ask.
‘I guess I’ll just take a walk.’
Lellia decided to go outside, just in case Lute showed up again.
She was about to change her clothes and head out.
Knock, knock. A knock sounded at the door.
‘Don’t tell me…’
Thinking it might be Lute again, Lellia opened the door herself, feeling uneasy.
But a knight she had never seen before was standing there.
"What is it?"
"Prince Cedric is urgently looking for Sir Raymond."
Prince Cedric? What could it be about?
Lellia furrowed her brow and asked.
"Why is he summoning me?"
"I'm not sure myself. I was only told to bring you immediately. Let's go now."
The knight spoke in a forceful tone, wary as if Lellia might try to run away.
"...Wait just a moment."
Just in case, Lellia closed the door and took out a potion from her item window. It was the same one she had used on the emperor.
She might be suspected of her gender again.
After taking out the small vial and tucking it into her sleeve, she opened the door and followed the stern-faced knight.
The knight led her toward the residence where the princes were staying.
As they neared, she could see people gathered in the large, spacious garden of the princes' palace.
Judging by their attire, they were all nobles. The strange thing was, they were all men.
‘Is this some kind of gathering for male nobles?’
Lellia tilted her head, but she was glad she had brought the potion.
Perhaps Romeo and Calix were there as well.
The knight brought Lellia before Prince Cedric and then left.
"You're here?"
Cedric glanced at Lellia before downing his champagne glass in one go.
Lellia gave him a slight bow and looked around.
Desserts, drinks, and alcohol were laid out in the garden for everyone to enjoy freely.
The male nobles were standing in small groups, chatting with one another.
What was unusual was that in the center of the garden, on a wide circular stage, two male nobles were engaged in a sword duel.
Several nobles surrounded the circular stage, cheering and shouting for their respective sides.
Seeing them smiling, it didn't seem like a serious duel. In any case, it appeared to be a gathering of male nobles.
However, she couldn't see Romeo or Calix anywhere.
"For what reason did you summon me? I heard you were looking for me urgently."
"Yes, that's right. I was."
Cedric smiled as if it were nothing and gestured to one side.
At his beckoning, a male noble approached.
"......"
The man didn't hide his hostile gaze toward Lellia, revealing it so openly that it flustered her.
"Sir Raymond, you may not know him. This is Lord Namp."
"...A pleasure."
"......"
Even though Lellia greeted him first, he continued to glare at her.
Sensing a strange atmosphere, she looked around and saw that everyone was staring at her. A silence had fallen over the crowd.
"Please understand if Lord Namp isn't pleased to see you. He is Lady Grace's fiancé."
"......"
Lellia's brows furrowed. Lady Grace's fiancé?
At Cedric's words, Lord Namp lifted his chin and stared defiantly at Lellia.
What does he want from me?
"Have you nothing to say?"
Lord Namp demanded abruptly.
"...No, I don't."
"Ha!"
At Lellia's reply, Lord Namp fumed as if he found it absurd. Cedric calmed him down, saying, "Whoa, whoa."
‘What is this about?’
It's not like I had an affair with Lady Grace... Why is he so angry? Not that I could have an affair in the first place.
Could it be because I danced with her at the ball?
If he didn't like it, he should have stuck by Lady Grace's side himself.
Dumbfounded, she glared back at Lord Namp, who finally seemed to lose his patience and spoke.
"Now, keep your promise, Your Highness. You said I could duel him if he didn't apologize, did you not?"
"Hmm..."
A duel?
Cedric stroked his chin thoughtfully before turning to Lellia.
"The truth is, Sir. I summoned you because Lord Namp wishes to duel you. If you had apologized right away, Lord Namp might have forgiven you, but..."
"......"
"Since that's not the case, it can't be helped. Will you accept the duel? Ah, duels with swords are illegal in our empire."
At those words, Lord Namp snickered and smacked his fist into his palm.
Cedric said.
"Instead, we duel with fisticuffs. As long as no one dies, it's not against the law, so don't worry."
Cedric patted Lellia's shoulder with a gentle expression.
"Oh, right. And there's a next in line."
"What?"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than something flew toward the side of Lellia's face.
Startled, she snatched it out of the air before it could hit her. It was a brown glove.
In the direction the glove had come from, Prince Damian stood with a defiant posture.
"I heard you insulted my sister. I will wash away the stain on Princess Yuriana's honor with a duel against you!"
"......"
Her head was spinning.
‘What in the world is happening right now?’
Just then, the male nobles who had gathered all cheered and swarmed around the circular stage.
Lord Namp loosened his cravat, rolled up his sleeves, and moved to the center of the stage.
At this point, there was no escaping.
She wondered what excuse she could make to flee, but she saw neither the time nor the means.
Lord Namp was a handspan taller than Lellia and much larger. One punch from him, and she would be knocked out cold.
"You're not going to run, are you?"
Cedric sneered. He looked at Lellia and shoved her shoulder, as if to say, "What are you doing, not moving to the center?"
The forceful push sent Lellia stumbling to the middle of the stage.
‘What should I do?’
Not swordsmanship, but fisticuffs.
At least she had learned some swordsmanship from her grandfather, uncle, and aunt. But she had never fought with her bare fists before.
The spectators roared with excitement, as if this commoner's sport was immensely entertaining.
"Lord Namp! Smash that face of his!"
"As long as you don't kill him, it's fine!"
"Break his legs!"
"He looks so scrawny, one punch should be enough!"
Hearing their cries, Lellia quickly checked her item window.
If she got knocked out and taken to a physician, her gender could be revealed. She had to endure this somehow.
Lellia found a potion in her inventory and quickly took it out. A small pill rested in her palm.
Pretending to touch her mouth, she swallowed the pill and slowly rolled up her sleeves.
At the same time, the Help Mode displayed a message window.
[You have taken the 'Adamant Body' potion, which makes your entire body as hard as steel! ٩(๑•̀o•́๑)و The item's duration is 5 minutes!]
Just then, a whistle blew, signaling the start.
Simultaneously, a large fist flew right past her face.
"......"
Lord Namp glared at Lellia, his expression saying, ‘How dare you dodge my fist?’
She had barely dodged it that time, but the next would be impossible.
Immediately, his other fist came flying.
Thwack!
"Aaaaaargh!"
But the one who screamed was Lord Namp, the one who threw the punch.
He clutched his fist and blinked, as if in disbelief.
Lellia was also taken aback. She thought having a body of steel would mean she wouldn't feel pain... but the pain was a separate matter. Her cheek stung and her head throbbed.
"Y-you! Die!"
Lord Namp seemed more furious than she'd expected. With murderous eyes, he rushed in again, throwing punches.
Lellia also took a fighting stance and dodged his relentless fists.
As Lellia dodged and weaved around the circular stage, the onlookers booed.
"Coward!"
"And you call yourself a man!"
"Lord Namp! Crush that bastard's family jewels!"
Lord Namp's eyes were completely crazed.
‘This can’t go on.’
Dodging the flurry of punches that left her breathless, Lellia made a decision. It seemed this would only end if she defeated Lord Namp herself.
With that thought, she threw a punch on impulse.
Thwack!
With a tremendous sound, Lord Namp collapsed.
She should have aimed for his cheek, but having never fought like this before and being in a daze, she ended up striking his jaw.
"Ugh..."
Lord Namp fell to the floor and passed out.
[5 minutes have passed. The item's effect is now gone. (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧]
Lellia was also panting, out of breath.
Just then.
Damian stepped onto the stage, kicked Lord Namp aside, and ordered him to be removed.
His face was contorted with anger.
"Now it's my turn, Sir Raymond. I'll make you pay dearly for daring to tarnish the princess's honor."
Unbelievable... Lellia scowled.
If the princess's honor had truly been tarnished, there would be a trial, not some duel.
Damian knew it too. This wasn't something that would go to trial.
Just then, the other prince, Cedric, who was standing at the side of the stage, made a suggestion.
"Sir Raymond. Seeing as you took down Lord Namp in one blow, you must be quite skilled. Why don't you face both of us at once?"
"W-what do you mean..."
"I'll take that as a yes. It seems we have a thing or two to learn from you, Sir."
With that, Cedric also unbuttoned his sleeves and walked to the center of the circular stage.
The spectating nobles, seemingly excited by Lord Namp's fall, shouted even louder.
"Yeah! Since he took down Lord Namp in one hit, two against one is fair!"
"Kill him, Your Highnesses!"
"Now it's fair! Shatter his facial bones!"
Ha. What kind of logic is that?
Lellia stared at Cedric and Damian with a look of utter disbelief.
As she stood facing them, a wave of sorrow and injustice washed over her, making the tip of her nose tingle.
"......"
It wasn't enough that they tormented her when they were young; they were still doing it now.
Honestly, Lellia truly hated Princes Cedric and Damian... but she always consciously tried not to think about them.
If she kept thinking about them and hating them, her deceased mother would be too sad.
Emperor Perseus was one thing, but they were children born from her mother's womb, just like her.
No parent likes to see their children fight.
Her inability to tell the truth made her feel even more heartbroken and wronged.
What kind of grudge did those two hold against her to torment her to this extent?
"......"
Meanwhile, Cedric and Damian were cracking their knuckles and glaring at Lellia, as if intending to beat her to within an inch of her life.
Their gazes, filled with hostility and malice, stung particularly sharply.
More than anything, it hurt that they were looking at her like that for the sake of... defending Princess Yuriana's honor.
"......"
Feeling a sense of emptiness, she felt like she no longer cared what happened.
Her will broken, Lellia didn't even assume a fighting stance.
Besides, she had no more of the potion she used earlier, nor the time to make it.
*Tweet!*
Just then, as if on Cedric's signal, a knight standing to the side blew a whistle.
Simultaneously, Cedric and Damian took fighting stances, wary of Lellia.
Cedric stepped forward first, while Damian stood a step behind, ready to charge in if Cedric was defeated.
Cedric didn't throw a punch right away, instead glaring at her keenly.
He seemed to be on guard because Lellia had knocked out Lord Namp with a single punch just moments before.
Cedric said.
"Why don't you come at me?"
He seemed to be trying to provoke her, but Lellia showed no reaction.
Cedric's expression turned strange for a moment before he closed in and threw a punch.
The speed and power of his punch were certainly different from Lord Namp's.
Lord Namp was an ordinary noble, whereas Cedric was a properly trained knight who had even participated in the war.
Thwack!
With the sound of her head snapping back from the punch, Lellia's body tumbled to the floor.
The one who hadn't budged even after being hit by Lord Namp's massive fist was now down, and the crowd's cheers grew louder.
"Waaaaah!"
"Kill him!"
"Kill him!"
Everyone excitedly shouted, "Kill him," "Tear him apart."
Cedric, feeling his spirits rise with the cheers, sneered at Lellia, who had been knocked down in one hit.
He slowly approached Lellia.
He nudged her with his foot and said in a loud voice.
"Sir, didn't I tell you earlier? As long as you don't die, it's not against the law!"
With that, he grabbed the nape of Lellia's neck with his left hand and raised his clenched right fist.
"......"
But in that moment.
Cedric hesitated.
The way 'Sir Raymond' was looking at him suddenly made him feel strange.
‘...Impossible.’
Someone came to mind, someone he had no reason to think of when looking at this person.
He shook his head and, feeling unsettled, raised his right hand higher.
And just before he brought his fist down on the small face.
"Ugh!"
Suddenly, his right hand froze, unable to move.
Puzzled, Cedric turned his head and saw the spectating nobles silently staring in one direction.
Someone was approaching, but the knights were only flinching, unable to get near him.
It was as if they were blocked by an unknown force.
It was a man in a white robe.
"...What the?"
Cedric let go of Lellia's collar and shot to his feet.
Damian was also scowling in that direction.
The man walked at a leisurely pace through the parted crowd of onlookers and approached the stage.
Cedric tilted his head.
Looking closely, the man was wearing a robe embroidered with the crest of the Creutz Order.
When he was within arm's reach of Princes Cedric and Damian, he pulled back the hood of his robe.
It was as he expected.
"Griffith, so it was you."
"......"
Cedric and Damian glared at him with unwelcoming expressions.
Having been in the war, they recognized him, but just like the others, they were not on good terms with Griffith.
"A two-on-one fisticuffs match. How impressive for princes."
Griffith murmured in a relaxed tone.
For that to be his opening remark.
Cedric and Damian were dumbfounded.
Griffith was also a prince, but he was now far down the line of succession.
A prince abandoned by the royal family. Cedric scoffed at Griffith inwardly.
Besides, this was inside Auraria's imperial palace.
How dare he act so insolently toward them, princes, in this place.
"We were merely dueling someone who dared to tarnish the princess's honor."
"Aha."
Griffith replied nonchalantly and approached Lellia, who was sprawled on the ground.
Then, he nudged her with the tip of his foot.
As Lellia's body turned, revealing her face, he raised the corners of his mouth in a peculiar expression.
"......"
At the same time, he reached out his hand. Lellia's eyes widened.
A clear energy was spreading through her body. Just a moment ago, it had throbbed so much she felt like her facial bones were shattered, but now, as if by magic, all the pain was gone.
It was divine power.
He turned his head and made a casual suggestion to Cedric and Damian.
"In that case, I'll take this friend's place in the duel."
"You? Why you?"
"......"
"What relationship do you have with him?"
At Cedric's question, Griffith turned his gaze to Lellia.
Their eyes met.
"It's the least I can do for a friend."
Griffith said, giving her a strange look. Lellia suddenly felt her heart stop.
‘A friend?’
Could it be... could he have recognized her?
The absurd thought left her dumbfounded. In that moment, Griffith shed his cumbersome robe and tossed it aside.
The robe flew over and landed on Lellia.
She looked up in confusion, and Griffith gestured with his chin for her to move aside.
"......"
Lellia dazedly clutched Griffith's robe and stepped to the side.
‘When on earth did he get here?’
While Lellia was still bewildered.
The spectating male nobles all shot her sharp glares and made no move to approach her.
Being treated like an insect was unpleasant, but it was a relief that no one crowded around her.
Griffith rolled up his sleeves and said.
"You can both come at me at once, just like before."
His provocation made Cedric's and Damian's eyebrows twitch.
Cedric said.
"...Using divine power during a duel is cheating. You know that, right?"
"Ah, yes. Of course."
Griffith spoke as if it were obvious and took a fighting stance. He looked as natural as a professional fighter in a gambling den.
At a look from Cedric, the hesitant knight, who didn't know what to do, finally blew the whistle.
Simultaneously, Cedric's fist flew. Watching, Lellia squeezed her eyes shut.
But no sound came, and when she opened her eyes, Griffith was effortlessly dodging Cedric.
Damian, watching from behind, must have decided this wasn't working, as he clenched his fists and joined in.
‘Cowards…!’
Lellia ground her teeth, cursing them inwardly.
In the center of the stage, Griffith was still dodging their attacks. Cedric and Damian looked thoroughly vexed.
"By the way, there's one thing I need to confirm."
"......"
Griffith asked while dodging a punch, but Cedric just ground his teeth. He seemed quite furious at being evaded so easily.
"I overheard earlier that as long as no one dies, it's not illegal. Does that apply even if the opponent is royalty?"
"Do you really think you can beat us to a pulp? There are two of us, after all."
Cedric sneered. The two of them had joined the war late, so they had barely seen Griffith in action.
Even in the final battle, Griffith had only healed from the rear with his divine power.
So to see him act this confident was absurd and laughable.
"Your answer?"
Griffith pressed for an answer, and Cedric snorted.
"Yes, that's right. But that won't happen...!"
Unfortunately, Cedric couldn't finish his sentence.
In an instant, Griffith's fist struck Cedric's jaw. Damian, standing behind him looking bewildered, was next.
Thwack!
The moment he turned his head toward Griffith to avenge Cedric, his body went flying.
A dead silence fell over the crowd that had been shouting "Kill him" and "Tear him apart" just moments before.
Griffith walked over to the fallen Cedric, grabbed him by the collar, and raised his fist.
Just as Cedric had done to Lellia.
Before Lellia could even wonder if she should intervene, the fist came down.
The knights hesitated, unsure of what to do.
The prince himself had said it wasn't cheating as long as no one died, but the knights still couldn't bear to watch the royalty they protected get hurt.
As the knights approached to stop him, Griffith clicked his tongue.
"Ugh!"
The knights who stepped onto the stage to restrain Griffith were suddenly frozen in place, bound by his divine power.
Griffith spoke lightly, as if to reassure the knights.
"Don't worry. I'll heal them right after this is over."
Hearing that, the knights flinched but were inwardly relieved.
Even the knights who hadn't participated in the war knew who Griffith was.
All those who had distinguished themselves on the battlefield were famous figures.
Among them, Griffith was renowned for possessing immense divine power.
But at Griffith's words, Damian ground his teeth in fury, as if he had been insulted.
Damian pushed himself up. Annoyance surged through him.
He had even asked his mother to keep Romeo and Calix away, worried they would interfere.
And now Griffith had appeared out of nowhere.
He spat on the ground and turned his head.
There, he saw Cedric, bloodied and unconscious.
How dare he do this to my brother...! Seeing Cedric, Damian felt his vision spin.
"You son of a bitch...!!!"
Damian hurled insults at Griffith. But he just smiled, amused.
"Son of a bitch. Are you insulting the imperial family of Nicea?"
"You...!"
"By your logic, my father is a dog. Well, you're not exactly wrong."
"......"
"Anyway, don't be too jealous. I'll heal you too."
Griffith's voice remained calm to the end.
Thwack!
After that, Griffith said no more.
Lellia couldn't bear to watch and squeezed her eyes shut.
I'll count to ten and then stop him.
With that thought, she opened her eyes after ten seconds had passed.
The floor of the circular stage was splattered with blood. Cedric was already unconscious, and Damian, his face a bloody mess, was staggering.
The knights were already trying to intervene, but their bodies were still frozen, and they could only struggle.
In the ten seconds Lellia had her eyes closed, the situation had become even more gruesome.
"Sir Griffith!"
Feeling that this couldn't go on, Lellia called his name to stop him.
Hearing his name, Griffith looked at Lellia and let go of Damian's collar.
He then stood up straight, adjusted his clothes, and reached out his hand.
A white light emerged from his fingertips, floating gently through the air like a butterfly.
Thanks to the divine power, the swollen faces of Cedric and Damian returned to normal.
But because of the bloodstains, they still looked horrible.
"That was a very interesting duel. Let's go now."
Griffith said lightly to Lellia.
"......"
Lellia followed him without a word. When she looked back, she saw the knights carrying the princes on their backs and running off.
Staring blankly at Griffith's back, she finally came to her senses.
By the way, when did Griffith arrive?
And how did he get here?
