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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: The Villainess Who Held a Sword
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The Princess’s expression darkened as she looked at Erin. She was about to say something to Erin, but then closed her mouth.
It was clearly strange, but before Erin could realize it, the Princess spoke to Amon.
“Sir Amon, now that I think about it, it might be fine.”
“Pardon?”
“Instead, would it be alright if I were the only observer?”
Ferdin and Karon reacted to Princess Ashili’s words.
They were about to open their mouths to protest immediately. But they were forced to stop by Erin’s subsequent action.
“If that is Your Royal Highness’s will, then I have no objection.”
A silence hung in the air at Erin’s words. The two knights agreed, and the Princess had offered to be the observer.
Now, the duel between Erin and Amon had become irreversible.
* * *
Amon couldn’t understand what on earth the Princess was thinking.
Both Princess Ashili and Ferdin occasionally indulged in eccentricities that defied his common sense.
Normally, Princess Ashili would have tried to stop his actions with old-fashioned words.
Her benevolence was widely known, and it was obvious what state Erin Resus would be in if she dueled him.
But she didn’t. Instead, by stating she would observe, she made the matter irreversible.
Could it be that even the benevolent Princess Ashili couldn’t forgive someone who had stolen her beloved?
Let’s say the Princess could do that. But what on earth was Erin Resus thinking, agreeing to a duel with him?
His mind was cluttered with various thoughts, making it complex. He recalled what had just happened, his face stiff.
Erin had stopped Karon, who was showing a menacing aura, as if he was about to cause a commotion.
As soon as she whispered something into Karon’s ear, that colt-like fellow instantly quieted down.
Amon narrowed his eyes, watching Erin walk ahead of him. It was clear everyone was out of their minds.
Yes, in truth, just as Erin had said, he wouldn’t be able to kill Erin Resus.
After Erin and Ferdin became engaged, Karon Resus had joined their provisional knight order.
What’s more, Ferdin seemed to feel an inexplicable fondness for Erin Resus.
In such a situation, killing her during a duel was out of the question.
‘Ferdin, that guy, he’s usually so cold and composed, why is he acting like this?’
He usually didn't pay much attention to current trends, but even he knew how foolish Ferdin’s current actions were.
Ferdin being kind to Erin Resus was akin to him strangling himself.
Amon glared at Erin, thinking that. For Ferdin’s sake, he had to teach Erin Resus a lesson today.
“This should be enough.”
As soon as the Princess’s words fell, Amon and Erin stopped walking.
Although it wasn’t a long walk, the Princess seemed slightly out of breath. She placed a hand on her chest and took a moment to compose herself.
“We shall proceed with a simple ceremony.”
The Princess said that, joining her hands neatly.
Amon took his ready stance. His blade extended gracefully towards Erin.
The upright sword seemed to speak of his character.
A knight who couldn’t stand injustice. That was Amon Hedor.
Erin knew how righteous a person he was.
He seemed indifferent and lazy about everything, but he was a person who would furiously confront evildoers.
That’s why he stood here now. To him, Erin was likely closer to a villain than anyone else.
Besides this, Amon had garnered attention early on for his genius. Erin quickly surveyed Amon’s physique.
His body was specialized for swordsmanship.
His father, Duke Hedor, wasn’t a Sword Master but was an excellent knight, and he wanted to make his child a Sword Master.
Thus, he had received systematic training since childhood.
Erin knew how outstanding a knight Amon would become in the future.
Later, he would be called Ferdin’s right-hand man and make a name for himself by beheading over a thousand high-level monsters.
However, in the future, Amon would become trapped within his own genius.
Believing he was strong even without effort, he stopped striving, and eventually stagnated.
And regrettably, he met his death before becoming a Master.
Perhaps if he had a little more time, or a little more passion, he would have easily become a Master.
After seeing Amon’s sword-drawing, Erin also drew her own sword.
Amon’s face twisted at her seemingly weak movement.
He had thought it might be the case, but Erin Resus was definitely a pathetic human.
The Princess called their names.
“Erin Resus, Amon Hedor.”
At that call, Erin raised her sword and aimed it at Amon.
Perhaps it was fortunate that this situation had arisen.
Before he became trapped in his genius, Erin intended to give him a new revelation.
That no matter how much of a genius one was born, another genius could exist above them.
* * *
“The sacred duel shall begin.”
As soon as Princess Ashili’s words ended, Amon moved. He had underestimated his duel with Erin.
He had seen Erin Resus several times before. Mostly, they had encountered each other at parties.
Unlike her notorious wickedness, she was a very quiet person.
As if she were both there and not there, she would just stand quietly and then disappear.
“Do you see that person? They say Erin Resus tormented a servant again this time.”
“If she weren’t the Resus Marquis’s daughter, she would have been jailed long ago.”
“There’s a lot of talk that the Marquis’s wife is troubled. It must be difficult for her kind nature to see the servants suffering.”
He himself had briefly paid attention to the whispers of other nobles as they watched Erin.
At parties, she always kept her head bowed. Amon thought that sight was disgraceful.
Because he felt that even her pretense of remorse was only for those in power.
A villainess who couldn’t do anything in public places like parties, yet tormented people in the shadows.
That was the image of Erin Resus imprinted in his mind.
Her acting like a tragic heroine in response to the criticism she received for her own wickedness irritated him.
Perhaps it was from that time. He began to dislike Erin Resus.
He came to dislike her even more after meeting Lilia.
Lilia was the most honorable Mage Amon had ever seen.
While working together in Ferdin’s provisional knight order, he learned that her elder brother had been killed by Erin Resus.
Amon remembered Erin’s hands, which he had seen at parties.
Her hands, clean without a single scratch, seemed to know no hardship.
Erin Resus had probably grown up as the Resus Marquis’s daughter, without ever experiencing hardship in her life.
She had clearly never received a proper scolding from anyone, which explained her arrogance and wickedness.
She was the type of person Amon disliked the most.
It was clear. But why?
Amon swung his sword. He clashed with Erin using the sword he had personally been tutored in by Duke Hedor.
The sword, imbued with the essence of the Hedor Ducal House, was fast and honest. His swordsmanship, devoid of embellishment, wasn't flashy but was elegant.
It could be called the pinnacle of noble swordsmanship. It was a sword even Duke Hedor acknowledged.
“You possess the talent to surpass me.”
Amon also thought so. Among his peers, there was no rival who could withstand Amon’s sword.
While there were those who could contend with him to some extent, no one surpassed him.
Even Karon, who was said to be chosen by the sword, achieved through effort what Amon could achieve with moderate training.
At some point, he realized he was steadily growing even without putting in much effort.
However, at this very moment, Amon faced a colossal mountain.
Erin easily dodged his sword and even counterattacked.
It was impossible. How could she?
Amon’s sword grazed Erin’s side. But even that wasn’t what he had intended.
If it had been according to his intention, the sword shouldn’t have missed. Amon admitted to himself that he was getting agitated.
His original purpose wasn’t to hurt Erin Resus. He merely intended to scare her enough to make her leave the swordsmanship department.
He wanted to make her realize her place.
His hidden agenda was to show her that this was not a place someone like her, who had grown up pampered and ignorant her entire life, could handle.
But as if mocking his thoughts, Erin Resus was overwhelming Amon.
At the same time, murderous intent began to infuse Amon’s sword. Yet, deep down, he knew.
That his sword wouldn’t even graze a single hair on Erin.
That was utterly impossible.
