Eventually, I stood at a peak. In terms of skill, nobody could best me when it came to wielding a spear, however, my already growing arrogance began to erode my mind. I was a slave to power at its highest degree.
"Y-Your Highness…" My faithful servant kneeled in front of me, trembling while my eyes practically tore his entire body to shreds.
"Aladinn…" I muttered. "What is the report?"
"Two million casualties for the opposers while… five million on our side. We won, of course, but… at the cost of so many lives."
"That is unfortunate," I coldly responded before rising from my throne, my aura spilling out across the entire throne room. "We must continue moving now. I can feel it. With this many souls, I can break this godforsaken curse placed upon me."
There was a long pause between us before Aladinn spoke up once more.
"Ophelia von Aubessec. I hereby declare that I am no longer your servant, no longer a servant of this Empire, nor will I continue to be a citizen of this Empire."
"And your reason?" I raised an eyebrow, causing the man in front of me to seethe with anger.
"You fucking monster. Five million casualties on our side could have been reduced to at most two hundred thousand. Yet, you went wild out there. You killed indiscriminately. Ally… foe… no matter what they were, you killed them. The remaining citizens of your Empire fear you down to the very marrow of their bones. Is this what you desire?" He declared through gritted teeth, jagged dark purple spines protruding from his entire body.
"I have calculated beyond what you can even begin to comprehend. Do you not understand these are just stepping stones? Even breaking this curse is just a mere rock in the pond of my imagination. I foresee so much more than you could ever begin to comprehend… and for that crime, you shall pay with your life."
"Crime!?" he yelled. "What crime did I ever commit?! BEING A SOUTHERNER?! WITHDRAWING FROM YOUR CORRUPT EMPIRE?! NO! NO OF COURSE NOT! MY CRIME IS FOR NOT BEING INTELLIGENT ENOUGH TO STAND NEXT TO YOU! YOU FUCKING MONSTER! IS THAT CORRECT?!" His yelling soon turned to maniacal laughter.
"Is… that something to be so mad about? Nobody can truly stand next to me. I gave you a chance and you wasted it."
"Yes, this is your true nature. An arrogant piece of shit."
"As long as, in the end, I stand at the pinnacle of this world… so be it."
…
(Present)
(Lord Austin POV)
The servants and knights of the estate had gathered around the front yard, forming a wide ring around the dirt training grounds. A few trees and a weapon rack were placed carefully around the ring. And so, a cool breeze stirred the leaves of the surrounding trees, and the soft rustle was the only sound breaking the tense silence. I stood tall, gripping the hilt of my longsword as I took in the scene.
Across from me stood Ophelia von Aubessec, her silver hair catching the pale sunlight. She held a longsword, its blade gleaming faintly, her stance measured yet strangely calm. Beside her was Captain Edwin, his shield resting against his side, his longsword steady in his grasp. His face displayed a flicker of doubt. Unease lingered in his posture, though he tried to mask it behind a rigid facade of discipline.
'How pitiful…' I thought to myself.
My best knight stood at my side, a hulking figure wielding a greatsword nearly as large as himself. His armor bore the crest of my house, the golden lion shining boldly against the blackened steel. He shifted slightly, testing the balance of his weapon as his gaze fixed on the pair before us.
I couldn't help but smirk to myself. "She was dressed for battle from the start," I muttered, noting how she wasn't in any kind of fancy upon meeting us. It was like she had specifically selected these clothes for this very moment. "This is what she wanted all along."
The thought amused me, though. Despite her confidence—or arrogance—this outcome was inevitable. "There's no way she can win."
Lord Castellan, standing at the edge of the circle, raised a hand to call for attention. His voice rang out clearly. "Prepare yourselves. The match will begin shortly."
I stole another glance at Captain Edwin. He was sweating, his grip tightening on his longsword. His eyes darted briefly to Ophelia, filled with concern—or perhaps fear. It was obvious he wasn't confident in her abilities, though he had no choice but to trust them. That doubt, that hesitation, would be their undoing.
No, their execution.
Lord Castellan's hand dropped. "START!" he barked.
The air between us tightened with tension as Edwin raised his shield, stepping forward to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ophelia. My knight, Kael, stood at my side, his greatsword balanced casually over his shoulder, fire magic already dancing along its edge. I could feel his anticipation, a quiet storm waiting to erupt.
Without a word, I surged forward, longsword in hand, the blade igniting with a roar of flames.
Edwin moved to intercept me, his shield flashing with a golden glow as he deflected my opening strike. I shifted my weight, spinning with the momentum to deliver a low slash aimed at his legs. He hopped back, his shield coming down just in time to catch the follow-up strike. Sparks flew as steel met steel.
Beside us, Kael charged Ophelia, his greatsword coming down in a devastating arc. She sidestepped with a surprising amount of fluidity, her longsword snapping up to deflect the blade. The clash sent a shockwave through the air, but Kael didn't let up. He pivoted, swinging his massive weapon low in a sweeping motion that forced her to leap back. The edge of his fire-infused blade singed the fabric of her shirt.
Edwin advanced again, his shield driving toward my chest. I caught the motion and sidestepped, swinging my blade in a tight arc aimed at his exposed flank. He turned just enough to absorb the blow with his shield, the golden aura around it flaring brighter.
"Holy magic?" I smirked, twisting my wrist to redirect the force of my blade downward, locking his shield in place for a moment. With my other hand, I conjured a burst of flames that roared toward his face. He raised his shield to block it, the flames licking harmlessly against the radiant barrier, but the heat forced him to step back.
Clearly, he was only here to stall for time, trusting in the fact that Ophelia might have a way of winning this. Everybody here knew she was smart and everybody here knew, she had something up her sleeve from the moment she declared a two-on-two battle.
Kael kept pressing Ophelia, his strikes heavy and relentless. She parried each swing, her movements efficient but strained. He feinted high, then dropped low, his greatsword slamming into the ground where she'd been standing moments before.
She used the opening to dart forward, aiming a quick thrust at his side. He twisted his torso, catching her blade on his gauntlet. With a growl, he brought his other arm around, aiming a fiery backhand that grazed her shoulder as she ducked.
"Not bad, Duchess," Kael said, his voice laced with mockery. "But you'll need more than quick feet to keep up."
I turned my attention back to Edwin, whose shield glowed brighter as he called forth a burst of holy magic. A golden shockwave erupted from him, forcing me to brace myself as the energy washed over the battlefield. I saw him shift, finally using his weapon, his sword coming in fast toward my side. I parried it, stepping in close to throw my shoulder against his shield, but he held firm, pushing back with surprising strength.
"Your arrogance will cost you, Auric," Edwin said through gritted teeth.
His sword came around in a tight slash aimed at my neck. I ducked, using the momentum to roll under his next swing, coming up behind him with my blade ready to strike. He spun faster than I expected, his shield crashing into my side and sending me stumbling.
Kael's roar echoed not too far away as he swung his greatsword upward, the sheer force knocking Ophelia's blade high. He followed with a punch that caught her square in the ribs, the flames on his gauntlet flaring on impact. She staggered but recovered quickly, her longsword slicing toward his legs. He jumped back, fire trailing from his blade as he prepared another strike.
Edwin's shield met my next strike with a deafening clang, the golden aura around it flaring brightly as it absorbed the blow. He pushed forward, trying to ram the shield into my chest, but I twisted my body, narrowly avoiding the brunt of the force.
My sword swept low, flames sparking as the blade scraped against the dirt ground, aiming for his legs. He stepped back just in time, raising his shield to deflect the upward slash that followed.
"Getting tired, Auric?" he taunted, his sword darting toward my exposed side.
I parried, the force of our blades colliding sending a sharp vibration through my arm. "You wish," I snapped back, using the momentum to step inside his guard. My knee shot up, slamming into his thigh, and he grunted in pain, stumbling slightly. Seizing the opportunity, I brought my sword down in a fiery arc, but his shield came up again, glowing brighter as it absorbed the impact once more.
'How annoying…' I thought to myself.
Kael's roar echoed from behind me as his greatsword clashed with Ophelia's blade once more. His swings were relentless, each strike heavy enough to shake the ground beneath them. However, Ophelia moved with precision, her longsword deflecting his blows just enough to avoid the full force, but it was clear she was struggling. Her movements became slower, her steps less fluid.
"Is that all you've got, Duchess?" Kael sneered, his greatsword carving a fiery arc through the air. Ophelia barely dodged, the edge of his blade grazing her arm. She staggered back, her breaths coming in short gasps, her sword trembling in her hand.
I watched her falter out of the corner of my eye, suspicion creeping in. She's up to something.
Edwin capitalized on my distraction, his shield bashing into my side and sending me stumbling. His sword slashed toward my neck, and I ducked, rolling away to create some distance. My hand shot out, releasing a burst of fire that forced him to raise his shield again.
Kael pressed his advantage, his greatsword swinging in a wide arc that sent Ophelia's blade flying from her hands. She stumbled, her legs buckling as she fell to one knee. Her head hung low, her silver hair obscuring her face.
"Give up," Kael growled, pointing his sword at her chest. "Or I'll cripple you for life. In a duel like this, we won't get punished."
Ophelia's tired expression immediately dropped into a colder, more emotionless one, sending shivers down my spine. With her hand darting to the ground, in a swift motion, she rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the downward swing of Kael's blade. As the greatsword came crashing down, she slid underneath it, the edge grazing her shoulder. She sprang to her feet, backing up toward the weapon rack.
Kael grinned, stalking toward her. "Running to the rack, huh? What's next, throwing kitchen knives?"
Ophelia's response was to grab the nearest weapon—a dagger—and hurl it at him. Kael laughed, swatting it aside with his greatsword. But then came another weapon. And another. Daggers, axes, even a shield—she hurled them wildly, Kael smiling as he menacingly walked towards her through the flurry of weapons. His laughter echoed through the air as he easily deflected the storm of projectiles.
"You're desperate," he grinned. "Just give up Duchess. We don't want to get rid of you. You could be a very useful asset, so just surrender already—"
SHING
His expression froze as a spear shot through the barrage, its sharp tip grazing his neck. He stumbled back, his eyes widening in shock.
Ophelia stepped forward, now wielding a spear with both hands. Her posture changed—her movements sharper, more deliberate. The air around her seemed to shift, an icy tension filling the space. Even I felt a chill crawl up my spine.
However, out of every expression she could make right now… why was she making a face like that? Disgust? Why?
Kael roared, unleashing a blast of fire from his gauntlet as he charged. The flames obscured his form, but Ophelia sidestepped, her spear spinning in a blur as she closed the distance. Kael swung wildly, but she ducked, the spear twirling over her back before striking his armor with a sharp crack. He stumbled, his momentum faltering.
She didn't let up. The spear spun around her shoulder and wrist, building momentum with each rotation. The next strike came fast and hard, the spear slamming into his helmet with a resounding crack. The metal dented, and somehow, in an instant, Kael crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
There was not even a second for me to react and use our backup plan of double teaming her… what the hell just happened?
Sweat dripped into my eyes as I raised my longsword, its blade shimmering faintly with the heat of my fire magic. Across from me, Ophelia's silver hair caught the light as she shifted her stance, her spear raised. To her right, Captain Edwin held his shield firmly, the glowing edges of holy magic radiating from it while his sword remained normal.
Edwin moved first, his shield suddenly dimming, and his sword brightened with holy light. Holy magic radiated from him, an aura of power that made my skin prickle. I steadied my breath, gripping my sword tighter.
Edwin's strike came fast, his longsword carving a diagonal arc toward my chest. I stepped back, angling my blade to parry. Sparks flew as the weapons clashed, the force of the blow rattling my arm. Before I could counter, he pivoted, his shield crashing into my ribs. The impact sent me stumbling, and I barely had time to recover before Ophelia was upon me.
Her spear sang as it arced toward my shoulder. I ducked low, twisting to the side, and felt the air stir as her blade passed inches from my face. Fire magic pulsed through my veins, and I raised my free hand, releasing a burst of flame toward her chest. She swayed left with ease, her movements fluid and precise. Her blade lashed out in a counterstroke aimed at my side.
I brought my longsword up in time to block, the clash of steel ringing out as the vibration jolted through my arm. Her strength was relentless, pressing me back step by step. Edwin circled to my left, forcing me to split my attention.
I gritted my teeth and pushed back with all my might, managing to create just enough distance to steady my footing. Ophelia stepped in again, her blade flashing in a quick thrust. I deflected her strike, twisting my blade to redirect her momentum, but Edwin was already moving. His longsword came down in a crushing vertical slash.
I barely raised my sword in time, the force of the blow driving me to one knee. Edwin's shield slammed into my shoulder, and pain shot through me as I toppled onto my side. Rolling away, I tried to rise, but Ophelia was there again. Her blade flicked out, slicing across my thigh with surgical precision. I gasped, the cold steel biting deep as I staggered back.
I swung my sword in a desperate arc, forcing her to step back. However, Edwin lunged forward, his shield raised as he closed the distance. The edge of his shield slammed into me again, the sheer force knocking the wind from my lungs. I stumbled once more, struggling to hold my ground, but Ophelia darted behind me. Her blade lashed out like a snake, slicing through my right Achilles tendon.
Pain exploded through me, and I collapsed to one knee. My sword slipped from my grip as my hands instinctively went to my leg. I couldn't move, couldn't fight—my body refused to obey.
"I... yield," I managed, my voice trembling as I raised my hands in surrender.
Ophelia stepped back, wiping the sweat from her chin. "Alright then," she said, her voice calm but edged with steel. "All of you get off my property and tell Stegertath to come to me personally if he wants a piece of the pie. Of course, with some negotiation. I had no qualms with working with him from the start… but using his servants to do the work for him? I honestly expected better."