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Lunamaria suddenly appeared in front of Princess Lilianne and left words that seemed to suggest something…… But for the next year, Lunamaria never appeared in front of Lilianne, and Lilianne somehow forgot about her.
And exactly a year later, at the yearly martial arts tournament…… Lunamaria showed up.
[An incident occurred! Division Commander!]
[What’s the matter?]
Seeing the female knight, her subordinate, suddenly barge into the waiting room, Lilianne curiously asked.
[D- Deputy Sieglinde…… has lost!]
[Wha…… Sieg did!? That’s impossible…… Who in the world……]
Lilia and Sieglinde have a fighting strength that is unmatched not only within the Knight Order, but even within the whole nation. Lilianne was well aware of this, and thus, she thought that she would be fighting Sieglinde in the finals again this year.
However, her expectations were overruled, making Lilianne wonder who her opponent was. The only person she could think of that could defeat Sieglinde was the Knight Order’s Commander herself.
However, the Knight Commander has already been inducted into the Hall of Fame after winning the tournament for ten consecutive years in the past, and wasn’t supposed to be participating in this year’s martial arts tournament.
[……It’s the Black Lily. The Black Lily Adventurer Lunamaria.]
[……Luna…… maria.]
When he heard the name spoken by her subordinate, the blue-haired woman she had met came to her mind, making her grip on her sword spontaneously tighten.
Just as she was about to ask for more information, Sieglinde returned to the waiting room assigned to the Second Knight Order.
[I have returned. I’m sorry, Lilianne…… I lost.]
[Yes, I heard about it just now…… Is she really that strong that she defeated you? That Black Lily……]
[Rather than strong, I think it would be more accurate to say that she was incredibly skillful. I had been completely “suppressed”. Unlike Knights, Adventurers often work in small groups, and I’ve heard that the better the Adventurer, the more versatile they are…… And she was exactly the epitome of versatility. I don’t know if she had seen through my combat habits, but the fight never swung in my favor at all.]
[……She’s that powerful huh.]
Lilianne was well aware of Sieglinde’s strength. That’s why, she couldn’t believe that Sieglinde had been suppressed.
However, as she continued to listen to her, she understood that Lunamaria was incredibly strong. Sieglinde’s trump card is Endowment Magic. She had heard how Lunamaria had seen through when she would activate her trump card, if the situation called for it, she would dare abandon her weapon and switch to another one, and how she performed a brilliant feat of interrupting Sieglinde’s spell casting the moment when she activated it.
[……Be careful, Lilianne. You may be far more powerful when it comes to pure physical ability, but you’re facing against a frighteningly versatile opponent. It’s better to go into this match thinking that you’re outmatched in technique.]
[……I understand.]
After nodding earnestly to Sieglinde’s words, Lilianne picked up her greatsword and headed for her own match.
The finals of the martial arts tournament. Standing in front of Lilianne, who had smoothly won her way up to the finals, was the person she had expected after she defeated Sieglinde, Lunamaria.
Behind Lunamaria, who held a short spear in one hand and a shield in the other, is a large number of weapons such as swords and axes propped up on the ground.
In martial arts tournaments, the use of magic boxes is prohibited during matches. Therefore, people like Lunamaria, who switch between multiple weapons depending on the situation, have to take them out of the magic box beforehand and leave them on the ground.
Seeing Lunamaria like that, Lilianne understood…… Recognizing that it was as Sieglinde said, that she would be a troublesome opponent, she quickly readied her greatsword.
A year ago, Lunamaria had a lot of things to say, but standing in front of Lilianne, she just sharpened up and didn’t say a word. However, the moment the referee announced the start of the match, Lunamaria spoke.
[It’s been a year, hasn’t it? Royal Princess.]
[……Didn’t I tell you my name back then?]
[Ahh~~ Yes, yes, I remember that. It was Gorianne or something like that, right? What great parents you have, giving an appropriate name to a crazy musclehead.]
[………………]
Lilianne doesn’t have a high tolerance to being agitated. This is because she is a princess, someone who usually shouldn’t be spoken ill right before her.
Therefore, at Lunamaria’s words, a vein popped out of Lilianne’s forehead.
[Are you ready?]
[Don’t wanna hear your gibbers, so let’s just finish this already…… Ro— yal— Prin— cess.]
[You!]
Seeing Lunamaria’s irritating smile, Lilianne kicked the ground with her whole body gushing with lightning-like magic power, and burst forth towards Lunamaria.
Approaching with a speed that could be described as tremendous, Lilianne appeared in front of Lunamaria…… and fell into “the pit that Lunamaria was secretly digging with her magic power while she was taunting her.”
[……Pfft, kukuku…… Ahahaha! You beautifully fell into it! This is just great! Hey, how do you feel now? Acting cool while blabbing this like “Are you ready?…… only to fall into a pit like a brainless fool, I’d really like to hear it.]
[……………………]
Hearing Lunamaria’s agitating words, as if she’s telling her that she acted just like she thought, inside the pit hole, Lilianne’s body shook in anger.
And then, in a fit of rage, she jumped out and tried to get out of the hole…… and smashed her head on “a wall of air that seemed to act as a lid on that hole”.
[ ~ ~!?!? ]
[I don’t know if I should say you’re simple-minded or just a straightforward fool…… but you’re trapped just as I want you to be.]
[T- This is unforgivable! This cowardliness…… is absolutely unforgivable!!!]
With a look of rage on her face, Lilianne sword flashed, shattering the wall of air and leapt out of the hole, sword at the ready. The intent of not letting down her guard anymore dwells within her eyes.
[……What a naive fool, you are. Seriously, you are quite naive. Didn’t you realize it? The reason why I made you fall into a pit……]
[What are you……]
[Too late! Look behind you! I’ve already finished preparing my “Special Technique”!!!]
[What did you say!?]
Hearing Lunamaria’s words, Lilianne hurriedly looked behind her…… only to find no special technique happening behind her.
[I lied!]
[Whaa!?]
Thereupon, Lunamaria’s dropkick explosively struck Lilianne’s defenseless back, blowing her away.
[……Y- You coward!!!]
[I’d like it if you call it strategy. The means doesn’t really matter as long as it ends up in a win after all.]
Lilianne is now so angry that the vein on her forehead looked like it was about to pop, but still, calmly holding the greatsword in hand, she fired some magic bullets, and confirming that there are no pitfalls on the ground, she kicked off the ground again…… but “her feet was quickly pulled down by grass that had wrapped around her feet before she knew it”.
[Huh? Eh?]
Surprised that she was trapped again, Lilianne tripped on the ground. When she noticed it, Lunamaria was standing right before her, greatly brandishing her hand.
And for some reason, she was holding a “pie” covered with white cream.
[Nice angle! I’ll gratefully accept it!]
[Why is a p———— Bfuuhh!?]
With the pie neatly smashed on Lilianne’s face, her face turned completely white. While an indescribable silence flowed through the arena…… Lilianne wiped her face with her sleeve and loudly shouted.
[What are you laughing at!? There’s no way I’ll forgive you for this!!!]
[Fufufu, let’s see you do that.]
The expression on Lilianne’s face was something that the audience, including Sieglinde, had never seen before. In both good and bad ways, Lilianne has always been quite mature.
She never made an emotional outburst like this before. But what about now? Irritated, Lilianne angrily shot towards Lunamaria…… She’s supposed to be angry…… but she looked like she was having fun.
[You’re pretty good, aren’t you? I guess I don’t have any choice but to show you the greatness of my tonfa techniques!]
[A kick!? Hey, you’re not even using that tonfa!]
[I am using it. For you to not understand it, you really are a little brat.]
[I’m not a little brat!]
As she taunted Lilianne, Lunamaria fought her by changing one weapon after another, while Lilianne struck her sword head-on, as if to strike her words away…… They looked as if they were close friends fighting over something trivial.
After exchanging blows for some time, seeing Lunamaria switch her weapon to a spear, Lilianne slightly smiled.
Using the spear thrust towards her as a foothold, she leapt and held her greatsword high above her with an innocent smile on her face, as if her prank had succeeded when she saw the surprised Lunamaria.
Seeing Lilianne like that, Lunamaria smiled.
(That’s right…… That’s “the face I want to see”.)
Seeing the two of them smiling even when they’re fighting, Sieglinde looked somewhat envious.
[Got you!]
[Naive!]
[Wha!?]
As Lilianne’s greatsword swung down towards her, Lunamaria threw her weapon away, and caught Lilianne’s sword with her fists. That sword-catching using her fists was something Lilianne has shown in the tournament a year ago……
Even though she copied her move, Lunamaria doesn’t have the physical strength to break the sword. She herself knew this, that’s why Lunamaria wrenched Lilianne’s sword to the side to break her stance.
If Lilianne had been on the ground when she made such a strike, it would have been impossible to break Lilianne’s stance due to the difference in strength. But being in mid-air, Lilianne couldn’t fight back.
With no sword to block strikes, a kick was slammed into Lilianne’s body, blowing her away. However, it didn’t seem like she received that great of a damage, as she quickly stood up with a smile.
[……I’ll get you next time.]
[Fufu…… Now isn’t that a good smile on your face, “Lili”?]
[L- Lili?]
[Your name is Lilianne, so Lili…… It’s a nickname. It’s a trend in the city to call each other by nicknames. Well, I guess a clueless princess wouldn’t know about it.]
[I know what nicknames are! I know it, okay…… I’m telling the truth! I- I’m even calling Sieg Sieg!]
Lilianne, who was pissed off at Lunamaria’s taunts, somehow looked childish…… It was as if the true nature that she had been suppressing as a princess had come out.
[Well, I lied about it being a trend.]
[T- This freaking woman…… I’m going to beat you up! Get your face ready, “Luna”!]
[Luna…… Luna huh…… Not bad. Alright, come at me, Lili!]
[Here I go, Luna!]
With her greatsword at the ready again, Lilianne was definitely smiling as she headed towards Lunamaria. Forgetting about how she should act as a princess, forgetting all the eyes around her…… She looked as if she was enjoying the first fight of her life……
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