Grand Duke's Beloved Granddaughter

“Mirabel, you and the Crown Prince?”

Elliot seemed unable to understand even though I affirmed. I simply nodded.

“Yes. I thought it would be good to try it once. So, Master, could you watch our duel?”

Midway through my sentence, I turned my gaze from Elliot to Brian and asked. Brian narrowed his eyes.

“But Mirabel, even if the Crown Prince is smaller than you in stature, you’ve only been learning the sword for three days. The Crown Prince has been learning for a long time, despite being young. What if something serious happens during the duel? What would you do?”

Brian’s concerns were clearly conveyed to me. It wasn’t that I didn’t understand what Brian was worried about. The difference between having learned the sword for a long time and not was indeed significant. However, I didn’t think I would lose to Adrian.

“Don’t worry. If it seems that dangerous, I will stop, and the Crown Prince will also stop. And above all, Master will be watching over us. I trust Master.”

I expressed my trust to Brian, who then looked at me with a complex gaze before nodding.

“Alright, I understand. Then, Mirabel, both you and the Crown Prince can duel as long as it doesn’t pose too much risk.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Does Your Highness understand as well? You need to be careful since it’s risky.”

“I understand!”

“Very well. Then, the swords are over there. Please bring them.”

In the end, Brian gave his permission.

Like Adrian, I approached the place where the swords were prepared. I retrieved the sword I had been using until this morning.

Thanks to training with this sword for three days, I was more familiar with it than with other swords.

I swung it lightly to the side and looked at Adrian. Adrian seemed to have found a sword that suited his hand as well.

“Let’s fight fairly. Got it?”

Adrian, as if checking the weight of the sword, spoke to me with both hands holding it.

“I understand.”

After saying that, I headed towards the center of the training area.

To prepare for any unexpected situations, Brian also held a sword and followed us.

“It’s better not to do this.”

Elliot, following behind Brian, let out a deep sigh.

When Adrian and I arrived at the center of the training area, knights and soldiers who had been watching us from the outside training area approached closer to the fence, watching us intently.

“It would be embarrassing if Your Highness gave me orders.”

“Hmph, who cares? Even if I’m your friend, I won’t go easy on you.”

I chuckled at Adrian’s confident response.

Finally, Adrian and I distanced ourselves and faced each other.

“Well, let’s begin the duel now. The duel will stop if one side declares surrender or if it becomes impossible to continue. And if there’s a risk of significant injury, I will intervene.”

“Understood!”

“Yes, Master.”

Adrian and I replied to Brian. Until that moment, Brian continued to alternate between looking worriedly at us.

“Now, let the duel begin.”

With Brian’s words, the duel started. Adrian focused on me with a serious gaze, holding the sword with both hands. His previous excited demeanor was nowhere to be found.

Observing Adrian, who was concentrating in his own way, I slowly approached him. Then, I deliberately made a slight misstep, pretending to move my body significantly.

“Ha!”

Without missing the opportunity, Adrian quickly approached me and swung his sword.

I extended my right leg and immediately lowered my upper body. At the same time, I swung my sword from below upward.

“Ah!”

Caught off guard, Adrian couldn’t even react and let go of his sword. In the meantime, I retrieved my sword and aimed it at Adrian’s neck.

No matter how long Adrian had been training compared to me, and even if he had learned systematic swordsmanship from Brian, he was significantly lacking compared to me, who had nearly ten years of practical experience.

Moreover, considering our age difference, I was much higher in rank than seven-year-old Adrian.

“Well? I won, right?”

Adrian blinked his eyes in surprise as I smiled softly at him. It seemed like he was slow to grasp what had just happened in an instant.

“Mirabel wins!”

It was Brian who announced the end of our match.

I retrieved the sword that I had aimed at Adrian’s neck. Adrian took a couple of steps back and stumbled to the ground.

“Whoa!”

At that moment, I heard loud cheers from the surroundings.

I turned my head to confirm the direction of the sound, and I saw the knights and soldiers who had been watching our duel shouting with excited faces.

“Young lady, you’re amazing!”

“You’ve only been here for a short time, and you’ve already defeated the Crown Prince!”

“You might become a knight as exceptional as the Duke!”

Amidst various cheers praising me, I felt a bit proud.

“Mirabel, that was impressive! I thought you were going to fall and panicked!”

Elliot finally regained his senses after hearing everyone’s cheers and burst into laughter.

“Thank you for saying that.”

I responded with a smile while applauding Elliot.

“By the way, you were really lucky. I thought you were going to fall. But it’s a relief that you quickly regained your balance.”

Elliot said to me, unaware that I had intentionally planned it that way.

I didn’t feel the need to correct Elliot’s misunderstanding, so I just smiled at him.

After that, I approached Adrian and extended my hand.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh?”

Adrian still looked at me as if he was dazed. It was a face that didn’t expect to lose.

“Get up. The ground is cold.”

I thought I might have been a bit too harsh in my victory. I thought about how young Adrian was, especially as a Crown Prince, and how many times he must have experienced failure.

I felt that I might have unnecessarily upset him.

“Oh, uh, okay.”

Adrian reached out his hand in response to my suggestion. I exerted some strength in my hand and helped Adrian to his feet.

“Mirabel, you…”

Adrian, who stood up from his seat, mumbled in a small voice. I wondered what he was going to say, and soon he opened his mouth.

“You’re really strong!”

Seeing him wide-eyed, looking at me with a fascinated gaze, I felt inexplicably proud.

He laughed instead of venting his frustration at being defeated.

“It’s all thanks to a great teacher like you.”

I couldn’t help but credit Brian since I couldn’t let go of the memories of surviving with a sword for a long time in the past.

Come to think of it, Brian, who was the most opposed to me dueling with Adrian, had been silent all this time.

Curious, I looked at Brian.

Brian was staring at me with a serious expression.

It was far from the reactions I expected from others.

“…Master?”

“Mirabel, can we have another duel?”

When I cautiously called Brian, he immediately asked me in a low tone.

Did I do something wrong?

I regretted it a little internally and nodded awkwardly.

“Yes, I can.”

“Good. Then, Elliot!”

“Yes?”

Elliot, who didn’t expect to be called, looked at Brian with a bewildered face.

“Bring the swords.”

Brian ordered Elliot. Elliot’s eyes widened at his words.

“…Me? Are you talking about me, Father?”

“Yes. Hurry and bring the swords.”

Brian firmly replied to Elliot’s question.

In the end, Brian stumbled and went to retrieve his own sword.

“I’ve brought them.”

Elliot reported while swinging the sword lightly back and forth.

“Then, Mirabel, try sparring with Elliot.”

“…What? Are you telling me to spar with Mirabel?”

Elliot responded with a shocked expression and questioned Brian.

“Yes. Didn’t I tell you to duel with Mirabel?”

“But Father, Mirabel is only nine years old now. I’m twelve. Although I’ve learned the sword for a long time, what if I accidentally injure Mirabel? You just saw how close Mirabel came to falling earlier. Luckily, it turned out fine, but if not, there could have been a serious injury.”

Elliot responded negatively even to Brian’s repeated commands. It seemed like Elliot thought it was unreasonable for him to fight me.

It was understandable. Seeing Elliot training with Brian, he seemed to have achieved a certain level that was beyond his age.

Brian frowned at Elliot’s response and rubbed his temple with one hand.

“Before any problems arise, I will intervene, so don’t worry unnecessarily. Mirabel, are you still okay with it?”

While Brian spoke strictly to Elliot, he smiled gently at me.

“Yes, I’m fine with it.”

Since I could assess my current state by fighting Elliot and see how much power I could use and how much control I had over my body, it wouldn’t be harmful.

Despite having more experience, I was still just a young child.

It would be more advantageous for me to fight Elliot, who was bigger than Adrian and even bigger than me, honestly.

“Elliot, let’s give it a try. I want to try as well.”

When I said that, Elliot looked hesitant, glancing at Brian.

“Okay, I got it.”

Elliot reluctantly agreed, and Adrian moved away from me.

Now, it was Elliot and me facing each other in the center.

I raised my lowered hand and aimed it at Elliot. Elliot also held his sword as he would during his usual sparring sessions with Brian.

“Elliot, Mirabel. The conditions are the same as before. Understand?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Then, let the duel begin.”

Brian announced the start of the duel.

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Translator Note:

This chapter was translated by Bree.

Next chapter will be released on September, 16. To read chapters in advance support us on Patreon!!