Chapter 50

Second QUALIFYING Round (3)

“Young Lady Marie is sitting over there. he seem to be looking in this direction.”

“So, does that mean he is looking at someone other than Young Lady Marie?”

“Oh. Are you saying that His Highness is secretly in love?”

“Secret love, how romantic! I wonder what it feels like to be loved by His Highness. It must be truly ecstatic.”

” Lady Cecil! Snap out of it. If Lord Hoban hears this, he’ll be upset.”

However, since Retina was sitting in a place separate from Marie, their speculations didn’t hold true. Retina listened shyly to the chatter around her, her face turning away.

‘Secret love. I’m not even in a relationship yet….’

The boundary between her and the prince was ambiguous. He had confessed to liking her, and she had reciprocated, but it hadn’t progressed beyond that. Without a formal confession and not having received a proposal like other young ladies, she felt unsure of how to define the growing closeness between them.

‘If I ask others, it will surely cause a commotion.’

If she asked the other young ladies, they would pry and tease her. If she asked Reina, she would surely say something like,

“How can you have such concerns about Prince Herald?” and lecture her for hours. Retina let out a small sigh and focused on the match.

As luck would have it, the match was about to reach its conclusion. In the situation where only three participants remained, the two who would advance to the final had already been decided. Despite facing two opponents, Herald, who was exhausted, and Heraclain, who had skillfully dispatched one opponent with his left hand, faced off against Herald. Everyone expected Heraclain to rush at Herald, but his sturdy legs pounded the ground as he charged forward.

Thud! The sound of well-forged swords colliding echoed loudly. The dust and wind spread evenly under their intense confrontation without tilting to one side.

Unable to use his right hand, Herald, using only one hand, fended off Heraclain, who swiftly sidestepped using the opponent’s strength. Clang! Clang! Clang! Before the tingling sensation in his frozen hand could fully return, Heraclain rapidly pressed against Herald.

As the contest prolonged, the one at a disadvantage was the prince. Despite training to use his left hand proficiently, his skill was not on par with when he could use both hands effortlessly.

On the other hand, Heraclain, freely wielding both hands, inevitably outmatched him. The trembling of his left arm, layered with impacts, was visible even in the spectator stands.

As Heraclain continued his relentless assault and the prince defended, the audience erupted in cheers. Those who enjoyed the thrill of battle became more excited as the match intensified.

With each passing moment, the prince found himself at a disadvantage. No matter how well-trained he was to use his left hand, it couldn’t match the proficiency of using both hands. The repeated clashes of swords resonated through the arena.

As Heraclain relentlessly attacked and the prince defended, the spectators could see that the prince was losing ground. Though it was a small battlefield, there was no consideration for the injured. Heraclain’s genuine effort to confront the injured Herald drew cheers, yet it didn’t stop the match.

Translators: Stardust. Read on moonlight novels only

“It seems there’s someone in the mercenary unit who’s worth something. Why didn’t you apply to the Knight Order?”

“Eating and living keep me busy. I find it more to my taste here, surrounded by the dust, compared to the nobles swinging jeweled rapiers in the Knight Order.”

“Do you ignore the Imperial Knight Order? If you show your prowess in the swordsmanship tournament, they might scout you.”

“That’s unlikely, Your Highness. I mean, I prefer being covered in dirt to wearing a nobleman’s robe adorned with jewels. Participating in the swordsmanship tournament is just to earn some pocket money; I have no other intentions.”

Tilting his body to the right, Heraclain dodged the sword that Herald swung at his shoulder. Immediately, Herald retaliated. Despite his large build, Heraclain swiftly entered Herald’s side, and Herald twisted his waist upon seeing the thick sword pass by his forearm.

“If you want to advance to the finals, it would be easier to take down that exhausted young man over there.”

“I’d find it easier to climb up if I were facing an exhausted young man who would collapse with a tap.”

Leaning to the right and driving his shoulder into Heraclain, Herald promptly countered. Despite his size, Heraclain was agile, and seeing Heraclain’s sword approach his midsection, Herald twisted his waist. However, Heraclain’s sword grazed his thick forearm.

Heraclain, holding the sword with both hands, swung it broadly. The sword made a swooshing sound, cutting through the air. Noticing the injured right side, he aimed for it.

“When will someone like me, a commoner, have the chance to exchange sword blows with Your Highness?”

The audience, perplexed by the unexpected turn of events, soon erupted into cheers at the display of skill matching that of the finals. Those who reveled in the thrill of combat became more exhilarated as the competition intensified.

With a graceful motion that revealed his intentions even in blocking the attack, Heraclain lifted the scarred corner of his mouth, chuckling. His purpose was not just to leave wounds on the Crown Prince but to exhaust him by putting extra strain on his left hand. Seeing the elegantly vibrating sword, Heraclain flashed a smile of satisfaction.

“Not bad skills. Good mental strength too.”

However, Herald effortlessly parried his sword without showing any signs of exhaustion.

“Just need to learn to fight while observing your opponent.”

Glancing briefly in Retina’s direction, Heraclain changed his grip on the sword with his right hand and swiftly swung it from top to bottom without giving Heraclain a chance to react.

Clang! The sword, unable to overcome the weight, slipped from Heraclain’s hand with a metallic sound, hitting the ground. In the rules of the competition, if the sword was released from the hand, the participant was considered unable to continue the battle and automatically disqualified.

“This side also has no fancy hobbies.”

Herald, pointing his sword at Heraclain’s throat, concluded the fight. With a sudden attack, Heraclain, who stood still, contemplating his approach, found himself cooling his throat with the cold blade. Herald let out a hollow laugh.

“The future of Rudenheim will prosper for the next 30 years.”

The yellow handkerchief, stained red with blood, was dripping down his wrist. It seemed he aimed for the opening, thinking that Heraclain was injured.

Until the actual confrontation, Heraclain had underestimated the Crown Prince inwardly. He admitted his defeat willingly. If Heraclain hadn’t spared his right hand from the beginning, he would have been blocked in the first attack.

“Contact from the Second Knight Order will come soon. According to your wishes, we might meet again.”

Herald, using Retina’s handkerchief to staunch the bleeding wound, spoke. Exiting the arena to tend to the reopened wound, she glanced at Herald, who had been watching their fight up close.

“It seems your lover’s prayers worked as well.”

Herald’s gaze lingered on his wrist. His wrist also had a sky-blue handkerchief, seemingly tied by a lover.

“He even acknowledges the stained one.”

Although the handkerchief turned red with his blood, Retina’s securely tied knot remained intact. Herald raised his head and waved his hand towards the VIP seats, showing the handkerchief that remained untied until the end a message for Retina.

“Such a fool!”

Seeing the blood, even from a mere scratch, made Retina flinch. She bit her lip tightly, unable to rise abruptly. She couldn’t help but think, ‘Why doesn’t he take care of his own body…’

Despite the doctor’s stern warnings about the consequences of reopening the wound, she couldn’t let go of her concerns after the Crown Prince disappeared. No matter how much he viewed the scars on his body as decorations, Retina hoped they wouldn’t increase.

‘What kind of wish does he want from the Empress to go this far?’

When Herald dismissed Retina’s worries, she pondered the reason why the Crown Prince was so determined to win. He had mentioned having a wish to make before the Empress. Retina wished he would abandon whatever wish it was, but his resolve was so firm that she couldn’t shake it.

“I’ll be back in a moment.”

“What? Where is Lady Retina going? Shall I accompany you?”

“No, I’m going to see my brothers. They’ll be coming back soon.”

“Oh, Sat’s match is coming up, right? Be careful! Thank them for the good seats!”

Worried, Retina decided to go to the waiting room. Even though other matches were taking place, she couldn’t concentrate, thinking that the scar she caused might reopen. She had the excuse of waiting for her brothers’ matches to continue her vigil.

Translators: Stardust. Read on moonlight novels only

As she walked through the corridor leading away from the arena, Retina noticed a group of handmaids wearing unusual attire gathered. The dresses they wore didn’t fit the image of those who wielded swords.

“So, is Lady Retina going to meet the Crown Prince now?”

“I heard a rumor that the Crown Prince is looking for not Lady Retina. Why would she go to the waiting room with such confidence?”

“That handkerchief… he gave it to her…”

“There’s a rumor that the Crown Prince hasn’t left the Duke of Deneuve’s residence at all. What kind of nonsense is this?”

“No, I conveyed it through someone else!”

The whispers of the handmaids caught Retina’s attention. She couldn’t ignore the situation and approached them to inquire about it.

In the uneasy atmosphere, Retina found herself unintentionally eavesdropping on the conversation behind a pillar. From the voices, it seemed like Helen Hasting, whom she had encountered at the Grand Duke’s residence, and her entourage were surrounding and interrogating Marie.

She needed to pass by here before the next match started. Pretend not to see. Retina, who was hidden behind the pillar, closed her eyes tightly. Despite witnessing a situation where several people were tormenting one person, she couldn’t bring herself to pretend she didn’t see and walk away. She wasn’t that heartless.

Taking a deep breath, Retina puffed out her chest and stepped forward next to the pillar. As if coincidentally passing by, she greeted them.

“Oh. My. Look. At. Everyone. Watching. From. Here. Such. A. Coincidence.”

It was an excruciatingly awkward performance.