HTRE 08

Chapter 8

“Eroica. Even so, isn’t this too sudden? I know your abilities very well, but your opponent is Kailef. If he really wanted to, he could kill you right there.”

As soon as they returned to the room, Ethan grabbed Eroica anxiously, unable to shake off his worries. A wave of uneasiness rushed over him.

The Emperor had put the 14th Prince forward as her opponent in exchange for the dukedom she wanted. Even if Kailef’s swordsmanship was not officially known, there were rumors passed around in secret. He was said to be a swordsman who could overthrow the Empire by himself.

Choosing such a prince as her opponent meant that the Emperor had no intention of simply granting Eroica what she wanted.

“The Emperor doesn’t trust your existence. This is a trap. Wouldn’t it be better to refuse even now?”

Bosarva had not been wary of Eroica from the beginning. It was only after she asked for the title of duke that the Emperor’s attitude changed. This was not a situation they could judge carelessly.

Sending her alone into the arena while his intentions were so obvious was extremely dangerous. However, Eroica had more than enough reason not to miss this opportunity.

“I have to take back my family’s name. And the Emperor’s proposal may be a good opportunity for me to establish my position in Franz.”

Eroica looked so confident that Ethan’s concern almost seemed pointless.

Eroica never made a deal that would harm her. He knew that much very well. So he could no longer stop her.

Eroica had always surpassed Ethan’s expectations. Now, all he could do was trust her stubborn determination.

“Don’t worry. Surely they won’t kill the daughter of a duke in front of everyone. And if it’s just a matter of holding out, I’m confident.”

Eroica smiled.

There were two occasions when she smiled, even though she normally did not smile much.

When she wanted to reassure the people around her, and when she sensed victory.

Ethan sincerely hoped that the meaning behind her smile was the latter.

“You called for me?”

Eroica summoned Soma to a small courtyard in the Imperial Palace.

The swordsmanship match was tomorrow, and she needed to loosen up her body, which had been stiff for a while. Soma, who had been waiting for his master, looked worried when he saw her after she had thrown off her dress and changed into her familiar training clothes. He had already heard the news.

“If you’re going to nag me, just go back. I’ll do it alone.”

Eroica had already received an entire lecture of concern from Ethan. More would be pointless.

“If not, then pick up your sword.”

She pointed at the wooden sword lying beside her.

His master really was impossible to stop.

When he saw her with her hair tied up, he remembered Eroica on the day she had first asked to learn swordsmanship.

“Please teach me how to use a sword.”

Eroica had approached him while carrying a sword almost as large as her own body and asked him to teach her.

After settling down in Palastian, Tiller had willingly become Soma’s teacher. Under his master’s guidance, Soma’s swordsmanship improved day by day.

Eroica had watched them closely, and one day, she approached them while they were training.

“A sword? Lady Eroica, that’s far too dangerous.”

Tiller had tried to stop Eroica when she appeared holding a sword. But her determination was firm.

“I know why Soma is so obsessed with swordsmanship. Even when his hands are covered in calluses and his blisters burst so badly that he can’t even eat with his own hands, he still cannot put down his sword. I know that all of it is to protect me. And I have no doubt that someday, he will grow enough for me to entrust my back to him.”

Even when his legs were covered in blisters and his entire body ached as though he had been beaten all over, Soma never missed a day of training. Watching Soma like that, Eroica thought to herself.

“That isn’t enough. Our opponent is the great Empire of Franz. And I am a Claudius who protects the Empire. I said I would become stronger. I have to become strong by any means necessary. Not by relying on someone else, but by becoming strong myself. So please teach me how to use a sword.”

In the end, Tiller had no choice but to accept her decision. Her determination was too strong.

“If you are going to do this, then I ask that you give it your all.”

From that day on, Eroica held a sword every single day without exception. She would train until she collapsed from exhaustion, sleep, wake up, and repeat the process of swinging her sword.

Calluses appeared on her small, delicate hands, completely unsuited to them, and bruises covered her entire body.

She had lived like that for eight years.

She considered the Emperor’s proposal an opportunity.

The one who had created that opportunity was Eroica herself, who had gritted her teeth and kept moving forward even on the days when she wanted to give up.

Soma, who had crossed swords with Eroica countless times, never doubted her abilities.

He only hoped that Kailef’s sword would be a little less formidable than he imagined.

The young noblewomen were enjoying a tea party.

It was an extravagant gathering of women showing off their status through meaningless adornment.

Kailef had not offered his hand to Brigitte at last night’s banquet. She was too embarrassed to face the women, but if she did not attend the gathering, she would surely become the target of their ridicule.

“His Highness is so mischievous. When he came dressed to match the young lady, I thought he was such a gentle person. I never imagined he would ask a woman he had never met to dance.”

Despite their seemingly comforting yet condescending tones, Brigitte was not easily discouraged.

“He has already danced with me several times. I heard she is the youngest daughter of the Claudius family, so it is only natural for His Highness to escort her.”

Brigitte desperately tried to act calm, but her insides were burning.

Who would have thought that he would leave her waiting in front of so many people?

“The young lady certainly has a good heart.”

The sarcastic tone pierced her heart, but for now, she had no choice but to smile.

If she showed how upset she was here, she would lose.

“By the way, that woman is impressive too. She returned to Franz and immediately agreed to a swordsmanship match with His Highness.”

The women’s topic had now shifted to Eroica.

She was a woman whose appearance seemed to belong to an entirely different world. Someone who looked as though she had been raised delicately was going to fight with a sword.

Just Eroica’s existence was enough to make the conversation more exciting.

“Still, she must have some confidence in herself, or she wouldn’t have accepted His Majesty’s proposal, right?”

“Who knows? She lived in Palastian for so long that perhaps she doesn’t know His Highness’s power.”

Amid all the speculation, one of the women asked Brigitte, who had been keeping quiet. She was a young lady from a baron’s family who had only recently made her debut.

“What do you think the result will be, Lady Brigitte? Surely you are on His Highness’s side?”

“I wonder…”

It was such a foolish question.

Perhaps the entire Empire had only one opinion.

There was no way an ordinary woman could defeat Kailef.

“I only hope His Highness doesn’t get hurt.”

Brigitte smiled innocently as she prayed for the prince’s safety.

The news that there was something interesting to watch spread throughout the Imperial Palace in an instant.

There was going to be a swordsmanship match involving Prince Kailef, and his opponent was apparently a woman.

Everyone, from the royalty of foreign countries staying in Franz to the various delegations, gathered to watch the match.

“You only need to play along for a little while. Watch her reactions for a while, then you can crush her miserably. Take this opportunity to show them the dignity of the Imperial Family.”

As soon as Kailef appeared in the waiting area before the match, Bosarva approached him as though he had been waiting for him.

Kailef found his older brother’s obvious intentions disgusting.

Bosarva must have disliked Eroica for suddenly appearing and trying to reclaim her place.

His intention was to humiliate her in front of everyone.

He wanted to overwhelm her with such an enormous difference in ability that she would never dare to act up again.

Kailef did intend to play along for a while, just as the Emperor had said.

He already knew how stubborn she was.

But he had no intention of crushing her by force.

“I will only use my left hand.”

At Kailef’s words, Bosarva narrowed his eyes in confusion.

“Please make sure there is no embarrassing story left behind about an Imperial Prince giving his all against a woman.”

This was also the last bit of pride Kailef could not give up.

As a man, Bosarva had no choice but to respect his younger brother’s firm decision.

“Do as you wish. In fact, if you defeat her using only your left hand, the difference in strength will stand out even more.”

Foolishly, Bosarva thought that everything would be solved as long as Kailef won.

But Kailef thought differently.

If even a little of her confidence was genuine, the Emperor might come to regret his own proposal to humiliate the woman, Kailef thought.

The sky, which had been filled with falling snow for a while, finally cleared.

When the dazzling sunlight reached the highest point in the sky, people began filling the seats one by one to watch the match.

The match was held in a large circular arena with an open roof.

The arena had a long history and was a suitable place for accommodating a large number of spectators.

“Please do not overdo it. I will be watching from your side. If that man truly intends to harm Lady Eroica…”

“Soma, I’m fine.”