Swordsmanship.
Even though the impression in her mind had long since faded, Iyue’s body still remembered the skill.
She stepped back half a pace, turned sideways, and held her sword horizontally across her chest, guiding Waletidina’s descending strike aside at a perfect angle.
The blades clashed with a sharp ring, and Waletidina’s now-unguided sword veered off course… but the keen tip still grazed Iyue’s cheek and sheared off a lock of her hair.
Having missed her strike, Waletidina immediately changed tactics. She twisted her wrist and sent an upward slash toward Iyue’s abdomen.
Iyue lowered her sword to meet it at once.
The twin blades ground against each other again, and amid the exchange, Waletidina could feel her own strength being neutralized once more.
To reclaim her faltering offense, she quickly pulled her sword back and launched a lateral cut aimed at Iyue’s shoulder.
But Iyue dodged it with a slight shift of her body, the blade nearly brushing past her breastplate as it fell.
At the same time, she angled her own sword into Waletidina’s, causing the two guards to lock together—
She’s trying to disarm me…!
Realizing this, Waletidina slammed the pommel of her sword to break the lock, stomped her right foot, and retreated.
Her blade traced a semicircular arc through the air before pointing once more at Iyue’s throat.
“Are you trying to humiliate me? Iyue Nairfu!”
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Waletidina Moiera was an orphan found in the woods by an elderly maid of the Royal Court.
Her entire youth was spent in the Royal Family’s gardens… as a gardener who trimmed flowers and watered the plants.
“Ironic… You’re quite skilled, aren’t you? How would you like to be my knight and serve me from now on?”
No matter how much time passed, she could never forget those words spoken by Senia, who was still a princess back then—words that changed her fate.
It was a sparring session with wooden swords… or perhaps it would be more fitting to call it a game.
That day, the princess had just finished her swordsmanship lesson and was clamoring for a practice opponent, so the Head Maid, seeing no other option, casually picked a court maid to serve as her partner.
The one chosen happened to be Waletidina, who had been tending to the flowers in the garden that very day.
Before the game began, the Head Maid didn’t even bother to warn her not to harm the person before her… because in her eyes, this frail girl with pale skin and black hair—her blood clearly impure—could never be a match for a princess.
But reality defied everyone’s expectations.
Within a few exchanges, Waletidina had knocked the princess to the ground, and imitating the knights she had once secretly watched at the Training Ground, she pointed her weapon at the princess’s throat to declare her victory.
In an instant, the surrounding guards pounced and pinned Waletidina to the ground—even for a child, such disrespect was grounds for execution.
“Wait… I truly didn’t know she was the princess…! Please… I beg you… at least let me see my mother…”
As the lowest-ranked maid who only worked in the lower layers of the Crown Giant Tree, Waletidina had never once seen a member of the Royal Family.
The reason she had crossed paths with Senia that day was simply because she had received swordsmanship instruction from a knight returning from an expedition, and they happened to use one of the gardens in the lower area as an open-air Training Ground.
“Your actions will be regarded as insubordination. After you are executed, the Royal Family will also hold your mother accountable.”
But just as the distraught Waletidina was about to be dragged away by the guards, Senia—the one she had knocked down—picked herself up from the grass and showed her a radiant Smile.
As for those words she spoke, everyone present, including Waletidina, assumed it was a joke—the thoughtless words of a young girl.
“Your Highness…”
“Release her this instant! Do you want to lose your heads?”
The princess’s command made the guards hastily let go of Waletidina. Then she slowly walked over to the stunned girl and extended her invitation once more—
“I’m not joking, you know. I need someone who can protect me. I think you’re quite suitable… Well? Would you care to think it over?”
It wasn’t a command, but an invitation—and one extended to a maid of humble blood who had knocked her to the ground before everyone’s eyes.
At that moment, everyone was captivated by the grace and leadership the princess displayed.
“Ah…”
I must protect this person. I want to stand by her side, to shield her with everything I have.
I don’t want her to suffer even the slightest harm. I want her to feel all the Happiness this world has to offer, now and forever—
The girl, deeply enchanted, made a solemn Oath that differed somewhat from that of a knight.
After the elderly maid who had raised her passed away, Waletidina officially became a member of the Imperial Guard.
In the hundred-plus years since becoming a Guard Knight, she had never slackened in her swordsmanship training even for a moment.
In bouts against masters from her own country and neighboring lands, she had never once lost.
But on the day Iyue was officially enfeoffed as a Guard Knight, Waletidina lost… Before the Royal Family, the ministers, and her fellow knights, she lost to Iyue, who had not even held a sword for ten years.
Though it was merely an exhibition spar, anyone could see that the entire Contest was one-sided.
Under Iyue’s sharp and ingenious assault, Waletidina had no room to fight back.
In the end, even her sword was knocked away, and she fell in disgrace.
“—Waletidina, are you alright? Sorry, I lost a bit of control over my strength…”
Iyue’s sincere Smile made it hard for anyone to harbor ill will toward her… but an ugly emotion still rose from the knight’s heart.
Because the talent this woman possessed was simply enviable.
Swordsmanship, Archery, Spell… these arts that ordinary people needed a lifetime to master, she could comprehend and perfect in just a few years of practice.
She knew very well that it was precisely because of this that Her Royal Highness took such great interest in her, overriding all objections to bring this woman of tainted blood into the Knights Order… just as she had done for her back then.
So was she to wallow in despair and lament heaven’s injustice in distributing talent?
Waletidina was not that kind of person.
Since her defeat that day, she had devoted herself even more intently to swordsmanship.
Morning or night, her figure could always be found at the Training Ground of the royal camp… for decades on end.
During that time, she had crossed blades with Iyue countless times, losing more than winning.
But even defeat brought her joy, because she could clearly see her own progress.
She believed that one day, she would surely close the gap between them and stand on equal footing.
We must be gazing at the same scenery… because you and I are so alike.
The Happiness we climb toward must be the same person’s. Even if I can’t catch up to you now, one day—
Waletidina, I am leaving. Please forgive me. Her Majesty and Her Royal Highness are in your hands from now on.
But the letter found in Iyue’s empty room—one that symbolized betrayal and parting—mercilessly conveyed the truth… that the two of them had been looking at entirely different things.
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“Answer me… Iyue Nairfu! Why did you betray your Oath!”
The ensuing exchange grew even more perilous.
Waletidina’s sword became fiercer, the strength behind each stroke growing stronger.
Magic Power tainted by the color of her soul manifested in black and green, grinding against each other.
In the face of Waletidina’s attacks, Iyue said nothing.
She maintained a defensive posture, her footwork shifting within a narrow space.
Whenever Waletidina’s blade drew near, she would adjust her movements by the smallest margin, either blocking with the flat of her sword or knocking the blow away with the pommel to create distance.
She even deliberately offered her shoulder guard to deflect Waletidina’s strike, and the moment her stance faltered, she struck at the arm gripping the sword, attempting to strip away her weapon—
“That’s enough out of you…!”