Because Vera said she wanted to watch, that was the only reason Lian used a sword— she actually hadn’t wanted to use it at all.
…She probably just wanted to see what level her swordsmanship had reached, right?
After all, Vera had once been her Master of Swordsmanship, and had even sparred with her countless times… If she wasn’t careful, Vera would immediately see through her.
So Lian decided to hold back a lot. She took a step forward, closing the distance toward her opponent.
Of course, that young Lieutenant wouldn’t believe she was just a maid simply because of what Lian said— she was, after all, the opponent personally cheered on by Her Royal Highness, the Princess herself.
Even those officers stronger and higher-ranked than him didn’t receive such an honor…
So, by default, he assumed Lian’s ability far surpassed his own.
He resolved to stick to a defensive strategy, tensing every muscle and focusing intently to meet her attacks.
What’s going on? She’s so slow…
Lian’s advance was slow, and her movements were full of obvious openings.
Still, just to be safe, he raised his military saber, ready to hold his ground.
“Ding!” A clear, ringing clash of metal resounded.
From the sword she struck with, the Lieutenant felt only a faint pressure.
This made him flush with embarrassment:
“Lady! No matter what, I am still a proud Soldier of the Northern Army. There’s no need for you to look down on me like this—”
“I’m not looking down on you at all.”
As Lian answered, she lashed out with a kick, aiming for the Lieutenant’s side.
Compared to her sword strikes, this kick was exceedingly sharp.
The Lieutenant failed to react in time and staggered to the side.
Damn it… So the sword was just a feint? From the start, she slowed herself down on purpose to lull me into letting my guard down…
As a Warrior, his body was sturdy. So even after taking such an unguarded hit, he wasn’t badly hurt.
Straightening up, he faced the girl who was calmly pulling back her leg and braced himself again:
“Forgive me, I misunderstood you. To be valued so highly by Her Royal Highness, your skills really are exceptional, Lady—”
“No need for flattery. Just attack me with all you’ve got. I’ll respond with ‘full power’ as well.”
Lian interrupted his compliments with a smile. Seeing the young Lieutenant muster his courage and charge, she casually swung her sword a few times, then focused her strength in her fists and legs.
…
……
………………
“I mean… isn’t this kind of boring? Even that woman looks like she’s losing interest.”
Selene fanned herself, pretending to watch the contest with full attention, while she sent a telepathic message to “Your Highness” across Vera.
Sitting beside her, Vera also wore a look of dissatisfaction. Still, she was watching the match on stage with rapt attention.
“…For humans, these two are actually not bad.”
“This little maid is really that woman’s cherished child? She looks pretty ordinary to me… Especially that sword the woman is so famous for—she’s using it horribly.”
In Selene’s eyes, Lian was just a bit better than that weed-like human Soldier.
Lian had only kept slightly ahead of her opponent the whole time…
If Selene herself took the stage, she could send that Soldier flying dozens of meters with a casual blow—without even using Magic Power.
“Judging battles between humans without Magic Power by our high Demon Race standards is laughable. After all, our physical prowess far exceeds these fragile mortals.”
“This is a contest where they’re not allowed to use Magic Power, right? I really don’t get why humans bother holding such meaningless competitions…”
“Because they no longer have to fight us… After that War, humans stopped seeing the Demon Race as a threat. They believe they’ve completely triumphed over us.”
“Heh… What a bunch of fools. Do they really think it was their own strength that won that War? If not for that damned Hero and this terrifying woman… I could crush these bugs by the handful.”
In the spiritual realm, Selene’s voice brimmed with hatred and arrogance.
Yet what made “Your Highness” almost laugh was that, as Selene spoke, she kept glancing at Vera, as if checking for her reaction.
“…Either way, there’s no point dwelling on past failures. That’s why we came here—to gather as much intelligence as possible.”
“Understood.”
What “Your Highness” didn’t notice was that Selene’s eyes were actually fixed on the dagger-like sword hanging from Vera’s waist.
…
……
…………
The Soldiers under Meliya’s command are really impressive.
That was Lian’s main impression. Dodging her opponent’s attacks, she continued to focus on inflicting damage with her fists and kicks on the young Lieutenant.
“Huff… Huff… Again! I won’t give up—”
The Lieutenant’s body beneath his uniform was covered in bruises. After repeated heavy blows to his joints and abdomen, he could barely stand or grip his saber.
He was running on sheer Warrior pride at this point.
In his eyes, the girl before him was indeed stronger—but only in terms of fighting skill and agility.
As a woman, her strength and physical endurance couldn’t possibly surpass his, honed since his days as a Soldier.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t use a strategy of dodging and chipping away, letting the damage accumulate slowly.
In other words, if he could catch her just once, he could overturn the outcome!
—That’s what you’re thinking, isn’t it? And the Audience probably thinks so too.
Watching as the Lieutenant tossed aside his saber and lunged to grapple her with everything he had, Lian also discarded her sword and met him head-on—
Then sent a lightning-fast punch to his chin.
“…”
The Lieutenant didn’t even manage a groan before collapsing to the ground. That jaw strike triggered a mild concussion, rendering him unconscious in an instant.
“Huff… You fought well. Even under constant pressure, you never stopped thinking—instead, you looked for a chance to win. You’re an excellent Warrior.”
Lian picked up her sword and praised the Lieutenant lying on the ground.
“…Thank you for your guidance, Lady…”
“Don’t talk. Your head’s spinning, isn’t it? Just close your eyes and rest for a while.”
“Miss Lian Ashus wins this match! Let’s all give a cheer for our victor!”
The Master of Ceremonies, seeing the winner was clear, rushed forward and raised Lian’s arm, announcing her victory to the Audience.
The crowd, who had witnessed what they considered a spectacular Contest, showered Lian with cheers and praise:
“Well fought!”
“Who’d have thought such a little girl could defeat a military officer…”
“You didn’t see her last match, did you? Her strength goes way beyond just this…”
“Miss Lian, you’re so cool! I love you! Please marry me!”
Face flushed, Lian ignored the inexplicably fervent cries, taking her sword back to the waiting area.
This time, she was also a Challenge target, set to face three opponents…
But her next challenger hadn’t arrived yet, so the Master of Ceremonies let her rest off-stage for now, letting the other groups compete first.
“…Little Lian.”
Just as she was about to put down her sword, Vera grabbed her shoulder from behind, looking distinctly displeased.
“…What is it? Vera, Your Highness…”
That look in her eyes made Lian’s skin crawl.