The Warrior Marigold

5.

[Mercenary Guild Lancel]

Marigold’s heart had been pounding strangely since she arrived at the guild’s main building. It intensified as she got closer.

“Ugh, it’s morning, and there are already so many sweaty people reeking. I feel like I’ll get contaminated just by getting close. Huh? Miss? Miss!”

Before anyone could stop her, Marigold squeezed through the crowd.

“What? This is the Mercenary Guild, women should g- Aaaaargh!”

She twisted the wrist of the man blocking her way and pushed her way to the front.

“Cutting in line is bad, Miss.”

“Ah.”

Finally reaching the front, Marigold’s mouth slightly opened.

“Lancel Dante…”

The man from her dreams.

He was leaning against the reception desk. Thump, thump. Her heart pounded harder than ever before.

“Who is that guy that you keep worrying about, Miss? He’s just a common noble.”

She didn’t have a good answer to that.

This feeling couldn’t be easily expressed as liking or disliking, fondness or aversion.

“You didn’t even know him before. Who is he?”

“Um.”

After some thought, Marigold tilted her head and answered Pina.

“My ex-husband?”

“…?”

It wasn’t wrong.

Even if it was just in a dream.

“The test will now begin! Enter one at a time!”

After that, the test began, and Marigold’s turn approached. Her opponent had been decided long ago.

“I ask for your guidance. Lancel Dante.”

Marigold’s passing was practically a foregone conclusion.

Mastering Basic Swordsmanship meant she had secured the minimum basic ability to work as a Mercenary.

Her appearance was also different from the past, and her posture was admirable to watch. She was more skilled than most Mercenaries.

“I ask for your guidance. Lancel Dante.”

Above all, her eyes.

Those burning eyes.

It felt like lightning would strike from her emerald-like eyes.

Marigold was silent, but Lancel could feel the unprecedented passion surging within her.

‘…Wasn’t this our first meeting in this iteration?’

Lancel was momentarily speechless.

Marigold wasn’t a regressor. She was a human without any memories of previous iterations. That much was certain.

But why?

“Just indulge her. She wants it so badly.”

The Third Prince, who had been watching from the side, spoke. The corners of his lips were slightly curved. It was clear that he was enjoying the situation.

Um.

What’s going on here?

“What are you doing? He’s the Guild Master, not an examiner. Come this way quickly…”

Lancel raised his hand to stop the examiner’s voice.

Without a word, he drew the wooden sword from his waist.

“Young Master?”

“It’s fine. Anyone can watch the exam. I was bored standing still, so this is good.”

“Are you sure?”

“Don’t make me say it twice.”

“Yes!”

The examiners all stepped back.

Everyone surrounded Lancel and Marigold, like spectators.

The unexpected situation caused a stir in the arena.

“A noble dueling with a woman who worked at an inn. I’ve lived long enough to see all sorts of strange things.”

“A country bumpkin and a barmaid?”

“But he’s a knight, right?”

“He’s too skinny to be a knight. He just got the title by picking the right hole to crawl out of.”

The Mercenaries’ mouths moved incessantly.

“Even if Mercenaries have become easier to become, for a barmaid to try it, I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t know anything. That woman is no ordinary woman. More than a dozen guys got hurt trying to mess with her at the western inn.”

“What?”

“Is that her?”

The Mercenaries’ eyes began to change as they looked at Marigold.

It seemed to be a rumor they had all heard somewhere.

“You know that guy Roban who couldn’t come today, right?”

“The one lying down with a twisted back? I know him well.”

“That woman did it.”

“Huh. He said he slipped in the bath, but that was a lie?”

Lancel lightly spun the wooden sword and walked towards Marigold.

“Let’s do this. If you can just graze my clothes, I’ll give you the Bronze Insignia immediately.”

It was a rank above the Mercenaries who started with the Iron Insignia.

“If you touch my body even once, the Silver Insignia, and if you draw even a drop of blood, the Gold Insignia. How about it?”

“What if I win?”

“If you win…”

Lancel smiled. Marigold’s appearance was burning with competitive spirit.

“Then I’ll grant you whatever you want.”

“You promised.”

With those words, an examiner raised his hand.

“Ready, start!”

As soon as the signal was given, Marigold’s wooden sword drew a line.

She slid across the floor, closing the five steps in an instant and thrusting the wooden sword.

Lancel lightly tilted his head to avoid it.

He didn’t mind her faster-than-expected movements. The problem was the strange energy he felt from her wooden sword.

‘…Magic Power?’

No, that’s impossible.

Imbuing Magic Power into a sword was only possible when one mastered ‘Top-Tier Swordsmanship’. Marigold was still far from that level.

But now, Marigold was exuding Magic Power not only from her wooden sword but also from her entire body. Her hair was slightly fluttering in the windless room.

Suddenly jumping five levels in achievement? Even for a protagonist, that’s impossible.

There was only one possible explanation.

‘Yuri. That bastard.’

Lancel glanced back. There, the Third Prince was hiding his lower face with a wide-open fan. He was enjoying their duel with crescent-shaped eyes.

As he quietly felt the flow of Magic Power, it became clear. The Magic Power flowing from the Third Prince’s body was flowing directly into Marigold.

==========

—Sudden Event! The Third Prince is cheering for Marigold. Casting 5th Circle magic ‘Blessing’. Marigold’s stats are greatly increased until the Third Prince’s Magic Power is exhausted.

※The Third Prince wants to see Mercenary Guild Master ‘Lancel Dante’ in trouble. Let’s defeat him!

==========

Blessing.

A high-level mage’s blessing had extremely enhanced Marigold. The Magic Power she had now was essentially the Third Prince Yuri’s ability.

‘Seriously, the Princes of this empire are all crazy.’

Lancel felt sorry for Marigold, who would have to marry those guys. Thinking that, Lancel adjusted his stance.

“Don’t misunderstand, Marigold. I don’t have any ill feelings towards you.”

He was going to take it easy, but.

6.

Lancel already knew the Third Prince’s intentions. It was to assess him.

To see how skilled he was, how much power he was hiding. That’s what he wanted to see.

Lancel had no intention of playing along with that. He gathered all the Magic Power within his body. From now on, only his body would move him.

Swoosh-!

Marigold’s wooden sword flew in, making a sound that tore through the air.

Lancel deflected the force and stepped back. The destructive power that would shatter anything if hit head-on was writhing within it.

Numerous exchanges unfolded between the two in an instant. It was a speed that was difficult to follow with the eyes.

“…That’s…”

The eyes of the onlookers gradually filled with astonishment.

Marigold’s sword strikes, which came at them with terrifying power, certainly looked impressive.

But even more bizarre was Lancel, who was deflecting all those attacks with one hand.

“Even if you have enough power, it’s still not enough. You’re still far off.”

He wore a relaxed smile on his face.

“Your waist is open.”

“Ugh!”

“Don’t exaggerate. Your shoulder is open this time.”

“Ack!”

He would occasionally tap the empty spots in Marigold’s stance with the tip of his sword.

No one here knew how that was possible.

They only felt that Lancel Dante was an individual who had mastered swordsmanship to an extent that surpassed their understanding.

“Hmm.”

As the situation unfolded, the smile gradually disappeared from one person’s face.

Lancel felt his changing emotions and cheered inwardly.

‘Did you think that just raising her stats would be enough, Your Highness?’

Marigold’s abilities were enhanced based on the Magic Power the Third Prince was sending. That meant that his Magic Power was also being depleted over time.

Of course, for the Third Prince, who was called a magical genius, Magic Power was abundant, and it wouldn’t be noticeable right away, but he wouldn’t be in a pleasant mood.

Lancel was satisfied with that fact.

Swoosh-!

That was until a red ring appeared in Marigold’s eyes.

“…I’ll go again.”

The exhausted look had disappeared from her face. The sweat that had been flowing evaporated into the air, creating a haze.

==========

—Event Updated! The Third Prince absolutely does not want Marigold to lose. Casting 7th Circle magic ‘Overflow’.

※The Third Prince’s Magic Power is consumed even more. Marigold’s vitality and mental strength are continuously consumed. Condition is greatly reduced.

※From now on, ‘all damage’ Marigold takes will be replaced with the Third Prince’s ‘Magic Power’. (Remaining Magic Power 98%)

==========

As expected.

In a previous iteration, Lancel had directly experienced the effects of Overflow. To put it simply, it was very shitty.

“Heeeuugh!”

Marigold convulsed from the overwhelming power.

The warmth disappeared from Lancel’s eyes.

In fact, he had even considered fighting moderately and then losing. If that would make Marigold look good to the Prince. If that would be the first step to becoming the future Princess Consort.

But he had changed his mind. This bastard needed to be taught a lesson.

‘Third Prince, you crossed the line first.’