43. Lucia and the Underground Arena (4)

The hand holding the sword trembled.

Before Lucia’s eyes stood a man with a vague impression.

A man named George. But in truth, his identity was Count Yulian. The heir to that prestigious Grand Duke.

‘A bet…’

The trembling in her hand subsided slightly as she thought about the details of that bet.

Before coming to the pleasure district. Inside the carriage, Count Yulian made a bet with Lucia.

‘The underground Colosseum. Since the two of you are participating as contestants there. It would be fun to place a bet. The winner gets to have their wish granted by the loser. What do you say, Lucia?’

Count Yulian always appeared gentle and serious towards her. So it was an unexpected suggestion. A bet was a type of gamble, after all. But she soon understood.

‘Come to think of it, the day I got a little closer to Yulian-nim was also when we met at that secret gambling den.’

After saying that, the Count asked Lucia what she desired.

After much deliberation in the carriage. Lucia bashfully told the Count.

‘I-If it’s alright with you. I would like to go to the restaurant where Tricia works with you, Count-nim.’

Cecilia’s older sister, Tricia. A Ma tribe member and an Elf, Tricia hid her identity and worked at a restaurant in the affluent district of the Imperial Capital.

The prices were high, but it was a well-known spot among the Pantheon’s noble students. Especially when couples wanted to have a meal in a romantic setting, she heard.

In a way, it was Lucia asking for a date first. After saying those words, her face flushed, and she lowered her head for a moment.

Yulian already had a fiancée of noble status, Princess Lilia.

But even though it was accidental, the Count was the one who took her virginity.

And although she couldn’t reveal her true feelings, he was already someone she was deeply infatuated with.

‘He’s someone I can’t dare to covet…’

But she couldn’t stop her heart from going there. So when Yulian first hired her as a sparring partner. She was happier then than when she passed the Pantheon entrance exam.

And now, a bet of all things. And with the prize being whatever he wanted.

If that were the case, wouldn’t a meal be alright…?

Unable to hide her ulterior motives, she ended up saying it. Surprisingly, the Count readily agreed.

‘I-It’s nothing special. Tricia often says that restaurant is very delicious… I’m just curious about the taste…’

‘A restaurant? That’s not a difficult request. I’ll do that. Then, if I win…’

In that moment of being lost in thought.

“Cross your swords in respect!”

The Colosseum employee’s voice was heard.

‘Get a grip. Don’t let your guard down. Lucia.’

And to Yulian, who approached her, she gave her impressions of the previous match.

“That was an amazing duel earlier.”

“No. You were also amazing, Lucia.”

The Count said it very calmly. But in truth, he was surprised. She had already crossed swords with him often at the Loia Hall training grounds.

So she thought she knew his skills well. But the skills he showed today had advanced one step further from that level.

‘Fabian. Even though that bastard is frivolous. He’s still the next best after Reef in our Order.’

Fabian’s relentless barrage of sword strikes. That barrage was shattered by the Count’s counterattack.

Pretending to be on the defensive, he took down Fabian with a single strike. The moment Lucia saw Yulian’s sword strike. Lucia felt something surge greatly within her chest.

It was beautiful.

Count Yulian was someone whose appearance was beyond handsome, bordering on beautiful. But now, with his appearance altered by magic, she could focus solely on his sword.

The line drawn by the tip of the longsword. The end of that line was as sharp and steep as the peaks of the northern snow mountains. But the power contained in that tip was as ferocious as a landslide unleashed by those mountains in anger.

A realm of true genius that couldn’t be seen in her classmates’ swordsmanship.

She was about to face such an opponent in a match with a stake on the line. And to the Count, who mentioned the details of the bet once again. She quietly said.

“If I lose… that bet about using my body to help you, Count-nim.”

What Yulian wanted. Lucia was taken aback when she heard the details of the bet. The Count wanted Lucia’s body as the price for winning the bet.

To be exact, he wanted her help when there was a time to use Lucia’s body. The meaning was subtle.

Simply sparring was also an act of using the opponent’s body. Count Yulian wasn’t a playboy like Fabian. So it was probably closer to that meaning.

‘But I’m already Count-nim’s sparring partner. So… since he’s putting it on the line with a bet, Count Yulian must be a man after all… he might have been thinking about that.’

The nobles of the Imperial Capital were familiar with the nightlife. Although he said it indirectly, it seemed close to that meaning.

‘He’s asking me to be his nighttime companion again, like at the secret salon… right?’

It was too blatant for words coming from the gentle Count.

But Lucia wasn’t disappointed. It was natural for a young man to have sexual desires.

Rather… if she could get closer to Yulian even in that way, it was what she had hoped for. He was the one who took her virginity anyway. She didn’t feel any aversion at all.

‘Count-nim is different from trashy men like Duke Pedro or Fabian!’

Still, if possible. Even if she became his hidden lover. She wanted their relationship to develop from a proper date, not just getting caught up in the moment like last time.

Even though she was a swordswoman learning swordsmanship in the combat Order. Lucia was also a woman.

‘Since we both can’t use Mana anyway. I have to win this bet no matter what.’

And she was different from her usual self. Somehow, her senses were heightened. In this place where the use of Mana was restricted. She no longer needed to be conscious of the awkward flow of Mana that had been bothering her lately.

‘Could it be that Count-nim also intended to bring me here because of that?’

She thought that for a moment but denied it. There was no way he would be so considerate to her, who he had only slept with once.

If such consideration were true. She would be so happy that she wouldn’t be able to calm her heart.

“Return to your positions!”

The two people who crossed swords stood in their respective places. Both took the initial stance of swordsmanship.

“Begin the match!”

The Colosseum employee shouted loudly. Lucia gripped the hilt of the one-handed sword tightly.

And her body moved before she could even think. The tip of the sword approached Yulian’s nose.

---

The final match of the tournament began.

The use of Mana was restricted for both of them. But with the special Mana Heart. And the restrictions on the ultimate skill, White Night, I had a bigger shackle on me.

And the very moment the match started. Lucia’s eyes changed completely.

It was a simple request to go to a restaurant together. But Lucia seemed to have become serious because of the bet conditions.

‘I’m glad I placed the bet.’

I can’t let my guard down. Lucia had already defeated all her opponents in this tournament and made it to the top.

And Lucia, who had become serious, was a much more difficult opponent than Fabian. The outcome could be decided in a single exchange.

‘So I have to block Lucia’s first strike no matter what.’

The moment her stance was thrown off by that one strike. Lucia’s relentless attacks would pour in continuously.

But Lucia’s sword strike was much faster than I expected.

‘Already!’

Before I could even sense the trajectory, Lucia’s sword tip was already touching my nose. As expected, even I, at the 3rd tier, couldn’t keep up with that sword’s speed.

Kaang-

Sparks flew for a moment along with the metallic sound. I barely blocked Lucia’s surprise attack.

‘No. I didn’t block it, I predicted it.’

My body didn’t react in time. But I had sparred with Lucia often. I moved my sword in advance to block it.

‘As expected, she aimed for my wrist first.’

I was already anticipating which part she would aim for based on her habit.

I took a step back in advance, and pulled the hilt of the sword held in both hands with a gap of about a fist. Lucia’s sword tip collided with my cross-guard and bounced back. Lucia’s eyes wavered.

There’s no time to be complacent.

I immediately swung the sword horizontally, aiming for Lucia’s open side. A fierce attack that sounded like tearing the air even without Mana.

But if the opponent was Lucia, it was a mistake. A powerful but predictable attack. A counterattack would come immediately against such an attack.

The fastest preemptive strike and counter. Duke Pedro’s main weapon. Lucia also inherited that talent and knew how to use it instinctively.

As expected, she’s using my sword strike in reverse to draw a sword path.

Lucia’s quick sword reached my side before my sword’s rotation was completed.

No. It almost reached.

“Tch.”

Lucia made a regretful sound without realizing it. I had also anticipated this counterattack. So the attack I launched earlier was a feint.

So, anticipating Lucia’s counterattack, I didn’t swing until the end and pulled my body back in advance. Lucia’s sword cut through the air.

‘This should be enough.’

Lucia’s expression hardened. Preemptive strike and counter. Lucia had easily reached the finals today with just those two perfect techniques.

But I was different from the opponents she had won against in the tournament. She would have just realized that those two weapons wouldn’t work against me.

If Lucia had realized her talent earlier than today. She would have added variations to those preemptive strikes and counters. But not now.

In any case, my plan worked perfectly. Her ultimate move was already sealed.

With that being the case. Lucia was no different from being caught in the psychological snare I had thrown.

She continued to launch quick swords with feints without stopping.

‘The pattern is too simple.’

I repeatedly dodged or deflected them. I leisurely dealt with the continuous sword strikes. And in a moment when her breathing faltered.

My sword was already right next to Lucia’s neck.

“… I lost.”

Cheers echoed throughout the underground Colosseum. Of course, not in my name, but in George’s name.

And the two people’s eyes met. Lucia’s eyes had a resentful look that I had never seen before.

---

The next day.

Pantheon’s lunchtime. I temporarily left Pantheon and visited a new place. It was right next to Pantheon, so I arrived quickly.

The Imperial Central Library. It was on the 23rd floor of that very place.

The 22nd floor, which was only open to high-ranking nobles. Beyond that, a special area where only the Imperial family could enter.

I was there with Lilia. Unlike the other floors, which were organized with a modern feel. The 23rd floor was filled with a classic atmosphere.

I found one of the books I wanted on the bookshelf there.

‘This is the origin of the Orhainga’s Mana cultivation method.’

I stood in front of the bookshelf for a moment and looked into the secret manual. And I was convinced that obtaining the entrance permit to this library as a reward was the right answer.

‘Orhain’s Mana cultivation method… it looks dangerous, but it’s still worth applying properly.’

Numerous Mana cultivation methods existed in the Empire. The cultivation methods unique to famous swordsmanship families such as Reinhardt or Orhainga had also undergone numerous improvements.

Originally, the origin was a special technique that only a few geniuses of that famous family could master.

So when this secret manual was created hundreds of years ago. The cultivation method was operated in a dangerous way that was unimaginable in today’s era.

The Mana in the body was accelerated so rapidly that it was dangerous, and the Mana moved in and out busily through a dangerous path that could potentially destroy the Mana Heart.

In particular, the Orhainga’s cultivation method was severe to that extent.

‘It feels almost evil.’

I carefully read the origin of Orhain, the secret manual.

Compared to the currently known Sentiac Knights’ cultivation method. The mystery was excessively violent, and it only pursued growth.

The learning speed was much faster. But it felt like a dangerous technique that became stronger by gambling the user’s life.

‘To put it in a simple analogy. It feels like a Demonic Art from the Demonic Sect.’

So it was more suitable for me and Lucia. Islannd, which would soon be destroyed. There was no time to learn pure Mana cultivation methods for a long time.

Still, some improvement was needed. Mana cultivation methods also affected the user’s mind.

To remove the toxicity of this cultivation method. It would be good to mix in the origin of Reinhardt, which had reached the extreme of purity.

‘If things go according to plan. I’ll reach the 4th tier. And Lucia will be able to achieve high grades during the midterms.’

Unlike other heroines, Lucia was assigned to the silver wings, not the gold wings. Those with excellent midterm grades would be specially reassigned to the reserve squad.

So I had to quickly grow Lucia within a few weeks.

When I sat next to Lilia with the secret manual. Lilia suddenly said in a sticky voice.

“There’s… only the two of us here. Hehe.”

Lilia placed her hand on top of my large hand.