Ch.364Side Story 1 – Southern Continent Travelogue (19)

The red moon rose over the training ground. The figure standing before Selden Alphonse’s killing intent was by no means an ordinary person.

Her name was Alicia.

She was considered the absolute best among the talents produced by the Red Moon Order.

Among the young members of the Red Moon Order between 20 and 24 years old, she displayed unparalleled talent, and she was counted among the most exceptional figures not just in her generation but throughout the entire history of the order.

Alicia had been called a “genius” from the moment she first learned swordsmanship, and she had never once been defeated in countless duels and actual combat.

Her sword was fast and sharp, and above all, overwhelming.

But now.

—Clang!

The real sword and wooden sword collided.

However, something was strange.

The blade was deflected far too easily, and Alicia nearly lost her balance as she stepped back.

‘What’s going on?’

She was using a real sword.

Yet the opponent’s wooden sword had lightly parried her blade.

And not with a strong impact, but as if casually flicking it away.

“……”

Alicia gritted her teeth and regained her stance.

This time, she moved carefully to avoid showing any openings.

Slowly changing her angle, she thrust her sword again.

—Clang!

Once more, the wooden sword moved lightly and deflected her blade.

‘….Again?’

Alicia looked down at her hand in disbelief.

The sword in her grip was definitely a real one.

Yet her opponent still held a wooden sword with a relaxed expression.

“Where did my dueling partner go? I’m dying of boredom.”

At Selden Alphonse’s words, a thick vein popped out on Alicia’s forehead.

“Are you suggesting we continue with wooden swords…?”

“No, you can’t even beat me when I’m using a wooden sword, so how could I let you use a real one!?”

Alicia’s swordsmanship was perfect.

The angle, speed, and every movement of her sword had all been proven in actual combat.

It was a sword that no one in the Red Moon Order could defeat.

Yet now, this man…

Clang—!

He was toying with her using just a wooden sword.

‘Is this even possible?’

Her fingertips trembled slightly.

“It’s unbelievable when you experience it for the first time. Yes, indeed it is.”

Alicia glared sharply at him, suppressing her anger.

However, Selden Alphonse merely looked at her with a smirk.

“D-don’t laugh at me!”

Alicia could no longer contain herself.

She swung her sword with all her might.

This time, truly using her full strength.

The real sword cut through the air, falling rapidly.

But—

—Tock.

Incredibly, Selden deflected the blade simply by slightly turning his wooden sword.

Her attack was completely blocked.

And so casually, as if playing with a child.

“…!”

Alicia’s face hardened, and her heart beat violently.

She had thought that someday an opponent who could match her would appear.

But this was beyond a simple difference in skill.

Moreover.

“Geniuses always make that face, don’t they? Weak as they are, saying ‘What? I’m not the protagonist of this world!?’ and all that.”

Selden Alphonse’s words and actions gnawed at Alicia’s pride.

Her face gradually turned crimson.

Weak?

Me, who’s called the best in the Red Moon Order, whom no one could challenge!?

“…Aren’t you being too harsh with your words!?”

Selden Alphonse looked at Alicia, whose eyes were blazing as she shouted, and shrugged his shoulders.

“With this much of a gap between us, don’t I have the right to say at least that much?”

Selden Alphonse’s nonchalant tone infuriated Alicia even more.

She swung her sword once again.

—Clang!

But.

—Tock.

—Clang!

—Tap.

None of her attacks worked.

And just as Alicia was about to attack again with a face full of rage,

Selden Alphonse’s wooden sword stopped precisely in front of her neck.

“No matter how frustrated you are, the result won’t change.”

When Alicia heard those words, her entire body froze.

Her hands trembled slightly.

An emotion she had never felt before stirred in her chest.

The feeling of defeat.

And.

An absolute wall.

The man before her was stronger than any opponent she had ever faced.

No, he was beyond a level she could even comprehend.

“Now you know your place?”

Selden Alphonse’s quiet voice penetrated her ears.

Alicia, breathing heavily, gritted her teeth and quickly pulled back.

She couldn’t end it like this.

Her battle instinct ignited again from deep within her chest.

Thump—! Thump—!

Alicia’s heart pounded violently.

She took a deep breath, gripped her sword tightly, and her eyes shone even more sharply.

“Then try to handle this as well.”

Her voice was calm but filled with power.

Alicia closed her eyes, and energy gradually began to gather in her body.

The air changed instantly, and the atmosphere surrounding the training ground suddenly grew heavy.

Whooosh——

An unknown energy swirled around Alicia.

Rough winds circled around her, rippling, and her long hair danced in the breeze.

A technique that only a few talented individuals in the Red Moon Order could handle.

Drawing energy from deep within the body, concentrating it on the blade, and releasing it in an instant.

“…!”

Even the Red Moon Order members standing nearby held their breath.

Alicia was now summoning her maximum power.

Her blade slowly began to emit light, and the radiance soared.

The pressure on her arm was on a completely different level than usual.

She poured everything she had into this one attack.

Swoosh.

A single strike where the real sword and energy were perfectly fused.

If the opponent didn’t dodge this—

They would definitely be cut.

‘Prepare yourself.’

Alicia took one more deep breath.

And then,

She swung her sword with all her might.

—BOOM!!!

CRACK——!

Explosive energy burst forth.

Intense shockwaves spread in all directions, the ground split, and the floor of the training ground cracked with a loud noise.

However, there was nothing where her sword should have struck.

“W-where did he go?”

“I’m… right here?”

She reflexively turned her head to find Selden Alphonse standing behind her, tilting his head.

Seeing him, Alicia struggled to suppress her anger and gritted her teeth.

“…Are you being a coward by dodging?”

“What are you talking about? How can there be cowardice once you’re holding a sword?”

“This isn’t actual combat, it’s a fair duel!”

“Haven’t you heard that duels should be treated like real combat? And you’re talking about duels after coming at me like you wanted to kill me.”

“…They say you should never trust a man… I see that saying wasn’t wrong.”

“Come on, why bring gender into something like this?”

Alicia was about to say something when her legs suddenly gave way, and she lost her balance.

Staggering—

The problem was that she had put most of her energy into the blade for that final strike.

‘Damn it.’

She bit her lip, but her body was no longer responding to her will.

As she lost her balance again and was about to fall.

Tap—

Selden Alphonse, who had approached without her noticing, caught her by the shoulder.

Then, he smiled gently.

“You haven’t forgotten our bet, have you?”

*

“Who on earth did you make a bet with!?”

The next day.

I sighed briefly as I looked at Jawill Wilson, who had come to my resting place and was making a fuss since morning.

“How did you hear about that?”

“Everyone was buzzing about yesterday’s events during breakfast this morning.”

“Really?”

“But, young master, isn’t that too unfair?”

“Why am I unfair?”

“How could you make a bet on a duel?”

I looked at Jawill Wilson with an incredulous expression.

“She’s the one who asked for the duel first.”

“But I bet you brought up the bet first.”

“That’s because she kept insisting on a duel even when I said I didn’t want to.”

“Anyway, it’s unfair. You’re strong, young master.”

I folded my arms heavily and smirked.

“My opponent was strong too.”

“Come on, they must have been weaker than me.”

“They were stronger than you.”

“…What?”

“About the level of Lucian when he was young.”

At that, Jawill Wilson raised his voice with wide eyes.

“Y-young… Lucian’s level!? That’s monst—”

Seeming to think better of it, Jawill Wilson covered his mouth.

Then, he continued more calmly.

“…I mean, their skill itself is monstrous.”

“Anyway, that’s how skilled they are.”

“From what I heard earlier, they’re also quite young. How can they be as strong as a dragon?”

I don’t know either.

However, after facing them, I could tell they weren’t at the level of Serion Lycus, the protagonist of the original novel, but they were strong.

I hadn’t seen Luna Brillhart lately, but probably around that level?

To have such skill in this closed space…

It was certainly surprising.

I sighed briefly and spoke.

“Aren’t you busy, by the way?”

“…Pardon?”

“If you’re dealing with eight people, shouldn’t you be saving even your breakfast time?”

“Don’t I need to eat?”

“I guess they at least give you time to eat.”

“…What? Surely the princesses don’t even give you time to—”

“Anyway, were you alright last night? You were about to die, but you seem quite lively now.”

At my words, Jawill Wilson straightened his back.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I decided to think positively.”

“Right, go and work hard in bed. I’m going to rest a bit more.”

Just as I was about to lie down again, I heard the door opening.

Turning my head, I saw it was Merin.

“What brings you here so early in the morning?”

Merin bowed with the most polite posture.

“I’d like to discuss the bet from last night.”