Chapter 14: Swordsmanship Competition Part 1 (2/2)
by fnovelpia
On the way home from school, a large upperclassman blocked her path. The color of his shoulder cape revealed he was a third-year.
“Oppa! I told you not to!”
“You stay out of this, Beatrice. Are you saying I should just sit quietly while the Valdeck name is insulted?”
Beatrice tried to stop him, but the guy didn’t budge an inch.
He pointed a finger at Elizabeth, who simply stood there.
“So you’re supposed to be good with a sword? Then fight me. Stop bullying people weaker than you.”
“Huh? Out of nowhere?”
“The swordsmanship tournament next month. What do you say?”
At Lenz Academy, swordsmanship tournaments were held regularly as tradition.
But this was something else entirely.
The sudden challenge left not only Elizabeth’s friends, but even Beatrice, speechless.
“Are you seriously saying that?”
“You’re a third-year! I even heard you’ve received knight training!”
“This is totally unfair!”
“Yeah, Oppa! I’m fine, so why do you keep…!”
Beatrice shook his arm, clearly flustered by the situation too.
“I’m not asking any of you. Elizabeth Valentine. If you win, I’ll grant you whatever you want. But if you lose, this time, you kneel—not your father.”
Daisy started yelling.
“Elizabeth! Don’t do it. Just say no—”
“Alright.”
Elizabeth looked straight up at the brute and replied.
“But if you lose, be ready to apologize.”
Just like the Valdecks hadn’t forgotten their humiliation,
Elizabeth hadn’t forgotten that moment either.
Her innocent father had knelt in her place.
She would win and repay the disgrace.
“Swordsmanship tournament?”
Leo checked the mail and opened a letter from the school.
It invited him to attend the upcoming swordsmanship tournament, if he wasn’t too busy.
“It’s in less than two weeks.”
Without much thought,
Leo scanned the list of participants.
—Elizabeth Valentine.
…?
Thinking he’d read it wrong, he double-checked.
But the name was still there.
“Don’t tell me this is why… since this morning…”
He went down the apartment stairs and stepped into the yard.
There was Elizabeth, swinging a wooden sword in one corner.
“Elizabeth! Are you entering the swordsmanship tournament?”
“I am.”
“You should’ve said something.”
“What difference would it have made?”
“I could’ve helped, you know.”
“You?”
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at me.
She looked doubtful.
“Yeah, your dad used to work as a mercenary. I know a little about swordsmanship.”
“…Fine. Then let’s see what you’ve got.”
Elizabeth responded indifferently.
No way her dad could be good at swordsmanship.
He’d only done construction work, never learned properly.
Still, spending time with her dad wasn’t a bad thing, so she had no reason to refuse.
Leo brought out a wooden sword from the house.
Father and daughter stood facing each other, ready to spar.
“Dad.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you know who teaches me swordsmanship?”
“No, who?”
Leo stretched out his back with a long yawn.
His muscles, dormant from sleep, loosened with relief.
“Sir Otto of the Glorious Sword.”
“Oh, I’ve heard of him.”
Sir Otto of the Glorious Sword had once been the Royal Guard Commander. A Sword Master and war hero.
“Yeah, I’ve been learning from him. And I’m his top student. So honestly, I don’t think there’s anything I can learn from you.”
Elizabeth said calmly, watching Leo’s face.
She’d said it on purpose, but he didn’t look fazed at all.
Instead, he just smiled easily.
“You know if you say that and still lose, it’ll be pretty embarrassing, right?”
“Doubt that’s gonna happen.”
Swoooosh.
The wind blew. That was the signal.
Father and daughter took their stances.
Leo held his sword in a standard guard position, while Elizabeth—
“Elly, what kind of stance is that?”
Leo’s face stiffened.
Elizabeth stood casually with one leg relaxed, her sword drooping.
Its tip was just barely touching the ground.
It wasn’t a posture for serious sparring.
“I can’t go all out against my dad.”
Which meant, ‘I’m above you.’
“I don’t need your pity, you know.”
“Come at me first, then.”
The look you give someone weaker than you.
That was what Elizabeth’s eyes said.
There was a calm confidence—an aura of superiority.
‘I didn’t expect her to treat me like this.’
Leo was deeply unsettled. He was being patronized in swordsmanship, of all things.
And by his own daughter, no less.
But Elizabeth had her reasons for sounding harsh.
It wasn’t just to break her dad’s pride.
‘…I’m going to show him who holds the power now.’
To her father, Elizabeth was still someone to be protected.
Still a delicate, fragile girl in need of shielding.
But Elizabeth was strong.
Aside from male students who received knight training, there wasn’t a single student who could beat her.
She had mastered Sir Otto’s sword techniques well.
‘From now on, I’ll be the one to protect Dad.’
Elizabeth looked at the man she loved most, vowing solemnly.
Leo gripped his sword tightly and said,
“Then I won’t hold back.”
There was no point lecturing a cheeky daughter.
Experience teaches better than a thousand words.
Leo raised his sword high and charged.
The wind parted above his head.
Exhaling, he brought his sword down.
Elizabeth met him head-on and turned her sword downward.
She intended to deflect Leo’s strike toward the ground.
It was one-sided and by the book.
Leo used the momentum of being deflected to spin his sword.
With a quick twirl, the blade landed gently on Elizabeth’s exposed neck.
“Huh?”
Elizabeth’s previously bored eyes widened like saucers.
I said you don’t need to go easy on me.
Leo spoke as he retrieved his sword.
The spar had ended before there was even time to assess anything.
…Again.
Elle bit her lip.
She didn’t know where Elizabeth had picked up those cheap tricks, but it must’ve been a fluke.
Just luck.
That won’t happen again.
If they fight again, she’ll win.
Alright, then.
Leo shrugged and took a few steps back.
Elizabeth’s eyes turned serious.
She dropped her cocky stance, raised her sword properly, and widened her footing.
Come at me first.
Leo spoke, his face relaxed and full of ease.
That expression irritated Elizabeth for some reason.
Hup.
Elizabeth leaped forward.
Light and fast.
In an instant, she closed the distance, raised her sword overhead like Leo had, and swung down with force.
At a glance, it looked exactly like Leo’s move.
But to Leo’s eyes, it was slow.
Clang.
Leo grabbed the blade with one hand and the hilt with the other.
His sword became horizontal, perfectly blocking Elizabeth’s vertical strike.
Half-swording.
Then, he forcefully pushed the hilt forward while twisting sharply.
Elizabeth’s blade caught against Leo’s guard and bent.
Tangg-rang.
From the sudden force, Elizabeth lost her grip.
Her sword clattered to the ground.
She immediately picked it up.
Again.
As many times as you want.
Chang!
Again.
Alright.
Kagak.
Tangrang…
Again…!
Mhm.
Chae, chae, chang!
…Again.
Dear.
What?
Elizabeth gritted her teeth and raised her sword.
Her entire body was slick with sweat.
Her hair kept sticking to her face and neck.
Sweat from her forehead dripped onto her lashes, blurring her vision.
Her heart pounded violently.
Her palms had taken so many blows they were nearly bleeding.
This is weird.
It shouldn’t be like this.
Why is he so strong?
Let’s take a break.
In contrast, Leo looked exactly like he had when he first walked in with his sword.
His face was smooth, his breathing calm.
If he hadn’t been holding a sword, you wouldn’t even know he’d been training.
No.
Again.
They had clashed blades countless times now, but Leo won every single bout.
Elizabeth lost every time.
It felt so close.
Just a little more and I can win…!
Alright, let’s do it.
Leo saw the burning desire to win in Elizabeth’s eyes.
He’d been holding back on purpose, but maybe that just stoked her competitive fire too much.
He’d have to end this now.
Ssshh.
He took a deep breath and tensed his muscles.
The father and daughter took their stances.
The signal was a falling leaf.
They hadn’t agreed on it, but after so many sparring matches, it became an unspoken rule.
A leaf fell.
There was no sound, but the match began.
This time, I’ll win!
Elizabeth rushed forward—
Or tried to, but she had to stop immediately.
The blade of a sword was right in front of her eyes.
Just one step further and it would’ve touched her.
When did he—?
Before she knew it, Leo was already at her side.
He gently tapped her shoulder as she stood there dumbfounded, still holding up her sword.
Are we done now?
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