“It’s like a monster battle or something…”
Or maybe it feels like an SF Gundam battle.
Either way, it was a scene that stirred the heart of any man.
“What kind of conversation did you have that made it start so late?”
Ariana raised an eyebrow after waiting for who knows how long.
“Judging from the initial greeting, maybe Lux just followed proper etiquette? She is an Imperial Princess before being our friend. Any noble would probably do such formalities.”
Senna lectured on the matter-of-fact reasoning as Ariana pouted.
“Well, fighting against a princess right away wouldn’t be proper anyway.”
Come to think of it, it’s more strange that no participant has acted this way until now.
Ariana, who had been wearing a troubled expression, said,
“Etiquette? So what, will she give up because of politeness?”
“Don’t say useless things and just cheer.”
That enormous knight was using some unseen magic.
The guy seemed to have developed quite a bit during this time.
Bang! Boom!
Every time the angel and the knight swung their weapons, the arena trembled.
Just maintaining that huge body with precision must be tough, yet they’re putting on such a flashy battle.
Their showmanship was top-notch.
“Hmph. Lux is obviously going to win anyway.”
“That’s not certain. To me, both seem to have plenty of energy left.”
It was clear just by looking at their calm expressions.
Senna nodded her head in agreement while speaking.
“That’s true. She seems more relaxed than when fighting Ariana.”
“Maybe it’s just her poker face? Or perhaps she’s practicing to get used to that magic.”
“Ooh, that’s an interesting new perspective.”
It made sense.
Lux probably hasn’t used that angel magic much, so she might be deliberately stalling to build familiarity.
Plus, the opponent was suitable.
Molded magic users like that aren’t common.
Light molding and ice molding.
From the audience’s point of view, it’s the best spectacle.
“Still, if she’s practicing, it’d be better to try other forms rather than the angel.”
At my words, Senna tilted her head.
“Why? The angel looks cool though.”
“Too big. While it might be good against many foes, it’s not ideal for one-on-one combat.”
Even focusing on one enemy can be hard enough without increasing what needs attention.
Amy could easily exploit those gaps with her magic.
Lux probably already knows this, but there’s always a chance she might not have considered it.
“Gailen could point out this issue.”
Though he seemed fierce at first glance, compared to Lux’s mana reserves, his must be significantly less.
He seems to be concentrating mana only at the moment of impact to deflect Lux’s attacks.
In a prolonged battle, Gailen would definitely lose, so he’ll surely make a move soon.
The splendid swordplay he showed during the Northern War alone should be enough to awaken Lux’s vigilance.
***
After exchanging blows for quite a while, the angel’s spear pierced through the knight’s torso.
Shards of crystal-like ice fell apart.
The kneeling ice knight had the angel’s spear pointed at its neck.
“Is this all you’ve got?”
With glowing red eyes, Lux asked Gailen standing before her.
“This should be sufficient, I believe.”
Gailen replied with a deadpan expression.
He truly didn’t seem to care about winning or losing.
Lux sighed softly while crossing her arms.
“At this rate, there might be talk of match-fixing.”
“The Royal Palace can cover that adequately, can’t it?”
“Tch. Let’s buy some time first.”
Lux clicked her fingers while casting magic.
[Star Magic: Veil of Stars]
The arena was enveloped in shining starlight.
Thus, the spectators couldn’t see the two anymore.
Upon sensing the movement of mana, Gailen spoke.
“You could have ended it already.”
“Shut up. I can’t show such a boring match.”
As she spoke, charisma flowed from Lux.
Anyone who knew her would be shocked at how different she looked from her usual self.
Her composed tone was akin to a ruler addressing her subject.
“But it was still the first time seeing such magic in this tournament…”
However, Gailen, who met Lux for the first time today, thought her attitude was perfectly normal.
Royalty is above all others.
Even if he’s the second son of a ducal house, someone without a title couldn’t speak freely to her.
“Don’t contradict me.”
“I apologize.”
To Gailen, having the sole Imperial Princess hear him out was already a satisfying achievement.
“Ordinary people might be deceived, but one who has reached enlightenment cannot be fooled.”
“…That’s correct.”
“If you know that, just come at me properly. I’ll crush you head-on.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not that easy of an opponent.”
Worthy of being from a family responsible for the north, Gailen’s expression remained neutral, yet his eyes shone brightly.
Seemingly satisfied with that, Lux smiled faintly and responded,
“Worry about yourself. If I’m not satisfied, the contract is void.”
“…Do you mean that?”
“I only keep those I recognize around me. Are you worthy to stand by my side?”
“If you insist on saying that…”
Gailen answered while gathering mana.
“I shall demonstrate the Romanov prowess.”
“About time.”
The moment Lux stepped back and lifted the Veil of Stars…
[Ice Magic: Romanov Ice Sculpture]
Gailen’s ice knight repelled the angel’s spear with a radiant gleam.
Watching the knight swing its greatsword, Lux asked calmly,
“Planning to go again? You should realize by now that you don’t stand a chance.”
The difference in mana between the two was clear.
Even if the same situation unfolds, Lux would undoubtedly win.
Gailen wasn’t unaware of that.
“Unfortunately, my specialty lies elsewhere.”
[Ice Magic: Blossoming Snow Swords]
Countless ice swords appeared behind Gailen’s serious expression.
Lux’s eyes slightly widened at the new magic.
“My nickname during the Northern War was ‘Knight of a Thousand Swords.'”
Because he could mold up to a thousand ice swords.
“And now you’re the Knight of Ten Thousand Swords.”
The instant those words left her lips, the ice swords rained down on Lux like a tidal wave.
“Not bad.”
Lux smirked arrogantly while exploding with mana.
[Star Magic: Stellar Light]
The burst of starlight shattered the ice swords.
While controlling the celestial angel and casting another spell simultaneously was undoubtedly difficult, Lux performed it effortlessly.
Not stopping there, she immediately cast another spell.
[Star Magic: Fragments of Starlight]
Countless shards of starlight darted toward Gailen.
“Dear me…you’re merciless.”
Gailen grinned awkwardly before quickly casting his next spell.
[Ice Magic: Glacial Shield of Heaven]
A massive ice shield shimmering with light blocked Lux’s magic in an instant.
Without pausing, Gailen pushed off the ground.
“My swords haven’t finished yet.”
With an ice sword in hand, Gailen charged at Lux.
His knightly movements caused Lux to gather mana.
“Playing knight now? Sorry, but amateur swordplay won’t-”
Lux couldn’t finish her sentence.
An ice arrow flew from a blind spot.
‘When did he…!’
[Light Magic: Radiant Spear of Glory]
Blocking the arrow with the radiant spear, Lux barely dodged Gailen’s sword that came next.
Spitting out white breath, Gailen said,
“One-man army. That’s what a Romanov magician is.”
“Kuh…!”
Even after creating distance using Blink, Lux couldn’t catch her breath.
Wave after wave of cold weapons targeted her, followed by Gailen’s relentless swordsmanship.
A one-man wheel war.
A strategy worthy of calling himself a one-man army.
Cold sweat trickled down Lux’s back by now.
“Pretty…impressive. Feels like fighting multiple opponents.”
“Thank you for your kind words.”
Lux remained calm.
Even if it felt like fighting many, the opponent was still just one person.
As long as she stayed calm, it wasn’t impossible to handle.
With the constant threat of unknown magic flying from anywhere, Lux’s concentration reached its peak.
She was growing stronger with each passing moment.
“Fun. Can’t you attack faster?”
Realizing her own growth, Lux grinned excitedly for the first time in a while.
“That’s difficult even with encouragement…”
Seeing that, Gailen muttered awkwardly.
No matter how much he held back, Lux was blocking everything too easily.
At this rate, his mana would run out sooner rather than later.
The attack pattern consuming vast amounts of mana lived up to his “one-man army” nickname.
Having made his decision, Gailen moved.
“Hmph, can’t be helped.”
After unleashing all prepared ice swords and creating distance, Gailen prepared his final magic.
[Ice Magic: Heaven’s Iron Hammer]
A giant hammer formed in mid-air.
Holding the ice hammer created with all remaining mana, a freezing chill settled over the arena.
“Haa…let’s end this.”
Exhaling visible white breath due to the plummeting temperature, Lux gathered mana.
[Star Magic: Judgment of the Angel]
The radiant Judgment of the Angel clashed with the knight’s ice hammer.
!!!
The final clash of strength versus strength resulted in…
“…Hah, I lost.”
Lux.
“Good work. Thanks to you, I learned a lot.”
Approaching Gailen, who knelt from exhausting his mana to the limit, Lux extended her hand.
Compared to the overwhelming magic, her delicate hand seemed fragile as Gailen stared at it and smirked.
“Would this be enough to earn a place by your side?”
“Eh…good enough. You pass.”
“Haha, it’s an honor.”
Gailen kissed Lux’s hand like a knight, causing an eruption of cheers from the audience.
Waah!!!
The deafening cheers echoed as Lux quietly gazed at Allen watching her from the VIP room.
‘This is taking one step forward.’
Only one person remains.
Once Amy is dealt with…
Imagining walking together with Allen, Lux smiled faintly.
[Olympia Quarterfinals Second Match: Lux Stella Sirius vs Gailen Romanov]
Winner: Lux Stella Sirius
