“It begins.”
The figure acting as referee for the duel shouted loudly.
Aisia drew her sword first.
A faint light of magic flowed from her blade.
It seemed to be a sign of her magical talent, as the air around her quivered slightly.
“I shall show you the sword and magic of the Liberian Empire!” Aisia declared in a low voice.
Adolf Kareha slowly drew his longsword.
His fighting style mainly involved quick responses and disrupting his opponent’s attack timing.
Since there was a high possibility that his opponent would use magic, he decided to first analyze the enemy’s pattern.
When the distance between the two closed to just a few steps, Aisia launched the first attack.
She swiftly twisted her body to the side and slashed sharply towards Adolf Kareha’s flank.
The blade flashed fiercely as it lunged forward, but he deflected it by slightly adjusting the angle of his armor.
With the sound of clashing metal, Aisia’s sword slashed through the air.
“Such speed…”
A soldier watching nearby murmured in amazement, and there was a stir among parts of both camps.
It was clear that the princess wasn’t just a superficial figurehead.
Adolf Kareha carefully observed her movements.
Unlike ordinary knights, she used a mixed style of swordplay and magic.
Her strong sword strikes were combined with movements to condense magical energy, and if he couldn’t read her patterns correctly, he could receive a fatal blow in an instant.
“Can you withstand this as well?”
Aisia’s voice rang out sharply.
She raised her sword high and gathered magical energy.
In an instant, with a sound like the air being torn apart, a bluish-white flash of light descended directly at Adolf Kareha.
“Magic-infused sword strike…”
The imperial soldiers exclaimed in surprise.
However, Adolf Kareha slightly twisted his body to avoid the attack and simultaneously stepped back, pointing the tip of his sword forward.
Ignoring the amazed voices around him, he analyzed his opponent’s moves.
‘This is Princess Aisia… she’s certainly strong, but not enough to overwhelm me yet.’
He took a short breath before preparing his counterattack.
With his sword lowered, he adjusted the angle with his footwork and aimed at Aisia’s flank.
“Haa!”
As his blade flashed targeting her side, Aisia quickly deflected it with her own.
The clash of swords produced a powerful sound, and the surrounding soldiers could feel the vibrations.
“Ugh… the title of ‘hero’ is not undeserved.”
Aisia gritted her teeth as she spoke.
Thus, the two exchanged relentless sword strikes without a moment to catch their breath.
Swords clanged, magic exploded, and between them unfolded a fierce duel.
Neither side made a move, mesmerized by the sight.
While each camp cheered for their own representative, they were also deeply moved by the intensity of the battle.
During the exchange of dozens of sword strikes, Aisia’s magic activated again.
She focused magic into her sword, forming a shape akin to blue flames.
These flames swept along the metal surface, releasing intense heat instantly.
“Take this!”
Aisia attacked with greater force this time.
Adolf Kareha quickly switched to a defensive stance.
However, the blue flame followed an unexpected trajectory, grazing past his armor.
A feeling of intense heat struck him, and startled, he immediately rolled sideways to dodge.
“Remarkable…”
He muttered briefly.
She, too, panted heavily, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead.
Although they recognized each other’s resilience, neither showed any sign of stepping back easily.
When their swords clashed again, neither side yielded as they locked swords in a tense standoff.
At that moment, Aisia suddenly twisted her sword and attempted a technique creating an opening, grazing past Adolf Kareha’s shoulder armor.
Though not a deep wound, having clearly been hit, he immediately retaliated.
“Step back!”
With a deep, weighty voice, he struck out, and a wave of force spread from his sword.
Aisia momentarily lost her balance.
That was the decisive chance.
Adolf Kareha could have struck the final blow towards her vital points, but Kareha hesitated for a moment, recalling his knowledge.
‘This woman is destined to give birth to the hero.’
He had read it in a scene from the novel of his past life.
Therefore, he hesitated.
That brief hesitation brought a fatal result. In that instant, Aisia activated her magic again.
Her emotions surged, and strong magical energy violently unsettled the air around her.
“The battle is not over yet!”
Aisia cried out desperately.
At that moment, an unimaginable explosion echoed.
The magic emanating from Aisia’s swinging sword seemed to be released uncontrollably, indicating the onset of a magical overload.
“Look out!”
The soldiers watching exclaimed.
Adolf Kareha reflexively rushed towards her.
If she couldn’t properly control the overload, not only himself but also her could suffer an immense impact.
He quickly struck down his sword to cut off the flow of magic.
“Stop!”
His voice echoed, and as the tip of his sword struck her’s forcefully, Aisia was thrown back by a huge shockwave.
Simultaneously, a magical explosion occurred, and a blue flash tore through the surrounding ground.
“What… what is this…?”
Both camps were shocked, retreating as they saw the massive spectacle unfold.
When the explosion subsided, there was a large crater in the center of the flat land with smoke rising.
Adolf Kareha managed to maintain his stance with difficulty, while Aisia lay collapsed a few meters away.
Around her, remnants of wobbling magical energy scattered.
“Your Highness!”
Liberian Empire soldiers rushed forward but hesitated as the duel rules prohibited arbitrary interference.
“Are you all right?!”
Adolf Kareha called out sincerely.
He needed to ensure her survival as per his memories from the past life.
Even as the princess of the enemy nation, he understood her existence was an essential pillar of fate in this world.
However, no response came.
Among broken armor scraps and scattered dust, Aisia lay gasping for breath, bl**d seeping from her left side.
She seemed to have severely injured by shockwaves, probably having lost consciousness.
“Oh no…”
Adolf Kareha quickly approached her.
The surrounding soldiers remained tense with weapons raised, but he paid no mind to them.
He simply knelt down to assess her condition.
“Are you still alive?”
He asked anxiously.
Aisia was faintly breathing.
‘Her breath is still there.’
He scanned his surroundings after confirming she was still alive.
Her face had turned pale, her lips bluish, and bl**d staining her armor and the ground.
“Healer! Bring a healer!”
Liberian Empire soldiers gathered.
However, Adolf Kareha summoned an imperial mage healer with a gesture.
“Hurry! The duel is already over!”
“But, General. Is it permissible for us to step in? They’re the enemy.”
The empire’s healers hesitated.
“It’s an order. Move quickly.”
His voice was firm.
Thus, healers from both sides urgently attempted emergency treatment but, due to the deep wound and the internal damage caused by the unchecked magical flow, her condition was quite severe.
Liberian forces soon considered transporting her to the rear, but the doctors judged that her condition would likely worsen during the journey.
“She might not endure this.”
One doctor gave a sorrowful diagnosis.
Ultimately, Liberia and the Empire reached a temporary truce and agreed to move Aisia to a nearby field hospital.
Adolf Kareha volunteered to assist fully in her treatment.
Though Liberian soldiers remained cautious, they were confused by his lack of hostility.
That night, silence enveloped the field hospital tent.
Though the healers used advanced healing magic and medications, Aisia’s wounds still wouldn’t fully heal.
Particularly concerning was the damage to her internal organs caused by the out-of-control magic.
“At this rate, it’s unclear if she can hold on to life.”
An Imperial mage muttered.
“Still, we must do everything to save her.”
Adolf Kareha couldn’t hide his urgency as he quietly spoke.
“Do your best.”
Others were confused by his statement.
If the Liberian princess died, the enemy’s morale would collapse, significantly benefiting the war—why was he so intent on saving her?
Yet, no one asked openly.
Hours after the treatment, Aisia seemed to be holding on to life.
However, she remained unconscious, with her magical energies significantly diminished and barely detectable.
Amid this, one of the Liberian doctors stiffened while examining her.
“This can’t be…”
The doctor muttered, startled.
“What’s happened?”
A nearby soldier asked.
“The internal tissues of Her Highness have suffered severe damage… fortunately, the organs essential for sustaining life are intact. But… in this state… it’s likely…”
The doctor couldn’t finish.
Finally, after other doctors had finished their examinations, the conclusion was clear.
The harsh diagnosis was: “The princess will likely never be able to bear children.”
“Infertility…”
The Liberian soldiers were gripped by fear and despair.
