Chapter 40

Why are you looking here? Do your job.

I frowned and gestured forward. Then, I distanced myself from Helios and took my basic stance. It had been a while since I last held a sword, and with the cold lingering, my joints felt stiff.

Helios glanced at Tessarion, sneering.

“Come at me as much as you want.”

I swung my sword. Helios easily deflected my strike and immediately looked for an opening. The dull blade hit my side.

“Huff.”

I stepped back and readjusted my grip on the sword. The pain took my breath away. He had put full force into the strike from the beginning, even though he claimed he just wanted to assess my skill. I took a deep breath and turned right. Helios, grinning, casually spun his sword and readied himself.

We circled around, and I took my chance to step forward, aiming a thrust at him.

Clang!

Helios immediately blocked my sword and countered with an attack. I barely avoided his sword, but it was too fast, and I tripped, stumbling.

“Pathetic.”

To judge my skill based on just two sword clashes… Wasn’t that a bit much? After all, it was my first time holding a sword since my 6th life!

Let’s not even count the time I blocked Helios to protect Princess Berieta; I was referring to this training duel now.

I inhaled deeply and gripped my sword tightly. For some reason, the left hand of my sword, engraved with the holy sword, started to itch, as though urging me to drop this pitiful training sword and take it out.

“Hah!”

I swung my sword forcefully in a wide arc. When it collided with his sword, sparks flew, and with another clash, I was pushed back.

“Ugh!”

The difference in strength was clear. I was sent flying back and rolled on the ground. Using the reflexes I’d gained over the years, I managed to get up unharmed, but Helios leapt into the air, and in no time, he was right in front of me.

A loud crack echoed, and bits of stone flew everywhere. Without even using sword energy, his strike shattered the floor of the platform. I stared at him, wide-eyed. He smirked as he muttered.

“Such a pity. I could’ve taken off one of your legs…”

What the hell?

He said he was just testing my skill!

I quickly backed off into a defensive stance. Cold sweat ran down my spine. This time, the death flag was flaring up, violently rattling my mind.

Despite being the idiot prince who spent his time fooling around, lifting skirts, and causing trouble, Helios was still a swordmaster.

Why didn’t I just listen to Tessarion when he warned me? I should’ve never underestimated Helios, thinking I could just block his attacks with my holy sword when he started using sword energy.

Helios smirked and pointed his sword at me, his mouth curling into a mocking grin.

“Tell me, aren’t you curious about how Berieta’s doing?”

Something struck my head like a hammer.

“While you’ve been off playing with Tessarion, our poor Berieta has been leaning on me, day and night, crying…”

This son of a bitch!

The cold blood in my veins suddenly boiled up. I gritted my teeth and tightened my grip on the sword. The sword glimmered faintly. At the same time, my shoulder blades throbbed, and grey wings sprouted.

The wings of my holy sword, unlike the legendary ones from the original story, were small. But today, for some reason, they looked even more frail and cracked, like the wings of a sick bird.

But still, I aimed the training sword at Helios. He chuckled, running his tongue over his lower lip.

“Yes, this is more like it.”

“…”

“If you want to fight me, even giving your all won’t be enough, Roy Dover.”

“I’ll remember that.”

Clang! Clang! Thud!

I was pushed back, hit, and sent rolling. My wrist felt like it was going to snap, but I had no time to care. Helios skillfully pressed me further, taunting me.

“Is this how the Black Wolf Knights teach? I heard you’re supposed to be an upperclassman, not a failure?”

Huff, huff, huff.

I was out of breath faster than I expected. After moving my body so intensely for the first time in a while, I felt exhausted and lightheaded.

“Try moving faster.”

Helios increased the speed of his attacks, launching a rapid series of strikes. In the chaos of trying to defend, I ended up at the edge of the platform.

“Huff, Your Highness… ugh!”

I gasped for air, signaling for a break, but Helios showed no sign of stopping.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

His sword came crashing down from above. I raised both hands to block it, but the blade kept coming closer, and with nowhere left to retreat, I began to collapse.

Helios’s eyes widened as he smiled wickedly.

“What? Already surrendering?”

“No…!”

This wasn’t sword training anymore.

I pushed his sword away with all my strength and rolled to the side, gaining some distance.

“Hah, cough… cough, cough…!”

With a cough, a small feather, the size of my thumb, fluttered in the air. I needed to pick up the sword again, but my whole body was aching and heavy.

Helios kicked my stomach and stabbed his sword into my wing.

“Berieta was so desperate to see you that she even begged me, acting all cute… it was adorable.”

“…huff, huff.”

“So I made a bet. If you defeat me today, I’ll let you meet Berieta, just as she wished. But if I win, you’ll become my lover willingly…”

“…”

“And now, Berieta is up there on the fifth floor, nervously watching us, her hands clasped. So give it your best shot, Roy Dover.”

“Shut up, you bastard.”

Helios grabbed my hair and yanked me up.

“Ugh!”

“Look over there.”

He pointed to the open window on the 5th floor of the southern castle.

In the wind, I saw long, blonde hair and the white cloak fluttering. Her large green eyes locked with mine.

Even from afar, I could see her lips slightly tighten, and it felt as if I could hear her voice in my ears.

‘Roy.’

As Helios said, Berieta was watching us.

She leaned out over the window, looking as if she might jump down to us.

I stood frozen, then let out a small laugh.

“Your Highness, it seems the princess is only watching our Duke.”

“What?”

At my words, Helios quickly turned to look at Tessarion. I didn’t miss the chance and kicked him in the chest, sending him stumbling back.

“You vile…!”

“You’re the vile one.”

I gritted my teeth as I shook my wrist.

“A swordmaster like you, forcing a princess to be your lover while trapping her and fighting a mere squire…”

Helios snorted, raising one corner of his lip.

“What would someone like you even teach me?”

Yeah. This bastard.

I channeled my boiling rage into my sword.

Flash! Had the goddess who created this romance fantasy wanted to see the villain’s judgment? The sacred power surged into my training sword, filling it with divine strength.

In my 3rd life, I pierced the heart of the villain, who tried to steal the main lead’s position. Should I pierce you through with this holy sword too?

“Know your place.”

“What did you just say?”

“I know my place, so you should know yours!”

As I shouted and charged, Helios’s eyes burned with fury, and he unleashed sword energy. The red current slashed through the ground, rising in all directions. I lifted my glowing cudgel and shouted.