Chapter : 31
I thought the original story had ended… but.
It wasn’t really a matter of who liked whom more. It was simply that the body of the royal, Leopold, was worth more.
At my words, the maid quickly nodded and clasped her hands in a praying gesture, wishing for Leopold’s victory.
The maid and I stood at a distance, watching the two of them on the training grounds.
Meanwhile, from the corner of the field, Leopold, with familiar movements, grabbed a wooden sword and threw it at Asad.
“If I win, never set foot here again.”
“…….”
He spoke in a low voice, warning.
Asad glanced at Leopold, picked up the sword that had fallen at his feet, and said,
“This isn’t over.”
“…….”
Leopold stared at Asad with cold golden eyes and continued.
Asad gazed at the sword in his hands for a moment before looking back at Leopold.
“Even if I’m out of the way, the Empress will just assign someone else to you soon enough.”
“I don’t care.”
Leopold said this as if it didn’t matter at all. At that, Asad’s expression twisted in a strange way.
“You really hate coming here, don’t you?”
“…….”
Leopold didn’t answer, as if pierced to the heart.
The Empress hadn’t only stationed spies near Leopold for Asad. From what I knew, there were 47 surveillance agents around him.
Leopold already knew who the spies were.
Yet, the only person he seemed to want to remove immediately was Asad.
“Why me, of all people? Your Highness, I don’t think I did anything particularly annoying.”
“…….”
Asad’s sharp sarcasm made Leopold’s expression even colder. With his naturally expressionless face, someone who didn’t know him might think he was a corpse or a ghost.
“……Are you hiding some other purpose?”
“What?”
Leopold spoke after a long pause. His words were hard to ignore.
Asad replied as if he didn’t understand, and the hostility in Leopold’s golden eyes deepened.
“I know you far better than you think.”
“……I don’t understand what you mean.”
Asad said he didn’t understand. I didn’t either.
“You… and that woman too… you’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”
“…….”
That reckless bastard had good intuition. Come to think of it, in his previous life, Asad was oddly perceptive.
…but even so, he would never reach the correct answer.
If I tried to tell him that Leopold and I had actually come from the future, he’d think I was teasing him.
If I mentioned memories of a past life, he’d glare at me in contempt, saying such nonsense is impossible.
I stood about ten steps away outside the training ground, staring blankly at the confrontation.
Why was this happening all of a sudden? Somehow, this situation felt like it could explode at any moment…
“No! Don’t fight because of me!”
That was exactly the kind of urgent atmosphere it had.
It felt strangely like déjà vu. Yes, I had already seen this situation before.
It had happened in the original story. Specifically, it was supposed to occur at the Winter Imperial Swordsmanship Tournament.
Of course, it all started because of Eveline, and the winner would give the trophy to Eveline.
So why had it suddenly developed this way? Not at the grand, bustling Imperial Stadium, but in this dusty, shabby training ground of the marquis.
Asad, who seemed lost in thought while staring at Leopold’s cold expression, finally spoke.
“Then if I win, stop pretending to be so polite.”
“Pretending?”
Leopold asked, puzzled. Thinking deeply, he subtly twisted his expression so that no one else could notice.
“……I don’t understand what you mean.”
“This is real…”
Leopold replied after a long pause. At that, Asad’s face contorted with sudden anger.
“I’ll tear off your mask, you double-faced bastard!”
“!”
Asad gripped the wooden sword tightly and lunged at Leopold. The swords clashed midair, making a loud sound.
Their duel was so fast it was hard to follow with the eyes. At first, neither of them was losing.
“Amazing…”
I genuinely murmured in admiration.
To match Leopold so evenly… Even considering Leopold, the current Asad had been wielding a sword for less than three years, yet he already felt extraordinary.
But as time passed, the even duel started to shift.
Leopold, quickly regaining his composure, began to dominate.
“Ugh…!”
Asad, barely keeping up with blocking attacks, stumbled, and Leopold seized the opening to thrust his sword deep.
In an instant, Asad lost his footing and fell to the training ground floor. Leopold stood above him, pointing his sword at his neck.
It was over in an instant.
No matter how talented Asad was, the difference in experience was insurmountable.
Still, I almost applauded at the flawless, beautiful swordplay. It wasn’t every day you could watch such a spectacle.
It was just a shame it wasn’t at the Imperial Tournament, but in the marquis’s shabby training ground.
“…….”
Asad seemed dazed, staring up blankly.
Leopold’s skill had far surpassed his imagination.
He probably never expected to lose. Just two months ago, he had beaten this opponent by a huge margin.
This outcome was partly because Asad had underestimated Leopold’s ability.
Drip… drop…
Then, raindrops began falling from the sky. The training ground quickly bore small circular marks where the drops landed, and raindrops fell on Asad’s face.
“…Keep your promise.”
Leopold spoke in a low voice to the stunned Asad, then withdrew his sword from his neck.
“……!!”
Finally understanding the situation, Asad’s face turned bright red.
“…What trick did you use?”
“…….”
Asad slowly rose, glaring at Leopold with his blue eyes.
“Just two months ago, I went down from your routine swordsmanship!”
“…….”
Was he perceptive, or just oblivious?
Asad continued to vent his anger at Leopold, but Leopold didn’t answer. Was it because he had nothing to say, or simply because he was ignoring him on purpose…?
Asad seemed even angrier at being treated like an answering machine.
“Hey! You’re not going to answer? Damn it!”
“…….”
Asad growled, but Leopold merely looked at him with his cold expression and sheathed his sword.
“Next time we meet, I won’t lose this easily! Be prepared!”
“…….”
Asad shouted, frustrated. Yet, as expected, Leopold gave no reply.
He brushed past me with an impatient, fussy stride.
“…Tch.”
Asad clicked his tongue as he passed.
When I looked back, he had already become small in the distance, marching on despite the rain. What the…?
I watched as he disappeared around the corner, walking briskly. Then the maid whispered beside me.
“Miss Tina, His Highness the Crown Prince…”
“Ah.”
I finally turned my attention to Leopold.
The raindrops, initially a few, were growing heavier, and Leopold stood exposed in the rain.
The maid fidgeted beside me, holding a parasol.
I couldn’t just leave the noble Crown Prince in the rain. Fortunately, Leopold didn’t seem injured, but if he caught a cold, the marquis would be responsible.
“Maid, lend me this.”
“Yes, Miss.”
I took the parasol from her. She urged me forward as if to say, “Hurry, don’t worry about me.”
Thankfully, the rain hadn’t fully poured yet, so the parasol would be enough.
I held the parasol in one hand and hurried toward Leopold in the rain.
Leopold was healthy enough that a few raindrops wouldn’t bother him. But at least I had to act concerned. He was, after all, my guest.
