As the fierce exchange of blades continued, the soldiers and knights watching cheered wildly, though they could no longer keep up with the battle’s shifting tides.
Elias, however, was keenly aware of the flow of combat.
(She’s waiting for an opening to unleash a big move… I can either wait for it or go on the offensive first.)
But before he could make his decision—Misheana moved first.
A sharp slash aimed at his neck.
Elias immediately parried, deflecting her sword.
At that moment, her magic surged—more concentrated than before, enough to make the very air tremble. Even the spectators could sense that something major was coming.
(Here it comes—!)
Elias murmured internally, gathering his own magic into his blade.
The moment Misheana swung down, he had already finished preparing.
Their swords clashed in a thunderous impact, sending out a shockwave.
A deadlock—their blades locked in place as they pushed against each other.
“…Impressive,” Misheana muttered through gritted teeth.
“You’re the first opponent I haven’t been able to break through like this.”
“I specialize in fighting monsters, but that doesn’t mean I neglected dueling techniques… Besides—”
“…Besides?”
For a moment, Elias hesitated. His thoughts flashed back to a memory of the Eastern Front, of a battle against a certain opponent.
“…Let’s just say, I had plenty of practice sparring against knights and even brought in instructors to study different styles.”
And with that, he pushed her back.
Rather than resisting, Misheana retreated to gain distance.
“……Alright.”
Sword still at the ready, Elias assessed the situation.
They were evenly matched—but at this rate, the fight would never end.
(Playing it safe will just drag this out. Might as well take a risk.)
His lips curled into a small smirk.
Then—he gathered even more magic.
Misheana immediately narrowed her eyes.
“You’re going for the finish?”
“You already went all out—it’s only fair I return the favor.”
It was a gamble. If he failed, it would leave him open.
(Let’s see if this works against a Hero—!)
Elias surged forward.
But this time, instead of reinforcing only his arms or blade, he channeled magic throughout his entire body.
A full-body enhancement—massively increasing his speed, strength, and reflexes.
It was far more draining, but for one decisive moment, it would make him unstoppable.
Misheana reacted immediately, raising her sword to block—
“—!!”
A small gasp escaped her lips.
She had blocked the attack, but she couldn’t fully absorb the impact.
(I’ve got her—!)
Seeing the opening, Elias launched into a relentless assault.
His blades struck like lightning, forcing her to desperately defend.
For the first time, Misheana was being pushed back.
One strike. Then another. And another—each blow heavier than the last.
The tide of battle had completely shifted.
Knowing she couldn’t stay on the defensive forever, Misheana lunged forward, trying to turn the tables with a last-ditch counterattack.
But Elias anticipated it.
Just as she tried to close the distance, he adjusted—his blade intercepting hers perfectly.
Her stance wavered.
Her balance broke.
And with one final, powerful strike—
Her sword was knocked from her hands.
The duel was over.
A moment of silence.
Then—the entire courtyard erupted into cheers.
Misheana met Elias’s gaze—then let out a wry chuckle.
“…I lose.”
And with that, she conceded.
“Damn, you really are on a whole different level.”
After the crowd had mostly dispersed, Misheana casually analyzed the fight.
“I thought I could break through, but your defense was impenetrable.”
“Well, you didn’t use magic.”
“I can, but I didn’t want to risk collateral damage in front of an audience. Besides… you never gave me a chance.”
She let out a lighthearted sigh.
“…This is the strength of a Holy Knight, huh?”
“I wouldn’t say that.” Elias shook his head. “I don’t actually know how strong the others are.”
“…Seriously?”
“Seriously. I’ve only fought in the Eastern Front—I don’t have much to compare myself to.”
Misheana stared at him for a moment, then smirked.
“Well, I’ve still got a long way to go. But thanks—this was good training.”
With that, she turned and walked away.
Watching her leave, Frenn sighed in relief.
“…I thought she might insist on a rematch.”
“She’s got more sense than that. Besides, she’s about to join the subjugation force. She probably doesn’t want to cause trouble for Noque.”
Frenn gave a thoughtful nod before asking—
“…So? What did you think of her?”
“She’s strong. But… I had no trouble responding to her full power.”
“…Was she really going all out?”
“In swordsmanship? Yes.” Elias nodded. “If she had used magic, it might have been different—but she wanted to test my skill as a swordsman. She got her answer.”
Frenn considered this, then said—
“Well then, should I resume gathering intelligence?”
“Yeah. But don’t push yourself.”
“…Why?”
At that, Elias let out a small chuckle.
“Because I already set up a trick during our investigation.”
“…When?”
“Back at the valley, I left a magic marker. It lets me sense magical activity in that area for about ten days.”
“…You did all that while fighting?”
“It’s not that hard.”
Frenn sighed, rubbing her temples.
“Well, it might help. Do you think the subjugation force will succeed?”
Elias paused—his usual carefree expression fading.
“…Honestly? I don’t know.”
Frenn frowned. “What do you mean?”
“This expedition isn’t just about killing monsters. There are political interests at play. Some nobles probably see this as an opportunity to raise their status by having ‘their Holy Knight’ claim the victory.”
“…That sounds troublesome.”
“It is.” Elias exhaled. “When power is involved, people get messy.”
“…What should we do?”
“For now?” Elias shrugged. “We watch and wait. If the situation turns bad… then we step in.”
A subtle but sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
“…After all, if it’s a battle against monsters, then that’s my battlefield.”