“A duel? Are you asking me to raise my sword against a woman?”

“If you prefer, I can duel you with wooden swords, but are you that afraid?”

Conrad frowned as if dumbfounded. Over his face, the image of Ian’s joyful expression at my offer to spar suddenly came to mind.

What if Ian were here now? Just imagining his reaction somehow made me want to laugh.

“Do I look afraid to you now? I’m trying to be considerate of you.”

“Ah, considerate?”

That seems like a virtue I should be extending to you, though?

“Indeed. I’m considered one of the most skilled in the Guardian Knights…”

“Fine. Let’s agree not to be considerate of each other when we duel.”

Conrad tapped his chest as if frustrated and said:

“I have no intention of dueling you…”

“A formal duel should be held in the training grounds, but since you don’t seem willing to go that far, we have no choice.”

As I lightly picked up the sword I had stuck in the ground, Conrad raised both hands as if showing he had no intention to fight.

“Do you really intend to duel me? I wonder where this confidence comes from.”

“Won’t everything become clear once our swords cross?”

Conrad put his hand to his forehead with a troubled expression. Then the Guardian Knight standing beside him nudged his arm and said:

“If it’s her wish to cross swords with Sir Conrad, why not grant it?”

Simon was the one who bristled at those words.

“You should consider it an honor to cross swords with Senior Rosebelia!”

“An honor for Sir Conrad?”

“Senior Rosebelia doesn’t accept duels, you know.”

“Is that because she’s afraid her true skills will be exposed?”

“It’s the opposite! She avoids duels because she’s too strong!”

The Guardian Knight snorted as if it wasn’t even worth refuting.

As the situation seemed about to escalate into a battle of pride between the White Knights and Guardian Knights, Conrad glanced at Renart. Then Renart, who had been standing with a stern expression all this time, opened his mouth.

“As Lady Rosebelia says, won’t everything become clear once your swords cross? The choice is yours, but even to me, a knight refusing a duel looks like you’re running away.”

“I’m not running away…”

As Conrad trailed off, Renart spoke again.

“Is there anyone here besides Conrad who objects to addressing female knights as ‘Lady’?”

There was no response to Renart’s question.

Looking at the faces of the Guardian Knights, they didn’t seem particularly pleased, but there didn’t seem to be any knights brave enough to step forward like Conrad.

I suppose it would be awkward to refuse when even His Majesty the Emperor addressed me as ‘Lady’.

“If Sir Conrad wins, you may address female knights however you like. But if I win, you must properly address all female knights as ‘Lady’.”

Since Conrad seemed to be acknowledged for his skills, if I could defeat him, the other knights would surely follow without complaint.

Once that judgment was made, my mind was filled with thoughts of wanting to end this duel quickly.

“…”

I spoke to Conrad, who still seemed hesitant.

“Sir Conrad, you’ll regret it if you don’t draw your sword now.”

Heaving a deep sigh, Conrad drew his sword from its scabbard. The surrounding Guardian Knights tactfully stepped back, creating quite a wide space.

As I glanced up at the sky that had suddenly grown dark and was about to adjust my grip on the sword,

“What on earth are you all doing here?”

No way, that voice.

“We greet you, Commander Gabriel.”

Hearing Renart’s voice that followed, I squeezed my eyes shut.

“Rosebelia, explain to me what’s going on.”

“I challenged Sir Conrad Pierce to a duel.”

“A duel?”

“Sir Conrad here said he couldn’t address female knights as ‘Lady’, so…”

Gabriel raised his hand as if to say I needn’t say more. Then he immediately turned his gaze to Conrad.

“But why are you doing this here? Why not go to the training grounds?”

It wasn’t just me who was surprised by these unexpected words. Conrad tilted his head as if he couldn’t understand Gabriel’s words at all and opened his mouth.

“Commander, I am Conrad Pierce of the Guardian Knights. Why aren’t you stopping this when a female knight of the White Knights could get hurt?”

“Ho ho. Who’s going to get hurt? There’s no need for unnecessary worry.”

“Pardon?”

“You’ll surely regret it if you don’t go through with this duel. So give it your all.”

Gabriel’s eyes, which had been tinged with laughter, suddenly grew sharp.

“What do you mean…”

Gabriel turned abruptly towards Renart as if he no longer wished to exchange words.

In that moment, as Gabriel’s cloak fluttered over Conrad’s face, Simon’s mouth twitched as he watched from the opposite side.

Really can’t be helped, I tell you.

“How about holding the duel at noon in the training grounds? I’ll act as Rosebelia’s witness.”

“Then I’ll act as Sir Conrad’s witness.”

After Gabriel, even Renart stepped forward. Conrad’s face was turning progressively paler, as if he hadn’t expected the situation to escalate this far.

“No, I…”

“Then I’ll see you in the training grounds, Sir Conrad.”

Having driven the final nail in for Conrad, whose mouth had fallen open, I followed Gabriel as he headed towards the main building.

“I apologize, Commander.”

“What is there to apologize for? I told the Deputy Commander of the Guardian Knights to give strict orders, but I knew there would be one or two knights like that. This is rather fortunate. It’s necessary to establish dominance early on.”

Just as I was about to reply, raindrops began to fall with a patter. The weather had been cloudy, and now it seemed rain was about to pour.

“Flatten his nose for me.”

*

“Your Highness, why have you returned so early…”

Nathan blinked his eyes as he spotted Ian’s figure beyond the documents.

Ian, who had certainly left the palace looking perfectly fine, was standing there completely drenched.

“Nathan. Prepare a change of clothes for me.”

“What happened to you? Don’t tell me you got caught in the rain?”

“I couldn’t help it.”

Ian lightly shook his head as he took the cloth Nathan handed him. As the cloth quickly became soaked, Nathan immediately handed him a new one.

“You should have called for a carriage. Or at least a cloak… Where did your cloak go again?”

“Stop nagging and just get me a change of clothes…”

Ian suddenly stopped speaking. It was because a short knock was heard from outside the office door.

“Come in.”

“I was told to deliver this to His Highness.”

The one who entered the office was a man under the command of Karl, the captain of the royal guards.

Unable to fully trust Rosebelia’s words that she was fine, Ian had ordered Karl to keep an eye on Rosebelia from afar, and it seemed he had come to report on that.

“You may leave now.”

Ian’s brow gradually furrowed as he read the letter the man had delivered.

“What’s the matter, Your Highness?”

‘To think such a thing happened as soon as I left the knights’ order.’

A man called Conrad Pierce, known as one of the most skilled in the Guardian Knights, was going to duel with Rosebelia?

Even while certain that she would win, his mouth went dry.

He too felt indescribable emotions spreading like wildfire. Ian began to button up his uniform jacket that he had just unbuttoned.

“Your Highness?”

“Speak.”

“Why are you putting your clothes back on?”

“I need to go to the knights’ order.”

Now that he knew she was facing a duel with someone, it was clear he couldn’t just stay here.

“You can’t. It’s raining heavily outside. If you must go, take a carriage…”

“There’s no time for that.”

Nathan could only stare blankly at Ian’s retreating figure as he dashed out of the office before he could stop him.

*

Word must have spread quickly about my duel with a Guardian Knight, as quite a crowd had gathered at the training grounds.

Most were familiar faces. Vanessa, Simon, Lucas, Edwin…

I burst out laughing as soon as I saw Edwin’s face, barely able to keep his eyes open as if overcome by drowsiness.

It would be a shame if Edwin missed an occasion like this.

If Ian were here, I wonder if he would have been displeased that I was dueling someone other than him.

That thought made me regret sending him away early. His jealous look would have been quite cute.

“Lady Rosebelia Winters of the White Knights has challenged Sir Conrad Pierce of the Guardian Knights to a duel. As per Sir Conrad Pierce’s opinion, the one who first drops their sword will be considered to have lost the duel. Lady Rosebelia, do you agree?”

A hint of anxiety mixed into Renart’s gaze as he looked at me. In contrast, Gabriel’s face wore a barely perceptible smile.

“I agree.”

Though my only experience with formal duels was from Rosebelia’s dreams, I wasn’t nervous at all.

To me, this match felt like a fencing competition. This sensation of my heartbeat pounding fiercely through my entire body from head to toe.

Yes, I was someone who enjoyed this tension more than anyone.

“The equipment for both has been decided as helmets, longswords, and no shields. Any objections?”

“None.”

As I slowly drew my sword, Conrad also drew his.

Looking at the way he held his sword, was he planning to just pretend to duel and then knock my sword away?

How ridiculous, really.

I couldn’t help but smile at how laughable the man before me was.

The duel began as the witnesses, Gabriel and Renart, stepped back.

Crossing swords with Conrad, I lightly pushed his sword away with the back of my blade, and immediately aimed for his neck.

As the tip of my sword quickly dug into the area around his neck, a startled Conrad hastily readjusted his grip on his sword.

“You’d better respond seriously. I stopped this time, but next time I’ll really cut you.”