Bran stood next to Arcadia with a triumphant face, looking down at me.

There were many soldiers in the infirmary, so I must not have noticed him first.

In the previous life, Bran, who would become the deputy commander of the Northern Knights 5 years after Arcadia’s death.

‘Come to think of it, you won’t be able to become deputy commander in this life. Because Arcadia is alive.’

I unknowingly smiled slightly with relief. Bran frowned.

“Are you mocking me?”

A young, confident voice was directed at me.

Oh no.

I forgot that my distorted face looks like I’m mocking when I smile. He shouted.

“Even as a trainee knight, I can beat someone as scrawny as you with my eyes closed!”

“Woooooah!”

The knights cheered once again.

Bran, you’re still as hot-tempered as ever.

You, born as a citizen of a fallen country, absorbed into the North that subjugated your nation. You, who came to hate the Northern Grand Duke due to my instigation and started a rebellion.

I’m glad I got to meet you so early like this.

“You, do you have a sword?”

I hesitated at Arcadia’s question. Come to think of it, I left the white sword Medeia gave me when I left the South.

The only sword I have is the blue-handled sword my mother left me. But that’s my treasure, more precious than my life. I can’t take it out in a place like this.

“I’m sorry, I don’t have one.”

Arcadia made a displeased expression and nodded to one of the soldiers. Then the soldier handed me a common sword they use.

A steel sword with a longer blade and slightly more weight than a regular sword. A sword made of silver iron found only in the North, said to be much harder yet elastic than ordinary swords.

This is the first time I’ve touched one directly.

I gently stroked the blade. Then my eyes met with the person standing where the sword was pointing. The head of the armory, the blacksmith Ergo.

So it was your gaze that’s been watching me.

A gaze carefully measuring my face.

The reward I’ll receive if I prove my worth.

The Grand Duke promised to give me a new ‘half mask’ that would reveal my original face while covering the distorted side.

I must win. Just enough to prove my usefulness.

Arcadia opened his mouth towards everyone.

“Esther, you are given a total of 3 chances for duels. If you win, you can fight an opponent of the next level, but if you lose, that’s the end. And.”

He looks at me.

“If you prove to have worthy skills, His Grace the Grand Duke will bestow upon you a different ‘half mask’ than the one you have now.”

“A different half mask? What’s that?”

The knights began to stir.

Arcadia put his hand on Bran’s shoulder.

“Begin.”

Bran walked down with a light face and stood firmly in a place far away, facing me. There was a slightly contemptuous smile on his lips.

Beyond Bran, I could see the Grand Duke staring at me.

‘Sorry, but trainee knight Bran. I was going to take it easy, but I can’t now. Come to think of it, I need to do quite well. This proof.’

I looked at the brown-haired man who seemed to be my second opponent, smiling among the knights.

I wonder if I should win up to that person.

Bran raised the tip of his sword towards where I was.

“Let’s begin!”

Bran shouted.

‘Alright, come on then.’

It seems that figuring out how to win is more difficult than figuring out how to lose. I don’t know the skills of the second duelist, but the brown-haired man is probably a junior knight or a newly appointed official knight. He’ll be stronger than Bran.

Then I need to beat Bran as quickly as possible, without showing too much. I can’t show off my skills freely against the first opponent without knowing the skills of the stronger second opponent.

Because I have to lose to Arcadia, the third opponent.

Bran came running at me. He comes fast and strong with a lowered center of gravity, as if he’s well-trained in the basics.

‘Sorry, Bran.’

He leaps into the air and stretches out his right hand. He thrusts his sword horizontally towards my shoulder. I stood in place and watched that excellent posture.

‘Good posture. But, you’ve been injured on your left side.’

Looking at his posture, I could guess where the treated area was.

I slightly twisted my upper body to deflect the tip of his sword to the side. I didn’t feel the need to move my legs.

Originally, this is a sword that should be met with a counter-strike. But a horizontally coming sword is difficult for a beginner to counter.

For now, I decided to act at a level slightly better than a beginner.

Bran’s arm, unable to stop due to the extended force, passes by my side. I struck his arm upwards with the back of my sword. Then I tripped Bran’s back leg towards me as he momentarily lost balance.

Bran spun backwards once in the air, then fell on his left arm.

Oh no, his side.

− Ack!

As if the impact had reached his side, Bran curled up.

For a moment, everything went quiet.

What’s this? This silence?

After a moment, Bran looked up and glared at me.

“What’s this? You should properly clash swords!”

Bran, who stood up as if bouncing, pointed his sword at me again. I stepped back one step and met his sword striking down from above. Then I quickly lowered my body, detached my sword, and struck upwards again from below.

Bran, whose hand was hit by the back of my sword, dropped his sword. I struck his falling sword far away.

− Thud

The sound of the sword being stuck in the soft dirt ground.

Oh, I should have moved my arms and legs more.

I glanced at my legs, fixed to the ground, which had only taken one step.

Can’t help it, I’ve already won like this.

“Esther wins!”

The soldier announcing the outcome raised the flag towards me.

Beyond Bran, who was making a sad face, I could see the Grand Duke with an inscrutable expression.

[This is the timeline separator]

“The second duelist is the 3rd Unit Lieutenant, Knight Emils!”

The soldier announcing the outcome called out the name of the tall knight with brown hair.

Oh no, the difference is too extreme. Not a trainee knight, not just a knight, but a lieutenant.

I glanced towards Arcadia with reproachful eyes. Arcadia, like the Grand Duke, had an expressionless face. But the end of one eyebrow was raised ever so slightly.

What? Why? He seemed to be saying.

If I end it at the level of beating a knight trainee, it might take too long to stand by the Grand Duke’s side.

I will be his confidant, a trustworthy aide. So I need to push the Grand Duke to that high place.

But is it okay to beat a lieutenant just below the deputy commander?

‘There’s no choice. I’ll beat this person here and lose to Arcadia.’

The 3rd Unit Lieutenant, Emils, stood far away from me.

Coming from afar, does that mean he’ll put that much power into his attack?

I should gauge his skills first, then decide how to win.

Anyway, I have to pretend to give it my all. The opponent deserves that much courtesy as a superior.

I stretched one foot back and planted it on the ground. I took a stance with a lowered center of gravity, looking like I could spring out at any moment. The exact same stance that Bran had just taken.

The lieutenant stood in place and looked at me with a relaxed face. He didn’t seem to have any intention of attacking first.

Then I’ll go first.

Just one clash and I can gauge the opponent’s skills.

I ran towards the opponent slower than my original speed, at a speed similar to when I blocked Arcadia’s front.

This speed, well, Arcadia has already seen it, so it doesn’t matter if I show it.

The lieutenant’s face became slightly surprised at my speed. I went to his right side and swung my sword, held with both hands, towards his arm.

An opponent much taller than me. Not wanting to show skills that could overcome the height difference, I aimed for his arm instead of his neck.

The lieutenant quickly deflected my sword with his. I feel a heavy force. I let that force slide past as I turned my body and stood behind his back.

‘Good strength but average speed.’

The assessment is done.

Still, I should win after several exchanges. I made my movements unnecessarily large to give the impression that I was fighting him earnestly.

− Clang clang

Only the sound of clashing swords could be heard over the quiet air.

After about four exchanges, the lieutenant lowered his body and swung his sword widely towards my legs.

I lightly jumped into the air. And I approached him by stepping on his long blade.

I swung my sword. But.

Why aren’t you dodging when the tip of my sword is getting close to your Adam’s apple!

Ah, are you unable to dodge?

Fear overwhelmed me.

I don’t want to kill someone!

In that moment, I twisted the direction of the sword and threw my body over his shoulder to fall. And as soon as my feet touched the ground, I pushed the sword handle behind my back. The handle struck the lieutenant’s lower back, who had his back turned to me.

− Ugh!

The lieutenant groaned and fell forward as he was hit in the back.

‘Sorry, it’ll hurt. It’s right next to a vital point.’

The fear of murder made me show more skill than necessary.

Still… this much… should be considered… pretty good, right?

I carefully raised my head. But the expressions of the knights looking at me were unusual.

“Esther wins!”

The soldier announcing the outcome raised the flag towards me.

“What’s this?”

“She’s pretty good!”

“What do you mean pretty? She’s amazing!”

The knights murmured.

What? This is considered amazing?

Oh, no.

I purposely panted heavily, even though I wasn’t actually out of breath.

No, I barely won with a lot of effort. See? I’m panting like this.

As I turned around, looking around cautiously, I saw the lieutenant still crouched.

And beyond him, I saw the Northern Grand Duke with a faint smile.

Did I seem useful?

As that thought occurred to me, I unknowingly grinned towards the Grand Duke, like a fool.

Oops, I shouldn’t smile with this side of my face.

Regret after already making the mistake.

I quickly lowered my head.

After a moment, the lieutenant stood up.

“Are you alright?”

“You…”

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re quite good. Did I let my guard down too much?”

He scratched his head.

“It seems you might have.”

That’s not actually true, but I bowed my head deeper.

That’s when it happened.

A small murmur could be heard from the knights’ direction.

‘Ugh…’

I saw Arcadia coming forward from his seat.

When he said something, all the surrounding knights were flustered. Even the soldier holding the victory flag was surprised after hearing the message.

After a moment, the soldier shouted.

“The final duelist is the Deputy Commander, Sir Arcadia Nugent!”

The soldier’s voice trembled as he pronounced Arcadia’s name.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Your Grace, could you not give us a short break?”

I went to the Grand Duke and pleaded earnestly.

“Are you very tired?”

The Grand Duke asks calmly.

“A little, yes.”

When I answered, mixing in slightly panting breaths, the Grand Duke nodded.

A golden 30 minutes of rest time.

I sat alone in a secluded place away from the knights. And I pondered how I should lose to Arcadia.

That’s when the yellow caterpillar, no, Yora approached.

“Eshdel. (Esther.)”

“Yora!”

“Are you okay? You did really well.”

“Not really.”

“You’re cool.”

I was grateful for Yora’s sincere joy. I put my left finger on the corner of my distorted face’s mouth and made a smiling gesture.

“Are you okay?”

Just as Yora was about to answer, someone else approached me. It was Bran Ophilit, striding towards me.

“Hey!”

He yells at me without preamble.

I looked up at him silently.

“You!”

“What is it?”

At my nonchalant response, he hesitated for a moment. But he opened his mouth again.

“Were you a knight in the South?”

“No, there’s no official knighthood in the South.”

“Then have you ever been an assistant to a knight?”

“No.”

Then Bran said with blazing eyes.

“Are you going to become a knight?”

“I guess I should. Since I’ll be living as a Northerner now.”

It’s a bit annoying. I wish he’d leave soon.

But Bran didn’t leave, and shouted while creating a shadow over my head.

“Then from today, you’re my rival!”

What are you saying? Don’t waste my precious 30 minutes.

I turned my head away, avoiding Bran’s gaze.

But there was the Grand Duke looking at me. When our eyes met, the Grand Duke turned his gaze away from me.