Time flowed as swiftly as an arrow released from a tightly strung bow, and before they knew it, the day of the martial arts tournament had arrived.
“Huuuuu.”
The one who drew a deep breath.
Thump, thump.
The one who incessantly inserted and removed a sword from its sheath.
“Ha ha ha ha! I’ve been waiting for this opportunity!”
The one who laughed loudly, seeming to try to shake off their tension by making more noise.
The one who chewed their lips, rolling their anxious eyes around.
The martial arts tournament participants gathered in the central arena of the imperial palace were of various sorts.
However, at a certain point, as if it was planned, their gazes all focused on one place.
A high platform not far from the arena.
One chair located in that place.
An extraordinary chair, neither exceptionally ornate and delicate nor majestic and large, but of a reasonable size.
However, the one to sit in that chair was different.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With the loud drum sounds coming from somewhere in the arena, the servant of the palace’s voice soared high into the sky.
“Her Highness the Princess is arriving!”
When the servant closed his mouth, silence instantly fell upon the arena.
From behind the platform, a small, frail figure wavered, and then Princess Olivia appeared.
The one who had excitedly anticipated seeing her even once, who had made the knights from other countries, who had come here, engage in nocturnal frolics like moths drawn to flame.
Princess Olivia, who stood on the platform, was as plain as the chair behind her.
She had just finished clearing a mountain of documents, so she couldn’t possibly look flashy.
Even without that, hadn’t the servants attending to her clung to her feet in desperation?
“Your Highness, please at least change your clothes.”
“A cloak, at least a cloak!”
“If only Your Highness would moisten your lips!”
Of course, Olivia dismissed all of this with a single gesture.
There was a time when she needed to be dressed up.
Even when wearing a blanket, one could shine, but one would shine even more if draped in jewels.
It’s just that now wasn’t the time.
The purpose of this martial arts tournament was solely one.
To shut the mouths of those who murmured weakly as Cryer exerted his power and those who engaged in dangerous nocturnal activities.
That’s why Olivia didn’t need any dazzling jewels at the moment.
The overpowering atmosphere that crushed the entire space around her thin frame and hovered near her delicate ankles rendered all those things meaningless.
Olivia looked down with her piercing blue eyes at the crowd gathered tightly in the central arena of the imperial palace, and they looked up at her.
Gulp.
Someone’s throat churned as they swallowed their saliva.
The bloodline of the Bolshoi Empire.
The sole descendant of the family that had been with the continent from its inception.
In the quiet moment when even the sound of breathing could not be heard as a thin breeze brushed past her cheeks, only the sound of leaves rubbing against each other echoed intermittently.
Olivia’s lips parted.
“The martial arts tournament begins.”
Boom! Boom boom!
As soon as her words ended, the drum sound reverberated all around and soared into the sky.
Following this, Olivia raised her hand, the drum sound stopped, and she exhaled deeply and exclaimed.
“To all of you!”
The participants of the martial arts tournament placed their weapons against their chests and bowed deeply towards her, and Olivia’s voice descended above their heads.
“Luck.”
Boom!
The next moment, the sound of footsteps caused the earth to tremble.
Boom, boom boom.
Boom boom boom.
The martial arts tournament participants were all lifting their right legs and slamming them into the ground.
A single or a couple of outofsync stomps eventually became a complete one, causing the earth to resonate.
Expressions mixed with various emotions such as exhilaration, anticipation, and tension arose on all of their faces.
It was just the sound of stomping the ground, but why did it stir their hearts and boil their blood so?
The hearts of those surrounding the arena and watching them from afar also began to pound.
“Align!”
The first competition that followed began.
Clang!
Clang, clash.
For a few minutes, the noise of swords colliding and sliding against each other rang out loudly.
Just a few minutes in, it was clear who the victor and loser were, and the commander of the Empire’s knightly order, who served as the referee, shouted out.
“Stop!”
Then, the movements of the two competitors stopped instantly, and the victor was quickly decided.
A knight who had been watching the first match grumbled discontentedly.
“They have to stop when they’re told to stop.”
While it was a competition to show off one’s skills and not a lifeanddeath battle, real swords were permitted, but when the referee shouted ‘stop’, they had to absolutely stop.
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
