Though they looked at Olivia as if they had agreed in advance, she just curled up the corners of her eyes and laughed.

One of the most straightforward leaders opened his mouth.

“Did you bring all of us?”

At Olivia’s nod without even looking back, the knights gestured at each other.

They didn’t need to participate in a competition like this, and if they did, they would be there for the ‘map.’

The sword of the Empire. The shield of the Empire.

They were the representatives of the Bolshivek Empire’s power.

However…

Their gestures suggested that they all lost to the nameless knight of the Northern country.

“A nameless knight…”

“Your Majesty, that spy… ahem, ahem.”

When the knight who had opened his mouth too frankly coughed awkwardly, the other leader filled in.

“Your Majesty, I knew your eye for talent was exceptional, but this time I was truly surprised.”

“You don’t say. That such a skilled person was hidden.”

The knights who were sticking out their tongues frowned as if they had agreed beforehand.

A while later, the longestserving among them opened his mouth.

“It was the Northern country, Your Majesty. We apologize. We didn’t do our job properly.”

At his words, all the other knight leaders bowed their heads together.

Their duty as the shield, spear, and pillar of the Empire wasn’t just to strengthen the Imperial Knights.

Recognizing talent in their Empire as well as in other countries, that is, people who could rise in a nation, was one of their top priorities.

So they had no choice but to bow their heads at the fact that they missed Cryer.

A faint smile spread and disappeared at the corners of Olivia’s mouth, who didn’t look back at them.

Not recognizing Cryer was not because they didn’t do their job.

Until the continent’s war began, Cryer had simply kept his head low and hidden.

Besides, it was the obscure Northern country, not even famous for its knights or swordsmanship, if not virtually nonexistent.

It was a country not far from the Empire, but otherwise, there was nothing special about it.

So when the continental war broke out, the first response…

Olivia shook her head at the thought that had reached that point.

When her first life passed and her second life began, Olivia prepared for war with all her might.

But the result was the same, wasn’t it?

She learned through bonebreaking experience that no preparation or response was effective in front of a monster like Cryer.

And in the four continental wars, the knights who bowed their heads behind her led the charge to stop the tsunami caused by the monster, didn’t they?

‘Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please go!’

‘Grunt. I will buy some time…’

The faces of the leaders distorted by blood swayed like afterimages.

“Don’t worry. My knight is just exceptional.”

Olivia closed her eyes deeply and opened them.

Now that she had thoroughly etched Cryer’s abilities into the knight leaders’ eyes, it was time to end this operation.

At that moment, as if reading her mind, Cryer swung his sword heavily.

Karararang! Thud.

After the cheerful sound of the sword flying, the fierce sound of it being stuck in the arena floor rang out.

The brownhaired knight stood dumbfounded in his swordholding pose, and the referee declared.

“Stop.”

There was no need to decide the victory or defeat.

Any passing monkey would know who the winner was.

Cryer walked past the referee towards the podium.

Normally, he should have returned to the standby place like the competitors in the first and second matches.

However, no one stopped him.

Cryer, who had won just one match, moved as if he had become the final winner.

He stood brazenly before Olivia, extracting her handkerchief from his pocket.

It looked so slow that people unknowingly swallowed their dry saliva, focusing on them.

Soon, Cryer, matching Olivia’s gaze, slowly, very slowly brought his lips to the handkerchief.

Politely.

Affectionately.

A blue swallow flew low over the red earth.

The moment the red earth swayed behind the swallow, barely making a low trajectory.

He averted his gaze from her.

If he looked at her any longer…

Somehow, Cryer, who rolled his tongue once in his parched mouth, quickly distanced himself from Olivia.

In the silence where even the sound of bugs crying couldn’t be heard, Olivia gestured to the referee.

“Is there anyone who wants a duel!”

She did not specify the opponent of the duel, but the only one standing in the smokefilled arena now was Cryer.

Who dares to step forward?

Cryer just stretched out his arm without even drawing his sword, and no one daring, not even a brave man, came out.

Because they couldn’t forget the murderous intent that spread from his crimson eyes looking down at them all.

The nobles on the outskirts also froze, just alternating their gaze between Cryer and Olivia.

After an appropriate amount of time passed and the knight commander who served as the referee stepped back, Olivia slowly got up.

With a slow sweep of the smokefilled arena and outskirts, she perfectly dominated the place.

Their eyes, which could not leave Cryer due to suffocating fear and embarrassment, were eventually caught by Olivia.

A splendid smile blossomed on Olivia’s lips, and her red lips signaled the end.

“It’s closing.”

The knights, of course, who had been eagerly awaiting the martial arts tournament to impress the princess, and even those from other countries who were supporting them, could not complain about this sudden end of the tournament.