Chapter 7 – Part 8

As the duel time approached noon, Marsden suggested Olivia have lunch, but she ignored him. Though she hadn’t said it, it was clear she was more nervous than Glenn.

At 10 a.m., Marsden, while Olivia prepared herself in a guest room, went to Hellebore’s royal office.

“Why did you lie about showing the Mollen envoy?”

Skipping pleasantries, Marsden got straight to the point. Hellebore looked at him in disbelief.

“Why do you say it’s a lie? It’s a widely known fact that an envoy from Mollen has arrived. I even summoned the envoy to the training ground.”

“Mollen is set to be incorporated into the Empire within the next five years. There is no need to boast about national power or the skills of our knights. In other words, Your Majesty has lied to us.”

Hellebore rested his chin on his hand as if intrigued. His nonchalant demeanor further provoked Marsden’s anger.

“To be precise, it was the Marchioness who was lied to.”

“So, the Duke is here to express his displeasure that I lied to the Marchioness?”

Marsden stared at Hellebore for a moment, trying to gauge his intentions. Then, he stepped closer to Hellebore.

“If the Marchioness hadn’t lost her memory, she would have remembered all the intricate details of the Empire and recognized Your Majesty’s lie. So first, I wondered if Your Majesty was mocking the Marchioness. And second.”

Marsden’ low voice continued.

“I came to save time by asking Your Majesty directly why you lied.”

Hellebore tapped his desk. After a moment of contemplation, he removed his hand from his chin.

“To answer your first question, I had no intention of mocking her. It was indeed to test how much the Marchioness remembers about the state of this country. And to answer your second question.”

Marsden’s face darkened as he realized his suspicions were half correct. Unfortunately, that was only the beginning.

“I am suspicious of the Duke.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Hellebore took a sip of water, taking a break. Marsden grew anxious.

“What exactly are you planning?”

“Well, that’s what I want to ask the Duke.”

Hellebore wiped the smile off his face. Folding his hands together under his chin, he spoke.

“Something will happen during the duel.”

“…!”

“And by imperial decree, I will keep the Duke in my office until the duel is over.”

“Absolutely not!”

Marsden shouted, his face turning pale. Raising one’s voice to the Emperor could be a death sentence, but neither Hellebore nor Marsden cared.

“I’ve heard that the Duke secretly damaged the Kettlelin Forest without my permission and that the Marchioness was trapped there. Is that how you protect people?”

Marsden’s forehead tensed at Hellebore’s reprimand.

“You claimed that Count Abyss was plotting something bad in Kettlelin Forest. If you knew that, the Duke should have reported it to me first. But you didn’t.”

For the first time, Hellebore’s voice carried emotion. It was a mix of disappointment and sadness.

“The Duke has changed since the Marchioness disappeared. Even after she returned, you acted as if you would betray the country to protect the Marchioness.”

Marsden closed his eyes at the precise accusation. Hellebore continued speaking.

“I need to know if the Duke will properly carry out my orders even in a tense situation where something might happen to the Marchioness. This is why I lied and the price the Duke must pay right now.”

* * *

Olivia sensed that something was seriously wrong when she arrived at the training ground. In fact, she might have sensed it from the moment Marsden hadn’t followed her to her room.

It felt strange to ask people where he was just because he wasn’t following her, so she kept quiet. But was that a mistake? The duel was imminent, but Marsden hadn’t appeared.

‘Is something wrong?’

The man who would do anything to be by her side was quiet, which made Olivia uneasy. Considering his status and the situation, it was highly likely he was talking to the Emperor. She knew it wasn’t theoretically strange, but…

‘It feels too strange that he’s not showing up now.’

“The duel is about to begin!”

At a knight’s shout, Olivia finally turned her attention to the training ground. In the center stood a knight who seemed to be the referee, with Celeste and Glenn facing each other on either side.

For a moment, Celeste’s gaze briefly met Olivia’s. He had shown his displeasure towards her when she obtained a prison from Hellebore.

“You thought you could lay down your sword and play the obedient noble influenced by others’ words.”

Back then, Celeste had reprimanded her for becoming a noble pretending to be virtuous, and Olivia had pointed out that he criticized before showing concern.

Compared to that day, Celeste’s eyes looked even more complicated. But as the knight raised his hand to signal the start, that look disappeared.

“When I lower my hand, it will begin. One… two…”

Everyone held their breath, waiting for the knight to lower his hand.

“Begin!”

As the hand dropped, the carefully sharpened swords clashed in midair.

“Olivia.”

At that moment, an all too familiar voice echoed in Olivia’s mind.

“When the war is over, will you spar with me properly? Not just as comrades, but as good rivals who influence each other.”

Olivia’s gaze fixed on Celeste, whose sword moved with unbelievable speed.

“And I want to be genuine friends with you.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”

Glenn’s sword clashed with Celeste’s, refusing to back down. A disappointed face flashed through her memory.

“You’re a bastard, aren’t you, and I don’t think Mr. Palmer will be pleased if I befriend you.”

‘Wow, that was a comment deserving of a punch!’

The first thought that came to mind as the memory resurfaced was this. Regardless of Olivia’s circumstances, bringing family into it was wrong. Olivia felt quite sorry for Celeste.

‘It’s fine if Glenn loses… No, no, what am I saying?’

Olivia shook her head fiercely. She could apologize properly for the past later. She needed to separate that from the present. This duel was related not only to her but also to Glenn’s situation.

The duel was fierce. The spectators’ heads turned rapidly, captivated by the splendid display of swordsmanship. Even the envoy from Mollen watched with his mouth agape.

“Wow, to see something like this before I die.”

“Indeed. Just remembering this duel will improve my skills.”

Nearby, knights voiced their pure admiration. To Olivia, the two were truly remarkable. They were certainly knights fit for their heavy responsibilities.

For a moment, Olivia watched the duel in a daze. On the surface, it seemed chaotic, but upon closer inspection, both men were using their unique styles to counter each other. It was quite enjoyable to observe.

‘Still, I hope my boy wins.’

Despite Glenn being older than Olivia, she watched him with parental concern. He wielded his sword admirably, reflecting his good training. For a brief moment, Olivia could forget the complicated situation and focus on the scene before her.

“Oh, Sir Celeste!”

When Glenn was momentarily pushed back, Olivia forgot everything else. She resisted the urge to throw a rock at Celeste. That wouldn’t be fair. Throwing stones at people was wrong.

‘Glenn! You need to push in deeper from there.’

Olivia bit her hand nervously. It was an odd sight, but no one paid attention to it.

She didn’t have the energy to think it was a relief. No one was hurt yet, but Olivia could see the sword dangerously close to Glenn’s torso.

‘I wish this would end quickly.’

The intensity kept rising. Occasionally, the knights’ shoving made Olivia glare at them. Normally, the knights would have been intimidated, but they were too engrossed in the duel, driven by adrenaline.

“Ugh!”

At that moment, Glenn’s balance wavered, and the royal knights grew more excited. Olivia was the only one cheering for Glenn.

Unable to hold back, Olivia shouted. Her steps quickened, but her voice was lost in the noise.

“Glenn! If you lose here, you’re dead meat when you face me!”

“…”

Glenn sensed Olivia’s intense determination. He swung his sword, nearly causing Celeste to lose his grip.

“That’s it!”

Olivia whistled and raised her hand in encouragement.

“Um, Marchioness.”

Olivia didn’t hear it. She was too engrossed in the duel.

“Marchioness, please, just a moment.”

Olivia still didn’t hear. The man had to tap her shoulder.

“Marchioness.”

Finally, Olivia turned her head. The man was adept at hiding true intentions, a skill honed from a lifetime of suppressing emotions under others.

“What is it…”

She didn’t need to finish the question. She recognized the familiar silhouette and face. It was the man she had seen just that morning.

“You…!”

Olivia reached for her waist, but her sword wasn’t there. And when she realized this…

“Marchioness!”

A sharp blade was already in her throat. Glenn immediately turned towards Olivia. Celeste also halted his attack on Glenn and quickly looked towards the source of the commotion.

“Drop that sword immediately!”

“Nobody moves. I may not be able to kill, but I can certainly injure.”

The man’s low voice, filled with quiet menace, echoed through the training ground. Knights drew their swords but hesitated to approach. Even though the man might not match their skill, any sudden movement could harm Olivia. Glenn gritted his teeth. Celeste stood by Glenn’s side, signaling the end of the duel.

‘Could it be…?’

Celeste suddenly recalled a ‘someone’ who mentioned planning something interesting today. His mind grew even more tangled.

“Do you know who I am, Marchioness?”

“Yes, I do. You’re the sorcerer I locked up yesterday.”

Everyone was shocked by Olivia’s words. While seasoned knights were all tense, Olivia alone remained nonchalant.

“How did you escape?”

The sorcerer showed no new wounds, implying he had been freed smoothly with someone’s help.

“This isn’t some dingy interrogation room, so why should I answer you?”

He was right. Therefore, the only option was to subdue the sorcerer, even if it meant someone might get hurt.

“I understand your intentions, but it would be best not to move, Marchioness. The tip of this sword is laced with poison.”

“What do you think you’re doing!”

Celeste barely held Glenn back from charging forward. It wouldn’t help if anyone lost their temper now. Even though their relationship had grown distant, Olivia was still a cherished comrade.

Despite the harsh words that had once driven them apart, Celeste had never wished harm or death upon Olivia. If anything, he had hoped they could be like they were before…

“The poison is created through magic. I’ve made myself immune to it, but I don’t need to tell you what would happen if you were even slightly cut by it, do I?”

“Hah, you really thought this through.”

Olivia scrutinized the sorcerer’s appearance once more. He looked almost dead but had a certain resolve that only someone cornered could show.

“What do you want? If it’s to kill me, you could have just done it already.”

It was a genuine curiosity. What could a man, who would die of illness soon enough, want so badly to break out of prison and sneak into the palace for… wait, sneak into the palace?

No matter how lax security might be, it was impossible for a man like this to get in easily. That meant someone had let him in…

Suddenly, a conversation from a few hours earlier struck Olivia like lightning.

“First, for accepting your request, Sir Miles must do something. At 11 a.m. today, duel my Captain of the Guard, Celeste. If you win, I’ll waive any penalties Sir Miles might incur in the future.”

“What is it that His Majesty wants?”

The reason this frail, poisoned man could get into the palace was not an intrusion but someone’s assistance, making it easy.

“No way.”

“What I want is…”

The sorcerer grinned at Olivia. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

“Nothing else. Just…”

Tears suddenly fell from the sorcerer’s eyes. Olivia reached out to him.

“Just death…”

The sorcerer’s words were cut off. The sword that had pierced him slid out of his body. His small frame collapsed.

The scene felt excruciatingly slow, as if someone had stretched a moment into an eternity.

“Buddy.”

Marsden dropped the sword from his hand. Olivia’s fingers trembled. He looked so fragile.

“Are you hurt?”

Olivia couldn’t say anything. It was clear where he had been. He must have been with the Emperor. The Emperor’s command could have easily detained this man who followed her everywhere, even if only temporarily.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to come, but I couldn’t help it.”

Marsden stared at his blood-stained hands. His eyes were filled with countless emotions as he looked at the blood.

“I’m sorry, Buddy.”

Still, those were the only words Marseden could offer Olivia. At that moment, it was the emotion he most wanted to convey.