*ng!*


    A sharp, unstable ringing sound echoed in my ears, as if it was resonating in my head.


    I narrowly deflected Elbert''s de that could have severed my neck had I reacted a momentter.


    "Hmm... your reaction speed isn''t bad. You managed to fend off the full power of the kingdom''s strongest knight without feeling too threatened."


    The male protagonist, slightly surprised, squinted his eyes andmented nonchntly. He then looked at his sword in admiration, saying,


    "You even managed a counterattack..."


    Upon closer inspection of Elbert''s de, there was a faint nick in one section.


    To be honest, it was sheer luck that I managed that oue.


    Thanks to the potion Eleriona gave me earlier, my speed-rted attributes had increased, allowing me to react just in time to the de that tried to catch me off guard. Moreover, in dire situations, my heightened reflexes made everything seem slow, almost like slow motion, enabling me to somewhat predict the trajectory of the sword.I''ve never been trained in swordsmanship, but leveraging my maximum physical agility, I managed to swing my sword in a way that simultaneously blocked and counterattacked. However, there''s no guarantee I could replicate such a move again, and the chances of failure would probably be higher.


    "I''ve cut down many while defending the royal family, but this is the first time I''ve encountered someone who, despite their innocent and unremarkable appearance, possesses such exceptional skills."


    By now, it seemed I had left a deep impression on Elbert, making the situation even more tense.


    "The oue will be decided by whose weapon breaks first or who gets beheaded. Let''s continue."


    He said this menacingly and lunged at me again with incredible speed.


    *ng! ng!*


    I parried his sword repeatedly, and sparks flew between our shing des. With each powerful strike, my hands grew more fatigued.


    Had I received a potion rted to magical power instead of speed from Eleriona, I would''ve surely died by now. It felt absurd to duel with a sword when I''m a mage.


    Stay calm... Focus... If I keep defending, I won''t win. I must endure the pain and wait for the right moment.


    Now!


    *Thwack!*


    Using intense concentration, I parried Elbert''s de and exploited a gap in his defense.


    "It''s been a while since someone managed tond a blow on me."


    However, his shining armor, illuminated by the sun''s rays, was as robust as it appeared, preventing any significant damage.


    As our duel continued, I noticed Elbert''s demeanor bing more grave and ferocious. I couldn''t predict how much tougher this trial would be.


    "Given that this isn''t the greatsword I typically use, I''ve definitely gained speed. Yet, you handle it well. I had nned to end the test at this point, but I can''t resist going further."


    *Whoosh!*


    "Ugh?!"


    I didn''t appreciate his condescending tone, so this time I took the initiative to attack. However, I couldn''tnd a significant blow.


    "Alright, let''s get serious... here Ie again!"


    With a final rough voice, he leaped with such agility that it was surprising given his heavy-looking armor. His movements were nimble, making him one of the most challenging opponents I''ve ever faced.


    His offensive power and speed were devastating, and his defense was so solid that it felt like punching a steel wall.


    *ng!!!*


    The shock from thatst blow was so intense that it numbed my wrist. If I lost focus for even a second, I would have dropped my sword.


    "Ugh... I gave it my all just now, and you still managed to block. However..."


    Checking my current state, Elbert seemed confident of his impending victory.


    The fatigue umted in my hand to the point where I couldn''t feel any sensation, making it impossible to block another powerful strike, leading me to drop my sword.


    "Just two more rounds... no, just one will do."


    With that, he once again readied himself in a dignified, threatening stance, preparing to charge at me. "The match is over."


    Honestly, Elbert''s statement was right... the oue had already been determined...


    "You''re right."


    As Elbert was about to nod in agreement with my statement, suddenly...


    *Swoosh!*


    "Wha-?!"


    "It''s my victory."


    I confidently dere, a faint smile on my face.


    *Crack... Crack...!*


    Elbert''s sword began to show fractures, which grew more pronounced over time, until...


    *Shatter!*


    The de crumbled to dust, losing its form entirely.


    Elbert stared in disbelief at his ruined weapon. I had achieved the seemingly impossible.


    "The weapon couldn''t withstand the strength of its wielder."


    Elbert pondered upon hearing my words and then widened his eyes in realization.


    "Could it be...?!"


    The reason I won this duel, without any substantial attack, by simply destroying the opponent''s weapon...


    During our initial sh, I saw a possibility. A tiny fracture in the de, a single weak point in an otherwise perfect weapon. I had a n to seize victory by focusing on that fracture.


    Using the concept of recoil.


    If you punch a wall, the wall will sustain damage, but your hand will also feel the impact. Using this principle, I aimed for the fracture in Elbert''s sword, delivering repeated blows to the weakened point, with the anticipation that the growing fracture would eventually destroy the de.


    Therefore, I concentrated solely on defense, targeting the fractured part of his de. As expected, the sword''s durability gradually weakened.


    The sword, absorbing the shock from each sh, deteriorated faster than I anticipated.


    *ng!!!*


    With one final, powerful strike from Elbert, the weapon was no longer recognizable as a sword.


    Focused solely on attacking, Elbert had neglected his weakening sword, leading to its destruction.


    "Remember what you said earlier? The victory condition was either the destruction of the opponent''s weapon or beheading. Right now, what you''re holding can''t be called a weapon anymore, can it?"


    I teased him with a yful tone, reminding him of the victory conditions he had set earlier.


    Upon hearing my words, Elbert fell silent for a moment, then burst into heartyughter.


    "Ha ha ha! I really underestimated you! Not only did you pass the test, but you also defeated the kingdom''s strongest knight in a sword duel!"


    Tossing away the remains of his sword, he approached and patted my shoulder.


    "You''re just an adventurer, right? Or are you a disciple of some sword master?"


    His ttering words, meant as apliment, left me somewhat flustered.


    "Elbert, the truth is, I''ve never learned swordsmanship."


    His head tilted in confusion at my words.


    Upon witnessing the magical crystal I formed with my fingertips, Elbert''s eyes widened in astonishment.


    "I''m primarily a mage... I was a bit taken aback when you challenged me to a sword duel, but luckily, things turned out well."


    Elbert''s jaw dropped, and he covered his open mouth with his hand, unable to contain his shock.


    "Really?! I assumed you were a swordsman when I saw the sword at your waist..."


    Hisck of perceptiveness seemed consistent.


    "This sword is for self-defense. The magic I use consumes a lot of energy, so I always carry a sword. But my main profession is as a mage."


    His expression changed from amusement to a frown, and Elbert pinched the bridge of his nose, appearing distressed.


    "I can''t believe... I lost to a mage in a sword fight..."


    Mumbling to himself, he brought his thumb and index finger to his chin, deep in thought. After a moment, he grasped both my shoulders with a determined look. "Have you ever seriously considered joining the Knight Order? A swordsman who surpasses me, and your main profession is magic... You''re an unbelievable talent."


    Though his sincere face begged me to join his side, I didn''t have the luxury to join the Knight Order.


    "I''m sorry, but I want to continue my journey with Erina. I know it might seem arrogant to decline your offer, but I must respectfully decline."


    Seeing my refusal, he looked disappointed for a moment but quickly regained his spirit, smiling as if it was for the best.


    "Perhaps this is better! I can trust Erina in your care."


    But something he said earlier was bothering me.


    Initially, he challenged me to test if I was suitable for Erina, and after the duel, he mentioned trusting Erina with me, making confusing statements.


    "Ha ha ha..."


    Though it was on my mind, I tried to brush it off with a possibly awkward smile, believing it wasn''t of significant importance.


    "But what do you think is the secret to your strength?"


    Walking alongside me in the corridor after the duel, he suddenly posed this question.


    "Pardon?"


    "What''s the reason for your strength? How did you reach that level, especially as a mage, defeating a swordsman?"


    Since our duel, he seemed intrigued by the idea of "a mage defeating a swordsman with a sword."


    It might sound cheeky, but I reversed the question.


    "Excuse me, but is it really such a big deal for a mage to defeat a swordsman in a sword duel?"


    He sighed deeply, eyes slightly squinting, as if wondering why I asked.


    "Do I even need to exin? Of course, it''s a big deal. If I were to give an analogy, imagine someone who dedicated their life to math losing a writing contest to someone who only ever wrote. Who would keep their sanity in such a situation?"


    From my perspective, it felt like a science major and a literature major having a calculus contest, and the literature major scoring higher.


    Although Elbert was surprised, his main focus seemed to be on understanding who I was.


    "By the way, you look like a swordsman. If you carry just a sword without a catalyst, anyone would mistake you for a swordsman at first nce."


    Indeed, other adventurers who were mages typically looked the part. Unlike me, they usually wore pointy hats, carried magical tomes on their belts, and wielded wooden staffs.


    In games, mage characters didn''t chant spells like I did...


    Noticing my silence, Elbert, with a mix of emotions in his smirk, said,


    "That''s impressive! Maybe someday, if the opportunity arises, I''d like to see your true abilities."


    There seemed to be a hint of fear mixed with his genuine admiration.


    "Is being able to cast without a chant really that rare?!"


    In many fantasy narratives I''vee across, casting without a chant is described as a rare talent only a select few possess.


    His reply was a bit underwhelming considering my heightened expectations.


    "It''s certainly rare, but if you actively look for it, you''ll find it. Nine out of ten mages don''t have the ability to cast without a chant."


    So, while it''s special, it''s not diamond-level rare.


    While it was a bit disappointing given my expectations, I felt grateful to have a unique talent.


    "Still, considering she met someone like you, Erina is quite lucky."


    He smiled warmly, making me feel reassured, but also left me with a few lingering questions. "He took out a magic crystal without any hesitation. Disying a magic crystal like that suggests that any mage could cast without chanting..."


    It felt like we had been walking down this never-ending corridor forever... Just where was our destination that required this much walking?


    "Excuse me, Elbert? Where are we headed right now?"


    Unable to bear the monotony any longer, I posed the question to him. An immediate response came.


    "We''re headed to Erina''s room, and we''ve just arrived."


    "Alright~"


    Elbert stopped in front of an opulent door, giving it a light knock, showing respect to the person inside.


    "It''s me, Elbert."


    From inside, Erina''s voice, rxed and familiar, responded faintly.


    "Brother? Come in, I''ve finished talking with mother."


    As she reached for the door handle, she suddenly smirked mischievously.


    "By the way, Harold is with me too."


    "Really? Wait, what?!"


    Suddenly, a loud, chaotic noise came from inside the room. Soon after, Erina''s frantic voice echoed.


    "Harold is there?! Then don''te in!"


    "Opening the door?"


    Despite the increasingly loud and urgent noises from inside, he mischievously decided to boldly open the door.


    "NO...!!"


    As the door swung open, along with Erina''s clear voice, what caught my eye was...


    "Her... Harold?! Don''t look at me right now!"


    "Uhh... you said not to look..."


    She was wearing an elegant red dress, her hair, usually casually tied up for convenience, was now meticulously styled and adorned. Her eyes shone brightly, reminiscent of rubies.


    She looked like a princess straight out of a fairy tale, exuding a beauty and charm that was as if a caterpir had transformed into a stunning butterfly. This was a very different side of mypanion.


    "Harold...?"


    "Do you... like it?"


    She asked shyly, her cheeks flushed. The transformation was striking, from the usual adventurer image to this newly revealed, regal appearance.


    "Since you''ve already seen, I''ll bravely ask... how do I look?"


    The sight offered a fresh perspective that I had never associated with Erina before.