Chapter 111

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 111

Chapter Title: Surpassing the Wall

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Hilia's mouth fell open.

There was no need to even ask to confirm it.

Arpad's expression made it clear that he was the culprit.

His eyes gleaming, he lightly pressed his lips to the back of his wife's hand.

"This is more thrilling than any victor's laurel."

'What? Teasing me?'

"......"

Hilia was so flabbergasted that she lost even the will to respond.

'To get away with it so completely!'

The only consolation was that she'd gotten some revenge by pinning that cute pale pink ribbon to his chest.

But soon, Hilia realized that didn't even count as revenge.

For it to be punishment or payback, the target had to feel at least a little ashamed.

Arpad, on the other hand, was puffing out his chest as if proudly showing off the shawl she'd draped over him.

When a servant brought his discarded coat to offer it, he waved it away.

'Why... why is the embarrassment always all mine?'

She'd felt this way plenty of times before—like with the squirrel incident last time—and it left Hilia feeling deeply unjust.

It had been an incredible duel. One any knight would dream of witnessing, even in their sleep.

But more memorable to the onlookers than the two men's swordsmanship or flashy martial feats was something else entirely.

'That chest......'

'Both sides were huge.'

'The buttons... the buttons...!'

Most of the women there perfectly understood why Hilia had rushed out the moment the duel ended.

'Yeah. I'd do the same.'

'No way I'd let another woman see that.'

'Exactly. Exactly.'

The Duchess Muzeon was the one who smoothed over the awkward atmosphere.

"Thank you, Your Highness. You've personally instructed my lacking son."

The Duchess neatly set aside any regret over her son's utter defeat.

Losing to royalty could never be dishonorable, after all.

On the contrary, only her son could have held his own against him this long.

'He even resorted to aura at the end.'

It meant her son was strong enough that the prince couldn't win without it.

That was how the Duchess decided to see it.

What had actually happened didn't matter. It was all about appearances.

She framed the impromptu duel caused by her son's outburst as proof of the close ties between House Muzeon and the crown prince's family.

Since this was exactly what Hilia and Arpad wanted, there was no interference.

As she handed Arpad the cold tea a maid had brought, Hilia whispered,

"This was the one I was going to drink. Take it gratefully."

"I'll savor it with thanks."

Arpad chuckled softly.

It was different from when Hilia had instinctively run to him moments ago.

This was a deliberate act to show everyone around them just how well they got along.

Even knowing that, he felt pleased that she was looking after him.

'Come to think of it, it's always been like this from the start.'

It was all under the pretext of playing the happy couple.

Yet knowing that was her reason still filled him with an oddly joyful satisfaction.

And that was exactly why he'd teased her on purpose.

That was when he saw it.

Hilia heading toward Aaron Muzeon.

He decided to play nice for once. He was in a good mood and feeling generous.

'House Muzeon are the guests of honor in this situation, after all......'

Plus, the pink lace ribbon dangling from his chest had given him a boost of confidence.

If he'd known what was about to happen next, he probably wouldn't have been so relaxed.

I handed Aaron the towel I'd received from Annie.

"Impressive for someone so young, Sir Muzeon."

In my memory, he'd be called a Swordmaster within three years.

It was to my advantage to leave a good impression.

And there was one thing related to him that stuck in my mind.

I'd once overheard a conversation between Evangeline and Aaron.

"As expected of Aaron. You've reached heights others can only dream of at such a young age."

"Actually, I hit a major wall once. With Swordmaster realm right in front of me, I felt that barrier for the first time and despaired."

"Oh, really? Then tell me how you overcame it. It would help the knights so much."

As Evangeline said, the knights showed great interest. They crowded around, eyes wide, hanging on his every word.

Thinking this advice might propel them to higher realms right away.

"Hm, it's not that impressive a story. To put it simply, the problem was I was only looking for ways to jump over the impossibly high wall."

Defying expectations, Aaron said something offbeat.

"I even tried making a ladder or a long pole to vault over, but nothing worked. Then one day, I thought to change my approach."

"What kind of creative idea was it?"

"If the wall's too high to jump, I realized I could just smash it down."

"...Pardon?"

"The end result is the same—getting rid of the wall."

Evangeline wasn't the only one who didn't understand.

"Looking back, I'd wasted years stuck there on such a foolish worry. The day I realized it, I gained control of my aura."

After Aaron finished, the knights' eager, sparkling eyes turned to dead fish stares.

No one had understood a word.

But no one let it show.

They poured out polite responses like 'Wonderful advice' or 'Thank you for the inspiring words.'

Of course, no knight reached greater heights based on that advice afterward.

It only spawned rumors that the genius was too greedy to share his enlightenment.

From what I'd seen of Aaron Muzeon across three regressions, he wasn't that complicated a person.

'If anything... he's refreshingly straightforward and clear-minded.'

So those words must have been his genuine realization.

Thinking back, around this time, Aaron Muzeon had come to the capital with his mother and caused quite a stir.

He'd suddenly challenge outstanding knights to spars or duels.

Ludwig and Arpad were among them.

'Though he'd never actually dueled royalty.'

This was the first time.

In my previous three lives, Arpad had ignored every challenge from Aaron.

Ludwig always dodged out of fear of losing.

I didn't know what wind had blown this time, but...

I could guess why Aaron had pushed so hard for a duel with Arpad.

'This was exactly when he was hitting that wall and floundering.'

I wasn't sure if relaying his exact words would help that much.

He'd become a Swordmaster in a few years even without intervention.

'But it can't hurt to try, right?'

For me, and for Aaron himself.

Aaron wiped his sweat with a refreshing smile.

"I'm embarrassed, Princess. I've been feeling my limits lately, so I ended up bothering His Highness."

"Aaron, troubling the crown prince for such reasons..."

The Duchess called to her son in mild reproach.

"I'm sorry, Mother."

"This child cares for nothing but the sword. It's a constant worry."

"He's a role model for knights."

Even as I chatted with the Duchess, I was recalling what Aaron had said earlier.

'Yep, this is definitely when he hit that wall.'

Now convinced, I cautiously broached the subject.

"For an outstanding knight like you, Sir Muzeon, to feel limits... it must be an incredibly massive wall, right?"

Aaron's eyes widened.

"Yes! Exactly. It's like staring at a wall I can't possibly leap over, no matter what."

"Hm. This might just be something from someone who knows nothing about the sword..."

I pretended to be innocently clueless.

"If it's a wall too high to climb straight over, maybe you don't have to try going over it the usual way?"

"...Pardon?"

Aaron gaped, as if the idea had never crossed his mind.

"You could go around it entirely, or dig under and through."

The realization Aaron had shared before my regression boiled down to 'There isn't just one set path.'

'Like Columbus's egg, or cutting a knot that won't untie.'

Don't stick to the obvious—change your perspective.

The others looked baffled by my words.

Not Aaron. Since it touched on what he'd been agonizing over, he asked seriously.

"...But wouldn't that hardly count as truly overcoming the wall?"

"What matters is reaching the other side. Not the act of climbing over itself."

"But that... no, maybe not?"

Aaron shook his head a few times, then sank into deep thought.

He seemed to have grasped a clue.

'Hm. That should be enough, right?'

That was when it happened. Aaron's deep blue eyes began shaking like there was an earthquake.

At the same time, I felt Arpad and the other skilled knights tense up.

Even an outsider like me could tell something was happening to Aaron.

A hazy light began seeping from his stunned, rigid body.

"!"

Arpad pulled me into his arms, as if to shield me from him.