Chapter 90

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 90

Chapter Title: The Crown I'll Take From You

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Clang-!

The bell signaling the start of the duel had barely rung when the Fourth Imperial Princess charged forward without mercy.

Whoosh, whoosh.

The menacing whistle of her sword slicing through the air followed close behind.

"......"

The princess's hand gripping her sword trembled faintly, her body rigid and tense.

The onlookers assumed she was gripped by fear.

But no one noticed that her eyes remained fixed on the Fourth Imperial Princess's movements like those of a predator, unwavering.

'Angelique, I know all your weaknesses. You never stray from your patterns.'

As expected, the Fourth Imperial Princess rushed in with a smug smile.

Medea stepped back diagonally, deftly deflecting the incoming blade.

The Fourth Imperial Princess had received the empire's finest elite training, which made her weak against unconventional tactics.

She was the worst possible matchup for someone like Medea, forged in real combat.

'Why does it keep missing!'

Unaware of this, the Fourth Imperial Princess grew furious as her confident strikes missed by a hair's breadth.

So that's why the wench from Baldina had boldly challenged her to a duel—she must have been hiding her true skill.

"Not bad at dodging, huh? Looks like your brother's talent runs in the family. Then take this!"

The Fourth Imperial Princess's sword danced wildly, malice gleaming in her eyes. Amid the flurry, a vivid orange glow erupted.

"That's aura!"

Someone recognized it and shouted, sending gasps through the crowd. Aura required an additional superhuman awakening beyond mere skill.

The gap between an aura user and a regular swordsman was like that between an adult and a child.

Thus, it was an unspoken rule not to use aura in spars without mutual agreement beforehand.

Yet, frustrated that the duel wasn't going her way, the Fourth Imperial Princess had unleashed it without a word.

In the world of swords, it was a petty act no one would even bother condemning.

'Now.'

Medea's eyes flashed.

She pretended to falter in the face of the rapidly approaching crimson light show, turning her body as if in panic.

Time seemed to slow; she could see each of the Fourth Imperial Princess's strikes clearly. But she deliberately didn't dodge the last one.

"Tch."

Her arm grazed, blood spraying.

"Kyaa-!"

"Medea!"

Screams erupted.

The Queen Dowager couldn't hold back and called out to Medea, while Prime Minister Sise clenched his fists until his nails dug painfully into his palms.

The princess of Kazen Empire, not content with insulting the late king, had hidden her status as an aura user and inflicted a卑劣 wound on the princess defending her father's honor.

Was this truly just the Fourth Imperial Princess's doing?

No, it was an open provocation from the empire to Baldina.

A declaration that Baldina would never rival the empire and should submit quietly.

The rage of having to watch this arrogant, despicable display in silence burned hot. Sise vowed never to be weak again.

He would strengthen Baldina and ensure this humiliation was never forgotten.

Sise wasn't the only one fueled by anger and resolve. The Baldinans watching the princess gripped their fists tightly.

While everyone else endured Kazen's insolence, the young princess had stood tall against them—and the sight of her spilled blood pierced their hearts like a dagger.

The Baldinans' fury grew so palpable that even the Kazen contingent across the arena noticed it.

'I deliberately let that last one hit... so why...!'

The Fourth Imperial Princess flinched in surprise as well.

She had only meant to flaunt her superiority and intimidate the insolent princess. But in that moment of distraction, Medea closed in like the wind.

Far from dodging the wildly swung aura blade, she boldly leaped straight at the Fourth Imperial Princess's chest.

A killer intent like that of an assassin on a surprise strike bloomed.

Medea's silver sword arc, drawn from low to high, flashed before the Fourth Imperial Princess's eyes.

"Tch!"

The startled Fourth Imperial Princess lost her grip on her sword.

A split-second motion. A single strike.

Wielding lightness and heaviness in unison was no easy feat. Only Facade's mercenaries grasped its profundity.

"Ahaha. She's no match at all. It was decided from the start."

Garo snickered.

Clang! A beat later, the Fourth Imperial Princess's dropped sword hit the ground.

"I've learned from you, Fourth Imperial Princess."

With her sharp blade pressed to the Fourth Imperial Princess's throat, Medea spoke calmly.

"Woooow! Our princess won!"

"Baldina wins!"

Cheers exploded a moment later, everyone too stunned to react immediately.

Our princess had crushed the arrogance of Kazen's imperial haughtiness!

The roar was so loud it made the chandelier lights tremble faintly.

The sweet violette scent wafting through heightened the Baldinans' joy.

In contrast, the Kazen side was still reeling in disbelief. Some even rubbed their eyes, unable to accept the Fourth Imperial Princess's defeat.

"This is cheating!"

Belatedly, the Fourth Imperial Princess protested, her face flushed red.

"Princess, you lied to me! Why did you hide your skill and deceive me?"

But her words only sounded like absurd excuses.

Who gauged an opponent's strength before a duel? If she only wanted fights she could win, she shouldn't have proposed one in the first place.

"Do it again!"

Unable to accept defeat to Baldina, the Fourth Imperial Princess threw a tantrum.

"This time, let's make it fair—warriors against warriors. Not this pathetic excuse for a duel, but a real, proper contest to settle it once and for all."

It was hardly her place to call the duel she'd just lost "pathetic," especially after pulling out her aura to win it—but the Fourth Imperial Princess knew no shame.

She was all stubbornness and fiery temper.

Medea lifted the corner of her mouth slightly.

"Have you forgotten your oath, Imperial Princess? This isn't child's play where you can whine about losing and demand a do-over. I even warned you beforehand."

Her calm voice carried a lilting rhythm that bordered on mockery.

"First you dangled relief supplies as a condition Baldina should rightfully receive, and now that you've lost the duel, you want a rematch..."

Low chuckles echoed through the training grounds.

The merciless critique trampled not just the Fourth Imperial Princess's pride, but the entire Kazen delegation's dignity.

"The Kazen Empire's arithmetic is truly peculiar. Baldina can't be the only ones to know of such bizarre calculations. We must spread it across the continent."

The delegates' faces hardened. Powerful as they were, they couldn't ignore other nations entirely.

If word of today spread, the Kazen Empire would face accusations of lacking honor. It would hinder future treaties with foreign powers.

Yet the Fourth Imperial Princess trembled, clenching her fists tightly.

'How can I accept losing to that Baldina wench like this!'

She couldn't return home looking so disgraceful—not with her reputation at stake.

And if word got out that she'd lost to some half-baked princess from a minor kingdom, her rival brothers would make her life hell. She couldn't even imagine it.

"Double."

The anxious Fourth Imperial Princess tossed out a massive bait.

"Double the amount. If you win again, I'll provide twice the promised supplies. That should balance the wager, right?"

A lure no Baldinan could ignore—one even she, an imperial princess, would struggle to stomach.

Double the relief supplies! The crowd buzzed.

That quantity would resolve the capital's hardships and leave enough to send provisions to the king on the plains.

"This is me offering it despite knowing my imperial father will reprimand me. Surely you're not thinking of refusing such generous terms?"

But the one to accept the challenge was the princess herself.

She had barely scraped by in this duel—there was no guarantee luck would hold for a second.

Moreover, with such lavish terms, the Fourth Imperial Princess would pull out all stops, poisoned intent and all.

She'd already turned one of the princess's arms bloody.

Thus, they could only wait silently for Medea's decision.

"......"

Medea's emerald eyes darkened, her intentions unreadable.