Suddenly, out of nowhere, Cid only knows why, a second daily chapter appeared.
Iris breathed in to calm herself down.
She recalled what the War Goddess, Beatrix told her in private…
"This guys seems interesting…" Iris heard elven woman's voice as she walked away from arena.
Startled at the sudden presence, Iris turned around and saw the sky-like eyes watching her.
'Come to think of it…' sudden realization hit her, 'Doesn't she look like this member of Shadow Garden, Alpha? And the hero of the past, Oliver?…'
"You noticed something unusual, Master Beatrix?" Iris politely asked.
"Not so unusual, more like…" elf paused, trying to pick up the right words, "Trying to conceal something."
"Yes, indeed, he tries to hide his skills-"
"I am not talking about skills," Beatrix shook her head, "Any warrior worth their bread is able to detect the minute changes in someone's body and pick up on their opponent's power."
"Then… what?" Iris tried to not sound offended; after all, by War Goddess' words, everyone on the arena were not worthy of being called warriors since they didn't understand Mundane Mann's power immediately.
"Personality."
"Personality?…" Iris echoed.
"Yes," Beatrix turned back, to the arena; Mundane just went through the exit and now was limping… somewhere, "Look deeper."
"Deeper…" Princess focused on the man.
Indeed, someone of his power level would never act like this… On the contrary, almost everyone worth their skill would try to flaunt it in hopes of obtaining more support from the people. However…
"He doesn't want any glory?…" Iris couldn't quite understand it.
"Indeed. He did not come here for glory. Rather…" Beatrix smiled, "One specific reason brought him here… To be more precise, person."
"…Annerose," Princess finally put everything together.
But to think: something that the whole stadium of people couldn't understand in their combined efforts was immediately seen through by the War Goddess.
"Do…" she gulped, "do all people of yours and his caliber have a similar way of thinking?"
"Hmm… You could say that. In fact, I wouldn't mind fighting him. And, I presume, he wouldn't either."
"Then why-"
"Why haven't we fought each other before?" Beatrix understood her interrupted question, "Well, exactly what I said: we do not want glory. What we want is a worthy opponent… However, how do we find a worthy opponent if we do not get glory?" elf chuckled at Iris' stupefied expression, "It's fine, my question was not supposed to be answered."
Iris collected her thoughts and decided to go all-in.
"Master Beatrix… About your niece…"
"That she is a part of some group?" upon seeing Princess' face Beatrix chuckled once more, "Yes, I do know about it. Despite not having a grasp on politics and being focused on the sword, I still have a lot of experience in life. That, and a bit of luck, I suppose…" her gaze turned melancholic.
Iris just stood there, not knowing what to do. After all, similar to Beatrix, she never had a talent in politics, either; everything was carried out by competent people around her, while she served as their sword and shield. As long as she had military power, her nation could see prosperity. That's what she believed.
"Go," she heard Beatrix, "Don't belittle your opponent. Prepare yourself for the battle. And even if you lose, lose gracefully."
"Gracefully?…"
"Indeed. If you just meet the soil with your face without being able to retaliate, people would doubt you… But if you manage to put up a fight, your opponent might give you face and make it look like the battle was hard-fought… If he ever manages to appear, that is," smile crossed elf's face.
Yes, he already got what he wanted. Fight with Annerose. Though, it hurt her ego that a Swordmaster would think of her as lower than Annerose…
Iris bowed to Beatrix and went out, to prepare herself for the battle. After all, despite what the War Goddess told her, she still believed that she had a chance to win. Or, rather… She had to win.
Beatrix only shook her head and sighed. Sooner or later, Princess would face someone stronger to her. And she can only hope that it happens here, where her opponent only wishes to test other people's skill and character, rather than on a bloody battlefield…
Iris breathed in and went to the arena.
Her opponent was already waiting, with his uneasy posture and shaking hands trying to hold a sword. However, she did not dare to be fooled.
She took a battle stance and kept looking at him. She learned the lesson of her predecessor, Annerose. Rather than being proactive, she has to be reactive.
Then…
Iris immediately dodged to the side as she felt the sword passing right through the place where her neck-
What?
It didn't happen?
He was still standing here, waiting for something. Though… The smile on his face that he had at the start of the round… diminished.
Was he… disappointed?
No, no!
She forcibly calmed herself down.
Something was off. She heard that true Master can force their reality onto opponent. However, up to this day, she never saw someone doing it… Literally.
After all, everything all her previous opponents, including teacher, did was merely doing a false hit in order to confuse her. Here, her opponent didn't move at all, yet she was already experiencing hallucinations. Even her own battle sense was completely unreliable… Which means…
She has to rely on her mind instead.
She slowly walked towards him. One step, two, three…
She placed her broadsword in front of herself. Just in time as his own sword hit it.
"Hmm… And here I thought I was mistaken in my evaluation…" she heard his whisper.
So, he did think somewhat highly of her, but her previous action almost made him doubt it. That's… surprisingly reassuring.
Her mind started looking for solutions. However…
She had to immediately relocate her sword. Still, the power behind the hit was more than enough to send her flying, and though she managed to land safely, it still hurt a lot.
"You think too much. Think less. Think more efficient," Mundane played with his sword.
Too much?
Then…
Up.
Her sword immediately blocked the attack from above.
'So that's what Annerose experienced, huh?…' Iris thought as she blocked two attacks almost at the same time.
She had to admit; a fight like that was heavily beneficial for her. Even now, she could feel new ways opening up in front of her… She has never focused too much on the sword skills, relying on the overwhelming power she was born with. However…
She stared in admiration. Her opponent never used even an ounce of magic. It was pure skill. He did not use anything other than his sword and physical body.
"Why don't you attack?" she heard him asking.
"Because if I do, I will lose immediately," Iris replied.
"… Good thinking," he nodded at her approvingly.
And then she felt multiple attacks coming at her. However, she did not listen to her battle sense that was a part of her since she was born. Rather…
'It's all fake. The real one is…'
She slashed at the ground.
'Below me!'
Her broadsword met his own sword. Even her weapon of choice reflected her nature: relying on raw power in order to win. Of course, that does not mean she has to deny her nature.
Rather, she needs to cover up her weaknesses. And she knows what, exactly, her weakness is.
Her intelligence.
Compared to her own little sister, Alexia, Iris did not have a tactical or political mind. Hell, even her studying the sword was mostly relying on the battle sense she was gifted with. But it was about time she patched that weakness of hers up.
And she will start with the area she was most familiar with. Fight.
Corner of his lips went up in approval.
"Good. You finally realized it."
She immediately placed the sword to the right, only to be met with a hit from behind.
"You still have a long way to go, but… It's not helpless. Today's lesson is over, Iris Midgar. You did way better than I thought at first," he nodded at her.
She breathed in once more.
"I concede," her voice rang out on the arena.
He sent unamused look at her side. She allowed herself this small victory, alright?
And then, she saw her.
Rose Oriana. The Princess of Oriana that everyone was searching for.
However, she was… different.
Instead of her usual school uniform or dancing attire that was usually white, now she clad herself in dark clothes with a large coat. The sharp-looking dark crown only made the picture way more… Intimidating.
Yes, that was the word. Previous Rose Oriana was the Student Council President, kind, good-hearted, eager to help anyone and everyone to achieve their dream.
Current Rose Oriana was the picture of a tyrant, coming… To do what, exactly?
Not only that, but even Mundane himself seemed a bit surprised at her appearance…
"My dearest Princess Rose, you finally came back!" Perv's cheerful voice rang through the arena, "Come, come, allow us to meet each other!"
"Ah, Rose…" King Raphael voice seemed… suspiciously devoid of life, if Iris was being honest; not quite the tone she expected from father reuniting with his daughter, "Please, come here."
Iris watched as Rose slowly walked to the lounge. Then she stopped in front Perv and King Oriana, with King being way closer to Princess than Chancellor. On one hand, it seemed right, as worried father would surely come first; on the other hand, it still seemed off…
"Hello, Perv," Rose's lips turned into devilish smile, so unnatural looking on her face, "How are you doing?"
"My, it should be me who is worried, my Princess! But that matters not, now that you have returned, everything will be alright!"
"Not quite," Rose shook her head.
"Whatever you mean, my Princess-?"
He could not finish his words as Rose Oriana immediately appeared in front of him and lifted him by the throat.
"Interesting… How could it be that Oriana Kingdom, known for the lack of its military power, has so much skilled fighters at their side, hmm?" Princess Oriana looked around herself as she was surrounded by numerous black-clothed people.
And, truth to be told, Iris herself could not quite understand it… Unless…?
"P-Prin-cess… Sto-o-op…" Perv tried to breathe, but Rose only held him tighter with a sadistic smile on her face.
"Oriana was peaceful for way too long."
She shifted her hand to his face.
"But no more."
She slowly tightened her grip as Perv tried to break out.
"No more will We tolerate this."
Mundane Mann suddenly chuckled.
"So that is your choice, Rose Oriana?"
Iris' eyes widened as the sick middle-aged man suddenly erupted in a black goo… Wait, isn't that…?
"Shadow…"
She saw the mysterious leader of Shadow Garden before, at the Goddess Trials… But it was her first time seeing him up close. His face was clad in Darkness itself… And when she says that, she means that the Darkness covered it, not allowing anyone to gaze at his features. Only two red orbs could be seen studying the world around their owner.
"Slayer…" Rose's own voice was heard.
He turned around to look at Oriana Princess.
"Rose Oriana. You've made your choice, didn't you?" even though Iris couldn't quite understand what they were talking about, she could feel the approving notes in his tone.
"Indeed, Bandit Slayer," corners of Rose's lips went up, "I still didn't thank you for that time."
"I did what I should have done."
"And I will do what I have to."
Rose turned back to Perv that has long ceased any signs of resistance.
"Now… How did you say? 'Internal problems of Oriana Kingdom'?" her eyes shone holden.
She raised her second hand up to his head.
"Then consider it me cleaning them up… Cult's pawn."
And in the next moment, Rose crushed Perv's head.
At some point, Rose will realize that this powerful Shadow-slash-Slayer guy that she deeply respected since childhood and her unassuming future husband Cid Kagenou are actually are one and the same. Should it ever happen, one can only imagine the depths her imagination and yandere tendencies will go…
