Volume 2 Chapter 28 The Miracle Drawn Closer
That strike couldn't be called quick by any means.
Naturally, it was easily dodged by Crocus.
But undeterred, she went in for the follow-up, only to find she couldn't even get close.
"[Wind Blade (Spada)]."
As Crocus raised his right hand, one of the many ornaments fitted there──a green ring──glowed ominously.
In an instant, a fierce gust of wind swept through, slicing sharply into Nemophila's body.
"...!"
With cuts on her arms and legs, Nemophila let out a voiceless gasp and staggered back.
The wounds weren't particularly deep.
Just a light injury, like cutting a finger with paper.
But...
(...It hurts!)
It hurt enough to bring tears to her eyes.
It was a real "pain" she hadn't felt in a long time.
Ever since Roezé had strengthened her, she hadn't really felt pain at all, thanks to her exceptionally high divine blessing value.
Not only that, but until now, Nemophila had lived a life free from pain.
Someone was always there to protect her.
So feeling such intense pain that it brought her to tears might have been since she took a nasty fall as a child.
As she writhed from just a scrape, Crocus watched her, stifling a smile with his hand over his mouth.
"You look pretty miserable, Nemophila. The inheritance battle has only just begun."
"Guh...!"
The Nemophila who had shown an astonishing fighting spirit in the first round was now suffering from just a single blow.
Almost no one found it suspicious, and many spectators were collectively gasping in awe.
"Yesterday, that Lady Nemophila overwhelmed Sir Hollis..."
"With just one strike, she's got wounds like that...!"
On the other hand, her sister Clematis and King Capucine furrowed their brows for just a moment.
There was no way that sharp-minded Clematis hadn't noticed her anomaly.
However, since the duel had begun, she didn't forcefully intervene.
From her side, once Clematis noticed, there was a chance it could be seen as a breach of secrecy.
Nemophila had to win against Crocus right in front of her without anyone noticing the anomaly.
"...!"
Nemophila shook off her tears and simultaneously cast aside her timid heart.
Then, she thrust her right hand, holding a sword, forward and chanted in her mind.
She had taken a painful hit.
But thanks to that, she had met the activation conditions for "that.".
([Judgment]──[Nemesis]!)
The power to retaliate with a curse of weakness against those who attacked her.
She activated the Princess Knight's skill on Crocus, who had met the conditions.
But...
"......What's that hand? Nothing's happening, right?"
"──!?"
The skill... isn't activating? She felt no response at all.
Even though she should have met the conditions, why wasn't 'Judgment' working?.
"Could it be that the skill...?"
It wasn't just the divine blessing.
The ring given to her by the kidnapper also had the effect of sealing skills.
She thought that since a little bit of the divine blessing's power was still alive, she could somehow activate the skill.
"[Flame Claw (Banneer)]."
As she stood frozen in unexpected circumstances, 3 flames rushed toward her from the front, as if running along the ground.
The bright red flames twisted and writhed, tracing a path like a beast scratching the earth.
Nemophila instinctively raised her large shield to block the fiery claws.
"...Ugh!"
The shock almost sent her flying.
She managed to hold her ground, but the heat wrapped around from behind the shield, burning her skin.
It was intensely hot.
What would normally feel like a "warm" flame with her original Resilience now appeared as a deadly blaze to Nemophila.
"What's going on, Nemophila? Just yesterday, you had the audience cheering, and you won against Hollis by sheer luck, right?"
"..."
When she lowered her shield to look ahead, Crocus wore a hateful grin on his face.
"I heard you've been training hard in that backwater town, but it seems Nemophila isn't fit to be a king after all. The outcome is already clear, isn't it?"
"...You won't know until you try."
"I get it. It's not just about skill. My aspirations and Nemophila's are just too different from the start. What's your reason for wanting to be king?"
It was a provocation, as if to say, "Go ahead, present it in front of everyone." She had no obligation to play along, but it felt like her dream was being denied, and Nemophila got stubborn about it.
"For my servant Kikrys. To grant Kikrys's wish..."
"I see, I see. That's certainly a noble intention. You could say it's the mark of a true master with a servant. But as a king who should govern a nation... that's just too 'childish'."
"..."
Crocus clapped a few times without any real enthusiasm, then turned to face the audience in the balcony.
Seizing the opportunity to show his ambition, he spread his arms wide and raised his voice.
"A king must bear the weight of a nation and lead its people! Yet, where is the king who is so infatuated with just one servant!"
Hearing this, Nemophila clenched her teeth in secret.
It wasn't just the anger from having her dream denied; there was something persuasive about Crocus's argument.
It was infuriating.
"But I can lead this country to a rightful future! I promise to remove the anxieties and problems each citizen faces, and to shine a brilliant light on Compost Kingdom──not just for one servant!"
A sparse applause erupted from the noble audience at the simplistic speech.
With that backing, Crocus turned to me again, wearing that lewd smile.
Everything was unfolding just as he wanted.
No matter how much power she gained, Nemophila felt utterly powerless before him.
It felt like all her efforts so far were being dismissed.
Aiming to be king for Kikrys, being strengthened by Roezé──everything felt pointless...
"I will now prove that I have the power to illuminate this nation!"
Crocus made the blue ring on his right hand shine and activated his magic.
"[Water Spear (Trident)]!"
A magic circle unfolded above his head, and from it, a massive spear of water came flying toward her.
Nemophila suddenly jumped to the side, narrowly dodging the spear.
Crocus continued, making the purple ring on his left hand shine.
"[Purple Lightning (Vaidor)!]."
He pushed the power of the 'Catalyst Master,' which uses all objects as magic catalysts, to the limit.
It seemed he was trying to show off his skills to the audience by taking advantage of her weakened state.
So far, he had only used magic that she could barely dodge or withstand without losing consciousness.
She could feel that she was being manipulated like a puppet.
She realized she was just a tool to make that guy shine.
(...If that's the case)
Then, she would take advantage of the openings created by his confidence...
"──!"
She was just going to stab without holding back.
Nemophila sharply exhaled and rushed toward Crocus.
If she couldn't use skills, all she had left were the sword and shield in her hands.
It was a shaky setup, but if she could exploit his arrogance, there was a chance to win.
As she attempted to close the distance, of course, Crocus responded.
"It's a combination of magic. You don't see this often."
The ring on his right hand glowed with two lights simultaneously.
"[Wind Blade!] [Flame Claw!]."
In an instant, a fierce, hot wind blew up like a wall in front of Crocus.
Blocked from moving forward, Nemophila instinctively stopped and gritted her teeth.
A sharp, hot wall of scorching wind.
She couldn't move ahead like this.
If she charged in carelessly, she would get torn apart and burned alive.
She caught a glimpse of Crocus smirking beyond the hot wind.
(...I can't take it anymore)
She didn't want this.
She couldn't stand it anymore.
She hated pain.
She hated heat.
She hated suffering.
No, it wasn't just that.
...
She absolutely refused to let him have his way!
...
Nemophila charged into the wall of hot wind.
"What the──!?"
For the first time, Crocus's smile faltered.
Nemophila dove into the hot wind while bracing her large shield, trying to force her way through the wall.
"Ugh...!"
It was painful, hot, and agonizing.
It was a thick wall that an ordinary person couldn't possibly endure.
But it was okay.
The big shield handed to her by Kikrys was doing its job splendidly.
(Kikrys is protecting me...!)
Nemophila's body was already close to its limit.
However, thanks to the high-quality big shield, she was able to block some of the heat and wind.
Pushing that shield forward, she charged through the wall of hot wind.
She had to bite down on the man in front of her, no matter what.
Even if her limbs were torn apart...
Even if her bones were burned to ashes...
Even if her precious dream was mocked...
"......I'm gonna win!"
Nemophila broke through the wall of intense heat and wind.
"──!?"
Crocus, right in front of her, widened his eyes in shock.
He had completely not expected her to come over the wall.
His confidence and arrogance created a rare moment of "opening."
Nemophila pulled this miracle closer with sheer willpower.
(I'm the one who's gonna win──!)
With all her strength, she gripped her sword tightly and raised the blade with a silent scream.
She was going to hit him!
Just as she thought that, in that instant──.
Crocus's dark whisper struck her ears.
"Is that okay?"
"...!?"
She looked at him with watchful eyes.
In Crocus's right hand, the "Kikrys hair ornament" glimmered softly.
In that moment, her heart raced, and her body froze as if time had stopped.
If she swung her sword down here, Kikrys would...
"[Wind Blade (Spada)]!"
"──!"
Seizing on her moment of hesitation, Crocus unleashed a gust of wind.
Attacked by the blade-like sharp wind, Nemophila was blown back, covered in wounds.
As she writhed in unbearable pain, Crocus's evil laughter echoed.
"Haha! You're too sweet, Nemophila!!!"
"..."
She heard the sound of the thread of the miracle she had pulled closer snapping.
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