TRWTVPS 11

 Chapter 11

The noble lady’s expression darkened as she looked at Erin. She tried to say something to her, but then closed her mouth.

It was certainly strange, but before Erin could dwell on it, the lady spoke to Amon instead.

“Sir Amon, now that I think about it, this might be acceptable.”

“…Pardon?”

“But would it be alright if I were the only observer?”

The ones who reacted to Lady Asilly’s words were Ferdin and Caron.

They were about to immediately protest—but Erin’s next action stopped them.

“If that is your wish, my lady, I have no objections.”

A silence fell.

Both knights had agreed, and the saint herself had volunteered to observe.

Now, the duel between Erin and Amon had become irreversible.

Amon couldn’t understand what the lady was thinking.

Lady Asilly and Ferdin occasionally acted in ways that defied his common sense.

Normally, she would have stopped this with conservative reasoning.

Her kindness was widely known, and it was obvious what would happen if Erin Ressis dueled him.

But she didn’t stop it.

Instead, by declaring herself as the observer, she made it impossible to turn back.

Could it be that even the benevolent Lady Asilly could not forgive someone who stole her lover?

Fine—he could accept that.

But what on earth was Erin Ressis thinking, agreeing to duel him?

His mind was filled with tangled thoughts.

Earlier, Caron had looked ready to cause a scene, but Erin whispered something to him, and the wild colt calmed down instantly.

Amon narrowed his eyes at Erin walking ahead.

Clearly, none of them were in their right minds.

Yes… as Erin had said, he wouldn’t be able to kill her.

After Erin and Ferdin became engaged, Caron Ressis joined their provisional knight order.

On top of that, Ferdin seemed to have developed some inexplicable fondness for Erin.

In such a situation, killing her during a duel was impossible.

Ferdin… usually so cold-headed. What on earth is he thinking?

Even though he didn’t usually care about trends, he knew that Ferdin’s actions were foolish.

Being kind to Erin Ressis was like tightening a noose around his own neck.

Amon glared at Erin.

For Ferdin’s sake, he would have to teach her a lesson today.

“This should be a suitable place.”

At the lady’s words, both Amon and Erin stopped.

Though the distance hadn’t been far, the lady looked slightly out of breath. She placed a hand over her chest and steadied herself.

“We will proceed modestly.”

Amon took his stance.

His blade extended cleanly toward Erin.

It was a straight sword—just like his character.

A knight who could not tolerate injustice.

That was Amon Hedor.

Erin knew exactly what kind of person he was.

He might appear indifferent and lazy, but he would charge like fire at the sight of evil.

That was why he stood here now.

To him, Erin was the very embodiment of evil.

Amon had been recognized as a genius from an early age.

Erin briefly examined his body.

It was perfectly built for swordsmanship.

His father, Duke Hedor, though not a Sword Master, was an excellent knight who had trained him rigorously since childhood.

Erin knew how great Amon would become in the future.

He would later be known as Ferdin’s right-hand man, slaying over a thousand high-ranking monsters.

But eventually, he would become trapped within his own genius.

Believing he was strong without effort, he stopped trying—and stagnated.

Tragically, he would die before reaching mastery.

If only he had a little more time—or a little more passion—he could have easily become a master.

After watching Amon draw his sword, Erin also drew hers.

Her weak motion made Amon frown.

As expected, Erin Ressis was pathetic.

The lady called their names.

“Erin Ressis. Amon Hedor.”

At that moment, Erin raised her sword and pointed it at him.

Perhaps this situation was fortunate.

Before he became trapped by his talent, she would grant him a new realization.

No matter how great a genius one is—

There can always be someone greater.

“The sacred duel begins.”

The moment Lady Asilly finished speaking, Amon moved.

He had underestimated the duel.

He had seen Erin before—mostly at parties.

Despite her infamous cruelty, she had always seemed quiet.

Almost invisible, standing still before disappearing.

“Do you see her? Erin Ressis abused another servant again.”

“If she weren’t the Marquis’ daughter, she’d already be in prison.”

“I heard the Marchioness is troubled. She’s too kind to bear watching the servants suffer.”

Amon had once paid slight attention to those whispers.

At parties, Erin always kept her head down.

He found that disgusting.

He thought she only pretended to repent in front of powerful people.

A villainess who tormented others in the shadows, yet acted like a tragic woman when criticized.

That was the Erin Ressis engraved in his mind.

Her hypocrisy irritated him.

That was when he began to dislike her.

He hated her even more after meeting Lilia.

Lilia was the most honorable mage he had ever seen.

While serving together in Ferdin’s provisional knight order, he learned that her brother had been killed by Erin.

Amon remembered Erin’s hands at the party.

Unscarred. Clean.

Hands that had never known hardship.

She must have lived her whole life in comfort as a marquis’ daughter.

Never properly reprimanded.

That must be why she became so arrogant and wicked.

The kind of person he hated the most.

That was what he believed.

So why…?

Amon swung his sword.

It clashed with Erin’s.

His swordsmanship—taught directly by Duke Hedor—was fast and precise.

It lacked flashiness but was elegant.

The pinnacle of noble swordsmanship.

Even Duke Hedor had acknowledged it.

“You possess the talent to surpass me.”

Amon believed that too.

Among his peers, no one could withstand his blade.

Some could match him—but none could surpass him.

Even Caron, said to be chosen by the sword, achieved through effort what Amon gained with minimal training.

At some point, Amon realized he would grow steadily without much effort.

But now—

He faced a towering mountain.

Erin effortlessly dodged his strikes and countered.

Impossible.

How could she?

His blade grazed her side—but that wasn’t intentional.

If it had been, it wouldn’t have missed.

Amon realized he was getting agitated.

Originally, he had no intention of injuring her.

He just wanted to scare her enough to make her leave the swordsmanship department.

To make her realize her place.

To show her that this was not a world someone like her could endure.

But Erin Ressis mocked his thoughts.

She was overwhelming him.

At the same time, killing intent began to seep into Amon’s blade.

Yet deep down, he knew—

His sword wouldn’t even graze a single strand of her hair.

That was simply impossible.