Chapter 166

What about Caelion?

She knew most of the Empire’s important characters like a palm.

Caelion had a cold side, but he was never a man who enjoyed other people’s suffering.

Of course, even if one died of misfortune, it wouldn’t be bad to spend a little more time with someone she liked.

Evangeline’s gaze turned toward the sword he had put down.

“If your Highness is afraid to fight with me——”

Caelion spoke as if to provoke Paris but Evangeline was faster.

“What the—-”

She finally had enough of staring at Caelion so she swung her sword at him without waiting for the referee’s signal.

*CHING*

“Eh? The battle between His Highness, the Grand Duke of Ephinhardt, and Evangelin Riette, the Princess of Rajan, had started!”

The referee unconsciously declared the match between the two.

Paris’ face crumpled further before he took a couple of steps back.

*CHING*

As expected, Caelion simply struck against her sword.

*CHING*

*CHING*

“What?”

Then, in three sums, Caelion reached out and took her sword away.

Evangeline intended to give him a great performance through the sneak attack, but she lost the game before she could do it.

* * *

A knight, who was observing the referee before glancing at Paris, murmured. “The Grand Duke had triumphed!”

Some of the onlookers were already cheering for Caelion.

“Am I the winner now? Or should I fight with His Highness next?” Caelion asked sarcastically.

As his vice commander-in-chief, he had the utmost respect for Paris, the commander-in-chief, in the battlefield.

However, today was different.

Gareth, who was looking around, walked forward as if to say something.

“That insolent——”

“Will you be the next challenger, Duke Gareth?”

Caelion swung the sword at him once, hitting his shin.

“Ugh!”

He couldn’t even release a proper shout before he collapsed.

“What? What are you doing? I’m not participating in the competition——”

Gareth protested, but Caelion simply cut him off.

“If you don’t want to participate, shouldn’t you not approach the stadium?”

“Everyone, get out of the way!” Paris said, breathing heavily.

His eyes were burning with anger.

“All right. Fight me. You’d better be prepared.”

As Caelion took a deep breath, the wary umpire announced the start of the duel.

AHHHH!

*CHING*

*CHING*

The two men’s swords sliced the air repeatedly at such a speed that everyone could barely see.

At this rate, they wouldn’t even know if someone got hit or dropped their sword.

Paris was the one pushing for it, but Caelion was not easily pushed back.

“Don’t retreat like a coward and start attacking!”

*CLANG*

Paris parried his sword furiously while Caelion kept dodging it with gritted teeth.

The duel was fierce.

After stepping back for a while, he remembered Apollonia’s advice to go for offense.

“Come! Come!”

Narrowly avoiding Caelion’s stabbing sword, Paris fired his right foot at Caelion.

*PUCK*

The attack finally went in for the first time.

Caelion retreated, clutching his stomach which Paris had just kicked.

“Don’t ever let me think you’re going easy on me.”

Paris pointed the sword at him again without a break.

But this time, Caelion had faster reflexes.

*CLANG*

Caelion tackled Paris with all of his weight.

Still, both quickly recovered, straightening their swords and postures.

The breath-taking match lasted more than ten minutes.

Soon, Paris and Caelion’s shirts were covered with sweat.

*CHING*

As they took deep breaths for a while, Caelion’s sword flew towards Paris’ and landed at the center of the arena.

“Wow! His Highness, the Crown Prince, had won!”

At the onlooker’s applause, Paris cheered with a heavy breath.

He was truly the strongest swordsman in the continent.

“Did you see that?”

Gareth and Paris’ exciting entourage surrounded him, shouting in triumph.

“The crown prince is different!”

“Of course! Aristocrats with distant lineage compared to people with direct lineage in the royal family are poles apart.”

Only one person in the crowd, Evangeline, was staring at Caelion with narrowed eyes.

She looked suspicious.

Once again, he was convinced of her identity.

“Let’s try acting.”

Caelion sighed deeply as he recalled Apollonia’s words.

The acting wasn’t something he liked because he was terrible at it.

He hated this kind of acting even more but what can he do if he already promised her that he would follow through?

“I’m begging you again, Your Highness.”

Caelion’s quiet words were still heard from the Knights’ cheers.

“What?”

“I’m asking for another match.”