17.1

As she moved through the crowd in her deathtrap dress with more lace and ruffles than a legion, Eve glanced around at the banquet hall. The entire place was done in white marble or a copy. The deep redwood stairwell shone with the luster of countless servants’ work. While the hall was tiled stone, it had been worked by earth magic to prevent falls. Carpeted open doorways led off to deeper parts of the castle, one of which was the kitchen. Servants, guards, and nobles mingled in glittering cliques.

One such clique had just had an altercation, and Eve followed Charlotte as she moved to intervene. High-speed mental communication followed as soon as the circle of onlookers was breached. Taking the situation in at a glance, it looked like nothing more than a young man’s folly gone astray.

The young man is an associate of my father. Charlotte sent it without a pre-amble.

Oh? Should I interfere or? Eve replied. Currently, the situation is spiraling further out of control. The sound that had drawn onlookers’ attention was a slap. Now it looked like the young lady in question would move from physical violence to humiliation. If the white fingers clenching her wine flute indicated, it would be a splash of grape goblet delight.

No, I do not give aid without gaining something in return. Charlotte said in an emotionless tone.

Do you want support from one or both of them? Eve said slyly.

Both. Charlotte affirmed. The younger woman flung her flute of wine out, staining the young man's clothing. Eve was impressed at the young man’s ability to control his temper. He was either wildly in love or incredibly disciplined.

Will he let that go, or is this the start of a duel? Eve questioned.

A duel. Williams is besotted, but even his patience has limits. Charlotte replied as the young man took out a light cloth glove and slapped the younger woman. It was clear the blow was more delicate than a feather as the young lady suffered only shock on her face and not pain.

Oh my, how cute! Eve said. She had been reading the body language of both parties for the last two minutes, and it was fascinating. The young lady was very into the man and vice versa. However, she suspected there was probably a bit of Romeo and Juliet at play. From the position of the people who had similar facial features, it was clear. The two families were not friendly in any way, shape, or form.

Ah, there is my cue. Charlotte said as she stood to hug the younger woman protectively before saying, “William, how could you strike Raven? You know she doesn’t have anyone to answer such a challenge.”

William blushed before standing straighter in his military dress uniform of crisp white with a gold braid. “She started it. I was only following propriety. Besides, why do you involve yourself in a private matter, Charlotte?”

Charlotte’s eyes grew colder as she said, “Raven is a good friend of the family. How could I stand by as Heir and allow such an ally of my house to suffer?”

Nice one. Eve said, impressed. The matter had turned from a private dispute into the Heir of Zienfer protecting her own.

William’s expression darkened as an older gentleman who was his father strode up to say, “Surely a dispute between the younger generation should be solved by the younger generation. My son will stand by his challenge, and I will serve as his second. Let us resolve this according to the old rules. You do remember those, Heir Charlotte, don’t you?”

Charlotte’s expression smoothed into a blank political mask as she said, “I have no skill in martial combat. I will select my handmaiden, Eve, to represent me. My second will, of course, be Uncle Ralph.”

Unseen, Ralph had appeared directly in Charlotte’s shadow. It placed him across from William’s father by no coincidence. Each of the older generations looked at the other before turning their attention back to the children. Eve couldn’t decipher their communication, but she didn’t care either.

“Mistress, I’m slightly tipsy,” Eve said, playing up the words with another drink of her wine flute. She noticed a flicker of interest in all parties as it didn’t drain empty no matter how much she consumed.

“Fielding a witch, Charlotte? How petty.” William’s father said with a sneer.

“She doesn’t need magic to beat a drunk boor.” Charlotte fired back.

William’s father smirked as he said, “Then you won’t have trouble if we set up an anti-magic zone for the fight, right?”

“Why would I be concerned? Your son’s vaunted skill with the sword is probably a massive exaggeration.” Charlotte said with a thin smile.

Eve didn’t know precisely what the barb had been, but the inhaled gasp of the onlookers told her it was pretty potent.

Sword skill? Eve questioned Charlotte.

Do you know how men describe their third leg? It was a blow that struck both ego and parts lower in the same attack. Charlotte said with a sadistic tone.

Oh. Ooooh. Eve responded as she blinked and downed another barrel’s worth of her wine flute. Too bad becoming tipsy was almost impossible without the physical makeup and genetics to make it happen.

He’ll probably use a rapier. Charlotte said. True to form, the younger William immediately challenged Eve to a duel with rapiers.

I’ve never used a rapier in my life. Eve said, enjoying the slight flinch that Charlotte displayed.

Will you be ok? Charlotte responded.

A sword is a sword. Eve replied.

I fail to grasp the implication. Charlotte said as Eve took an offered rapier from one of the onlookers vying for the Heir’s favor.

I am not a master of the rapier. Eve said as she moved to the circle drawn by several mages. A look at the runes deciphered their clear meaning to prevent the use of mana within their boundaries. I am a Mistress of the Sword. The tool's shape has no more bearing on my ability than the size. What I master is not the shape. It is the essence, the soul, the fundamental Law written within Reality’s boundaries.

So, you’re saying you’ll be good, right? Charlotte said as both Eve and William saluted each other.

I will not be good. I will be excellent. Besides, if things aren’t working out, I’ll cheat. Eve replied with an eye roll at Charlotte.

That’s what I want to hear. If you aren’t cheating, you are probably sandbagging. Charlotte said.

“I hesitate to mention this, but you are still holding your wine flute,” William said, glancing at the item in question.

“Don’t worry. If you can wound me or make me drop my glass, I’ll consider it your win, mister. What is the condition for winning for me?” Eve said in a cutesy voice that fit her current shapeshifted form.

“If you can render me unable to fight, it will be your win. The healers can take care of almost anything, I expect.” William said with the casual arrogance of someone who had no clue how hard healing was. She nodded acceptance and took a position of defense.

William shrugged and went for a primary thrust probing at Eve’s defenses. She dodged to the side and took a measured slice at the younger man. He responded in kind, and the complex dance was on.

Eve deflected a high slice with the flat of her blade before closing in to throw the liquid in her wine flute at William’s eyes. The young man responded adroitly, leaping back before lunging forward again with lightning speed while avoiding the puddle of liquid.

William hit only empty air as Eve did the splits in her modified gown effortlessly. She wasn’t going to let the deathtrap dress spell her end in this place!

There was a flurry of thrusts and slices back and forth as Eve utilized Eternal Memory to the fullest. Onlookers started to notice how rapidly she was improving. She quickly learned the inherent patterns in its use, from being unable to fight with the toothpick blade to properly wielding it.

Gradually the knowledge she acquired melded with her assembled skill in the sword as Learn deciphered the weapon’s potential. At that point, Eve knew that the fight was finished unless William was secretly an isekai protagonist from another world.

I can end this at any time. Eve told Charlotte after several minutes of combat had passed.

Drag it out. Bleed him out. Make it clear that he is no match for you; by extension, his faction is no match for me. Charlotte said ruthlessly.

Understood. Eve replied as she started to go on a blitz offense. Her blade moved high, low, cut, and thrust with seamless strikes that blurred into brutal artwork. A deep spark of joy lit as she realized the young man understood that he was no longer in a superior position. Eve could track the moment he grasped that she had deciphered his entire school of fighting.

As the realization forced the reality upon him, William’s attacks grew more desperate. He abandoned defense dedicating everything to landing a blow. Eve turned herself into a ripple of wind, moving like a gorgeous, lethal set piece. Her motions were varied and contained a profound insight. She could see out of her eye as many of the bodyguards now paid close attention to the fight.

Professionals always recognize each other. Eve thought as she dodged another blow.

Eve had followed Charlotte’s bidding, and William was now hosting to countless wounds. The once-white military dress uniform was stained with rust red. She hadn’t landed a single clean strike, instead going for the death of a hundred minor lesser wounds.

Step back, turn so that your back is to him and say something dramatic and humiliating, please. Charlotte said.

Eve took a long drag from her wine flute as one eye-tracked the young man, who was now breathing heavily. She finished her draught and said in a bored tone, “Ah, I was expecting a challenge. How boring. Weaklings are weak.” There was a moment of silence before she turned to walk out of the circle. Her senses let her track the young man as he screamed a desperate rage before speeding towards her at triple his previous speed.

Eve responded with mechanical precision turning and thrusting her blade an inch from the young man’s heart.

I’m holding him alive, but you might want to speed this up. Eve sent it to Charlotte. At the same time, she held a shocked expression on her face as if she couldn’t believe what she had done.

“Healers!” Charlotte shouted as William dropped to the ground.

“M-Mistress, he took me completely by surprise! I’m so sorry. I responded as trained.” Eve said as false tears pooled in her eyes. She’d let the sword go as if it were a viper, dropping it to the floor in horror.

Charlotte strode over from where she had been standing with William’s father and Ralph. It was clear from her mental tone she was thrilled with the outcome.

“It's fine, Eve. You can’t be expected to see someone striking with the signature skill of their family from behind,” Charlotte said, pretending to console her handmaiden. Excellent work, you evil demon. Both families are indebted to me now.

Was this all a plot from the very beginning? Eve said, taking a long draw from her wine flute as if calming her nerves with shaking hands. She noticed that William’s father was about to say something before he looked at the floor.

Duh, outside the circle, idiot. Eve thought with an inner grin. You are wondering how the wine flute was still working inside the ring.

No. You wound me with such suspicion. How could I have calculated that the two most vigorous opponents to my ascension would be on hand? Do you think I did something like send letters weeks in advance to make sure they arrived? Charlotte replied with the same tone she would use to boil water.

Yes? I mean, that’s exactly what I would expect. Also, I bet you smuggled the two star-crossed lovers in. Bonus points if you spiked their drinks. Eve replied as her suspicions were confirmed.

All’s well that ends well for me. Charlotte said airily as she started consoling Raven’s tearful sobs.

Eve rolled her eyes and took another drink. As she glanced around, she saw Duke Zienfer staring at her with a distraught expression. Behind him was a woman that displayed evident rage in her eyes. She shrugged. It wasn’t like they were her problem.