Chapter 13: The Swordsmanship Prodigy Saintess

Saintess (4)

1.

“Duel.”

It was a straightforward method I had relied on for a long time.

If someone wouldn't listen to words, then make them listen through strength.

You could call it brute force, sure. But I'm a brute, so it suits me.

“A duel, you say?”

Leode blinked, as if he thought he'd misheard me.

To make it clear he hadn’t, I repeated it again.

“Yes, a duel. If I win, you leave obediently. If I lose, I’ll become your Saintess, or at least a Saintess candidate.”

I stretched my arms up high to loosen up.

“Nnggh… Phew… So, what do you say?”

I looked at Leode while rolling my shoulders.

“And what kind of duel are you referring to?”

“What else would it be?”

I picked up a tree branch to serve as a sword.

“There’s only one kind.”

I lifted it upright like a sword.

As a holy knight, his swordsmanship was guaranteed.

Although all the knights of the Papal State were called holy knights,

Being entrusted directly by the Pope meant he was one of the Five Holy Knights of the Papal State.

In other words, one of the top five most skilled knights in the entire state.

There was no one like him in my memory.

Naturally, I had known all five Holy Knights.

I had crossed swords with them, even shared drinks.

So seeing an unfamiliar face meant one thing:

The Five Holy Knights had been restructured.

Makes sense.

When stronger people emerge, the old must step down.

Generations change over time.

“I understand what you’re saying.”

Leode picked up the veil that had fallen at his feet.

He brushed off the dirt on the veil.

He approached and placed the veil back on my head.

“Thank you.”

He suddenly offered his gratitude.

“For agreeing to come with me to the Papal State.”

I scoffed in disbelief.

“And how do you figure that?”

Leode gently pressed down on the tip of the branch I was holding up with his palm.

“There’s no need to duel to see the outcome.”

“Is that arrogance?”

“It’s not arrogance, I’m just stating a fact. I’m a Holy Knight, and Lady Elia is a novice nun at a convent. Anyone could predict the outcome of this duel.”

“You might be surprised at my skill.”

“You have good posture. I can tell you’ve trained hard to join the Imperial Army, just from the way you hold that branch. But I doubt your skills are anything to be surprised about.”

Hah…

This guy must have poor eyesight.

Never in my life as the Sword Saint had I heard such words.

“I’ll give you sword lessons once a week on the weekends. And during the week, you can focus on your theology studies.”

…Hoh.

He plans to teach the Sword Saint?

Really, I couldn’t help but laugh.

It was clear now—Leode had no intention of dueling me.

Well, I couldn’t blame him.

Even I might have turned down a duel if it were some dull-looking nun challenging me.

Then again… no.

Come to think of it, I’d never once refused a duel.

No matter who the opponent was—

If someone picked up a sword and challenged me, I always accepted.

Sometimes, I even discovered talent in unexpected kids that way.

I hadn’t planned to use this method, but it seemed I had no choice.

So… I used the magic that forces a duel to happen.

“Are you chickening out?”

Leode let out a long sigh.

“You’re backing off because you think you’ll lose, right?”

“That’s not it.”

“Totally scared, yep. Absolutely terrified.”

“That’s not it.”

“Fine. I’ll fight you with one hand, just for you. That should make it fair, right?”

I offered a magnanimous smile.

“…Very well,” he said, sighing deeply and nodding.

His expression screamed, what a hassle.

He didn’t respond with emotion, but the taunt definitely got to him.

“You’d better keep your word. If I win, you have to accompany me without complaint.”

“I swear to the Celestial God.”

I placed my hand over my chest and made the vow.

As a Holy Knight, he should understand what that meant.

For someone in sacred service, to break this oath was akin to throwing oneself into the underworld.

“Shall we begin?”

“Let’s.”

Leode raised both fists.

Seeing that, I lowered the branch with a disappointed look.

“What are you doing?”

“Is there a problem?”

“Your sword! Get your sword out!”

“I’m not the kind of cruel person who would draw a blade against someone holding a twig.”

“Oh, so now it’s arrogance?”

“No, this is consideration.”

He was completely looking down on me.

Now I really want to meet his master.

What kind of clown taught him swordsmanship if this is how he behaves as a swordsman?

A real swordsman matches their opponent.

It was courtesy to respond in kind when the opponent drew their sword.

Okay, sure, mine isn’t technically a sword.

But he could at least pick up a stick himself.

“If I so much as draw my sword, it's Lady Elia's victory. If you forfeit mid-fight, it's my victory.”

“Fine.”

If the opponent didn't intend to be serious, I had no choice but to make them serious.

If he wasn’t going to get serious, I’d make him get serious.

*

2.

I have no idea where all that confidence comes from.

Leode watched Elia.

The way she held her stick—it was honestly excellent form.

Her frame was full of apparent openings, and yet… it didn’t feel like there were any.

But good posture didn’t mean good swordsmanship.

Leord was by no means looking down on Elia.

He just couldn’t feel anything from her that suggested she was a true swordsman.

Although as a priest, she exuded a solemn dignity.

But Elia clearly believed she was being looked down on.

“I’ll let you make the first move.”

“You’ll regret that.”

Leode simply nodded.

Seriously, what kind of confidence is that?

“Alright then. I won’t hold back.”

Elia gripped her branch tightly.

She inhaled deeply.

The instant her breath disappeared, her crimson eyes flashed.

“…Huh?”

The atmosphere… changed?

A chilling pressure crept across Leode’s skin.

That delicate face of the girl had transformed into that of a swordsman.

It was as if she had removed a mask.

By the time he realized that, it was already too late.

"Hmph...!"

With a single light step, Elia’s body shot forward.

Her crimson eyes carved sharp lines through space.

Though she still held nothing more than a dry tree branch, in Leode’s eyes, it momentarily looked like a razor-sharp rapier.

Its tip was aimed directly at his neck.

At this rate, he would be stabbed.

If he failed to react in time, his neck would be skewered clean through like a roasted skewer.

And in Elia’s eyes—there was no intention of stopping.

"Kuh…!"

Leode instantly drew his sword.

Just as he raised it to block, Elia’s figure vanished.

She had lowered her posture and ducked beneath his guard.

"Urgh!"

Elia kicked his ankle.

It landed with the weight of an iron hammer.

Leode’s body tilted sideways.

He tried to recover his balance before he hit the ground, but Elia had already moved to pin him down.

–Thud!

Leode crashed to the ground.

Elia mounted him immediately.

At the same time, a twig halted right in front of his eyes.

"I told you you'd regret it."

Elia smiled sweetly.

Gulp.

Leode swallowed hard.

It all happened so quickly that he was stunned.

Not because he couldn’t react, but because he hadn’t expected it.

He’d made a critical mistake by failing to assess his opponent properly.

He never imagined she'd possess this level of skill.

He had been caught off guard.

"You drew your sword, didn’t you?"

Leord's right hand was holding his sword.

"I won. So now, go back quietly."

Elia casually tossed the twig aside.

Pressing a hand against his chest, she rose up from her spot.

The soft, squishy weight that had been gently pressing on his stomach lifted away.

"And another thing…"

As Elia turned to head back to the convent, she glanced over her shoulder at Leode, who still lay stunned on the ground.

"Where did you learn your manners?"

She sternly scolded him.

"You say it was consideration, but if someone challenges you to a duel seriously, isn’t it a swordsman’s duty to respond with the same sincerity?"

Elia shook her head.

"To think that someone who lacks even the basics is one of the five Holy Knights of the Papal State. I don’t feel like entertaining requests from someone like that. And even less from the person who sent someone like that."

That was a message to the Pope.

In other words, Elia was firmly refusing to become a Saintess or even a Saintess candidate.

"I already healed the bruise on your ankle, by the way."

The injury comes from her kick at his ankle just moments ago.

She had treated the injury the moment she’d pinned him.

"Get home safe."

She bowed politely and walked out of the forest.

Leord stared blankly at her receding figure.

It felt like he’d been struck hard in the head.

Just what was that girl…?

She had more than enough qualifications to be a Saintess.

The fact that she’d already healed him mid-battle proved her ability to freely wield divine power.

But in the body of that saintly girl… lived a warrior god.

That wasn’t a bad thing.

After all, the failure to protect herself was what had left the seat of Saintess vacant in the first place.

"Hah…"

He exhaled roughly.

He felt humiliated.

Above all else, who had he dared to act so arrogant toward?

He didn't intend to, but that's how it turned out.

He wasn't wounded.

Nothing hurt.

But Leode felt like he had suffered a critical blow.

He couldn’t even bring himself to get up from his spot.

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