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chapter 62
What should I do?
That kind of demand was troublesome.
Fight with full strength, like before…?
The thing is—I’ve never once gone all out.
Even I can’t imagine what would happen if I truly unleashed my full power.
Maybe I could split the ocean in two.
“Escleef?”
“…Yeah.”
Still, I wanted to stay on good terms with her—the future Duchess of Luxelroad.
So for now, the only choice was to nod and pretend to agree.
I hid my composure behind a feigned look of tension.
Pretending.
A circular magic circle shimmered to life above my palm.
“…!”
Asphodel, seeing that, immediately began casting as well.
Of course, my magic circle was fake.
Just an illusion.
It had nothing to do with actual spellcraft.
“πάγο δόρυ.”
Completely deceived, Asphodel summoned a sharp ice spear into the air.
And I—
[Current (A)]
Crackle—clang!
With just a lift of my hand, every one of her attacks shattered into pieces.
Hmm.
I expected her to panic, but instead, Asphodel calmly moved on to her next spell.
Another attack came flying.
But somehow—
There’s no tension.
Crash!
The moment I clenched my fist, her magic formations broke apart in midair.
And that wasn’t all.
“What—!”
A blade of wind aimed cleverly at my back and above.
A pool of water forming beneath my feet.
She had truly prepared to strike from every angle.
Too bad for her—none of her magic survived.
This time, her composure finally cracked. She stretched her hand out again, trying to redraw a formation in the air, but—
I was already there.
Sliding through the air, I caught her wrist before she could finish the spell.
Then, in an even voice, I said—
“Checkmate.”
Asphodel’s pupils trembled.
“Still unbelievable skill,”
murmured Claude, who had been watching Canis and Asphodel’s duel.
No one disagreed.
This time, Canis had faced Asphodel Luxelroad—
A member of a noble house famed for producing swordmasters every few generations, just as the Escleefs produced magical prodigies.
But this generation’s Luxelroad was a little different.
Instead of following the knightly path of her grandmother and mother, Asphodel had chosen to become a mage.
A choice rarely accepted in a family that prized tradition.
Yet the Duke of Luxelroad had no choice but to respect his daughter’s decision—
Because her talent was simply too dazzling.
Water and wind.
Even a gifted mage could barely handle two attributes at once.
Even Claude—hailed as a genius second only to the Crown Prince—was deeply specialized in only one.
But Asphodel was born with mastery over both elements, freely blending them to create an entirely new attribute—ice.
It’s true, Claude admitted inwardly. Fighting Luxelroad is exhausting. It’d take me at least thirty minutes.
So yes—he acknowledged it.
No, to be honest, last time was already close.
Asphodel Luxelroad, fifth in the entire Department of Magic, was strong enough that even Claude couldn’t guarantee an easy victory.
For Canis to subdue her so easily…
That kind of strength was terrifying.
Challenging her head-on would be suicide.
But that didn’t mean Claude accepted defeat.
If your opponent’s absurdly strong,
then you just have to use a few tricks.
Claude’s lips curled upward.
As long as you win—it doesn’t matter how.
[Match over! Winner: Canis Escleef!]
The announcer’s voice rang out.
Claude rose from his seat.
“Well then… time to get ready.”
Ready to drive a dagger into that overconfident woman.
[Match over! Winner: Canis Escleef!]
…Ah, it’s over.
Asphodel thought blankly as Canis still held her wrist.
I didn’t expect the gap to be this big.
Canis’s face hovered only centimeters away.
While she herself was drenched in sweat from constant casting, Canis looked utterly untouched.
Her breathing, her movements, even her expression—completely steady.
It was as if she’d gone for a casual stroll, not a duel.
How pathetic must I look to Escleef right now…
Asphodel mocked herself bitterly.
She had always looked down on Canis.
Even knowing how much her beloved mother worried about and missed her niece—
Even knowing the miserable circumstances that girl had endured—
Even when Canis had once reached out for help—
Asphodel had turned away.
She hadn’t wanted to get involved.
It would’ve been… troublesome.
No, not just troublesome.
Why does she even bother studying magic, Asphodel used to think.
She could’ve gone into politics like the other nobles with no mana. She’d be pampered there.
Why come here to suffer?
That ingrained elitism as a mage—that quiet arrogance—was what had made her dismiss Canis.
And now?
The girl she had scorned for nearly four years stood above her.
Just because she had no magic.
So yes, it was only right to throw away whatever flicker of fondness she might’ve felt now.
Canis would only find it insulting.
“I lost, Escleef.”
Asphodel’s voice was calm, almost resigned.
She’ll laugh at me, Asphodel thought.
Canis hadn’t spoken a word until now.
If someone who always finished her matches swiftly had taken the time to silence her opponent with a clean victory, that alone showed how little she thought of her.
What will she say?
A rebuke for ignoring her all this time?
A sneer at the sudden interest after awakening her mana?
Or maybe she wouldn’t say anything—just flash that cold, sinister smile she’d worn in her first match.
But then, Canis spoke.
“Canis.”
Her own name.
“…?”
The unexpected response left Asphodel confused.
When she looked up, Canis’s face was still close—
Sharp eyes.
Defined eyelids.
Thin, tight lips.
She’d never been this close before, and realized—without expression, Canis’s face was actually intimidating.
But then, that expression softened.
Because Canis smiled.
“Call me Canis.”
Her tone was gentle.
And when she smiled like that—she was beautiful.
Beautiful enough to disarm a person completely.
Asphodel’s body stiffened involuntarily.
“Why should I? We’re nothing to each other.”
The words came out sharper than intended. She regretted them instantly.
Nothing? We’re cousins! Family!
But remorse in her head wouldn’t reach the other’s heart.
Damn it…
If it had been anyone else, maybe.
But Canis—who’d learned to read people from a lifetime of surviving among those above her—saw right through the expression on Asphodel’s face.
Easier than I thought, Canis mused.
That alone was enough for her to seize emotional control.
“Nothing to each other? We’re cousins, aren’t we?”
And Canis was the kind of person who would use that advantage to the fullest.
With a deliberately soft smile, she pulled the half-collapsed Asphodel back to her feet.
“So let’s call each other by name.”
“That’s…”
“Asphodel.”
That final word—like a nail driven in—made Asphodel snap her head away.
“A-all right. Fine… whatever you say.”
And, in a voice barely above a whisper, she added—
“…Canis.”
Perfect.
Returning to the stands, I smiled in satisfaction.
I’ve got the future Duchess of Luxelroad in my hand.
From what I’d learned, the Escleefs and Luxelroads had been rivals for generations.
Two of the Empire’s greatest houses, right behind the royal family itself—
one known for knights, the other for mages.
Their opposite professions and inherited grudges had fueled that rivalry for centuries.
To resolve it, the current generation had arranged a political marriage.
Didn’t work out so well, though.
My father, Duke Winter Escleef, had despised his Luxelroad-born wife.
Even during their marriage, he flaunted his affairs—and the moment she died, he wasted no time marrying Helena in her place.
So for me, his eldest daughter, there were two choices.
One: crush the Luxelroads completely.
Two: use my bloodline to befriend their heir.
I’d chosen the latter.
Sure, with my power I could’ve managed the former too—but I didn’t want to become some blood-soaked tyrant.
I wanted to rule with calculation, not carnage.
The only worry had been whether she’d play along—
“Seems things went better than expected.”
Maybe it was her age. Twenty.
Not that I was that much older—just five years.
But as someone raised in luxury versus someone who’d crawled up from the bottom, our experiences couldn’t be more different.
Now that one major issue was settled—
I could finally focus on the real priority: launching my new business.
At least, that was the plan—
Until—
“…!”
A large hand suddenly reached out from behind me.
