Chapter 64 - The Ring and the Gauntlet

'So she can make that face, too.'

Galahad murmured to himself as he watched Adrianna.

Adrianna was usually expressionless. Even when something happened, only her eyebrows moved, and even those movements were so slight that Galahad had to look at her head-on to notice.

Now she was glaring fiercely. An outright death glare.

If even Adrianna was giving him a death glare, she had to be quite angry.

The reason was—

"Wasn't this a gift from someone else? Giving it to another person—that is wrong," Adrianna said firmly.

She was angry because he had treated someone else's gift disrespectfully. How very like Adrianna.

As ever, her argument was sound.

Except—

"I never said I was giving it to you."

"...!!"

Adrianna's eyes widened, her glare dissolving.

"You certainly think highly of yourself."

When Galahad clicked his tongue, Adrianna stopped moving. He could no longer hear her breathing.

As she stood frozen, he added, "I mean for you to use it in the duel."

Only then did she let out a deep breath.

Her eyebrows moved again, their inner ends lowering and their outer ends rising. It wasn't a death glare this time.

"A duel is sacred. It should be a contest of swords alone. It is wrong to introduce other factors."

Another sound argument.

Adrianna's face returned to its usual impassiveness, though her cheeks were a little red.

"Is there a rule against wearing rings in a duel?"

"... No."

"Then on what grounds is it wrong?"

Adrianna opened and closed her mouth. Then her brows creased slightly, as though she was thinking hard.

"Wouldn't that be exploiting your opponent's sincere feelings to unsettle her? That is..."

"That is?"

"It isn't against the rules, but..."

"But?"

"..."

Adrianna pressed her lips shut, apparently at a loss for words. Her blue eyes wavered slightly.

"The princess will be wearing one, too. That ring has all sorts of blessings on it. If she wears a ring like that and you don't, wouldn't that be unfair?"

Adrianna's eyebrows twitched violently. At last, she slowly nodded.

"You... have a point."

"Then why refuse?"

"Even so..."

"Even so?"

Adrianna pressed her lips shut.

"As you know, I'm at stake in these duels. If you lose, that princess will drag me away, and there will be nothing I can do about it."

"You seemed to get along well."

"Are you jealous?"

"... Pardon?"

"The princess is a terrible superior. If I go with her, there's a very good chance I'll die."

"What do you mean by that?"

Adrianna's face instantly turned serious.

It was a slight exaggeration, but not a lie.

Instead of answering, Galahad put a cigarette between his lips. Adrianna did not press him.

After a while, she let out a quiet sigh and removed her gauntlet.

"I won't need to use it."

Her pale, slender fingers were covered in calluses. She slipped the ring onto her little finger. It was a little loose.

"It doesn't fit. Put it on your ring finger."

"No."

Her voice was firm.

Faced with another death glare, Galahad cleared his throat softly.

"I won't need to use the ring," Adrianna said in her usual detached voice.

That had nothing to do with what she wanted, but there was no need to point it out.

"Her Highness is asking for you."

Galahad gave Adrianna a nod and walked away.

For a moment, she stared blankly down at her hand. She couldn't understand why she was wearing a ring the princess had given Galahad.

The situation had become rather strange, but she would be wearing her gauntlet anyway. No one would see the ring.

With an inexplicable sense of frustration, Adrianna adjusted her grip on her sword.

* * *

"Everything in the North is shit, but the liquor is quite good."

The princess lounged on a sofa.

It was a rustic northern room, yet her dazzling appearance made it feel like a ballroom in the capital.

Empty bottles littered the floor around her. The room reeked of strong liquor.

Galahad narrowed his eyes and snapped his fingers. A breeze swept away the thick smell of alcohol.

The princess stretched out her legs. There was a long tear down the side of her ornate dress. She had clearly ripped it because it was uncomfortable.

"Why did you come?"

"Didn't I tell you? I wanted to see you."

Galahad frowned at her carefree reply. Such needless nonchalance.

He put a cigarette between his lips. When he lit it, a fragrant lemon scent filled the air.

"Impatient, aren't you?" the princess grumbled quietly, looking at the cigarette.

Galahad ignored her and took a deep drag.

Only then did she sit up properly.

"Challenging the Grand Duke to duels was an idiotic choice."

"It allowed me to see you, so I call it a success."

Her voice was full of sincerity. She truly considered it a success.

Damn her, the princess knew Galahad well. From the moment she gave him that finger, she had become a card he had no choice but to keep alive.

But she had made far too much of a mess.

"This will be difficult to sort out."

"Has my life ever been easy?"

Galahad chuckled softly. The scent of lemon spread.

The princess, a member of the imperial family, had challenged the Grand Duke to duels, however friendly they were meant to be.

If she lost, they would dispose of her on the pretext that he had dared wound a member of the august imperial family.

Even if she won, that would be a problem, too. Galahad had no intention of leaving the North.

A way to resolve that would be...

"Marry the prince of the Barton Kingdom."

The princess's brows furrowed at his words. The atmosphere instantly turned icy.

Unconcerned, Galahad continued.

"With the finger missing, the Third Imperial Prince won't be able to act recklessly. If you marry the prince of the Barton Kingdom, you can thwart his plans."

"A sound proposal. Clever as always."

The princess curled her lips upward. It was a false smile.

The mad princess smiled when she was angry. When she was happy, she cried—

"Very well. But I have a condition."

"I refuse."

Galahad immediately shook his head. He didn't even need to hear it.

"You haven't heard it yet."

"You're going to tell me to become your lover, aren't you?"

"Correct. Become my lover."

The princess pointed a long finger at him.

She knew her own worth very well. Her dazzling looks and her rank as an Imperial Princess—the way to get the highest price for those assets was through a marriage alliance.

For her to offer him a place as her lover meant, in other words, offering herself to him at her highest value.

Sadly, asking him to be her lover was the most romantic thing she could say.

"No. I have a woman I'm going to marry."

"And I have a man I'm going to marry. We are on equal terms."

The fairly sound logic left Galahad momentarily speechless.

Just then, the tip of his cigarette dropped off. The princess gave a small sigh.

"My answer hasn't changed."

"What a stubborn bastard you are."

The princess raised her cup and shook it. Galahad clicked his tongue and snapped his fingers. Liquor rose from the cask beside her and flowed into her cup.

She drained it without pausing, then smiled.

"Perfectly cool. The liquor you pour really is the best."

Galahad stubbed out his spent cigarette. Disappointment crossed the princess's face.

He discarded it and turned away without hesitation.

Watching his cold, retreating back, she spoke.

"If that day came again, I would still choose you."

Just before leaving, Galahad paused.

"Get your words right. You didn't choose me. You failed to trust me."

With that, he left the room.

The princess clicked her tongue. He had vanished without even giving her time to reply.

He was right. That day, she hadn't trusted him.

"That's a little unfair," she murmured.

No one knew better than she did how capable Galahad was.

But—

"Even if it was you, how could I stand by and watch you rebel?"

Alone, the princess laughed aloud.

* * *

'The Third Imperial Prince, the finger, the princess—'

"Well, if it isn't my insolent junior."

A shrill voice broke Galahad's train of thought.

Before him stood a man draped in a white cloak. The white cloak symbolized the White Mage Tower, and the gold embroidery on it marked him as a senior Mage.

He was clearly the Mage Galahad would face in his duel.

"Junior? Have we met?"

The man's face immediately crumpled at Galahad's question.

"Ha. Pretending you don't know me, are you?"

"Sorry, but I don't remember useless things. Since you called me your junior, you must have attended the Imperial Academy. In that case..."

Galahad studied his face. Those sparse eyebrows looked rather familiar.

'Ah, he was one of the crown prince's lackeys.'

Memories of his academy days surfaced for the first time in a while.

When Galahad enrolled, the crown prince had been in his final year. Galahad had only seen him in passing.

The crown prince resented Galahad for breaking his record as the youngest student ever admitted.

Of course, he had never interfered directly. He was a noble member of the imperial family, after all.

He had merely said that Galahad irritated him a little.

His lackeys had then made Galahad's life miserable.

This man had been one of them.

"Ah, you were the fellow who followed the crown prince around. Your name was... Chimpanzee?"

"Bunch! You bastard! You're pretending not to know on purpose."

Bunch gave an oily smile. He behaved more like a thug than a Mage.

"Ah, Bunch. That was it. Though Chimpanzee has a better ring to it. Good to see you."

Galahad extended his hand with practiced ease. Bunch narrowed his eyes and declined to take it.

He was a fairly cautious fellow.

Waving his staff, Bunch smiled.

"Ha, what a wretched fate you have. As though earning His Highness the crown prince's hatred wasn't enough, you've caught the princess's attention, too."

Bunch sniffed and laughed. He seemed to be trying to get under Galahad's skin, but he wasn't wrong.

Galahad readily nodded.

"I agree. It's an exhausting life."

"Your manners have gotten considerably worse. At least you were cute back at the academy."

"Sorry, but I was taller than you even then. Weren't you always rather squat?"

Bunch's staff trembled in his grip. Galahad studied him again.

'A senior Mage of the White Mage Tower...'

The White Mage Tower was prestigious enough to rank among the Four Great Mage Towers.

Skill alone couldn't get someone admitted there. Blood ties mattered, too.

That meant Bunch was a Mage with both ability and a good family.

'He did manage to stay at the crown prince's side, after all.'

The crown prince wasn't a particularly good person, but he was suited to the throne.

He valued talent, which made competition for a place around him fierce. Simply having stood at his side was practically proof of ability.

Of course, he had resented Galahad for breaking his record, but he wasn't alone in that.

Most Mages resented and envied Galahad.

Such was the unavoidable fate of a genius.

In any case, having been at the crown prince's side all but guaranteed Bunch's ability.

He would be a rather difficult opponent.

Then a question suddenly occurred to him. This man had followed the crown prince, so why was he here?

"Aha. Since you've attached yourself to the princess, I take it your ties to the crown prince have been severed?"

"What?! You fucking bastard..."

Galahad clicked his tongue softly at Bunch's anger. He had asked politely.

"You still lack refinement."

Just then, familiar music sounded. The noisy surroundings instantly fell silent.

As the music swelled, a woman in red slowly ascended.

It was the princess in her dress.

She strode freely, seemingly untouched by the stares pouring in from every direction.

At her appearance, Bunch edged away.

"I'll teach you some manners later. I'll remind you of your academy days."

"Your threats are as unoriginal as your magic."

"You...!"

When the princess's gaze settled on Galahad, Bunch edged farther away.

The princess naturally made her way to the highest seat. She reclined in the enormous chair and gestured. A knight brought her a cup.

Then a horn blared harshly. Instead of cheering, the knights stamped their feet.

THUD!

Amid the stamping came heavy footsteps.

The Grand Duke.

At his appearance, silence fell instantly. Everyone watched him carefully.

He then ascended on the side opposite the princess.

Adrianna approached Galahad. Sweat covered her forehead; she seemed to have been practicing with her sword until moments ago.

A true knight.

"Do you know him?" she asked, pointing at Bunch in the distance.

Galahad nodded.

"We went to the same academy."

"Ah, I see."

"The ring?"

At his question, Adrianna hesitated briefly before nodding.

"Which hand?"

"Pardon? My right."

She waved her right hand. The gauntlet hid the ring from view.

Galahad glanced aside. He could see the princess looking down from above.

Her gaze was fixed on him.

Faced with those large red eyes, Galahad said—

"Give me your hand."

"... Pardon?"

"Ah, leave the gauntlet on. Hurry."

At his urging, Adrianna held out her hand.

She was wearing a gauntlet, but that probably wouldn't matter much.

Galahad laid his hand on hers. Through the cool metal, he felt a faint warmth.

Adrianna's eyes widened. She hurriedly tried to pull her hand away.

Galahad chided her quietly.

"Hold still. This is necessary."

She froze in place, as though she had broken down.

Galahad stole a look at the princess.

She was smiling very broadly.

'That did it.'

He rubbed his chilly neck.

Then he felt another gaze on him.

He turned his head and gave a slight start.

A high-ranking demon-beast was glaring at him.

No, on closer inspection, it was the Grand Duke.

The Grand Duke was glaring at Galahad.

This time, even Galahad had no choice but to avert his eyes.

He did not let go of her hand, though.

It was necessary, after all—

THUMP.

'Low-grade egg, hold still.'

The Egg of agony trembled in protest.

* * *

'Why am I the one officiating—'

Theodore, who had been put in charge of the duels, rubbed his dry throat.

'The order is... Liam, Galahad, then Adrianna?'

Originally, it had been Galahad, Liam, then Adrianna, but Liam had asked to go first.

He had insisted he would take the lead and give them the momentum.

The order had been changed at his request.

Adrianna's opponent was the princess. Ideally, things wouldn't reach Adrianna's match.

'It would be best if Liam and Galahad settled this cleanly.'

Liam's ability went without saying. Galahad worried him, but considering he had even slain a Demon, surely he couldn't lose.

If both of them won, there would be no need for Adrianna to fight. Nothing good would come of getting entangled with an imperial princess.

Theodore looked toward the Grand Duke for a signal.

The Grand Duke's gaze was fixed elsewhere.

Following it, Theodore was mildly horrified. Galahad and Adrianna were openly holding hands.

No, to be precise, it looked as though Adrianna's hand had been seized.

Galahad sat there at ease.

'He really has remarkable nerve.'

Even with her gauntlet on, holding Adrianna's hand in front of the Grand Duke... Theodore was genuinely impressed by his insane courage.

The Grand Duke's shoulders began to shift.

If Theodore did nothing, he was certain the Grand Duke would rip Galahad's head off.

He hurriedly spoke.

"Now, for the first duel—"

"I will go first."

An icy voice sounded from somewhere.

Theodore turned to see the princess standing.

Her air had changed. Her red hair fanned out like claws, and her eyes curved in lovely arcs.

It was an extravagant smile, yet strangely chilling.

Before he knew it, she stood in the center. An imperial knight hurried up and handed her a sword.

It was an ornately decorated rapier.

"Come forward."

She pointed it at Adrianna, her voice full of laughter.

Adrianna, singled out, was still frozen.

"Adrianna, she's calling you."

When Galahad released her hand, Adrianna blinked.

Coming to her senses at last, she rose and walked to the center.

Facing the princess, she let out a deep breath.

Her usual impassive expression returned.

Unlike the heavily armored Adrianna, the princess was wearing a dress.

"Will you not wear armor?"

At Adrianna's question, the princess's lips curled upward.

"There is no need. Your sword will never touch me."

"Then I cannot proceed with the duel."

As Adrianna spoke seriously, the princess's eyes curved still further.

"How tiresome."

The princess seized her dress at the neckline and tore it apart.

Theodore started at her outrageous behavior.

Beneath the torn dress was armor—gleaming red armor.

It clung tightly to her body, like the skin of a reptile.

'But the order...'

Theodore screamed inwardly at the sudden disruption.

Both combatants were already out there. He had no choice but to proceed.

He gestured to one side.

The soldier with the horn to his lips nodded emphatically.

A harsh blast of the horn announced the start of the duel.

At that very instant, the princess moved.

No, she vanished.

CLANG!

Only afterward did the sharp sound ring out.

Their swords were already crossed.

"Left side, one point."

At the long mark etched into her gauntlet, and the princess's ever-deepening smile, Adrianna felt a surge of urgency.