My lady determines the winner
"Wow, these dishes are all poisoned..."
As the tournament approached its exciting climax, Maria, who had triumphed over numerous adversaries, had now secured her place in the finals. She found herself in the competitors' lounge.
A variety of meals had been laid out for the fighters who had bravely battled their way through the competition. However, the food remained untouched, sitting on the table, as a young boy meticulously examined the plates. He then turned to Maria.
"Thanks for spotting this, Gino."
Gino responded with a shy grin, saying, "Hehe... I'd do anything for Maria..."
Maria, while affectionately acknowledging the young boy, couldn't help but feel that the outcome was somewhat expected.
"However, does this mean that most of the prepared food is poisoned?"
"Yes, it was a good idea to prepare here in advance."
"To go this far just to win..."
Albert and Julius, members of Maria's harem, looked serious when they heard the news. It was clear that Isabella, who would face Maria in the final, was behind this scheme. Throughout the tournament, Isabella's opponents had all suffered unusual and orchestrated losses. While some could be explained by bad luck or weaker opponents, others were formidable fighters Isabella defeated with ease.
It was evident that she had advanced through unsavory tactics like bribery and threats. However, those tricks wouldn't work on Maria, who was protected by the princes. So, Isabella had resorted to using poison to eliminate her competition.
Nevertheless, Maria had foreseen this move. Thanks to Gino's detection magic, they had identified the underhanded poison. Now, Isabella had no choice but to face Maria with her skills alone, without any tricks.
In a fair fight, there was no chance Maria, who understood this world better than anyone, could lose. With confidence in her victory, Maria wore a wicked smile in a place unseen by the princes.
(Enjoy your overconfidence while it lasts. Today will be your last.)
This sentence was a message to Isabella, delivered with an evil grin.
◇◆◇◆
"I'm sorry, Milady. It seems that all the poison we prepared has been dealt with," I reported to Milady in the corridor of the arena, bowing my head to apologize for our failed mission.
This time was different from her previous opponents. Lady Maria was proving to be a challenging adversary. She was always surrounded by her protectors, making it difficult to approach her for negotiations.
Our attempts to poison her had also failed. If we wanted to achieve our goals, it seemed we'd need to resort to more forceful methods. However, considering Milady's status as a Duke's daughter and the scrutiny of the royal family and other noble houses during this tournament, using such measures would undoubtedly lead to serious consequences.
We had reached a point where there were no more viable options.
"I understand. Well, there's nothing to be done," Milady responded in a surprisingly nonchalant manner.
Considering her strong determination to win and her antagonistic stance toward Lady Maria, her reaction caught me off guard.
"Do you think I, Crow, would lose to that little girl?" Milady smiled confidently, as if she could read my thoughts, and her expression made it clear she had no doubts about her victory.
"No, nothing of the sort."
"Then watch. I'll beat that woman to a pulp and win."
Of course, I had no doubt that Milady would win. As soon as I denied it, she nodded in satisfaction and smiled gracefully, as usual. However, there was a fiery fighting spirit burning in her emerald eyes, quite different from her usual demeanor.
Later, after parting with Milady, I took Eins to return to the spectator seats to watch her fight. As we approached the finals, the seats were nearly all occupied.
"Hey, Crow, over here!"
"?"
I reluctantly searched for any available seats when I heard someone calling me amid the cheers. The voice belonged to Dee, a silver-haired man I'd been seeing around lately. He was waving at me.
"I thought you'd be coming soon. I saved you a seat. How about her over there?"
"Well, that's fine."
"Thank you, Lord Dixon."
As we got closer, Dee greeted us with a smile and moved a large pile of belongings to free up two seats. I had many questions, like why he had exactly two seats reserved or where his master was. Still, the truth was, I had been looking for a seat. With no reason to refuse, I decided to take the seats next to Dee, along with Eins.
"Oh, and here's this."
"What's this all of a sudden?"
Dee presented the packages he had cleared away a moment ago to us as we sat down.
We were briefly cautious about these unknown packages, but we quickly recognized their contents and relaxed. The numerous paper bags exuded a delightful aroma, awakening our appetites involuntarily.
"Well, these, huh? The food stalls outside were unusually fascinating. I couldn't help but buy too much. I can't finish it all by myself, and it would be a waste, so I thought of sharing it with you!"
"I see. Eins, would you like some?"
"Then, I'll accept your kind offer. Thank you."
Dee seemed to be speaking the truth.
Despite improvements due to recent trade with the kingdom, the empire was known to be resource-poor, which extended to their cuisine. In contrast, the kingdom had a diverse food culture. This grand tournament had attracted food stalls with many rare items not typically seen in the empire.
Dee had impulsively made these purchases upon spotting them. It was clear that the number of meals in these packages was far more than just for the five of us. I randomly selected a few and handed them to Eins, and then I opened my own package. I had been running around since morning without much to eat, so I was genuinely thankful for the food.
Nevertheless, it's quite impressive that students can engage in battles at this level, a testament to the reputation of a magical powerhouse like the empire. It's apparent that the kingdom is putting substantial effort into this tournament, and I didn't anticipate them having a time attribute user among their ranks.
Dee's attention was fixed on the arena's corner where the kingdom's magicians served as a medical team.
The time attribute, one of the rarer and higher-tier attributes, was scarcely found even in the kingdom, despite its reputation for magical prowess. Among the fundamental six attributes, light and darkness always had limited wielders. As for the advanced attributes like time or space, they were even rarer, often contracted by high-ranking noble families such as the royal family or ducal houses on remarkably favorable terms. However, they were by no means to be treated as mere servants.
"Is something on your mind, Sir Crow?"
"It's nothing."
I shifted my gaze away from Eins, to whom I had unconsciously directed my attention, and redirected my focus to the arena.
In any case, an attribute like time held immense power. The time attribute could manipulate time itself, with its ability to 'rewind' being especially remarkable. It could revert nearly anything to its original state, even if it had sustained fatal damage—though it couldn't bring the dead back to life. That's why the kingdom sent relatively inexperienced students to such a perilous tournament, allowing them to showcase the full extent of their abilities, pushing them to their very limits.
"Who do you think will win?" Dee inquired as I dug into some grilled squid. I shifted my focus to the ongoing match in question.
The current face-off was between Leon, Prince Albert's bodyguard, and the man who had recently fought against Milady. They were competing for the third-place title, and their battle was a fierce mix of magic and swordplay, causing considerable destruction on the stage. The arena was already in a state of disrepair, and without the protective barriers, the audience might have been at risk from the collateral damage.
Leon showed signs of exhaustion, likely a result of his intense bout with Maria in the previous match. His movements were slower, and fatigue was evident throughout his body. On the other hand, the man who had faced Milady in the prior match had intentionally lost, conserving his physical stamina and magical energy. It was evident who had the upper hand.
"I'd bet on the knight, Leon."
"Oh? Why's that?" Dee responded with a sly smile, eyeing me as if assessing a commodity.
"It's simply that he's the stronger one, nothing more."
"But he must be fatigued, right?"
"Even so, it won't have a significant impact on the outcome. Watch, you'll see."
Suddenly, the previously stagnant match came to life. Leon, who had been playing defensively, shifted to an aggressive assault, launching an unrelenting attack. His opponent attempted to counter with magic in response to this unexpected offense, but all his moves had been anticipated from their previous encounter.
Leon dodged incoming spells, occasionally deflecting them, gradually cornering his opponent.
"Well, that's what I anticipated."
"Hmmm... You seem well-informed..."
It was clear that the match was almost over. Losing interest in the battle, I pulled out a hot dog from another bag and resumed eating. As Dee continued to ask questions, I provided commentary on the match, but it didn't take long for the contest to reach its conclusion.
"Now, it's time for the finals."
"Milady..."
The arena, previously battered in the prior contest, had been meticulously restored, and the grand finals were on the verge of commencing. We observed from the spectator seats as Lady Maria and Milady made their way to the arena.
Milady was adorned in a pristine, newly acquired white robe, featuring a substantial magic gem embedded at the staff's tip. She radiated an air of elegance and sophistication. Conversely, Lady Maria donned lightweight, maneuverable metal armor, her hand clasping a shining silver sword that gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight.
Both sets of equipment were undoubtedly top-tier, with little disparity in their performance. The forthcoming battle's outcome rested on the abilities of the wielders, and it wouldn't be long before the superior one became evident.
The audience watched with bated breath, eagerly anticipating
◇◆◇◆
"I've never liked you from the beginning."
"Oh, what a coincidence. I've never been fond of you either."
The two young girls faced each other, exchanging verbal barbs with smiles on their faces, as if engaged in casual small talk.
"You're nothing more than a nuisance, meddling in my affairs. You've become quite unbearable."
"People of lowly commoner-like status like you get too bold. Know your place."
For both of them, there was no way to coexist; they were irreconcilable enemies. One was pursuing her ambitions, while the other clung to her accumulated pride.
To uphold their unwavering causes, the two girls readied their swords and staffs.
"Ahaha..."
"Ufufu..."
A brief silence, similar to the moment just before a taut arrow is released, filled the air.
"Begin!"
"I'll send you flying!"
"I'm going to crush you!"
With the referee's signal, both of them sprang into action.
Isabella took the lead. She raised her staff, sending a barrage of wind blades slicing through the air.
Maria gracefully danced through the violent winds, swiftly closing the gap with her sword in hand.
"Take this!"
"Too easy!"
"Ugh..."
Isabella caught Maria's sword strike with her staff and swiftly retaliated with a kick to Maria's abdomen.
Maria attempted to leap backward to reduce the damage, but Isabella immediately conjured a fierce gust of wind, putting more distance between them.
"『Wind Javelin』!"
"Ah!?"
Without hesitation, Isabella raised her staff, conjuring multiple wind spears swirling around her. They all homed in on Maria, and with a decisive swing of her staff, Isabella launched them all at once.
Each of Isabella's strikes with her overwhelmingly destructive wind spears rained down upon Maria. It was as if the very air sought to pulverize her and annihilate the arena.
"It's not over yet!『 Cyclone Edge』!"
Isabella's relentless assault showed no sign of abating. A powerful tornado centered on Maria began to swirl, dispelling the dust clouds that had concealed her.
This tornado was like a relentless blade, able to slice through anything in its path. Maria found herself trapped with no means of escape.
And at that very moment, Isabella had already completed her preparations.
A massive magical circle appeared in the clear blue sky, transforming it into a canvas of dark, foreboding clouds that cast ominous shadows over the arena.
With a resounding boom that reverberated to one's very core, lightning began to streak across the heart of the storm, its frequency gradually increasing.
"『Thunderbolt』!"
This was the embodiment of absolute power, a privilege reserved for a select few.
It was one of the upper-tier attributes, the lightning attribute.
Isabella's ultimate strike tore through the heavens, and she couldn't help but wear a self-assured grin as she prepared to unleash its overwhelming force directly upon Maria.
◇◆◇◆
When the immensely powerful blow fell from the sky, it appeared as though victory and defeat had been determined in the eyes of the onlookers. However, as the brilliance dissipated, the audience was met with a sight that defied their expectations.
"What's that...?" someone in the crowd couldn't help but mutter.
It was indeed an unusual scene. The deadly lightning that had been unleashed came to a sudden halt just before reaching Maria's upturned palm.
This split-second phenomenon of lightning, as if it had been frozen in time, left the spectators bewildered.
"Is it spatial manipulation?"
As I witnessed this spectacle, I thought of the kind of magic my maids, who were my subordinates, used. If this involved freezing the space around the lightning, then perhaps this display could be understood.
"No, it's different. Spatial manipulation is a higher-tier attribute, and Maria-sama, who wields the light attribute, cannot use it."
However, Eins, a practitioner of the spatial attribute herself, refuted that notion.
So, what could it be?
"I see, it's quite the opposite, in fact. It's the time attribute, which is an upper-tier attribute within the light category."
"What....!"
This revelation came from Dee, who was sitting next to me.
The time attribute, as its name implies, is a high-tier light attribute that controls time itself. Along with the spatial attribute, it's rarer than the upper-tier attributes of the other four basic elements. The number of practitioners is likely scarce, even in the kingdom known as the magical powerhouse. It's no surprise that no one in the audience had ever witnessed this before.
Is Maria really a user of this rare attribute? Can it be?
"I'll clarify things for you. You're just another side character who embellishes my story. You'll never be a match for the protagonist!" Maria declared.
"Ugh!"
"Milady!?"
Moments ago, Maria was halting the lightning, and then suddenly, she seemed to vanish, only to reappear behind Milady in the next moment. Somehow, Milady had received shallow cuts on her body.
And it didn't happen just once, but multiple times. While we were bewildered, Maria repeatedly erased her own appearance. With each disappearance, the number of wounds on Milady increased, and many of them grew deeper.
"Well, well, this is quite astonishing," Dee remarked.
"What on earth is happening?" I asked. It wasn't just about moving quickly; it was an entirely incomprehensible situation. Yet, it seemed like the man sitting next to me knew what was happening. I couldn't help but lean in closer to Dee, as if trying to grasp the answers.
"I understand, you can't see it because you lack magic. Didn't you witness it just now? To put it simply, Maria is currently freezing time," Dee explained.
"What kind of absurd technique is that?" I couldn't fathom what I was hearing. Was this guy kidding? There's no way to defeat something like that.
"That's precisely why time attribute users are rare and highly valued. If you possess strong magic, like me and your master, you can resist its effects to some extent," Dee added.
"Damn...."
I clenched my teeth. Once again, it boiled down to magic. Why did I have to be without magic at this crucial moment?
On the stage, Milady remained on the defensive against Maria's relentless onslaught. With the ability to halt time, it meant that regardless of how potent an attack was, it could be dodged instantly. I could only watch helplessly as Milady was being overrun.
"Sir Crow, please touch this," Eins said, offering a knife.
To be honest, it was questionable to call it a knife. The blade was partially shattered, and the battered knife had scorched edges. Nevertheless, I felt like I had seen this before...
No, for now, I needed to heed Eins's request.
The moment my fingers touched the battered knife Eins had handed me, the world underwent a drastic transformation. The loud cheers that had filled the air suddenly vanished, and the surrounding spectators froze in their tracks. It seemed like this was the world frozen in time by Maria.
"What the heck! Is this an artifact that nullifies magic!?" The guy next to me was causing a ruckus, but for now, my focus was on Milady.
Within the frozen time, Maria moved around with complete freedom, skillfully wielding her sword. On the other hand, Milady wasn't entirely defenseless. She scattered wind blades around her and attempted to counter Maria's approach. However, even Milady, with all her prowess, was affected by the opponent's magic. Her movements were sluggish, and she could do little to fight back. She ended up gripping her staff tightly and focusing solely on defense.
It was becoming a one-sided assault.
"This is it!"
Milady attempted to counter, but she failed, leaving herself vulnerable. In that moment, Maria's sword glowed, and the flash of light turned into a blade of light that struck Milady directly with a magical impact, sending her flying.
"Milady!?"
As she was thrown, bouncing violently on the ground several times, by the time her momentum stopped, Milady's body was already in a battered and bloodied state.
The time stop had been released, and the spectators were in an uproar at the sudden sight of Milady, who had been hurled into the air.
Perhaps Milady had lost consciousness because she lay motionless on the ground.
It was frustrating, but it could be said that the outcome had been determined.
The referee seemed to make the same judgment, raising his hand to declare the winner.
...And then, the world froze once more.
"What... the battle should already be over!"
Naturally, it was Maria who had done this.
For some reason, she raised her sword overhead again, concentrating light on its blade.
The brilliance gathering on her sword was stronger than before, and its sharpness grew terrifying.
Even for someone like me who had no aptitude for magic, it was clear. If one were to receive that attack without resistance, it would likely result in death.
And now, there was no way for the unconscious Milady to defend herself.
"After all the trouble you've caused, it's time to finish this!"
"Hand it over!"
There was no time to waste anymore. Snatching the knife forcefully from Eins, I activated my body enhancement and leaped over the spectator seats.
As I attempted to step onto the stage, I encountered a barrier separating it from the audience. Typically, I'd be repelled by the barrier, necessitating a detour through the backstage. But there was no time for that! Without hesitation, I charged toward the barrier.
"Don't get in my way!"
I thrust the knife into the barrier and forcefully sliced through it, producing a high-pitched sound akin to breaking glass, effectively eliminating the obstacle.
I proceeded onto the stage and sprinted towards Milady.
...However, at that moment, time ran out.
The magical light surrounding the knife began to fade, gradually losing its effect.
"Isabella!"
"No, you can't?"
Just before the effect wore off, I embraced Milady to shield her and turned my back to Maria. Immediately afterward, my body lost all resistance and came to a halt.
In that fleeting moment, the last image I saw was Maria, surprised by my sudden appearance, but she had already swung her sword.
Her devastating strike should have effortlessly obliterated my body.
But, at least I couldn't let her die...
"....Hmm?"
...Or so I thought.
When I cautiously opened my eyes, I was met with a sight I hadn't anticipated: not a scene of destruction, but a marvelously beautiful ice fortress. I knew of only one person who could create something like this.
"Good grief, you always do such reckless things..."
"Is that you Dee!"
The silver-haired man, one of our fellow servants, stood in front of us with an exasperated expression.
"I'll handle things here. You should take her to the infirmary."
"Why are you here?"
"I had to chase after my dear friend when he suddenly dashed out. But let's not dwell on that. You better move quickly; handling a Lady's tantrum is no easy task."
"Why... why does it have to be this way?"
On the other side of the ice fortress, where Dee's gaze was fixed, Maria was wildly tearing at her hair and screaming.
While there were many things to say about that woman, we couldn't rule out the possibility of her launching another attack. Right now, our Lady's safety takes priority.
"I'm sorry; I owe you."
"Well, then recommend a good food stall next time."
"I'll think about it."
Leaving this situation to Dee, I picked up Milady and hurried to the infirmary.
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