Published: March 21, 2026
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"Then, in the name of the king I authorize the duel between Akira Oda and Liam Gladiolus. Both, prepare."
I drew "Night Blade God" from my back, reversed the blade and took a stance, while Liam nocked an arrow. Unlike Kirika, he showed no reaction to the drawn blade. Maybe he was just concentrating; he stood very still.
According to Amelia, he was a natural civil servant and terrible at conflict. Like a typical elf, he was good with a bow but hopeless with a sword.
Come to think of it, aside from Kirika there aren’t many elves who favor the sword; most use bow and magic. Liam might use a bow for hunting, but he didn’t use a sword. Being the fastidious Elf race, perhaps they dislike getting blood on themselves.
Ranged versus melee. Of course, melee was at a disadvantage. In the labyrinth we’d encountered demonic beasts that shot poisonous spines from their bodies and they gave us trouble. If I remember correctly, one would open a small window during reload and slice you in two.
"Begin!"
At the king’s word an arrow aimed precisely at my throat flew over. I’d never done an arrow slash before, but I sliced it off without trouble. The aim was accurate, but that beast’s spine had been faster.
"Too slow."
I moved to Liam’s back while he fumbled to nock the next arrow and drove my sword into his neck. Oops—maybe I used a bit too much strength because he’s handsome. No malice intended, no regrets either.
"Winner, Akira Oda."
At the king’s proclamation the square erupted again. Three attendants glared at me as they lifted Liam from the platform and carried him away.
In the end I won. If Kirika was the strongest of the Elf race, there was no point in more duels. I was getting irritated with the elves for refusing to admit defeat. Liam’s expression at the end looked strangely refreshed—what internal change had occurred? Had some trick worked?
"Liam, Kirika’s charm is broken."
"I thought as much."
I nodded and opened my swordless right hand. There lay a piece of wood. This was the wood fragment Amelia had given me before the duel with Kirika. I had pressed it against Liam’s skin when I grabbed his collar. I’d meant to press it against Kirika, but with the king watching that wasn’t possible. You have to apply it directly to the skin, so there was no other way.
"The Sacred Tree has the power to cancel magical effects and curses. I couldn’t think of it when it mattered, but if I’d noticed sooner Akira wouldn’t have had to go through all this trouble."
Of course she meant me too, but I reached out and patted Amelia’s head as she regretted having cut the Sacred Tree—something more important to the Elf race than life itself. I liked Amelia’s dejected face, but I liked her smiling even more. When I said that, Amelia’s cheeks flushed and she looked down.
"Akira, you seem to have moved on."
"Yeah, sort of. I stopped thinking about things I can’t match."
Really, a beautiful girl like Amelia didn’t suit me. Even if her inner age was far older.
I crushed the wood fragment in my hand and scattered the powder into the crowd.
"…Huh? What am I—?"
"Who’s that on the platform?"
"Ah, lady Amelia!"
"Still so beautiful~"
The elves who’d been bewildered at first started cheering when they saw Amelia standing on the platform. I sprinkled the powder left on my hand onto Amelia too.
"Huh? Akira?"
Amelia blinked, looking as refreshed as the elf crowd.
So she’d been charmed too. That explained her extreme paranoia. She’d insisted she was fine because she has the skill 'Curse Reflection,' but if that only repels curses then the caster, Kirika, shouldn’t have been charmed either—so I’d suspected something else was at work.
Maybe the caster had deliberately not fully charm her, to make Amelia feel excluded.
"Isn’t it pointless, Kirika Rose Quartz?"
"…"
I turned and saw Kirika there, sword in hand.
"What could you possibly understand?"
Kirika said that and drew her sword. I positioned myself to shield Amelia and took my stance.