The Villainous Lady Doesn't Speak Chapter 122

Martial Arts Tournament 4

Danhill Calvert was at a loss for words. He hadn't thought he was being careless. After watching Austin's match, he had judged the mercenary to be a formidable opponent. Even so, he hadn’t expected this level of power.

He questioned whether what he was witnessing was real. Despite his doubts, the pain from the burn on his left upper arm was a harsh reminder of reality.

Before him stood a striking woman in men’s clothing. Although she had introduced herself as a mercenary, he knew she was Liliana, the daughter of Duke Clark’s guardian. However, he hadn’t anticipated her to be such a powerful magic swordswoman—there was no denying he had underestimated her. He exhaled slowly to compose himself.

“You’re a water mage, right? How do you manage to burn me?”

“—Have you ever been to the West?”

“No.”

“If you go, you’ll understand. There’s a place where red, burning water flows from the mountains.”

Upon hearing the woman named Olga’s response, Danhill frowned. He couldn’t imagine it at all. In any case, Dunhill specialized in fire magic. The chances of him being able to utilize water magic were extremely low.

Moreover, there was another reason why he couldn’t mimic her techniques.

“By the way, the magic you’re using isn’t short incantation, is it? Eastern magic?”

At once, Olga raised an eyebrow in surprise and tilted her head slightly.

“You know a lot. Are you familiar with it?”

“It is Eastern magic after all. The phrasing is quite distinctive.”

“Specifically, it falls under ancient magic from the Eastern tradition.”

Although they were in the middle of the match, Olga took the time to explain. Danhill furrowed his brows.

Ancient magic, as the name implies, was a form of magic used in ancient times that had since fallen out of use. It required vast amounts of magical power and was only wielded by a very limited number of people. In terms of magical efficiency, the currently used forms of magic were considered far superior.

“So that’s why you’re invoking spirits and all.”

“That’s right. You know quite a bit.”

Olga nodded casually. Although spirits were thought to be non-existent, ancient texts did mention them. In ancient times, when ancient magic was practiced, people believed that magical power was bestowed by spirits existing in nature. Therefore, many of the invocations in ancient magic involved calling upon spirits.

“Though ancient and less practical, it suits well with the sword I wield.”

Olga grinned. Danhill sneered in frustration, feeling at a disadvantage. Ancient magic had shorter incantations compared to the ones Dunhill used. Consequently, the time to cast the spells was also shorter. For a powerful practitioner like Olga, she could likely cast multiple spells in the time it took Dunhill to cast one.

“You’ve been holding back all this time, haven’t you?”

“That’s the same for you, isn’t it?”

“You really are infuriating.”

Olga shrugged at Dunhill’s growl, looking as if she might say it was mutual.

Both had not been using their full strength in previous matches. They had always employed slightly stronger spells than their opponents to secure victory. But facing each other now, neither could rely on such tactics. They both realized that victory could only be achieved by going all out.

“I’m glad I got to face you. —[In the name of fire, the crimson Lotus Flame Circle]”

Danhill cast a complex spell with a short incantation. The Crimson Lotus Flame Circle was a unique spell created by Danhill, who excelled in offense rather than defense. By combining it with body enhancement magic, Danhill could transform into a flaming sword and attack his enemies. Furthermore, once activated, it allowed him to cast additional effects without incantation.

The flames roared around Danhill. Standing amidst the inferno with a cool expression, he slightly curled his lips, then kicked off the ground, soaring into the air and swinging his sword. The series of slashes were fierce, but Olga did not retreat. She protected herself from the flames by surrounding her body with a water barrier and neutralized the fire magic’s power with her water-wrapped sword, blocking and deflecting all the strikes while finding opportunities to counterattack. The flames soared high, mingling with the water. From the spectators' seats, their figures were not clearly visible, but the intensity of their battle was evident from the sounds.

In the next moment, their figures separated. As soon as that happened, a dragon of flames emerged from Danhill’s side, while a bird of water appeared from Olga’s. The crowd erupted in cheers. The massive magical beasts, unseen even in the magical division, unmistakably revealed their power.

The flame dragon and water bird faced off in the air, each attempting to engulf the other in a fierce aerial battle. Meanwhile, on the ground, the two combatants, having created duplicates of themselves with their magic, resumed their sword fight. With the surrounding flames and water lessening compared to before, their battle was now more visible.

Olga murmured something quietly. Though her incantation was inaudible even to Danhill, he simultaneously activated one of his spells.

The water bird, having absorbed the flame dragon from above, charged towards Dunhill. The resulting assault from Olga created a gap in his defenses. Taking advantage of this opening, Olga stepped in to deliver a final blow to Dunhill. But there was no impact. Realizing that the Dunhill before her was a decoy, she was struck from behind by a blade to her neck.

“The winner, Second Squad Leader Dunhill Calvert!”

*****

The audience's cheers reached a climax with the overwhelming combination of magic and swordsmanship on display. It had been a close match, so it was no surprise that either combatant could have won. However, Olga turned to Danhill with a refreshing expression. They both offered their post-match courtesy. In contrast to Dunhill's serious demeanor, Olga spoke gently.

“I’m glad to have met you, Danhill Calvert.”

“Huh?”

Danhill responded with suspicion. Olga's words did not seem like something one would say to a first-time opponent. Yet, Olga appeared unconcerned. Speaking in a tone only Dunhill could hear, she continued calmly.

“A mere mercenary would not have the chance to meet the heir to the Border Count and a squad leader, nor would they see such a battle. I thought you might be participating in the royal martial arts tournament.”

“What do you mean?”

But it was not the time or place to pursue details. Noting Dunhill's furrowed brow, Olga smiled for the first time since the tournament began.

“Please give my regards to Lord Beverly. And tell your son I was pleased to sense your swordsmanship in him.”

“—Wait a minute,”

Danhill started to protest. Beverly was the current head of the Calvert Border Count family. To know him and ask for a message—what kind of acquaintance could Olga be? Dunhill's mind raced with anxiety. But Olga showed no intention of answering and swiftly turned on her heel, leaving the arena. As Dunhill watched her retreating figure, he scratched his head roughly. With a small click of his tongue, he left the scene. His knights would be waiting in the corridor, but he was more concerned about Olga's final words.

If he conveyed the message to Beverly, would he reveal the nature of Olga’s relationship?

“—No, probably not. Knowing him, he’ll either avoid the topic or say that if I want to know, I’ll have to win another match. That’s likely.”

Danhill grimaced. He wondered why Olga had even participated in this martial arts tournament. Was it truly just to deliver a message to the Border Count and confirm his son’s swordsmanship? Or was there another reason? Though tempted to speculate, he shook his head slightly, clearing his thoughts.

The fight with Olga had indeed been enjoyable for Danhill. He had to go all out and had expected a tougher battle. However, the outcome had been resolved more easily than he had anticipated.

—Had the final blow been conceded to him?

A sense of suspicion that it might have been so flickered in Danhill’s mind. But as he opened the door to the corridor, all his concerns were instantly swept away.

“Captain! Well done!”

His comrades’ cheers greeted him. Surrounded by the knights with their impressive physiques, Dunhill shouted.

“Ah, enough! Everyone, line up along the wall! Get out of the way!”

“Yes, sir!”

The knights, looking pleased, lined up along the wall. Dunhill sighed deeply at the sight. His burned arm throbbed painfully. Before advancing to the finals, he beckoned a knight from the second squad skilled in healing magic to tend to his injury. As the healing magic was applied, Dunhill thought about the beautiful remnants of ancient magic etched in his mind.

*****

In the VIP box of the circular arena, Princess Edith, her face flushed with excitement, was enthusiastically discussing the top contenders in the magical swordsmanship division with Prince Roland.

“It was amazing, wasn’t it? I never expected that a mercenary would come in third place. And the first place was impressive too; the leader of the Second Squad, wasn’t he?”

“Yes, indeed. Quite spectacular. Surprisingly, it was more visually striking than the magic division.”

Prince Roland also nodded in agreement, impressed. However, while the two were enjoying themselves, Dolmil Butler, who was accompanying them on this trip, wore a grim expression.

Throughout the martial arts tournament, Butler had been shadowing Prince Roland and Princess Edith. He had little interest in the martial arts competitions, looking forward instead to the magical division on the second day. Yet, the magical division turned out to be nothing but mages from the Magic Ministry, which was disappointing. The matches were dull, lacking in excitement, and Butler quickly lost interest. Leaving the guards behind, he retreated to the back of the VIP box to attend to paperwork. The dispatch of a secret letter from the Yunatian Empire the previous night had increased his workload. It was certain that the power dynamics within the empire would change significantly, and the return of Prince Roland and Princess Edith could even be at risk.

The investigation into Duke Clark and his daughter Liliana was also progressing slowly, and given the current situation, it had to be deprioritized further.

As Butler contemplated future measures with a headache, an unusually enthusiastic roar of cheers reached his ears. Although he had no interest in the magical swordsmanship division, it seemed that the audience was even more excited than during the magic division. He stood up and moved to stand behind Prince Roland and Princess Edith, peering into the arena. One combatant was the leader of the Royal Knights Second Squad. The other was a mercenary. Furthermore, the mercenary was a woman in disguise. While female mercenaries were not unheard of, they were rare. On top of that, a magical swordswoman who could match a knight squad leader in combat was unexpected. He had never heard of such a person before, despite the rumors.

But it wasn’t just that; the skills of the mercenary, Olga, caught Butler’s attention.

“No way—”

He unconsciously shook his head, denying what he had just seen. His eyes widened in shock as he watched her wield both magic and swordsmanship. Olga’s appearance, demeanor, and even the way she carried herself were completely different from that person he had in mind. Of course, her name didn’t match either. Yet, his instincts were screaming a warning.

“No, but that magical power is…”

Muttering to himself in a voice only he could hear, Butler was oblivious to the curious looks from the guards. His fists clenched by his sides.

“—Olga the Mercenary, huh.”

If she was a mercenary, it would be easy to bring her under his control. If she was currently employed, she could be acquired depending on her employer. Butler, hidden behind his emotionless expression, began to devise various plans.

When the decision was made to come to the Kingdom of Slibegrad, it had mostly felt like a nuisance. Although the prince was bearable, the princess was nothing but a bother. He had preferred to avoid dealing with the children as much as possible, but one could not simply avoid them during a diplomatic trip. Now, he was only grateful for that decision. If Olga was indeed the person he had been searching for, his long-held wish would be fulfilled soon.

He had been searching for that person for a long time. Even after scouring the entire Yunatian Empire and extending the search to other countries, he had been unable to find them. Despite understanding rationally that he should give up, he had continued to be tormented by the persistent feeling of not being able to let go.

“This time, I won’t let her go.”

Butler was resolute, though without concrete proof that the mercenary before him was the person he sought. His low, determined monologue faded away unnoticed.

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ToC

Chapter 123