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The knights really lack insight.

The knight added that comment.

“If it really was a carnivorous rabbit, it wouldn’t have been possible to pierce its vital points so easily…”

“Sir Bart.”

“Why? Did I say something wrong?”

Despite the other knights’ brief attempts to dissuade him, Bart continued speaking.

“As the knights have seen, there were no signs of hunting on the rabbit’s skin. It was simply crushed by overwhelming force.”

The Black Hawk knights frowned at his tactless remarks, looking at him with displeasure.

Who would bother disputing the truth of the matter here?

They were just looking for an excuse to praise the future Grand Duchess.

“Didn’t you hear what the hunting grounds keeper said? Normal rabbits don’t inhabit that forest.”

“Just because they don’t usually inhabit there, doesn’t mean they can’t be there. There are plenty of rabbits used as food in the wolf pens. It could have escaped during the transfer. Or someone might have released them.”

“Sir, you really are…”

One of the knights massaged his forehead, seemingly frustrated.

‘I want to say he’s at it again.’ But he seemed to be holding back his words because of Sabina.

“Knights really should open their eyes and see. Don’t overdo the flattery. I thought you were a dog wagging its tail, not a hawk.”

Bart snickered and shook his head.

“What, a dog? This guy…”

“Does it upset you? If I held up a mirror to your faces earlier, you’d be too embarrassed to even lift your heads.”

“Ah, that socially inept jerk.”

“Focus on your training. As soon as the captain is away, you slack off. When will you ever reach the next level?”

“Huh, you’re one to talk about training? The one who’s most half-hearted of all…”

“At my level, I can afford to be. But you knights would have to train sleeplessly to barely reach my feet.”

He taunted the Black Hawk knights and then swung his sword showily.

Anyone could see it was a move conscious of Sabina, meant to show the gap between ordinary people and knights.

It was a clean and balanced move, making one wonder if he really became a knight through mere talk.

“Why is he causing a scene again?”

“If you have a complaint, why don’t you challenge him?”

Bart shrugged.

“I’m more than willing to take anyone on.”

Bart’s personality was notoriously troublesome, but unfortunately, his skills were impeccable.

The Black Hawk knights, the elite of the Valentine knights.

The most skilled among them was the deputy commander, Dustin, but Bart was the next strongest.

A natural genius, born into a family renowned for swordsmanship and following a formal path to knighthood from a young age.

A case of talent backed by environment.

“Hmm…”

Of course, Sabina had neither the knowledge nor the interest in his complicated circumstances, but she could guess from Bart’s attitude.

A young master who grew up spoiled, relying only on his skills.

Sabina fiddled with her silk glove while keeping her gaze fixed on the knight.

“Do you have something to say?”

“Yes.”

“I have no connection with the lady. You might get hurt, so if you need an escort, ask another knight… Ugh!”

And without hesitation, she took off one glove and threw it in Bart’s face.

Bart, who didn’t expect the delicate lady he disregarded to act so aggressively, was caught off guard and hit squarely.

“I have a complaint, so I’ll take you on.”

“No, that wasn’t meant for yo… Ah!”

Sabina threw her other glove as well.

The fluttering glove again hit Bart’s face accurately and fell.

“Are you, a knight, planning to go back on your word?”

“…Miss Valois, do you understand the meaning of what you are doing?”

Bart addressed her without the dreaded title of ‘Madam,’ which Sabina had been loath to hear.

It should have been what she wanted, yet why did it leave her feeling more disgusted?

“I am different from the knights; I’m fully aware of my actions. Throwing a glove is a way of challenging to a duel, what else could it be?”

Sabina’s words implied that Bart was recklessly leaping without understanding the situation.

A knight, whose face was filled with arrogance, saw one of his eyebrows shoot up to the sky.

“Sorry, but I am not familiar with the duel customs of ladies.”

“That’s a shame. I don’t know them either.”

Sabina looked around and pointed to one of the Black Hawk knights standing with a blank expression.

“You, be the observer.”

“Me?”

“Set the rules.”

“Uh, I mean… yes?”

“And I would appreciate if you lend me a sword.”

The duel was decided in an instant.

The knights, who had been frozen in shock, regained their senses and shouted in unison.

“Calm down, please!”

“I fully understand your desire to beat that man to death right now, but if you get hurt…”

The knights looked back and forth between Sabina, slightly larger in stature than other women, and Bart, who was overwhelmingly taller and bigger.

There was no way she could match him.

More importantly, if the Grand Prince found out, they were all as good as dead.

‘Get hurt? Well, that wouldn’t be so bad.’

Sabina thought inwardly.

Any injury to her body could reduce her value in the marriage market.

Maybe, it could even be a pretext for annulment.

“Sir, if you don’t set the rules within a minute, I will decide them arbitrarily.”

“No! Then it must be a fight without endangering lives, without harming each other’s bodies, and without crossing swords…”

“Are you joking right now?”

She looked at the flustered knight with disbelief for a moment.

Then she boldly drew the sword hanging at his waist and set the rules herself.

Until one is unable to continue the fight.”

“Haha!”

Bart burst into laughter, seemingly amused.

Regardless, Sabina swung her sword.

Her movements were fluid and graceful, like flowing water.

Bart, who reflexively took a stance to counter, was shocked.

He had thought Sabina wouldn’t even be able to withstand the weight of the sword, let alone swing it.

But what was this movement now?

‘Do the Valois family teach women swordsmanship too?’

Even though Valois was one of the most renowned knightly families…

That’s when it happened.

Without a moment to think, her sword, like a snake wrapping around its prey, began to constrict his movements.

It was a style of swordplay completely different from overpowering with size and strength.

Bart quickly came to his senses and narrowly avoided her strike.

‘No, it wasn’t just a strike. It was…’

Confronted with an unfamiliar style of swordsmanship he had never seen before, he couldn’t maintain his composure.

One thing was certain.

‘That was a series of connected attacks.’

If he had been careless, he would have been trapped like an ant in a pitfall trap.

He would have been incapacitated in an instant. He hated to admit it, but…

‘So, this is the Valois bloodline.’

Bart, who had not intended to take Sabina seriously, had no choice but to change his mind.

She was a properly trained swordsman.

If he didn’t counterattack, he might lose the duel.

‘Damn, this is unbelievable.’

There are several knight families in the Empire.

Valois was the most famous.

Next in fame was the Rodri family.

Bart Rodri.

Born in the Rodri family, he had to endure being called second-best from a young age.

Despite possessing the most exceptional swordsmanship skills.

Then, one day, ten years ago.

Bart had a chance encounter with Gary, the eldest son of the Valois family, and had an opportunity to spar with him.

Bart, utterly disgusted by always being considered second-best, charged with gritted teeth and defeated Gary, the eldest son of the Valois family, in just three exchanges.

“What’s the big deal with Valois? It seems they were seriously overrated.”

That’s how he had scoffed back then.

He assumed Sabina, a lady from that not-so-special family, would be the same.

That was until he saw her swordsmanship.

“Haah!”

Bart charged with a battle cry.

But Sabina easily dodged or deflected all his attacks.

He might have been stronger, but in terms of speed, he was no match for her.

And that swordsmanship.

This unfamiliar style, deviating from the traditional Empire’s swordplay, perfectly compensated for Sabina’s smaller stature and weaker grip.

“Such petty tricks!”

“Petty trickery? I wonder if you know how many like you have fallen to these ‘petty trickery.\'”

“Who taught you swordsmanship? This is not a known style in the Empire!”

“You still have the luxury to talk? It seems I’ve been too lenient with you, Sir.”

‘Ugh!’

Bart clenched his teeth and swallowed a pathetic groan.

Every time she countered, it seemed like a scream would escape his lips.

All of Sabina’s attacks narrowly missed his vital points.

‘She’s serious.’

This was real combat.

A war.

If he let his guard down, it wouldn’t just end with incapacity, but with his head flying off.

Suddenly, their eyes met.

Her red eyes shimmered with desire and excitement.

It was the look of a hunter enjoying the hunt.

He, who had mocked her for not being able to catch a carnivorous rabbit, now seemed to have become the prey himself.

‘Is she trying to kill me?’

A chilling sensation, like standing on the edge of a cliff, ran through his body.

He swung his sword desperately, driven by rage. His movements began to grow in spite of the cries.

The rebound made his strikes powerful but was a bad move that quickly drained his stamina.

“Huff, huff…”

As the duel prolonged, Bart’s shoulders heaved greatly.

On the other hand, Sabina, who had mostly dodged or parried attacks aiming for vital points, was still in good shape.

“Is it over?”

As Sabina asked nonchalantly, looking at the panting Bart, he shouted, trembling with humiliation.

“No way!”

Bart charged, kicking the ground.

Now blindly, he aimed precisely for her vitals, just as Sabina had done.

His sword’s tip moved so fast that only its afterimage could be seen, passing close to Sabina’s heart, throat, and in front of her eyes.

Every time that happened, the Black Hawk knights turned pale, their hands sweaty.

“This is madness.”

“Hey, observer! Stop them now!”

“How in the world do I…”

“Is that even a question? We should all rush in and pull them apart!”

Even if it meant sacrificing a limb or two, what did it matter at this point?

Just as the Black Hawk knights were preparing to intervene amidst the fierce duel, Sabina dove into Bart’s arms.

“An opening.”

She jabbed her sword’s edge into his thick thigh.

“Aaargh!”

Bart screamed, dropping to his knees.

At the same moment, Sabina stomped on his wrist, forcing him to release his sword.

After confirming the look of defeat in the knight’s eyes, she coldly looked down on him.