Raising the Princess to Overcome Death Chapter 71

71.Engagement - Sparring

In a modest but well-maintained room, Lena and Leo lay side by side on the bed, which seemed to be provided for servants with families. The bed was large enough that their arms didn't touch, but the sound of Lena's hair brushing against the pillow was impossible to ignore.

Leo's heart pounded.

Although he wasn't behaving like a nervous virgin, having once experienced marriage with Lena, he couldn't deny that he was excited.

"Leo, are you asleep?"

Lena turned over and asked softly. Her head rustled close by, and he could feel her gaze on his cheek.

Leo didn't answer. He pretended to be asleep, breathing slowly and deeply. His quickening heartbeat demanded more air, making his breathing feel labored.

Unaware that he wasn't asleep, Lena began talking to herself in a whispering tone, her voice mingling with her gentle breaths.

In the moonlight filtering through the window, she looked different from her usual clumsy self.

This was news to him.

He still knew less about the backstory of this engaged relationship scenario than he did about what he knew.

"Mom said she felt a bit jealous... I wonder if our dads liked each other."

Lena shifted, using her arm as a pillow. Her quiet narrative continued.

"But then your mom met Uncle Noel in the capital and fell in love. So, they were probably just friends. At least, that's what your mom must have thought."

Lena's father and Leo's mother, who had participated in the Maunin-Reti Tournament, had been too young to make much of an impression among the northern warriors who gathered there.

They almost returned home empty-handed, but Leo's mother met a knight named Noel Dexter, who was helping with the tournament.

Young Noel, who had recently become a knight, fell in love with her at first sight and confessed. She accepted his confession and didn't return to Avril Castle.

Dehor returned home alone.

"But Dad must have been really sad because he immediately took on the Trial of the Great Warrior when he came back. Mom still teases him about it, saying he acted like a heartbroken young man rushing to his death."

Lena continued with a chuckle.

"I feel a bit sorry for Dad... But it's all in the past, and Dad is happy with Mom now, so there's no need to feel sorry. Anyway, I'm glad our dads didn't end up together."

Leo felt increasingly suffocated.

As expected, Lena's final whispered words were sweet.

"Because I got to meet you."

Her fingers lightly brushed his cheek.

Lena, who had been stroking his hair while licking her lips, finally settled back down to sleep.

Lena, who could fall asleep as soon as she decided to, quickly drifted off.

His cheek felt like it was burning.

Once he was sure Lena was asleep, Leo took deep breaths he had been holding back.

But no matter how much he exhaled, the feeling of suffocation didn't go away, as if a rock was pressing down on his chest.

Unable to lie still, he got up and paced the room.

Lena. What on earth should I do with her?

Leo didn't sleep a wink that night. He frowned as he watched the dawn break.

Even though he was in despair, the sun and the world kept moving forward without a pause.

The next morning, Leo and Lena had breakfast with the steward before being called back to the reception room.

There, Baron Agata and his wife were already seated, leisurely enjoying their tea.

"Oh my, such brave knights. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Agnes Agata."

The baroness, who had aged gracefully, greeted them with a warm smile. Her blue eyes were filled with kindness.

"Sorry I didn't greet you yesterday. I tend to go to bed early and couldn't properly welcome you."

"Not at all. We're grateful that you accepted us late at night."

"Oh, don't call yourselves unwanted guests. It's been so long since we've had visitors. Please, make yourselves at home."

It seemed the baroness was unaffected by the 'Noble Murder' achievement. Perhaps it was due to her age or her personality.

Achievements often had varying effects depending on the person.

The most notable example was Cassia. She had sacrificed her life for even a 'slight affection.'

And noble ladies, who were never attacked, found it hard to fear knights. They were accustomed to being respected.

Knights considered it an honor to dedicate themselves to noble ladies, and nobles treated them with utmost respect. Even Marquis Benar Tatian had greeted his sister Lena courteously.

Of course, saying "Please stay in this room from now on" politely was an entirely different matter...

Baron Berger Agata, his wife, Lena, and Leo engaged in small talk for a while.

Eventually, the baron rose and said,

"Well, well. I've kept you young folks long enough. Let me introduce you to the knights. This way, please."

He lightly shook his wife's hand, indicating he'd be back soon, and personally led the way.

The baron took them to a small training ground.

Seeing some soldiers walking around, it was evident that it wasn't exclusively for knights.

The baron instructed a soldier to call the knights, and soon three knights came running and lined up.

The Agata baronage had a total of four knights.

The baron introduced the knights one by one, expressing his hope for mutual learning and then excused himself to return to his wife.

"They seem so in love..."

Lena commented, clearly impressed.

Lena and Leo then took turns sparring with the knights.

The knights of the Agata Barony were, unfortunately, not very skilled. With his {Swordsmanship Level 3: Bart Style}, Leo had surpassed the average knight and defeated the three knights with ease.

Even though his body's balance wasn't perfect, preventing the full display of the Bart swordsmanship style, it was still more than enough.

Lena, on the other hand, wasn't skilled enough to face a knight alone and lost repeatedly. However, she was determined to gain something from the experience and kept requesting more matches.

Just then, the fourth knight, who had been away on duty, arrived at the training ground.

Introducing himself as 'Brian,' the middle-aged knight greeted Lena and Leo warmly before picking up a practice wooden sword.

Leo and Brian faced off.

"Captain, this one is very skilled," one of the knights warned, but Brian smiled brightly.

"Haha, I'm looking forward to it. I hope we can learn from each other. Now then..."

He pointed his wooden sword at Leo, who also raised his own for a light probing exchange.

As his swordsmanship improved, Leo had entered a new realm of swordsmanship.

Previously, his exploratory exchanges aimed only to find openings and gain small advantages through psychological tactics. Now, understanding the opponent's style had become more important.

But the probing didn't last long.

Brian, who had been holding his sword calmly, suddenly launched a powerful charge.

Instead of thrusting or slashing, he ran forward with his sword raised, intending to collide heavily with Leo's sword.

'So, he likes to close the distance?'

Leo retreated diagonally, moving out of the charging path, and delivered a light jab.

- Thwack!

Brian easily blocked Leo's jab and spun his sword, pushing Leo's to the left.

'Damn, this could be bad.'

Leo, despite his strong build, which usually gave him an edge in strength against most knights, found himself at a disadvantage due to the position of their swords' contact.

The sword's blade (剑身, the part of the sword that forms the body) had different names for its parts. The lower part closer to the hilt was called the 'forte,' while the upper part, including the tip, was the 'foible.'

Naturally, the forte, being closer to the hilt, was advantageous in strength compared to the foible, which was further from the hilt.

Brian leveraged this advantage to push Leo's sword away, directing his foible and sword tip toward Leo.

Leo hurriedly sidestepped to the left to avoid the thrust and watched as Brian quickly assumed a defensive posture.

Now it was Leo's turn.

To utilize his strength on the 'right,' Leo had sidestepped to the 'left.'

He shouted a battle cry, swinging his sword upwards to unsettle Brian's sword, then spun around to deliver a back kick with his left foot.

And as he regained control of his upward swing, he brought his sword down.

- Thwack!

Brian avoided Leo's kick and blocked the downward strike by holding his sword horizontally.

But once again, it was the 'forte.'

Blocking near the hilt, Brian advanced a step.

Leo was taken aback.

He needed to retrieve his sword, but Brian, with his sword locked against Leo's, was approaching, making it difficult to retrieve.

If Brian got any closer, he would have a significant advantage with his sword inside Leo's guard.

Leo made a quick decision.

He too stepped forward, colliding his shoulder with Brian's chest, closing the distance to prevent any slashing or stabbing maneuvers.

The two men were so close that their cheeks almost touched. Brian's wooden sword touched Leo's head, but it was only a wooden sword and wouldn't cause any injury. Even with a real sword, it wouldn't have inflicted significant damage in this position.

At most, it would result in a scratch, and with a helmet, there would be no injury at all.

Brian laughed brightly. He stepped back a few paces, creating distance between them.

The two swordsmen locked eyes and clashed again. And then,

"I concede."

The match ended with Leo's defeat.

Brian continually gained slight advantages without a decisive blow, forcing Leo to concede.

The two, drenched in sweat, shook hands.

"It was an excellent matChapter I've learned a lot."

Brian spoke sincerely.

This young, no, this almost-child knight aspirant's skill was remarkable, deserving all the praise.

His fundamentals were incredibly solid.

How had he trained to develop such a flawless, vice-free swordsmanship? His style seemed impossible without systematic training. Everyone has some bad habits in their swordsmanship.

'His balance is perfect... although his left side feels a bit unstable.'

Brian's swordsmanship was specialized in close combat, utilizing the forte.

Using the forte to block the opponent's sword and gain a positional advantage was a basic principle of swordsmanship.

Naturally, Leo knew this too, but Brian had mastered the basics and elevated them into his unique style.

He quickly closed the distance, forcing his preferred type of combat, and Leo, unable to fully utilize Bart's swordsmanship style, was at a disadvantage.

"Thank you as well. I've learned a lot."

Leo expressed his gratitude.

But honestly, he hadn't learned much.

He understood the difference in using the forte, but mere understanding wouldn't improve his skills.

Leo, whose swordsmanship talent had plummeted due to Minseo's merged mind, knew his skills wouldn't improve easily.

"Wow! May I also request a spar?"

At that moment, Lena, who had watched Leo and Brian's sparring with excitement, ran over.

That was amazing swordsmanship.

Her talent recognized the true value of Brian's swordsmanship at a glance.

If she could blend Uncle Noel's 'one-strike hidden technique' with that excellent fundamental... She could seize the initiative with a hidden move in close combat!

Excited, Lena began sparring with Brian.

Leo, watching her enthusiasm, sighed and walked away.