Saint, You Should Quit Smoking

The spectators watching my duel with the Sword Star probably thought like this.
That a prince who could use neither basic magic nor swordsmanship could not defeat the Sword Star.
They would think it a miracle if I could even evade the Sword Star’s attacks three times.
Such would be the public perception of the insurmountable difference between the rising star that was the Sword Star and the falling star that was me, who had lost my childhood brilliance.
Yes.
That’s certainly how it should have been.
Swish—!
Dragon Blood Magic
Gliding on Grass
“Hup!”
I moved my body as if sliding on the uneven ground. My feet met the surface as if there was no friction between them.
Surrendering my body to the flow and sliding along the rough surface, a blade of wind passed right behind my back.
It was the sword energy released by the Sword Star.
“…?”
I noticed Silvia tilting her head.
If she truly is the Sword Star, she should certainly have a good eye for judging an opponent’s caliber.
The fact that she had maintained an indifferent attitude until now meant she didn’t rate my capabilities very highly.
So this situation would be difficult for the Sword Star to understand. Despite it seeming like she should be able to hit me, her attacks weren’t landing.
It had been the same pattern repeating: the Sword Star would launch wind blades, and I would evade by sliding across the shattered ground surface created by Adela.
This sequence had repeated once, twice, no—more than ten times.
It was then that the Sword Star realized that the situation was unfolding strangely.
And it was the same for the students watching this duel.
“What’s going on? How is he doing that?”
“Yeah. How is he moving by sliding on the ground like that?”
“It looks like he’s using magic to me.”
“Didn’t they say the Third Prince couldn’t even use basic magic? And yet he’s using magic?”
“I don’t know either, man.”
The noise of murmuring resounded throughout the dueling arena. They were trying to perceive and interpret the incomprehensible situation in their own way.
But it’s useless. The imperial secrets were not so light that mere academy students could know them.
Unless they were a Sage, to even guess at what I was doing would require at least the level of an academy professor.
The trick was simple. I just controlled the mana in the ground surface where my feet touched to extremely reduce friction, then advanced as if sliding.
A simple principle, but one that no one except those with dragon’s blood could use.
“You. You’re using an interesting power.”
The Sword Star opened her mouth. There was a sense of curiosity in her tone.
It was the first time she showed a reaction other than indifference.
Indeed. With her level of discernment, she might not be able to fully grasp the skill I was using, but she could guess.
“Are you finally interested?”
“Well.”
However.
The Sword Star responded casually, as if she still found it much more troublesome.
“Yawn…. I want to finish quickly, so won’t you just collapse?”
The moment she finished speaking, blades of wind came at me again in layers. This time there were five of them. Her will to not miss this time was apparent.
As my pupils slowly transmitted the sight to my mind, I recalled the conversation I had with the Sage in the past.
-“It’s clear that Your Highness cannot handle mana well in your own body.”
As the former Sage had said, I had lost the ability to handle mana in my body. I could handle it, but the amount was minimal.
That was the background for the spread of rumors that the Third Prince’s power had disappeared.
However.
-“Because you controlled others’ mana.”
At the same time, as the Sage had pointed out, I could control and interfere with the mana of others and the world at my will.
There was only one reason why this was possible.
The potential that awakened after that day when I lost my power.
The Dragon’s Blood.
“…”
Thump, thump— The blood vessels constituting my entire body pulsed. I could feel the blood flow heating up and accelerating.
No. That was not my blood. At least, not the blood of the human Loran von Welert.
The red liquid violently surging through my entire body was the blood of the golden dragon. The potential possessed only by the imperial family.
‘It feels like my eyes are burning.’
The blood flow circled around my body and finally gathered in my eyes. My vertically split pupils mapped the world.
And at last, the flow of all mana existing in the dueling arena came into my view.
Adela’s residual magic power flowing over the broken floor. The magical power of the atmosphere filling the remaining space.
And. The mana flowing through the Sword Star’s body, and even the path of the sword energy that flew as she swung her sword.
Everything was visible at a glance.
‘Therefore.’
Although my agility couldn’t be considered top-notch.
‘If I can predict everything from beginning to end, there’s nothing I cannot avoid.’
Swish—!
The five sword energies seemed to have no blind spots at first glance.
But I moved my body nimbly and slipped through the gaps.
There was no time to be relieved after avoiding the sword energy. I continued without stopping my momentum, advancing like enjoying skating on ice over the sunken ground.
At the same time, I reached out and grasped the damaged dueling arena floor. It was to control Adela’s mana and the mana in the atmosphere.
“…You moving through the pits has been annoying me since earlier.”
Seeing my actions, the Sword Star said that and then.
Sword Star Style
Wind Moon Slash
She sent wind blades as if to cut off my path.
However.
‘That’s troublesome.’
She probably didn’t know exactly what intention I had in my actions and was blocking me. But regardless, I couldn’t allow myself to be hindered.
Pitch-Black Tower Master’s Secret Technique
Lightning Arrows
As soon as I waved my hand, there was a sound of electricity crackling behind me.
Crack, crack-crack! Though less intense than the rods Adela had created in the first round, clearly arrows made of lightning were formed.
They shot out immediately and collided with the Sword Star’s sword energy.
BOOM!
The thunderous sound that arose when the two met. As that sound subsided, the noise of whispering from the spectator stands echoed.
“Hey. That… Wasn’t that the technique the Sage used just now?”
“Y-Yeah, it looks like it! The lightning and the rod shape. It’s exactly the same.”
“Does this make sense? How can the prince use it? It’s a magic that the Sage used.”
“Wasn’t the prince supposed to have lost his power in the first place? What’s going on?”
‘For this too, the trick is simple.’
I cannot use magic myself.
However.
I form the framework of the magic with Adela’s magical power left in the dueling arena.
Then fill the content of the magic with the magical power floating in the atmosphere of the dueling arena.
Finally, by injecting only a small amount of my own magical power to take control of the magic.
The miracle of a prince imitating a Sage’s magic becomes possible.
“…”
When I glanced toward the Sword Star, she was staring at me with a blank expression.
Then Silvia opened her small mouth.
“…Is that your technique? It looks quite good.”
“Hmm.”
Of course, it’s certainly not my technique.
But the reason the Sword Star doesn’t know that is.
‘She didn’t see the first round.’
She was just taking a deep sleep, so she has no way of knowing who the original owner of this magic is.
And. Conversely, that means.
‘It’s going according to plan.’
It provided solid grounds for the strategy I had designed from the start of the duel to lead this fight to my victory.
“Have you ever experienced defeat before?”
“…?”
The Sword Star tilted her head at my words. It meant she didn’t understand my sudden statement.
So I elaborated a bit more.
“I apologize if it’s impolite.”
“…”
“You’ll experience it today, so I hope the shock won’t be too great.”
At my words, the Sword Star remained silent with a blank expression for a moment, then.
“Try it. If you can.”
After saying that, she swung her sword in a semicircle again.
She seemed slightly offended, but even so, her gaze looking at me with indifference was still much stronger.
That’s why she was so carelessly repeating the same technique.
And.
‘That is your factor of defeat.’
What followed was a recreation of the pattern that had continued since the duel began.
The Sword Star would shoot sword energy, and I would evade by sliding on the destroyed ground. Occasionally when she tried to cut off my path, I would counter with the Sage’s magic.
Only after this process had repeated dozens of times.
“Phew….”
I came to a halt.
My cheeks were damp with sweat. The golden hair sticking to my cheeks was quite uncomfortable.
Having rapidly circulated blood throughout my body to move for some time now, a strong feeling of exhaustion followed. My optic nerve also felt like it was burning from straining too much.
It seemed I should stop soon. I can’t evade anymore. Let’s not overdo it.
“Is it over now?”
The Sword Star asked me while yawning.
It was an expression confident of victory. A look that said, what else can you do besides running away?
I asked with a bitter smile.
“Yes. It’s over.”
“After just running away.”
“Of course, the evasion is over too.”
“…?”
The Sword Star tilted her head at my words.
Because in my face reflected in her pupils, a very firm composure was visible.
“To be precise.”
Crack, crack-crack.
“…!”
Silvia raised her head straight up. Along with her, the spectators’ gazes also turned toward the ceiling.
“This duel is over.”
Up there, numerous ice spears had formed. The number of sharply carved frost fangs was in the tens, hundreds.
Pitch-Black Tower Master’s Secret Technique
Frost Downpour
This too was a technique the Sage had used.
The Sword Star, seemingly surprised by the rain of frost, halted her body. Then she uttered a sentence.
“…How did you do that?”
“What do you mean?”
“This requires a magic circle to be drawn. It doesn’t seem like the kind that can be cast without drawing one.”
“Hmm.”
A sharp observation.
The lightning arrow-shaped attacks I used earlier didn’t require a magic circle, so I could imitate them.
This ice rain, which requires a magic circle, cannot be imitated by me unless I’m a Sage.
Because only Adela can draw a magic circle.
Yes.
Only Adela.
“Look at the floor.”
“…?”
At my words, the Sword Star lowered her head and scanned the ground.
“What action did I take to avoid your attacks?”
“…Ah.”
While evading the incoming sword energy, my feet continuously traveled just one path.
The magic circle that Adela created in the first round.
The Sword Star could never have noticed and prevented this.
Because.
‘She didn’t see the first round.’
So she wouldn’t have been conscious of the magic circle.
The fact that she was sleeping during that time.
Furthermore, the fact that she didn’t care about whatever actions I took.
All of it stemmed from indifference.
Indifference.
A single emotion created this result.
“That’s why I told you.”
“…”
“That you would experience defeat.”
I said that with a shrug of my shoulders, and then.
I snapped my fingers, raining down frost fragments toward the Sword Star.
This is a magic cast by the Sage, no less. Considering it exceeded the threshold in the first round, it must certainly be a technique with considerable lethality.
Given the Sword Star’s skill, she wouldn’t be greatly injured.
But with the careless attitude she’s shown so far, she absolutely cannot defend against it.
“…”
I saw the Sword Star closing her eyes. Then she took a small breath and gripped her sword handle tightly.
When her eyelids finally opened and her silver pupils dilated.
Sword Star Style
Void Killing Technique
The frost fragments falling from far away were shattered by blades that tore through the entire space.
“…!”
Seeing that, I clicked my tongue.
‘Indeed.’
It was a display worthy of being called the Sword Star.
That sword strike that crushed each and every one of the numerous ice rains without leaving any behind.
‘If she had used that from the beginning, it would have been my defeat.’
“…”
The Sword Star’s eyes burned white. The silver pupils continuously expanded, devouring the whites of her eyes.
White eyes. I had the illusion of a living sword staring at me.
It seemed she had abandoned her indifferent attitude after the last exchange and was now displaying her full sincerity.
At this rate, it would be my defeat. I’ve used all the cards I had in hand, so there are no more moves left.
Yes, if it continued like this.
[“That’s enough.”]
“…?”
At the professor’s interjection, the Sword Star raised her gaze.
[“The match is decided. Miss Silvia, you are defeated.”]
“…Why?”
Silvia asked blankly. It was an expression of complete incomprehension.
The professor added an explanation to resolve her doubt.
[“Miss Silvia. The technique you just used exceeded the threshold of the measuring magic. Therefore, student Loran is the winner.”]
“…But he also seemed to use a powerful technique.”
[“Well. What’s clear is that student Loran didn’t exceed the threshold, while you did.”]
“…”
Seeing the Sword Star still with an expression of incomprehension, I helped her.
“Because it wasn’t my mana.”
“…What?”
“The control of the magic was indeed my mana. But neither the framework nor the content had any of my mana in it. So it had to fall short of the threshold.”
After carefully considering my explanation, Silvia frowned slightly and asked.
“Did you plan this?”
“Of course.”
A smile formed on my lips. She seemed to have quite a quick mind, so the conversation went well.
“Whether you were hit by the magic or not, from the moment you allowed me to cast magic, your defeat was determined.”
Taking a direct hit from the magic would mean defeat. Using great power to defend would trigger the measuring magic, resulting in disqualification through loss.
It was truly a checkmate.
“…”
Finally understanding the situation.
The Sword Star blinked silently for a few seconds, then.
“…I lost?”
She blankly muttered such words again.
Regardless, I now shifted my attention away from the Sword Star and dusted off my clothes. There wasn’t a spot on my clothes that wasn’t covered in dust and dirt, which was quite unpleasant.
My body had also sweated a lot, so I felt quite uncomfortable. I wanted to quickly return, wash up, and change clothes.
As I turned to leave the dueling arena, a girl’s voice was heard from behind.
“You.”
When I slightly turned my head to look back.
There was a small-framed girl staring intently at me.
“Name, what is it?”
“…?”
Why is she suddenly asking for my name?
Even though I tilted my head in confusion, the Sword Star didn’t stop her momentum. Her silver pupils persistently looked at me.
“I already told you.”
“Don’t remember. Tell me, your name.”
“…”
After heaving a deep sigh, I gave a short answer.
“Loran. Loran von Welert.”
“…I see.”
The Sword Star.
After hearing my answer, she rolled her tongue and repeated my name. As if engraving it in her mind.
“Loran. Loran. Loran….”
And then, she smiled brightly.
“Yes. I remembered it. Loran.”
“…”
This time, I turned my back without any lingering thoughts. Continuing to exchange words with the Sword Star was quite a tiring task.
However.
“See you again, Loran.”
The Sword Star’s silver pupils watching me were sparkling brightly.
Her eyes, now full of life, seemed to be declaring to me.
-I won’t let you go, they said.