Chapter 61 (1/2)

The match hadn’t even started, and yet, aggravatingly, His Highness Endo was smiling triumphantly. I somehow kept my face from turning into a dreadful expression. The way of a lady, afterall, was to face provocation with a sweet smile.

Not that I was actually provoked. Despite how it seemed, I hadn’t actually been carried away by my emotions and blundered the details when I declared I’d participate. This was simply a part of my genius revenge, as such there wasn’t actually anything to regret.

I should hardly have to say this, but as the noble daughter of the Noir House I have never even touched a sword before. That was to be expected. ‘Cause I’m a lady. No one would have ever thought that I would be expected to fight with a sword. Except Mariwa, who was practically clairvoyant, why would anyone ever think I would need to learn swordsmanship?

But, it was probably going to be okay.

I was not only born a genius, but also with the will of Heaven backing me up. That’s why it’s okay, even if it’s a match where I couldn’t see a way to win. Who knows, maybe a miracle will occur and I’ll be able to seize victory. I convinced myself of that. Because I am a genius.

“What are you looking so triumphant about, Your Highness Endo?”

There’s no way I, a genius, would ever lose to this guy. I said it straight out, undaunted. Even if it had no basis – I had to backup my resolute pride.

“There’s no way I would lose to someone like, Your Highness in a sword fight. I’ll have you know that I am a genius!”

“Still bluffing I see, well bring it on. You do have a barbaric personality. It wouldn’t be too strange for you to have gone and learnt swordsmanship somewhere. Is that where your confidence is coming from?”

“Ha.”

Accusing me, a perfect lady, of having a barbaric personality, what rubbish. I scoffed at his off the mark assumptions.

“A prince shouldn’t say such a ridiculous thing. Look at my smooth palms. These are the hands of a lady who has never held anything heavier than a teacup.”

“No matter how you look, seeing you with that bad personality claiming to be a lady is too funny…If that were true, there’s no way you could ever think you’d win against me in a fight.”

“Probably a miracle will happen. Your Highness will slip on a banana peel during the match or get struck by lightning and die, something like that will happen. And then I will claim the victory. It has already been decided so by the heavens.”

“Are you an idiot? Relying on something like luck in gambling. I’m the number one favourite child beloved by destiny you know? To compete with a future king like me on the power of luck, I can’t express just how much of an imbecile you are.”

“You claim to have a friend in destiny, but you’re just setting your inferior character in stone. I kind of want to beat up that friend of yours a little bit for making a cocky bastard like you, would you introduce me to them? Since a while ago, I’ve been planning to beat so-called destiny to death, but they’re unfortunately skilled at running away. Is that it? If I hit Your Highness will I finally be able to punch destiny in the face?”

“Grr.”

“Hmm?”

The hostility continued to rise as we exchanged words. Finally, our seething glares met like the clash of swords.

Endo’s blue eyes eloquently seemed to say ‘I hate you’. But that’s fine, let’s just relax. After all, I happened to hate Endo’s guts. I hated him before we even met thanks to my game knowledge, but now that we had met face to face I truly understood.

We would never, ever, get along.

“It’s fine. You just wait right there, Christina Noir! I’ll get permission from the parade ground and bring along a witness. Just tremble in fear until then!”

“Ha! It’s fine if you don’t come back, dimwit! Just get assassinated in the hallway why don’t you, Your Bastard Highness! It’d be for the benefit of this country!”

“Just endure it, stupid woman! I’ll definitely beat the crap out of you when I get back!”

With that he left the room acting so crass you wouldn’t think he was a royal. Going through his head right now, rather than our bet, rather than revenge on Charles, was probably just the desire to rip me apart.

Well, it can’t be helped.

“…Heh”

Alone in the room at last I finally let the corners of my mouth lift into a satisfied smile.

“Hehehe”

I could no longer hold back the laughter leaking out. I’d held it back for so long.

To tell the truth, at the time he said it would be a sword fight, my victory had been assured.

Leading a conversation was my specialty after all. This time I only had to provoke His Dumb Arrogant Highness Endo and things went just as planned. Since a while back I had just been acting during this fight.

That’s right, acting. I wasn’t particularly upset, and I hadn’t lost myself in his provocations either. My actions hadn’t been spurred on by the heat of the moment.

Well now that the nuisance was gone, the servants made every hospitality available to me. As if, after having been unable to treat a guest properly, they were now going above and beyond to make up for it. Tea and sweets were almost immediately provided, as if they had been waiting for this exact moment.