It was certainly suspicious that he would cooperate with my plan to cancel my engagement from the start, for nothing in return.

Still, until the middle, he was mingling with me without any sudden action, taking my attacks straight away.

I was in the middle of a little bit of trust in her.

Perhaps all of that was a delay for this final blow.

Confronting at this distance would have been more advantageous to her as a swordsman, so as soon as she struck her sword once, she immediately created a safe distance.

Before continuing the sparring, I called Miss Hilla’s name to understand her intentions first.

“Lady Hilla?”

“As expected, you notice.”

As soon as she saw Miss Hilla, the arcane magic attached to her clothes rose as if she was tearing off a spider’s web.

I was able to figure out what the trump card she hadn’t told me was.

On top of that, Miss Hilla didn’t even respond to my offer from the start.

“It’s an arcane anti-magic scroll.”

The scroll that split in two was thrown from Miss Hilla’s hand.

“Because I also watched the match where Stella and Conrad competed.

I thought maybe Konrad-senpai would use this magic at the end to avoid hurting me if possible.”

It is true that he did not use magic with high lethal power such as explosions of mana within the body or brilliance strikes.

No matter how many priests were on standby, it was impossible to use magic that could kill a real opponent.

Bringing the dead back to life was the realm of the gods, not a miracle that a mere priest could perform.

Of course, it would be something to reflect on for missing the opportunity because he hesitated to attack until right before the finish line.

“I didn’t know that I was Lady Hilla’s preference until that point. Do you really want to make me your fiancé?”

“I told you, I want to feel like you have a brother.”

“If you’re looking for an older fiancé, you don’t have to be me.”

“But I was envious.”

“I envy you?”

“What kind of person is Conrad’s brother, whom Miss Delphina shows off with subtle pride every day? What if I lost interest?”

Apparently, Delphina’s excessive love for her family left Miss Hilla with a strange misunderstanding.

“I’m sorry, but I wasn’t a very good brother to Delphina.”

“Isn’t that something you don’t know unless you experience it?”

“Yes, then it can’t be helped.”

Anyway, narrowing the difference of opinion was impossible from the beginning.

He just grabbed the weapon in both hands and continued sparring.

In the end, the only thing that made the irrevocable value retreat was the power to protect it.

Read at noblemtl.com

Just when I made up my mind that this time, I wouldn’t let you down and finish it off, Miss Hilla started running toward me with a drawn sword.

I used the 7th circle water magic, tidal waves in front of her eyes.

The huge stream of water created from the tip of the World Tree wand completely covered Miss Hilla’s entry path in an instant.

She gently lifted her light body into the air to avoid the waves.

Without knowing that the situation was exactly the move I wanted.

Miss Hilla’s body leaped in the air and flew toward me in a parabolic arc.

Right before her sword to cut me at close range was pulled out of its scabbard.

The flash magic from my staff hit Ms. Hilla’s eyeball.

“… … !”

Although I was late to figure out the situation and hurriedly closed my eyes in order not to go blind.

If that happened, it would only leave me defenseless against my ensuing melee attacks.

puck. Along with the sound, I felt the heavy weight of my cane touching her abdomen.

“Black!”

Miss Hilla completely collapsed without being able to take a proper defensive posture in the air.

Soon, with a splash, her body fell into the muddy water.

Her red hair turned brown due to the muddy water she was covered with.

Probably, as it is in the Northeast, where the biting cold accompanies it, if you get that much water, your hair and clothes will freeze before long.

In fact, the water accumulated on the floor began to make a thin ice sheet as if it were trying to make an ice sheet.

The water droplets that flowed from Miss Hilla’s clothes and hair covered her body as small icicles.

I thought that this time I would be able to completely subdue her and retrieve the hair tie.

Ms. Hilla uttered a word of air pressure with her eyes fixed on me.

“Huh!”

Magic that circulates magic power around one’s body and creates heat domes to maintain body temperature and raise the temperature.

It was fever magic, a type of arcane magic.

In the Northeast, it is said that fever magic is taught before toddlers.

Certainly, she was also expressing with her entire body that she was from the Northeast.

Of course you need it to survive in this cold land.

Of course, to evaporate that amount of water and frost in an instant, it would have taken a lot of magic and skill.

Being a son of the Warburg family, it wasn’t strange that such a thing was possible.

“… … .”

Ms. Hilla’s movements lightened up again, and her eyes turned toward me.

Gradually, the mana is almost gone. I’ll have to make a decision.

I didn’t want to hurt him if possible, so I hesitated until the end.

In the end, I had a hunch that I would have to see the number of victories with the last magic.

Last attack of the last. Miss Hilla approached me, brandishing a sword she held with both hands.

As I prepared for the last spell, I focused my eyes on the solid silver line moving with her.

It wasn’t usually easy to follow the trail of Miss Hilla’s sword, which moved like a poisonous snake.

Having seen Stella’s swordsmanship up close for a long time, it wasn’t impossible.

The two sharp blades collided once more in the air.

Although he was using body strengthening magic, it was still impossible to block the power of both hands with one hand.

In the end, her strength and momentum pushed me to the back of the ground.

“Great!”

Iron flip. With a sound, Ms. Hilla’s body overlapped on top of mine.

When I opened my eyes again, her blade stopped right in front of my neck.

“I didn’t hurt the precious senior’s body, but it seems that the game has been decided with this.”

Lady Hilla smiles faintly as if she is sure of victory.

I also agreed with her words in my heart, and returned the words that the game had been decided.

“Lady Hilla.”

“Yeah.”

“Why don’t you ask the lady-in-waiting to bring you a new hair tie?”

“… … ?!”

Miss Hilla hurriedly took her left hand to the back of her head.

Her ponytail, which had been tied prior to the start of the match, was already completely undone.

On the floor where I was standing before I fell, the hair tie cut by the wind blade and several strands of red hair were scattered together.

“It seems the game has been decided, Lady Hilla.”

“… … .”

The blade that had been pointed at my neck was moved to the side of my body.

Miss Hilla made eye contact with me and smiled bitterly.

“It’s a victory for Prince Conrad Perdalos.”

Marquis Theo’s declaration of victory reached my ears.

It was a sparring where he learned firsthand that subduing is more difficult than winning.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

In the carriage on the last day returning to the academy after the weekend at the Warburg estate.

There were some annoying things in the middle, but in the end, I coped well and finished the mock sparring with victory.

After canceling the engagement case because it had never happened, I was able to safely leave the Warburg Manor.

I quietly congratulated myself on the fact that I had sorted out a troublesome thing that I hadn’t expected.

With this, the engagement book won’t bother you for a while.

Rumors would spread right away that I had actually been to the Warburg estate with Miss Hilla, leaving the country after my engagement had taken place.

Naturally, there was a high possibility that most families, including those below the Warburg family, would have a deterrent in sending me an engagement letter.

Perhaps from the outside, it would look like her engagement to me was in fact confirmed.

In reality, the opposite was true.

It was enough for this rumor to not dissipate until he graduated from the academy.

After that, it was going to be difficult to keep track of my whereabouts anyway.

Of course, apart from that, it would be a bit difficult for Ms. Hilla to find another fiancé.

“I’m sorry, Miss Hilla.”

“… … Yeah?”

“Because of my selfishness, I blocked Miss Hilla’s wedding, so it won’t be difficult for her to find someone else because of rumors that she’s my fiancée for a while.”

It was an apology I handed to her who would become involved in annoying rumors.

Miss Hilla shook her head at my words. Rather, he seemed to be apologizing towards me.

“I’m really sorry, Conrad-senpai.”

“yes?”

“Compared to not keeping the promise I made with Conrad and betraying him. That kind of trouble won’t even comfort you, senior.”

Even though it was said to have been done in an informal setting, anyway, what she showed me was a clear breach of promise.

Miss Hilla’s sincere bowing of her head in apology was understandable in her own way.

If she didn’t apologize to me now, the perception that she could not be trusted would remain in my head forever.

If you want to maintain even a shallow relationship with me in the future, it must have been a word you must say, shameful or otherwise.

At least, the desire to continue a relationship with me was enough to convey the desire.

“It’s okay, I just asked you a ridiculous request from the beginning.”

“But I can’t bear to fathom the size of the betrayal you went through… .”

“In the first place, thanks to Miss Hilla, a position was created where I could refuse. If it hadn’t been for Miss Hilla’s introduction, I would have had to use a much trickier method.

I am truly grateful to Ms. Hilla for making room for negotiations.”

“Yeah, but if my greed goes out of my way, I will harm Conrad senior… .”

“Let’s stop talking about this. Anyway, usually Delphina owes a lot to you. If you count silver and won one by one, there is no limit.

You can rest assured that I am not disappointed with Miss Hilla over this time. At least I’ll make sure you don’t distance yourself from Miss Hilla because of this.”

After saying this, Ms. Hilla barely managed to retract the expression of apology that had been pouring out in succession as if she was relieved.

“All right. Thank you for your kindness, Senior Conrad.”

To be honest, I only had memories of harassing Miss Hilla throughout the Dalian.

I fed her all the magic I could use by attribute and even received a thank you, so it felt really weird.

Come to think of it, I think it was a similar atmosphere right after the match against Stella.

“Senior Conrad, if you don’t mind rudeness, would it be okay if I ask you just one question?”

As soon as she accepted the apology, Miss Hilla’s expression became noticeably easier, and as if she had endured it, the questions directed at me immediately followed.

“yes I’m fine.”

I readily answered her question, thinking that perhaps she would not ask a question that would embarrass me.

“I’d like to ask you about the wind blade magic that senior Conrad used to untie my hair tie at the end.”

“yes. Why?”

“If it’s Conrad senior’s skill, even if it’s not the last minute. How many times have you not had the chance to untie my hair tie?

Even if you used magic the moment I betrayed you, you would have been able to solve it. But may I ask why you spared the number of trumps until the very end?”

I asked a question, but was that just what I was curious about?

He didn’t seem to know why he really hesitated until the end, so he gave her the obvious answer.

“It’s a waste of pretty hair.”

“… hair?”

“If possible, I didn’t want to cut my hair as much as possible and only cut the hair tie. If you make a mistake, Miss Hilla’s iconic red hair will be shortened at once.

It’s supposed to block the road to marriage, but I can’t even damage that pretty hair. So I hesitated a little while trying to write it as close as possible.”

Despite their own efforts, at least a few strands seem to have been cut together.

Fortunately, the number was so small as to be inconspicuous. Miss Hilla’s hair was now back to the original red hair.

Hearing my answer, Ms. Hilla’s face looked a little red for some reason.

“Conrad senior said he wasn’t a good older brother. After experiencing it myself, it seems that senior Conrad is definitely a good older brother.”

“Wherever you look at me, I’m a good older brother.”

“I can understand why Miss Delphina gets excited whenever she hears the story of senior Conrad. If Conrad was my older brother, I would also brag about it every day.”

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t guess where Miss Hilla thought I was a good older brother.

Miss Hilla smiled meaningfully at me and muttered something softly.

“Maybe it’s a bit fortunate that senior Conrad isn’t my older brother.”

Her voice, barely audible, was drowned out by the sound of the wheels of the wagon running toward the academy.

The Warburg family’s small wagon moved silently to the place where she and I should be.