The Emperor spoke to Jaekiel.
The apple, bitten with a crisp sound, disappeared in an instant, and the
voice carried a considerable amount of interest.
"I've had missions far more challenging than this."
"Huh."
In the past, I was forced to carry out impossibly difficult missions without
any proper rewards. The one who assigned those missions was, of course,
the Emperor.
The Emperor seemed to understand the meaning at once.
"You say things like that now. You've become bold."
The long robe slightly shook. It seemed like he was laughing.
"Anyway, the opponent still has four attack opportunities left. Despite that,
you still want to try?"
Jaekiel nodded immediately.
The current situation of deciding whether to accept the mission after
hearing it was awkward in itself. In the past, it was common to accept the
mission forcibly and then check the details.
"Yes."
"Good."
Perhaps he liked the answer.
The long robe sat on a large rock.
"Then let's start adjusting the detailed conditions. Specifically, how you can
sell the painting at the highest price."
Jaekiel focused on the Emperor's words.
The difference of a single drop of Sun Water was enormous.
"First, Princess Ether is strong. I poured my heart into her. She bathed in
Sun Water as a child; imagine that."
A drop I so desperately desired was once bathwater for someone. How
unfair the world was.
"Jaekiel, in this world, there is a concept of a worthy opponent."
"Yes."
"When the levels match, a good fight leaves experiences, and when the
competitive spirit arises, it leads to achievement. Anyone grows the most
when they have a worthy opponent."
"That's true."
"But Ether is too strong. She has no worthy opponent."
The holy grail that appeared out of nowhere was now shimmering, and the
scent was familiar. Even that was apple wine.
"I hope this duel becomes a good experience for the 1st Princess. The more
beneficial it is, the higher I'll raise the value of the painting."
"I understand."
If I win with the painting completed, at least one drop.
If it benefits the 1st Princess, even more.
Jaekiel's aim was, of course, the latter.
The Emperor suddenly handed over a crystal ball.
"If you speak into the crystal ball, it will be printed as text on the crystal
ball on the other side of the gorge. In other words, you can communicate
until the duel ends."
"Communicate…"
The Emperor telekinetically took care of the princesses.
"I'll take care of the princesses. Do you have any questions?"
Jaekiel thought.
Not only did he have to win, but he also had to paint, and even tutor Ether
for her growth.
This was the condition to obtain the maximum amount of Sun Water.
However, still.
He didn't think it was impossible.
"No questions. But…"
The man simply bit into the Sun Grass as usual.
"You might need to prepare quite a lot of Sun Water."
Cullinan Gorge.
Phew.
Ether exhaled thick cigar smoke, her gaze fixed on the opposite gorge
where her opponent was.
Those following her gaze swallowed dryly.
No matter the distance, one thing was very clear. The other side was
completely devastated.
"Scouting Team Leader."
Behind the 1st Princess, the scouting team was observing the duel from a
certain distance, and one member who had been quietly watching spoke
cautiously.
"As expected, the 1st Princess is strong."
"Of course."
"Just how strong is she?"
The Scouting Team Leader hesitated for a moment.
How strong? That was quite a difficult question.
"I can't say for the entire continent or the demon realm, but if we were to
select the five strongest in the empire, the 1st Princess would definitely be
included."
"Indeed!"
The scouting team member nodded in amazement.
"The opponent on the other side of the gorge must be dead, right?"
"There's no way they survived."
In fact, there was no such thing as 'absolute' in this world.
But to the scouting team, the 1st Princess was strong enough to warrant the
word 'absolute'. By their humble standards, it was impossible to measure
Ether's power in detail.
Meanwhile, 1st Princess Ether quietly furrowed her brow.
'…Did I fail?'
It was certain. The guy was still alive.
'But that guy has no identity.'
No matter the distance between the gorges, Ether was confident in her
ability to read the opponent's energy. She might not grasp it in detail, but
she could at least discern the strength of their power.
However, the opponent she was facing now had no identity.
No, to be precise, he had too many identities.
The energy of the dead was detected one moment, and the next, he appeared
fully alive, with the strength of his power constantly changing.
'Is he hiding it, or is it just as it is?'
If he was hiding it intentionally, it meant he was skilled and interesting, and
if it was just as it was, he was someone she had never seen before, making
it even more interesting.
Ether unconsciously bit into her cigar. The cigar couldn't withstand her
biting force and snapped.
"Damn, I bit it off again."
"I'll prepare a new one immediately!"
The attendant moved quickly.
Biting the thick cigar occasionally was an old habit of Ether's. It was a
habit she picked up from mimicking someone she liked.
Biting the new cigar brought about a peculiar feeling.
"Hmm."
It was a habit that would come out whenever she was excited.
'Does this mean I'm looking forward to this duel?'
It was truly a strange thing.
Recently, without a worthy opponent, her competitive spirit had declined,
but now it was somewhat ignited.
At that moment.
The crystal ball at her feet projected a screen in midair like a blackboard.
[ 1st Princess, it's not as you expected. ]
[ Weren't you hoping for the elixir? ]
[ You might need to try harder. ]
Ether chuckled.
It wasn't the childish provocation that was funny.
It was the fact that there was an opponent who could still talk after an attack
that should have turned the gorge upside down. It was enjoyable.
The 1st Princess kicked the crystal ball up with her feet and caught it.
"Scoundrel, it's your turn. When will you attack?"
[ After assessing your level, there's no need. ]
[ Even if I get hit four more times, it won't matter. ]
"Hoo."
A smile formed on Ether's lips.
"Your spirit is not ordinary for a scoundrel."
Ether was never a woman to take rudeness lightly. But the opponent's skill
seemed quite impressive, so she felt rather pleased.
Rather, it was good. An interesting duel was always welcome.
"Scoundrel. Let's do it this way then."
[ Speak. ]
"Just defend. I will shoot four times in a row."
Ether paused in her words and took a breath, trying to calm her excitement.
Her face had heated up, and her mouth felt sticky.
"If you endure, I will surrender immediately."
[ Easy. Let's do that then. ]
Ether reached out to the sky.
A bow formed from immense energy was in her slowly descending hand,
and the atmosphere was unusual.
"Scoundrel, you know how to excite an esteemed body. Consider it an
honor. None of the recent campaigns excited me."
Ether excitedly placed the arrow on the bowstring.
It was truly a peculiar thing.
An opponent she met for the first time. She didn't even know his name or
appearance. But wasn't he acting as if he knew how to make Ether happy?
[ You get excited too easily. Easy women aren't my type. ]
"Easy woman?"
Kwaaaaaa!
At the same time, a noise tore through the air. The beam of light shot from
the bow moved as if it would engulf Dominon Gorge.
Kwaaaang!
The beam hit the gorge once and split into countless pieces, and then all the
fragments exploded again. The explosion seemed endless.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Ether quietly dusted off her hands.
"Arrogant talk. I belong to someone."
Just as she was about to turn away without hesitation.
[ Three times left now? ]
"…?"
[ Still comfortable. ]
"Hmm?"
Ether raised an eyebrow as she looked at the crystal ball.
It was quite unexpected.
The second strike was designed to cause numerous small explosions. The
power was significant, but it was intended to instill fear in the recipient.
But he wasn't scared at all.
…Rather, wasn't he waiting for the next strike?
"An interesting guy."
Ether tightened her grip on the bow.
The opponent's presence was still unpredictable, but his power was weaker
than before. It meant he was affected.
"He can change his presence, it seems. If he had pretended to be dead, he
might have saved his life."
[ You should have done your best just now. ]
[ You'll regret taking it easy. ]
"You're not just a scoundrel. You've been promoted to a toy."
Something blossomed in Ether's heart.
'I feel it for the first time in a long while. This is definitely… '
The competitive spirit.
The competitive spirit is a feeling one has when victory is not guaranteed.
Could it be that Ether wasn't confident of her victory in this duel?
'That can't be.'
She never thought of losing from the start.
'I am myself. I am 1st Princess Ether.'
Thinking so, Ether shot another beam of light formed from energy. This
time, two at once.
Bang! Bang!
However, the trajectory curved oddly. The beam that could have devastated
the gorge soared into the sky.
Ether's eyebrows twitched greatly.
'Did he deflect it?'
Two of Ether's beams of light?
A tremendous amount of energy was infused. If there was even a slight
error in the defense barrier, the entire gorge would have been pierced, it was
truly amazing skill.
The person who created the beam was the 1st Princess, so she knew better
than anyone. That guy was no ordinary person.
"Toy, you're more than I thought."
Ether's energy surged.
[ You didn't do your best again? Pathetic. ]
"Fine. I'll show you my full power as you wish."
In an instant, Ether's bow absorbed a tremendous amount of energy and
swelled. It grew several times larger, forming a giant ballista.
Ether inserted an arrow the size of three carriages.
"Make sure you survive. As soon as the duel ends, I will personally come to
see your face."
Dominon Gorge.
No, it could no longer be called a gorge.
Dominon Ruins.
[ Fine. I'll show you my full power as you wish. ]
"…"
Jaekiel bit into five layers of Sun Grass.
'Damn, she's much stronger than before.'
Ether's power was so immense that his fatigue was severe. If it weren't for
the Sun Grass, he would have fainted long ago.
[ Make sure you survive. As soon as the duel ends, I will personally
come to see your face. ]
…Now, I have to drink the Sun Water to break even.