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As Sophia stepped into the mansion’s entrance, she smirked and spoke to Conra.

“From here, I think I should go up alone.”

“Huh? All of a sudden?”

“The lord fled through a secret passage. You go straight to the place I mentioned and catch the runaway lord. If you wait there, he’ll show up on his own.”

Conra didn’t ask Sophia how she knew that. Well, she must have her ways. Though he was curious, he was her loyal servant and disciple. She’d teach him when the time was right.

Without a word, the boy nodded and immediately led the soldiers away, as Sophia had instructed him to take them along.

Meanwhile, after sending Conra off, Sophia, with a faint smile, climbed the stairs to the second floor of the mansion, heading toward the lord’s office. The sound of her cloak and coat tails brushing against each other, along with the rhythmic tapping of her boots, echoed behind her.

Finally reaching the lord’s office, Sophia raised her longsword. And moments later—

*Bang!*

The sound of something exploding echoed as Sophia’s sword clashed with that of the person waiting inside. The office door couldn’t withstand the force of the collision and shattered into pieces, scattering everywhere. Facing the explosive clash of swords, the person inside spoke.

“This is the office of the rightful ruler of Bryumatt. I had hoped you would enter with some decorum, but I didn’t expect you to open the door so rudely.”

“Funny. Even if I had, you were waiting to swing your sword without hesitation, you hypocrite.”

Sophia retorted, glaring at her opponent with no trace of a smile. The other person, equally expressionless, nodded in agreement.

Sophia’s gaze fell on her opponent. Like her, he was fully armored, but what she saw was something more—the ethereal muscles enveloping his body. Compared to others, his form appeared faint, and Sophia subtly licked her dry lips.

‘This will be an interesting fight.’

At the entrance of the now doorless office, the two stood in silence for a moment. But the silence didn’t last long. Their swords clashed, grinding against each other with a sharp, continuous sound as they engaged in a relentless struggle.

The quiet but dynamic battle of wits and skill continued, each trying to exploit the other’s weaknesses. Both moved like hungry snakes, greedily seeking to seize the upper hand. Sophia, with her background in mixed martial arts and mastery of Taijiquan and Lichtenauer swordsmanship, had the upper hand in this longsword wrestling match.

Eventually, her opponent, overwhelmed, had no choice but to break the bind with a large, abrupt motion.

Stepping back half a step, then lunging forward with a wide horizontal slash, Sophia countered with a vertical strike, aiming to pierce through the opening left by her opponent’s attack.

But her opponent deflected it with his gauntlet and closed the distance. Sophia stood her ground, stopping the charge with sheer strength and pushing him back. Unlike the earlier exchange of blows, her opponent groaned and staggered backward.

‘It seems I have a slight edge in raw strength.’

Even in the heat of battle, Sophia calmly assessed her opponent’s and her own strengths. In sword techniques, she was clearly superior, and with the aid of her ethereal muscles, she had a slight edge in momentary strength.

Sophia’s footwork shifted subtly, and she closed the distance like a lion pouncing on its prey. In the next moment, her gauntleted hand gripped the middle of her longsword’s blade—a half-swording stance. Her opponent mirrored her stance.

What followed was a fierce grappling battle based on half-swording and wrestling techniques. The two spun around, each trying to exploit gaps in the other’s armor or immobilize their limbs.

The decisive moment came when Sophia’s center of gravity dropped, and her body vibrated violently. Her shoulder slammed into her opponent’s chest, followed by her back striking his abdomen. A combination of techniques sent him spiraling away.

With a heavy thud, Sophia swung her longsword like a pickaxe or mace. Her opponent, still reeling, hastily raised his sword to defend.

The man, barely managing to block, fell to one knee, breathing irregularly. Soon, he coughed up black blood.

“Cough, ha… You’re a monster. Are all paladin knights like you?”

After coughing and catching his breath, the man asked. Sophia, sheathing her sword, shrugged.

“Probably similar. You’re quite skilled yourself, though. Honestly, I don’t get it. Why would someone like you back such an incompetent country lord?”

“I owed him a debt from my ancestors. I swore to repay it. If I can do something, I’ll see it through. That’s my pride.”

As he spoke, the man stood up, straightening his posture and raising his sword. His demeanor exuded a rock-solid determination, and Sophia sighed.

“Is that so? If a swordsman stakes his pride, then I have no choice but to respect that. I’ll give it my all as well.”

In an instant, the aura around Sophia changed.

Energy surged from her dantian, and kundalini stirred from her chakras. Her ethereal muscles tightened, becoming tougher and more elastic. The chivalric and heroic trials moved, defining the battlefield as a ‘duel trial.’ Her ethereal brain sharpened her senses for speed and precision.

“Espadon lourd sans tranchant (A heavy sword without an edge), I named it. Try to block this.”

Sophia raised her longsword overhead. Her opponent swallowed dryly and tightened his defensive stance, known in Lichtenauer swordsmanship as the *Hangenort*.

Tension built as their energies condensed. Seeing her opponent ready, Sophia unleashed her overflowing power. Her sword, held high, began to descend slowly—

*Boom—!!!*

A thunderous sound erupted.

+++++

Sophia descended, carrying the unconscious swordsman over her shoulder. Meanwhile, Conra had captured the fleeing lord and brought him back. Seeing the swordsman on Sophia’s shoulder, Conra raised an eyebrow and asked.

“Master, what’s that on your shoulder?”

“The swordsman who guarded the lord. He was quite skilled. It seemed a waste to kill him, so I just knocked him out. By the way, is that the lord?”

Sophia glanced dismissively at the lord Conra had brought.

“How dare you! I am the rightful ruler of Bryumatt! I demand proper treatment as a lord!”

“Not the rightful ruler, but the irresponsible runaway of Bryumatt. Did you know you ruined your own territory? And yet you fled, abandoning it? That’s dereliction of duty under the kingdom’s laws.”

“Fled? Who says I fled!”

“Then why did you block the way with knights and soldiers while trying to escape through a secret passage? Why not step forward and claim your innocence?”

Sophia’s cold, heavy aura pressed down on the lord. She grabbed his chin, locking eyes with him, exuding a predator-like intensity.

“Well, it’s done. You’ll take responsibility for what you’ve done. I’ve already sent letters to the church’s council, the king of Franquia, and the Franquia Tripartite Council. I didn’t come to negotiate with you but to arrest you. Soon, officials from the nearby royal jurisdiction and diocese will arrive to take over your duties and escort you. Until then, stay quietly in your room with your retainers.”

Turning away from the lord, Sophia suddenly rubbed her palms together and smiled.

“Now, shall we have some fun sorting the gems from the rocks?”

Seeing Sophia’s grin, Conra couldn’t help but comment.

“Master, could you maybe not make that expression? It’s kind of scary.”

Of course, his small protest was quickly silenced by a swift, angry fist.

 

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