Chapter 163 - Episode 25: "Pardon Me for Being the Strongest Queen"
As expected of a monster.
While dodging Doran's first strike, a merciless kick, by a hair's breadth, I immediately became excited.
The second strike was delivered instantly. The third strike cornered me further. Each one of them would be a fatal wound if I were careless. Such a thrill is hard to come by!
And what is pleasant about these is that they are attacks based on Doran having completely controlled his own power.
When the late King of Orchesta became a monster, his power was certainly tremendous…… but there was hardly any technique there, and there was a sightliness like being swung around by power.
In that respect, Doran has no such waste or openings! He completely controls his own power and shows me techniques where skill and strength are integrated.
This is fun! I can well understand why Onii-sama was enjoying himself!
Now then. If I am in a situation where I am one-sidedly dodging, the audience will be worried.
I shall counterattack.
My weapon is a sword. Today, I am participating with the slender one-handed sword I am best at. It's a triple-threat sword—good for thrusting, good for slashing, and good as a medium for magic. With this sword, I shall show you my brilliant swordsmanship!
First, I saw through Doran's movement and delivered a strike aimed at his heart.
At the attack that seemed casual but was utterly merciless, I could see Doran's fur standing on end.
Even so, I shall not be merciful. Aiming for the moment Doran swung his fist, I dodged the fist and went for Doran's eyeball!
……Then, Doran actually caught the sword's blade with his arm!
Even though he is wearing gauntlets, catching a sword with one's arm takes quite a bit of courage. This makes me smile!
Then, let's test that courage! The next target is Doran's right chest!
……Humans have the impression that they will die if their heart is stabbed, but in reality, they'll pretty much die no matter where they are stabbed! In particular, the lungs used for breathing in and out are surprisingly important organs.
Therefore, if this hits, it will be a sufficient fatal wound. Faced with such a strike, Doran caught the sword again.
「You seem to have courage!」
「Can one be a villain without courage!」
Now, I parried and dodged Doran's following counterattack with my sword…… and after taking a little distance again, we immediately clashed.
……It's fun.
Since long ago, I have enjoyed swinging a sword at a Martial Arts Tournament more than dancing at a ball.
I thought that since I became Queen, I might not be able to have such fun anymore…… but it was a groundless fear!
「Fun! It's fun! Now, now, now! Let's fight more! More and more, entertain me!」
This excitement! A world of hair's breadths where one mistake means death! Judging, dodging, and parrying each and every strike I've never seen before that is delivered in an instant, and further finding openings deep within to go and forcibly pry them open with my sword!
There is nothing like this fun! Ah, truly, I…… am enjoying myself right now!
The offense and defense between Doran and I fascinated the audience with a power that was beyond human.
Doran's monster-like nature was one thing, but it undoubtedly became a good opportunity to realize my own greatness. Glancing at the audience seats, the royalty and nobles from other countries were dumbfounded. It felt good!
……However, we cannot stay like this forever.
I shall make my move!
What I did was the same as what Doran did earlier. The thing where Doran took a hit from Onii-sama and caught his leg.
I exposed my own neck, showing an obvious opening.
Doran seemed a little surprised to see that…… but he grinned and took the bait!
There, I carefully gauged the kick released toward my neck…… and delivered a strike with my sword!
……With a clink sound, my sword fell.
Yes. Something impossible happened. My…… sword was deflected.
He went and did it. Doran actually changed his target from my neck to my sword and delivered a strike just to deflect the sword!
He's doing quite a tasteful thing, isn't he! This is fun!
「The, the winner is……」
The referee tried to hand the victory to Doran's side, but Doran's attack did not end.
That's right. I only had my sword deflected. Doran only deflected the sword. Neither of us has delivered a proper blow yet!
「Not yet! I can still fight!」
I said that to the referee and tore the hem of my dress all at once to make it easier to move! I can hear cheers from the audience seats! I feel like Giovan is lamenting, but that can wait!
「Did you think I would be weak empty-handed!? I am fairly strong even with my bare hands!」
「Hah. 'Fairly,' is it! Don't think you can win with just that!」
Seeing Doran grin as if baring his fangs…… I took flight!
What was strengthened by the Royal Family's equipment wasn't just my physical ability. My magical power, which had been almost entirely taken away by the poison, has also been thoroughly strengthened.
Therefore…… with the wind magic I could use somewhat originally! It is fully possible for me to even fly through the air!
Using wind magic to perform 'physically impossible' maneuvers worked quite well against Doran.
Pretending to release a roundhouse kick by jumping while rotating to the right, making the body's movement completely like that, but then using wind magic to forcibly rotate the body to the left and deliver a kick from the opposite side.
Running all at once, but then using wind magic to stop suddenly and turn sharply without any inertia.
Purposely jumping out of bounds once and then forcibly returning.
I even did a second jump in mid-air and could change my posture in mid-air. Yes. This is a tremendous cheating move from the perspective of someone fighting 'normally.'
「I've got you!」
And so, I successfully delivered a thrust to Doran's solar plexus!
「Damn……! If I'm a monster, then you're a monster too!」
That's a compliment! I'm happy! I was called a monster by a monster!
「Now, now! If you don't want to be hunted by that monster, you'd better work a little harder!」
When I provoked him while delivering a kick to the side of Doran's face, Doran grinned and…… raised his physical enhancement magic to the limit.
……He intends to decide it with one blow. He's in a stance where he will absolutely hit and absolutely take me down, whether I dodge or block.
In that case, for me…… to keep dodging and dodging would be a bit nonsensical.
Since Doran is giving his all, I shall respond to it. ……With this fist!
I also brought out my trump card.
I gathered the power of the Royal Family's equipment and my magical power strengthened by it into my fist…… and further, I let it be clad in fire magic.
The flame glowing and burning in my fist is my color. It is red. This isn't just a mere bluff. It has the effect of making the sense of distance unclear with light and heat, and it also has the meaning of interfering with and melting the opponent's physical enhancement magic.
My flames have burned various things until now. They burned my hated targets of revenge, they burned houses here and there, and they burned the Royal Castle.
This flame that has been used as my symbol. With this, I shall meet Doran's attack!
「Are you ready?」
「Yes. Then…… here I come!」
Doran's fist, strengthened to the limit by physical enhancement magic, and my fist, which roared while clad in the power of the Royal Family's equipment, increased magical power, and flames.
The moment those two clashed, a gale blew across the stage, which occurs when special magics clash, and a shock ran through…….
With a dull sound, the stage collapsed!
It seems the stage could not withstand the interference of the incredibly compressed magics clashing. Yes. On top of the collapsing stage, I found Doran, who was dumbfounded just like me…….
……Three minutes later.
The thick dust rising from the ruins of the collapsed stage thinned a little…… and finally showed the audience what was happening at the collapse site.
Yes. Both the audience and the referee certainly saw it.
Me! This I!
Firmly locking Doran's neck!!
「The, the winner! Her Majesty Violia Nico Fortesia! The winner of the First Fortesia Martial Arts Tournament is Her Majesty Violia Nico Fortesia!」
A little after the referee's judgment, the audience seats erupted in excitement all at once!
While receiving the cheers of the audience, I released Doran's neck.
Doran just coughed a little and shook his head before standing up normally, and he held out one hand to me.
「It's my loss. ……But, I enjoyed it.」
「Yes. Me too. It was very fun.」
I shook Doran's hand back with a beaming smile!
Ah, it was truly fun. Such excitement is hard to experience. And the next one is a year away? Ah, I'm already looking forward to it…….
「……Now, Queen. Go greet the audience.」
「Yes. I shall do so.」
I said that to Doran, and as I was about to go out onto the collapse using wind magic…… I suddenly became curious and asked him.
「By the way, what did you intend to do if you won? You didn't intend to propose to me, did you?」
「Ah, that's right.」
Doran had a slightly hesitant face…… and then, he grinned and responded.
「I was going to request another match.」
「Oh, how lovely.」
It's very like him, and that's good. Whether he originally intended to ask for that or just thought of it now, it's a lovely wish.
If that's the case…… I wouldn't mind granting it at all!
Now then.
After that, I returned to the top of the stage collapse ruins and gave a greeting there as the winner and as the Queen.
The audience listened to my greeting while their excitement had not yet cooled, and when I said, 'Be proud. Your King possesses this much strength. I am different from the incompetents of the past! I shall use this power fully for the sake of the people!' they shed tears of gratitude, and when I concluded with, 'By the way, there was no gentleman worthy of me in this tournament! I look forward to the next time! Please entertain me next time as well!' they laughed loudly with a mix of wry smiles…… and so, the First Fortesia Martial Arts Tournament came to a close.
……However.
「Ah, Milady.」
「You again!? What kind of trouble is it this time!?」
After finishing the closing greeting, as I headed backstage, I encountered Giovan! He seems to have brought a cloak to hide the hem I tore, but more than that, he has definitely brought something! Specifically, he's brought some kind of no-good topic! I'm sure of it!
「Apparently, a challenger has come to the entrance of the venue.」
……Oh?