Chapter 102

“Of course, Maximilian flipped out.”

“What do you mean ‘not’? You’re openly using the name Lenart!”

“I just referred to the Lenart family because I’m a fan of them! I explained this earlier!”

“Adelheid von Lenart! Do you really think you can dodge responsibility with such childish wordplay?”

“Seriously, I’m the Lenart Mask! Are you hard of hearing? Go see a doctor!”

“This is just…!”

Maximilian’s face turned so red it made me worry he might grab his neck and faint.

He was someone who had hardly ever lost an argument in his life.

It wasn’t that his rhetoric was out of this world; it was just that people backed down out of fear of his background.

Not everyone cowered before Maximilian; there were some big shots that he had to tread carefully around. But those folks wouldn’t get into childish bickering like this.

If Maximilian were to fall madly in love with the Lenart Mask and say, “You’re the first one to confront me this way!” it would have turned into a comical scene, but alas, that was not the case.

Instead, Maximilian raised his sword high.

“Alright then! I’ll personally take off that fancy mask of yours and reveal your true identity!”

Maximilian plunged into the ground and shot up into the air.

His movements were so nimble, you’d think he wasn’t wearing heavy armor at all.

Landing on the roof, he didn’t hesitate for a moment to swing his sword.

As the attack came flying at her face, the Lenart Mask—no, Adelheid quickly leaned back.

Swish!

The attack didn’t connect, but the sharp blow slicing by her was enough to jolt her senses.

She could even feel the intention to kill in Maximilian’s strike, not just a show of force, but a clear will to harm.

“Let’s see how long you can run like a rat!”

Maximilian unleashed the Empire’s court swordsmanship.

It was a martial art learned only by members of the royal family and their kin, steadily pushing Adel into a corner.

‘This is tough!’

Adel’s expression grew serious beneath the mask.

Honestly, she had been underestimating Maximilian just a bit.

He had forgotten about their previous encounter because of memory loss, but for Adel, it was a rematch against someone she had already subdued once.

But facing him one-on-one, she realized.

No matter his character, Maximilian’s skills were undeniably real.

It was just that the Tin Knight had been ridiculous enough to handle him like he was no threat at all.

And the message from the Tin Knight echoed in Adel’s mind.

[The ‘Tin Knight’ says this is your chance to adapt before the tournament!]

Practice like it’s real. Or make reality feel like practice.

Despite her ongoing mess of a training plan, Adel had long since adapted.

She gripped the sword’s handle tightly.

Clang!

“Enough of this nonsense!”

Adel swung her sword seeking an opening, but her attack was deflected with ease.

She heard a mocking voice, but Adel paid it no mind.

Her focus was entirely on analyzing Maximilian’s every move.

A defensive style of swordsmanship.

Cutting off any potential variables, making sure to suppress her opponent safely and surely.

A sword infused with authority that instilled awe in onlookers, and helplessness in those who faced it.

It was incredible swordplay, a refined skill indeed.

But for Adel,

‘The sword and the person are out of sync.’

Maximilian’s swordsmanship was indeed exquisite and dignified.

Yet, his intent with the sword was wild and reckless.

The blade swung with authority, while the person wielding it lacked the weight and dignity to match, surrendering to violent impulses.

Adel capitalized on the gap created by this discord.

Thud!

“Ugh!”

Maximilian’s expression twisted in pain as Adel struck his thigh.

Until now, he had been comfortably blocking attacks, but for the first time, he was caught off guard.

He sustained no damage due to his armor, but the humiliation was something else entirely.

But this was just the beginning.

Clang, clang, thud!

Adelheid’s sword hammered relentlessly at various parts of Maximilian’s body.

Thanks to the quality of his armor and protective magical devices, he suffered little damage, but Adel didn’t care.

She had been fighting against the Tin Knight, who had no skill with a blade since her very lowest days.

This was just part of her daily life.

“Damn it, if only the ground were solid!”

Maximilian grumbled.

They were fighting atop a triangular, pointed roof, and naturally, the footing was precarious.

Adel had to be careful with every step to maintain her balance, while her opponent bounced around as if he were on level ground.

It was hard to tell if he was human or beast.

Maximilian’s attacks grew increasingly fierce as he tried to shake off his boiling anger.

Thanks to the fine dining he’d enjoyed, his strikes were explosive and extravagant, but rather than exclusively challenging for Adel, it made things easier for her.

The swordsmanship he’d learned was highly sophisticated, making it difficult to find an opening, but the more wildly he swung, the more the inherent advantages of his technique faded.

Thud!

“Gah!?”

Adel seized the opportunity from behind and struck the back of his head.

Just before impact, a bluish barrier appeared, deflecting the blow, but Maximilian still tumbled forward.

And where they stood was on a roof.

Thud!

The sight of Maximilian rolling off the roof and crashing down to the ground was clearly etched in the spectators’ memories.

Although Maximilian came out unscathed, his armor intact, getting dirty while rolling in the dirt was unavoidable.

“My lord!”

His subordinates rushed over to help him, but Maximilian roughly shoved them aside and glared up at Adel on the roof.

In response, Adel said,

“Just give up and go home. The verdict on your sins will not be delivered by me or you, but by the Lord of Trakus.”

“Nonsense!”

Maximilian cut off her suggestion in a snap.

He shouted with rage,

“Adelheid von Lenart! Are you seriously trying to shield these evil-doers until the end? I’m curious as to what you’ve been receiving to act like this! The honor of the Lion Duke’s bloodline has fallen into the dirt!”

“I told you, I’m not Adelheid, I’m the Lenart Mask!”

“Are you really going to mock me to the end…!”

At that moment.

“Why are you so distrustful of others? If she calls herself the Lenart Mask, why not believe her?”

A voice from the crowd pierced Maximilian’s ear.

He whipped his head around.

A beautiful woman with blonde hair and purple eyes, arms crossed, was staring back at him.

And beside her stood two swordsmen, both sharing the same hair and eye color.

A member of the Patriotic Youth Corps let out a murmur.

“Maris von Lenart…!”

The woman, known as Maris, spoke in a tone that betrayed her utter confusion.

“You keep bringing up our family, but there’s no connection between the Duke Lenart family and this shop!”

Maximilian quickly retorted.

“Stop spouting nonsense! Isn’t that girl protecting the shop right now!”

“Wow, your comprehension is really lacking. That’s not a Lenart person! She said she was just a simple fan.”

“Do you really think that kind of absurdity holds? It’s as clear as day—”

“—What if she’s actually a member of our family?”

Maris’s tone flipped.

Her previously lighthearted demeanor vanished, her ice-cold eyes piercing into Maximilian’s soul.

“If the second son of the Heidern Marquisate has been making statements that insult the whole Lenart family, and even resorted to violence because he can’t win with words, can you handle the consequences?”

Maximilian’s mouth snapped shut, stunned.

Maris cast a glance toward Adel standing on the roof, continuing her words.

“If that girl is simply an ‘outsider who admires the Lenart family,’ all your rants about them would just be seen as ‘mockery towards a shameless imposter daring to pretend to be of the Duke’s line.’ It’s a bit upsetting, but not enough for the Duke to bother reporting it.”

Even if they were all called the Lion Duke’s bloodline, if you gathered the main family, branches, and relatives, the number would exceed three digits.

If someone from the main family held an important position, it might be different, but the Duke couldn’t intervene every time a mere member wanted to take revenge or preserve their face.

However, should it escalate to a full-blown insult against the family as a whole, even they couldn’t ignore it.