The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 75

75. The Finals

2024.01.14.

A boy who looked to be about Rosette’s age stood before her. He had silver hair with a slight reddish tint and striking red eyes. His skin was so pale that you could see the delicate tracery of blood vessels beneath, and his long eyelashes gave him an almost doll-like appearance.

‘For a moment, I thought he was a girl.’

Indeed, if he weren’t wearing men’s pants, he could easily be mistaken for one.

“Hello.”

The boy smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. His silver eyelashes sparkled in the sunlight. Rosette, caught off guard, mumbled a greeting.

“U-uh, hello.”

“I’m Michael. What’s your name?”

“Young Lady.”

Before Rosette could answer, Chris interjected, his tone suggesting she shouldn’t engage with the boy. Rosette, puzzled by his reaction, whispered to Chris, making sure only he could hear.

“Why are you both so on edge? He’s just a kid. It’s not like he’s here to hurt me.”

“That’s…”

Chris hesitated, searching for the right words.

“Yes? Why?”

“I couldn’t sense any presence from that child.”

“Huh?”

“It doesn’t seem like he approached with good intentions.”

Only then did Rosette scrutinize the child more carefully.

‘But that child seems to be a mage.’

Rosette could feel the suppressed mana [magical energy] within the child’s body. He was trying to conceal it, but he couldn’t completely hide it from her heightened senses.

Is he overconfident in his abilities, or simply fearless? Or perhaps he’s a high-ranking noble used to getting his way?

The unknown child, despite his small stature, didn’t seem at all intimidated by Joseph’s fierce demeanor.

“Aren’t you going to tell me your name?”

Instead of revealing her name, Rosette countered with a question.

“Do you have business with me?”

The child named Michael smiled enigmatically.

“I just wanted to see you.”

“Me? Why?”

“Just because. I heard there was a famous pink-haired kid around.”

“Uh-huh.”

He was a very bland child, despite Joseph and Chris’s obvious vigilance.

“Young Lady, we must go. The eldest young lady and the young master are waiting.”

Chris urged, his voice laced with concern.

“Uh-huh, I understand. Sorry, but I have to go.”

“It’s okay.”

The child continued to smile, showing no sign of displeasure.

“We’ll see each other again anyway.”

With those cryptic words, he turned and disappeared without a trace of regret. Joseph, who had been visibly tense, scratched the back of his head, looking slightly embarrassed.

“What was that kid?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“You two seem too sensitive. He seems to be a mage, not a knight.”

“A mage?”

“Yeah. By the way, do you two know which family that child might be from?”

At Rosette’s question, the two men searched their memories.

“Well, I’ve never seen him before.”

“With that appearance, you’d think we would have heard about him at least once, but I haven’t.”

“Young Lady, don’t worry about it.”

“Okay, I understand.”

“More importantly, let’s go quickly. Everyone is waiting.”

“Alright.”

As Rosette returned to her seat under the watchful protection of her guards, Lucas glared at her, his eyes wide with concern.

“Hey, brat, why are you so late? I was waiting! I was worried!”

“I’m sorry, Brother. There were too many people.”

“Did anything happen?”

Anything?

As soon as she heard those words, Rosette thought of the pretty boy she had met a little while ago. But it wasn’t a big deal, so she nodded reassuringly.

“Of course not.”

“Then sit down quickly. The match will start soon.”

“Yes, Sister.”

Rosette settled between Isabel and Lucas. Lucas turned to Rosette and grinned mischievously.

“Hey, brat, you said you’d give it to me later. Do I get one too?”

“Yes.”

Rosette retrieved the handkerchiefs she had placed in her bag and handed one each to Lucas and Isabel. Lucas chuckled, examining his.

“Is this a rose? It’s all crooked.”

“Give it back if you don’t like it. You always tease me.”

As Rosette reached out to reclaim the handkerchief, Lucas raised his hand high, keeping it out of her reach.

“You can’t take back what you’ve given! Once you give it, it’s over!”

Rosette pouted and glared at him playfully. Turning to Isabel, she asked,

“How about you, Sister?”

“I like it.”

Isabel said simply, tucking the handkerchief into her bosom.

“I’ll use it well, thank you.”

Rosette beamed, feeling a surge of happiness.

After that, the three enjoyed some simple refreshments while watching the swordsmanship competition. Lucas and Isabel watched with focused attention, while Rosette played with Pipi, who was happily munching on biscuit crumbs, and watched the matches more casually.

Then Daniel’s first match began. His opponent was said to be a knight from a noble family.

Rosette felt a pang of nervousness because his opponent was noticeably more muscular than Daniel. However, Daniel moved with surprising agility and won the match relatively easily.

“Wow! Brother won!”

Rosette exclaimed, her face lighting up with joy.

“It’s an obvious result!”

“It would have been strange if he hadn’t won.”

Lucas and Isabel calmly accepted the victory, their expectations clearly high.

After that, the matches continued. Daniel’s second match was more exciting than the first, but it still ended in Daniel’s victory.

“As expected of Daniel!”

“It was a match he had to win.”

“But it was still exciting!”

Even after Daniel’s match, there were still matches left, but the three children decided to return to the mansion. Daniel also returned with them, and they all enjoyed a hearty dinner together.

A few days later, they headed back to Daniel’s arena to watch more matches.

The third match was an overwhelming victory for Daniel, and the fourth ended with Daniel’s victory after a more intense battle than expected.

That evening, a party was held at the Adrian mansion to celebrate Daniel’s advancement to the finals.

“The Young Master will surely win!”

“Of course! He will soon become a Sword Master!”

The knights laughed heartily, raising their large glasses of beer in a toast. Rosette sipped her apple juice among them, nodding repeatedly in agreement.

“By the way, who is his opponent?”

Rosette tensed slightly when she heard the question.

“I think it was Alex Dallas.”

That’s right. Whether it was a coincidence or not, the opponent who had made it to the finals was Alex Dallas.

Rosette felt a knot of unease in her stomach.

‘Alex Dallas has never won before.’

Perhaps the landscape of the swordsmanship competition had changed due to Daniel’s unexpected appearance, unlike in the past. Alex Dallas also seemed strangely stimulated by the challenge.

Lucas and Isabel’s eyes shone with fierce determination.

“So, Alex Dallas’s younger sibling harassed our little one?”

Lucas rolled up his sleeves as if he were about to step into the arena himself. Even though Rosette whispered, “I didn’t say he harassed me…”, the two were too focused on their protective instincts to listen.

“We have to win this match even more than usual. We have to win overwhelmingly.”

Even Isabel was determined to see Daniel victorious.

“Of course! He better not even think about losing!”

“So, I didn’t say he harassed me…”

Rosette’s voice was drowned out by Lucas’s enthusiastic cheering.

At that time, Pipi, who was listening intently, also chirped excitedly.

[Piiip!]

What? Someone who harassed Rosette? Win! First Human! …it seemed to say, its tiny voice filled with righteous indignation.

Rosette sighed and clenched her fists, trying to appear indifferent to the escalating drama.

‘Actually, I want Brother to win too.’

While Isabel and Lucas emphasized that Daniel had to win at all costs, Rosette’s priorities were slightly different. Daniel’s safety was more important to her than any victory.

However, she also harbored a secret desire for Daniel to defeat Alex, no matter what it took.

“What? Did the Dallas Young Lady harass the Young Lady?”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier! If you had, I would have applied for a duel with the Dallas family’s knights!”

“It’s not too late now. Let’s go apply for a duel…!”

Following Lucas and Isabel’s lead, the knights also joined the uproar, their voices filled with outrage.

Rosette had to wave her hands frantically and explain that it was all a misunderstanding. Fortunately, her fervent efforts managed to calm the heightened atmosphere, at least a little.

“Hmm, the Dallas family did that to our Rose?”

But Daniel was already burning with a strange competitive spirit. He began to pepper the knights with questions about Alex Dallas’s weaknesses.

The knights eagerly shared their observations from watching Alex’s previous matches.

Daniel listened intently, vowing once again to emerge victorious.

The lighthearted party ended with everyone wishing him good luck and raising their glasses in a final toast.

* * *

A few days later, the final match of the swordsmanship competition, the finals, was held. Rosette watched Daniel appear in the arena and cheered silently, hoping that he would win safely.

‘Good luck, Brother.’

Perhaps he sensed her support. Daniel, who was lightly warming up, glanced towards the special seating area.

She had heard that the inside was not visible from the outside, but Daniel waved as if he could see his three younger siblings. Lucas shouted encouragingly.

“Brother, you have to win!”

Daniel gave a thumbs up in response. It was an action he hadn’t taken in any of the previous matches.

Rosette realized that Daniel was also deeply invested in this match.

Rosette cheered out loud, her voice filled with emotion. Even if Daniel couldn’t see her, she hoped that her cheering voice would somehow reach him.

“Daniel, you have to win!”

Daniel, who had turned back to face his opponent, drew his sword and stood ready to face Alex.

When the referee raised the flag, the battle between the two finally began.

Daniel and Alex engaged in a tense war of nerves, their swords drawn and ready.

After a long moment of silence that made the spectators watching hold their breath, Alex moved first.

His movements were so fast that it was difficult for Rosette to follow with her eyes. However, Daniel reacted quickly, blocking the attack with precision.

“Good!”

Lucas cheered, his voice filled with excitement. Rosette also felt a wave of relief wash over her.

Daniel deflected Alex’s sword to the side and attempted to launch a counterattack. Alex barely managed to block the blow.

Exclamations of surprise and excitement erupted from the audience.

A precarious match continued, each exchange filled with tension and uncertainty. Attack and block, attack and block again.

As the match wore on, Rosette became increasingly nervous. She couldn’t help but wonder, ‘What if Daniel loses?’

‘No, that won’t happen.’

Rosette shook her head, trying to banish the negative thoughts from her mind. Sweat broke out on her clenched fists. Rosette clasped her hands together and silently prayed to the goddess Asella.

‘Please, let my brother win. And don’t let him get hurt!’

As time passed, Lucas’s cheering became more and more boisterous, his excitement reaching a fever pitch. Isabel, who would normally have told him to ‘be quiet’, remained silent, her own anxiety evident.

As the match continued, something unexpected happened.

“Huh?”

“Ah!”

Isabel and Lucas stood up abruptly, their eyes wide with shock. Rosette, who had been closing her eyes and praying because she couldn’t bear to watch the match, felt their movement and stood up without realizing it.

At that moment, Daniel and Alex rushed towards each other at breakneck speed.

When the two, who had moved so fast that their movements were almost imperceptible, finally stopped, they were locked in a tense standoff, each pointing their swords at the other’s neck.

“Gasp!”

“……!”

Lucas and Rosette exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of what they had just witnessed. Then Isabel quietly, but in a voice that could not suppress her excitement, muttered,

“Brother won.”

“What?”

“Huh?”

“Look closely, both of you.”

Rosette and Lucas stared intently at Daniel and Alex, their eyes wide with disbelief. And at the same time, they let out exclamations of astonishment.

“The aura…!”

“Wow!”

Neither Daniel’s sword nor Alex’s sword had actually touched each other’s necks. However, the aura emanating from Daniel’s sword was positioned as if it were about to graze Alex’s chin.

It was the same tactic he had used when he sparred with Chris before.

“He won!”

“That’s right, that’s our brother!”

Rosette and Lucas hugged each other and rejoiced, their faces beaming with pride. Isabel quietly wiped away tears of joy, her heart swelling with emotion.