If You Take the Enemy Prince as Your Knight Chapter 123

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The battle began. Yulis’s swordsmanship seemed to mirror his very demeanor. True to his taciturn nature, he advanced on his opponent with efficient movements devoid of any showmanship. And with a single effective strike, he secured victory.

 

“Next.”

 

The only part of his body that moved dynamically seemed to be his sky-blue hair. Without stepping beyond a fixed range, after swinging his sword a few times, the battle would already be over.

 

“Next.”

 

Indifferently.

 

“Next.”

 

He won.

 

“Next.”

 

And won again. Compared to the second knight wheel battle that Noah had struggled through, it felt extreme in how smoothly everything progressed. Even the spectators, exhausted from emotional strain, could now watch comfortably as if taking a break.

 

“That’s impressive. He seemed so calm. I didn’t expect him to be this strong.”

 

“Maybe because he doesn’t show off, he feels even stronger.”

 

“Right? He even seems kind of elegant.”

 

“But…”

 

“Hmm…”

 

At the end of the hesitant conversation, someone voiced what others were thinking, as if scratching an itch. “It’s not entertaining.”

 

Swordsmanship that pursued extreme efficiency offered no spectacle.

 

The mad emperor, who had been watching the battle, spoke. “Dominic.”

 

“I estimate he’ll last 11 minutes.”

 

“That’s a generous evaluation.”

 

The duels continued in a monotonous repetition until the tenth. At this rate, Yulis would win without any surprises.

 

“Yulis…”

 

Just as Lilliana let out his name in relief. It was no more than a whisper, something that should have been impossible to hear. Yet as if responding, Yulis turned his head and looked straight toward where she was.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

He was in the middle of a battle. For someone like Yulis, who pursued movements stripped of even the slightest excess to an almost obsessive degree, such an action came with a price. A sword extended from behind and grazed his cheek.

 

“Yulis!” Startled, Lilliana half rose from her seat.

 

Even in that life-or-death moment, Yulis’s gaze remained fixed solely on Lilliana. He paid no mind to the thin line of blood running from his cheek, nor to the enemy behind him preparing the next strike. It was as if he had deliberately allowed himself to be injured just to see her reaction. Without even turning around, he reversed his grip on the sword and thrust it backward.

 

“Keugh!”

 

The imperial guard who had aimed for the back of Yulis’s head was struck in the side and sent flying.

 

“Sir Yulis, victory! I hereby declare him the final winner of the third knight wheel battle!”

 

Yulis withdrew his gaze from Lilliana and sheathed his sword. Only then did Lilliana realize she had been holding her breath.

 

Yulis walked to the edge of the arena and knelt formally on one knee. High above his bowed head sat the mad emperor, watching with his chin resting on his hand.

 

“State your wish.”

 

And in that same direction stood Lilliana.

 

Still showing only the crown of his sky-blue head, Yulis spoke. “I am honored beyond measure. However, I wish to make my wish not to Your Majesty, but to Princess Safflower. Please grant me your permission.”

 

“Oh? You willingly want to lower your own privilege?”

 

Compared to a wish granted by the emperor, one granted by a princess would be insignificant. Yet Yulis affirmed silently.

 

What are you thinking, Yulis? Flustered, Lilliana glanced between Yulis and the mad emperor. Her disordered reaction amused the mad emperor.

 

“Interesting. Do as you wish.”

 

“I am deeply grateful.” Yulis straightened his body. As before, he lifted his head and immediately found his princess. “…”

 

“…”

 

The gazes of the princess and the knight met. Lilliana, who had now calmed her agitation, and Yulis, who seemed as though he had never known agitation to begin with, observed and probed each other.

 

“I’ve granted permission, so speak. What is the wish you seek from Lilliana?”

 

To satisfy the mad emperor’s curiosity, Yulis had no choice but to speak before tens of thousands of spectators. The broken relationship between Lilliana and Yulis was laid bare.

 

“Please do not take in any knight other than me.”

 

Lilliana’s eyes widened to their limit.

 

“For the rest of Your Highness’s life, I ask that I be your only knight.”

 

“…”

 

Within his calm voice, lingering emotion could be felt. And to Lilliana, who had only ever heard Yulis’s emotionless, flat tone, it somehow even sounded like a plea.

 

As sighs and exclamations mixed into a low murmur among the crowd, there was one person whose reaction stood apart. It was the mad emperor. “Hahaha! Ha!” As if he had witnessed something truly entertaining, he burst into laughter, clutching his chin with one hand. “Lilliana, just how much resentment have you earned from your knight?”

 

“I know from experience. When those with such an obsession are freed from their bindings, they become even more ruthless and vicious. How unfortunate for you, Lilli.”

 

No princess could calmly ignore such curse-like words. After all, they bore the original sin of forcing their knights into binding oaths.

 

Lilliana hid her trembling fingers inside her clenched fist and bit her lip. She had to answer Yulis. “Alright.”

 

“Are you accepting?”

 

“Do I even have a choice?”

 

“…”

 

Yulis seemed about to say something, then closed his mouth. After observing proper etiquette, he chose to leave the arena. His retreating back felt unusually cold. Meanwhile, Lilliana’s face twisted as if she might cry, yet she glared at his back with burning eyes.

 

Watching from beside her, Sasha let out a silent sigh. Having read many historical records of emperors and their direct knights, she could immediately diagnose the emotion coiled between Lilliana and Yulis. Love and hatred. The most destructive emotion. No matter how annoying her older sister might be, at this moment, Sasha sincerely worried for Lilliana.

 

Just then, Marquis Osbond’s voice rang loudly throughout the arena. “The arena has been cleared! We will now begin the fourth knight wheel battle!”

 

Hic, Shumel’s shoulders trembled like a frightened herbivore. “W-What to do… What to do…” Tears welled up in her green eyes.

 

Through her blurred vision, she saw a young knight standing at the center of the arena. It was time for Shumel’s personal knight, Ciel.

 

✦

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have chosen you as my knight…” Shumel could not properly watch the match. The tears that kept rising formed a watery veil over her eyes, blurring her vision.

 

Ciel’s battle was even more brutal than Noah’s. After defeating three imperial guards, he was visibly exhausted, panting heavily. His drained body refused to move as he wished.

 

Ciel was by no means weak. A young knight whose talent had yet to fully bloom had already defeated three of the mad emperor’s hounds in succession. If he trained for a few more years like this, he would surely become one of the strongest on the continent. But now, imagining himself as a glorious knight was a luxury he couldn’t afford. Because this knight wheel battle sought to strip away all his future and potential.

 

Even after claiming three victories, what became clearer before Ciel was only death or defeat. The duel was utterly absurd.

 

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, Ciel…” Shumel cried and cried without end.

 

It was at some moment. Woooah— At the wave of sorrowful gasps sweeping through the audience, Shumel suddenly lifted her head.

 

“Keugh!” The young knight, clutching half his face, staggered backward. Blood scattered with each step he took.

 

“Ci-Ciel!”

 

The place Ciel was covering with his hand was his left eye. Seizing upon his critical injury, the opponent took the opportunity. The fourth challenger unleashed a relentless assault, not giving Ciel a moment to regain his stance. He targeted Ciel’s left side, now vulnerable from the loss of vision.

 

“No! No, please! Stop!”

 

Ciel’s body began to be covered in red lines. The intact parts of his uniform gradually disappeared.

 

“Ci-Ciel…!”