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“What were you doing Princess Eleanor?”
“Y-Your temperature! I-I was trying to measure your temperature by putting our foreheads together!”

As she stood up, Eleanor, who had a noticeable bump on the back of her head, turned bright red.

Seletina couldn’t help but giggle at the princess’ strange behavior.

“Good grief! Please do not wake up so randomly again! Do you know just how worried I was?”
“I apologize, Your Highness… However, I kept my vow.”
“Can you really call that keeping a vow?! You were one foot in the grave! You didn’t wake up for three whole days!”

Eleanor muttered while puffing up her cheeks, but she was unable to disguise her happiness.

“… Haha. You’re always so energetic, Princess Eleanor.”
“Of course I am! My brothers don’t stop pointing out that it’s my best quality…”
“I think that is fantastic. It’s perfect for you.”
“Was that a compliment?”
“Naturally.”

Seletina smiled as one of the royal maids assisted her in getting dressed.

Given that she hadn’t rushed in despite all the commotion, Elita was likely sleeping in the adjacent room.

“That aside, how are you feeling? After all, you slept for three whole days…”
“The thing is I feel amazing. It’s like I’ve grown wings.”
“Don’t lie. Like that can happen so easily.”
“Hm, then please watch.”
“What?”

Seletina, clothed in a violet gown, snatched up Elyutinias, which had been placed on a nearby bench, after getting ready.

She then took it out of the scabbard, exposing its bewitching blade. Seletina swung it around to get a feel of it. Despite not having held it for three days, she felt a unique familiarity with it.

“Perfect.”

Seletina said, looking at the sword’s blade as it shone underneath the sun’s rays. It was as though she was looking at her beloved child.

After that, Seletina picked a random apple from the fruit bowl on the table by the bed and threw it into the air. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She felt the warm air fill her lungs. An unbreakable concentration.

Even an amateur like Eleanor was able to feel it. Eleanor had no idea what Seletina was about to do, but the intensity she exuded made Eleanor shudder.

Seletina’s breath stopped and her eyelids slowly opened as the apple rose to its highest point and began to fall. She tightly gripped her scabbard.

The following moment, a dozen flashes of light burst forth before Seletina’s eyes. However, those were not mere flashes of light. Each one was caused by a swing of Seletina’s sword.

Eleanor couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.

It appeared as though she had skipped a few frames. Before Eleanor could adapt, the apple had been cut into eight pieces as Seletina’s body swayed sideways.

The apple slices continued to fall through the air, as if they had a will of their own, they progressively landed and formed a perfect line on Elyutinias’s blade. It was a truly divine work. Even a first-rate performer would find it nigh impossible to imitate.

It was hard to imagine that a girl who’d slept for three days straight had been able to pull something like this off.

“See?” Seletina said in a teasing manner.

“A-Amazing… Spectacular!!!” Eleanor exclaimed, beginning to clap.
　
It was a spectacular round of applause. Even the maid who was standing to the side and observing started to applaud upon seeing it.

Seletina smiled at the unexpected applause and bowed as a performer would by placing her hands on her chest.

“T-Thank you.”
“You’re amazing, Lady Seletina! You’re a spectacular person! Amazing! Simply amazing, amazing, amazing!!!”

Eleanor was just like a child.

Seletina felt as though she were watching her daughter as Eleanor’s eyes lit up with excitement. Seletina somehow suppressed the urge to pat Eleanor on the head.

“I suppose it won’t be a problem for me to move around now that I’ve shown that I’m in good health. I’d like to see my family if possible…”
“That’s right! I was so preoccupied with you waking up, Lady Seletina, that I completely forgot about that! I apologize… B-But there’s no need to worry. Everyone is in good health!”
“From what I can recall, I remember my mother being gravely wounded…”
“She was hanging on a thread for a time, however she’s currently stable. The doctors said she’d recover with a good amount of rest.”
“Thank god…¹”

Seletina said, feeling as if a heavy burden had been lifted off of her shoulders.

I’m glad that mother is okay. I want to see her face as soon as possible.

Seletina thought to herself.

That aside…

There was still one question that plagued Seletina’s mind.

That aside… Who in the world defeated the Defiler of Pride and Wisdom?

Seletina and Melia had both lost, and at the time, there was no one more powerful than them in the hall.

Did reinforcements come?

“Princess Eleanor. Would you please tell me what happened after I passed out? Who in the world defeated that Demon?”

An enormous shadow suddenly swept over Seletina as she spoke.

Seletina turned around to find a fierce knight standing before her, wearing full, jet-black armor.

“That was me. Lady Seletina, I believe this is our first encounter. I’m happy to see that you’re in good health.” Loggins said with a heavy tone.

At last, the master and the apprentice finally met eye to eye. This marked Seletina and Loggins’ first meeting in this life.

1. Silva: Thank god indeed… I was so worried she’d hit the bucket