Chapter 14: Oops, I lost!
With a strong desire comes Wish Power.
As long as the target’s wish is fulfilled, Wish Power can be collected.
Ordinarily, finding commissions to gain Wish Power was quite difficult, but now that there was an unexpected opportunity at hand, of course, it was better not to waste it.
However, Weiss’s calm acceptance of the challenge made the atmosphere in the Training Ground even more subtle.
The knights exchanged incredulous glances, which quickly morphed into deeper mockery and eager anticipation for a good show.
“In that case, since both parties agree—”
Norsen pretended to ponder, his gaze sweeping across the field.
“Let’s have a sparring match focusing on combat skills. Emphasis on exchange, so I ask both of you to keep your strikes measured.”
“Yes! Understood!”
Murphyana responded loudly, a reluctant smile already tugging at the corner of her mouth.
With a swift motion, she drew her Training Sword from her waist—though it was an unsharpened steel blade, a strike from it was far from pleasant. She casually spun the blade in a flourish, her movements smooth and full of power, showing solid fundamentals.
“Mr. Weiss, please choose a practice weapon as well.”
Norsen pointed to the Weapon Rack at the edge of the Training Ground, displaying various wooden or blunt steel training weapons.
It didn’t matter what weapon Weiss used, so he didn’t bother choosing carefully, casually picking up a Training Dagger as a formality.
His steps were unhurried, even overly calm.
Lortisa’s gaze followed him tightly; she almost wanted to step forward and tell him to give up, at least while there was still time.
As the crowd dispersed, making space on the field,
the Knight Commander’s Vice-Captain quietly approached Murphyana again without attracting attention.
“Lady Murphyana, about what I told you earlier, do you understand the Knight Commander’s intent? Teach him a lesson. No holding back.”
A cold curve appeared at the corner of Murphyana’s lips.
“I understand. I’ll make every bone in his body crack in a way that sounds like music.”
Her gaze toward Weiss was already as if looking at a cripple.
Both stood ready on opposite sides of the sparring ground.
The surrounding knights whispered among themselves, their eyes toward Weiss filled with derision and ridicule.
No one believed a mercenary could withstand even one strike from this top fighter of the Knight Squad.
The only question was in what pitiful state this arrogant mercenary would be carried off.
“The sparring participants—mercenary Weiss versus Saint巡 Knight Murphyana Heinetion Shu—”
The Knight Squad’s Vice-Captain, acting as referee, paused for a moment.
“Let the match begin!”
Almost at the instant the command fell, Murphyana’s figure became a silver flash.
She made no attempt to probe—there was simply no need against a mercenary.
Her opening strikes were a storm of ferocity.
The blade cut through the air with a sharp whistle, each blow carrying enough force to split stone, aimed straight at Weiss’s face.
The dozens of meters between them closed instantly, movements so fast they almost blurred, impossible to track visually.
A lightning-fast assault from a top-tier knight—fighters of equal skill might not react in time, let alone an ordinary mercenary trying to defend.
To everyone, it was impossible for Weiss to react.
And it seemed so in fact. Weiss looked stunned, clumsily and a moment too slow raising his blade to try blocking.
“Clang—!”
A harsh, ringing clash of metal echoed.
The Training Sword in Weiss’s hand bent and twisted under the enormous force, slammed aside with brutal impact.
The blow knocked Weiss back like a battering ram hit him; staggering, he flew backward and fell awkwardly a few meters away at the edge of the field, kicking up dust as he tumbled twice before finally stopping.
“Ouch… that hurts…”
Weiss groaned exaggeratedly, as if his entire body was falling apart.
His pitiful state drew unabashed laughter and contempt from the knights.
“Is that all he’s got? I thought he’d be better.”
“Couldn’t block a single strike—just a worthless talker.”
“Lady Murphyana went easy on him; otherwise, he’d be dead now.”
A faint smile tugged at Norsen’s lips.
Sending Murphyana to provoke Weiss served two purposes: first, to gauge the mercenary’s actual strength and see what kind of caliber this mercenary who’d gotten so close to Lortisa really had.
Now that he saw it, it looked like he’d overestimated—he really was trash.
Second, it was partly punishment.
Having a top knight like Murphyana beat him up, even with Healing Magic afterward, the mercenary wouldn’t die but should at least be crippled.
(Hah, this is the price of casually messing with what belongs to me…)
At center Training Ground, Murphyana stood firm, sword in hand.
She could hear the cheers from her fellow knights,
and knew she had won decisively.
But—
(I don’t remember holding back, though?)
Her face, which should have been proud in victory, froze with confusion.
Thinking back carefully, the feeling of that strike was strange.
It felt like she’d exerted all her strength, but had hit cotton—eerily lacking in substance.
A strike enhanced with magic, if truly landed, wouldn’t just knock someone back like that.
At minimum, the opponent’s arm should have been broken or shoulder dislocated; after the impact, internal injuries would cause vomiting of blood in large gulps.
While Murphyana remained doubtful, Weiss was already groaning and slowly pushing himself up from the ground, grimacing as he rubbed his chest and shoulder.
“Truly worthy of the Kingdom’s Saint巡 Knight… your strength is impressive. I humbly admit defeat.”
He drew breath sharply, forcing a sheepish smile full of “aftershock”,
and gave an honest surrender.
“With Lady Murphyana’s power, even facing a Lord-level Ershape should be no problem.”
To the onlookers, his words sounded more like excuses for a pathetic defeat, and their mockery grew louder.
“Is that it?”
“I thought he’d last longer, this trash.”
“Miss Murphyana really is formidable!”
“This is what happens when an arrogant mercenary gets a lesson!”
Norsen smiled as well.
Though it was a pity not to have completely crippled the mercenary, he prepared to step forward and say a few polite words like “much obliged” and “friendship first” to end the farce.
But Murphyana’s expression instantly darkened.
(…No! Something’s wrong!)
The feeling was like when her aunt, a senior knight, sparred with her as a child—deliberately holding back to make her happy, only to pretend to be defeated at the end.
—Adults teasing children, playing along.
Once that thought ignited, it spread like wildfire, burning away all of Murphyana’s pride in an instant.
Humiliation! It was an unprecedented humiliation!
The cheers around her sounded piercing, like sharp slaps across her face.
“No! It shouldn’t be like this!”
Murphyana suddenly let out a roar, the strings of reason snapping instantly.
Her eyes turned blood red, magic exploded from within her without warning, and she transformed into a released arrow, lunging once again at Weiss, who had just admitted defeat completely off guard!