23 – Retribution (3)

“What in the world is that…art? Does anyone recognize it?”

“There have been attempts to modify the Royal Martial Arts before, but… well. This feels different from the arts we know. It’s fundamentally altered, you might say. Fascinating.”

Esther’s calf kick was utterly ravaging Kenneth’s right calf.

Even though he hadn’t suffered a massive number of blows, Kenneth began to limp.

“He’s simply no match?”

“If I recall correctly, young Lord Kenneth is a second-dan in the Royal Martial Arts, and quite skilled… Even without the use of Aura, to see him so utterly helpless in hand-to-hand combat….”

And that wasn’t all.

Kenneth was wary of Esther’s kicks and tried to close the distance, but each time he faced new tribulations.

Esther’s rear straight threatened Kenneth’s head as he approached.

Esther’s jab aimed squarely for Kenneth’s nose, in a manner most unpleasant.

Even when he managed to get close enough to attempt a traditional Royal Martial Arts technique, Esther deftly evaded with a duck, creating distance.

And then, once more, she hammered away at Kenneth’s right leg with a calf kick.

“A truly clever martial artist!”

Edward Henry clapped, impressed.

The movements Esther utilized were the most pragmatic he had ever witnessed in the martial arts.

Concise and definitive, overwhelming the opponent.

Strip away physical attributes and the presence of Aura, and consider it solely from a technical perspective…

No martial artist had ever demonstrated such perfect striking as Esther.

“A shocking match…”

“I don’t know how effective it would be against demons, but in a human-on-human fight, it seems anyone proficient in the martial arts Esther employs would have a decisive advantage.”

“Who on earth taught her? Among the reclusive masters I know, I’ve never encountered anyone who practices a martial art like Esther’s.”

The martial art itself was impressive, but…

What amplified the power of this practical martial art was Esther’s overwhelming dynamic visual acuity.

Unlike Kennes, Esther was still merely in her burgeoning years.

Though Esther had received consistent guidance from Ian as well, it was true that her physical prowess paled in comparison to Kennes, who never ceased his daily training.

Even so.

She reacted as if she could predict Kennes’ every move.

Almost as if she could foresee all futures one second ahead.

By the barest of margins, all of Kennes’ attacks either sliced through empty air, or were blocked by her guard.

“Huk, keuk….”

Kennes was continuously whittled down by Esther.

There was no upset to be had.

The flow of the duel never left Esther’s hands.

Blood trickled down from his broken nose, and his right leg was numb, making it hard to even stand.

Standing before the broken Kennes was a martial artist wearing Esther’s face.

‘Why….’

Kennes wanted to deny reality.

He was a warrior.

Though his magical talent wasn’t particularly profound, he believed he was more gifted than anyone else in combat.

Even Uriel wouldn’t dare propose a fair, one-on-one fight against Kennes.

Even if the person before him was a genius who’d solved a millennium problem, in combat, he should be inferior to him.

That was the right order of things.

However, Kennes’ thoughts were negated head-on by Esther.

‘I’m losing to Esther in a duel…?’

The existence of Esther began to seem like an immense wall.

Esther broke Kennes’ spirit with nothing more than dodging and throwing punches.

For Kennes, who had done nothing but win since childhood, his youngest sibling’s overwhelming skill was nothing short of a disaster.

His pride and self-esteem, which had soared to the heavens in terms of martial arts, began to shatter into pieces.

His skills were not reaching Esther.

The servants were looking at Esther Tristi.

“E, Esther-sama is overwhelmingly defeating Kennes-sama like that…?”

“When did she acquire such skill….”

The martial artists revered Esther Triste.

“This is just my thought, but isn’t that martial art something Lady Esther Triste developed independently?”

“At the young age of fifteen?”

“She’s the genius who solved a Millennium Problem. It’s not an impossible story.”

The hall had become a stage, almost without anyone noticing.

Esther Triste was the protagonist.

Bathed in a spotlight of attention more dazzling than any stage light, she glared at Kenneth.

And what truly made *her* stand out was none other than *his* miserable state.

Kenneth contorted his face, then,

“aaargh!!”

He screamed, charging forward.

The composure that might have allowed for rational judgment had long since vanished.

He was simply moving, acting to deny the reality of the situation.

“……”

Esther spun on her heel in silence.

Backspin Elbow.

Kenneth’s fist, thrown as a final, desperate measure, was brushed aside.

And then.

Esther’s elbow struck his jaw.

“Gkh…”

Kenneth collapsed, utterly spent.

The audience gasped.

It was a beautiful, dazzling finish.

“That landed perfectly. He won’t be getting up.”

“I never imagined it would play out this one-sidedly…”

“Lady Esther!! If you wouldn’t mind, could we perhaps discuss the martial art you just demonstrated? …”

Closer to a fighting match than a simple sparring session, the martial artists were ecstatic.

“It’s over, with Esther’s victory.”

“Indeed.”

Jepher and Uriel couldn’t believe what they had just witnessed.

That she solved the Millennium Problem notwithstanding.

Even if Kenneth hadn’t used Auror, to achieve victory in a bare-knuckle fight…

‘So, what Esther possesses isn’t merely magical talent, is it…’

Jefer gazed at the fallen Kenneth and sighed.

‘With each passing day, it feels as though I’m drifting further from the position of family head.’

Could he truly defeat Esther in the succession trial?

Esther’s rough and tumble sparring just now, it was as if she was saying to her brothers, ‘I could easily win even if we competed in your most confident field.’

“Hmph, to win so overwhelmingly… intriguing.”

Uriel departed his seat.

The last expression Jefer saw on Uriel’s face was stiff and displeased.

“Haa, Oi, you there.”

“Yes, Young Master Jefer.”

“Move my brother to his room.”

It was just as Jefer was about to move with the servants to remedy the situation.

He couldn’t very well leave a person collapsed in the hall like this.

*Thwack!*

A sharp sound rang out.

“What…?”

Feeling puzzled, Jefer turned his head.

*Thwack!* *Thwack!*

Esther was raining blows on the unconscious Kenneth.

The murderous intent practically oozing from Esther’s fists, it occurred to him that Kenneth could die.

*

-Brother, please give it back. It’s mother’s keepsake.

In my memory, I was weeping.

When Kenneth took the necklace I cherished, saying he needed money urgently, all I could do was beg for its return.

It was a time when my second sister was gravely ill, and I couldn’t ask anyone for help.

Porto paid me no mind, Uriel sneered, and Felix defended Kenneth while tormenting me.

What did Kenneth say to me back then?

I couldn’t quite recall.

It was a time of such deep anguish, perhaps the finer details have simply been erased from my mind.

Though, such things hardly mattered.

In the end, I recovered Mother’s necklace from Jeper.

It couldn’t be said that the pains of the past were entirely assuaged, but…

I had no desire to stir up further trouble.

Better than unleashing all the resentments that had been building, with a fit of anger.

Ignoring it all, I thought, would be better for my sanity.

Perhaps it was the influence of a past life.

For that’s how I often dealt with people when something angered me.

However.

When Kenneth raised his hand to Dalphy’s face, and on top of that, threatened with a fist…

The thread of reason snapped right then and there.

The emotions I had been suppressing erupted, a seething rage taking control of my very being.

The molten lava within my chest rose, scalding my head.

If I didn’t smash Kenneth to bits before me, I felt I would lose my mind.

And so, I crushed his nose.

I swung my leg with the intent to shatter his shin.

He finally collapsed and lost consciousness, but somehow, the anger still wouldn’t subside.

My body moved of its own accord.

Whack!! Whack!!

“S-Shouldn’t someone… stop them?”

Whack!! Whack!!

“Esther!! This duel ends here!! Anything more is dangerous!!”

Whack!! Whack!!!

A thought suddenly struck me.

Perhaps, in this very spot, I could…

“Young Master.”

Someone embraced me from behind.

“I’m alright…”

Clarity slowly began to return to me.

“Ugh…”

Beneath me, I could see Kenneth trembling, shivering.

His face, so like my own, was a complete, mangled mess.

“Haa…”

I exhaled slowly.

Dalpi had said it was alright.

Surely, this warning was enough.

I slowly rose from atop Kenneth.

“The sparring ends here. Apologies for the disturbance.”

Without hesitation, I left the hall with Dalpi.

Even as I entered my room, the hall remained in a silent, still quiet.