IV

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Arc IV Chapter 23

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13th Ignis Solar 753 AAC

Aurora placed her doll at the edge of the ring before giving her companion a final head pat, ruffling her tender hair. The time had come when they must part. “I will be back soon. Wait here for me.”

“...” Her doll showed no reaction, even more monosyllabic than usual. Her doll was probably worried about her. That must be the reason.

Aurora took her wooden sword and faced her eager opponent. Ludolf was certain of his victory. He believed his victory as sure as the sun was rising in the east. Nothing would stand between him and his triumph.

Ludolf readied his blade for their final match, grumbling, “Took you bloody long enough, Dolly. Took you a damn hour to see off a stupid doll.”

“Hmpf ...” Aurora pouted, puffing her cheeks. Hey, her doll heard that. Her doll had feelings too!

“Not that it matters.” Ludolf smirked in dark delight. “Be prepared to face certain defeat!”

“...” Aurora was less than impressed, armed with a blank stare. A bored, monotone expression adorned her face. “Ludolf, I can tell you one thing, ... you definitely talk too much.”

Ludolf gritted his teeth in anger. No further invitation was needed. He rushed forwards, his blade cutting downwards. His blade struck, a downward cut, yet Aurora stood her ground against all odds.

Their blades met in the air and interlocked. Sword met sword. Edge met edge. Wood met wood. Aurora parried Ludolf's powerful blow, blocking his strike.

“Tch, seems like you are not all talk.” Ludolf snarled, his anger lashing out against her. His offensive continued unmitigated. Blow after blow was raining down on her without mercy or compassion, yet none of them connect. Cut. Slice. Slash. Chop. His blows were heavy and fast, but each of his strikes was parried with precision and finesse.

Blow. Block. Strike. Parry. Blow. Block. Strike. Parry. Her blade was her shield, and her footwork her armour. Her little feet moved across the sand of the arena without losing traction, dancing around her attacking opponent.

Her resistance proved stubborn and fierce, far beyond Ludolf's wildest expectations. His attacks proved unable to overcome her tenacious defence. It was the moment that superior discipline and technique triumphed over rash action and brute force.

Ludolf struck again, putting his full force behind his blow. Their blades interlocked once again. He wouldn't give up. Not yet. His spirit was blazing. “WHY? Why are you refusing to go down?”

“...” Aurora deflected the incoming blow, making his sword glide along the edge of her blade downwards away from her. Aurora was quick to raise her sword once again to form a guard, prepared to meet his next blow. Her eyes stayed focused and her mind remained calm, analysing her opponent’s every step. “...”

“Tch, fine by me, keep playing if you have nothing better to do, girl. It won't help you.” Ludolf rushed her and attacked in a furious hail of strikes and blows, of slashes and cuts. Impatience took control of Ludolf and made him at last neglect his defence more and more. A reckless decision on his part. A wide swipe followed. Her opponent overextended, weakening his posture. Aurora blocked his attack.

Ludolf snarled, pressing his blade against hers to apply further pressure. “Is this all you can fucking do, Dolly? Didn't you learn anything else besides running and blocking?”

Aurora narrowed her eyes, maintaining her block at all cost. Her feet didn't budge, giving no ground. “...”

Ludolf didn't cease his insults. He continued to deride her. “I guess I shouldn't have expected otherwise from a bloody amateur. You always were and will be a coward ...”

In a blink of an eye Ludolf's entire world went black. The last thing he saw was the silhouette of a lone fist.

Aurora twirled inwards. Clenching her sword, her knuckles formed a solid fist. Her fist struck Ludolf directly in his face with all of her meagre force. It was sufficient. Her punch caught Ludolf completely off guard, even dislodging his chin. The effect was devastating.

“Aargh ...” Ludolf staggered backwards, his head rattled in shock. “Aargh ... What ... happened ...”

Aurora kicked him in his balls. A swift kick struck his crotch.

Weakened, Ludolf sank to his knees. “Aargh ... My ... Aargh ...”

Aurora didn't show any mercy. Her connected hands struck his unprotected back from above with the power of a hammer.

Ludolf gasped for air. Beaten and defeated, unable to comprehend what had transpired, his falling body hit the sand of the ground. There he lay, wriggling in pain and still clinging to the last straws of conciousness. Only the soft and tender voice of the wind and the clamour of the city accompanied his agony. Everyone else had fallen deadly silent. Nobody dared to move. Nobody spoke. Nobody whispered. Everyone stared in disbelief. The whole yard resembled a graveyard.

...

...

...

There was only silence.

Aurora levelled her wooden sword at her beaten opponent. “I told you, ... you talk too much.”

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“Aargh ... Dammit, How did this happen ...” Ludolf groaned in pain.

He recuperated, spluttering, unable to get to his feet. His head was hurting, the world around him was spinning like wild. He didn’t know what hit him or how, but he knew that he had lost. Quite decisively so. Now the only thing that he had still left was his honour, or rather what remained of it. He had lost against a girl who was cuddling her doll ... What a shameful display, he would be unable to face anyone ever again.

To add insult to injury, the harbinger herself appeared, standing before him with her beloved doll in her arms. The girl named Edelgart greeted him with a joyous smile that belied her dangerous and ruthless existence.

Ludolf grumbled, “What do you want from me? Here to beat an already beaten horse?”

The girl shook her head, maintaining her smile. “I am not. It is time to uphold your end of the wager. You promised me that you would apologise to my doll. Now it is time for you to apologise.”

The girl moved her doll’s arm, extending it to him. “Shake her hand, Ludolf~.”

Ludolf hesitated, staring at the doll hand with distrust. “What? Are you serious?”

Edelgart beamed. “I am hardly jesting. Now take her hand and shake it~.”

“...”

“I said, take her hand and shake it. Dolly is waiting~.” Edelgart moved her doll closer to him, pressing her close to his face.

Ludolf growled under his breath, yet he eventually complied despite his many misgivings. He took the doll's little hand and shook it.

Edelgart appeared satisfied. “And now apologise to my doll~.”

“...” Ludolf glared daggers at the girl, to little avail. Edelgart remained unfazed. “I am sorry for …”

“Ahem.” Edelgart cleared her throat. “I firmly suggest a more formal choice of words~.”

Ludolf grumbled again. “I get it …”

“Good boy~.” Edelgart beamed.

Ludolf rolled his eyes. “I sincerely apologise for slighting you, oh great doll.” His arm was shaking the doll's hand, moving her little arm up and down as if she was a real person. What a strange feeling ...

“Excellent.” Edelgart beamed. “Not to mention, you will refer to me henceforth as Lady Edelgart.”

“What?” Ludolf didn't believe his ears. “Are you insane?” Had the girl lost her mind?

“Not at all~.” The girl and her doll dismissed his objection. “I am completely serious. Didn't you promise me that you would treat me with the proper respect?”

Ludolf grumbled, biting his lips. “I did ...”

Edelgart beamed with a glint of inner schadenfreude. “You did. That is why you will address me as Lady Edelgart.”

“Tch, if you wish so, ... Lady Edelgart.” Ludolf clicked his tongue. The sarcasm in his voice was thick, but he would honour his debt.

Her being noble? What a silly thought. The girl was a deluded pretender at most, but it was best to let her indulge in her childish fantasies.

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Erich crossed his arms, observing the girl and her doll. His eyes narrowed. The girl was ... good. Somehow, the girl was able to pull off the impossible. Somehow, she managed to defeat Ludolf, his friend and confidant. Her victory was no small feat. Ludolf might be rash and impatient at times, but he was made from sterner stuff. Erich knew him. He knew Ludolf. He was a friend of his house and a skilled swordsman no less. So how on earth did she beat him?

Erich's gaze fell on the girl named Edelgart, the target of his scrutiny. She and her doll were celebrating their victory. He should better keep an eye on them.

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