☆、(10 Fresh Coins) The Sigh of the Rose (15) (Alternate Universe, OOC Side Story - Warning!)

Lying on his bed in his room, the Holy Knight stared blankly at the ceiling, as if he wanted to stare a hole through it.

"Hey, how long are you going to stand there spacing out?" Serin's voice came through, filled with undisguised worry. "I've already had the physician examine you, and it seems there really is something wrong with your body..."

"What?" Adam turned his head abruptly. What kind of problem could cause someone to exhibit such embarrassing symptoms? He recalled vomiting uncontrollably in front of the sweet and lovely Miss Magis at the ball; in his hazy memory, that delicate little face instantly contorted and distorted, followed by a piercing scream, chaos erupting around him, and then he was quickly plunged into darkness… Spare him, this is a huge mess. To cause such embarrassment and fright to a lady is a grave dereliction of duty on the part of a knight.

As he was thinking about these things, his friend suddenly reached out and pressed his hand to his forehead, then murmured, "The doctor told me you don't have a fever, but why is your face so red?"

Adam would never admit to blushing at the realization of his negligence. He quickly slapped the other person's hand away, frowning, and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? What's wrong with my body?"

“Hmm… the physician said,” Serin hesitated, glancing cautiously at his face as if considering how to phrase it, before continuing, “your abdomen seems to be invaded by a force… or rather, an element—we’ve discovered it’s very resistant to many artificial products, and spices are one of them. But we can’t figure out what it is. Currently, it seems this force is slowly growing stronger, even absorbing your power, but fortunately, it hasn’t caused any harm to you…”

Adam grew impatient with his rambling and interrupted him, saying, "So you're saying you didn't actually see anything?"

"There's no need to be so harsh! We're really worried about you." Serin snorted, but there wasn't a trace of complaint in his tone. He was already used to his friend's bluntness; if he couldn't even handle this, his heart would probably have shattered into pieces long ago.

“In that case, perhaps I should…” Adam slowly sat up, pondered for a moment, “and go back to the Holy See.”

Upon hearing this, Serin patted him on the shoulder with delight, his eyes shining with excitement: "Excellent, that's exactly what I wanted to suggest. His Excellency the Bishop will surely recognize that power and expel it from your body."

Adam nodded, noticing his excitement, and looked at him with a puzzled expression: "What are you so happy about?"

"Hehehe..." Serin laughed even more happily, but didn't answer her friend's question, just kept giggling.

Whenever he saw that smile, Adam felt like he was about to suffer bad luck. Adam instinctively felt uneasy, but he knew he wouldn't get any answers by asking, so he simply stopped bothering him. Anyway, he figured the man couldn't cause any real trouble.

However, by the afternoon, Adam realized he had truly underestimated someone. After meeting the bishop, he was stopped by Beth, a girl wielding a holy sword, and was subsequently forced into a duel under her threat—yes, a duel! A duel between holy knights!

While trying his best to fend off Beth's attacks, Adam was careful not to actually injure her. After a dozen or so rounds, his breathing was becoming slightly erratic, and he kept thinking of a way to escape. Damn Serin! He knew it wouldn't be good! He usually stayed in the palace, awaiting the Emperor's orders, and only returned when the Pope had an important mission for him. Of course, based on his instinct to avoid trouble, he always avoided this Miss Beth.

This only woman in the Holy Knights was known for her beauty, fiery temper, and penchant for challenging others to duels. Countless suitors and innocent bystanders had fallen to her sword. Three years ago, Adam, not yet the Empire's First Knight but widely recognized as the strongest in the order, was no exception. The rigid and principled Adam disliked dueling, especially with women—forgive a knight raised in an almost entirely male environment with extremely limited understanding of women—so he resolutely refused Knight Beth's challenge. Unexpectedly, this lady was relentless, persistently "harassing" Adam for a whole year. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Adam accepted the challenge. Unsurprisingly, Adam easily defeated her. He thought this would rid him of her, but Beth, after losing to him, went to undergo even more rigorous training, only to challenge him again and again—it was endless!

Knightly rules forbade Adam to intentionally lose, so he could only helplessly deal with Beth's challenges every now and then. Over time, they became somewhat acquainted. Adam admired the female knight's resilience and courage, although almost every time they met, Beth would greet him with a blinding flash of silver sword light. This time, he had unexpectedly returned to see the bishop, a fact that should have been kept secret, but the female knight had stopped him again—this could only mean that the despicable Serin had leaked the information.

With a clang, the sound of blades clashing brought Adam back to his senses from his resentment towards his friend. A golden crescent-shaped arc of light suddenly magnified before his eyes. He reflexively tilted his head, and the arc of light grazed past his ear, causing a few strands of black hair to fall. Adam paused for a moment, then slowly held his sword horizontally and looked up at the female knight opposite him.

"Don't try to fool me." Her brilliant blonde hair fluttered in the wind, and her beautiful eyes shone with arrogance. Beth slightly raised her chin, the tip of her sword pointing at the First Knight. "I am not the same person I used to be."

Adam gave a wry smile. It seemed he had no choice but to take it seriously. Well, let him give it a try and see how much the female knight had improved in the past few months—after all, mentoring a junior was part of his responsibility as the former Grand Master of the Holy Knights.

“This is the last time.” Adam gripped the hilt and slowly raised the blade. With a “clink,” the tips of the swords met—this signified that Adam Scylla had officially accepted the challenge.

Beth felt a chill run down her spine when she saw his serious expression.

"A duel between knights must be fought with unwavering determination. If you're not yet confident, I can allow you to return in six months," Adam said, a smile playing on his lips. He knew this man wouldn't disappoint him.

“Adam Scylla,” Beth suddenly looked up, her eyes blazing with fighting spirit, then she turned and walked toward the training field, “Today, you will surely be defeated by me.”

Adam chuckled and followed.

Author's Note:

I think it's nearing its end... My period is such a hassle!