His answer was as normal as saying sorry for sneezing.
Eon's special body circulated all the energies on its own and if, by any chance, something like a Mana reflux did happen, his body automatically changed the energy flow in that direction.
Not even a chaotic energy turbulence was a problem for his body. A little forced reflux wasn't even something to be concerned about.
It was normal for him. He had felt worse things anyway, so this much was nothing, even if it happened extremely. But this normal thing shocked the prince and many other people who understood what was happening.
"H-how?! How's that even possible?!!"
"Just like your innate skill, I, too, have a small innate skill that does some good stuff like this."
"..."
He was speechless and almost allowed an arrow to pass through his defenses.
But his head instinctively moved to one side and the arrow only gave him a small scratch on his cheek.
"Let's finish this, your highness."
Eon jumped up in the air and started floating with his enchanted shoes.
A dot of energy materialized before him in the air and started growing.
The prince, even some of the more sensitive spectators, could tell it was a powerful skill and with how fast it materialized at the higher altitude, there was no way to avoid this thing.
It was too strong. He knew this was strong. So, he lifted his sword high, and the sword turned into a giant sword of light.
This was his second unique skill and last trump card. That was all he had to show to him, while he knew the opponent hadn't even used half of his strength.
It was strange and he couldn't definitely name it, but the feeling of weakness, this utter helplessness, and the feeling of having nothing were new to him.
He had used this offensive innate skill many times in his life, and every time he used it, he felt the meaning of power.
This giant lightsword had always cut through anything and everything coming at him, and it had always defeated the strong opponents he had fought with.
But today, as he saw the giant beam of energy coming at him, as he felt his sword colliding with the burst of energy, and as he felt his sword of light breaking for the first time, he felt a strange emptiness.
He felt lost. He felt like he was powerless. He felt like he was nothing, not even the lowest of the peasants.
He looked up as the burst of energy still came towards him after crushing his giant lightsword.
The figure of a single boy, the figure of a boy who escorted his favorite person, the figure of the person who was going to dance with the person he wanted to talk, hold, and embrace, was looking down at him from that high sky.
With the big full moon behind him, his golden hair fluttering in the strong winds of the tranquil night, his bright red eyes, so calm and filled with pity as if he knew of this outcome from the start, and that strange calmness of those sharp eyes, that seemed like a bird of prey looking at a helpless prey that he would let go just because he is full for the day, seemed like his father to him.
No, it was even worse than his. Or maybe better than his? He didn't know. His mind wasn't working properly right now.
The huge ray of energy was coming at him and he had no strength, no power to avoid it. He didn't have any strength to even move, so he just fell to the ground, barely standing with his sword half dug into the rough soil.
-Swiiiiiiiiiiiiish!
It was here. His demise was here. But… he would survive. He would live because this was just a spar. There would be someone to protect him, so he wasn't worried about living.
But what if this wasn't a spar? What if this was a real battle on the battlefield? What if his opponent hadn't gone as easy on him today as he did?
What would have happened if this was an actual attack and this burst of powerful energy was really going to hit him?
He would have died, no?
He would be dead, and the reason for it was that he was weak.
He was weak, but… he had to become strong.
He needed strength to at the very least protect himself from people far stronger than this person. Strong people like his father.
He needed strength, but… did he really? Did what he needed actually strength?
Why did he have to get strong, though? If he just wanted to survive, he could just live in his house and people would protect him.
That was definitely something he could do, so why did he need more strength?
What was the reason he needed strength? What was the reason he started gaining strength in the first place?
Did it actually mean anything at all if he was going to lose and couldn't have the one thing, the one person he wanted in his life?
He didn't know… he didn't know anything.
He suddenly felt blank and even as he was covered by a black barrier, and the burst of light landed on him, creating the biggest and deepest crater in this open area that seemed unreal, he just stayed there. Helpless, powerless, and thoughtless…
He didn't know what he should do. He didn't know what he could do. And he didn't even know why he should do anything at all.
He wanted strength. He wanted that person to look at him, talk with him, hold him like they did when this person walked into that enormous room with them. He wanted her… but he can't have her. Not at last for tonight. Maybe he will never get to have that person at all.
She wasn't a thing that one could own after all. It was, as he had said, up to her.
All he could do was become a more likable person to her. Maybe if he could do that, he will be able to gain her friendship and could even have that dance he couldn't have today.
Yes, maybe all he wanted was that, but still, he wasn't sure yet.
He wasn't sure… but he at least knew one thing.
"It was my utter defeat."
He was defeated. He was utterly crushed. He was weak. And he wasn't qualified.
"It was a great match. I had fun, so let's do it again.
Right, your unique way of casting magic was amazing. I learned a lot today so thanks a lot~."
Eon came down and was now smiling while looking at him.
This sudden thanks gave him confusion and mixed feelings, but he knew he only meant half of those things.
"You're a fucking asshole, you know that?"
Prince Claudius smiled and accepted his hand to stand up from that pile of rubble.
He was a rag already while his opponent neither had any scratches nor his clothes had any damage.
So, aside from his fatigued face, weak look, and visible tiredness, he was mostly fine.
He felt even more lowly because of this.
For a moment, he felt like everything had been a lie.
Still, this person saying bullshit like he had fun from this ugly fight was definitely a jerk.
"Miss Reinelle always says that. Actually, she says much more than that.
She's different from what you think, and I personally believe you will find someone better.
You have a long way ahead of you, so find someone or something you want to chase after for the rest of your life and strive to achieve that.
It will all be fine."
He patted his back, and this felt strange to him.
He hated this person but, did he actually hate him?
He did not know that either. So he could only smile bitterly at those familiar-sounding words.
He had complicated feelings filling up all his being, and he wanted to go ask about them to someone who actually understood these things.
There were few people who could help him with this, and his mom was the only one he could actually go to right now.
So he wanted to go back home, to his awesome mom, but before that…
He was going to watch them dance.
He couldn't have this honor and the one who received it understood the greatness of what he had and had more than enough strength to back up his words.
He was different from an unqualified person like him. So he wanted to see what it would feel like to have what he longed for.
He wanted to see their dance. He didn't know anything else.
The reason, the goal, his own heart, he knew nothing, but at the very least, he knew he wanted to watch their dance and then… go back home.
And now that things were over, Eon was also excited to finally have the dance they practiced for so long.
Actually, he mostly thought her a few things, and they had practiced the things already multiple times, but doing it before that big of an audience that was already fired up from the duel from a moment ago was going to be more difficult than they had thought.
She was nervous, and he found it cute.
She was quite something… talking about the dance throughout their fight and now that the time had come, she was nervous.
She was cute at times and if she didn't have her bad side, she would be a perfect person. But that was just a fantasy.
It would be far less attractive if things were perfect. The imperfections of people were the things that attracted others after all.
She had her imperfections, and though few knew it, they liked her because of them.
He was the same.
Maybe the reason he loved her so much was that she was someone furthest from perfection one could be from his point of view.
She was a bad girl, difficult to handle, a needy one, a crazy one, sometimes uncontrollable, sometimes smart, sometimes foolish, sometimes cute, but most of the time, she was his Rein.
She had her imperfections, and they just made her even more likable.
Still, he knew not many could handle this bloodthirsty witch if it was that much difficult even for him.
But… she was an amazing person. And this amazing person belonged to him.
He knew she did because… well, he didn't need a reason. He just knew she did.
The two of them were perfect as one. Their family knew that too.
They were waiting for the day they become more than just friends and they could finally tease them openly like they wanted.
And that time was far closer than they thought, but before that…
"Can I have this great honor, my gorgeous lady?"
"The honor is all mine."
She was nervous, he could feel it, but she was also excited. She was smiling, and they were finally going to do this dance before this many people.
They prayed to mother nature that things would go fine, so finally, they walked into the center of the ballroom as people naturally cleared the area and the song he had prepared for their amazing first night started to slowly play in the background…
