Life is often likened to a marathon.
But unfortunately, in our lives, it’s rare to run along a neatly organized course like a marathon.
Sometimes we walk rough mountain trails, other times we dash along riverbanks, and at times, we must wade through sticky mud.
And like a marathon, the course isn’t always predetermined.
In our lives, while running down one path, forks in the road keep appearing.
If the biggest fork can be called a turning point in life,
everyone is bound to encounter at least one turning point in their lives. It varies from person to person, but it approaches under the names of fate, miracle, or tragedy.
At what age can one take responsibility for the choices that will entirely change their future?
For me, for instance, being expelled at 18 and heading towards the Forest of the Demon Realm was my biggest turning point.
From my experience, 18 is still quite young to take on the responsibility for one’s future.
“Whew.”
But can we really just decide when that time is?
Here, a girl named Tana Krista, who like me faced her turning point at 18, took a deep breath and gripped her wooden sword tightly.
“I can do this.”
Her voice, repeating this to herself, was tinged with trembling; nevertheless, she continued to chant like a prayer to the God.
“It’ll be okay.”
Fortunately for Tana, she wasn’t alone; she had companions, not one, but two.
“Yeah, you’ve already beaten the twins dozens of times. Don’t worry.”
At my words, Eve and Tana nodded together. Rin, standing next to them, looked puzzled, unable to comprehend, but this was a kind of code that only the three of us understood.
“Then let the duel begin. Both sides, please prepare.”
The royal servant in charge of today’s duel declared in a coercive tone.
I thought maybe Bertia would show up since they were picking Elise’s maid, but it seemed she couldn’t come since she was already well-known at the academy.
“Take care.”
I gently pushed the backs of the two.
The twins standing opposite us exuded an air of confidence, but hidden in the eyes of their younger sister, Valtory Mayas, was a twinkling hint of fear.
“Right, it’s still too early for you to decide your future.”
If Tana wins here, Valtory Mayas will get dragged off as Elise’s maid. She’s only 17, a year younger than us.
Sadly, someone has to go.
*
“Starting the duel under mutual agreement.”
The servant, indifferent to who was involved, urged for a quick conclusion. It was only natural that the twins made the first move as soon as the start sign was given.
They didn’t need to drag things out.
‘End it in one shot.’
Ben and Valtory didn’t need to have a conversation. They had been supporting each other for a whopping 17 years. They’d fought plenty, but they relied on each other just as much.
Like a pre-choreographed dance, they could clearly see each other’s movements in their minds.
On the other hand,
Tana and Eve, who had been friends for less than a year, were at an overwhelming disadvantage when it came to timing and teamwork.
There’s a reason they say blood is thicker than water.
But behind the two stood a man who had conquered the only forest said to house the continent’s demons.
Conquering the forest wasn’t just about slaying magical beasts and surviving.
To hunt the beasts, one had to meticulously analyze their opponents’ movements, habits, preferences, disliked smells, and routines.
After all, the boy hadn’t started as an overwhelming force; he needed to work hard to grow, to the point where it felt like his brain and eyeballs were about to pop out.
Before ever clashing swords with a magical beast, the Sherpa had already begun the fight with his mind and eyes.
When compared to the raging beasts fighting in that forest, the twins of a noble family were practically child’s play.
Clang!
Thud!
The two sounds intersect.
One was the sound of Ben Mayas’s wooden sword clashing with Tana’s; the other was Eve’s sword hitting Ben’s solar plexus squarely.
‘Got him!’
Tana, after locking eyes with Eve, ducked past the groaning Ben and clashed swords again with Valtory, who was targeting Eve.
– The twins are looking down on us. So, naturally, they’ll rush in as soon as the duel starts. The first target should be Ben Mayas. He’s a guy, so he’s probably faster than Valtory, which means there’ll be a moment when he jumps ahead alone.
– Let’s time it. Let’s take on Ben first together.
Daniel’s voice echoed in the girls’ ears.
The current situation, holding wooden swords, felt extremely awkward.
Neither Tana nor Eve was naturally skilled in combat; they were much more talented at demonology, writing, and thinking.
So, Daniel twisted the viewpoint a little differently.
There was no need to drag those kids into the duel.
If they shifted the duel to their areas of expertise, it would be simple.
– Valtory knows how to use defensive swordsmanship effectively. Don’t hold on for long. Keep in mind, you’re continuing to create situations where you’re both facing one opponent. That’s how you’ll win.
While facing Valtory, Tana retreated to stand next to Eve before Ben could recover.
Breathless from a strong blow to the solar plexus, Ben glared at the two.
“This is fun, huh?”
The fierce hostility and excitement etched into his gaze.
If he got fired up and rushed in alone, it would play right into their hands, but this wasn’t a 1:1 duel.
“Ben, calm down. If you stay cool, we’ll definitely win.”
“…Huh. Yeah, sorry.”
He admitted it right away and lowered his head, looking like a well-trained beast.
Ben, who was about to charge, locked eyes with his sister, took a deep breath, and steeled himself.
Tana wasn’t to be taken as a maid in the royal palace; Eve and Daniel were helping her.
Sadly, the same could be said for the opposite side.
For his younger sister, Ben Mayas froze his rising anger cold.
Hadn’t they promised since they were young to become the twin blades that would support the Mayas family?
“It’s not going to be an easy ride.”
“Tell me about it.”
Eve bit her lip while Tana wiped away cold sweat.
Though the twins were one year younger, the pressure increased tremendously once they started matching their steps, compared to the first charge.
As the twins charged in again, Ben aimed straight for Tana, but Eve jumped in between.
Valtory took on Tana.
“A 1:1 situation? You think you can handle that!”
As individuals, the twins were simply superior, and this created a combat structure they welcomed instead.
“Ah…”
“Of all times.”
Even the audience, Hayun and Sen, gasped, but Daniel’s focus was entirely on Eve.
Even with just a quick glance, they could lock eyes, but Eve was fixated on Ben Mayas without losing a moment’s concentration.
– If he swings high, just step back. Though it goes deep, the steps will be shorter.
Ben’s raised wooden sword sliced through the air. Eve had already pulled her body back tightly.
– A horizontal slice starting from the waist is for closing the distance. It’s okay, just grip the sword tightly with both hands and push forward. Charging forward is how you throw off the target.
Thump!
Once again, the sound of crisp contacts filled the dueling arena. Thanks to Eve moving forward, Ben’s sword didn’t swing freely.
Of course, her hand stung, but she had never taken proper damage.
“Huff! Huff!”
In the end, wiping the sweat off his forehead, Ben took a deep breath.
Realizing that he couldn’t win with a sword swayed by emotion, he regained his stance.
“I didn’t expect to use one of the family’s secret techniques in a duel like this.”
The wind began to pick up.
Though the windows and doors of the dueling arena were open, the source of the wind was anything but natural.
The small boy who planted his legs firmly in the arena was now becoming the center of attention here.
– A secret technique? You can’t block it. I’ve seen the practice; you won’t be able to block or avoid it. The only downside is that it takes some time.
Daniel’s voice echoed in Eve’s mind. For the first time during the duel, she glanced over at Daniel to check his expression.
He smiled and gave her a thumbs up.
– So make it a priority to use the secret technique.
Eve threw her wooden sword, which twirled joyfully through the air, toward Ben, who was currently getting into position. Startled, Ben hastily twisted his sword to block it.
“Are you giving up?”
Typically, throwing a sword during a duel is like signaling surrender.
– Keep it in mind.
Eve’s feet were moving faster than ever, far from giving up.
And she wasn’t heading toward Ben, who couldn’t move carelessly because he was preparing a secret technique.
No, she was heading toward Valtory, who was overpowering Tana.
– Creating a numerical advantage is the only way we can win.
