"Dux Alptraum?"
Muttering the title Cerydra just bestowed upon her, Esdeath found it a bit strange to the ear, but she couldn't find any fault with it. After all, she was still just a child. Though she possessed remarkable awareness and wit, she had yet to venture beyond the borders of her tribe's lands. Having rarely left these snowy plains, her knowledge of the outside world remained limited.
'The noble lords of the Imperial Capital all seem to have their own titles. I never thought the day would come where I'd be enfeoffed too...'
Esdeath felt a surge of emotion. Only minutes ago, she was the lone survivor of a destroyed clan; now, she had transformed into Dux Alptraum.
Since this girl—who was even smaller than herself—could grant titles so casually, her status was clearly anything but simple. Regardless, she was the superior now, and Esdeath would likely have to rely on her for much in the days to come.
However, once she pulled her gaze away from Cerydra, Esdeath quickly turned her attention to the older woman standing nearby. Her eyes held seventy percent curiosity and thirty percent... scrutiny?
"Who is she?"
Esdeath had always followed the law of the jungle, a belief that reached its peak after her father's death. Since Cerydra defeated her with absolute strength, it was only natural for Cerydra to be her superior. She had no complaints there.
But she felt no such obligation toward anyone else.
Now that Esdeath had acknowledged Cerydra, Cerydra was the one she followed—at least for now. But what about this black-haired woman? Who was she? Esdeath cared deeply about this.
If the woman were a mere soldier or maid, Esdeath wouldn't give her a second thought. But if she was a combatant like herself, the meaning changed entirely. Esdeath would have to test her mettle to prove who was truly the strongest under Cerydra's command.
Cerydra didn't quite grasp the full intent behind Esdeath's question, so she answered directly: "Hysilens, the Dux Gladiorium. My first knight."
"A knight? So, someone capable of fighting?"
"Of course. She handled all the Danger Beasts here. Why? Do you plan on testing yourself against her?"
The moment she heard Hysilens was a warrior, the battle intent in Esdeath's eyes ignited instantly. Cerydra saw this clearly, which prompted her remark.
"Is that alright?"
In Esdeath's view, Hysilens' own opinion on the matter was secondary; what mattered was Cerydra's. As their superior, everything they did required her permission.
"By all means! Just remember to be merciful. Don't hit too hard."
"Understood."
Since Esdeath was willing, Cerydra had no intention of refusing. Even if Esdeath hadn't asked, Cerydra would have found a way to pit Hysilens against her to temper the girl's ego. She wanted this fledgling hunter to realize there is always a higher heaven beyond the clouds.
However, as she watched Esdeath square up against Hysilens, the petite Imperator thought to herself: 'Be merciful... those words weren't meant for you, Esdeath!'
"Hysilens... right?"
Stretching her limbs slightly, Esdeath confirmed the name as she prepared for the coming clash.
"Correct, Dux Alptraum." Hysilens looked quite serious, her twin swords already at the ready. "By the looks of it, you intend to challenge my standing, don't you?"
"Naturally!"
Just as Cerydra hadn't hidden her intent to kill earlier, Esdeath made no effort to mask her thoughts. She expressed them with blunt honesty.
"If I am to be someone's blade, I must be the sharpest one!"
Though she accepted the theory of the strong devouring the weak, no one seeks out death unless left with no choice. If Esdeath hadn't made the "correct" choice, she knew the Imperator would have killed her by now.
Unintentionally, Esdeath's thirst for power had grown even more intense, which was why she targeted Hysilens. She heard Cerydra say that Hysilens had handled the Danger Beasts with ease.
Coincidentally, Esdeath could do that too.
A hierarchy needed to be established. They had to decide who was the keenest sword in Imperator's arsenal. On this point, Esdeath refused to yield.
"In that case, I shall follow Imperator's will."
It was a transparent, almost tedious provocation, yet it worked perfectly. Hysilens didn't know why, but she felt she simply could not lose to this girl, despite her own superior strength.
From a distance, Cerydra—having cast aside unnecessary distractions—saw things much more clearly. The moment Esdeath issued the challenge, Hysilens' body became unnatural. Nearly every cell in her being began to tremble, screaming a single command: You must not lose!
This abnormal state made Hysilens irritable. She didn't understand why her body was reacting this way. Was it a loyalty to Imperator etched into the very depths of her soul? Regardless, in this state, Hysilens would accept the duel. To do otherwise was unthinkable.
Even so, Hysilens would obey the Imperator's command to be merciful, because the person in front of her was simply... too weak.
A few minutes later.
The blue-haired girl lay prone in the snow, her strength entirely spent. Unable to move an inch, she could do nothing but taste the cold frost on her tongue.
On her back, a delicate foot pressed firmly against her lower waist, the pressure steadily increasing.
"With this, I believe I've won... Any objections, Dux Alptraum?"
The battle had no suspense. How could the young, unawakened Queen Esdeath possibly be a match for a Demigod of the Ocean? In roughly thirty seconds, Esdeath had been disarmed and pinned, her body paralyzed and her mind reeling as if it might explode at any moment.
"No... objections."
Esdeath's voice echoed across the clearing. Though weak, her tone remained defiant. She had truly been humbled today. To think that in such a short span of time, she would be defeated twice in a row.
"I will remember this..."
"When I get the chance, I will challenge you again!"