The Villain Can't Lose

This guy's words... 'Tsk,'

My job here wasn't to pick fights with strangers, but get closer to the king and observe the crown prince, and maybe having an opportunity to meet Princess Mira, but oh well, if it happens that means I have to deal with it, would also be a good time to teach this guy a lesson for hurting Nari.

I quickly breathed in and then sighed, turning back at him with a calm and collective damenour, I looked up and down at the guy, sizing him up, and in a self-assure tone I responded, "Sure, let's have a battle. But are you sure you're ready for this? I don't back down from a challenge."

I stood straight, with my chest out and shoulders back, making direct eye contact with this man who was for sure at least seven years older than me, or maybe more.

I wasn't intimidated or threatened by his request, it was probably something he wanted to do, to cause fear, thinking I would back off and run away scared like some little girl, well no way! He could have been a king himself but I still felt like I had a lot of fight left in me.

"Hey, what kind of a man backs down from a challenge?" I asked him, looking into his eyes as I spoke, "Are you going to back off too now?"

"Do you even know who I am?" His nostrils flared as he took a deep breath through his nose, glaring at me as he spoke, "I'm the Lord of Rolmund!"

He said those words with such confidence that made me feel like I was about to faint, it was like I was talking to someone who was a thousand times bigger than me, or better yet, a god.

No matter how much I tried to tell myself that this guy was just some random man, standing before me, I couldn't deny the truth of who he was, he was indeed the lord of Rolmund, I knew that, I remember him being friends with the main protagonist Dante.

A nobody in the story.

But this could get me closer to Dante maybe, somehow? This little cat-and-mouse game always starts the same, "you wanna fight me right here, right now?" I rolled my eyes as I gently let go of Nari's hand.

Giving him a small nod to the side, hoping he would realise that the people here weren't the only ones watching.

Next to the ceiling, there was a balcony, which I assumed I will get a chance to get and in that balcony rested the king. Dark curtains to prevent from people seeing him were drawn across both sides, leaving a space open between them. The king was currently observing this little scene below him, and this was a good opportunity for me to show my skills to the king.

"Alright then, let's go outside then!" He insisted.

I looked at him up and down, once more with a confident stare, "let's take this outside then," a small smile played at the corner of my lips, "I want to give you a fair chance to prove yourself."

Without another word, I strode out of the ballroom and onto the balcony that I was before, taking another moment to stretch and limber up my muscles. I rolled my shoulders back and forth, cracking my neck from side to side, and bouncing lightly on the balls of my feet.

As I finishes stretching, my mind raced with thoughts of strategy and tactics, "how foolish of him," I smirked, "Zuri!" I called her out.

*cling*

[Yes, Rowen] She appeared before me, yawning and stretching her small shoulders, "that guy, Lord of Rolmund, gather all the information I need about him immediately," I placed my hand on my chin, rubbing it with my fingers.

[Roger, give me a minute] she vanished.

I knew I was skilled, but I also understood the fact that anything could happen in a fight. I took a deep breath once again and waited for Zuri to come back with the information.

*cling*

[Rowen!] She appeared before me while I was looking down at the beautiful rose garden that lay before my eyes.

There were pink and white roses and other flowers scattered amongst the grass and the marble pathways, it was really beautiful. It was weird how the roses stayed this fresh considering the winter starts soon, "Zuri, what did you find out about him?" I flinched.

[He's such a loser, Rowen, one bow and he's done]

"I mean, tell me about his skills, Zuri, what tactics should I use?"

[Ewen Rolmund: Age 23]

"Oh, so I was almost right about his age, please continue,"

[Current skills: If we can count ignorance as one, we should add it. But swordsmanship is lower than yours when Rowen was 5 years old] her sarcastic tone made me smile.

[Intelligence: lvl 23]

[Love interest: lvl 39]

"Higher than mine," I muttered.

[Magic level: He has no magic in his blood, and his mana is also unstable, Rowen, are you going to fight him?]

I was going to fight him, but seeing how weak he was, I actually felt sorry for the guy, but then I remembered his arrogant and proud attitude, and how happy she looked when he touched Nari, "no, Zuri, I'm going to destroy him," I replied in a low tone.

[Are you dumb? How are you going to destroy him?] She slammed her face with her tiny little hand.

"By simple means, I will ruin his reputation and honour," a natural laugh escaped through my lips, [then we won't even need your mirrored technique which you can't even use properly anyway]

She spoke.

'Why is she so salty?' I thought, "did I ever do anything to you, Zuri?" I asked her.

[We will use the sword] She ignored my question and spoke on her own.

Then she snapped her fingers and I felt how a cold metal blade slid into my palm, it was a light longsword, and the hilt was wrapped in leather, it was the same sword from before.

Something felt different about it, but that didn't matter right now, "Zuri, are you ready?"