Keep it up, big brother! (Part 1)

The duel between Maple and the First Prince commenced as scheduled.

As the sole boy in a skirt among the spectators, I attended the match.

In any case, I adamantly refused to admit I was there as his ‘fiancée’!

Though we had a massive argument yesterday—or rather, I had unilaterally ‘Ora-Ora’d’ him into submission—his sincere acknowledgement of his faults was enough for me to show up.

Let it be known, I held no interest in the laurel wreath; my sole motivation was to witness Maple in a dress.

“Who do you think is stronger, Prince Maple or the First Prince?” The two noble young ladies seated beside me began to gossip once more.

Did they not realize one of their fiancés’ ‘fiancée’ was right here, and couldn’t they exercise a little more restraint?

“I don’t know, but one is so dashing, and the other is just adorable!”

Ugh…

I certainly didn’t find Maple handsome, nor did I perceive any cuteness in the First Prince.

“Quick, look! Why does Prince Maple have a bandage on his forehead?”

“Indeed? Who could possibly have injured someone so formidable?”

It was a blessing I wasn’t sipping water, or I would have surely spluttered it out!

“Perhaps he simply wasn’t watching where he was going and stumbled forward,” I interjected, a hint of guilt in my voice.

“Oh? Is that true? How utterly adorable Prince Maple must be, then!”

Adorable, my foot! You superficial women!

The horn, finally heralding the commencement of the duel, resounded through the air.

With a powerful snort, a horse’s hoof, its coat obsidian black yet its mane a fiery gradient, thundered into the arena.

I froze, momentarily stunned. Never before had I witnessed a horse of such ferocious demeanor.

Luo Bing’ai’er, standing faithfully behind me, let out a soft sigh. “Is that not General Chris’s renowned mount, the ‘Black Reaper’?”

“General Chris?”

“Your Royal Highness, have you forgotten? General Chris is the younger sister of the late Consort Alice, making her the First Prince’s maternal aunt. Ever since His Majesty the Emperor unified the six tribes, she has stood vigilant, defending the northern borders and overseeing the reconstruction of the Great Wall on his behalf.”

I cast a cold, sidelong glance at her. “Just how many consorts does my father actually have?”

My question seemed to catch her off guard, leaving her visibly uncomfortable. “Uh… Your Royal Highness, is that truly where your focus lies?”

“As a daughter, isn’t that perfectly normal?” I retorted, a note of sullenness in my voice.

“But Your Royal Highness! Your mother has been the sole Empress from beginning to end! Have you ever heard the saying, ‘deep affection for an old sword’?”

I sensed her strenuous efforts to console me, but my mood remained unyielding. “Never heard of it. Just tell me more about that horse.”

“Very well… It’s truly astonishing that General Chris would send back her own mount this time, all to lend the First Prince a helping hand…”

“Does that mean the horse is incredibly formidable?”

“That horse has accompanied General Chris through countless campaigns, conquering every foe and emerging victorious from every battle. It is widely known as the ‘Black Reaper,’ a true warhorse, baptized in the crucible of war.”

“No wonder it emanates an aura of death the moment it steps into view…”

“Its hooves have trampled over an untold number of enemy corpses!”

And the First Prince, astride the ‘Black Reaper,’ must be no ordinary opponent either. Would this not be akin to adding wings to a tiger?

He appeared clad in a magnificent, imposing suit of black armor—I, this Princess, truly found myself at a loss for more fitting words. Simply his presence, adorned in such attire, was enough to strike terror into the hearts of his adversaries.

Even the jet-black long spear he dragged along the ground seemed far from an ordinary weapon.

In essence, was Maple truly facing a ‘divinely equipped’ opponent?

Concurrently, Maple, too, advanced to the front lines, dragging his own spear. The two men stood facing each other, defiant against the wind.

“I shall show no mercy,” the First Prince declared, his voice chilling.

“Nor shall I,” Maple responded.