In This Life, I Will Be Your Dog - Chapter 49

Her eyes showed no trace of fear. In fact, it almost seemed as if she was enjoying this moment.

Was that just his imagination? A cold sweat ran down Uta’s back, and suddenly, the memory of her ruthless demeanor from that day flashed through his mind.

“Judging by your expression, it seems you’re unsure of yourself. If you’re too scared, you can refuse. I have no intention of tormenting a fellow knight who will be my comrade going forward.”

“Wh-who’s scared?!” Uta snapped, glaring.

He then reached out to the knight standing next to him. “Hey, give me your sword.”

“What? You’re not using your greatsword?”

“What do I need a greatsword for against a female knight? This one will do just fine, now shut up and hand it over.”

Despite his continued arrogance, a smirk tugged at Bellona’s lips. He was already preparing an excuse—claiming that if he lost, it was because he hadn’t used his usual weapon.

‘Let’s make sure he can’t even come up with that excuse,’ she thought, pulling the tie from her wrist and gathering her long red hair into a ponytail.

***

The breeze sweeping through the training ground carried dust into the air as Uta’s massive frame collapsed to the ground. The knights standing around could only gape in astonishment as the dust settled.

Bellona stood in the middle of the training ground, looking down at the fallen knight without any particular emotion. It had taken five seconds—no, perhaps closer to three. Well, if she counted the time she spent blocking Uta’s initial strike, maybe it had been about five seconds.

Whether Uta had used a greatsword or a regular sword, it didn’t matter. She had ended the duel with a single blow to show that nothing he wielded could have helped him win. Still, she clenched her hand to soothe the throbbing sensation in her fingers.

Uta’s strength was as formidable as his size suggested. If she hadn’t loosened her grip to deflect his strike, Net’s sword might have snapped in two.

His blow had carried such force that it would have driven the sword into the ground had she not reacted quickly. Yet, his slow movements due to his heavy frame allowed Bellona to easily overpower him.

If Uta had indeed used his greatsword, and the fight had dragged on, it might have been a tough battle for her. Her own stamina wasn’t what it once was, and Uta’s power was undeniably formidable. But the result was clear—she had won in just five seconds.

Uta lay on the ground, unconscious, his nose swollen and bruised from where her strike had hit its mark.

Akon’s face contorted with fury. His pride was wounded—after all, an Imperial knight, and a mere female knight at that, had knocked out one of his senior knights with a single blow.

Bellona, having lightly demonstrated her abilities, intentionally wore a smug expression as she turned her gaze toward the rest of the Valensis knights, provoking the whole group.

“It seems the reputation of the Valensis Knights has been greatly exaggerated. I didn’t expect him to faint after just one hit. If I had known, I would have used a wooden sword.”

The corner of her lips lifted slightly, and the Valensis knights’ faces turned a mixture of red and purple with rage. Meanwhile, the Imperial knights, their faces brightened by Bellona’s victory, gazed at her with admiration.

“Well, that ended too quickly. Is there anyone else who’d like to spar with me? I haven’t even warmed up yet,” she said, her gaze subtly shifting toward Akon, whose fists clenched so tightly that the veins in his hands bulged.

At that moment, a familiar voice broke the tension.

“If it’s alright with you, I’d like to spar with you, Sir Bellona.”

Bellona turned to see Rondo, who had remained silent until now, rising to his feet. She was slightly disappointed, as he wasn’t the opponent she had been waiting for, but she figured it wouldn’t hurt to stoke her competitive spirit a bit before the sparring session she’d have to throw for Caelus later.

Besides, this would be a good opportunity to gauge the skills of the knights.

“Sure.”

Despite her lighthearted response, Rondo drew his sword with a solemn expression and respectfully sought Akon’s permission.

“May I step in?”

After a long moment of hesitation, Akon reluctantly nodded.

“Take Uta back to his quarters.”

Several knights rushed forward, grabbing Uta’s arms and legs to carry him away, his massive body sagging like a dead weight. Rondo glanced briefly at his departing comrade before bowing formally to Bellona.

It had been a while since Bellona had encountered such politeness, and she returned the gesture, holding her sword upright and giving him a brief nod of acknowledgment.

The more she observed Rondo, the more she found herself liking him. He was serious, unpretentious, and well-mannered. He was loyal, obedient to his superiors, and a person of integrity. In short, he was a valuable asset.

“Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Rondo Escrom, vice commander of the Valensis Knights.”

As expected, he was not just any high-ranking knight.

However, the mention of his title left a bitter taste in Bellona’s mouth. If she had had a subordinate like him in the past, perhaps her siblings might have been saved. If she had, they wouldn’t have died, not even in the worst of times.

She wouldn’t have had to seek revenge.

She could have closed her eyes in peace.

Though the circumstances had changed, her harsh life remained much the same as it had been back then. She still put her life on the line every day. She was still looked down upon as a female knight.

Nothing had truly changed. She was still a mistress in all but name. The title of Grand Duchess was merely decorative—without love, it was nothing more than a relationship of physical convenience.

Bellona suppressed these messy emotions, keeping her expression neutral as she responded to his introduction.

“Bellona Riknis.”

“I won’t hold back, so I hope you’ll fight me with all your might.”

Rondo’s intense demeanor, as if he were avenging his fallen comrade, irked her. During both of her lifetimes, she had never had such loyal subordinates or comrades, and now, a twisted sense of jealousy was gnawing at her.

Her petty feelings escaped her lips before she could stop them.

“So, does that mean it’s alright if I kill you?”

“……!”

“What about cutting off a limb? When I get serious, I tend to need to slice off something to feel satisfied.”

Bellona knew her words had crossed the line, but she didn’t hesitate to provoke him further, her bitterness mingling with her desire to lure Akon into the fight.

“That’s fine. But I want to make it clear that I harbor no ill will towards you, Sir Bellona. So if I hurt you, please understand it’s all in the spirit of a serious duel.”

“That’s exactly what I was going to say. Well then, come at me.”

She ceded the first attack, and Rondo’s face tensed in mild irritation. His pride as a man must have been wounded by the gesture.

Bellona briefly considered ending the fight quickly again, but when she saw Rondo adjust his grip on his sword and prepare for an attack, a spark of competitiveness ignited within her.

Though she never doubted she would win, a fierce desire to emerge victorious welled up inside her. For once, she wanted to take this duel seriously.

Perhaps she could even learn something new from this sparring session, given their differing training methods.

Bellona adjusted her grip on her sword, her demeanor entirely different from when she had faced Uta. No matter how skilled she was or how confident she felt, carelessness had no place in a real battle. After all, there were always monsters like her lurking in the world.

“I’m coming.”

With that polite declaration of his intent to attack, Bellona nodded, keeping her eyes fixed on his feet. When he shifted his weight slightly to the right, she knew he was about to leap.

As expected, Rondo lunged, his sword slicing through the air toward her. Bellona swiftly dodged, twisting her body to avoid the blow.

At that moment, his sharp blade aimed for her side, but she deftly deflected it with a fluid spin, her red lips curving into a satisfied smile.

Rondo’s attacks were fast and fierce, and with his strength added to the mix, they were genuinely dangerous. If she let her guard down even a little, she could easily lose.

Yet her heart was racing with excitement. The exchange of blows with him was far more enjoyable than she had expected.

However, despite his relentless onslaught, Bellona had yet to launch a single serious attack. Instead, she focused on observing his attack patterns, his habits, and the training style of the Valensis knights.

After several exchanges, Bellona felt she had gauged Rondo’s skill level. She withdrew, creating some distance between them. Now it was time to show him what she could do.

She would prove that neither gender nor rank mattered in the face of true effort.

Bellona’s eyes gleamed sharply as she moved with fluid grace, her body spinning effortlessly. Rondo’s sword once again aimed for her torso, but this time, instead of blocking, she twisted her body and parried his blade upward in an aggressive strike.

Rondo narrowly dodged her swift, precise attack, the speed and sharpness of her sword leaving an afterimage in the air.

His expression tightened in surprise, but Bellona’s face remained emotionless as she pressed her advantage with a flurry of lightning-fast blows.

Her sword moved as if it were riding the wind, cutting through the air with smooth, elegant arcs. Though her wrists appeared fragile, as if they could snap with the slightest pressure, every swing of her sword produced a chilling, sharp sound that sent shivers down the spines of those watching.

Her movements were so swift that it was difficult to keep track of her blade. It felt as though Rondo was fighting not one opponent but many.

Realizing that Bellona’s swordsmanship was far more formidable than he had anticipated, Rondo grew increasingly alarmed. The brief glimpse he had seen of her skills on that day had only been a fraction of what she was truly capable of.

‘How can a common knight possess such skill?!’

He was both shocked and embarrassed. Though he had respected her, somewhere in the back of his mind, he had still regarded her as just a lowly female knight.

But now, as the reality of his arrogance hit him, he felt nothing but shame.

After such an intense exchange, he should have spotted an opening by now, but even when she had been on the defensive, she had shown no weakness.

And that wasn’t all.

Every strike of her sword was as heavy and sharp as when they had first crossed blades. The more he fought, the more he realized that he was facing an immovable wall.

Then, just as he thought he might be able to anticipate her next move, Bellona’s sword flashed like a lightning bolt, appearing right before his eyes as she spun through the air.