Chapter 49: Even the Refusal to Try Hard Gets Denied
Tilitha tried using Divine Analysis to analyze the specific effects of Astrid’s Divine Authority and domain, but the moment she activated Divine Analysis, she was overwhelmed by the dense text in the description box.
Each elegant and beautiful elven character pierced her mind like silver needles, causing unbearable pain.
It was far more complex than even Felicia’s Divine Authority, with an information density that completely exceeded what her current mental strength could handle. She had no choice but to give up.
Silver moonlight bloomed as the elven girl danced, gracefully tracing an arc under the guidance of Astrid’s blade.
Lainey knew that regardless of her wishes, the battle had begun. She raised her shield to block.
Silver flames burst and scattered on the wolf-head leather shield. This noble moonlight fire looked down with overwhelming pressure at this leather-clad girl who dared to resist beyond her means.
The wolf’s head on the attacked shield flashed with crimson light, and simultaneously, Lainey’s body surface developed a gray luster that resisted the moon flames.
However, this dim luster was too powerless against the unstoppable moon flames, providing almost no effect.
This was a Divine Authority strike. Although Lainey’s leather shield was also formed by Divine Authority, the gap in both bloodline and Divine Authority level was too great.
Unsurprisingly, Lainey was sent flying by this arc slash, rolling several times and raising clouds of dust.
Soon, the wild Divine Maiden in leather armor lay on the ground motionless.
Astrid slowly lowered her blade. With this strike, she hadn’t used her full power—not even one-fifth of her authority.
Looking at the girl who had fallen after not even lasting one move, Tilitha in the audience sighed softly.
“The match is decided. Astrid Oreniman is the win—”
“Wait, wait!” Just as Astrid was about to turn and leave and the referee was about to announce the result, a stubborn voice suddenly rang out.
Everyone focused their attention on the girl struggling to stand up.
Lainey’s leather armor was burned and tattered, her domain almost completely damaged, and her skin had dark, cracked burns at the most severely injured areas.
This was already the result of Astrid holding back considerably.
Yet even so, she still stood up, driven purely by stubborn refusal to give up.
“I… haven’t lost yet. Don’t leave…” Lainey’s eyes were now filled with intense emotions—persistence, defiance, confusion—but at this moment, what dominated her gaze was no longer insecurity and weakness.
It was an emotion called unwillingness.
The walls of bloodline and family background created an insurmountable chasm for wild Divine Maidens, but she wasn’t willing to accept it.
She wasn’t willing to accept that after secretly shedding countless drops of sweat, she couldn’t even withstand one strike when facing a proper Divine Maiden.
Wasn’t this telling her that whether she worked hard or not made no difference?
Not working hard meant being defeated in one strike. Working hard also meant being defeated in one strike. Then wasn’t all the blood and sweat she’d shed completely pointless, making her no different from an idiot?
Born as a wild Divine Maiden, she had nothing. The only thing she could pray for, could place her hopes in, was diligence and effort acquired through training. If even this was denied…
Then she truly would have nothing at all.
So she couldn’t—at least couldn’t be defeated in just one strike!
She picked up her sword and shield. Maybe she as a person had nothing worthwhile from head to toe, but she didn’t want even her sweat and diligence to be denied along with everything else!
Thus, driven by unwillingness toward fate, Lainey charged toward Astrid again.
“Don’t… don’t look down on me!”
Astrid seemed not to have expected that Lainey could stand up.
The elves’ empathy and keen senses let her understand Lainey’s intense, heart-crushing refusal to give up. A complex expression flashed through her violet eyes.
Looking at the opponent charging toward her, she raised her crescent blade again.
Astrid knew that what Lainey needed wasn’t sympathy, but recognition, so she wouldn’t hold back or throw the match.
The second strike came down.
The match ended.
Lainey lost as everyone expected, and lost thoroughly.
But not a single person in the audience made mocking sounds toward this girl.
They had seen the terrible determination burning in the girl’s eyes. Examining their own hearts, they didn’t think they could stand up after taking one of Astrid’s strikes, much less charge toward an insurmountable wall.
The venue fell silent.
“May the Mother Goddess bless you.” Watching Lainey being carried off the field, Astrid prayed.
She knew Lainey had gotten the answer she wanted.
Look—effort wasn’t completely meaningless, was it? At least, without having worked hard, she definitely wouldn’t have been able to stand up after taking that strike, would she?
What Lainey wanted wasn’t to surpass or defeat someone, but simply to prove that her efforts weren’t completely meaningless. That was all.
Watching Lainey leave, Astrid stood there for a long time before exiting. Her moon-bright silver hair fluttered in the wind. Just like when she arrived, she paid no attention to the praise and cheers, nor did she look at those who wanted to approach and share in her victory.
The match was over. She was going back.
However, the referee’s announcement made her stop in her tracks.
“Third match of the afternoon: Erin Cardifen versus Tilitha! Please prepare, both contestants. The match will begin in ten minutes!”
…Tilitha?
Hearing this familiar name, Astrid slowly turned around and looked at the silver moon pattern flickering on the back of her hand with special feeling. Using her sharp senses, she spotted the blonde girl in the audience.
It’s her.
If she’s here, then why isn’t he?
Is it because he doesn’t want to see her?
Unaware that Astrid was currently overthinking, Tilitha shook her head and jumped down from her seat.
What had to come would come eventually.
Let’s go get beaten up.
She didn’t care about the audience discussing things like “another wild Divine Maiden?” She wasn’t actually a Divine Maiden anyway, so she didn’t care about concepts of family background and bloodline.
Actually, watching Brin and Lainey get beaten up, Tilitha had thought of herself.
She didn’t need to empathize with those two because soon, she would experience firsthand what it felt like to stand in that arena.
“Your Highness, are you leaving?”
“Since Student Astrid won’t stay to watch the remaining matches either, what’s the point of me staying here?” Felicia smiled.
“That’s true… eh? Princess Felicia, look—it seems like Princess Astrid hasn’t left! And she’s found a seat and sat down.”
“You must be seeing things. How could that be possible… hmm?” Noticing the commotion not far away, Felicia was slightly stunned.
“Is Student Astrid interested in the upcoming match?” With this thought, Felicia looked toward the few staff members cleaning up the arena.