Chapter 111 ~ I Would!

Her Divine Authority drained, her body battered and bruised—Teresa had, in every sense of the word, reached her limits. Perhaps once she returned to her usual self and calmed down, she’d question whether all this had been worth it. But in that moment, her heart held only a single belief:

She would not lose.

It wasn’t about perseverance or a will to fight to the last breath—what supported her now was an unshakable confidence.

She wouldn't lose. She couldn’t lose. So, don’t even talk about “fighting to the bitter end”—that kind of talk belonged to losers.

In this Freshman Crown Tournament, she had considered every possible outcome—except “losing.”

Once her weapon had been taken, Teresa charged in, closing the gap with Astrid at a burst of speed. She disarmed her, and the two became locked in a grapple.

Both of them lunged for the Elf crescent blade, trying to land the final blow. The result? Neither managed to seize it. The two tangled, lost their balance, and rolled on the ground, locked in a struggle.

Even while dishing out attacks, Teresa kept her eyes on the blade. As they rolled, she pressed Astrid down with one hand while inching the other stealthily toward the weapon.

But how could Astrid not guess what she was up to? Though she wasn’t as good at hand-to-hand combat as Teresa, in terms of battlefield experience, she had several streets on the still-green Teresa.

Seeing Teresa making a move for the blade, Astrid tried to stop her. But her strength fell short. With the [Broken Bow] buff, Teresa could pin both of Astrid’s hands with just one of her own. She straddled her, pressing her down, and reached for the blade.

Astrid didn’t care about propriety anymore. She wasn’t a particularly competitive person, but for some reason, when facing Teresa, her lukewarm drive to win ignited like dry kindling set aflame.

Being so humiliatingly pinned beneath her opponent only added fuel to her stubborn pride.

Just as Teresa’s slender, pale hand was about to grasp the crescent blade, she suddenly found herself unable to lean forward.

Looking down, she realized Astrid had wrapped her legs around her waist.

Astrid's Divine Domain was still intact, and those long, sheer black-stockinged legs, like polished obsidian, locked firmly around Teresa’s slim waist, preventing her from leaning even a fraction closer to the blade.

Teresa furrowed her brows, refusing to give up. Ignoring Astrid’s constant resistance, she reached for the blade again.

Astrid grew anxious. Still clamping down with her legs, she was pinned by Teresa’s single-handed grip. When Teresa focused all her attention on reaching for the blade, Astrid launched a counterattack.

Like a kitten stepped on the tail, she hissed in fury and bit down on Teresa’s finger.

“Looks like Lady Astrid has been pushed to the edge…” A silver-haired boy watching the live projection from the temple sighed in exasperation.

On screen, the two girls had clearly lost it—fists, elbows, knees, feet, even teeth—every available weapon was in play.

Without much of her Domain left to protect her, Teresa winced from the pain and tried to pull her hand away. But Astrid wouldn’t let her.

Lacking Teresa’s strength, Astrid knew this was her only chance to turn the tables. She bit down hard, while her opponent’s efforts were focused on freeing her hand. Channeling all her power into her legs, she twisted sideways.

Astrid was strong—not quite as strong as [Broken Bow]-buffed Teresa, but close enough. The sudden twist reversed their positions.

Now it was Astrid who straddled Teresa, locking her waist between her thighs as she lunged for the crescent blade.

Just before she could grab it, Teresa kicked the weapon away.

After all that fighting, they were back to square one—neither had the blade.

At the summit of Crown Mountain, the two were locked in a heated struggle. Fortunately, the projection crystal had conveniently "malfunctioned"—otherwise, who knows how the audience might’ve reacted to this undignified wrestling match?

The fight had reached a fever pitch.

Beneath Astrid, Teresa propped up her arms against Astrid’s, but with her feet not touching the ground, she couldn’t find any leverage to push Astrid off.

Astrid’s thighs pinned Teresa’s waist, her knees locked Teresa’s legs to keep her from using them. Her arms held Teresa’s upper arms fast.

So frustrating…!

Even though she still had strength to spare, every joint felt locked in place. Teresa felt a suffocating frustration she couldn't describe.

As sweat beaded and evaporated from their skin, the two Elven girls were close enough to catch each other’s scent.

Astrid smelled a pure fragrance of rose and lavender, while Teresa exuded a fresh mix of vanilla and mint.

Not that either of them noticed such things in the heat of the moment.

With her arms restrained, Teresa couldn’t bend her elbows, so she reached behind Astrid’s head and grabbed her hair.

She didn’t even know what good pulling someone’s hair would do—but at this point, out of ideas, she just yanked at Astrid’s moonlight-like silver locks.

Whatever strange impulse struck Astrid, she grabbed a handful of Teresa’s golden, ribbon-like hair in return.

Elves were always taught to be elegant and composed. They were masters at concealing their emotions. But that didn’t mean they didn’t have emotions or instincts.

In intense combat, when adrenaline and hormones surged, even Elves would cast aside their restraint and reveal their raw, unfiltered selves.

Like now—neither would ever resort to hair-pulling in a normal duel. But now? They’d both lost their heads.

Especially in this kind of close-quarters grapple, where skin pressed against skin, reason was the first thing to go.

“I won’t lose to you.” Astrid, her hair being yanked, glared with violet eyes that shimmered like a cold moon in the night.

“Oh? You won’t lose to me?” Teresa gave a smile. “Then tell me, Lady Astrid—what exactly are you referring to? This match? Or perhaps… something a little more personal?”

“…………”

Astrid stayed silent.

“Best if you were talking about this match… Oh? I see. So it is something more?” Teresa’s voice remained playful, her words deceptively innocent.

“If it’s what I think it is, Lady Astrid—even if you win the Crown Tournament, it’s meaningless, isn’t it?”

“After all, you were the one who gave up. No one else to blame, right?”

“You kicked someone away, then regretted it—what do you think that makes you? You think anyone would like a woman like that~?” Teresa leaned close to Astrid’s face, smiling like a sweet fool, and gently blew a breath at her nose.

“There’s no point in pining anymore. You might not be eliminated in this tournament, but in another match… you’ve already been left behind.”

With that, Teresa threw her a teasing wink.

Astrid’s violet pupils contracted. In the moment her mind wavered, Teresa seized the opportunity—freeing her legs. By the time Astrid realized it, Teresa’s knee was already pressed to her abdomen.

“In battle, a few words are enough to distract you. Lady Astrid, I’d say your mental fortitude as a Divine Princess still needs work.”

“Or is it that you just underestimated me~?” As she said this, Teresa grabbed Astrid’s shoulders and, with her knee planted in Astrid’s gut, shoved hard—throwing her off.

After flinging Astrid away, Teresa flipped back onto her feet and retrieved the Elven crescent blade.

Astrid, dazed and groaning, rolled once and looked up.

The effect of the Three-Star Constellation didn’t favor Teresa. Astrid made her choice: she would use her final three stars as a wager to form one more [Exalted Maiden of the Full Moon].

This time, Teresa had no bow or earmuff protection—if the attack landed, she’d be eliminated.

As she retreated, Astrid summoned moonlight. A silver crescent-shaped bow shimmered into being in her hands, and an arrow of moonlit silk took shape—aimed straight at Teresa’s head.

[Exalted Maiden of the Full Moon] couldn’t be dodged. Teresa knew this from the start. So when she saw Astrid drawing the arrow, she didn’t even think of running.

She charged forward.

To stop an unavoidable attack, it had to be prevented before it could be launched.

But breaking a bow forged from [Exalted Maiden of the Full Moon] was nearly impossible—unless…

Teresa looked down at the Elf moonblade in her hand.

She had already used Bladeflame once today. Even for a master among masters of the blade, three uses per day was the limit.

She wasn’t sure a second activation would succeed. But she didn’t hesitate.

If she willed it, she would succeed—because she wouldn’t lose. She had no reason to.

The blade’s edge burst into blue flame, the wind fanning it into a roaring blaze.

Astrid loosed her arrow, Teresa charged like a golden flash of light.

In the next instant, they passed each other—and a crisp crack rang out as Astrid’s moonbow snapped in two.

“Looks like I won, Lady Astrid.” Teresa held her blade across her body, golden hair dancing in the wind without looking back.

“………”

Seeing no reply, Teresa slowly turned her head. Her emerald eyes shimmered like rippling waves.

“You hesitated.”

“It was that single moment of hesitation that stopped you from loosing the arrow that could’ve decided the match.”

“………”

“You’ve always been running—from the past, and even now.” For some reason, seeing Astrid’s silent figure with her back turned made Teresa speak on.

“What would you know?!” Astrid suddenly burst out. Head bowed, fists clenched—something she’d kept buried was finally breaking free.

“To live how I want, without fear or shame… Do you know how much I wish I could be like a normal girl?!” Astrid didn’t look back. Teresa couldn’t see her expression.

But still…

This emotional outburst took Teresa by surprise—it was the first time she’d seen Astrid lose composure like this.

“Teresa… To be honest, I envy you. I’m jealous of how you do whatever you want, unburdened and free.” Astrid’s voice dropped into a low, almost hollow murmur.

“Who told you I have no burdens?” Teresa finally spoke after a long silence, her clear green eyes shining. “Lady Astrid, you’ve never been the most unfortunate one. So don’t speak as if you are.”

“No one born in this world is truly free. Don’t make excuses. Whether from others or yourself, bondage is still bondage.”

“The only difference is: some people break free and chase their dreams. You didn’t.”

“That’s easy to say when you’re just a bystander, Teresa. But if you were me, would you ignore your family’s opposition, abandon the laws you were raised with, defy ethics and morality—just to pursue ‘love’ even if it meant being cast out by everyone?!”

“I would!” Teresa answered without hesitation, firm and resolute.

Astrid’s eyes widened. Slowly, she turned—and saw those clear emerald eyes staring back at her.

She was stunned.

In matters of love, Elves could not lie—for them, love was sacred, even above life itself...

“You might have many worries. But when it comes to love, those aren’t worries at all.”

“Lady Astrid, perhaps I’ve misjudged your feelings. If so, I owe you an apology.”

“Maybe… your feelings for him aren’t even love,” Teresa said, pausing between each word.

“Love should be pure, without a trace of impurity. A complete and unreserved trust. If you harbor doubts, if you feel hindered—then it means the love was never strong enough. It doesn’t count as ‘love.’”

“To answer your earlier question in more detail—if I were you, and I loved someone, nothing would stop me. Not family, not rules, not anyone.”

“If love must carry such weight, it’s not worth having. Tainted love… isn’t love.”

“That might sound old-fashioned, but that’s what I believe. I’m sorry, Lady Astrid, if my words have hurt you.”

Her voice wasn’t loud—but it stabbed into Astrid’s heart like silver needles.

Looking at the immovable golden Elf before her, Astrid felt something inside awaken… and along with it, a wave of shame.

Perhaps her love really wasn’t as pure as this Elf girl’s after all...

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