The Most Satisfied Reincarnate

A mere few minutes remained before the commencement of the duel.

Seated in her designated spot, Clementine engaged in a grave conversation with Diana. "Remember, my child, I won't offer any aid if you suffer defeat. You must accept this, regardless of the circumstances. And one more thing, employ every trick in the book to secure victory."

Clementine's words caused Diana to hesitate. "But mother, wouldn't that be considered cheating?!" Her conscience revolted against the notion of attaining victory through deceitful means. She had inherited this principled trait from her father, who had always remained loyal to King Edward.

In stark contrast, Clementine possessed a touch of cunning, though a glimmer of kindness lingered within her conscience. Upon hearing her daughter's protestations, Clementine simply laughed. "If I had played fair, then your father would have sought a different woman as his companion. Obey my words if you wish to sever the engagement."

Diana was taken aback upon hearing this blunt admission from her mother. She had never expected her mother to employ such crafty tactics.

In her heart, seeds of doubt sprouted regarding her mother, whom she had always trusted and believed to uphold principles of fair play. "Fine, Mother, I will do as you say," Diana replied, her eyes brimming with tears. Without awaiting her mother's response, she strode purposefully toward the arena.

Within the arena, after an interminable wait, the match finally commenced.

"Today's bout features Diana, the daughter of Vesta, facing off against Gibson, the son of Lord Andre. The wager at stake is marriage. If Diana loses, she must consent to wed Gibson.

"And conversely, if Diana emerges victorious, Gibson will relinquish any claim to her hand and be prohibited from proposing marriage again. The outcome of this match will be decided by myself. A contestant will be declared the winner either upon a confession of surrender from their opponent or when the adversary is no longer capable of movement."

Elizabeth's words reverberated throughout the room, casting a hush upon the assembled audience. The silence shattered under the weight of Gibson's boisterous laughter. "Hahaha, why the sudden timidity? Come at me, you cowardly kitten." Gibson pounded his chest, taunting Diana, who stood with closed eyes.

Unperturbed by Gibson's derisive jibes, Diana focused her energy, her mind honed on a singular purpose. After a few moments elapsed, she finally opened her eyes, a resolute gleam emanating from within. "Prepare to taste defeat, round ball."

Diana's entire being became engulfed in a radiant golden glow. She remained still, allowing the ethereal light to enshroud her body completely. As the brilliance gradually faded, her form became encased in armor crafted from shimmering golden light. The resplendent armor bore a pair of majestic wings that extended from her back. With her body suspended in mid-air, she propelled herself towards Gibson.

Her velocity was not excessive, but with every path she traversed, a trail of scorched earth marked her passage, etched in the remnants of the golden light.

The helmetless armor illuminated her fiery red hair with a celestial golden hue, presenting an image akin to a princess hailing from the depths of hell, adorned in heavenly armor. Diana gripped a formidable great sword firmly with both hands. The blade, too, radiated with the golden light, growing in intensity with each movement. It doubled in size, surpassing its original dimensions.

Upon witnessing Diana's fervor to vanquish him, Gibson promptly cast a spell, drawing the surrounding earth into his being. The soil coalesced and molded into a pair of gargantuan gauntlets, akin to hands of giants.

With a devilish grin, Gibson bellowed as Diana closed in. "Come to papa, my dear, hahaha."

"You despicable bastard!" Channeling the suppressed fury she had long held within, Diana swung her great sword horizontally at Gibson's colossal hand.

thrum

clank

The clash between the great sword and the colossal hand reverberated throughout the entire arena, casting forth mesmerizing arcs of magical sparks that delighted the onlookers. Despite encountering a solid structure, the great sword not only remained sharp, relentlessly cleaving through piece after piece, but Diana's wild swings also grew in swiftness.

Like a frenzied warrior, Diana continued her onslaught, wielding her colossal sword with a bear-like ferocity. Gibson found himself forced into a defensive stance, employing his colossal hand to shield his body, praying that his massive appendage could withstand Diana's relentless assault.

"Come on, come on! Emerge from your shell, you repugnant bastard!"

thrum

clank

"You... Insane woman!" Fear began to take hold of Gibson as perspiration trickled down his body. His breathing grew erratic, and the sensation of numbness crept through his hands. "Cease... you wretched bitch!" Panic intensified when he witnessed his colossal hands crumbling into a mere heap of pebbles.

Diana, undeterred by Gibson's lack of surrender, continued to assail him with an increasingly fervent assault. However, her stamina dwindled, causing her strikes to slow. Frustration seeped into her voice as she exclaimed, "You coward! What kind of man are you?!"

Despite her shouts and outward composure, the persistent dizziness and soreness threatened to overtake Diana's consciousness. The exertion was taking its toll.

Without wasting further time, Diana ascended into the air, raising her great sword to its zenith. "Take this!" she proclaimed, releasing the sword from her grasp. The immense weight caused the blade to plummet rapidly towards Gibson's giant hand.

"Uh, this might be a bit dangerous..." Realizing she couldn't linger in the air for too long, Diana swiftly descended, hastening to evade the impact of her falling great sword.

Gibson, unable to see anything beyond his giant hand, suddenly noticed that Diana's assault had halted. Uncurling his hands, he caught sight of Diana attempting to flee for no apparent reason.

"Hehe, where do you think you're going, you coward?" His giant hand elongated, successfully ensnaring Diana's body. Like elastic, the enormous hand gradually contracted, drawing Diana back towards Gibson. "Chop! Chop."

Diana, ensnared by Gibson's grasp, panicked. She glanced upwards and witnessed the great sword hurtling towards her head.

crash

Diana collapsed to the ground, while the great sword sliced through Gibson's colossal arm. Gibson stood dumbfounded as he beheld his hand being abruptly severed by the unexpected strike. He then observed Diana's plight, crushed beneath his stone hand, struggling to free herself. "Hahaha, look at that! Your weapon has abandoned you, hahaha."

The entire audience witnessed the spectacle and erupted in laughter. "Is this what they call a boomerang effect?" one spectator queried.

"Indeed! Haha, I've never witnessed anything so absurd."

Desmond and Alice struggled to suppress their laughter, mindful of showing respect for Clementine, whose face had reddened with anger.

"Foolish girl! I explicitly instructed you to employ cunning methods instead of relying solely on knightly valor," Clementine chastised, smacking her thigh. "It appears I'll need to educate you more rigorously after this."

Within the arena, Diana lay prone on the ground, faintly perceiving the derisive taunts echoing around her. She felt a profound sense of shame. Aside from the throbbing pain in her head, her embarrassment was unparalleled.

Moments later, the spectators noticed Diana remained motionless. Their gaze shifted to the unconscious form sprawled on the ground, her face flushed like a tomato.

Gibson, then turning his attention to Elizabeth, queried, "Does this count as victory? Look at her. She fainted from sheer humiliation, hahaha."

Elizabeth merely snorted. She held no affinity for those who bullied innocent girls like Diana. Manipulating one of the mirrors under her control, Elizabeth directed its light to illuminate Diana's prone body.

"The winner is Master Gibson. As per the agreement, Master Gibson shall marry Miss Elizabeth. Now, if anyone has any objections on Diana's behalf, speak up," Elizabeth declared.

The entire audience gasped in astonishment as Clementine, Diana's mother, raised her hand. They all knew well that parents were strictly forbidden from interfering in their child's affairs.

"Yes, I object. Before Master Gibson marries my daughter, there was already another proposal," Clementine proclaimed, casting a sly glance towards Desmond as she chuckled mischievously.