The arena erupted with a deafening roar.

The spectators murmured in surprise at the sudden turn of events.

“What on earth is going on?!”

“Well, I’m not sure. The Central Army’s number one was clearly losing, but suddenly the Western Army’s Iseze Karam...”

“Poison!”

Someone shouted.

Indeed.

Judging by Iseze’s condition, it was definitely poison.

Liam’s face hardened as he said,

“Did he have poison on his nails? When he touched Iseze’s cheek...”

“No.”

I spoke, and the knights all turned their eyes to me at once.

“No?”

“Yes. Iseze was definitely protecting his body at that moment.”

Although startled when he suddenly approached, he had used sacred power to shield himself before the contact.

While I don’t have the blessing of sacred power like those gifted with it, I was able to read its flow to some extent.

That was because, in my first life, being powerless, I had no prejudices typical of magic users.

“Then how in the world...?”

‘I don’t know that either!’

When did he use poison?

Did he release it into the air?

No, this was a place full of the Emperor and powerful nobles.

If it had spread by wind, it would have affected others too, so such poison was impossible.

‘Could it be a blessing that injects poison without contact?’

Kork grinned and said to his older brother,

“Seems like these people are really curious about my ‘blessing,’ brother!”

The crowd stirred loudly once more at that.

“So it’s a blessing!”

“A blessing that # Nоvеlight # injects poison without touching... incredible.”

“At this rate, the Western Army can’t do anything. No matter how hard they push, once poisoned, it’s over.”

“No matter how well the Western Wonhwa trained their troops, they can’t resist someone with that blessing.”

“How did the Central Wonhwa bring in someone like that... Truly a child blessed by the gods.”

“Luck is skill, after all.”

“Though it’s not just luck. The eyes to recognize such a person, the intelligence to find them, the negotiation skill to get them. Truly an outstanding child.”

“Come to think of it, before the Year-End Festival, she hadn’t made a single mistake.”

Iseze, who had knelt on the ground, staggered as he rose.

“What the...!”

“What are you doing?!”

Jowick and Liam gasped in disbelief.

There are three conditions for defeat:

Leaving the arena, inability to move (fainting, etc.), or declaring surrender.

Since Iseze had stood up, our army had not lost.

In other words, the match would continue.

Liam muttered with a hardened face,

“That guy would never declare surrender even if he died. If he keeps fighting like this, he’ll die.”

‘That fool...’

Is he trying to die? Without even knowing what poison he’s been hit with.

Kork laughed sharply.

“Still lively.”

“.......”

“Must be living nicely. Afraid of losing his life! I don’t know!”

Kork’s blade swiftly sliced across Iseze’s ribs and shoulder.

‘All he can do is dodge.’

He barely avoided the strikes, and blood dripped wherever the sword passed.

Iseze lost his balance and collapsed.

But he stood up again.

And again.

And yet again...

Laughter burst out from the Central Army’s waiting area.

“What a pathetic sight!”

“Why don’t you show off like at the Year-End Festival!”

Words belittling our army poured out.

The Western Army soldiers and participants in the stands grit their teeth.

Liam exploded in anger.

“Why is he still holding on there?!”

“He hasn’t spread sacred power yet...”

At my words, the knights flinched and stared at me.

“Excuse me?”

“To spread sacred power outside the arena takes at least thirty minutes.”

“What...?”

Jowick muttered grimly.

Liam gritted his teeth.

“But if we leave him like that, he’ll die. The Wonhwa must declare surrender. Otherwise, that guy...!”

“I can’t.”

“It’s only the first match! Do you want to kill Iseze over a mere match?! I misjudged the Wonhwa. Way off...”

“Look at that face!”

“......Yes?”

“Do you think a person’s life is the most important? Many don’t.”

Our participants looked at Iseze.

His complexion was pale blue, but his eyes were far from dead.

I recalled a conversation with my father.

“Every time you come back hurt like this, why do you always go to the battlefield? What will you do if you die like this?”

He replied to my shouting,

“There’s something more precious than life.”

“What could be more precious than life?”

“For some, it’s honor. For others, recognition from others.”

“All worthless. Foolish.”

“To me, it’s you.”

“......”

“Protecting your future is more precious to me than my life.”

“......”

“Don’t tell me not to do it. Don’t make the thing I value most, you, seem silly.”

“......”

“Please.”

I know what value Iseze holds dearer than his life.

The first recognition he ever received from others.

The position he barely gained.

I couldn’t break that with my own hands.

“The Wonhwa is the mother of the Wonhwa army! A parent!”

“......”

“My father always believed in me. Even when waiting made him anxious, scared, and troubled, he believed.”

“......”

“Children grow by feeding on their parents’ belief!”

Does Iseze think I’m not precious?

Iseze is the only sacred knight in my army!

So how could I, his parent, break the most precious thing to him?!

The knights fell silent looking at my shouting.

Even the stands quieted.

The Western Army soldiers stared at Erilot in confusion.

“The Wonhwa is the mother of the Wonhwa army! A parent!”

At first, they just thought she was a miserable brat.

A brat who cut down all the top dogs.

When they were called the Western Trash and their pride was crushed to the ground, that kid gave them victory.

Following her made them stronger.

A special kid with a dragon, and the granddaughter of Duke Astra.

There was no reason not to follow.

But...

“So she cared for us that way.”

A soldier choked up with emotion.

Other knights also looked touched.

Gorgo, who was with the Western Army in the stands, looked displeased watching the knights cry.

‘Why are they like this since the Year-End Festival?’

Emotions were swinging like a stormy sea.

“That’s how she feels, Lord Gorgo...”

“Enough, back off...”

Not only the soldiers in the stands but also the participants looked at Erilot with teary eyes.

“Wonhwa...”

“We didn’t know that...”

Erilot, who shouted those words, also looked bitterly at the crying Western Army.

‘What’s with them? ...Could this be the protagonist buff?’

The main story of this world had changed to .

Because of that, her words seemed to carry stronger weight.

‘That’s understood, but...’

Erilot glanced toward the nobles.

There were people crying alongside the Western Army soldiers.

Viscount Noklang’s wife was sobbing with a handkerchief in her mouth.

“Yes, that is the Wonhwa. That is the role we expect of the Wonhwa...! I believed that way when I raised you...”

“Please, stop the tears when you return to the manor...”

“Wonderful! I’ve never seen a Wonhwa so wonderful in my life!”

The emotional noblewoman nodded her head.

The atmosphere completely flipped.

Soldiers from other armies looked at the Western Army enviously, and senior knights smiled approvingly.

Then,

A chuckling sound came from the Empress Dowager’s teeth.

“The public battle this year is truly entertaining, Your Majesty.”

“I’m glad Your Majesty is enjoying it.”

“Look at that child.”

“Yes?”

The Emperor frowned and looked at Erilot.

The child was pushing away Liam, who tried to hug her.

“Ouch, what’s wrong? Get lost.”

“Wonhwa...”

“More importantly, what about Iseze...”

The Emperor glanced again at the Empress Dowager.

“A remarkable child. If born as an imperial prince, she would be a great asset. Since she has a dragon...”

“The strongest power that child has isn’t the dragon.”

“Yes?”

The Empress Dowager smiled warmly and looked at the Emperor.

“It’s her vision.”

“Vision...”

“She has a broad vision that neither I, Your Majesty, nor Duke Astra had in our youth.”

“......”

“She notices what the opponent wants most at the perfect moment.”

“......Duke Astra also valued my granddaughter that way.”

“Is there a more precious ability for ruling a country?”

The Emperor looked at the Empress Dowager with surprise.

“Mother, you don’t mean...”

“Fortunately, the Emperor has a son.”

The Empress Dowager looked toward Daymond, who was watching his daughter from the stands.

“Do you know what the noblewomen have been focusing on lately?”

“What?”

“Erilot Astra’s marriage prospects.”

“......”

“Daymond Astra is also an outstanding figure. Wouldn’t it be great if the palace could embrace that father and daughter?”

“......”

The Emperor looked at Erilot Astra with a strange expression.

‘Yes, instead of opposing, embrace her...’

Besides, that child had said,

Daymond Astra’s intentions differ from Duke Astra’s.

‘If it’s the Daymond pair, they’re a decent substitute for Chateaubriand.’

The Emperor, counting the abacus in his head, raised an eyebrow.

“I can’t match the Empress Dowager’s wisdom. But I must confirm one last thing. If that child really wins this match...”

“Yes, Your Majesty wouldn’t let such a talent slip away.”

At the moment the Emperor and Empress Dowager chuckled,

Daymond, overwhelmed with emotion and trembling, paused.

Enzo, who was also tearful, asked,

“Why, my lord?”

“...I just felt annoyed.”

“Excuse me? After hearing the young lady’s splendid words?”

“Not at all.”

That was right.

Only moments ago, Daymond was more delighted hearing that a previously dominant army had been suddenly wiped out by a typhoon.

“Painter, don’t miss a single eyelash!”

“Not a single eyelash must be missed!”

“If you miss a down feather, you die.”

Daymond and his soldiers barked orders at the painter.

The poor painter trembled and raised his brush.

I pushed Liam away with one hand as he clung to me and looked at Iseze.

‘But I can’t just leave it like this.’

I couldn’t stop it with my own mouth, but I didn’t want to see him die.

At times like this, I understood my father who was torn between faith in me and his life.

Iseze looked at me.

I bit my lip tightly.

“Iseze, I trust you.”

“......”

“I’m not asking you to win. I mean I know you did your best... so, so...”

I held my forehead with both hands.

‘What am I supposed to do at times like this?’

A child who values something more precious than life.

A parent who values the child’s life more than their own.

How to bridge that gap...

“I surrender.”

“......!”

“......!!”

Iseze, who declared surrender, was stared at by me and the Western Army participants.

He surrendered his pride?

Abandoned the value more important than life?

The sword fell from Iseze’s hand with a clatter.

As he staggered, Jowick, Liam, and I rushed into the arena to support him.

“Iseze, why...”

“Father... I never lost to that drunkard.”

“......”

“But to you, I just can’t resist.”

He smiled weakly like that.

I bit my lip and bowed my head.

“Well done.”

“Yeah.”

“Thank you...”

“......yeah.”

Jowick shouted, “Doctor!” Liam picked him up and hurried to the doctor’s side.

I was about to follow.

Our army’s number two grabbed my wrist.

I silently looked at him.

“Go win.”

“With the victor’s laurel crown as a bonus.”

The moment he stepped into the arena, the drum sounded.

The second match had begun.

Kork grinned as he looked at the Western Army’s number two.

“Not going to take off your robe? Does it even work as armor? Huh? Did your ‘mom’ buy it for you?”

“......”

“I’m jealous. I’ve never seen my real mother, but the Western Army even has a mom like that!”

Knights from the Central Army burst out laughing.

This match, Kork swiftly advanced.

It was the exact opposite of his match with Iseze, where he mostly dodged.

Western Army number two skillfully dodged Kork’s sword.

No attack even brushed a single hair.

“Kork!”

His older brother Mark shouted, and Kork frowned.

“You’re not matching at all, so I’m pissed off. ...Maybe I really have to use poison?”

“......”

“Scared, huh? Huh? My blessing must scare you to death? Not taking off your robe is just to hide your pale face! No!”

Kork’s attack came like a storm.

Western Army number two steadily backed toward the outer ring.

The Western Army participants swallowed dryly as they watched.

“See, they can’t move recklessly because of that blessing.”

Kazyn nodded at Liam’s words.

Kork crouched low, grinned, and charged at Western Army number two.

“Now, about to push him out of the ring...!”

But at that moment—

Bwooooooong─!

An enormous sound echoed.

Western Army number two kicked something.

But it was strange.

“Why did he kick the opposite way from Kork?”

“There was a sound from an empty spot. What the hell...”

“Huh? Look over there!”

A spectator jumped up and pointed.

Kork was standing right in front of number two, yet something was sliding out from where number two had kicked.

Kork’s face stiffened.

Number two walked slowly toward where something had begun to appear.

Removing his hood...