Chapter 359 : Duchess Arnett and Miss Violetta part 2

Miss Violetta and Duchess Arnett once again clashed at close quarters, trading blows— Miss Violetta with her sword and Duchsss Arnett with her rapier—amidst a sea of white lilies conjured by Miss Violetta’s magic. The lilies seemed to be filling the entire space; even the roses surrounding Duchess Arnett were vanishing, replaced by the white lilies born of Miss Violetta’s spell. White lily petals swirled through the air, encircling the two combatants as they fought. While the petals merely drifted in the air, Miss Violetta was not actively using them to attack Duchess Arnett, they would strike in response to specific situations. Such a situation arose when Duchess Arnett attacked Miss Violetta using rose stems conjured from her surroundings, just as she was doing now.

Duchess Arnett summoned rose stems with her magic while simultaneously pressing her close-range rapier attack against Miss Violetta. The rose stems writhed and shot toward Miss Violetta, but before they could reach her, they were severed and shattered by the white lily petals swirling around them. Although the floating petals did not target Miss Violetta herself, they would strike down any object, like the rose stems that moved toward her.

Once the rose stems were destroyed, Duchess Arnett commanded the remaining roses around her to attack Miss Violetta. The roses turned toward Miss Violetta and immediately fired off their petals. However, before the rose petals could strike her, they were intercepted by white lily petals fluttering throughout the area; the rose petals failed to reach or injure Miss Violetta.

"Can't you fight without relying on rose petals, stems, or the like, Mother? Can't you attack using only your rapier, just as I am currently attacking with only my sword? I could use these white lilies to attack you, just as you do with those roses, but I choose not to. I will only attack you with my sword or with direct strikes from my own body, Mother," Miss Violetta said.

She spoke these words while continuing to clash with Duchess Arnett.

"You are so noisy. I told you before: I am not your mother," Duchess Arnett said in a flat tone.

With that, Duchess Arnett increased the power behind her rapier and lunged at Miss Violetta. Miss Violetta quickly parried the strike with her sword, causing their weapons to clash. In that moment of impact, Miss Violetta struck Duchess Arnett in the stomach with her left palm. The Duchess was sent reeling several meters backward, coughing up blood. After being pushed back, she came to a halt and looked back at Miss Violetta, who was now standing some distance away.

"What is it, Mother? Are you surprised that I can do this? During my time as a Holy Knight in the Holy Kingdom Svetais, I didn't just hone my flower magic and swordsmanship; I also mastered other skills, like the martial arts technique I just used. I never had the chance to show you the full extent of my new abilities when I first returned to the kingdom. Things were a bit awkward between us back then, after all ever since I left home to avoid that political marriage."

"But now that we’re actually fighting, I won’t let this opportunity go to waste. I’m going to show you everything I’m capable of. Then, I’ll defeat you and prove that I’ve grown strong, just as I promised I would, Mother," Miss Violetta declared.

Upon hearing Miss Violetta’s words, Duchess Arnett drove the tip of her rapier into the ground beneath her feet.

"I told you before: I am not your mother," Duchess Arnett said in a flat, emotionless voice.

~Rose Magic + Dark Magic: Garden of Black Roses~

Black roses suddenly sprang up all around Duchess Arnett. Black roses began to emerge not only around Duchess Arnett but across the entire surface of the area. As these roses appeared, the white lilies that had previously covered the ground vanished instantly, along with the petals that had been drifting through the air. Miss Violetta stood motionless, watching as the white lilies and their floating petals, manifestations of her own magic disappeared.

Once the white lilies were gone, the entire surface was blanketed in black roses. Long, thorn-covered rose stems also emerged and shot rapidly toward Miss Violetta. However, just before they could strike her, they were suddenly severed and shattered.

Following the destruction of the stems, white lily petals reappeared and swirled throughout the area; it was these petals that had shattered the attacking rose stems. Simultaneously, white lilies began to emerge once more from the ground, slowly spreading until they covered the entire surface. The black roses that had just filled the space gradually faded away, replaced by the white lilies. The entire area was now filled with white lilies, and even the black roses surrounding Duchess Arnett had vanished, replaced by the white flowers. The black rose stems had also disappeared along with the roses themselves. Seeing that the roses she had conjured had vanished, Duchess Arnett glanced around her. The black roses she had created were gone; in their place, white lilies covered the entire area. Observing Duchess Arnett looking around, Miss Violetta spoke to her immediately.

"You seem quite surprised to find that the black roses you just conjured have suddenly disappeared. Though, I must admit, your face doesn't betray any shock at all."

"The reason your black roses, your area-effect magic vanished so suddenly is that your power wasn't strong enough to displace my own area-effect magic. True, your magic did manage to manifest and briefly override mine here. But it didn't last; your spell faded quickly because it couldn't sustain itself against my magic for any length of time."

"If you want to overwrite my area-effect magic, you really ought to use something stronger, mother. My spell may look simple and unassuming, but it is incredibly powerful," Miss Violetta said.

After surveying her surroundings, Duchess Arnett turned her gaze toward Miss Violetta. Suddenly, her rapier was enveloped in a deep, pitch-black aura ~Dark Magic~. Having imbued her rapier with ~Dark Magic~, Duchess Arnett lunged at Miss Violetta with blinding speed.

"How many times must I tell you? I am not your mother," Duchess Arnett declared.

She attempted to slash at Miss Violetta with her rapier as she closed the distance, but Miss Violetta swiftly parried the attack with her own sword. However, the attack was incredibly powerful; although Miss Violetta managed to block it, the force drove her several meters backward. As she was being pushed back, Duchess Arnett surged toward her once more, attempting another strike.

While Duchess Arnett was rushing in, Miss Violetta, despite being forced back suddenly unleashed a long-range thrusting attack.

~Flower Sword Art: Chaenomeles Thorn Thrust~

The thrust shot rapidly toward Duchess Arnett’s chest. She managed to evade the attack, though not perfectly; the strike grazed the side of her chest. Immediately after dodging, Duchess Arnett launched a slashing attack at Miss Violetta. Miss Violetta, who had just executed the thrust, swiftly shifted her sword to parry the incoming blow. The attack was successfully parried, yet it once again forced Miss Violetta several meters backward.

Seeing Miss Violetta being pushed back, Duchess Arnett lunged toward her again to press the attack. This pattern repeated itself continuously.

Even as Duchess Arnett relentlessly attacked with her rapier and Miss Violetta was forced to keep defending, a smile played on Miss Violetta's lips. She continued to smile while Duchess Arnett kept up the assault. The reason for her smile was that she was recalling an event strikingly similar to the one unfolding now.

-

~Miss Violetta's Flashback~

Eighteen years ago, at the training grounds of the Duke San Quentine's residence.

Miss Violetta, then only eleven years old, was sparring with Duchess Arnett. Meanwhile, four-year-old Princess Amelia watched the match from the sidelines.

Miss Violetta sparred with a standard sword, while Duchess Arnett wielded a rapier. Duchess Arnett kept attacking Miss Violetta with her rapier; Miss Violetta could only parry the blows, unable to launch a counterattack. After pressing the attack for some time, Duchess Arnett increased her strength slightly and struck again. Miss Violetta managed to block the blow, but the force was so great that she was sent flying backward and fell to the ground. The sword slipped from her grasp the moment she was thrown back.

Seeing Miss Violetta thrown back and fallen, Duchess Arnett immediately rushed to her side.

"A-are you alright, Violetta? I-I apologize for knocking you down," Duchess Arnett said.

"I am fine, Mother," Miss Violetta replied.

"T-thank goodness. I-I was truly worried," said Duchess Arnett.

"Mother is truly amazing and strong, even though you used only a weapon without relying on magic at all," said Miss Violetta.

"Oh—ah, t-thank you for the compliment, Violetta," said Duchess Arnett.

"I want to be amazing and strong like you, Mother, but I don't know when I'll be able to reach that point. I couldn't land a single hit on you. I can't do anything without using magic. And even if I did use magic, I’d still lose to you because your magic is stronger than mine," said Miss Violetta.

Upon hearing Miss Violetta's words, Duchess Arnett gently stroked her head.

"Someday, you will surely become like me or perhaps even greater, Violetta. You are still very young right now. It’s perfectly fine if you feel weak at the moment; let that serve as motivation for you to grow stronger."

"If you want to be like me or surpass me, you must keep training, Violetta. You are eleven now, but by the time you reach my age, you might be just as strong as I am or even stronger. I mentioned this before, didn't I? When you are an adult, you might well surpass my current strength," said Duchess Arnett.

"Yes, you're right, Mother. I remember that. I also remember my promise to defeat you once I’m all grown up," said Miss Violetta.

Duchess Arnett smiled as she looked at Lady Violetta.

"I remember that promise, too. I’ll be waiting for the day you defeat me when you’re grown," said Duchess Arnett.

~Flashback ends~

-

Back to Miss Violetta's place.

Miss Violetta was currently holding off Duchess Arnett's attacks, which were imbued with ~Dark Magic~. Miss Violetta continued to parry the attacks with a smile on her face. Duchess Arnett launched another attack against her; Miss Violetta managed to block it once more, yet the force of the blow sent her reeling backward.

As Miss Violetta was being driven back, Duchess Arnett, who would usually have instantly lunged at her again, remained motionless where she stood. Although she stood still, she appeared to be doing something with her rapier. Suddenly, the weapon transformed into a whip coated in ~Dark Magic~; it was studded with sharp thorns, and its tip looked equally lethal.

Duchess Arnett then swung the whip with incredible speed toward Miss Violetta, who was still stumbling backward. The whip extended and lashed out rapidly at her, leaving Miss Violetta with no time to react to the incoming strike. The whip struck true, piercing her right in the center of her chest and driving all the way through to her back. Miss Violetta immediately spat out a mouthful of blood upon being impaled.

"This is the end for you," Duchess Arnett said in a flat tone.

Yet, despite having the whip driven straight through the center of her chest, Miss Violetta continued to smile just as she had before.

-To be continued