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"You..."

Crusch had considered that Kenma might be extremely arrogant. After all, sitting atop such a powerful faction and possessing terrifying strength of his own, arrogance was to be expected.

Yet even she hadn't expected that Kenma merely regarded the Kingdom of Lugnica as a toy.

Kenma lightly tapped his fingers against the table, producing a crisp sound, a confident smile perpetually hanging on his face.

"Step back, Crusch, unless you want me to snap your neck right here."

As his voice fell, a trace of icy sensation appeared at his neck, and an aged yet resolute voice sounded by his ear.

"Subaru-sama, I cannot pretend I did not hear those words."

Kenma turned his head, casting a glance at the longsword held horizontally before his neck, and then his gaze fell upon Wilhelm's wrinkled face.

"You are determined to make a move against me? Judging by how things look now, the world-renowned Sword Demon seems quite terrified."

Although he tried his best to steady himself, Wilhelm's hand holding the sword was trembling slightly, and droplets of sweat gradually oozed from his forehead.

Subaru-sama is truly terrifying. I'm utterly incapable of matching him in strength.

As a master swordsman near the Heavenly Sword level, Wilhelm had perceived an extreme sense of crisis the moment he laid eyes on Kenma.

He knew clearly that if he were to face Kenma head-on, he would likely be killed in a single second.

But so what?

If he could not even protect the liege he served, if at the moment his liege's life was threatened by another, he still retreated simply because of the opponent's power—

What qualifications would he have left to tightly grip the sword in his hand?

Therefore, even knowing he could not match him, he still stepped forward, pointing the sword in his hand at Kenma.

Facing Kenma's inquiry, Wilhelm felt astonished. Even with such a vulnerable neck pressed tightly against his sword, Kenma showed no change in expression.

He could not quite figure out at this moment whether Kenma truly did not care about an attack of this magnitude, or if he was merely putting up a front.

"If possible, I have no wish to make a move against Subaru-sama, but if you intend to endanger Crusch-sama's safety, I have no other choice."

Hearing Wilhelm's resolute reply, Kenma smiled, a trace of admiration welling up in his heart.

He could naturally perceive Wilhelm's fear at this moment, yet relying on sheer willpower, the man had forcibly defied this instinct for survival and stood before Crusch.

Kenma took a sip of tea and smiled. "What if I were to kill her right here today?"

Hearing these words, Wilhelm closed his eyes, and the hand gripping the sword stopped trembling at that exact moment.

When he opened his eyes again, those blue eyes—the exact same shade as Reinhard's—were filled with determination as he raised his sword-wielding hand and turned his wrist.

"Then, pardon me, Subaru-sama."

The longsword in his hand tore through the air, slashing straight toward Kenma's neck.

The speed of this sword strike was extremely fast, and due to the close proximity, it cleaved onto Kenma's neck in less than 0.1 seconds, leaving almost no time to react.

However, clearly having received the feedback of a successful hit, no expression of relief appeared on Wilhelm's face. Instead, his pupils shrank sharply.

From his perspective, Kenma had remained seated in place from beginning to end. The sword edge had barely pierced his skin, it could not advance an inch further.

Feeling the force behind this sword strike, Kenma could not help but feel a bit disappointed.

It seemed he had guessed wrong. The difference between Wilhelm and the Heavenly Sword was much higher than he had expected.

What a terrifying physical body. My sword is actually unable to pierce his muscles.

Although Wilhelm knew he was no match for Kenma, he had never expected that he would not even be able to breach his opponent's defense.

He hurriedly tried to retract his sword and then create distance to resume combat, but Kenma had already lost his patience.

Kenma raised his hand and grabbed Wilhelm's sword, pinching the blade with his palm. Immediately afterward, his palm exerted sudden force and clenched into a fist. Wilhelm's sword was crushed to pieces, shards of metal scattering all over the sky.

The very next instant, Wilhelm felt a blur before his eyes, as Kenma's figure vanished from where he stood.

A massive force struck the back of his head. Wilhelm inwardly thought it was bad, but it was already too late to resist.

Bang!

Kenma had appeared behind Wilhelm at some unknown point. He grabbed the back of his head, and then smashed him toward the floor.

Cracks burst across the floor, which was then smashed into a large hole.

Kenma dragged Wilhelm straight down, slamming his head against the marble ground.

Feeling that it was just about enough, he lifted up Wilhelm—whose head was embedded in the floor—and upon discovering that the other party had already fallen unconscious, he tossed him aside with satisfaction.

The people in this world really are almost all glass cannons.

Wilhelm's swordsmanship was nearing the Heavenly Sword but his physical body was still that of an ordinary human, merely reinforced with magic.

Kenma raised his head, gazing at Crusch on the second floor who had a face full of astonishment.

"Count yourself fortunate that you have a subordinate who is fiercely protective of his master. Considering that both Wilhelm and you know what is good for yourselves, withdraw from the royal selection of your own accord, and I will spare your life while retaining your status as a Duke."

Having said this, Kenma could not be bothered to stay here any longer. He soared into the air and vanished from the spot, flying toward the horizon.

In barely the blink of an eye, he had already vanished at the edge of the sky, completely losing all trace.

Crusch sat in her chair, momentarily speechless.