"Wait a moment, Mr. Caesar. If you explain it right here in the hallway, someone might overhear us," said Katerina. Then she added, "Allow me to do something first. I should have recovered enough mana by now..." Her voice was, as always, calm and professional.
Caesar paused before beginning his explanation and looked at the maid with curiosity.
An expression of intense concentration settled over Katerina's face for several seconds before she finally cast:
"Bubble of Silence."
A luminous, almost transparent white magic circle appeared beneath their feet, and from it emerged an invisible sphere that enveloped both of them.
"All right. No one should be able to hear us now, even if we continue walking," Katerina said after letting out a small sigh of relief.
"What exactly did you do, Lady Katerina? I don't believe I've ever heard of that spell before," asked the Roman general, his voice filled with genuine curiosity.
"This spell, called Bubble of Silence, It is a General-type spell. It creates an invisible spherical zone around the caster—large enough to encompass roughly two people—which follows them wherever they go and prevents any sound from escaping. As a result, anyone inside can speak freely, or even shout, without being overheard by those outside," Katerina explained.
"I see. So it's essentially a portable version of the spell often used on rooms or carriage cabins to prevent conversations from being overheard," Caesar said thoughtfully, resting a hand on his chin.
Then he added, "Still, you surprise me, Lady Katerina. You practically exhausted your mana during our match, yet you're already capable of casting another spell—and one as useful as this." The former dictator spoke in a regal voice before pausing briefly and continuing, "I do wonder why this spell was never taught to me during my time in the Kingdom of Leore. It seems like something that would be extremely useful for our mission."
The last part was spoken almost more to himself than to Katerina.
"We beastkin tend to regenerate mana more quickly than most other races. However, it is extremely rare to find a beastkin with a truly large mana reserve. We lynx beastkin are one of the few exceptions to that rule, and individuals with mana reserves as large as mine are not particularly uncommon among us. Even so, not even the beastkin with the greatest mana reserve in history could hope to compete with the reserves possessed by Heroes like yourself—or by Her Majesty Alberia. Furthermore, the spell I just cast consumes very little mana," Katerina explained.
"Interesting, but..." Caesar said, still deep in thought. "I still find it difficult to understand why I was never taught such a useful spell if the mana cost is so low. Is it perhaps known only by a small number of people?"
Katerina shook her head.
"No, it's actually a fairly well-known spell. However, it is also notoriously difficult to learn. I imagine that is why the teachers responsible for your training during those few months in Leore decided it wasn't worth the effort. They likely concluded that it would be more efficient to teach you spells they were confident you could master quickly."
"If that truly was their reasoning, then it is a bit of a shame. Nevertheless, they probably made the correct decision," Caesar replied in a regal voice tinged with a hint of nostalgia.
Then, as though suddenly remembering the topic they had been discussing, he added:
"Anyway, forgive me, Lady Katerina. It seems my questions have taken us completely off track. Since we can now be certain that no one else can hear us, the time has come for me to explain my History Magic."
There was a clear note of apology in his voice.
Katerina nodded.
And so Caesar finally began explaining the magic that is his greatest trump card.
"The name of my History Magic is Veni, Vidi, Vici—'I came, I saw, I conquered.' It is a phrase I once wrote in a letter to a friend to describe my swift and decisive victory over the army of a king named Pharnaces II of Pontus. Because of the overwhelming nature of that victory, that phrase became extremely famous. From what I understood when I obtained this magic, it appears to remain one of the most famous phrases associated with me even in my world today. I imagine that is precisely why it serves as the foundation of my History Magic."
Caesar's voice carried unmistakable pride as he spoke.
"The spell can only be activated ten minutes after I speak the first part of the phrase—Veni. In order to complete the activation, I must then speak the final part—Vici. However, before I can do that, I must also say the middle part—Vidi—at least five minutes after speaking the first word."
As they continued walking through the corridor, Caesar calmly continued his explanation.
"Once all three conditions have been fulfilled, the spell becomes active. From that moment onward, the individual I selected as my target when I first spoke Veni becomes incapable of causing me any form of harm. It does not matter what method they use, what type of attack they employ, or how powerful that attack may be. As far as that person is concerned, I become completely untouchable."
A faint smile appeared on the Hero's face.
"And I imagine you had already figured out that much yourself, Lady Katerina."
Katerina nodded.
Her expression remained as calm and composed as ever, but this time a rare spark of curiosity could clearly be "seen" in her eyes.
"This invincibility remains active indefinitely unless I choose to deactivate the spell myself. It does not disappear even if I completely exhaust my mana. Once all the conditions have been fulfilled, the effect can theoretically last for years. However, invincibility alone does not always guarantee victory—and it certainly does not guarantee a swift one. So, as I imagine you've already realized, it is not the only effect of my History Magic..."
Katerina nodded.
"Of course. Otherwise, it wouldn't make any sense that those final two thrusts of yours were able to pierce the armor created by my spell," she replied, a faint trace of humiliation lingering in her voice.
"Exactly," Caesar said with obvious pride. "If the invincibility granted by my Historical Magic can be considered an absolute defense, then its second effect can theoretically be described as an absolute offense."
He continued his explanation without slowing his pace.
"As long as the person targeted by my History Magic remains within the range of my body or any melee weapon I am wielding, every attack I make ignores all forms of defense, natural resistance, and attempts at evasion. Furthermore, any wounds I inflict cannot be healed through regeneration or any other method for as long as the spell remains active."
His expression remained calm, though there was unmistakable confidence in his voice.
"It does not matter whether avoiding the attack should be physically possible, whether the target moves out of the way, or whether their body is protected by armor, magic, or some extraordinary level of durability. As long as they are within my effective range, my attack will strike them and inflict exactly the same damage it would inflict upon an ordinary person."
Katerina nodded slowly.
Having personally experienced the effects of the spell, she had no reason to doubt his words.
Then, as though suddenly realizing something, she spoke again.
"But wait, Mr. Caesar. If what you're saying is true, then there is still a way to avoid your attacks even after Veni, Vidi, Vici has been activated."
Caesar nodded immediately.
"Exactly. Your decision to retreat as far away from me as possible was the correct one. The simplest way to avoid being struck is to remain outside the range of any weapon I am using. More importantly, this absolute offensive effect only applies to my own body and melee weapons. Ranged weapons, such as bows, and spells that exist independently of me—like my various magical soldiers—are not affected by the History Magic."
Then he added:
"That is why I immediately targeted your legs. Once your mobility was gone, escaping my range became impossible."
"That explains it," said the queen's personal maid in her usual calm and professional tone. "You attacked my legs specifically to prevent me from running away."
Caesar nodded again.
Katerina let out a quiet sigh of dissatisfaction before continuing.
"But even if I had somehow managed to avoid you for the remainder of the match, my situation would not have improved very much. Since your History Magic has no time limit, I would have been unable to inflict any damage on you before the match ended. And because I would have been incapable of harming you, Mr. Pinusal would almost certainly have awarded you the victory anyway."
She paused briefly.
"The only realistic way I could have won was by defeating you before you activated your Historical Magic."
"Yes," Caesar replied. "In a one-on-one battle where retreat is not an option, once that magic has been activated, my victory is practically guaranteed. To be honest, I think that makes perfect sense when one considers the context of the phrase upon which the spell is based."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Although I do find it somewhat ironic."
His smile widened slightly.
"After all, despite being such a powerful magic, it can only affect a single person at a time. One of its greatest weaknesses—aside from the ten minutes required for activation—is how ineffective it is against armies. Being completely immune to one soldier in an army is often meaningless if all the others remain capable of striking you."
A note of amusement entered his regal voice.
"And yet the phrase Veni, Vidi, Vici I wrote it to describe my victory over an entire army."
Katerina smiled at the Hero of Leore.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Caesar, for explaining your History Magic to me in such detail—a type of magic that clearly benefits from maintaining a certain degree of mystery in order to be used to its fullest potential."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"I promise that, even after the tournament ends, I will only describe it to the people I trust most."
Then a look of obvious embarrassment spread across her face.
"That is precisely why I feel a little guilty asking this next question, but I must admit that my curiosity is getting the better of me. Aside from the simple passage of time, are there any other conditions required to activate your Historical Magic?"
Caesar returned the maid's smile with one of his own.
"Do not worry, Lady Katerina. I was the one who chose to grant your request and explain my History Magic to you. Therefore, it is only fair that I explain it completely."
The former dictator adjusted Katerina's weight slightly as they continued walking before adding:
"And because of that, I can tell you that yes, there is another condition. The person against whom I wish to use the spell must remain within my possible field of vision for those ten minutes."
A thoughtful expression appeared on Katerina's face.
"What exactly do you mean by 'possible field of vision'? Because I'm quite certain that during most of our match, you couldn't actually see me at all, Mr. Caesar."
"By 'possible field of vision,' I mean my maximum possible field of vision if there were no obstacles obstructing it," Caesar explained. "In other words, what matters is not whether I can physically see my target at that exact moment, but whether I could see them if there were no barriers between us."
Katerina considered his explanation for several seconds before speaking again.
"I see. Then what happens if someone leaves your possible field of vision entirely? Do the ten minutes reset and begin again from the start?"
Caesar shook his head.
"No. The time simply stops progressing. Any period during which my target remains outside my possible field of vision is not counted toward the ten minutes required for activation."
"I understand."
A small smile appeared on Katerina's face.
"Thank you very much for such a thorough explanation. If we ever happen to face each other again, Mr. Caesar, I fully intend to use everything you've told me today to defeat you and settle the score for this match."
Her voice remained as calm and professional as ever, though there was now a clear note of determination hidden beneath it.
Then she dispelled the Bubble of Silence spell.
"Excellent," Caesar replied with a small but elegant smile full of anticipation. "I look forward to it."
While they had been talking, the two had gradually made their way to the infirmary.
After exchanging their farewells, Caesar left Katerina in the care of the medical staff so she could rest and recover from the wounds he himself had inflicted upon her.
Approximately ten minutes had passed since the conclusion of the first match of the day when the magical barrier surrounding the arena suddenly changed color.
The pitch-black curtain that had concealed the arena floor faded away, returning to its original transparent state and finally allowing the audience to see inside once more.
The enormous crater created by Katerina's spell had been completely repaired.
Not a trace of the devastation remained.
And, just as before every match, Chiacchera stood proudly at the center of the arena.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the wait is finally over!" she exclaimed enthusiastically. "Now that the arena has been fully restored, the time has come to begin the second match of the day by welcoming the two valiant combatants who will face off against one another and—hopefully—fight with everything they have!"
She dramatically pointed toward one of the gates on the right side of the arena.
"The Great Blacksmith: Roterberg Waffen!!!"
One of the arena's right-side gates opened.
"And!"
Chiacchera immediately pointed toward the opposite side.
"The Exiled Hero: Miyamoto Musashi!!!"
One of the left-side gates opened as well.
Moments later, both the Mobile Armory and the legendary swordsman stepped into the arena.
The desire to fight was written plainly across both of their faces.