@ambitionled from here:
His reputation certainly precedes him.
Edelgard has no interest in minuscule duels, preferring to hone her skills in solitary precision whenever she makes her way to the training grounds, or having Hubert analyze the flaws and strengths of her technique whenever he accompanied her. However, she cannot deny the value behind interactive practice, seeing that on the battlefield, of course she will not always be by herself, against like-minded users.
Turning towards Felix, however, she cannot help an inquisitive look on her features. “While I wouldn’t mind accepting your challenge,” she begins, glancing towards her own wooden axe. “I heard you are proficient with a sword. Do you plan on facing my axe with your sword?” In the battlefield, she envisions this scene playing out differently. If she were someone who usually wields the sword, she would likely avoid opponents with an axe. Although axe-wielders were slower than those with the thinner blade, one wrong move could get them torn in half.
Additionally, most common is that axe-wielders are also paired with heavy armor, pinning them as front-liners more than anything. In other words, she cannot envision this encounter, both in practice and in battle, to play in his advantage. Thus, unless there is a flaw in her analysis, Edelgard supposes that Felix intends to face her with an axe of his own?
“I wouldn’t want to make this an unfair fight, after all. Tell me, will you practice with an axe, or shall I pick up a sword of my own? I’m confident in my skills with both.”
On the one hand, Felix can respect that she responds to him as calculatingly as though they were both on the battlefield, not immediately shrugging off his request. Ingrid often scolds him for his overzealous nature when it comes to demanding sparring matches, but he can’t help but be interested in how other people fight. Techniques differ in different parts of Fodlan -- and beyond for that matter -- and it would be interesting to duel with one of the most influential students from the Empire if only to analyze her approach.
At the same time, he doesn’t particularly liked being talked down to, and Edelgard is coolly appraising him like a speck of dirt under her heel -- at least, that’s how it seems from his irritable perspective. To be that confident in her victory before even facing him, she must truly have some skills. ...Or she’s just a blowhard, but somehow he seriously doubts that. Felix can tell when someone’s strong; they have a fighter’s aura about them, and Edelgard’s is no joke.
“You don’t have to hold back on my account,” Felix says sarcastically. “But fine -- if you wish to be fair, then I would rather witness your sword technique pitted against my own.” Axes are fine, if not a bit heavy and unwieldy for Felix’s tastes. Since childhood he had always preferred the lithe, close range blade of the sword to anything else, though he’d tried his hand at all physical weapons at one time or another.
“Does that mean you accept?”
