Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: The Duel Begins
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The moment of emotion was brief. She soon had to listen to Heidi's story and quickly realized her position was not yet safe.
"I was sent from the capital by Lord Beonald. He said to help Her Highness the Princess."
"Beonald... sent you? And to help me?"
"Yes. It seems he had already foreseen that Your Highness... would carve out her own destiny! Anyway, time is urgent. Please get on first."
"Can... can three people even ride on this?"
"It may look like this, but it's a creature that can devour horses and oxen, so it's quite possible. It might be a bit cramped... Or! Please forgive my rudeness!"
Unable to delay any longer, Heidi simply hoisted Princess Zelcy over her shoulder like luggage, grabbed Alterio's reins with one hand, and began to sprint.
Since they had also come by reading the traces of aura, it was unlikely the Imperial Knights hadn't noticed.
Therefore, they had to run and escape this place as quickly as possible.
"Hold on tight."
"Yes!"
"Hoo~ What in the world is this..."
As if agreeing with Selina's complaint, Alterio let out a small whinny and continued to charge through the forest.
And so, Princess Zelcy escaped of her own will, and thanks to Beonald's foresight, the rescue proceeded successfully.
***
When the Captain and the four Imperial Knights returned, chaos had already broken out.
Just as he was thinking it fortunate they had safely acquired the magic tool, the sudden report from a scout arriving on horseback struck him with a shock as if the sky were collapsing.
"...Wha, what? Her Highness the Princess has disappeared? What kind of insane talk is that? What are Alster and McGrath doing?"
"Well, you see... as you can see, a fire suddenly broke out, the horses went wild, and it's a state of confusion..."
"Damn it all!"
The Captain's face turned pale as he discarded the magic tool and ran straight over.
The Princess's disappearance was a serious problem that could not be exchanged for anything else—a grave matter that risked not only his own neck but also his family's honor and survival.
The other knights who followed him also ran like madmen. When they arrived, it was already a busy scene: the fire was somewhat under control, runaway or panicked horses were being calmed, and the wrecked carriage was being repaired.
"Captain! A disaster has occurred!"
"What in the world did you do? Wasn't protecting Her Highness the Princess's person the top priority?"
"The fire spread so quickly and the horses tried to flee, so we had to step in to protect..."
"Do you have no sense of what's more important? You! You are unworthy of the Imperial Knight Order. Have you forgotten that the safety and security of the Imperial Family are the absolute highest priority? What on earth were you thinking?"
"B-but the fire was like that, and the horses' condition was strange, so finding an external attacker seemed more urgent. Following the aura traces and responding first... Gah!"
The Captain swung a fist filled with rage and struck his subordinate.
As he said, the Imperial Knight Order's duty was to be responsible for the safety of the Imperial Family and the security of the royal family. Having abandoned that and allowed the Princess to go missing, there was nothing to say even if he got hit.
Of course, the excuse was somewhat reasonable, but if the result was a mess, then a reasonable and logical excuse was useless.
"Damn it! Any traces or situation regarding Her Highness the Princess? Found anything? Any witnesses?"
"We found some scraps of the dress Her Highness was wearing, but no witnesses were seen. That... Her Highness also learned swordsmanship and mana breathing techniques and has talent at least at the 'Intermediate Knight' level..."
"Damn it all!"
"Moreover, looking at the past situation, her visiting various places... seems to have been to confirm escape routes."
'Why did they teach such things to a girl!'
The Captain found himself resenting the Emperor, who had taught the Princess mana breathing techniques, swordsmanship, and various kinds of knowledge to increase her value.
Even more resentful were these two damn Imperial Knights left behind. No matter what happened, guarding the royal family's side was the duty of Imperial Knights, and it was infuriating that they couldn't even properly handle a situation of this level.
'No... on the contrary, one could think Her Highness the Princess chose her timing well to escape! But anyway, this is no time to just stand here admiring and resenting!'
"H-However, Captain, we've already begun the search and informed the troops and knights of the Vanilo Earldom. We think she's still in this vicinity."
"If you hadn't even done that, I would have taken your head right now. Damn it! We must find her! Leave the minimum personnel here and have all soldiers join the search! Otherwise, our heads will roll! Move quickly! And just in case, send messengers to the nearby territories and villages! Tell them they must capture Her Highness the Princess if they find her!"
Under the Captain's orders, the Imperial Knights and soldiers, along with the Vanilo Earldom's soldiers and knights, urgently began searching the forest, but the Princess had long since departed.
Whatever they tried, searching in the dark of night was a far more difficult task. Furthermore, the aura traces had long since vanished, leaving her whereabouts completely unknown.
***
One day later, at the Imperial Academy.
The long-awaited day of the duel had finally arrived.
Beonald, who had been sleeping in the research lab created beneath the Deren Merchant Company, woke up, scratched his messy head, and headed out to the company.
Deren, seeing him acting so leisurely even though today was the life-or-death duel day, took care of him and asked worriedly.
"You must have achieved some results, right?"
"Hmm? Ah, there were some. I restored many magic tools and antiques, combined them anew, and the number of usable items and parts inscribed with formulas increased a lot, so I'm in a very good mood..."
"No! I mean preparations for the duel. Did you obtain any weapons or armor?"
"Ah, that? There wasn't anything that would be of much help. A bit of a pity, really."
"Isn't that dangerous? The Kmel Family will surely come out thoroughly prepared...!"
'Even so, it's just an upstart family less than 500 years old...'
Of course, he couldn't rule out the possibility they had lived quietly without making their name known in his era, but if it was a family not present in Beonald's memory from 500 years ago when he ruled the Empire, it ultimately meant their history of proper activity was less than 500 years.
"Of course, even if I were only here, I didn't take no measures at all. Do you remember sending a message through Sain?"
"Ah, that... I know. But isn't this place the main one?"
"If I found something good here, this would have been the main place, but if not, I planned to borrow suitable arms from the Valderian Family. They should be bringing them about now. They think I'm currently in seclusion for training, you see."
"That's quite an outrageous excuse. But even so, the duel is..."
"You don't need to worry so much about that. Eucha~ I'm always already winning~ Kueueue~ The morning water is indeed cold."
Splash~
Beonald, with a relaxed attitude, began to refresh himself by splashing water from the well. Deren, watching him, shrugged his shoulders and went off to do his own work.
Later, on time, with a knight from the Valderian Family and attended by Sain, Beonald headed to the Academy.
"Ooh...! It's Beonald! My goodness, he was lying low like a dead mouse, where did he appear from?"
"You must win the duel!"
"Respect to you for challenging the impossible!"
"So the Valderian Family is supporting him after all? Ooooooh!"
And now, perhaps because he had become a complete celebrity, people began to recognize and cheer for him from the square in front of the Academy.
Beonald, feeling like an instant star, smiled at their cheers, waved his hand, and responded enthusiastically.
These numerous fans were now his strength, and the greater the response, the bigger the metaphorical middle finger he could give the Emperor. So he actively greeted the approaching people, gave autographs, provided fan service, and moved along.
"What an utter clown. Understand, Lloyd? You absolutely must not lose to that guy."
"I have no intention of losing anyway. Defeat means death, after all."
"Merely winning is not everything. You must crush him thoroughly! Cruelly! Trample him. Winning sloppily would be no different from your defeat. Understand?"
Meanwhile, inside the Academy, Duke Kmel, watching that scene, instructed his heir Lloyd to utterly crush Beonald, veins bulging on his neck.
Although he was a rather likable fellow, he was now an enemy of the family, and if he wouldn't become their ally in the future, he had to be coldly eliminated before becoming a nuisance to the family.
"But Father, he... his depths still haven't been revealed. I had that thought from the beginning too, so I hastily confronted him with a secret technique and almost got countered."
"You don't know his depths? But that's not important. When has a battlefield ever accommodated your circumstances? This is a duel. Yes, a one-on-one war, so to speak. That's why I've gathered for you all the arms from the treasure vault we rarely bring out."
"...Yes, I know."
From the armor and helmet Lloyd was currently adjusting, to the cloak, sword, rings, and bracelets. They were all arms slumbering in the family's treasure vault—items excavated from dungeons and bought from adventurers, looted from enemies on battlefields, or commissioned directly from master blacksmiths and mages of the Magic Tower using the finest materials gathered.
"With this, it seems I definitely cannot lose. Oooh..."
"Hmph, these are originally items brought out only during the family's urgent crises or important battlefields. They are not things to be taken out for childish games like this. Each one is a secret treasure of the family. Understand?"
"Yes. I know well. And their importance... I think I understand even better now while touching them."
As someone who could use aura, he could feel the magical power and strength imbued in these arms now in his hands.
Even ordinary magic tools with auxiliary spells cast on them commanded considerable prices, but the ones here were the best of the best among those. If properly valued, each one had the power and ability to buy an entire territory.
"Right, if you know that, then you absolutely cannot lose. But your opponent is a 'snake.' A 'snake' is a creature that will bite with its fangs even if it's dead and only its head remains. So be careful."
"Yes, I understand."
"Good, pledge and pledge again. And be sure to seize victory."
Pledging and pledging again, he steadied his mind. Before he knew it, time passed and the moment of the duel finally arrived. President Lloyd immediately donned the family's treasures and headed to the dueling ground.
There, Beonald, who had come out first, was waiting also in full armor. Seeing his armored state, President Lloyd couldn't hide his surprise.
'That is? Isn't that the standard armor... used by ordinary knights of the Valderian Family? What on earth is he thinking?'
He himself had come out adorned with the family's dazzling treasures, but his opponent—whether disregarding his own strength or truly having no other choice—had appeared wearing the Valderian Family's plain, sword-gray, crude armor and arms from which no power could be felt.
That appearance, in contrast to his own, made Lloyd Kmel instead raise his guard to the utmost as he looked at him. Soon, the two stood side by side on the dueling ground.