Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: The Show Must Go On
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‘Humans are emotional creatures.’
No matter how much one pretends to be rational or reasonable, in the end, humans are emotional animals. They make mistakes, and depending on the person, they may do strange things others would never do without hesitation.
Even Felix von Neumel, who committed mad acts solely for his family, was human enough to shed tears while listening to opera or music. With very few exceptions, all humans possess emotions.
‘And even I become different from my usual self when I think about that bastard Felix.’
“Now! Following the victory of the ‘Sword and Shield’ club in the joust! Will the ‘Garden of Swords’ club crumble here? Or will they achieve a comeback and push the match to the ‘Grand Melee’? The deciding team spar begins now! Knights, enter!”
‘Well then… shall we begin the play that will stir people’s hearts?’
Following the host's introduction, the first match finally commenced.
As expected, it seemed Lloyd Kemmel was not participating in this 5 vs 5 team match.
The match began immediately. As planned, Beonald took the vanguard position, waiting briefly in the arena. From the opposite side, the representative of the Sword and Shield club stepped forward.
“Hmph, how dare someone in a black uniform stand here. And to tarnish Lord Lloyd’s reputation… I will absolutely not forgive you.”
‘A member of the Kemmel family?’
His face was hidden by armor and a helmet, making it hard to identify him, but the emblem bearing the same crest as Lloyd Kemmel on his chest made it easy to guess.
Perhaps because of this, he openly spoke with an arrogant tone, looking down on Beonald while pointing his sword. Beonald himself understood there were many disagreeable aspects, so he had little to say.
“Oh, starting off hot already! Then let the battle… begin!”
“I’ll make you thoroughly feel that it was only by Lord Lloyd’s grace!”
‘Now, shall we begin the best show?’
‘Imperial Knight Order Derivative-Neumel Tenth Form—Twin-Headed Serpent.’
And from the very start, Beonald unleashed Twin-Headed Serpent, the most powerful and spectacular secret technique among the sword styles he could display.
One sword swing, but two flying sword lights.
The Kemmel family knight, who hadn’t properly heard the technique’s name, reacted to the first sword light and blocked it with his aura, but the other, unblocked sword light split his helmet. He collapsed, blood spurting from his forehead.
“Th-This can’t be!”
‘Good. That’s one.’
“Woooooooooooooah!”
A match decided in an instant after it began. Along with the intense impact, the spectators cheered for Beonald.
And Beonald, raising a clenched fist and waving it, took off his helmet and smiled, responding to the audience.
The basics of entertainment. Planting a deep impression with a powerful image at the start, then revealing one's face while responding.
“Good heavens! He defeated Sir Darien in a single moment!”
“Beonald… was it? So it was true he sparred with President Lloyd?”
“My word… he’s incredibly handsome? Oh my, oh my!”
“He’s definitely under the patronage of the Valderian family, right? The earldom didn’t misjudge a person.”
The nobles in the stands buzzed and cheered about Beonald, who had made a spectacular start.
In the special seating area where high nobles were gathered, there were also nobles from the Valderian family who were hosting him. Naturally, as the surrounding gazes focused and more people approached to speak, their shoulders straightened with pride.
“That knight is certainly staying at Lady Valderian’s residence, correct?”
“Yes. Hohohohot! That’s right. He is currently staying with our family, receiving our favor. But he’s such a commendable boy, not just taking without giving.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
Simply hosting a remarkable person boosted a noble’s honor.
It also meant that the family chosen by such a remarkable person to owe a debt to was worthy. That’s why nobles worked hard to treat their guests well.
And Beonald was now proving that worth, while simultaneously nurturing the seeds he had sown.
“Liar!”
“No, this really is a griffon feather! That big brother over there personally burned it for me? See. It’s super strong.”
“Uuuuuu!”
While the adults engaged in their own subtle battles, the children naturally chatted while watching the academy where their older brothers were active. Similarly, the Valderian family children got a chance to show off the accessories made from griffon feathers they had received earlier, thanks to Beonald’s performance.
Naturally, the Valderian children, tasting superiority through their unique treasures, shrugged their shoulders proudly. Children from other families could only envy those hard-to-obtain items.
“Mooooom!”
And so, Beonald’s name naturally spread to their parents.
Moreover, since he was currently active in the match, his name embedded itself deeper and faster into their minds.
And it wasn’t just young children who wanted to taste superiority.
“Come to think of it, your hair texture and skin… look remarkably good today? Lady Valderian, do you have some secret?”
“Hohohot! Do they? A secret, of course I have one. But~ I can’t just reveal it easily~ That’s why it’s a secret, right?”
Lady Valderian, approaching her fifties, was thoroughly enjoying the feeling of superiority thanks to the shampoo and soap Beonald had made for her.
Thanks to the shampoo and soap Beonald provided, her cleanly maintained hair and skin, while not reversing time, gave her the best condition possible for her age. Combined with the adjusted diet, it was natural she looked better than usual, and the contrast made her appear even more refined.
Not only that, but her daughters’ beauty had also improved. People flocked from all sides asking for the secret, and the daughters, also savoring their superiority, eventually spilled the beans.
“All of this is thanks to Sir Beonald, who is staying with our family. Huhuhuhut, the hair texture is different, right?”
“What on earth is that?”
“This is a secret, but~”
Information ‘revealed’ with a ‘but it’s a secret~’ is hardly a secret at all.
Naturally, aligned with this spectacle, talk of him continued to be the topic. To utilize this well, Beonald overwhelmingly won the second match as well. In the third match, he began to loosen his wrist strength slightly and engaged in a chaotic fight.
Also, from a common-sense perspective, it seemed natural to the spectators that in a 5 vs 5 match, the first and second opponents sent out would be relatively weaker.
“Sir Puderlas! You must win! Don’t lose to that half-breed!”
“Push him back! Are you a disciple of the Kemmel family or not!”
“This is more like it! The ones who went out first were just careless!”
‘Good, good. They’re getting heated up.’
Clang! Clash!
In truth, this opponent was far below Beonald’s level. If he wished, he could finish him off right now. But Beonald did not.
Defeating five opponents was one thing, but what kind of story he created with it was the most important issue now.
He was the protagonist of the play he himself had written. His mission was to dance, sing, and swing his sword to captivate the people.
“Huff… huff… You… You’re not bad! For someone in a black uniform!”
‘Ah, this guy’s tiring out too quickly. I need to raise the atmosphere a bit more… Oh well. Can I even expect anything from the fourth and fifth ones?’
“Guhk!”
“Match over!”
Beonald, who had hoped his opponent would fight harder to create a sense of crisis, finally seized an opening, tripped his opponent, pointed his sword, and ended the match.
Having done so, Beonald had no choice but to act. He deliberately wiped sweat, placed his hands on his knees, and pretended to catch his breath.
“Hoo~ Hoo~ Hoooo~”
“Beonald! Are you alright? You don’t have to push yourself, it’s fine to withdraw!”
“No. No, sir! Senior. I can still fight!”
Seeing his exhausted appearance, Cedron, sitting in the Garden of Swords club’s waiting area, naturally delivered the expected line perfectly.
Responding to that, Beonald let out a groan as if mustering strength, regained his stance, and while waiting for the next opponent, uttered his next line for the audience to hear.
“Yes, I will not fall now. To repay last time’s disgrace! And to create the next fight!”
…….
And then, he naturally looked towards where President Lloyd was.
He had participated in the joust and was sitting in the waiting area, disarmed, preparing for the grand melee. Suddenly met with Beonald’s gaze, he returned it with a clearly hostile stare.
And Beonald, smiling at that easy-to-read reaction, simply continued to glare at him.
‘Kids are so honest, it’s great~ Hahahat.’
“That guy is glaring at President Lloyd.”
“Meaning, he intends to defeat five alone and repay last time’s humiliation?”
“Oh… in a way, that’s very knightly.”
Murmur murmur…….
The story had been crafted from the start.
Beonald, the talented knight of noble birth but mixed with lowly mercenary blood, who fought dozens of exchanges one-on-one with President Lloyd and lost. And now, having faced romantic rumors with the princess, he steps onto the sports festival stage to showcase his prowess. Struggling, yet continuing a sweeping victory.
A beautiful appearance, combined with a tragically unfortunate lineage, outstanding talent, and a knight fighting a desperate battle for love that transcends status differences, facing all sorts of trials!
“Good heavens, really?”
“Oh my! My word! Such a thing is actually happening?”
“But he’s already defeated three alone? Oh my, oh my! And he’s incredibly handsome too?”
It was the ultimate situation, combining themes that sold extremely well even as fictional romance novels among noble houses.
What if it was actually happening? Like a movie coming to life, people couldn’t help but get excited.
Feeling the gazes and cheers focused on him, Beonald thought things were proceeding as planned and greeted his fourth opponent.
He deliberately wiped sweat, showing signs of fatigue as if struggling to overcome exhaustion.
“There’s a limit to looking down on us! Fighting four alone? What an unbearably arrogant bastard! Your selfishness ends here!”
‘As expected, high pride makes them predictable. Now, shall we build up to the climax~’
After exchanging a few sword strikes with the fourth opponent, Beonald pretended to be so tired he couldn’t even dodge what was dodgeable. Finally, he let the opponent’s sword graze and lift his helmet, controlled it to glance off, rolled on the ground, and stood up.
The audience let out sympathetic groans and screams, all eyes focused on Beonald. Blood was flowing, as if he had injured his head.
“Hoo… hoo… haa… haa…….”
The sound of labored, rough breathing and the blood dripping to the ground—everything was exactly the situation Beonald wanted.
As planned, he retreated a step, pretending to flee to recover his tired breath, creating a sense of crisis.