Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: The Duel
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A considerable amount of time had passed, and the content of the announcement that finally came was quite ironic.
"Huu~ Well then, shall we go see what kind of trick they're trying to pull?"
Beonald sprang to his feet and, just in case, strapped on his sword before heading straight to the sparring arena.
He had accumulated plenty of resentment from various quarters, so this level of preparedness was something he had to maintain at all times.
Beyond the people he was currently thinking of, the fear that someone harboring envy, jealousy, or an inferiority complex might attack him anywhere, anytime, was a basic requirement for surviving in noble society.
'I wonder what move they'll use against me? I'm looking forward to it.'
Beonald slowly made his way to the sparring arena while thinking about who might use what trick. Amidst the many spectators still remaining in the arena's stands, he spotted the figures standing there.
One was an old man with a long beard wearing splendid robes, another was a large-framed man dressed in noble attire with a tree-shaped emblem, and the other was the fully armed Student Council President, Lloyd.
'...That old man is probably the Academy's Headmaster. That noble... judging by the sharp aura he's emitting and the crest on his chest, he must be from the Kmel family. The fact that he came with President Lloyd suggests something is amiss.'
"Is that him? Hmm......"
"You've come. Hehehe."
Except for President Lloyd, the gazes of the two men boring into Beonald. Beonald, in turn, met their stares head-on and stared back at them just as intently.
The Academy Headmaster's eyes, though somewhat sharp, were slightly clouded—a typical type who flatters power. The large-framed man, while seeming rough and simple at a glance, reminded one of a sharp beast with keenness hidden within.
'This noble is no ordinary man. Well, just the fact that that guy next to him, Lloyd or whatever, is watching his attitude makes it obvious...'
'...This bastard, he's quite disconcerting. He's got plenty of guts, but this gaze... it's like a snake's.'
Seeing Beonald look back at him directly without avoiding his gaze, the Kmel Duke tried to assess him and concluded with the single word: snake.
A gaze that didn't feel like an enemy's, but hinted at hidden schemes, yet still didn't shy away—a cunning snake. After quickly finishing their mutual probing, the Headmaster spoke to Beonald nonchalantly.
"Ahem, I apologize for calling you while you were resting after a great battle and preparing for the team match, but an urgent matter has arisen. Let me introduce you. This is the head of the Kmel family, who oversees one of the Empire's frontlines, and holds the title of Blade Master, who can be called the Empire's strongest warrior: His Grace, the Duke of Kmel."
"Ah! My apologies for not recognizing you. I am Beonald Callermain."
The moment Beonald learned of his status, he immediately knelt and paid his respects.
A Duke was the highest rank among nobles. Moreover, if he was also said to be at the pinnacle as a warrior, there was no need for further words—he was undoubtedly a very high-ranking person.
"Ah, you may rise. Let's cut to the chase. I am the one who stopped the upcoming team match in the athletic festival and called you here. Do you have any idea why?"
"How could I not? Isn't it because I defeated those trained under the Kmel family?"
"Correct. But that is merely the incident. Do you know why I have come here personally?"
"Hmm, if you permit me to speak my mind, which may be rude, I will tell you what I think."
"Permission granted."
"Is it not because, due to me, the Kmel family's honor and prestige have been tarnished, and as a result, the standing of the current Kmel family heir, President Lloyd, has become precarious?"
As if he had been waiting for it, Beonald spoke without hesitation or stumbling about the situation the Kmel family was placed in due to his victory.
This was a very easy problem for Beonald. Matters concerning noble families were mostly similar, so figuring it out was very easy.
"That is correct. You grasped it very accurately. Impressive. Usually, people wouldn't know and would ask for an explanation."
"You flatter me."
"Then it would be quicker to ask in reverse. Do you know the method to restore that honor and prestige?"
"I assume it would be to fight me directly and defeat me."
"No, you have to show something greater than that. Lloyd!"
*Thud!*
When the Kmel Duke called for President Lloyd, something was thrown at Beonald's body.
A pair of pure white gloves. A method of challenging to a duel that hadn't changed one bit in 500 years or now.
Beonald looked at the Kmel Duke with eyes that seemed to ask what this meant, and the Duke immediately opened his mouth to answer.
"It is a duel to the death. To show the will to eliminate the enemy who tarnished our family's honor and prestige."
"Even though... it's just a fight between kids, isn't that a bit excessive?"
"Even if they are kids, once past 15, they are proper adults. When it's time to take responsibility, one must take it, and that child is the heir to our Kmel family. The weight is distinctly different."
"Isn't that originally the responsibility of you, the family head and Duke? Safely passing on the family to the heir—that is also a family head's duty, is it not? Does it make sense that he is threatened just because he lost at the level of a children's talent show? Shouldn't you rather be glad that, thanks to tasting a small defeat before a great collapse, he gained the spirit to suppress his arrogance and rise again?"
At Beonald's bold words, President Lloyd and the Academy Headmaster turned pale and trembled.
Though phrased with euphemisms, it was essentially saying directly, 'Why are you blaming me for your own mistake?'
Regardless of whether the words were right or wrong, the act of speaking so bluntly to a Duke of the Empire itself was like having guts the size of watermelons. The Kmel Duke began laughing like a madman.
"Kuhahahahahat! That's a good one. Right! Right! What you said isn't wrong. See that, Lloyd? A man must have at least this much guts and courage! The guts to call out what's wrong as wrong! Kuhahahahahat!"
'Don't you know that? Really.'
"Alright, then let me acknowledge what should be acknowledged. Thanks to my mistake! This kid making a mistake has led to a troublesome situation, and because of you, a blemish has been left on his record as an heir. So, I canceled the team match and insisted on this duel. Satisfied now?"
"Then that's fine. However, I don't particularly wish to duel."
At Beonald's outright refusal, the Kmel Duke's eyes widened.
He didn't know much about him, but he never imagined he would dare refuse a formally issued duel.
"Huh! So that's how it is?"
"Yes. Because accepting it brings me no benefit. Even if I win, my fame may increase, but the burden of having killed the Kmel family heir only grows. And for President Lloyd, since I've already defeated him once, I'm actually afraid."
"If you run, you'll be called a coward, and the honor you've gained so far will be tarnished, won't it?"
"Even if I lose, I'm not a knight, so I'll just go back to being an unfaithful student, a country bumpkin, a half-breed."
"What a cunning bastard...!"
For the Neumel family, which used the ultimate snake, the Hydra, as its symbol, there was no greater compliment than this.
From the beginning, the virtue of a 'noble' was 'cunningness', so criticizing someone for it was a joke in itself.
Beonald barely suppressed a laugh, took a step back from the glove, and spoke.
"So, originally, it would be proper not to accept this glove, but this time, I'll make an exception and accept it. Here goes."
Smiling slyly, Beonald picked up the glove that had fallen to the ground.
Thus, the 'duel' between Beonald and Lloyd, a fight to the death, was finalized.
"You... what's your scheme?"
"Your Grace, from now on, the adults who are the parties to the duel should talk among themselves."
"Tsk! ...You bastard."
The Duke, having his own words thrown back at him, ground his teeth and glared at Beonald with killing intent, but Beonald, having been accustomed to such things since 500 years ago, merely smiled nonchalantly.
Seeing Beonald not budging an inch, the Duke reluctantly stepped back as if conceding and made way for Lloyd.
"...You, you're really something. My father doesn't budge at the words of most people... and he is the Empire's undisputed strongest 'sword'..."
For Lloyd, his father, the Kmel Duke, was almost like an absolute being. Seeing Beonald converse with him so composedly, a feeling of respect different from the emotions he had harbored so far arose within him.
"I'm just not afraid. And I also... couldn't say much to my own father. Hahaha."
Of course, the father mentioned here wasn't his current-life father, Baron Dustycloak, but Felix von Neumel, who had raised him harshly 500 years ago. Lloyd roughly understood and nodded at his words.
"I see. The duel... naturally, it won't be held now. Since you fought hard today, you will be given ample time to rest. It will be held here three days from now, at noon. As mentioned, it is a duel to the death. It ends only when one side dies. Armament is to be the best each can prepare. Each side brings two witnesses of noble status or higher. Any objections?"
"If that's what it takes to put your mind at ease, then so be it. But what about the team match?"
"Our duel... will replace the team match. My father has probably arranged it that way."
"Understood. Then I'll see you then."
Beonald finally agreed to the duel and withdrew. The reason he accepted a duel he didn't have to accept was that doing so would make the atmosphere even more spectacularly heated.
Beyond the mundane athletic festival of Academy students, elevating it to a real 'duel' where lives are on the line would draw the attention of all the nobles.
'I was worried about what trick they'd use, but it's just a duel? I welcome it. It's actually the best attraction. First of all...'
"You, did something happen?"
"Ah, about that."
As soon as he returned, Beonald explained to Kedron that he had offended the Kmel family's sensibilities too greatly and ended up having to duel.
Hearing this, Kedron made a dumbfounded expression and raged at the Kmel family's cowardly actions.
"No matter how much the family's honor and prestige are tarnished! It's still just the Academy's athletic festival! For a Duke to step in personally! And to arbitrarily cancel the team match and change it to a duel? This is a serious overreach of authority!"
"Probably... it's an implicit agreement with His Majesty the Emperor. Officially, he is the master of the Academy."
"That's why it can't be helped, I suppose. So, what will you do?"
"Naturally, I must go prepare. This duel... it was stated that armament is to be the best each can prepare, right?"
"Wait, that... these cowardly bastards! Isn't it obvious they'll use some magical arms or heirloom treasures passed down in the family?"
Kedron, having caught onto the hidden intention behind that subtly inserted sentence in the duel conditions, was furious, but Beonald remained calm.
He had already noticed it too but hadn't pointed it out.
Normally, one would think the equipment prepared by the old and wealthy martial Kmel family would be superior. However, Beonald had also made separate preparations for such an occasion, so he smiled to reassure Kedron and left the Academy to prepare for the duel.