The Shadow Duel
“Was it a duel?”
“Yes. That’s correct. Lord Lichtenauer.”
Etria’s target was clear.
To suddenly draw the nobles’ attention to Sien in order to crush her.
After winning the duel, to humiliate the Lichtenauer family.
It was blatantly obvious even to Sien’s eyes.
Although it was called a light duel, victory was victory and defeat was defeat.
Moreover, the Lichtenauer and Fiore were places called renowned swordsmanship families.
Even the citizens of the empire knew that the relationship between the two families was not good.
If one side lost in the duel between these two forces?
It was obvious that all sorts of rumors and contempt would follow.
‘That woman is going to be crushed!’
I want to rush over and grab her by the throat right now.
It has to be this way, right? It has to be like this for my satisfaction.
Although I acknowledge that the relationship is not good, isn’t it etiquette to distinguish between when to touch and when not to?
Sien wanted to shout that.
“Even if I wanted to, I would personally go out… but wearing a dress like this is a bit…”
“It’s unfortunate, Lady Etria. I wanted to see why she is called the promising one of Fiore.”
“That is what I meant. This is truly a pity.”
Although it was just to raise Etria, to Sien it sounded like:
Unlike you, Etria is already an enormous powerhouse!
If the two of them duel, the outcome is already decided!
As the lord of a swordsmanship family, you should know shame!
“So, each of you has escorts, right? I want them to do a proxy duel. I want to know what Lord Lichtenauer thinks.”
“…?”
Wait, what is this woman saying now?
She’s telling me to send Adel out?
Without realizing, Sien turned her head back.
There stood a man who had been alone slaughtering 3rd-grade demonic beasts.
Even the family’s knights were stunned by his tongue.
“Let’s have the escorts duel… is that it?”
“Yes. That’s right, Lord Lichtenauer.”
“…”
Sien looked at Adel again.
At first, she wanted to send him out immediately.
To raise the Lichtenauer family’s honor.
To flatten Etria’s nose.
But soon, various thoughts overlapped and she hesitated.
‘Adel will definitely win. But if that happens, everyone will be curious about Adel, and they might dig into Adel’s past and commit rudeness. Like investigating the horrific childhood he wants to forget…’
The tragic life of fighting demonic beasts since childhood.
Adel endured that hell and barely escaped it.
He doesn’t even want to dream about it, a horrific past he must forget.
She doesn’t want him to experience that at all.
Even if it’s because of her, it would be even more guilty.
“Why are you hesitating, Lord Lichtenauer.”
“That is…”
“The escort is a position bestowed upon excellent people within the family. Naturally, they must have good skills, so there’s no need to worry about defeat, right?”
Etria said this in a subtle tone.
The nobles agreed with Etria’s words about Fiore’s young lady.
In their position, there’s no loss.
They just gained a very interesting spectacle.
Furthermore, it became a story worth telling for a few days.
“Lord Lichtenauer.”
“What are you going to do?”
Even the nobles friendly to Sien seemed to want the duel.
In their position, they want the Lichtenauer to defeat the Fiore.
It was natural for them to want Sien to flatten Etria’s nose.
The longer the hesitation, the worse.
If she feels burdened by the duel.
With such words, it’s even more so.
‘Rather, rather, shall I say I’ll do it?’
Yes, rather that would be better.
Adel is my escort, but he is also my benefactor.
I can’t ask him to do this.
If he goes out, Etria will also come out.
In terms of skill, it’s a low-probability-of-winning opponent.
Nevertheless, Sien wanted to send Adel out and do it herself.
“I’ll do it.”
“Adel?!”
“Hoo.”
Adel, who had been silent until now, opened his mouth.
Thanks to that, Sien was startled and tried to stop him.
Conversely, Etria had a smile full of lips.
“You don’t need to, Adel. Rather…”
“I’ll do it. Lady Sien.”
Firm tone, deeply sunken eyes.
Because of that, Sien couldn’t stop Adel.
“This is, the escort of Lord Lichtenauer has more determination than you.”
Etria subtly cut Sien down again.
Moreover, was she preparing for the duel from the beginning?
She said she had already received permission to use the imperial training ground.
The protagonists of the duel would just need to have their bodies.
She was saying it while smiling.
“…”
“Sorry, Adel.”
The ones who ended up moving to the training ground.
Among them, Sien said in a very small voice.
It was because of her that they got involved in something strange.
She didn’t expect it to come out like this.
She tried to apologize again for that part that made her feel sorry.
“I chose it.”
But Adel had an expression as if nothing happened.
“The escort, the duel, the Lichtenauer, you. Since I chose it, it’s fine.”
* * *
Stupid woman. As expected, low-born mixed blood can’t be helped.
Etria smiled inwardly while looking at the one standing in front of her.
“Remember this, Sir Geon. Winning is important, but more important is to humiliate as much as possible.”
“I know, Lady.”
“The cursed blood of the demon race dares to step into the imperial palace. Together with us Fiore.”
“I know it’s an impossible thing. This tragedy started because of whom.”
The demon race dared to step into this continent saying they were fleeing.
The demonic beasts smelled it and opened the demon realm rifts and rushed in.
There are still many people who think like this on the continent.
Therefore, they naturally hate the demon race as much as their enemies.
Whether they spilled blood, fought together, or just drove them out.
They think all the cursed ones must be swept away.
And Fiore was a noble family belonging to that hardline faction.
“You don’t have to worry. It’s just a young sprout who doesn’t even look thirty.”
“Still, don’t let your guard down. I heard the rumor that the mixed blood of Lichtenauer, that Adel, was involved in destroying a 3rd-grade demon realm.”
To prevent Adel from being exposed as much as possible.
Sien had leaked false information that the knights were active.
Thanks to that, Etria thought that Adel was just there.
Just a lucky man.
“Then, shall we go?”
With Etria, her escort and Fiore’s senior knight.
Geon walked proudly to the training ground.
Already, several nobles were there.
“That knight is definitely Sir Geon.”
“Do you know who he is?”
“He is said to be one of the top five skilled people in the Fiore family.”
A knight guarding the future Fiore lord Etria.
Naturally, no need to pair with weak or inexperienced ones.
In terms of strength, it’s the current lord’s escort, and right below the knight commander.
It could be said to be almost equivalent to vice commander.
“Compared to that, the Lichtenauer side…”
“I’ve never heard the name. Adel.”
“He looks too young. At most in his early to mid-twenties.”
“The experience gap will be large, but I hope it’s okay.”
Age is a measure of the completion of experience.
Adel’s appearance in the eyes of the nobles was a fresh sprout.
Not too much, not too little.
Moreover, an incident occurred that further amplified the nobles’ anxiety.
“Everyone. The news just delivered is that the imperial court has approved a real duel.”
“A real duel, you say?”
“Yes. The Fiore side proposed it, and the Lichtenauer accepted. And finally received the imperial court’s approval. The situation has suddenly gotten bigger.”
At first, it was just a light ego battle.
Suddenly the board became several times larger.
The losing side will not end with just a day’s laughter.
Losing a real duel means tarnishing the entire family’s honor.
Moreover, the two families are places with notorious rumors as swordsmanship families.
If they lose, the result is as clear as fire.
‘There seems to be something to believe in.’
Etria looked at Sien standing on the opposite side.
If she accepted the sudden real duel.
It seems that young Adel is not a bad person.
Of course, he will lose today.
‘There is a huge difference in the depth of experience. Moreover, not a dream, but in a real duel like this. In a situation where weapons are exchanged that could take lives, it’s hard to calm down easily.’
Looking at Geon stepping forward.
Etria had a deep smile on her lips.
Sien of similar age to herself.
And leading their respective families.
That part, Etria hated deeply.
A mixed blood born between demon and human is similar to herself.
She even hated that such a woman has the name of a swordsmanship family.
She wanted to break her down as soon as possible so she couldn’t stand up again.
And that emotion was the same for her escort Geon.
‘A low-born mixed blood picked an escort just by looking at the face. Unbelievable.’
A young man with incredibly handsome appearance.
It’s more fitting to call him a prince of a noble family rather than a knight.
“Geon of Fiore.”
“…”
“Adel of Lichtenauer.”
“Please enjoy a honorable duel.”
“Same here.”
After a simple greeting, the two men turned their bodies.
And after each moved their feet to create distance.
They turned back and faced each other.
Clang!–
Clang!–
Both Adel and Geon drew their swords simultaneously as if they had made a promise.
“…”
“…”
As per the swordsmanship of Fiore and Lichtenauer respectively.
Holding the sword and pointing at the opponent, waiting for the signal.
‘Don’t forget. Humiliate as much as possible.’
Recalling his master’s words, Geon glared at the opponent.
It still looks okay, but soon the bottom will be revealed.
Young sprouts with little experience will get scared after a few real duels.
The heavy weight and flashing flashes.
Because of the fear that their own heads might fly off.
Dealing with real duels is harder than thought.
‘I’ll play around appropriately and make him crawl on the ground.’
Geon thought that and prepared his stance.
Sizzle–.
Finally, the handbell rang to signal the start of the duel.
Immediately after, Geon pulled his body back to take the initiative.
Boom!–
Splash!–
“…?”
A strange sound hit Geon’s ears.
Somehow familiar, what is the identity of this sound.
Then, suddenly, he realized that the sword was not in his sight.
What happened? He turned his head toward the side holding the sword.
Pussh. Pussh–.
What Geon saw was his upper arm spurting red blood.
And his right arm rolling on the floor.