Chapter 204: Noble's Entertainment
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 204: Noble's Entertainment
The villa was silent in the early morning. It seemed everyone who had enjoyed the banquet until dawn had departed.
The servants were quietly cleaning up the traces of the banquet they hadn't gotten to the night before.
“Lord Balak. Shall I prepare a meal for you?”
A servant cleaning the hallway outside my room noticed me and asked, her hands neatly folded over her stomach. She was a young maiden with a fetching bob cut.
“Before that, I'd like to go to the training ground…”
“I will guide you.”
The servant's buttocks were prominent as she led the way. With each step, her ankles were revealed and hidden again.
I chuckled to myself. A servant's attire, given their physically demanding work, was normally loose-fitting for convenience. The length of her skirt, which tantalizingly exposed her ankles, was also suspiciously exquisite.
It seemed it wasn't just the daughters of city magnates who were after me. After all, hadn't the baron spent a great deal of time with me in front of everyone last night? To a servant, I must have looked like a golden opportunity.
If I followed my heart, I would have touched those buttocks that seemed to be begging for it, but thinking of Vivian, I needed to act the part of someone indifferent to romantic entanglements.
Unfortunately for the servant, that was why we walked to the training ground without another word. Unable to hide her disappointed expression, the servant said:
“This is the area the knights use.”
“Hmm, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to use it.”
“The baron ordered us to see to your every convenience, Lord Balak.”
“Is that so…?”
I walked past the servant and entered the training ground. She hesitated for a moment before letting out a long sigh and turning away.
The training ground was quite spacious. Ornamental trees were planted around the perimeter like a fence. Perhaps because of them, the clear, fresh air that drifted in filled my lungs.
“Nice.”
With my back to the sun, I drew my sword. Then, I reviewed the last battle in my mind.
Honestly, my opponent had been so easy that a review hardly seemed necessary. That fact didn't change even though I had limited my strength. However, one thing bothered me.
Because I was limiting my strength and attacking to avoid armor, I had no choice but to aim for vital spots. But the results were slightly off from my target.
To find the cause, I relaxed my strength as I had in the battle and swung my sword at an imaginary opponent. As I entered the slowed world, my sword slowed down.
It slowed even more as I focused on distributing my strength. If it was this slow even with my ‘eyes that see the world slowly,’ to anyone else it would look like a slug crawling. Only after reaching that level could I see what I was looking for.
The tip of my sword was trembling minutely.
As the sword's speed approached zero even in the slowed world, the trembling grew more pronounced. Just like when I first came to my senses and began retraining my swordsmanship.
‘They say you can learn something even from a three-year-old…’
Since when had my skill started to regress?
One thing was certain: the last battle had been helpful.
The cause was clearly my superhuman strength and Trollsverd. With the two combined, any attack was an effective blow, so I never had to worry about accuracy.
‘Have I been relying on my superhuman strength?’
They say it's human nature to want to sit when you're standing, lie down when you're sitting, and sleep when you're lying down. Without realizing it, I must have been leaning on my strength and my weapon's performance. And as a result, I'd developed a bad habit.
This was not good. To pass myself off as a champion, I needed to use swordsmanship that targeted vital spots, yet the tip of my sword was trembling enough to throw my aim off, however slightly.
If a master swordsman saw this, they would immediately realize I wasn't accustomed to dueling swordsmanship.
The saving grace was that I'd discovered it early in my journey, and thanks to my ‘eyes that see the world slowly,’ it would be easier for me to fix than for others.
It would be a pain to correct the habit, but it was far better than exposing such a weakness when I was close to Vivian.
‘Whew. This will be some good training.’
I'd only swung a few times, but I was already sweating. It was surprising, considering I hadn't tired easily since my stamina stat had passed a certain threshold.
It just went to show how much strain a swing that looked almost stationary even in the slowed world put on my body. I was about to resume my training when…
“A peculiar training method.”
A voice from nearby shattered my concentration. Only then did I realize that Baron Allanton's knight, the one I'd seen at the banquet yesterday, was close by.
“Sir Baor?”
“Did I interrupt?”
“I'm the one who's interrupting, I'm sure.”
He was lightly dressed, holding his sheathed sword in one hand. It was obvious he had come out for morning training, just like me.
One thing was strange, though—he was being too polite. Knights, being quasi-nobles, sometimes kept more distance from commoners than actual nobles did. It was like how the nouveau riche flaunt their wealth more than the truly rich.
In other words, he had an agenda. And that agenda was…
“You're quick on the uptake. That's right. I never miss my morning training. The problem is, I don't have a partner to practice with. Since you're training as well, I thought you might make a good one. What do you say? Care for a spar?”
Sir Baor was being blunt.
Glancing around, I spotted Baron Allanton looking down at us from a third-floor balcony. He gave me a meaningful smile.
I turned my gaze back to Sir Baor.
“A test, is it?”
“Don't be offended. The fact that the baron is using me, his top knight, to test you means he intends to make great use of you.”
Shinggg.
Drawing his sword, Sir Baor took his stance. He spread his feet shoulder-width apart and angled his body to minimize his target area.
He held his sword upright around his waist, ready for either offense or defense.
It was the most effective and cautious stance when facing an opponent for the first time. I mirrored his posture, making us symmetrical.
“Then I ask for your instruction.”
“Come.”
Sir Baor yielded the first move, and I didn't refuse. As he'd said, if the baron truly intended to entrust me with an important task, I had to show my skill.
“Hah-!”
I executed a standard diagonal slash. As if he'd been waiting for it, Sir Baor moved to block with an upward strike.
If I unleashed my superhuman strength, I could probably break his sword and land a clean hit, but that would expose my identity.
I had no choice but to hold back. Clang. Sparks flew as my sword was deflected upward, leaving my torso exposed.
“Haap!”
Sir Baor didn't miss the opening. From his blocking stance, he twisted his sword. The horizontal blade turned vertical, its tip aiming for my neck.
The transition from defense to offense was as smooth as flowing water. It seemed his title as the baron's top knight wasn't won through gambling.
I retreated diagonally and brought my sword down. This time, Sir Baor's sword was pushed aside. A thrust is weak against an attack from the side.
I kept the pressure on, forcing his sword outward. As I moved in, Sir Baor immediately countered with a kick.
I couldn't take it lightly and had no choice but to retreat.
But Sir Baor wasn't pleased either. His gaze was fixed on the torn shin of his pants, which had been pristine just before his kick.
“You're incredibly fast.”
His voice was a shade heavier. He had likely underestimated me for this test, so taking a hit like that must have been a major blow to his pride.
“I was lucky. If you had been wearing your usual armor, Sir Baor, that attack never would have worked.”
It was an attack that wouldn't have worked if he'd been wearing chainmail. It was also a kick he wouldn't have thrown if he'd been mindful of his plain clothes.
In other words, that kick was an instinctual move, faster than thought. It was a conditioned reflex, impossible without arduous and tedious repetitive training.
Only then did Sir Baor's expression soften slightly. He understood I was saying it was a difference in our trained styles, not a lack of skill on his part.
“Even so, a hit is a hit.”
“So, what's the verdict?”
It was Baron Allanton, who had come down at some point, who answered Sir Baor.
Shing.
Sheathing his sword and bowing respectfully, Sir Baor said:
“In unarmored swordsmanship, he is better than I.”
“Is that so…?”
The look in Baron Allanton's eyes deepened as he studied me. He gestured, and Sir Baor gave a silent bow and departed.
Now that we were alone, Baron Allanton spoke to me.
“Balak. Get ready. I'm going to show you the job I have for you.”
As soon as breakfast was over, Baron Allanton led me to Popia, the capital of his domain.
The central plaza there was even more bustling than that of Monju, a free city known for its lively commerce.
“There are so many people.”
“Why? Doesn't it seem like a noble's capital?”
I nodded.
“Well, nobles usually look down on commercial activities, don't they?”
“I'm no different. All merchants are thieves. They're always looking for loopholes to avoid paying taxes. Tsk, tsk.”
“Then this crowd is…”
“Curious? Be patient. You'll soon find out why.”
Baron Allanton gave a meaningful smile. He stopped before a dueling arena with a stage far larger than the one in Monju.
Amazingly, the stage was surrounded by spectator seats on all four sides. It couldn't compare to a modern stadium, but for this era, it was an impressive structure.
“Kill him! Kill him-!”
“Shit! Johnson! Get up! I bet my entire fortune on you!”
“Beer for sale! Get your cold beer here!”
The stands were packed with spectators, merchants selling them snacks, gamblers, and drunkards.
There were even children and women among them, but no one seemed to mind, as if they were used to it.
Standing in the spot with the best view, Baron Allanton turned his back to the scene and said:
“Duels are held here every day. My city prospers not because of those thieving merchants, but because of these duels.”
“Is it because the city is large and has many disputes?”
“Of course not. This is entertainment. A pastime made popular by Duke Babel.”
Duke Babel was one of the three most powerful lords in the southern continent, and the one I suspected Vivian had taken refuge with.
“Duke Babel, you say?”
“Even if you're from the countryside, you must have heard of the three great lords who emerged on the southern continent after the long wars, right?”
“I know Duke Babel is one of them.”
Baron Allanton nodded.
“That's enough. Anyway, the Duke seems to believe that the war to decide the ruler of the south will break out soon. The problem is that with so many complicated grudges, even allies often end up fighting amongst themselves.”
“And that's related to these duels becoming entertainment?”
“Of course! If allies fight, the Duke's forces are diminished no matter who wins, right? Besides, mediating those disputes is a headache.”
Turning back to look down at the stage, Baron Allanton continued.
“So, Duke Babel declared that any of his subordinate nobles who have a dispute must resolve it through a duel. It was a brilliant idea to maintain his power.”
“And the nobles accepted that?”
“At first, they all hated it. Resolving disputes over important interests with a duel? It sounded ridiculous. But… they gradually changed their minds. Why? Because it turned out to be incredibly fun. Hah hah.”
When you gamble, dopamine is released, stimulating the brain's pleasure center. The amount surpasses that of sex and is comparable to drugs.
And raising the stakes in gambling is comparable to addicts increasing their drug dosage.
In other words, a gamble called a duel, with enormous interests on the line as stakes, was bound to provide an immense thrill.
Moreover, in an era with few other forms of entertainment, the stimulation would have been even greater.
‘And the harmful effects weren't widely known, either.’
With my memories as a modern person, I was well aware of the dangers of gambling, but to the people of this era, it was one of the few pleasures available.
There's a reason taverns turn into gambling dens for dice games late at night.
“Are all of them nobles' champions?”
Baron Allanton shook his head and laughed.
“Commoners always try to imitate nobles. Before long, it started trending among them, too. It's presumptuous of them, but it's not a bad thing for me. I sometimes discover useful champions this way.”
Indeed, the skill of the champions currently fighting on the stage was on par with that of knights. It wasn't for nothing that I had mistaken them for nobles' champions.
Baron Allanton continued.
“In short, the opponents you'll face are strong fighters carefully selected by nobles. And with so much at stake, the champions give it their all. As a result, when a duel takes place, it usually doesn't end until one of the two is dead.”
This was even more serious than what the boatman had told me when I came to the southern continent.
This meant I could catch the eye of a high-ranking noble and gain easier and faster access to Duke Babel, whom I suspected Vivian was with.
However, I first shook my head.
“Then I must refuse.”
I was the man who had refused a knighthood on the pretext of safety. If I accepted this easily, it would be like I was toying with Baron Allanton. It would also arouse his suspicion.
But even though this was my third refusal, Baron Allanton just smiled. Seeing that, I had a gut feeling. This was the final test.
He had confirmed my skills through Sir Baor, and now he was using this test to see if a stranger of unknown origin like me could be trusted.
The way he immediately began to persuade me, as if he'd been waiting for this, supported my guess.
“A treasure without the power to protect it is bound to bring disaster. You're a clever man, so I'm sure you could earn a lot of money. But what would happen if a band of thieves attacked you? What if a powerful man coveted the wealth you've amassed and sent his knights after you?”
“What changes if I accept this offer?”
“Of course! What noble wouldn't help a champion who won them enormous interests! It means I will be your backer!”
As I closed my mouth and pretended to think it over, Baron Allanton delivered the final blow.
“And that's not all. I'll give you ten percent of the profits from the stakes.”
My head snapped up. This wasn't an act. It couldn't be. Considering the interests at stake in these duels, even ten percent was an enormous sum.
“Are you serious?”
“My word is as good as gold.”
“…In that case, I will fight for you, my lord.”
I accepted as if I had no other choice.
The baron beamed. It was a smile he never would have shown if he knew this was exactly what I wanted.
‘I'll use the baron as a stepping stone to approach the core of noble society.’
The goal that had seemed so daunting, as if shrouded in fog, was slowly beginning to reveal itself.