Chapter 312
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Ten Years Later (13)
I grinned widely and cheered him on, and Leah's illusion appearing above the crystal orb reacted in kind.
With a sensual gaze, she rested her chin on the back of her hand and watched Beck.
"You're all grown up, Beck. About the same height as our Leo, I'd say."
At the emperor's voice, Beck turned his head mid-sparring and cautiously greeted her.
"Ah, hello... Big Mother..."
Normally, turning your back like that would expose you to danger from your opponent.
But who would launch a sneak attack with the emperor right there?
Luten scratched the back of his head, trying to read the situation.
"Oh my, 'Big Mother'? Leah, you look totally old now. Hehe..."
Lydia, with her twintails, suddenly popped up beside Leah's illusion.
She giggled like a little devil and waved at Beck.
"Beck, you've grown so much. Our Leon's still such a shorty, though~."
"Li, Lady Lydia... Hello..."
With the empire's de facto second-in-command appearing, the sparring ground grew even more tense.
It was like the kings of great nations were showing up one after another.
"Hi, Beck!! You're about Ian's height, right? You look super cool holding that sword!"
Irina rested her chin on Leah's shoulder.
The silver-haired princess flashed a bright smile and waved.
Only these two would dare to cling so casually to both sides of His Imperial Majesty.
"You lot... Mind leaving my office?"
"No way. Serves you right for secretly contacting Veil on your own."
"Still as shady as ever, even after ten years."
As the imperial family chatted casually in a foreign land, Bakal's retainers were at a loss.
I was just as flustered.
I forced a smile and waved both arms at my wives.
"Honey, the kids are sparring right now...!!"
The three stunning beauties before them were all my wives.
At those words, Bakal's retainers glanced my way.
"Got it~. Go Beck!!"
"If you're Veil's son, you can't afford to lose, right? Win this~."
Beck's face flushed as he politely bowed to his big mothers.
He was so embarrassed that he kept his head down for quite a while.
"Sorry about that. We're just so interested in Beck here. Please continue the match."
Emperor Leah apologized, but I knew her true intent.
It was a declaration that this child had caught the eye of the empire's top authority.
And that was exactly why I'd contacted her yesterday.
"Resume the match. Everyone, focus only on the sparring!"
Only after the instructor's shout did Luten and Beck face each other again.
The crown prince of Marton was trying desperately to concentrate on the fight.
But now that he'd realized Beck—who he'd thought was neglected by his royal family—had the emperor and me backing him, his condescending gaze vanished, replaced by tension.
Beck, on the other hand, was different.
The boy who'd only seen his father twice a year and thought he was the least favored among his siblings.
But seeing his father call even the emperor to cheer him on restored his confidence.
He'd finally realized he was loved by all.
"Hah... Look at that fire in his eyes. Think the emperor's cheering will magically give him skills he doesn't have?"
Luten showed his displeasure at Beck's newfound vigor—the boy he'd always dominated.
He swung his sword again to pressure him as usual.
Kwaaaang---!!
Luten decided to turn this situation to his advantage.
After all, the empire's heavyweights were watching.
He poured as much mana as he could into his sword.
Blue aura climbed the hilt, empowering the blade.
'A ten-year-old already trying to use aura...'
I watched him with concern.
In the empire, they didn't teach aura until after age twelve.
Sure, he'd have top-notch teachers and elixirs supporting him...
But there's a reason for the proper age.
Kaaang!!
"Krgh...!!"
Beck's wrists trembled under Luten's increasingly heavy strikes.
Yet the brave boy didn't dodge; he stood firm and met them head-on.
Aiming for the flat of the blade as much as possible.
Deflecting as best he could.
He remembered every trick I'd taught him and blocked the blows.
"How's that...? Think you can block this too!!"
As Beck's face twisted in strain, Luten grew even more confident in his aura.
He drew mana from his toes to every limb and unleashed it on the boy.
"Of course... Your attacks are ridiculously light...!!"
The black-haired boy smirked with sly, fox-like eyes.
Then he swiftly retreated, creating distance with quick footwork.
"All you can do is run away!!"
Luten's sharp eyes scanned Beck's boots.
If he retreated that fast, then chased and struck...
'He can't counter...!!'
Trained by master instructors, Luten spotted it instantly.
Before his own aura waned, he charged at Beck.
"That's gonna be hard to dodge...!"
Christina noticed too and gripped my hand tightly for a moment.
As we both watched Beck worriedly,
"Beck...!!"
I hooked my pinky with Tina's.
Then, with eyes full of certainty, I said,
"It's fine, Tina."
This was all part of the little fox cub's scheme.
―――――.
Luten thrust his sword at Beck, who was retreating urgently.
At that moment.
"...!!"
The black-haired boy didn't hastily raise his sword to defend.
He let go with both hands instead.
Kaaang!!
The sharp blade hit the ground, screeching in friction.
As the noise faded,
"Hup...!!"
Beck twisted his lightened body to evade Luten's sword.
At the same time, his freed hands seized Luten's mana-charged arms.
Then he slammed his elbow down on the boy's wrists.
"Huaak...!!"
The crown prince of Marton's groan filled the sparring ground.
His father bolted up from his seat at the sight.
"Luten!!"
Luten grimaced, clutching his swollen wrists.
Beck looked apologetic and asked cautiously,
"You okay...? Did I hit too hard...?"
But his son's apology wouldn't calm Luten.
Being subdued in bare-handed combat without even drawing his sword.
He couldn't accept it.
He was surely about to fly into a rage and charge madly.
I was certain.
Because this situation was...
"Just like back then."
"Yeah, exactly."
Identical to that incident ten years ago, in early spring.
At the knighting ceremony.
"You little bastard, I'm gonna kill you...!!"
Luten bellowed with a twisted face.
He seized his aura-infused sword with both hands.
And as he swung it at Beck with all his might,
――――――!!
Blue mana surged forth in a crescent shape.
'Sword beam...!!'
A sword beam unleashed in childish fury at such a young age.
It looked weak, but deadly threatening to Beck.
I wrapped grand aura around my eyes and prepared to leap into the arena.
The academy instructors saw it and rushed toward their charge.
"Beck, dodge it!!"
I hoped Beck would just hurl his body aside.
But.
"No. I won't dodge!!"
My son decided to protect himself, just as his father had taught.
He picked up his fallen sword and raised it high.
Determined that only by standing firm against any force could he protect his parents.
With that resolve, Beck faced the sword beam.
Kwaaaang!!
His sword clashed with Luten's blue beam.
Sparks erupted, followed by a piercing shriek across the ground.
"Krghhh...!!"
He gritted his teeth and held.
An aura-less child couldn't possibly block it.
――――――.
I'd raced up the arena steps to his side.
But at that moment,
I shouted for everyone to hold back from helping.
"Everyone, wait!!"
Beck stared straight at the sword beam, blocking it.
Blue aura began swirling faintly in his blue eyes.
Sword Expert.
At just ten years old, lower Expert aura awakening.
Unlike Luten's, achieved through elixirs and tutors—this was self-awakened.
And a self-awakened aura could surge to mid-level in an instant.
"No way... Beck awakened his aura...? I taught him endlessly, but nothing...!"
Christina hurried to my side.
Leah, Irina, and Lydia watched with keen interest.
Under everyone's gaze, Beck refused to yield and bellowed, striking the beam with all his might.
――――――!!
In that instant.
Blue mana enveloped his body, shielding him.
The deflected beam shot skyward and vanished into the air.
“...”
Silence blanketed the sparring ground.
Instructors had reached Luten, casting defensive spells.
They stared blankly at Beck, who had redirected the beam safely upward.
"Haaah... Haa..."
Unaware, the black-haired boy just panted heavily.
"The match is decided."
In the hush, Emperor Leah spoke with a pleased smile.
Irina nodded contentedly from her shoulder.
"No way... At just ten, he deflected a sword beam...?"
Luten's father, the Prince of Marton, twitched under his eyes.
Finally grasping that Beck was a grandmaster's son, he slumped into his chair.
"Match over! Winner: Beck Mikhail Bakar!!"
The academy sword instructor bellowed.
At that,
"Woooah---!!"
The imperial delegation, who'd come to cheer for Beck at my behest, erupted in cheers.
Damian jumped so wildly his glasses shook.
"As expected, you can tell whose son he is at a glance."
"Yeah, it's like seeing young Veil."
"Ian and Leon better watch out now~."
The imperial royals applauded one by one.
Amid the ecstatic celebration, Beck turned to me with a dazed look.
"Father...!"
He gazed up with cute, blinking eyes.
I rushed over and hugged him tight.
"Father, was that aura I just unleashed...?"
The boy in my arms asked blankly.
But I just shook my head.
"No, that's not what's important now."
I cupped his head.
With a proud expression, I whispered,
"The heart that takes up the sword to protect someone. Always remember that."
Beck's soft cheek squished against my shoulder.
Like a baby fox, he blinked his big eyes, then...
"Yes, Father...!"
Nodding as if he'd understood.
"Beck."
Christina glided over gracefully.
She hugged us both and closed her eyes in peace.
"Good job, my son."
The sparring evaluation had heated up to the point of potential disaster.
But our family's warm scene cooled it down.
The match ended very peacefully.
"Looks like Ian's gotta step it up~."
Leah glanced at Irina and smiled languidly like a queen.
Irina smirked and puffed up proudly.
"Our Ian will awaken his aura any day now!!"
"Why not invite Beck to the empire while we're at it?"
Lydia gazed at her youngest with a relaxed smile.
"As exchange students between our nations, say."
Exchange students.
A tradition of sending youths abroad for years of study.
At the legal means for Beck and Christina to stay with me in the empire, my ears perked up.
"That sounds good...?"