Episode 2. The Baron's Duel Proxy
Episode 2. The Baron's Duel Proxy
Mir was currently flustered. It was because the pain that had been tormenting him all at once just before he died had suddenly vanished.
"Beggar! I told you not to daydream while I'm working, didn't I? I'm telling my mom everything!"
The one scolding Mir right now was Mikhail, the son of the fruit shop owner where Mir had worked to earn money in the early days of his regression.
"Mikhail, are you dead too?"
Mir, who was extremely confused by the current situation, asked Mikhail.
"Has this beggar finally gone crazy? My mom dotes on you a lot, but if you've lost your mind, we can't let you work at our shop anymore, you know?"
Seeing him like that, Mikhail looked at Mir with eyes full of pity as he spoke.
In that moment, Mir realized.
That this was the beginning of his time in the Romance Fantasy world, when he was eleven years old.
And that if it was now, Mir could save Elena.
"Mir, if you're just going to space out and talk nonsense, let's go watch the duel being held at the Barony!"
Mikhail suddenly said to Mir.
"What duel?"
"They're holding a duel right now to prove the innocence of the Barony's youngest son!"
"How can they determine innocence through a duel?"
Mir couldn't understand Mikhail's words.
"If the Barony's youngest son is innocent, God will surely let the Barony win the duel!"
Mikhail's answer resolved that question.
At that moment, a way to save Elena flashed through Mir's mind.
'If I go out to the duel in the trial instead of Elena, I might be able to save her.'
"What are you thinking about so deeply! Let's go watch the duel already!"
Of course, Mikhail didn't care about the result of the Barony's duel; he just wanted to skip out on his work at the fruit shop.
And so, Mir and Mikhail went to watch the duel between the Imperial Knight Commander and the Barony's dueling proxy.
"Do both sides swear in the name of God to submit to the results of the duel?"
"I swear."
The Barony's dueling proxy and the Imperial Knight Commander answered simultaneously, and at that moment, the duel began.
To an ordinary person, it looked like the two were dueling on equal terms as their swords clashed.
But Mir, who had learned the royal swordsmanship of the Kingdom in his past life, knew.
There was absolutely no way the Barony's dueling proxy could defeat the Imperial Knight Commander.
As their swords collided, Mikhail asked Mir.
"Mir! Who do you think will win?"
"The Knight Commander will probably win."
Mir answered without a moment's hesitation.
"Then do you really believe that the Barony broke the laws of the Empire and researched Black Magic?"
"No, the Empire probably held the trial to reduce the Barony's power since it was growing too large."
"Ayy, then the Barony will win! You dummy! God will be watching this trial!"
"..There is no God."
Mir spoke seriously.
"Dummy! How can there be no God when the Saintess-nim exists? And someone with a beautiful appearance like the Saintess-nim could definitely only be created by God!"
Mikhail, who had heard rumors praising the Saintess's beautiful appearance, said.
"The Saintess is just someone who knows herbs well and has outstanding faith... and there is definitely someone more beautiful than the Saintess."
In that moment, Mikhail quickly covered Mir's mouth.
"..! Hey! You'll get arrested if you say things like that!"
While Mikhail and Mir were talking, the match was also progressing.
As their swords clashed, the Barony's dueling proxy gradually began to be pushed back.
"Keueuk."
"Your skills are impressive for a knight of a Barony."
The Imperial Knight Commander said.
As soon as the Imperial Knight Commander finished speaking, the result of the duel was decided.
The winner was, naturally, the Imperial Knight Commander.
"Victory for the Imperial Knight Commander! In the name of God, the youngest son of the Barony, who researched Black Magic, is sentenced to death!"
The Judge-nim announced.
"Did the Barony really research Black Magic?"
The audience murmured amongst themselves.
"No! It's really not true, Judge-nim! I am truly being wronged!"
The Barony's youngest son cried out.
Of course, the Barony's youngest son had not actually researched Black Magic.
In fact, he was one of those people who felt disgusted by the very idea of Black Magic.
However, just as it had been in his past life, the truth didn't matter.
Simply because he had become an eyesore to the Emperor, the Baron's son had enough reason to die.
"Imperial Knight Commander, raise your sword and kill that man painfully!"
After the Judge-nim finished speaking, the Knight Commander's sword pierced the chest of the Barony's youngest son, and thus, the Baron's son died miserably, coughing up blood.
Seeing that sight, Mir made a resolution once again.
'I won't let Elena end up like that this time.'
In the past, Mir would have been angry at the death of the Baron's son first, but for some reason, this time, the thought that he had to protect Elena came to him first.
On the way home after the trial ended, Mikhail asked Mir.
"How did you know the Knight Commander would win?! To me, they looked really neck-and-neck!"
"In a duel between a Knight Commander meticulously raised by the Empire and a mere dueling proxy for a Barony, the result is obvious without even looking."
Mir answered as if it were nothing.
"You use your head a bit for a beggar, don't you? But that dueling proxy was really cool! Fighting while putting his life on the line for his master! I'm going to grow up and become a cool dueling proxy like that too!"
Mikhail said with sparkling eyes.
"..I want to become a dueling proxy now, too."
"Eh? Didn't you want to be a lawyer? You said you'd become a lawyer and protect people who were wronged!"
Mikhail, who had been friends with Mir since they were young, knew Mir's dream and couldn't contain his curiosity as he asked.
"Now there's someone I want to protect. I probably won't be able to protect that person by becoming a lawyer."
Mir said, thinking of Elena.
"Mir, you're a beggar, you dummy! How can a beggar become a knight or a dueling proxy?"
Mikhail said.
"I wonder. If God really exists like you said, wouldn't he grant my wish?"
"You said you don't believe in God!"
Mikhail, feeling a bit of petty jealousy that Mir now shared the same dream as him, said.
"Still, I'd like to try believing just this once."
As Mikhail and Mir finished their conversation, the two arrived at the village.
"Mikhail! Your mother told you to work, didn't she? Where have you been wandering around again? And Mir, I didn't think you'd be like this, how could you go off playing with Mikhail!"
Mikhail's mother said.
"We're sorry!!"
Mir and Mikhail shouted simultaneously.
Afterward, Mir recalled the swordsmanship he had learned while in his hut.
Unlike his past life, Mir in this life was at the young age of eleven, so it wasn't too late to learn swordsmanship. Since it was certain that even if he lacked talent, he could compensate for it with that much effort, Mir began to practice swordsmanship even harder with the sole thought of saving Elena.
Whether it rained or a drought brought heat, the sound of someone practicing swordsmanship could always be heard in the village.
Sometimes muscle pain tormented Mir, but even so, Mir's swordsmanship practice did not stop.
In just three months, Mir's skills improved rapidly.
Even at the age of eleven, he had the skill to easily defeat an adult male—that was Mir's current level.
'I must protect her this time.'
Mir thought.
On some days, Mir practiced his swordsmanship while thinking of the young lady who had turned into a handful of ash before his eyes.
On other days, Mir practiced his swordsmanship while thinking of his father, who had passed away after being falsely accused.
Mir's swordsmanship practice was solely for the purpose of becoming the dueling proxy for the Duchy, and no obstacle could stop him.
One day, while practicing his swordsmanship, Mir recalled a conversation he had when he first started learning swordsmanship from Behemoth in his past life.
"Just who is that girl that you're going this far?"
Behemoth asked, looking at the blood-covered Mir.
"She was someone I used to share stories with."
Mir answered that question as if it were nothing.
"Is just sharing stories a reason for you to risk your life to protect her?"
Behemoth confirmed once more, finding it absurd.
"We also ate meals together."
"Heo.. how ridiculous."
When Behemoth still couldn't believe it, Mir spoke softly.
"No, perhaps I was simply bewitched by Elena's appearance."
"Puhahat! Is that the reason you didn't fall for my daughter no matter how much she tempted you?"
"? Was that the case?"
Then, a murderous intent could be felt from behind the training grounds.
It was the murderous intent sent by Behemoth's daughter, and sensing it, Behemoth quickly wrapped up the conversation.
"Right, if that's the reason, it's worth risking your life. There's no magic as wicked as love, after all."
"Love is not magic."
"It's like magic."
"And I do not love the young lady. I am simply trying to get revenge for Elena because she died unfairly."
After that,
Mir thought once again.
What was he practicing swordsmanship so hard for?
Was it simply because he felt sorry for Elena?
Or was it because Elena overlapped with the image of his father?
Or was it really because Elena was a witch and had bewitched him?
Whatever the reason was, it didn't seem to be important to Mir right now.