Chapter 44
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Arkabella Duke's Residence (3)
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After spending time in the garden with them—a time full of affection in various senses—lunchtime arrived soon.
The lunch was held in a remarkably harmonious atmosphere, with everyone, including the Duke's family, gathered together.
Ah, of course, Lucia was sitting there with them too.
This could be seen, in a way, as future family members gathering.
...Of course, that aside, the Emperor, the Second Prince (the Crown Prince was simply excluded), and Yujin's family weren't there.
Just think of it as bringing his wives to visit her family.
"Hoho, I heard the Marquis is raising a puppy at the mansion. Is that true?"
The Duchess asked Yujin elegantly as she cut her steak.
A puppy...
'...I know what they're talking about.'
For now, he wasn't raising a puppy. Strictly speaking, it wasn't a puppy but a magic beast...
"Yes, Duchess."
What, it was a wolf-type magic beast, a Fenrir, and wolves were canines anyway, so it was a puppy.
"Hoho, so the rumor was true."
"...Rumor, you say?"
"Yes. Among the noble ladies, there's talk that Marquis Banus is raising a small, cute puppy."
"...Is that so."
What the heck.
Why was it circulating among the noble ladies?
'It's not something that needs to be hidden, though.'
As long as no one found out that "puppy" was a Fenrir, it was fine if rumors spread. Even if it came out that it was a Fenrir, the imperial family had already approved it, so there was no big issue.
However...
'I don't get why.'
...Why did rumors about me raising a puppy start in the first place...
'...Is there someone in the family leaking information?'
...In truth, neither the servants nor the knights had said a word; it was simply other nobles who had seen Silver Fang peeking out from Yujin's pocket, spreading it as gossip. But Yujin had no way of knowing that.
"What's the puppy's name?"
"Silver Fang. I named it that because its fur is white and soft."
"You seem to cherish the puppy quite a bit."
Yujin nodded readily.
It was a magic beast Fenrir he ended up raising unintentionally... but it was gentle and cute anyway. This was a secret from others, but he sometimes flipped it over and rubbed its belly.
"Hehe, the Marquis seems like he'd be a good father."
Twitch—
At the word "father," Lucia and Irene flinched simultaneously.
Irene, in particular, subtly rubbed her lower abdomen.
'...It wasn't a baby, but I did get a baby-maker.'
If she hadn't used contraception magic back then, would she have gotten pregnant? If so, they would've gone straight to marriage without question...
'...In the lewd novels sold in the markets, this is called a "pregnancy attack."'
Irene imagined herself with Yujin's child, her belly swollen, and blushed faintly at the ridiculous thought.
The Duke, interpreting it differently, narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Marquis."
"Yes, Duke."
The Duke, who had been quietly sitting at the table, suddenly called Yujin, drawing everyone's attention.
The Duke looked straight at Yujin with clear eyes and spoke.
"Let's cut the time-wasting and get straight to the point."
"Please speak."
All eyes focused on the Duke's mouth.
The Duchess wondered why her usually quiet husband was acting like this.
Irene secretly grabbed Yujin's hand under the table, worried her father might say something strange. Kal, the young Duke, and Jay, the second son, didn't think much of it.
Their father, as an archmage, rarely cared about others' opinions. He maintained noble dignity but said whatever came to mind on the spot.
"What is your relationship with my daughter?"
"...Father, Yujin and I—"
"Irene, be quiet."
Irene shut her mouth.
Yujin squeezed her hand and said confidently with unwavering eyes.
"Irene and I are in a deep relationship."
"A deep relationship... deep enough to promise a future?"
This was clearly talking about engagement, or even further, marriage. Yujin nodded firmly.
"Yes."
"......!!!!!!!"
"Hoho..."
"Ahem."
Whispers—
"...Brother, it looks like Marquis Banus is going to be our brother-in-law?"
"...Seems like it, little brother. Who would've thought our sister, who ruthlessly cut down every man approaching her at social gatherings, would blush like this."
As Kal and Jay said.
Irene was blushing. Her heart was pounding for no reason. So fiercely she worried everyone might hear it.
"Then what about Princess Lucia, who's by your side?"
To the Duke, Yujin seemed deeply involved with his daughter Irene, and quite deeply with Lucia as well.
'......'
Moreover, he had vaguely heard as much from the Emperor before.
...A duke's lady and now a princess. Normally, taking two highborn women at once was impossible. Anyone daring such arrogance would face ruin.
The Duke looked at Yujin with unreadable eyes.
'I wonder what you'll do.'
Do you have what it takes to take my daughter—and even the princess?
"Lucia and I are also in a deep relationship."
"...As deep as with my daughter?"
"Yes."
"...I see."
...
The table fell silent before long.
The two brothers of the Duke's family, the Duchess, Lucia, and Irene all watched the Duke anxiously. In that brief silence, Yujin quietly thought of the Emperor's letter in his bosom.
'...It'd be best if I resolve the engagement with my own power.'
It was a matter of pride as a man.
Finally, the Duke spoke.
"...Very well. But first, have a spar with me."
It was as good as permission. To others, it might seem like "Defeat me if you want my daughter!" but for Yujin, the spar was actually welcome.
Because,
'I'm confident I won't lose.'
No matter that the opponent was an archmage, he had no confidence in losing.
Before long, they moved to the Duke's family's large training ground.
The Duke's family, the mansion's mages and knights, and even the servants gathered at the news of a spar between Archmage Arkabella Duke and Sword Master Yujin.
The Duke and Yujin stood at the center of the pouring gazes, facing each other.
"The rules are simple. No lethal attacks. Everything else is allowed."
"What are the conditions for defeat?"
"That's simple too. Whoever admits defeat first, thinking they've lost, loses."
"……!!!!!!!"
"Gasp...!"
"......"
Everyone around swallowed in shock. Yujin smiled deeply at the Duke's manly proposal.
"I like this rule a lot."
"Shall we start right away?"
"Yes."
"We'll count down from three."
The two facing each other began drawing up mana, enough for anyone to notice. The mana emanating from their bodies vibrated the air.
"“Three.”"
Like territorial beasts, the two manas engulfed the training ground, clashing and devouring each other.
"“Two.”"
As tension peaked—
"“One.”"
—the spar began.
Jay, the second son of the Duke's family, was torn about whom to cheer for.
One was his father, the other his idol at the pinnacle of the swordsman's path and prospective brother-in-law.
But before he could dwell, the two clashed. Jay simply widened his eyes and focused on the spar.
The Duke attacked first. His specialty was the lightning magic passed down through the Arkabella Duke family. Rumor had it the Duke's lightning obliterated everything it struck, leaving not even dust, like divine punishment.
And such lightning targeted Yujin. Hundreds of bolts rained down on him simultaneously.
But Yujin at the center didn't twitch. As is, he'd be struck directly by the archmage's lightning.
Even Yujin would take considerable damage from a seasoned archmage's attack.
Just before impact, the sword in its sheath slightly unsheathed.
Clink—
In that instant, the world where the Duke stood warped.
As if slicing the world itself.
Craaaaaack———!!!!!!
The building was intact, but the world twisted like a crack had formed.
"….!!!!"
"Wha...!"
"...What did I just see?"
"...Impossible."
It was a bizarre sight incomprehensible to those not at that realm. Slicing the world—could a human truly do that?
...
'...This is a master.'
Jay murmured inwardly.
He didn't know the principle in that sword. But at a glance, he sensed it held a lofty truth beyond his comprehension.
Only one thing was clear: the pinnacle of slashing.
...
Meanwhile, Yujin and the Duke exchanged dozens of attacks.
Though mere seconds, as beings at a certain realm, they unleashed incomparable speed and power.
Once more, violet lightning poured toward Yujin from all directions.
Relentless, as if ensuring no escape.
Yujin chose to confront it head-on again, rather than dodge.
What he would do now: slash the mana.
Impossible normally, but with his senses honed to the extreme, Yujin could discern.
Natural mana from the mana controlled by the Duke.
A subtle difference, but in hellish battles where life hung on such margins, only Yujin could perceive it.
Finally,
Kaboooom—!!!!!!!!!
All lightning exploded.
"……!!"
The Duke's eyes widened at Yujin slashing his magic. Even as a master, to slash an archmage's spell...
Yujin charged toward the Duke at high speed.
'Damn!'
A situation where he might allow close approach.
The Duke flooded the training ground floor with currents.
Every step Yujin took transmitted his position to the Duke's mind in real-time, met with indiscriminate lightning.
However,
Slash—
With a sword beam, lightning exploded again. Visibility obscured by the blast.
The Duke seized the gap, launching hundreds of lightning spears.
Kaboomboom—
The overwhelming barrage filled the air, grazing Yujin's cheek. A line of blood, a wound on his face.
'Hard to dodge.'
The Duke's lightning spears moved irregularly from all directions, as if alive.
Movement restricted, approach blocked.
'Moreover, feels like my movements are being read in real-time.'
Probably from the currents still targeting him from the ground.
In that case,
"...I'll slash them all at once."
He couldn't use Annihilating Star Slash or Heaven-Splitting Ring. This spar wasn't for killing. Though the Duke's attacks seemed emotionally charged...
That wasn't important now.
Yujin murmured inwardly.
'Slash.'
Slash——
In an instant, all lightning spears and the currents on the ground scattered like explosions.
The Duke sensed Yujin's approach imminent. Both prepared their final attacks.
Finally—
"...Star Slash."
"...Thunder Spear."
Slash—
Kaaaaaaa———!!!
A roar filled the training ground with smoke.
As everyone watched in stunned awe, anxiously awaiting, the smoke cleared, revealing the result.
The Duke, looking at the sword at his throat, murmured calmly.
"...I lost."
It was the Duke's defeat by a hair's breadth.