05
05
Freddie Sirius thought.
'I thought he looked familiar... So he was that beggar bastard back then...'
To think that leaving without checking properly because Father rushed me would bite me back this hard.
'I was sure they died together like good little buddies...'
No matter how much he swung his fists and kicked him, the way a mere beggar bastard kept trying to protect her was so utterly ridiculous.
So I remember beating him up furiously with the intention of definitely killing him, but to think he survived.
'Ah... this is troublesome...'
The trial by combat?
'As if. What is there to fear from a beggar bastard like that?'
The hero who defeated the Lich King?
'Don't make me laugh. Making a fuss over just getting lucky and taking down a single undead.'
As expected, it was a mediocre monster.
Otherwise, there is no way it would fall to a lowly beggar bastard like him.
Then why was Freddie troubled?
'That is... obviously because of Bathory...'
— L-Lies...
— Freddie-orabeoni... It's not true, right...?
He thought his younger sister's shocked face was charming in its own way.
However, it was troublesome.
He had always wanted to remain a righteous and strong brother to her...
His most embarrassing period, the time he least wanted revealed, had been caught out.
He contemplated for a moment whether to flatly deny it.
However, Freddie chose silence instead of denial.
'Because I can't lie to my beloved younger sister.'
And besides.
Was there really any need for him to deny it with his own mouth?
His impressive eldest brother would surely step up on his behalf anyway.
— Bathory. There is no way Freddie would do such a thing. This is a frame-up.
Just as expected.
Franz denied it completely, just as anticipated.
As the Grand Duke's eldest son of Sirius attending the banquet in their father's place, he couldn't let the family's honor be damaged.
He couldn't help but think choosing silence was the right decision.
Furthermore, since that bastard ran his mouth surprisingly well afterward, keeping his own mouth shut clumsily was truly the correct choice.
Above all.
'Ah... Bathory...'
Yes, my beloved younger sister.
— There must be a misunderstanding!
Wasn't it wonderful to see Bathory believing in me until the very end?
His brothers, the wolves.
His younger sister raised her voice for no one else but him alone.
However.
— Young Lady, will you shut that mouth of yours?
Though it pained his heart that a beggar bastard dared to speak such nasty words to his younger sister.
'Bathory's face surprised by harsh words is truly turn... no, cute.'
Choosing silence was indeed the right choice.
However, he couldn't just keep staying still like this.
"Get out here already, you son of a bitch."
Because the beggar bastard kept trying to climb all over him like this without end.
'Fine, I'll kill you just as you wish.'
If he was lucky enough to survive, he should have just laid low somewhere and lived quietly.
Daring to not even know his place and making a scene about getting revenge was truly ridiculous.
'Just because he got lucky and caught one undead, he thinks he's hot shit.'
Freddie Sirius.
He is one of only ten Sword Masters in the Empire.
'He seems unaware that I'm the strongest person right after Father and the old Sword Saint geezer.'
As expected of a lowly beggar bastard.
It seems he didn't even do proper prior investigation.
'Well, even better. This is a great opportunity to show Bathory my greatness.'
He would cut the fellow down with a single strike.
After that, his brothers would take care of tidying things up.
That a crazy commoner got drunk on being promoted to a noble, lost his mind, attacked a Sirius young lord without knowing his place, and died.
The people in today's banquet hall would remember it like that.
'Though explaining it to Bathory later might be a bit of a headache...'
Since she is a kind-hearted and fragile girl.
He should be able to get past it smoothly enough.
It was at that moment when Freddie was thinking so.
"Just a moment, Count-nim...!"
Bathory shouted loudly once again.
At this, Roy swept back his hair in annoyance and let out a sigh.
"Haa... Young Lady, is it you again? I believe I explicitly told you not to butt in."
"Please don't be like that, and please think about it just once more! Regardless of the truth, something like this isn't right!"
"Regardless of the truth...? Isn't right...?"
Roy's eyes narrowed at Bathory's words.
"Who are you to judge right from wrong? Don't you see the Saint-nim over there staying quiet without saying a word? So please, Young Lady, shut up as well."
"Count-nim! Please don't do this, calm down a bit, and think it over again."
"Haha... Oh brother... I am not excited in the slightest, so there is no need to calm down. Furthermore, I have already thought about it countless times for a very long time."
"Then please look at my face and think about it just once more!"
"Excuse me...?"
Roy doubted his own ears.
What kind of thought process in her brain led to those words?
From his perspective, he couldn't comprehend it at all.
"Young Lady, excuse me? What did you just say?"
"I asked you to please look at my face and think about it just once more!"
"Haha... Man, seriously..."
Roy, rather than feeling relief that his ears were fine, was so dumbfounded by Bathory's words that he involuntarily turned his head in one direction.
Unconsciously, toward Sion's direction.
'No, Roy. Why are you looking at me?'
Although Sion did not show it on the outside at all, she was equally dumbfounded and flabbergasted by Bathory's words.
'Don't tell me he looked at me because he thinks I'm a woman too...?'
For a moment, she felt a mixture of feeling somehow pleased yet displeased.
'At least he does see me as a woman.'
'But the same as that thing...?'
"..."
Sion, who suddenly felt annoyed.
Hwik!
She immediately snapped her head away.
However, to convey one thing clearly to him, she mouthed briefly without sound.
'I don't know.'
'Haha... Wow... how cold... No, wait. In the first place, getting advice from Sion in this situation doesn't make sense.'
Well, in truth, the thing that made the least sense was.
The pink-haired Young Lady right in front of his eyes.
Realizing that fact belatedly, Roy barely collected himself and spoke again.
"Hey, Young Lady. Are you per chance hitting on me right now?"
"H-Hitting on you? What does that...!"
"I mean, otherwise, asking me to think again for the sake of your face—what else is this if not a honey trap?"
"A h-honey trap!? I, I was just..."
"Just what? Who on earth are you?"
"I, I am...!"
Just when Bathory couldn't find the words to answer.
"Bathory, that's enough."
Freddie finally opened his mouth.
"Freddie-orabeoni?"
"I'm sorry. You're suffering a lot because of your pathetic oppa."
"Don't tell me, orabeoni! Are you planning to duel the Count-nim?"
"Since that fellow wants it so badly, it can't be helped. His Majesty has also ordered it, so I have no choice."
"Freddie-orabeoni, no!"
Bathory wrapped her arms around Freddie's arm as he tried to pass by and held him back.
At this, the corners of Freddie's mouth curled up subtly.
Ssik—
However, Bathory didn't notice at all.
Because her head was filled only with the thought that she had to stop the fight.
"Orabeoni! Please tell me. Is what Count-nim said really true?"
"Bathory..."
"I-If it's true... No, even if it was a misunderstanding, please apologize here first!"
"What...?"
This time, Freddie doubted his own ears.
Apologize? To whom?
To an insect like that...?
Freddie had no choice but to naturally wear a dazed expression.
At this.
"Puhahat!!!"
Roy burst out laughing loudly.
"Man... wow... really amazing. Hey there, Young Lady Bathory."
"W-Wait a moment, Count-nim! Now that Freddie-orabeoni is going to apologize..."
"Apology, my foot. There is no need for it at all. Even if Young Lord Freddie licks my feet and begs, I have no intention of stopping the duel."
"You... what did you just say...?"
"What did I say? Get out here already, you son of a bitch."
"Ha... This bastard...!"
Unable to contain himself at Roy's provocation, Freddie tried to rush out to the center of the banquet hall.
"Freddie-orabeoni...!"
Because Bathory was holding on to him with all her might, he could not take a step.
No, in fact, he could have easily brushed off her weak strength, but...
Ssik—
Because as an older brother he couldn't ignore his younger sister's call, he hesitated for a moment.
At the sight of Freddie curling up the corners of his mouth like that.
"Ha... This bastard is a real headache..."
Roy let out a scoff, dumbfounded.
At this, Bathory appealed to him once again.
"Count-nim! Please calm down! It's an incident that already happened ten years ago!"
"Already ten years? Are you joking with me right now?"
"O-Of course not! Of course I know that the sorrow of losing someone precious isn't easily erased! But please let go of your anger and forgive him. Then your mind will be at peace!"
"Ha...! At peace?"
"Yes, it will feel much lighter! And above all! Your deceased noona wouldn't want Count-nim to do this either— Kyaaaaak!!!"
Bathory couldn't finish her words properly and screamed.
Why?
Kwaaaaaang—!
Because a loud explosion that felt like tearing her ears apart cut off her words.
""!!!""
Everyone in the banquet hall couldn't hide their shock.
Because centered around Roy, the floor had caved in like a crater as if a small meteorite had fallen.
"Young Lady. Shut up."
"C-Count-nim..."
"I told you to shut up."
"Ah... ah..."
When Roy glared at her fiercely, Bathory lost all strength in her legs and collapsed onto the floor on the spot.
For her, who was even weaker than an ordinary person, there was no way she could fully withstand his murder intent, so it was a natural outcome.
"Hey. How many times do I have to say it for you to understand?"
Roy's red eyes turned toward Freddie.
"Get out here already, you son of a bitch."
"..."
Freddie, far from stepping out, actually began backing away.
The sight of the brother who had been proudly stepping forward just moments ago to look good in front of his younger sister had completely vanished without a trace.
The intuition of a Sword Master.
No, his survival instinct as a living creature warned him.
Never oppose that guy.
'F-Fuck! What is this...?!'
It was a situation where curses naturally spilled out.
And it could only be so.
Because an intense wave of aura erupted madly from Roy's body.
Generally, the realm where one can coat a sword with clear aura is called a Sword Master.
Then what should one call the realm of wrapping one's entire body in such brilliant aura?
An absolute master of the sword, of which there are only a few even if searching across the entire continent, not just the Empire.
Grand Sword Master.
Nothing else could be thought of besides that.
'D-Don't bullshit me! It makes no sense for a beggar bastard like this to even be a regular Sword Master, but a Grand Sword Master...?!'
Then doesn't that mean he's at least on par with Father?
Therefore.
"W-Wait a moment...!"
Freddie didn't even dare to think of fighting back.
"I, I was wrong...!"
Without caring about face or prestige, he tried to apologize to Roy immediately.
However, hadn't Roy spoken clearly?
That even if he licked his feet and begged, he had no intention of going easy on him.
"Ha..."
A scoff broke out from Roy's mouth.
'To a pathetic dumbass like this... No, wait...'
There was no time for idle thoughts.
Hadn't it dragged on long enough already?
"Your Majesty, may I begin the duel now?"
Roy turned toward Empel and asked.
At this, the Emperor asked back with a face that seemed to say 'what are you talking about?'.
"Hmm... We granted permission long ago?"
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Roy bowed politely to Empel once, and then.
"Get over here, you son of a bitch."
He immediately reached out his hand toward Freddie.
Then, as if drawn by a magnet.
Kwak—!
"Keoheok—!?"
Freddie's neck was grabbed directly in Roy's hand.
"Keok! Keoheoeok!?"
The fellow struggled to break free somehow, but could not budge in the slightest.
"Don't worry. I won't kill you right away."
Kwaaaaang—!
The ground, which was already caved in, dug down even deeper.
"I'll give back exactly what you did ten years ago... no, even more than that."
"Kggeueuk...! W-Wait a second, I was wrong...!"
Freddie even reached out his hand to beg, but naturally Roy had no intention of listening.
Just as he was about to drive his fist into that disgusting face.
"Count-nim, please stop!"
Bathory cut in once again.
"Count-nim, revenge yields nothing! Besides, my orabeoni is apologizing for being wrong right now, isn't he? So please, forgiveness...!"
She appealed.
Regardless of the truth, out of the thought that if left like this, she might truly lose her beloved brother.
However.
Roy did not answer Bathory's words.
He simply.
Drove his fist straight down.
Peoeok—!
Right into Freddie's face.
With that single hit.
Kwajigeun—!
"Aaaaaak—!"
The face that young ladies praised as a handsome young lord was completely crushed.
At this.
"Kyaaaak! Freddie-orabeoni!? N-No! Stop! Stooop! Count-nim, please stop!!!"
Bathory screamed at the top of her lungs and even begged, but.
Peok!
"Keok!"
Peoeok—!
"Keoheok!"
Peoeok—!
"Kggeuaaak!"
Roy's fists showed no sign of stopping at all.
Wasn't it obvious?
He had endured for a whole ten years.
For this very moment.
Therefore.
Even if she were the protagonist of this world.
He would never stop.