The Arena for the Duel
The executives all bowed their heads and answered.
“We understand.”
“Clear all the wagons around the camp!”
“…Yes, understood.”
One of the executives, Renato, answered in a flat tone.
The subordinate who frequently came and went in the open wagon asked, “Why? Are you regretful?”
“Ah, no. I’ll do exactly as you said.”
“After we catch and kill the knight, then we drink and enjoy the women!”
“Yes, understood!”
“And no matter what, turn over every inch of the surrounding land and dig up more bodies!”
“Yes!”
Klaus waved his hand and dismissed the subordinates.
“Everyone out!”
The subordinates bowed and filed out in a wave. Klaus slammed the table again with a furious bang while alone.
This time the table legs really did tilt.
“You damnable knight! Killing my subordinates right in front of my house! I’ll tear you limb from limb!”
Klaus ignored the tilted table and burned only with fury over Ion.
·
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For three days he hadn’t seen a single mercenary.
‘It looks like they were forbidden to leave.’
The mercenaries’ corpses had been discovered, after all.
The mercenaries would also have heard that over thirty of their own were dead, so they’d be terrified. And their leaders wouldn’t leave it alone.
‘At this rate it won’t be easy.’
This much was more than enough to weaken the opponent’s strength and break their morale.
No, he’d done even more than that—enough that people might confuse him with a knight or an assassin.
People didn’t know that knights never hunt from behind.
Knights prized principles and honor—that much was true.
But whether principles or honor came first was different for each person. For Ion it was principles.
Trying to take revenge on a man who had legally killed highway bandits wasn’t just an act of principle; it wasn’t honorable either.
If his family had been involved it would be different, but putting a bounty on his head and sending subordinates was no principle at all.
Blindly seeking out such an enemy and challenging them to a duel was no honor; it was simply foolish.
At the very least, that was how Ion saw it.
The enemy had already crossed the line; there was no need for him to respect it.
Especially with a large group like the Kval Mercenary Band.
But that chapter was closed. Now it was time to fight beneath a clear sky.
Early morning, he returned to Marina’s wagon.
Wagons were being moved, so many supply wagons had been packed up.
Only the open wagon remained untouched, as if it had nowhere left to go.
“You’re here.”
Ion handed Marina two silver coins.
“You look like you’re about to leave.”
“The captain said everyone was to leave. We’ll pack up and go as soon as it’s light.”
“I see.”
“By the way, you’re not curious about where I’m going?”
Ion wasn’t really curious, but Marina asked with wide eyes, so he answered.
“Where are you going?”
“Back to Gorzi Estate. I was there originally. If you come to Kulugi, stop by.”
“I’ll do that.”
Ion answered, lay down, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.
He woke after a short rest, and once again Marina was staring at his sleeping face.
“Why do you keep staring at me while I sleep?”
“I got paid, so I want to do something.”
“Is that something for me?”
Marina shook her head and gave a sly smile.
“No. It’s for my own satisfaction. I enjoy watching people sleep.”
“That my face is entertaining is fortunate.”
Marina laughed and asked, “Where are you going, sir knight?”
“I’m waiting for the mercenary captain on the plain of the road to Gorzi Estate.”
“Waiting?”
“Tell him to meet at the plain three days from now and settle it.”
“M-me?”
Ion looked at Marina’s surprise and nodded.
And he took the duel envelope from his pocket.
Though grandly named the Duelground, it was only a sheet of paper inside an envelope.
Ion placed the envelope and a silver coin on the bed, then stood.
“Deliver this and tell the mercenaries everything I’ve been doing here and collect the payment. You can refuse if you want.”
“…”
“Then I’ll be going.”
Ion left the wagon, leaving Marina alone with the envelope in obvious confusion.
Of course the silver was already in his pocket.
·
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Morning.
Ian and Lotte arrived at the hidden spot in the remote mountain pass.
A secluded hollow had been fenced with wooden stakes, and the entrance was hidden by leaves and branches.
Over the past days Ion had been regularly visiting Gorzi Estate while hunting mercenaries, buying plenty of food for Ian and Lotte to eat.
The pair had grown plump from eating so much while he was away.
When Ion opened the hidden entrance, Lotte wagged her tail furiously, thinking he was bringing food.
He stroked her head, then gave her a small piece of dried meat.
“Today we’ll have enough of this. Let’s go outside.”
Ion put on the armor he had removed and strapped the mace to Ian’s saddlebags.
There would be mounted combat ahead.
Mounted combat wasn’t just lance-fighting between knights on horseback.
When a mounted knight had to face infantry charging with spears and swords, a mace was second only to a lance in usefulness.
Especially this mace, which had proven useful against the highway bandit Frederick; the feeling was good.
Ion mounted Ian and slowly descended the mountain path toward the plain of Gorzi Estate.
·
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“Who brought this?”
Inside the commander’s tent, Klaus sat in a bear-fur chair and scowled at a letter envelope in his hand.
In front of him stood Daniel, who answered.
“A woman named Marina from the open wagon brought it.”
“Do you know her?”
“A pretty woman who accepts one silver coin. She’s popular.”
“She was hiding in the open wagon? She hid in a place where you wouldn’t normally search.”
Klaus checked the envelope.
No seal, only sealed with melted wax.
He pressed the wax to break it open and read the letter.
Klaus gave a short laugh.
“This man says he’ll meet me on the plain of Gorzi three days from now—a duel challenge.”
“It doesn’t say to come alone, does it?”
“Only the place, time, and the word ‘duel.’”
“Then it’s a knight, coming alone, so he probably wants to fight in a place where it’s easy to run away on horseback.”
Klaus tapped the chair armrest and thought.
“How far do I have to go?”
“Are you going personally?”
“I’m considering it. Is he trying to lure me or does he really want to fight? I can’t tell.”
“If it’s a lure, you think he’ll attack here while the captain isn’t around?”
Klaus nodded.
“Our supplies would suffer badly if even a fire broke out, so we have to be careful.”
“Would he really do that?”
“Though he’s a knight, he’s the kind of man who’s buried my subordinates like an assassin. He’ll do anything to win.”
“Ah, I see.”
“To know about that man, you have to hear what someone who met him has to say. First, bring me the woman he talked to.”
“Yes. She’s in the tent right next door.”
Daniel left the tent and returned with Marina.
Marina wore a low-cut woman’s tunic that showed a lot of skin and a cloak without a hood.
“I am Marina.”
Klaus gestured to Daniel, who was laughing beside her.
Daniel left with a sigh.
Klaus asked the standing Marina, “What kind of man is this knight named Ion?”
Marina thought for a moment and answered.
“He didn’t say much, but he was blunt yet decent.”
“Tell me more.”
“He’s young, but he doesn’t look especially young.”
“Nothing about that. Um… did he hug you?”
“No. He just slept beside me.”
“Hmph… a young man pays you money and sleeps beside a beauty like you and just sleeps?”
Klaus looked her up and down.
“That kind of man is either unable to act like a man or has a strong heart that resists temptation. If it’s the latter, he’s a scary man.”
“…”
“You’ve dealt with many people, so you’ll have an eye for it. Think about it again with that standard. In your opinion, what kind of man is he?”
“…”
Marina thought deeper for a moment, then answered uncertainly.
“He seems to have a slightly strange side.”
“Why do you think that?”
“He told me it was all right to tell people, and he slept. He said the envelope didn’t need to be delivered, yet he told me to tell the mercenaries to collect payment. That’s strange—go or don’t go?”
“Is that all?”
“Yes. I didn’t talk to him much, so I don’t know.”
“Not much help.”
Klaus frowned.
“I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t really expect much anyway…”
Klaus muttered to himself and looked at Marina again.
“One silver coin?”
“Yes?”
“This isn’t a wagon; isn’t there work to do?”
Marina smiled slyly.
“No. I can work anytime.”
·
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Evening.
Ion had moved and slipped into the woods with Lotte for a while, catching three rabbits in quick succession using Lotte to flush them out.
Normally a wolf would devour a rabbit whole before it could even pull the fur. Lotte waited until Ion skinned the rabbits.
Because you could only eat one whole rabbit after removing the skin.
Ion threw one skinned rabbit to Lotte.
Lotte wagged her tail wildly and crunched into the live rabbit.
Ion built a fire and skewered the rabbits’ innards on sticks to roast.
Lotte finished one rabbit in an instant, licked the blood from her mouth, and waited for the meat to cook.
Ion glanced at Lotte while roasting and gave a short laugh.
“You want me to eat raw meat and serve you cooked meat too? You always eat more than I do.”
Lotte poked his arm with her nose as if urging him.
“Just a little longer. It’s not cooked yet.”
Hearing that, Lotte rested her chin on Ion’s leg and watched the roasting rabbit skewers with her eyes.
A moment later, as the meat roasted and fat dripped, drool fell from Lotte’s mouth.
He took the cooked skewers, let them cool, and threw them to her.
While watching Lotte carefully tear the rabbit meat without burning her tongue, Ion also tore off a piece and ate.
After satisfying himself quickly, Lotte yawned, leaned against Ion’s knee, and fell asleep. Ion stroked her head and leaned against a tree.
“What kind of reaction will the person who received the duelground show?”
Fighting the mercenary captain one-on-one would be best, but the chance was small.
Whether they came in a group or alone, they would handle it calmly.
While thinking, he stopped stroking. Lotte poked his hand with her nose.
She wanted to be stroked until she fell asleep.
“Alright. I get it. I don’t need to worry; I’ll find out when the time comes.”
Ion stroked Lotte’s head and back until she fell into a satisfied sleep.
·
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Early the next morning.
The stockade gate of the Kval Mercenary Band camp opened.
Dozens of mercenaries lined up outside, escorted on both sides by twenty infantry holding long spears and a line of cavalry on horseback.
The infantry and cavalry walked slowly in step.
At the rear, the Kval executives—Daniel, Julio, and Renato—rode on horseback and followed slowly.
Among the three, Renato asked Daniel, “Do we really have to go this far just to kill one knight?”
“I don’t know exactly how strong he is. But since he killed Frederick one-on-one, he’s strong.”
“Even so, the numbers are too many.”
Renato seemed annoyed that they were going to fight Ion at all.
Daniel smiled and said, “Once we handle this one, your favorite supply wagons will return.”
“What? Just tell me. Then let’s hurry up.”
The executives chatted lightly while leading the mercenaries.
In the commander’s tent, where half the mercenaries had left, there was a meeting table, a bear-fur chair, and a separate partition.
Inside the partition was a wide bed.
On the bed lay Klaus, covered in coarse hair like a beard, rough like all over his body.
Beside him, nude Marina rested her head on his arm.
“You don’t have to go yourself?”
“Haha, my subordinates will handle him on their own.”
“I see. I’m sorry. I’m worried because I don’t know about fighting.”
“And the knight might attack here, so I have to stay back.”
“Here?”
“Yes. The knight might have lied to you. He might be trying to confuse my judgment by sending you.”
“Has my judgment been confused?”
Klaus laughed at Marina’s question.
“Haha, I like women, but I don’t let them do that. Especially…”
“For a woman like me who sells her body, you’d be even more so.”
“Why are you hurt?”
“No. I don’t get hurt that easily.”
“Haha, I thought so.”
Klaus pulled his arm from under Marina and sat up.
Marina covered herself with the blanket and sat.
“Are you getting up?”
Klaus stood from the bed, put on the clothes thrown on the floor, and said, “Yes. I’ve lain here too long. When you leave, take as much as you want from the table’s pockets.”
“Can I take everything?”
“Do as you like.”
Klaus put on the tunic, grabbed his sword, and left the tent.
Marina stood, dressed hurriedly, and left too.
On the table, an open money pouch sat with silver coins spilling out.
Marina grabbed a handful of silver, let it drop, and left only five coins.
“This is enough.”
She tucked the silver into her pocket, draped the cloak, and went out of the tent.