Duel
Recently, all sorts of rumors had been heating up among the cadets of Rutra.
Rutra was, after all, an academy where every kind of talent in the Empire gathered. But at its core, it was still a place where teenagers came together, and that meant gossip never stopped flowing.
In most years, the talk would have centered on high-born cadets or dazzling prodigies. But this year, one particular person had become the center of everyone’s attention for a variety of reasons.
Sian.
An orphan who had grown up without parents, and a boy who had made his living as a mercenary—someone who killed others without hesitation if the price was right.
How shocked everyone had been when he entered Rutra with near-top marks.
But not long after Sian enrolled, word spread about his background, and the looks turned from awe to jealousy.
The reason he always scored so well in swordsmanship class had to be that filthy experience of cutting people down without a care while wandering battlefields. And his weakness in etiquette, something noble cadets knew better than breathing itself, had to be because he was some street rat, born and raised in the gutters—
At first, that was how they had managed to endure him at all. But by now, even the people who had spread those rumors were beginning to believe them.
And then, whether their malicious efforts had finally borne fruit, or whether one of the great lords of Rutra simply disliked the idea of a lowborn mercenary pushing down noble cadets, at last a piece of news arrived that they would all welcome with open arms.
The duel between Sian and Eli!
According to the rumor, the imperial family itself had been so disturbed by the filthy gossip surrounding Sian that they had arranged this duel personally, if only to determine whether the boy was guilty or innocent.
Honestly, if that was the purpose, there could hardly be a more perfect way to settle it.
No matter how skilled he might be at swinging a sword, it was still only the swordsmanship of a contemptible mercenary.
If he displayed that sort of thing before everyone, they were certain his ugly, bottom-feeding nature would show through at once.
Above all else, the fact that Sian’s opponent was the famous Eli made them even happier.
"The sword genius recognized even by Duke Orphega!"
Duke Orphega was one of only seven Masters in the Empire, a superhuman known as both the Empire’s guardian and the Sword Saint.
Unfortunately, the duke’s swordsmanship was something no one else in the world could learn.
That was because the duke’s style had been forged from Orphega’s own talent, making it so profound and difficult that even most geniuses could scarcely make sense of it.
Just when it seemed no heir to Duke Orphega would ever appear, everything changed.
Six months ago, a girl named Eli had suddenly appeared.
To everyone’s surprise, Eli had succeeded in mastering Duke Orphega’s swordsmanship, something no one else had ever learned.
- If this child completes my swordsmanship, I will make her my successor.
And so Duke Orphega had gone so far as to choose Eli, a girl from who-knew-where, an orphan who had apparently rolled her way out of nowhere, as a candidate to be his heir.
To be honest, when Duke Orphega made that declaration, the other cadets didn’t even feel jealousy.
Jealousy only existed when the gap was within reason. At that point, the difference was so overwhelming that all they could feel was awe.
Besides, if the duke whom even the Emperor addressed with honorifics had chosen Eli as his heir candidate, then no one could dare treat her carelessly out of fear of the duke alone.
And now, that Eli and Sian were going to duel.
No matter the details, once those two hot topics that had been setting Rutra ablaze were set to fight, the cadets began talking about it at every opportunity.
“If those two duel, who do you think wins?”
“Obviously Eli. She’s only had six months, and already she’s among the best first-years.”
“But Sian’s got some skill too, doesn’t he? He’s been a mercenary all over the place, so at least he’s decent with a sword.”
“Decent? Please. He probably only learned some cheap mercenary mana training method and a bargain-bin sword style. You really think some rootless trash like that is the same as Duke Orphega’s swordsmanship?”
“From the start, Sian’s just a bastard who used his younger sisters as stepping stones to get into Rutra. If he’d taken the exam honestly like the rest of us, he wouldn’t even be standing here.”
“Well, to be fair, it’s not impossible that Sian could win. He can just run to his sister the night before and beg her to let him win once.”
And in the end, all the cadets laughed at Sian and said the same thing.
It was impossible for someone like Sian, who had sneaked into Rutra through cowardly tricks, to defeat Eli, the genius of the sword.
At last, they would all get to watch Sian reveal exactly how low he really was before being expelled in disgrace.
But the few people who knew his true nature, and the level his sword had truly reached, were quietly considering the possibility that Eli might lose.
And as for Sian himself, the subject of all this talk, he was certain of one thing.
I can win.
He believed that even if his opponent was Eli, he wouldn’t be pushed around too badly.
This duel was one he had every chance of winning.
****
Before long, a week passed quickly, and the day of the duel between me and Eli finally arrived.
The inner training grounds, which usually drew no attention except from cadets practicing swordsmanship, were already packed with people.
I guessed they had gathered after hearing that Eli and I were going to duel, just to watch the show.
“More accurately, they’re probably here to see you lose.”
Cartesia, standing beside me, giggled as she said that, and I couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter myself.
“For some reason, I feel like I’ve become a popular guy.”
“If you get beaten up by Eli today, you’ll get even more popular.”
She wasn’t wrong. Looking at the eyes of the crowd over there, it was obvious they hadn’t come to cheer me on.
Of course, my younger sisters were all here as well to watch the duel.
Sepia, with her usual unreadable expression. Lobelia and Letitia, both wearing faint smiles. And Eli, looking openly displeased.
I briefly considered going over to greet them, since they were family, but decided against it.
They already seemed to dislike me, so if I went over and tried to act familiar, they probably wouldn’t be very pleased.
“You really still think of them as family after the way they treat you? Honestly, you’re something else.”
Perhaps she had noticed what I was thinking, because Cartesia clicked her tongue and looked at me.
“Even so, we are family. And judging by Letitia’s behavior last time, it doesn’t seem like they hate me that much…”
“No, that’s not what I mean—ugh, forget it. What am I even supposed to say to you?”
Cartesia looked at me with a more dissatisfied expression than usual and let out a light sigh.
“Right now, don’t think about anything else. Just win the duel. If you lose, or if you go easy on her because she’s your younger sister, I’ll really kill you. Got it?”
“Yeah, got it. Thanks for worrying about me.”
“...Worrying? Please. As if.”
Whether she really was worried, Cartesia lowered her face, her cheeks oddly flushed red.
Leaving her behind, I walked to the center of the training grounds.
“Then, since both sides appear ready, let us begin the duel.”
Ordinarily, a cadet duel didn’t require a supervisor. Most of them never involved life and death, and most participants weren’t capable enough for that anyway.
But both I and Eli possessed enough skill to kill an opponent by “accident,” and above all, today’s duel was meant to prove my abilities before everyone’s eyes, so the swordsmanship professor had come personally as referee.
“First-year A Class, Eli.”
“Yes.”
“And likewise, first-year A Class, Sian.”
“Yes.”
“Whatever the reason, you two have agreed to settle this through a duel. This is not about extracting something from the other as the prize for victory, but a rite intended to demonstrate your respective abilities before everyone here. Do your utmost, so that no regrets remain.”
And just as the swordsmanship professor took a step back and was about to declare the duel officially begun—
“Professor.”
Eli raised a hand, her face wearing an expression that looked as though she’d just swallowed a sigh.
“I’m sorry, but I won’t be taking part in today’s duel myself.”
“...You won’t be taking part?”
“Yes. Rather than fulfilling the duel’s obligation directly... I would like my proxy to take that duty in my place.”
At Eli’s words, the swordsmanship instructor tilted his head.
“Then who is this proxy who intends to stand in for you today, Eli?”
“I am, Professor.”
Along with Eli’s words, a man strolled lazily forward in front of me.
“I’d like to fight Sian as Eli’s representative. Would you permit it?”
That figure was none other than Crown Prince Ricardo.
Even as he spoke, he made no attempt to hide the fierce glare aimed at me.
I didn’t know why, but the crown prince now wanted to serve as Eli’s proxy and fight me himself.