Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Beating the Bastard
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The day I leave the family.
The farewell party was planned to be modest.
Gathering only with those who love me, early in the morning.
In other words, I planned to sneak out alone at 3 a.m., when Bendel was at its quietest.
Those not invited to the farewell party might express belated regret, crying out [The bastard ran away!].
I don't care.
We're not going to see each other again anyway.
What else? Form a pursuit team or something?
Just because one bastard disappeared?
It'd be like calling pest control because a cockroach crawled out the window.
Thus, the bastard's farewell from the family was set to be very shy and wistful.
"Say it once more."
"I said I'm leaving the family."
The plan changed.
Suddenly, the thought struck me.
Why.
Why do I have to sneak away like a fugitive?
I haven't committed any crime.
The reality is that everyone in Bendel expresses their discomfort with my existence without restraint.
In such a situation, if I voluntarily disappear? Isn't that basically me being considerate?
If they have any conscience or affection, they should at least write a heartfelt letter.
And above all—
I wanted to make it clear.
There was unfinished business that needed to be properly tied up with this man.
"... "
The family head quickly lost interest and averted his gaze from me.
Turning back to his desk, he showed me the top of his head.
To this man, the bastard's declaration of leaving home was less shocking than the brief interruption of his work.
"You've gotten ideas because of Roera."
"?"
Suddenly, my little sister's name came up out of nowhere.
"It was possible because it was Roera. Leaving the family's embrace without anyone's help and standing tall on your own. And thus, not only raising yourself but even elevating the family name."
I wondered what he was suddenly talking about.
Apparently, the family head had interpreted my declaration of leaving as meaning I'd go out like Roera and make a name for myself.
"I understand what you're trying to say."
"Then withdraw."
I didn't back down and stared straight at the top of the family head's head.
As my gaze crossed with the family head's crown, it felt like sparks flew.
"If the marriage with Diltan goes through, we'll consider improving your treatment."
His voice, drier than usual, reached me then.
"... "
I let out an involuntary chuckle.
Considering improving my treatment, no less.
It was the kind of thing you rarely heard from the family head.
If it were me before awakening to my past life memories, wouldn't I have been thrilled like a kid getting a Christmas present?
"So refrain from any more reckless behavior."
The family head interpreted my hollow laugh that way and unilaterally ended the conversation.
This is why people need to make eye contact when talking.
The exchange between the family head's crown and my eyes was this shallow.
I pondered.
How to convey the difficult news that the bastard had hit puberty to the family head.
"Ah."
Maybe because he just mentioned Roera.
Roera suddenly came to mind.
There was a time when Roera, like me, had sought the family head's permission to leave and live outside.
Words wouldn't get through to Roera.
So the family head, intending to make her give up, made one proposal.
—If you win a spar against one of our family's apprentice knights, I'll permit your departure.
—But if you lose, from then on, you must approach Bendel Style instruction with a more serious attitude.
—What say you?
Roera accepted without hesitation.
And in front of the entire family, she defeated the apprentice knight.
With her own swordsmanship, not the Bendel Style.
I remember the family head's complex expression as he looked at Roera that day.
I remember him ultimately pleased at confirming his daughter's outstanding talent.
I'm curious.
What if Roera were replaced by the bastard there—what reaction would the family head have?
There's no guarantee the bastard would defeat a Bendel apprentice knight.
To be precise, it's not just no guarantee—the odds of defeat are overwhelmingly higher.
Apprentice knights are veterans at least at the 3rd rank.
"Family head."
But I had my own ace up my sleeve.
"Give me the same chance as Roera."
"I clearly told you. Refrain from more reckless behavior. You're disappointing me."
"The spar with the apprentice knight that Roera did. I want to do it too."
"... "
Only then did the family head raise his head and look at me.
Bendel trainees' mornings start as early as the mansion's servants.
Here, at the training grounds in front of the main building.
Trainees normally have no schedule more important than training, but today was an exception.
No one was swinging a sword.
Everyone had gathered in a corner of the training grounds, counting the moments until someone arrived.
"A duel between 'Young Master' Rishir and Humton? Is this even plausible? I don't get it."
"You think you're the only one? Who does?"
"Humton must be suffering..."
"Humton? Humton? Hey. Humton's one of us too. Grab any apprentice knight right now, and 'Young Master' Rishir would take them down easily."
"What nonsense are you spouting? Get out of trainee mentality."
"Exactly. It won't even need to go to apprentices—it'll end among us trainees."
"Hey, even so. Rishir 'Young Master' is still a Bendel."
"Fine, then. If you had to bet between Rishir 'Young Master' and Malcolm in a duel, who?"
"Ask the obvious. Of course—... Hey, just so you know. Malcolm and I are tight."
"Ah. Our friend Malcolm. Who could hate that guy? If Rishir 'Young Master' dueled Malcolm, we'd all know better but bet on Malcolm anyway. Right?"
"Heh heh heh."
A bastard dueling an apprentice knight!
The outrageously stimulating news spread through the entire Bendel mansion in an instant.
Everyone in the Bendel mansion headed to the spectacle.
Even the servants who should be as busy as the trainees at this hour.
"Isn't Young Master Rishir acting weird lately?"
"I don't know, seems fine to me."
"I kinda don't like Young Master Rishir. How to put it... He's especially prickly with us."
"I heard from other houses that it's common between those types."
"Those types?"
"You know. Bastards."
"Ah..."
"Even low nobles get looked down on, so they take out their resentment on those below them."
"Tsk. Makes sense."
"Really? That's weird... He was kind to me..."
"Me too. He was super friendly with me! First noble like that I've seen."
"Technically not a noble, though..."
"You newbies don't know. Back in the day, Young Master Rishir was so sensitive."
"Huh? He was different before?"
"...Well, he's changed a bit lately."
"What do I do... I can't watch..."
"I hope Young Master Rishir wins."
Most servants rooted for Rishir.
They liked the young master who'd become more affable lately, for some change of heart.
And because they were complete laymen when it came to swordsmanship.
"Hey, Rowen. What do I do about this? Give me some advice."
"Why ask me?"
"Why? You had something similar before."
"That? Was that even real? Hey. My opponent was Lady Roera. Not some bastard who's never properly learned the sword."
A group of apprentice knights occupying one spot.
Their mood was starkly different from the excited onlookers treating it as a spectacle.
Most of them viewed the duel itself skeptically.
"Just go easy, real easy. Okay? Don't hurt him needlessly. He's a bastard, but still Bendel."
Their attitude toward Rishir differed greatly from the trainees'.
They had no choice—most were sons of other noble houses.
Lower rank than Bendel perhaps, but their blood was pure.
Their innate noble dignity was clearly above a bastard's.
At his colleagues' words, Humton—the apprentice knight set to duel Rishir—sighed deeply and scratched his blocky head.
With an unmistakably annoyed face, he said,
"Anyway, what's this about? What wind blew that dutiful Young Master Rishir into causing this commotion?"
"Trying to impress Miss Dintal?"
"Ah. Plausible."
"But to impress your fiancée, don't you need to show off cool moves? Who wants their fiancée seeing them get thoroughly thrashed?"
"Did the family head say anything? Like go easy?"
"Yeah. Gotta polish the dusty merchandise a bit."
"Nah?"
"What?"
"Said don't hold back and go all out?"
"...Heh. No idea what he's thinking."
"Like father, like son."
"Crazy bastard. If you said that in front of the family head—"
That was when.
"Hey, he's here! Coming!"
"My god. For real? A real duel with an apprentice knight?"
The bastard appeared on the training grounds.
The training grounds truly began to buzz.
Soon after, Diltan's family head and Bendel's family head appeared.
The noisy training grounds fell silent in an instant, leaving only suffocating tension.
Originally, Bendel's family head Idor had two options.
Betroth his youngest daughter Roera to Diltan's eldest son Kalan.
Betroth the bastard Rishir to Diltan's youngest Fienne.
The option Idor preferred was the first.
From the family's perspective, marrying off the youngest daughter to settle a debt was more beneficial than sending the bastard as a son-in-law and incurring one.
Even from a father's view, it was the same.
He held considerable expectations of finally seeing his wild daughter mature through marriage.
—We've carefully reviewed Lord Bendel's proposal.
—And?
—...However, regrettably, we must decline.
—May I ask the reason?
—Our daughter stubbornly refused no matter what.
—The daughter... you mean Miss Fienne?
—Yes. I don't know what happened, but she seems thoroughly smitten with young Rishir.
—Heh...
—Apparently, she got lost once while visiting Haeren here long ago. Rishir treated her very kindly then, and she's harbored feelings since.
...That was why Bendel only tolerated Rishir's room.
A young girl's feelings in her prime ignite over trifles and cool over trifles.
If she saw Rishir defeated in front of all these people, Diltan's young lady's rose-tinted glasses would shatter.
"Daddy!"
It was just before the duel began.
Roera approached Idor and spoke in a scolding tone.
"Is this for real!? You know this, Daddy! No, you know it better than anyone! Rishir struggles even against trainees, let alone an apprentice knight!"
"It was Rishir's request."
"You know that's not what I mean!!! The rumors are already everywhere! The bastard imitating a Bendel lady!!! If he loses here, you know how it'll affect Rishir's face—"
"Roera."
"...!"
It was rare.
Idor faced her not as a kind father, but as the stern family head.
"It's family business."
"... "
Kwachak.
A menacing sound leaked from Roera's clenched fist, but she ultimately said nothing.
No matter how wild she was, she couldn't defy Family Head Idor's authority in such a public setting.
"...And this is also to grant your request."
After grasping Idor's brief words, Roera bowed her head weakly.
"Duelists, take your positions."
At the family head's command, the two combatants stood facing each other on the training grounds.
Thirty paces apart.
"Ha..."
The burly short-haired man facing the bastard.
Apprentice Knight Humton had to struggle not to let his displeasure show to the family head.
What the hell is this...
He was just as unhappy about dueling Rishir.
Knight's revere strength.
And honor.
Dueling Rishir—a bastard and sword novice—gained Humton nothing.
Moreover, Humton even felt humiliated by the situation.
"Young Master Rishir."
"Yes, Humton."
The grounds were vast.
They conversed at a volume only they could hear.
"Is it true? That this duel came from your own wish."
"So it happened."
"That you yourself nominated an apprentice knight as opponent, is that true?"
"So it happened."
"That it would be an insult to us Bendel apprentice knights in itself. Did that not occur to you?"
"Does it?"
"Think from an adult's position who must take a child seriously."
"If facing a child, I at least have confidence I won't lose."
"What the..."
"Are both ready?"
The two nodded.
"Then begin."
The duel started.
Humton swung his sword this way and that to loosen up.
Wooduk.
Wooduk.
Menacing sounds came from his thick arms.
He said lowly,
"I'll yield the first move."
It wasn't some final conscience.
Wouldn't it look better to subdue a charging bastard than unilaterally beat him down?
"Then gladly. Oh, before we truly start, may I clarify one thing? As I understand, in a standard duel, all techniques and actions, including Bendel Style swordsmanship, are permitted. Am I correct?"
"Whatever, show your full ability, Young Master Rishir~."
Humton sneered unwittingly.
Coming from a bastard with no real skills to boast, it was laughable.
"A pleasant answer."
The bastard gripped his sword and stepped forward.
Closing the distance gradually.
Some apprentice knights and trainees hurriedly turned away.
That utterly clumsy footwork, that utterly clumsy approach.
They nearly burst out laughing.
"... "
Humton knew without looking.
His seniors, peers, juniors—all watching his duel and holding back laughs.
Aduduk.
Jeobuk.
Having yielded first move, Humton finally stepped forward.
No stance. No footwork.
Using techniques against such a guy would be shameful.
It was like an adult going to scold a child.
"... "
Rishir's eyes gleamed.
He corrected his stance and put more power into his legs.
Tadadadak—
Like a cavalryman, Rishir charged at Humton gripping his sword overhand.
Overhead strike.
Rishir's first blow.
"Damn it."
Humton muttered, unable to hold back his frustration.
Never mind the awful stance.
With this much distance left, taking such a huge posture?
It was like jesting to strike any vital spot he wanted.
Humton wanted to oblige, but that would leave the poor bastard crippled.
Humton ultimately took no stance.
Just swinging the sword in his right hand with full force would suffice.
That alone would make the bastard drop his sword and tumble pathetically.
Thus, precisely measuring distance unlike Rishir, just as Humton was about to swing—
Rishir dropped his sword.
To be exact, he released power from his left hand holding the sword.
To unleash what he'd stored within.
Thwuk!
With a dull thud, Humton's face snapped back sharply.
"!?"
Humton grasped the situation moments later.
Falling to the ground, he spotted the iron marble beside him.
The bullet that had flown like a shot and smashed his forehead.
Before he knew it, Rishir's sword was at Humton's throat.
Humton screamed in rage
"How dare you pull such tricks in a duel!!!"
He was a timid bastard.
At least in Humton's memory.
Yet that bastard smirked slyly and retorted.
"I clearly clarified it before the duel started, didn't I?"
"Y-You—pathetic!!!"
The pride knights and mages hold for their calling is immense.
Even though Rishir was a bastard, Humton had shown minimal courtesy because he knew Rishir tried to earn Bendel's recognition.
Yet using magic out of nowhere in a duel?
This soiled not just himself, but Bendel's name.
"A Bendel— a so-called Bendel—have you no shred of pride!?"
"Why would I be a Bendel?"
"...?"
A deflated counterquestion.
An unimaginable reaction and answer.
Humton's blazing fury was extinguished with ridiculous ease.
His bloodshot eyes blinked repeatedly.
"Never in my life has 'Bendel' been attached to my name."
"No—"
"And swordsmanship? Teach me something first before talking about brewing liquor with swords or pouring it."
"... "
"You laughed at my stance too. Ah. It's fine. No intention of complaining. I laugh sometimes looking in the mirror trying to fix it."
"... "
The apprentice knight merely blinked vacantly.
The bastard describing his own plight sought neither understanding nor pity.
Just smirking like sharing a ridiculous, pathetic joke.
It was behavior utterly outside Humton's mindset.
The bastard extended a hand to the apprentice knight.
The apprentice knight took it as if entranced.
Then the bastard raised the gripped hand high.
"I got lucky. I did well too."
With a hearty smile showing no shadow of doubt.
"... "
Everyone in the audience wore the same face as Humton.