Chapter 3: Dammit, Dying Like That (3)
Chapter 3: Dammit, Dying Like That (3)
Five years later.
Patrick Schneider was now ten years old.
Though he was only ten, his physical development was so remarkable that he easily looked fourteen.
It was this impressively grown Patrick whom Baron Schneider summoned.
"Father, you called for me?"
"Ah, you're here?"
When Patrick opened the door to the office, he found Baron Schneider looking up at him from amidst a mountain of paperwork.
A proud smile momentarily flickered across the Baron's face as he looked at his son.
Who would believe this boy is only ten? He’s a born knight.
Seeing Patrick, who stood a full head taller than his peers, brought a faint smile to the Baron's lips.
However, today, he also felt a sense of concern.
"Sir Erickson spoke to me."
"That bastard?"
"……."
"He’s got a death wish."
The look on Patrick’s face as he mentioned Brian was far from pleasant.
Patrick hadn't liked Brian from the start, but the more he learned about the state of the territory, the more he despised the man's existence.
Seeing this, Baron Schneider let out a deep sigh.
"He says it’s time for you to begin your training. As a noble and the heir to a family of knights, shouldn't you start holding a sword now?"
"Hahaha… I see. So…"
Patrick continued, a smile on his face even as the veins on his forehead began to bulge.
"That bastard 'ordered' his lord—my father—to 'call' me out for training? Is that what you're saying?"
"……."
My son is so twisted.
How could he interpret a single sentence so cynically?
Baron Schneider couldn't help but sigh again.
In truth, the bad blood between Patrick and Brian wasn't a recent development. For the past few years, the two had growled at each other every time they crossed paths.
It was almost comical to see a grown knight and a child not even ten years old in such open conflict, but when those two were the sole heir and the sole knight of the territory, the situation became quite serious.
Up until now, the Baron could overlook it because of Patrick's young age.
However, as Patrick grew, the problem only intensified.
Baron Schneider sighed and asked, "Just why are you so at odds with Sir Erickson?"
"Because that bastard is—"
Patrick bit his lip, cutting himself off. He then spoke with a look of pure dissatisfaction.
"Anyway, I just don't like him."
"Hahaha…"
It was a headache for Baron Schneider. His only heir loathed the territory's only knight so blatantly.
He steeled his resolve and spoke firmly.
"Son. In my view, Sir Erickson is right this time. You must begin your training."
"Under someone weaker than me?"
"Haha… Hahaha…"
Baron Schneider just laughed it off.
Patrick had been saying things like this for a few years now.
—Father, I am stronger than Brian. Why should I learn from an inferior?
He had been saying this since he was about seven. Naturally, no one believed him. They simply took it as the typical bluster and bravado of a child.
But Patrick was ten now. It was becoming difficult to dismiss it as mere childhood vanity.
At ten, shouldn't he be able to distinguish reality from fantasy?
Baron Schneider decided to be firm. He felt he could no longer indulge his son's whims.
"Son, do you truly believe you are stronger than Sir Erickson?"
"It’s not a belief, it’s a fact."
"Then, would you care to duel Sir Erickson? In front of all the soldiers of the territory?"
The Baron expected his son to be flustered and back down at such a threat. But…
"Oh? Really? I can beat the shit out of him?"
"If you're scared… wait, what?"
"You mean it, right? I can legally beat his ass?"
"……."
His son spoke with a look of pure joy, as if he had been waiting for this exact moment.
Was he serious?
Was this kid actually serious?
Baron Schneider was flustered. Just as he was thinking, This isn't how this was supposed to go, Patrick spoke up.
"When should we do it? Now?"
"No, ahem, first I must ask Sir Erickson for his thoughts."
"Why does that bastard's opinion matter? You're his lord, Father. If you tell him to do it, he has to do it, right?"
"……."
In principle, that was true. It was true, but…
"Still, that's not how things are done."
"Actually, that's exactly how they're done."
Patrick spoke with an exasperated expression.
This was the problem. This right here…
Do I have some kind of weird luck that only attracts pushovers? My master in my past life was like this, and now my father… why are people so soft?
Regardless, now wasn't the time to explain. He doubted they would listen anyway.
From Patrick's perspective, this was an opportunity.
"I've held back for ten years. That's long enough."
It was finally time to start moving.
People didn't know. They had no idea what kind of monster had been steadily building its strength over the last ten years in this remote Schneider territory.
* * *
"Ahem, so that’s how it turned out."
"Hooo… so you're saying I should actually duel him?"
"That is the case."
Baron Schneider spoke with a sigh. Brian looked back at him with an incredulous expression.
"My Lord. Are you truly alright with this?"
"What choice do I have?"
"……."
"Perhaps it’s for the best. It’s time the boy learned some sense."
The reason Baron Schneider said this was because he assumed Brian would go easy on the boy during the duel.
Naturally, a 2-Star Knight dueling a ten-year-old child was absurd. He would obviously hold back, wouldn't he?
However, there was one thing Baron Schneider didn't know.
I’m going to give him the lesson of a lifetime.
Brian genuinely disliked Patrick.
He was the only knight in this territory. Even his lord, Baron Schneider, treated him with respect.
Yet Patrick, who was merely the Baron's son and not even the lord himself, had been scowling at him and picking fights for years.
[Tsk, tsk, tsk. Look at that pathetic swing.]
[We actually have to pay a guy like that? Is my father the Guanyin Bodhisattva or something?]
[What? Why? You got a problem? Wanna go?]
[You little brat, how dare you speak to an adult like that. Fix that look in your eyes!]
The level of provocation had long since crossed the line of mere childhood mischief.
In all my life, I’ve never seen such an insolent brat.
Still, he was the Baron's son. Though he wanted to break the boy's legs, Brian had endured and endured.
But if it was a duel officially sanctioned by the Lord, the story changed.
"Indeed, the Young Lord needs to learn how the world works."
"Yes, quite."
Baron Schneider spoke with stern eyes.
"Fix my foolish son's attitude."
"I shall carry out your command."
Sir Erickson will know how to handle it appropriately.
I won't leave any lasting injuries. But I will carve fear into his very bones. So deep that he’ll never be able to lift his head toward me again.
Thus, they shared the same space but dreamt very different dreams.
Or perhaps it should be called three different dreams?
"He's dead."
Patrick muttered, clenching his fist as he made a firm vow of his own.
* * *
The day of the duel.
The time and place were set for late at night at the training grounds, when no one else would be around.
Originally, Baron Schneider’s plan was to have his son come to his senses by losing in front of everyone. However…
[My Lord, if the soldiers see a 2-Star Knight like myself dueling the Young Lord, it could negatively impact military morale.]
Brian’s words had caused him to revise the plan.
He was right, after all. A duel between a ten-year-old boy and a 2-Star Knight? It was nonsensical.
So, the Baron followed Brian's suggestion without a hint of suspicion.
Sir Erickson is quite thoughtful.
While the Baron thought this, Brian was thinking something else entirely.
It would be hard to brutally thrash the heir in front of everyone. But here… hehehehe.
Having finished his preparations, Brian spoke to Patrick.
"Young Lord. Are you ready?"
"Why make such a big deal out of 'preparations'? Let's just get on with it."
"Hahaha. I see. 'Get on with it,' indeed."
Get ready to get on with your beating, you arrogant brat.
Brian thought as he raised his wooden sword.
Patrick also picked up his weapons, but…
"Dual swords? You intend to use two blades?"
"Yeah. Why? Is that not allowed?"
"It’s not that it’s not allowed. Hahaha…"
Dual swordsmanship.
It was a style rarely seen across the entire continent. Most continental swordsmen preferred wielding a greatsword with two hands for power, or a sword in one hand and a shield in the other for balance between offense and defense.
Those were the two most popular styles; dual wielding was practically non-existent in reality.
Holding a longsword in one hand made it difficult to put power behind strikes, and without a shield, defense became arduous. Above all, swinging two swords simultaneously was an extremely difficult technique.
If you swung them simply, there was no point in using two; if you swung them in complex patterns, the blades would often collide and get in each other's way.
In short, dual swordsmanship was a notoriously difficult style to master.
There’s no way he knows that. He’s just doing it because it looks cool. Tsk, all style and no substance.
Brian vowed to knock the soul out of this insolent Young Lord.
Taking his stance, he spoke with a relaxed, confident smile.
"Well then, come at me, Young Lord."
"You want me to go first?"
"Yes."
"Really? You're sure about that?"
"Hahaha. Are you afraid?"
"…Tsk, can't be helped then. Here I come, Sir Erickson."
"Yes. Come."
"I'm really coming."
"I told you to— Gah!"
WHACK!
At that moment, Brian felt two things.
One was an impact that felt like his skull was splitting open.
The other was the sight of the ground rising up like a wave to swallow him.
And then, a moment later, he heard it.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You couldn't even block it after I warned you. What am I going to do with you? Honestly."
It was Patrick’s crooked voice, looking down at him with pity.
* * *
What did I just see?
Baron Schneider, the sole witness to this duel, stood with his jaw dropped.
If someone were to take a rubbing of his face right now, it would serve as the perfect specimen for 'the expression of utter shock.'
But who could blame him?
His knight.
Had been struck down by a ten-year-old.
And with a single blow, no less.
Actually, he wasn't even sure if it was a single blow. To the Baron's eyes, Patrick's body had blurred and vanished, and the next thing he knew, the wooden sword was already planted on Brian's crown.
They had been over five meters apart, yet he had no idea how Patrick had closed the distance or how he had attacked.
"This is impossible…"
Just as Baron Schneider was trying to deny reality, Brian staggered to his feet.
"Ugh… Young Lord."
"What?"
"Were you… hiding your skills?"
"What? When did I ever do that?"
"That’s… huh?"
Only then did Brian realize.
Over the past few years…
[Sir Erickson, shall I teach you a move or two?]
[I told you, I’m stronger than you.]
[Look at that training. It’s driving me crazy. Truly crazy.]
[Sword resonance? You act so high and mighty as a 2-Star Knight, but is this the best you can do? This?]
The countless things Patrick had said to him, and those stinging, pitiful looks he had given him.
Come to think of it, he had always said it. He had always said he was stronger.
Looking at the dazed Brian, Patrick spoke.
"If you have a conscience, tell me. When did I ever hide my skills? Hmm?"
"……."
It was a strange thing. He had a mouth, but he had no words to say.