Enemies Meet on the Battlefield
The knights of the Theodor Holy Empire were invincible. The descendants of steel should never be challenged on the open plains. It was an unwritten rule painted over the corpses of countless soldiers trampled under the hooves of knightly orders.
Lances and longswords cloaked in blue mana. Full plate armor enchanted with countless defensive and auxiliary spells. And the courage armed with loyalty to the empire and faith in the one true god. The knightly orders were the gods of war.
The arrogant nobles of the Holy Empire praised the undefeated knightly orders in pompous tones. For their feats—charging headlong through barrages of arrows and cannon fire to pierce the enemy's center—evoked the image of legendary heroes from myth.
"Young master! Scout reports say... they've spotted Kailun on the nearest front!"
"This is our chance to tear that traitor limb from limb!"
"For the pride and honor of House Kreuz, you must kill the traitor and reclaim the White Night Sword Albrus, Young Master Zikfried!"
The knights of House Kreuz shouted in outrage. A perfectly natural reaction. A mongrel had trampled the Sword Duke's prestige. And he'd committed the unpardonable sin of ambushing the knights tasked with guarding the White Night Sword Albrus.
The noble-born knights slain by the traitor had been precious brothers-in-arms. That's why the knights of House Kreuz burned with murderous intent, vowing to rip him apart.
"Of course! I'll return to Sankturia with the traitor's head and the White Night Sword in my hands! To meet Father's expectations... and to lift Linde from her despair."
They say absolute crisis breeds absolute opportunity. Spot on. This was the perfect chance.
A chance to shove aside his scheming half-brothers eyeing his heir position and reclaim Father's trust. A chance to sweep away his romantic rivals and monopolize the beautiful Lorelei's affections.
I'm the rightful heir to the Sword Duke, chosen by the one true god—a noble pureblood! Once is enough for the humiliation of a lifetime... I'll slaughter every filthy colonial mongrel and march back to the capital.
There was no fear or anxiety. The endless column of knights promised total victory. The ground shook under heavy footfalls. Flags emblazoned with house crests fluttered. Sturdy weapons and armor gleamed imposingly in the sunlight. A host worthy of the one true god.
Invincible under heaven—that's what they called the Holy Empire's legions.
"Young master, urgent news!"
"What is it?"
"The Mercenary King leading the colonial empire's host has mobilized! They're bypassing the main battlefield to strike at Sankturia. The Infantry Palace says they'll block the Mercenary King's invasion!"
"Typical sneaky mercenary scum, specialized in dirty tricks—going for the rear. But with the Infantry Palace leading the knights out, we can ignore the Sankturia front!"
Zikfried's forces boasted seven thousand strong—knights and cavalry of House Kreuz, plus Kasian von Eternar, the young master of the Red Tower, escorting the artillery mage battalion famed for devastating barrages. Enough to crush a petty duchy in one go.
Thanks to devouring the achievements Kailun had piled up like a worm eating an apple, he'd been appointed legion commander. The Sword Duke's heir brazenly prepared to march, eager to flaunt his prowess.
"Advance to the front! Time to shake the name of House Kreuz!"
How long had they waited? The signal to advance dropped. The Kreuz knights and Red Tower artillery mages, trailing the Holy Empire's main force, joined the front lines.
The Eisenreich Colonial Empire's supreme commander facing them across the vast plain was the Executor of the Eastern Front who slew Magal Palace Helian von Sargus in the First Colonial Empire-Holy Empire War: Leonora Elua Edelgard. The beauty with flowing silver hair appeared under knightly escort.
And—
"Zikfried and Kasian! I heard the Sword Duke's heir and the Red Tower's young master joined this siege... but to think you're still alive after losing your retainers' lives and the White Night Sword and Black Star Sword Morion. Truly astonishingly shameless young masters."
"Kailun! I'll tear your limbs off while you're still screaming!!"
The black-haired youth waved one hand dismissively as he shouted. No mistaking it. How could he forget the voice of his mortal enemy? Zikfried unleashed a mana-amplified roar laced with killing intent.
Kasian reacted the same upon reuniting with his archfoe. He gripped his staff—mounted with a deep blue magic crystal—with both hands, ready to rain wide-area bombardment spells.
* * *
True to his bold declaration in the propaganda war, Kailun rode out armed with the White Night Sword and Black Star Sword.
The Sword Duke's heir and Red Tower's young master, witnessing their mage-blades stolen by a third-rate noble, awaited only the supreme commander's order. They endured a moment of utter hellish humiliation.
Black propaganda exposed across the front. Their heir status and legitimacy hanging by a thread. Endless mockery and condemnation from nobles sneering at the Steel Lorelei behind their backs.
I'll end you for good.
Rage and hatred churned sword and spell.
"Kailun von Valtenstein requests a formal duel."
"A lowly third-rate noble like you...! Fine, I accept! I'll cut the traitor's breath short in one stroke!!"
Kailun threw down the gauntlet first. A duel. A mongrel demanding a duel. Zikfried ground his teeth and accepted.
The Eastern Front Executor nodded readily, permitting Kailun's sortie. Even Helman of Heavenly Scorpion Palace, the Holy Empire's supreme commander, granted Zikfried and Kasian a chance to reclaim pride and honor.
"I hear you've reached peak Expert. Mastery right around the corner?"
"A mongrel like you couldn't dream of it."
Peak Expert. Not an exaggeration to say he was on the verge of Mastery. Fitting for the Sword Duke's eldest—the prodigy with unparalleled talent.
The romance fantasy sub-male-lead protagonist. Handsome and innately gifted, as expected.
Kailun, who called for the duel, sheathed the White Night Sword and Black Star Sword on his saddle and drew new blades, taunting both Zikfried and Kasian at once.
"Come at me, you brainless Kreuz brat."
"Shut your mouth, filthy mongrel!"
After breaking from the main forces of the colonial empire and Holy Empire, they reached the battlefield's heart. For an honorable duel.
Valtenstein's detachment faced off against House Kreuz's knights.
"Kailun!!"
Zikfried struck first. True to his genius at peak realm, he unleashed sword aura blazing like sulfurous hellfire. The mana blade surging along his massive zweihänder evoked a beast's fangs.
Some of us rolled in the mud like dogs for years to hit Advanced... while this guy romanced the heroine at the academy and hit Peak? Fucking unfair. Goddamn romance fantasy buffs.
Kailun, by contrast, was Advanced Expert. Impressive in itself. Pure self-taught effort to reach Advanced, no mentors.
Talent aplenty. He could hit Peak someday. If he survived the Peak blade fueled by fury and hate.
Creeeeak—!!
A massive zweihänder against dual longswords. Blue blades clashed head-on.
Kailun and Zikfried shifted stances, swinging wildly.
"Raaaggghhh!!"
Zikfried, gripping his zweihänder, bellowed and pressed Kailun. Pouring mana through both hands, he seemed ready to bisect the dual-wielding Kailun.
Shhrrk—.
The zweihänder's blade slid off. Kailun had fluidly parried Zikfried's strike.
Creeeck-crack—!!
The deflected longsword slashed Zikfried's armor. But the mark was shallower than expected. No surprise. Layers of defensive and auxiliary spells. Zikfried's plate was near-mage-blade defenses.
No fairness in a pureblood-mongrel duel. The zweihänder and armor's spells compensated for Zikfried's mana and stamina drain—proof the fight was rigged from the start.
"Filthy battlefield rat with your tricks...! Think they'll work forever?!"
"Tricks? It's called skill, pretty boy."
Creeak—!Creeeck-crack—!!
Chain slashes and thrusts. Relentless assault. Each longsword swing whipped up gale-force winds.
As Kailun unleashed gales, fine, web-like sword marks spiderwebbed the fortress-like armor.
Reduced to a bait bull, Zikfried swung his zweihänder repeatedly, menacing Kailun.
"Kgh!"
The zweihänder shredded Kailun's shoulder guard. Simultaneously, a longsword tip grazed Zikfried's nape by a hair.
"Prepare bombardment spells. Hit them the moment Zikfried pulls back."
"Understood, Young Master."
Even to the Red Tower's layman young master, the duel showed a vast skill gap. Kasian ordered his mages to prepare for contingencies.
But Kailun reacted faster. Pressing Zikfried, he mounted up and abandoned the duel.
"Pretty boy, go home and suckle some more milk."
Valtenstein's knights wheeled their mounts and fled. Swift, no hesitation—pre-planned retreat.
"You fucking dog! Kailun von Valtenstein, you goddamn mutt—!!"
He'd halted the duel and fled. Overwhelmed with petty tricks. Blood trickled from his nape. His armor was battered junk. Kailun and his men left only mocking dust clouds.
"Pursue them! We'll sweep away the coward who fled a formal duel, the traitor who betrayed the Holy Empire, and his rabble!!"
"No, Zikfried! It's Kailun's deception!"
"What worry in open plains? Our knights, worth a hundred each, will catch them in a flash!"
"……!"
Chase them to the gates of hell. Punish the cowards who quit the duel. Wiping the blood from his nape, he ordered full pursuit.