Duel Before the Guest Pavilion

Before the guest pavilion of the imperial palace. Anyone daring to cause a ruckus in the empire's imperial palace should normally be dragged off by the imperial guards without delay, but Riten Count had been called the empire's greatest knight before I showed up. He was one of the empire's top ten counts and a key figure in the noble faction, with a solid position throughout the empire.

No matter how badly I'd beaten him on the battlefield, the way his eyes were rolling back like that was purely due to the novel's setting. The backstory was that he'd taken a bad hit to the groin during the thrashing I gave him, leaving him half-castrated. Thanks to that, Riten Count suffered from severe erectile dysfunction. The trash protagonist spread rumors about it across the entire empire, and since Riten hadn't married yet, his wedding prospects became a distant dream. No father ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠would send his daughter off to marry an eunuch, no matter how skilled or well-positioned the man was.

That's why his eyes were flipping out like that.

Empire nobles were gathering.

Rumble rumble.

"Riten Count's finally here for revenge, huh? Even so, storming the palace—His Majesty might fly into a rage."

"If you'd lost your precious jewels to insubordination on the battlefield, how would you feel?"

"You'd want revenge even in the royal presence."

"Exactly! Riten Count's marriage prospects got blocked because of Viscount Aron. Come to think of it, he blocks everyone's path to the altar, men and women alike."

The nobles clicked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠their tongues in sympathy.

Imperial palace knights were assembling too. Since this was a duel between the empire's top figures, it was prime entertainment—and the knights hoped to glean hints on reaching the Master realm.

A massive crowd swelled around the guest pavilion. Nearly all the empire's high officials were there, and even the emperor had stepped out onto the terrace to watch. His lack of intervention meant he'd tacitly approved our duel.

"Auron Blaine!"

"Oh, it's the eunuch bastard."

"You scum! You've ruined my life! I've gritted my teeth and waited for this day!"

"Do we really have to go this far? I'm about to head north on His Majesty's orders as the commander of the northern subjugation army, no less. Who'll wipe out the giants if I die?"

"If you die, I'll take responsibility and do it myself! So stick out your neck nicely!"

The fact that he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wasn't spewing more insults meant he was holding back quite a bit. If I'd been castrated, I'd have done the same to him and then shattered his limbs.

But pulling that off wasn't easy, either.

"Even so, a duel in the palace? You're a true traitor! Drawing your sword with His Majesty right here? I can't forgive such disloyalty!"

"You mad bastard! Enough with the bullshit excuses!"

Idiot. No matter how pissed you are, you need a pretext. Instead of challenging me to a duel out of nowhere, he should've brought up my insubordination from a year ago and demanded judgment. That would've been smarter.

This was a clear blunder.

Hmm, but losing his precious bits does make the eye-rolling understandable.

"Jeez, losing that thing must've changed your personality too."

I picked at my ear. Whispers rose around us: "Classic Auron Blaine!" "Hasn't changed a bit!"

Why was I doing this? Bonus time for the gods.

I'd realized how crucial karma was, and the more I riled them up, the more I could squeeze out.

So I was provoking people a little extra.

The gods started reacting.

As expected, the gods were anticipating something. I figured I could steer the story now, but that mythical substance called karma made it impossible. Getting stronger fast was best. The gods had chosen me, but there was no guarantee Odin didn't have his own champion.

"You dog! Draw your sword! It's a duel! You gonna refuse a sacred knight's challenge?!"

"A plain duel would be boring. Logically, killing someone in the palace is high treason. You're banking on that, barging in here to make a scene!"

Riten trembled violently. He was probably summoning superhuman patience right now.

"Damn it! So what do you want?!"

"A wager duel sounds fun."

"A wager duel?!"

"If I lose, kill me or whatever. If you lose, tomorrow wear what I specify and jog around the capital for an hour. No covering your manhood, though. You're a eunuch anyway—no need, right?"

"Uwaaaaaah!"

"Milord! Don't take the bait! He hasn't agreed. A duel without consent is illegal!"

The count's knights were barely holding him back.

Let's check the gods' reactions.

They were biting. The gods would shower karma or perks based on tomorrow's punishment.

There were plenty of ways to farm karma without slaughtering enemies.

"Those are the duel terms. Even if we duel, you won't kill me, so I need something out of it. You challenged the commander heading out on His Majesty's northern subjugation—surely you're prepared for that much?"

I kept dragging the emperor into it. The old protagonist never bothered with pretexts, rampaging freely. But even for vile acts, you needed minimal justification. To avoid making the whole empire your enemy, you had to fabricate a bit. That's why the protagonist holding a barony was a plot hole.

"What's it gonna be?"

"Fine! I accept!"

"Swear on your knight's honor to this duel. You shout 'start' first, and we begin. Agreed?"

"Agreed! Start!"

Shweeeeeek!

In that instant, I launched forward. Before, I'd charged with brute force alone, but now I could wield Master-level mana, even if beginner-tier. He'd lost even when I couldn't use mana. With it now? No contest.

Riten thrust his sword; I smacked it away with a fist aura.

Clang!

"Hurk!"

"That's impossible! Smashing sword aura with fist aura? When did Viscount Aron become a Master?!"

"He was untouchable before—now he's invincible!"

Gasps of awe mixed with despairing resignation echoed everywhere. Riten had been dubbed the empire's top Master, so his body was tough. I lightly punched his chest.

Kuwaaaang!

"Keok!"

Puhahaha!

Riten spewed blood as he flew back. I scratched my head.

"What, that weak?"

Noble faction side. Latos Duke's eyes nearly popped out. As prime minister, he was also an imperial knight. Empire nobles favored swordsmanship over magic, so he could follow the duel perfectly.

Auron Blaine was the first human proven to crush mana-wielding knights with raw power alone. He'd built his fame ripping them apart with absurd strength.

But even so, he hadn't expected Riten Count—who'd tasted Grand Master territory—to crumble so pathetically.

"Cough! Cough!"

Riten kept vomiting blood. Then came the devil's laughter.

"Hahaha! You haven't changed a bit. Thought you could win by charging? Pathetic. Admit defeat and shake that cocoon tomorrow! Rumor has it yours is so tiny, you'd be better off cutting it off. Now we'll all see for ourselves. That small? Might've been better gone. You're hopeless anyway—too tiny to satisfy a lady."

"Gaaaah!"

Riten's eyes rolled back again as he charged.

Nobles protested to Latos Duke.

"Prime Minister! Riten could end up crippled!"

"Mm."

"You must stop it!"

Intervening now would mean officially admitting defeat for Riten. But stopping it might earn his resentment.

Pak!

"Gaaaah!"

Pubuk! Pubuk!

"Kweeeek!"

The duel devolved into a beating. True to his trash reputation, Auron mercilessly pummeled the count. Rank differences aside, it was still a duel—and since Riten wouldn't concede, it wasn't officially assault.

"Heh heh, give up yet, eunuch?"

"Kill me! Just kill me, you bastard!"

"Fine, guess I'll make you a cripple who can't hold a sword ever again."

As Auron raised his fist—

"Stoooop!"

Latos Duke had no choice but to step in. Riten was screaming bloody murder, blood tears streaming from burst veins in his eyes.

True Auron Blaine.

Latos ground his teeth.

"Riten Count lost. Stop."

"Haha! Then the duke takes responsibility for tomorrow's penalty."

"So be it."

"Alright, we're done."

"Heh, Auron Blaine stirred up trouble again."

"Hm, Riten started it."

"Would you stay quiet?"

"……."

And so, tomorrow's penalty was set. I declared the duke responsible and turned away.

Hope the gods were satisfied.

"Hm."

The gods weren't going wild yet. They'd only given 1,000 karma each, wary the count might renege tomorrow. And Fairy God Rebra still hadn't recommended.

Teasing the gods was tricky. But tomorrow? They'd have no choice but to hit that recommend button.