VOLUME 12: CHAPTER 7

Back when Reginald was still a kid, when he was still living in the Empire, there was a time he used to look up to Sylvius Lockhart Mavis. Emperor Sylvius was just a prince back then, but he'd already amassed numerous achievements that dwarfed his competitors.

But meeting him now, Reginald couldn't help but feel disappointed.

It felt underwhelming.

The Emperor's request felt petty, to the point of being childish. Surely, there were other ways to verify the strength of the Blackstone Knights rather than fighting against Sword Saint Isaac.

Fighting in a duel shouldn't be the only way for them to demonstrate their capabilities.

It was funny. Rather than terrifying, Reginald found the Emperor somewhat pathetic. He realized that King Lark's calm and collected voice whenever he spoke with his vassals was more frightening to him than the Emperor's domineering voice.

There was something bone-chilling whenever King Lark spoke to him, as though the young king could read his thoughts.

"Ambassador…"

Princess Luna's voice brought Reginald out of his stupor.

Reginald realized that he'd been silent for quite some time now and hadn't answered the Emperor.

Reginald said apologetically, "I apologize. As the representative of the Kingdom, it isn't easy for me to come up with a decision regarding this matter, Your Majesty."

"How indecisive," said the Emperor, displeased. "At this point, the answer to my offer should be obvious, ambassador. What's there to think about?"

It was true, but Reginald knew that he couldn't carelessly accept the Emperor's demands.

In the end, although they came here with the intent of acting as reinforcements, this place was still enemy territory. If the Emperor wished to, he could easily make arrangements to kill the delegation from the Kingdom of Lukas.

Reginald said carefully, "But Your Majesty, do we really need to go this far? Surely, there are other ways to verify the strength of the knights we've brought with us?"

"I know," said the Emperor. "But hearing of how confident Vice Master Fraser is that the Lord Knight will win against Sword Saint Isaac, I can't help but be curious. And I'm pretty sure the Sword Saint here wants to verify it himself, am I right?"

Isaac Segarus remained silent, but it was easy to see that he'd been infuriated by the idea that he would lose to some nameless knight from the Kingdom of Lukas.

Seeing the Sword Saint's expression, and hearing the words of the Emperor, Reginald realized that there was no alternative or a way out of this.

Well, they could always refuse the duel and return to the Kingdom, but doing so would only further solidify the power of Big Mona. Reginald knew that if he failed this mission, that if he underdelivered King Lark's expectations, he wouldn't have a second chance.

Big Mona had already swallowed most of the small merchant groups in the Kingdom.

This was the only chance for Reginald to regain the power his family lost to Big Mona. Once he'd proved to King Lark his worth through this mission, it would be easy to stop Big Mona from siphoning the power of the Vont Family further. The outcome of this mission would dictate the Vont Family's survival.

"I understand," said Reginald to the Emperor. "This may be impertinent of me, but please promise me one thing, Your Majesty. Please do not take it against us, no matter the result of the duel."

Reginald decided to negotiate at least this much. Without such reassurance, it would be too risky on their part to participate in this match.

"Of course," said the Emperor. "You have my word."

"I am grateful for His Majesty's benevolence," said Reginald.

The Chief Royal Advisor, who'd been standing to the right of the Emperor, leaned closer and whispered a few words.

The Emperor nodded, seemingly amused, then said to Reginald, "I will assure your safety no matter the outcome of the battle. But let's add a few rules to the match, shall we? If the Lord Knight manages to land even a single blow to Sword Saint Isaac, I will honor your will to participate in the war and put you under the direct command of the First Prince or the Fifth Prince. You can decide which of my two sons you wish to serve under. But if you can't put even a single scratch on the Sword Saint, you and your delegation shall return home."

Reginald masterfully controlled the expression on his face. He nearly frowned upon hearing the rules the Emperor stated.

Before coming here, Reginald contacted the information guilds of the Kingdom and asked for all available information related to the Empire.

Moreover, he'd also asked Princess Luna and Jacob Fraser about the Emperor and the other prominent figures of the Empire.

Naturally, he'd heard of the five princes.

The Second Prince was the most outstanding of them all, and currently, his position was already solidified after repelling the parasitic demons. Everyone knew that it was only a matter of time before he would be officially granted the position of Crown Prince of the Empire.

On the other hand, the First Prince, the oldest son, was an indolent, talentless man who'd failed the military academy several times.

The Fifth Prince was no better. Not only was the Fifth Prince slothful, he was also known to be a drunkard who drowned himself in alcohol day and night.

Although the Emperor made it sound as though he was doing them a favor, Reginald knew that all three choices were unfavorable to them.

Even if they won, they would be incorporated into the armies of the First Prince or the Second Prince. And if they lost, they would have no choice but to return to their Kingdom without achieving anything.

That damn sly fox.

It was apparent that the Emperor had no intention of letting them participate properly in this war.

All of this was nothing but a game to him.

The only saving grace right now was how the Emperor was gravely underestimating the strength of the Blackstone Knights.

"I understand," said Reginald. "We shall accept the rules of this battle."

In the end, Reginald had no choice but to accept these unfavorable terms.

The Emperor said, "We'll hold the duel tomorrow, three hours after dawn, at the arena located in the Imperial Knights Order."

The Imperial Knights Order was located within the imperial palace. It was so massive that it even had its separate training hall and arena.

The Emperor purposely moved the schedule to tomorrow, so more people could watch the battle between the Sword Saint and the Lord Knight.

***

After meeting with the Emperor, Reginald went back to Princess Luna's estate. He did not come back with Princess Luna, as she still had other matters to attend to.

Reginald immediately went to the room where the Lord Knight was staying in. It was quite luxurious, comparable to the room Reginald was currently using.

Although it was a living suit of armor, the maids weren't aware of it, and thus made sure to give the high-ranking knight the best accommodation possible.

The Lord Knight was standing by the window when Reginald entered its room.

Peculiarly, it felt as though it had been looking at the garden below.

"It's strange," said Reginald after closing the door. "You're starting to resemble a human more and more as days pass by."

The Lord Knight was far more intelligent than the Blackstone Knights. Reginald was sure of it. The only question was how sentient this creature was.

Reginald gazed at the bed. As expected, it hadn't been touched by the Lord Knight even once.

This massive suit of armor had probably been standing here all this time.

"You'll be fighting tomorrow," said Reginald.

The eyes of the Lord Knight glimmered for a split second.

"The opponent is a man called Isaac Segarus, Sword Saint of the Empire," said Reginald. "He's a famous knight. A very powerful one at that."

Reginald moved closer to the Lord Knight. He looked outside, particularly at the garden the Lord Knight had been looking at.

Reginald turned to the Lord Knight and looked it straight in the eyes. "From your perspective, this might sound strange coming from me but… I don't trust humans. I know that given the chance, the Sword Saint will probably kill you."

Reginald placed a hand on the Lord Knight's spaulder. "I've seen how strong you are. I've seen how you punched through the mountain yetis' bodies with your bare hands."

Even now, the image of the Lord Knight effortlessly punching through the bodies of the yetis of Yorkshaire Mountains remained vivid in Reginald's mind.

It was the first time Reginald had seen a creature who perfectly embodied the words carnage and slaughter before.

Although Sword Saint Isaac Segarus was renowned not only in the Empire, but also in the entire continent, Reginald believed that the Lord Knight wouldn't be one-sidedly beaten.

The conditions of the duel were favorable to them, despite the Emperor believing otherwise.

Touch the Sword Saint's armor or body? Make a scratch on his skin? How laughable. The Lord Knight should be capable of at least that much.

Did they overestimate Isaac Segarus' ability? No, probably not.

The Sword Saint was strong in his own right. It was only natural to believe in one of the strongest humans in this land.

In the end, the Emperor's fault lied in underestimating the Lord Knight.

Reginald said the Lord Knight, "My only request for you is this…."

It was a request, not an order. Although Reginald held the highest authority in the army sent to the Empire, he knew that he did not hold absolute command over the Blackstone Knights.

The Lord Knight, in particular, was intelligent, and Reginald did not want to get on its wrong side.

"…Don't kill the Sword Saint," said Reginald.

Those words showed how highly Reginald regarded the Lord Knight.

"Even if he tries to kill you, don't decapitate him," said Reginald. "Control your strength. Even though the Emperor assured our safety no matter the outcome of the match, I doubt we'll be able to leave this place alive if the Sword Saint ends up dying."

"Well…." Reginald laughed. "You'll probably be able to escape on your own, but I doubt you'll do that."

Captain Symon wouldn't be able to watch the fight tomorrow, as he had no choice but to oversee the hundreds of Blackstone Knights outside the capital.

The ten Blackstone Knights – including the Lord Knight – would be all Reginald have with him tomorrow.

Well, Princess Luna and Jacob Fraser would probably be there to watch, but in the end, those two were still part of the Empire. Although he'd grown closer to them during their travel, Reginald knew not to trust others easily.

Humans were spiteful creatures capable of treachery.

"Defeat the Sword Saint, but do not kill him," said Reginald to the Lord Knight. "Can you do that for me?"

The eyes of the Lord Knight flickered several times. After several seconds of silence, it groaned, as though it understood the words uttered by Reginald.

A smile of relief slowly formed on Reginald's face.

The heavy pressure pushing down his shoulders was finally lifted.

"I'll leave it up to you, partner," said Reginald.

***

The day of the battle came.

Reginald, together with the ten Blackstone Knights, was led to the arena located in the headquarters of the Imperial Knights Order.

The servants, squires, and imperial knights they passed by the along the way stopped and stared at their group.

The Blackstone Knights alone already looked imposing, and when combined with the Lord Knight at the front, the group looked overwhelming.

Reginald fully utilized this fact as he confidently strode toward the arena. He deemed that giving everyone the impression that their army was powerful would be advantageous in the long run.

After all, deals could only be made when two sides were equal.

"This is the waiting room," said the butler who'd been guiding Reginald's group. "Swords, axes, spears. Any and all weapons are allowed during the battle. If you need any of them, please do not hesitate to tell me. I shall be waiting outside. I shall also be the one to inform you once the duel is about to start."

The treatment of the butler was a stark contrast to the treatment of the chamberlain.

He was polite and didn't openly show disgust, despite him being a lukasian.

Was it due to the strict rules of the Imperial Knights Order, or was it due to the nature of the upcoming battle? Reginald wasn't sure.

"Thank you," said Reginald. "But as for weapons, the ones we have will do."

"Certainly," said the butler. "Again, please don't hesitate to call me should you need anything."

The butler left.

Reginald sat on the couch. He looked at the Lord Knight and said, "You remember what I told you yesterday, right? No killing. Don't kill Sword Saint Isaac, no matter what."

Unlike before, the Lord Knight didn't respond. There was not even a groan.

Did it understand what he just said?

For a moment, Reginald started to worry.

Things would end up okay in the end, right?

Reginald sighed. For half an hour, he waited in the room, unable to even drink the refreshments prepared on the table.

Even he, a seasoned merchant, couldn't help but feel pressured, now that the duel was looming.

"Sir ambassador, it's time."

Finally, the butler returned and informed him that the duel was about to start.

"I'll lead the way," said the butler, "Please follow me."

With the butler at the lead, Reginald and the Blackstone Knights passed through a long stone corridor. Eventually, they arrived at one of the many entrances leading to the arena.

Reginald halted his steps the moment he saw the crowd.

There were easily over a thousand imperial knights in the audience seats, and the majority of them were looking in his direction.

"We've prepared front seats for you, ambassador, esteemed knights," said the butler. "This way, please."

The butler asked the Blackstone Knights to sit several rows behind the VIP seats. As for Reginald, he was asked to sit in front, right next to the Emperor.

Under normal circumstances, this would have been an honor of a lifetime. It was not every day that one gets to sit next to the Emperor like this. But currently, Reginald couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with the seating arrangement. It felt as though the Emperor wanted to see up close the expression Reginald would make once the Sword Saint defeated the strongest of the Blackstone Knights.

"I greet the Sun and Moon of—"

"—Enough with that," said the Emperor. "Sit down."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Did you get a good night's sleep?" said the Emperor, smiling.

There was something sinister within that smile. And it felt as though the Emperor was mocking him.

"Absolutely," said Reginald. "The accommodations prepared for us by the Princess are quite comfortable."

The Emperor didn't seem pleased with Reginald's answer. He gave a half-hearted reply, "Is that so?"

"The Sword Saint is here!"

"Sir Isaac!"

"I can't believe that less than a year after I've been accepted into the Order, I'll be able to witness Sir Isaac's swordsmanship with my eyes!"

"Haha! He isn't even wearing his armor!"

The crowd turned rowdy the moment Isaac Segarus arrived. As though telling everyone that this was just an ordinary fight to him, Isaac Segarus was not wearing his armor. Instead, he wore training clothes, his sword strapped on his waist.

The armor of Sword Saint Isaac Segarus, crafted by the most famous blacksmith of the Empire, was made with mithril and steel. Some even considered it a national treasure of the Empire.

The Sword Saint must have judged it was overkill to use them in a mere duel. Naturally, the members of the Imperial Knights Order thought the same.

"The Sword Saint has arrived," said the Emperor. "Then, ambassador, shall we start?"

Reginald breathed in deeply. He nodded then gave the signal to the Lord Knight.

The Lord Knight ran ahead, and without hesitation, jumped down the arena. It was a height of ten meters, and the massive living suit of armor naturally made a loud thud sound upon landing on the ground.

"How barbaric," said the Emperor amusedly. "You see, ambassador… the champion of the coliseum, Scarface, has become too strong. Watching his fights has become boring recently. I'm glad to find a fight that will entertain me."

The Emperor gave the signal to Sword Saint Isaac. Just like the Lord Knight, the Sword Saint didn't use the main entrance and simply jumped down onto the arena.

The imperial knights that filled a third of the spectator's seat cheered.

The Emperor took out a voice-amplifying artifact. He said, "The participants have gathered. This match will determine whether or not the lukasian army will be given the chance to participate in this war. Our war."

The Emperor emphasized his last two words.

Seeing the expressions of the imperial knights in the audience seats, it was apparent that they, too, were displeased of it. They did not like another nation meddling with their affairs. They, too, believed that their military was more than enough to handle the matter with the demons.

"The rules are simple," said the Emperor. "If the Lord Knight manages to land even a single blow against Sword Saint Isaac, we shall allow the lukasian army to join the forces of either the First Prince or the Fifth Prince."

Hearing this, some of the spectators snickered. They, too, realized that the terms were against the lukasians. They knew of how incompetent the First and Fifth Princes were.

"But if the Lord Knight is unable to do so, the ambassador and his men shall leave the Empire at once and go back to their homeland."

The spectators cheered.

Some of them jeered, "Go back!"

"We don't need your help, lukasians!"

"Please pummel that arrogant knight to the ground, Sir Isaac!"

The Emperor said, "If all participants are ready–"

He raised his hand and waved it down.

"—Let us begin the duel."

The gong was struck, marking the start of the battle between the Sword Saint and the Lord Knight.