Chapter 87 - The blue-eyed knight (5)

Godin had already expected Vlad to reject his offer.

Because he knew the boy's temperament well as he had experienced it before.

However, what soured Godin was not so much that his consideration was rejected, but the false bubbles surrounding the boy.

"He would have grown well on his own without having to go this far."

The report that Godin was currently reviewing by candlelight contained the achievements Vlad had accomplished so far.

An organization from the city of Soara destroyed.

The head of a false priest was severed.

Dragged the Death Worm and personally killed Lindworm.

"I suppose Bayezid was in a hurry."

Godin set aside the report he was holding as if he had nothing else to look at and took a sip of the drink next to him.

There is something called common sense in the world, and there is a good reason why certain norms become common sense.

"You rose too high."

When Godin first saw Vlad, he was clearly just a boy who couldn't even wield a sword properly.

The latter feat was plausible, but it was only an expression of possibility and definitely not at a level that would allow him to ascend to the position of Dragon Slayer in less than a year.

"It's a possibility created..."

Although the Knights of Bayezid had an exceptional reputation in the North, they were considered not to have been able to change the generations in this era.

So there was some motivation to inflate Vlad's evaluation.

"Still, I'm proud of the fact that I noticed he can use Aura."

And the reason Bayezid did so was obviously because of the boy's outstanding potential.

Since the manifestation of Aura was not something that could be achieved by teaching them, it was quite understandable that Bayezid was excited to see Vlad acquire Aura at an early age.

"..."

Should I have somehow brought him here?

Although I left him alone because the direction of the relationship was not right, if I had been able to persuade him well, he could have already become a possibility for Gaidar.

"It's a pity."

Throughout his life, he will surely encounter many crossroads, and even if he made the best decision at that time, he will not be able to avoid regret when he looks back.

Godin was bitter because he felt that the boy's shining potential was being overshadowed by his own wrong decisions.

***

Vlad's gaze wandered as he saw Alicia looking at him with a cold expression.

"Are you going to do that again?"

"I'm sorry. I reflected a lot."

Not only was his energy strong, but the numerous foods placed on the round table tempted the boy with their fragrant smells and appetizing appearance.

"I swear I will never neglect your handkerchief again, Lady Alicia."

"Excellent."

Alicia nodded as if she was satisfied with Vlad's sincere response and opened her mouth with a different smile than before.

"It's necessary to know how to overlook a single mistake."

It seemed as if they were teasing him with food, but anyway, he was sure to get a response from Vlad, so that was enough.

I'll have another chance to talk about Lady Zemina.

"Alright. Let's all eat."

Everyone picked up the plates in front of them as if they had been waiting for Alicia's words.

All the knights of Bayezid who had been invited seemed satisfied.

"Great. I haven't seen a dinner like this in a long time."

"I heard the lemon harvest this time was incredible."

The voices of their elders beside them could be heard, but Vlad only focused on the food in front of him.

Vlad had complained about the food here when he visited Deirmar.

Joseph liked it, but Vlad didn't like Deirmar's vegetarian culture at all.

"It's a whole roast pig with special lemon sauce."

'Oh oh...'

But what was in front of Vlad now was nothing but delicious meat.

It's probably common knowledge that growing children need proteins.

"Thank you, Baron."

"Eat up."

Vlad took a bite of a large piece of meat and let out an exclamation without realizing it.

He had eaten a lot of high-quality meat in the Kannor family, but the barbecue he tasted in Deirmar was on a completely different level.

[The pinnacle of each dish comes from the sauce.]

The voice seemed grumpy, as if it had eaten too much like this, but Vlad kept biting the meat in front of him to not lose the smell in his mouth.

Alicia, who was sitting in front of the boy, watched this with satisfaction.

"…Are the preparations for the showdown going well?"

Duncan seemed embarrassed by the young man's attitude and spoke to Jager, who was sitting beside him.

"I still had some requests regarding that."

Jager also felt embarrassed seeing the food being shamelessly placed in front of Vlad.

I understand being considerate to the great warrior who will carry their honor, but maybe this is going too far.

"Just say the word. I'll do my best to prepare."

"Then..."

The boy who has to fight for the duel that will take place in a few days must eat well, and those who have to prepare must think deeply.

The knight named Stephen was the eldest son of the Gaidar family, the losers from the West, and he was a true talent who had been honing his skills since childhood.

To be honest, Jager didn't believe Vlad's chances of winning were very high.

"Say what you want. Deirmar will do everything possible for Mr. Vlad."

"That's alright."

As Duncan just said, Deirmar will spare no effort to support the boy.If the boy loses, Alicia will have no choice but to fully accept Bayezid's interference, another foreign power, to defeat the threat of Gaidar.

Everyone in Deirmar was preparing for what they wanted.

For a cause, for self-sufficiency, and for revenge.

Everyone here knew that the current dinner was like the calm before the storm.

The night passed amid much laughter.

***

"…"

The morning of the duel.

Stephen, who entered the duel arena prepared by Alicia, felt an uncomfortable sensation that he couldn't explain in words.

"...Aren't duels usually held in the foyer or the hall?"

"There was a special request from Baron Alicia."

As Godin said, Alicia wanted this duel to take place outdoors instead of in a foyer or hall.

Since it's a proposal of marriage, she said she would like her parents, who are buried in the ground, to also see it.

"So?"

It wasn't necessarily a comprehensible reason, but Stephen still felt reluctant.

The feeling of freshly cut grass against his toes.

A field that has been carefully arranged and even the smallest pebbles have been removed.

"Did it rain this morning?"

"No."

And yet the grass on the field was damp even though it hadn't rained.

Though it was easy to act quickly, it wasn't a good environment for knights like him, who had to take firm actions.

"You have to endure this."

"You're making quite an effort."

Creating an advantageous battlefield before a battle is one of the basic attitudes of a commander.

Stephen smiled fiercely as he looked at the one-eyed knight who had somehow accumulated small variables for the boy.

"Are you ready?"

Jager, who maintained an indifferent expression despite Stephen's significant smile, turned his head and looked at the boy who was behind him.

The intangible strength of the Gaidar knights still aimed at Vlad to take the initiative.

And Vlad stood behind the elders, who were blocking the boy's momentum, with his eyes closed.

"Yes."

Jager nodded, gazing at Vlad's steadfast blue eyes.

He had been patient up until now.

He knew very well that the reason he had endured ceaselessly even in front of those who could be considered his enemies was to fulfill the promise he made to Joseph.

"Alright."

So now it was his turn to repay the boy's patience.

When Jager signaled to Duncan that he was ready, the priest invited by Alicia stepped onto the duel arena.

He was a priest who had witnessed the boy flourish his own world during the last duel for the right to succession.

"Contenders from both sides, step forward!"

A priest standing.

A battlefield made for the boy.

"Spectators from both sides, please come!"

And rules made for the boy.

Following the priest's instructions, two knights entered the duel arena behind Stephen and Vlad.

Godin, the Knight of the Blue Moonlight, and Jager, the One-eyed Knight.

The knights representing Gaidar and Bayezid stood facing each other.

"In this duel, the use of Aura is permitted."

Jager, who thought a pure battle with sword against Stephen would be an inevitable defeat, chose Aura to create a variable.

Because he believed that the boy's steadfastness in the world would be insurmountable.

"Since this is not a duel that will determine life or death, either of you may intervene if the contenders are in danger."

As Aura is used, safety measures will be needed, and the two knights stationed now will be observers preparing for the worst-case scenario.

"Do you agree with the current rules?"

After seeing the nods of the two knights, the priest was now only making the final preparations for the duel.

"Both sides, advance."

A duel arena where the observers step down and only those involved in the duel remain.

There, Vlad and Stephen stood facing each other.

"Do you have a good handkerchief? It's complicated to go through unnecessary procedures to get it."

"..."

A priest raised his head while waiting for the clouds to obscure the sun.

Finally, awaiting the start of the next duel, Vlad opened his mouth.

"If I gave you a handkerchief, what would you give me?"

A weak dog tends to bark.

Hiding one's own fear and intimidating the other person with a threatening attitude.

However, instead of barking, the boy in front of him, who was obviously weaker than him, simply smiled softly.

"I suppose I should get the sword you're holding."

"This son of a bitch..."

The West wasn't used to snatching only temperament.

The boy who lived in the alleys where being robbed meant death was also a greedy person like Stephen.

"I definitely think it's a good balance."

I took it because I wanted it.

I stole to live.

The two beasts, accustomed to taking, began to attack each other with their sharp teeth.

"God is watching under today's sun!"

With a signal from the priest, the duel began.

'...What's that?'

Stephen wanted to jump and tear Vlad apart immediately, but Vlad's unfamiliar stance was holding him back.

He was in a position where one couldn't easily extend the sword, and even if he did, it would be difficult to reach.

A posture in which the body is held as laterally as possible while holding the sword with one hand.

The boy's posture, which allowed for striking the smallest possible area, was clearly the stance mainly used by swordsmen who used rapiers.

"I hope you like it."

Information doesn't always mean truth.

Godin made a wrong decision even though he had information about the boy in his hand, but Joseph used the information he had on hand to predict the current situation and created it.

From the moment Joseph received Alicia's letter, he was preparing for a duel with Stephen.

"I prepared it for you."

The Bayezid knights arrived at Deirmar only after a long time had passed, enough for Alicia to distress.

It was to give the boy time to prepare.

"..."

Godin, who was watching the duel, saw Vlad's reluctant stance and looked at the Bayezid knights who were behind the boy.

'He was getting ready.'

The Bayezid knights watching the boy outside the duel arena.

Casually, all of them were holding the same large sword as Stephen.

A knight only takes his fair share.

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