Chapter 121 : Chapter 121
Chapter 121:
Back when the Dukes still had their own knight orders.
The knights of Stetten were said to have been like celebrities.
Unlike the knights under Johann Geller who made political moves or the ones from Chartra who were closer to soldiers, they had cultivated an image of being noble men who protected the weak with their flashy swordsmanship or so it was written in the books.
Even now, with the ducal knight orders fallen, that reputation had carried on, and the knights of Stetten were quite the objects of envy, regardless of their actual skill.
‘So compared to a battle-crazed monster like Til, they’re clowns or so I thought.’
I thought, discreetly wiping the sweat from my hands.
I hadn't been very nervous, even when I saw the knights approaching so confidently without a hint of caution.
It had been a while, but I had faced them before, and Til had bad-mouthed them as weirdos obsessed with duels rather than real combat.
“It’s been a while, Count Valheit.”
That was until that man stepped forward.
An old man with a face full of scars stood before me with a ramrod-straight posture.
The neat but seasoned armor, the mana he emitted that felt like it was piercing my skin, and even his murderous demeanor.
That man was clearly the commander of the Stetten knights.
“Indeed it has! But who are you?”
“…It is Tarif. I was formerly the commander of the Stetten Knight Order. We met quite often, did we not.”
“Did we? I don’t quite remember.”
“Are you saying the commander of a disbanded knight order isn’t even worth remembering.”
My innocent question made the other party’s attitude grow even colder.
Of all the people I had seen so far, the aura he emitted was the strongest.
To the point that Raphel, who stood beside me, couldn’t bear it and retreated to a distance, his face pale.
Seeing the other Stetten knights also take a step back, it wasn’t just me who felt it.
“Why do you take it so negatively? So, what business brings the Knight Commander here?”
“I am no longer a knight commander. I am merely a knight.”
“I’m sorry to say this, but who asked about that? Please just answer the question.”
At my sarcasm, the corner of Tarif’s eye twitched.
At the same time, I felt a stabbing pain on my skin.
Seeing the knights lined up behind him also stagger, it seemed he didn’t distinguish between friend or foe.
Tarif’s anger did not last long.
Tarif, who quickly regained his composure, stated his purpose as if reading from an official document.
“A report has come in that demon tribe bandits have been running rampant near Sarme. Therefore, we have come to subjugate those who are disturbing the lands of Stetten.”
“That is very admirable of you. Then you may now turn around and go catch those demons.”
“That is our intention. After we investigate Sarme, where the bandits first committed their crimes.”
Tarif did not back down an inch.
He wasn’t wrong.
Could I stop knights from investigating within their own territory?
Although stopping them was my role.
“I will praise your serious attitude towards your work, but Sarme is currently impassable. Please return.”
“Who ordered it to be impassable?”
“I did. Do you have a problem with that?”
I was the one being unreasonable.
In times like these, it was better to just put on a brave face rather than making up various excuses and talking poorly.
Tarif frowned again, but this time, he didn’t explode in anger.
“May I ask by what authority you are infringing upon the free passage of the territory’s people and the Duke’s right to investigate.”
“It is difficult to give you the details. As I am currently carrying out His Majesty the Emperor’s orders.”
At the word Emperor, I could see suspicion fill Tarif’s eyes.
Though things were better than during the time of the previous foolish emperor, the Dukes and the Emperor were like water and oil.
It wasn't against the law for the Emperor to act as he pleased in a Duke’s land.
But that didn't mean it wouldn't cause problems.
“I respect His Majesty’s will, but I doubt that is reason enough to obstruct a legitimate investigation.”
“Are you planning on fighting His Majesty? It doesn’t matter to me, but what will you do if something inconvenient happens to Timmy.”
“I ask that you show respect to the Duke.”
Tarif’s voice rose, but he didn’t move from his spot at all.
Tsk.
Stetten’s side needed to charge first for me to have something to say.
“I know that Lord Timershi Stetten has not yet fully recovered, is there a need to increase his troubles?”
“Resolving the hardships of the territory’s people is not a trouble. It is a duty. Rather, aren’t you the one creating trouble for His Majesty, Count.”
It was a sound argument, but the world doesn’t always work that way.
“You can’t be unaware that finding fault with a matter to which His Majesty has granted full authority can be construed as treason.”
“That is a stretch.”
“If it were just this once, it might be a stretch. But doesn’t the Third Duke have a prior record of laying his hands on the Emperor’s tribute?”
Tarif shut his mouth.
This was from the time of the previous emperor, who had shamefully fled to the Vestol Embassy before dying.
It was an incident that had no bearing on the relationship between Blaiher and Stetten.
Of course, I hadn’t brought up that incident just to state the obvious.
“Do you happen to know who it was that saved Lord Timershi back then? Did Lord Timershi not tell you because it was a shameful matter?”
“We are grateful that you presented a reasonable interpretation of the law at that time, Count.”
“Ah, I thought he had pettily hidden it, but I guess not. Then you must also know who recently saved the Duke’s life.”
“Regarding you saving the Duke at the theater, myself and all the people of Stetten are grateful.”
“I thought so. The so-called noble knights of Stetten wouldn’t repay a favor with enmity, would they.”
They weren’t things I did with the pure intention of saving Timershi, but regardless, the Third Duke had overcome two crises thanks to me.
So just let it slide this once.
That was what I wanted to say.
“Of course. That is why I am still talking with you, Count, without having drawn my sword.”
“…Hmm.”
“Normally, you should have already crossed swords with me by now.”
Seeing him say it so seriously with a deep frown and not a hint of a smile, he seemed to mean it.
To think that the way he repays the favor of saving the Duke he serves is by merely not fighting.
“Aren’t you being too harsh.”
“Considering your conduct, Count, ignoring the rights given to a Duke and using His Majesty the Emperor’s name, I believe this is a very generous disposition.”
Grasping the hilt of his sword, Tarif lowered his voice.
In response, the knights lined up behind him also grasped their swords at the same time.
Clicking my tongue, I tried to gauge if I could win.
Except for Tarif, I didn’t feel any power from the rest.
Seeing some with faintly trembling hands or rough breathing, they didn’t seem to be veterans.
Did they bring rookies thinking they’d just be catching some bandits?
Or are their main forces elsewhere?
In any case, there was only one opponent I needed to worry about right now.
The problem was that I couldn’t get a good sense of whether I could beat that seasoned veteran.
‘I’m confident I won’t lose, but the problem is whether I can stop him.’
I could simply fight to tie up his feet.
Since I didn't have to clash with him head-on.
But if Tarif were to ignore me and try to enter Sarme, whether I could stop that was a completely different problem.
In that case, a direct confrontation was inevitable.
I had already used up the Weapon Demon I could use for today, so it would be tough.
About a minute might have passed since we started staring each other down without a single word.
The one who took the first step was Tarif.
“I will be entering Sarme.”
Dammit, if he comes at me like this, I have no choice.
I reluctantly took a step forward.
“And if I say no? Are you planning to rush me all at once with the ones you brought behind you like a bunch of thugs?”
“That would neither be fitting treatment for you, Count, nor would it be in line with the code of us knights.”
Answering politely, Tarif took off his glove and tossed it towards me.
Even I, who didn’t know the etiquette of the Stetten knights, knew what this meant.
“I request a duel.”
“A duel. I don’t particularly feel like fighting, you know.”
“As with all duels, you may send out a proxy. Since the situation is what it is, I would appreciate it if you could decide quickly. We also need to begin our investigation soon.”
It would have been perfect if Til were here at a time like this.
I clicked my tongue in regret and prepared to fight.
It was obviously better to fight one person, Tarif, than to fight all the knights, who numbered in the dozens at a glance.
“I will take that as your acceptance.”
“Let’s just say tha….”
I couldn’t finish my sentence and grimaced.
Because a status window popped up before my eyes, completely blocking my view.
[Congratulations! The restriction has been successfully lifted! Would you like to check the newly unlocked skill?]
“What is it?”
“…Could you give me a moment?”
Tarif nodded as if he didn’t mind.
As I scrolled through the status window as discreetly as possible, the newly acquired skill glittered gaudily in colorful letters.
[Skill Acquired!]
[Revealed Both Eyes]
A special skill usable for 30 minutes a week!
Detailed explanation.
I closed the status window.
Well, it’ll probably be similar to using the Weapon Demon.
I don’t know if Anat finished her work in Sarme, but there was no reason not to use a skill that I’d just gotten.
“Let’s begin. I will witness the famous art of dueling of Stetten.”
“You speak as if it’s someone else’s story.”
Shall we start with a reconnaissance battle first?
Tarif, who had briefly caught his breath, accelerated and leaped towards me.
Thump!
As I blocked the blow, a shockwave violently shook the surrounding forest.
***
“Wow, it looks like something happened. Did a bomb go off or something?”
“……”
Next to the fussing Falsh, Til gauged the direction of the shockwave with a serious face.
“It’s in the direction of Sarme. I think Valheit did something.”
“No. No matter how selfish Valheit is, there’s no way he’d do something so conspicuous.”
Til replied firmly to Hugo’s speculation.
There was a possibility Valheit was involved, but there was no way a guy who liked to move behind the scenes would do something so flashy all by himself.
“Did those Stetten bastards arrive already?”
“It seems too fast for that… Where are you going?”
“You ask because you don’t know? We have to provide support.”
“To Valheit?”
Til flinched for a moment at Hugo’s question.
Come to think of it, there was no particular need to worry about Valheit.
He was a guy who did well on his own no matter what happened.
“You said we should join up with the others first.”
“……”
“You clearly said we would decide what to do with these guys for sure before making a move….”
“Stop your damn chattering, it’s so annoying! If we decided to help, then just follow me without another word!”
Til suddenly got angry and ran huffing and puffing in the direction of the noise.
Hugo looked at her with bewildered eyes.
“Um… is she usually like that?”
Falsh, who had been quiet, asked cautiously.
Hugo shook his head.
She was hot-tempered, but she wasn’t someone who would get angry like that so suddenly.
“Then is she close with that Valheit fellow?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Right? How strange.”
Following Til, who was already far ahead, the two men continued to tilt their heads in confusion.