Chapter 82 : Chapter 82
Chapter 082
Bathed in the morning sunlight, Sapiela as she savored her tea looked like a painting.
That was exactly how she looked now.
The window stood wide open. The early summer breeze flowing in through it stirred her silken hair. Even so, Sapiela sat there with an aloof gaze, holding her teacup as she looked out the window.
This was what noble refinement looked like.
“I greet the noble Young Lady. Have you been at peace?”
“Come in.”
Smiling in satisfaction, I bowed my head.
Not long ago, she would not even have bothered responding to my greeting. Just like the other nobles.
But now, she was greeting me as though she had been waiting for my arrival.
Interest in me or not, the fact that she answered me like this was, in itself, a small pleasure.
“Did something happen outside?”
“It was only a minor exchange.”
“That sounded rather loud for a minor exchange. Sir Lorenz’s voice, I mean.”
Sapiela then glared at the maid who had just come out to see what had happened outside. The maid flinched and lowered her head.
I had meant to let it pass, but now that it had come to this, there was no helping it. It was not as though the maid had done anything wrong.
“In truth, I had a minor clash with Sir Lorenz.”
“Surely not.”
Judging by the way she narrowed her eyes, it seemed Young Lady Sapiela also knew about the rumor.
That was only natural. No matter how little interest she had in the affairs of the House, no one would ignore a rumor concerning her own Guard Knight.
So I added an explanation.
“I do not know whether you have heard, but a rumor is circulating through the mansion. A rumor that Sir Lorenz is avoiding the duel I requested.”
“So it was true?”
“It is not true, but neither is it entirely false. I asked Sir Lorenz for a spar, and he refused me. It seems someone who witnessed that scene spread the rumor.”
Sapiela looked troubled. Just as with me, Lorenz was still a knight who had stood at her side. Whether he was capable or not, she could not help but care.
“So, what happened?”
“Sir Lorenz threw his glove at me.”
The meaning of throwing a glove was obvious. Young Lady Sapiela set down her cup and rose from her seat.
“......Is that true?”
“How could I ever lie to you, Young Lady? Every word of it is true.”
“Call Sir Lorenz in at once.”
“Young Lady.”
Stretching out my hand, I stopped the maid who had been about to go outside, and called to Sapiela. The maid froze at my firm action.
Then I took out the glove Lorenz had thrown at me earlier.
“When someone throws a glove or a handkerchief, and the other person receives it, that means a proper duel has been established. I accepted the glove without avoiding it. This is also something protected by the Kingdom Law itself.”
“That is absurd. I know that you are strong, but Sir Lorenz is a veteran knight who has received a knightly appointment. He is not the same as that apprentice knight you fought before.”
“You know me as well, Young Lady. I am not the sort of man who acts without thinking.”
Sapiela calmed herself. I was also her unofficial tutor, after all. I had already shown her, more than enough, the breadth of my learning.
“I am confident that I can defeat Sir Lorenz. So you need not worry too much.”
“Even so, this is absurd.”
“What is truly absurd is that someone who lacks both refinement and skill is guarding you, Young Lady.”
“No, I will mediate.”
Sapiela stepped forward firmly.
There was one truth I had not yet told even her, but now I decided to reveal it. Before that, I needed to send the maid away.
“I am sorry, but could you bring a glass of water for the Young Lady?”
“Ah, yes.”
The maid bowed and left. In rank, she was technically above me by a step, but the fact that she had spoken to me politely showed my standing well enough.
That left only Sapiela and me in the room.
“It is not my intention to go to the Royal Capital this time merely as your Attending Secretary. I wish to do my utmost as your Guard Knight.”
“My Guard Knight?”
Sapiela was visibly shaken.
At some point, her right hand had clenched into a fist and risen to her chest. It trembled slightly there. For a long moment, she could do nothing but stare at me blankly.
Braving impropriety, I stepped one pace closer to her. I could almost hear the sound of her breathing.
“In order to do that, I need to prove that I possess greater skill and refinement than Sir Lorenz. Young Master Hamel has likely already reported even this part to Lord Father. There is no better way to measure skill than through a duel. So for this once, would you not place your trust in me?”
“Are you...... confident?”
“If I were not confident, I would never have begun this in the first place.”
I answered boldly and bowed my head once more.
Even so, Sapiela still looked unconvinced. The reason was obvious. It was not some stranger but I, myself, who was about to duel the knight assigned to guard her.
Just as she seemed to favor me, she must have also placed some degree of trust in Sir Lorenz.
A contest that would be humiliating for one of the two. If I were in the Young Lady’s position, I would not feel especially good about it either.
But as long as this too was a human society, competition could not be helped. And I had no intention of becoming a saint.
If it came to competition, then I would lose to no one.
If something could not be shared, then seizing it was far better.
“I suppose there is no helping it, now that things have come to this. Has the official witness been decided?”
“Not yet, but I do know who the most suitable person is.”
“And who is that?”
“You, Young Lady.”
A soft sigh escaped her. Sapiela exhaled deeply.
Since the duel had been established, someone had to declare it legitimate and sacred. As someone close to both of us, the Young Lady herself was the best possible choice.
“It would be the greatest honor if you would serve as the official witness at tomorrow’s duel, Young Lady.”
“Let us wait and see. The duel has not even been formally announced yet......”
The tension suddenly left my body.
A wave of dizziness came over me. I wavered slightly. It seemed that, with my body already in poor condition, I had spoken far too much.
“Dilen?”
Slightly startled, Sapiela stepped closer.
“What is wrong all of a sudden? You do not look well. You are even sweating.”
“My apologies. Since this morning, I have felt a touch of a cold coming on.”
“Why did you not say so?”
Sapiela’s warm, soft hand touched my forehead. A Status Window appeared, but I pushed it aside and focused instead on the warmth of her skin.
“You are burning up. In that state, I do not know whether you will even be able to fight properly tomorrow. Is anyone outside?”
Before I could stop her, the Young Lady called for a maid. The maid hurried in and bowed, ready to receive an order. Sapiela commanded in a solemn voice,
“Go and summon the House Physician at once.”
“Oh my, Young Lady. Are you unwell?”
“Quickly!”
The startled maid ran out, and Young Lady Sapiela guided me to the sofa.
“Sit and rest for a while. Sir Medix, our House Physician, is said to be the finest doctor in our Territory. Once you take some medicine, you should feel better.”
“You must not do this, Young Lady.”
Sapiela looked down at me as though she could not understand.
I continued speaking.
“I am a commoner and an apprentice. I have no right to receive treatment from the House Physician. If I am to go anywhere, it should be to the village clinic.”
“Before you are an apprentice, you are my Dedicated Butler. So it does not matter.”
At times like this, her forcefulness made my heart stir. Sapiela truly was a captivating woman.
“Thank you, Young Lady.”
A short while later, Sir Medix, the House Physician of the Adeline Marquis House, entered. He was a stubborn, obstinate old man, and he hurried toward Sapiela in alarm.
“Young Lady! Have you been injured? Where is the affected area—”
“Not me. Him.”
“Pardon?”
Sir Medix, wearing a monocle, stared at me in disbelief. Yes, it was absurd, wasn’t it? I thought so too. But when the one above you says jump, what else can you do?
Young Lady Sapiela explained my condition in my place.
“He has a fever and seems to be coming down with a cold. Examine him and prescribe something.”
“Ah, understood.”
The examination did not take long.
It was an interesting experience. It let me see the medical standard in this world. There was nothing like a stethoscope. He merely asked what hurt and checked various parts of my body.
The medicine was even more remarkable. It was neither Western medicine nor Eastern medicine, but some strange herbal mixture pressed into a bitter juice that I had to drink. It tasted terrible, which meant it was probably good for me.
I could not hide my grimace. Enduring pain was one thing. This was another.
At this rate, instead of penicillin, I might need to invent Tylenol first. If I had known this would happen, I should have paid more attention to those pharmacy electives.
“How do you feel?”
“My body feels better, but my heart feels terribly uneasy. This kindness is far more than I deserve.”
“Apprentice Butler Dilen works diligently for our House. You have earned merit as well. I do not think there is anything wrong with you receiving a little special treatment. I even heard you refused a title.”
“A person ought to live according to his station.”
Apparently pleased by that answer, the Young Lady smiled faintly.
“For now, think only of tomorrow’s duel. Recover as quickly as possible, and fight splendidly tomorrow.”
“For your sake, Young Lady, I will surely bring you victory.”
“I shall look forward to it.”
And so I was able to enjoy a rest sweeter than honey in the Young Lady’s residence.
Perhaps thanks to that, by the next day all signs of my cold had vanished cleanly.
The Mana Circuit around my heart had also recovered completely. I checked it one final time while sitting on my bed in the quarters, and it seemed I could now use Mana as freely as I wished.
As though the heavens themselves had ordained my victory.
“Dilen.”
At that moment, a messenger arrived from the Knight Order. It was Arthas himself bringing the news. I looked up from the sword I had been wiping down with a rag.
“The duel will be held today at three in the afternoon at the Knight Order’s Training Ground. Young Lady Sapiela has been chosen as the official witness. Not only the retainers, but His Excellency the Marquis himself will be attending to watch. Make sure you know that.”
“Understood.”
“It gives me chills. Actual chills. It’s like clockwork, everything is falling perfectly into place according to your plan.”
I only grinned and shrugged. Then I lifted the sword I had cleaned. Bathed in the sunlight, it gleamed and shed a keen edge.
All preparations were complete now.
***
Even looking back across the history of the Adeline Marquis House, there had never been a case of a Butler Apprentice dueling a Guard Knight.
There had been cases where one-sided beatings took place, of course, but never a duel.
The people seated in the noble box, from which the Training Ground could be seen most clearly, were all speaking of that very subject.
It did not matter whether they were high or low in station. Even Marquis Chronos, a man praised as one who possessed everything, was interested in the matter.
“This truly will be a strange duel the likes of which could not be found again even if you searched the entire Continent. How thrilling.”
Having offered that judgment, Marquis Chronos leaned back in his luxurious chair. Around him sat his wives, concubines, and children in a row.
The one seated closest to Marquis Chronos was none other than the eldest son, Kaien.
He possessed a face strikingly similar to his father’s, and the dignified way he sat with one leg crossed made it seem as though he alone embodied the legitimate line of the Adeline House.
Kaien spoke.
“Was it Dilen? I feel as though I have been hearing that name now and then lately.”
The one who answered him was the second son, Prah.
“That is correct, Brother. I have heard quite a few stories myself of late. He seems to be a very interesting fellow.”
Young Master Hamel sat in the next seat, but he did not join the conversation. He merely sat there with his arms crossed, looking down at the Training Ground with visible tension.
At that moment, my eyes met his briefly.
Why was he acting like that? It did not suit his usual boldness. Was that too part of his performance?
After giving proper greetings to Marquis Chronos and the other distinguished guests, I turned away.
“Well then, are you ready to die?”
There stood Sir Lorenz, clad in Light Armor and looking at me as though he wanted nothing more than to kill me.