kscans

Chapter 190 - The Council of the Four Regent Families, and the Duel

"Remove the shackles from Hero-dono and Maryanne-dono,"

Augustus said.

At his words, the guards unfastened our restraints.

In contrast to the heated Seim, the air in the council chamber was frigid.

Of the Four Regent Families, only the elf Augustus Star Union, who was leading the proceedings, and the dog-eared Seim One-Land, who was railing against my and Maryanne’s downfall, were speaking.

The human Istvan Air-Ally and the dwarf Katarzyna Sky-Lot hadn't uttered a single word.

I couldn't help but be amazed at how easily Seim had fallen into the trap. It made me wonder what the point of this council meeting was in the first place. And now, he was pointing a finger at me, challenging me to a duel.

"Do you want to become an enemy of the gods? Even if I lose to you, the otherworld hero who appears a hundred years from now will wipe out your descendants."

I thought a casual threat would make him back down, but while his finger trembled with rage, he showed no signs of withdrawing the challenge.

Augustus cleared his throat.

"Seim-dono, on what grounds do you issue this challenge? If it is simply because you have been shamed here, then we have no intention of indulging in such a foolish spectacle any longer."

"Wait! This man destroyed the Great Temple and had an illicit affair with the head of our One-Land family!"

Seim retorted.

"First of all, I have had no such affair. Mash-sama and I are in love. We intend to marry,"

Maryanne declared. Was she trying to help me out? How she could say something like that with a straight face in this situation, without a hint of embarrassment, was beyond me. Still, her future position was at stake, and I wanted to direct all the resentment toward myself. I wished she had kept quiet.

"I told you she is engaged to my son!"

"I am the head of the One-Land family. I will decide matters concerning the future of our house. If you have an objection, I will face it myself."

Just as Maryanne finished speaking, the sound of a chair scraping echoed through the room.

Istvan had stood up.

"This is absurd. I am leaving."

With that, he and his attendant turned and started walking toward the door.

"Istvan-sama, I apologize for this unsightly display. I will come to offer my apologies at a later time."

Istvan tilted his chin slightly at Maryanne's words.

"If you are to sit there and call yourself the head, then you must have the resolve to unite your family. And next time we meet, do so in proper attire."

With those parting words, he left.

Seeing this, Katarzyna also stood up.

"Katarzyna-sama…"

Maryanne murmured. Just then, a knight entered the room carrying her katana and wakizashi. She accepted them and handed them to her attendant. Katarzyna watched this exchange, then turned his gaze to Augustus.

"Did you not say the Hero-dono was to be your daughter's spouse?"

"Yes, that is true. However, he is a freeman. Also, I have another girl in my care who is engaged to him,"

Augustus replied, his expression as if he'd just bitten into a bitter bug. Katarzyna stroked his beard as he observed him.

"An elf?"

"No, she is of the rabbit-eared race."

Katarzyna's eyes widened slightly.

"Now that is a rarity."

I couldn't tell if he was referring to an elf taking in a rabbit-eared girl, or my engagement to one.

Then he looked at me.

"You said you came from Richel? Isn't Maryanne-dono's wakizashi yours?"

"Yeah, she took it from me. I got this katana in exchange."

I took Maryanne's katana out of my storage.

"Did you not have a matching katana forged for that wakizashi?"

"I did, but it broke."

I also took out Aidan's sword. Katarzyna extended his hand, and I passed it to him.

He took the sword, drew it slightly, and gazed intently at the blade before sheathing it again.

"I will take this sword into my care."

"No. It broke because I handled it poorly, but it's important to me. I can't give it to anyone."

"All the more reason for me to take it. I won't do anything untoward with it."

I'd clashed with the elves, the church, and the dog-eared. Now, it seemed, a feud with the dwarves was brewing. I had a very bad feeling about this.

"...Hmph. In that case, you must visit my home next. I will make the arrangements. I would like you to meet my granddaughter at least once."

I gave a vague nod. He'd said granddaughter, but he didn't look that old. Then again, dwarves were said to live for two hundred years. He could easily be over a hundred.

Was he planning to set me up with his granddaughter? Come to think of it, I’d never met a dwarven woman. I was curious, but I was confident I’d faint if a woman with a face like his showed up.

Seim blocked Katarzyna's path as he tried to leave after Istvan.

"Wait! This man made the Great Temple vanish! We must pass judgment on him!"

"Do you wish for this city to end up like the Great Temple? This matter is the church's responsibility. If they do not act, we will, but I will make it clear that I have no intention of picking a fight with the Hero-dono."

I hadn't sensed any hostility from him from the start, but I wondered what had softened his stance. Was it Maryanne's presence?

Katarzyna pushed past Seim and left the room.

Only Maryanne, Augustus, Seim, and I remained.

"Guess I'll be heading home too…"

I muttered to myself, avoiding Seim's gaze as I headed for the door. I could leave the rest to Augustus. He would know how to handle the situation. He wouldn't treat Maryanne poorly, either.

"Wait,"

Seim's voice called out to my back.

"Your duel with me is still on."

"I have no reason to accept."

I couldn't use Goddess Summon right now. I wanted to avoid any unnecessary fights.

"It's about Maryanne. This woman was supposed to be my son's bride. You will fight my son."

"What? You're going to decide everything for your son, from his bride to his dueling opponent?"

This was the man Maryanne had told me about—nineteen years old, unable to speak properly, prone to tantrums, violent, and confined to his mansion. If I won, he'd be rid of a nuisance. If I lost, he could force Maryanne to marry him and crush us both.

It was cowardly, not fighting himself. A small man, I thought.

"No! In that case, I will fight in Mash's place!"

Maryanne shot to her feet and shouted. Her eyes were wide with a deep, visible anxiety.

She knew the extent of my sword skills. She thought I would lose.

Seeing that look on her face made it even harder to back down. If I ran from the fight, people would call me a coward, and he might sic that man on her. I couldn't have that.

"…I accept the challenge. If your side wins, Maryanne will become that man's bride, correct?"

Seim nodded at my words.

"Alright. Then if I win, Seim, you will take your own life."

The One-Land estate had a similar structure to the Star Union mansion, though this building felt older, with a simple and sturdy feel. It was a tall, rectangular building constructed around a central courtyard.

Part of the courtyard served as a training ground, the earth packed hard and flat. In the center stood Augustus and Katarzyna, who had apparently returned after hearing we were to duel. On either side of them stood Maryanne and me, and opposite us, Seim and the man who was presumably his son by a concubine. The dog-eared knights of the family surrounded the area, and that bearded man was glaring at me.

"When this is over, I'd like to buy them a drink. Think they'll be friendly?"

"That's not what you should be worried about…"

I followed Maryanne's gaze.

Next to Seim stood a man easily over two meters tall. He looked to have twice my build—a mountain of muscle. He held a metal club that was nearly as tall as I was.

His appearance reminded me of the Hekatonkheires I fought in the dungeon in Richel.

Droopy ears peeked out from under a mess of unkempt hair that hadn't been cared for in years. Through the strands of hair, I could see dark eyes that seemed to pull you into blackness. A flattened nose, thick lips, and an open mouth revealing a red tongue.

He barely looked human.

"So, Maryanne, that's your type…"

"He is not! It was decided without my consent!"

she protested, then stared intently at my face.

"That said, if you asked me if Mash was my type, I'd say no to that too. But… perhaps because we've been intimate, I'm starting to delude myself into thinking your face is my type."

"Hey, I have feelings too, you know! I'll never forgive you for that!"

"…More importantly, are you really going to be alright?"

There was no way I'd be alright, but I couldn't say that. My hand, gripping Maryanne's katana, was slick with sweat.

"Myra and Aira are…"

"I sent for them, but they're not here yet… Aira-san should be at the Star Union estate, so she should be here soon, but Myra-san is at a church in the Air-Ally family's district, so it might take a little longer."

As I scanned the faces of the spectating knights, I was startled to see Famu and Marmi.

"Famu came early this morning, apparently. Mo was with Augustus-sama."

I wanted to talk to them, but while they weren't captured, they were surrounded by knights, unable to move. They both stared at me in silence. Marmi looked as if she wasn't thinking about anything, but Famu had the same look on her face she got when she was about to complain to me.

Now I was worried about Mizuki. I hoped nothing had happened to her.

As I was thinking this, Augustus cleared his throat and looked around.

"Shall we begin?"

At his words, everyone except him, me, and Seim's son backed away from the grounds. I wore the silver breastplate I'd received from the king of Heilon and held the katana I'd gotten from Maryanne.

There was no time to come up with a strategy. I didn't know my opponent's strength. I didn't even know his name.

"What's your name?"

I asked, but the only reply was a harsh breath. Saliva dripped from his lips.

Saying he couldn't speak well and was prone to tantrums was a gross understatement. He was nothing short of a monster.

"His name is Belard One-Land,"

Augustus answered for the silent man. I wondered if a concubine's child could receive the One-Land family name. An irrelevant question crossed my mind.

"Then, begin!"

At Augustus's command, I took a middle guard stance with my katana. Belard raised his club and leaped forward, closing the distance in an instant.

The massive body that seemed so slow was suddenly airborne. The giant mass of flesh closed in on me at terrifying speed.

Then, with tremendous wind pressure, the club came crashing down.

I just barely managed to twist aside and dodge. I should have completely evaded it, but the wind pressure made my body sway.

He followed up with a horizontal swing of the club. His movements were faster than I could have imagined. I narrowly dodged backward and, in a bid to counter, reached out to form a block of ice with water magic. But it was shattered by the club in an instant.

"Kuh!"

From then on, I was completely on the defensive. I kept dodging the club as it swung wildly.

I wanted to create some distance to regroup, but Belard's movements were faster than I'd anticipated. Simply backing away wasn't enough to break the engagement.

"Mash, don't back up! Move sideways, in a circle, and then forward!"

Maryanne's voice rang out. I knew that intellectually, but I couldn't muster the courage to advance against the swing of a club that looked like it would pulverize me on contact. Fear forced my feet backward. My hand gripping the katana was drenched in sweat. I shifted my grip slightly to keep it from slipping.

Every swing was filled with Belard's full strength, and I could hear the sound of it tearing through the air. He swung so widely that there should have been openings, but before I could even catch my breath after one attack, the next was already on its way.

"Damn it!"

Out of desperation, I used earth magic to create a stone ball and launched it at him. It was a basic spell that didn't take long to prepare.

The stone ball struck his body, but Belard paid it no mind and continued his assault.

His club caught my shoulder guard, and a harsh metallic clang echoed out. An intense pain shot through me with the impact.

My body staggered. Belard had already raised his club for the next strike.

"M-Master!"

I heard a cry that was almost a scream.

Hearing that voice, I used earth magic to create a hail of stone pebbles and blindly fired them at Belard. One of the countless stones must have hit him near the eye. The club's trajectory shifted slightly upward.

I ducked under the blow and slammed my blade into his shin.

"Gofuu!"

For the first time, I heard something that sounded like a voice from Belard.

Seeing him stumble, I raised my katana high overhead.

"Mash, the blade is facing the wrong way!"

I heard Maryanne shout. This is fine, I answered in my mind. He looked like a monster, but he was one of the dog-eared, same as Famu. We'd only just met today and were being forced to fight for reasons we didn't understand. But I had no grudge against him. He must have felt the same. I didn't want to turn my blade on such an opponent.

Of course, it was still a lump of iron. It could kill him if I hit him. But against this opponent, it would probably be fine. As long as I didn't kill him, Myra and Aira could do something.

That was the thought that crossed my mind in the instant I began to swing down. But before my strike could land, Belard's club swung sideways with incredible speed.

The sound of metal plate being punched through echoed across the grounds, and my body was sent flying like a rag doll. I slammed into the ground.

"Agh… uh…"

A voiceless groan escaped me. It wasn't just the point of impact; my entire body throbbed with excruciating pain.

The pain robbed me of my thoughts, and I couldn't think at all.

I desperately tried to pull back my rapidly fading consciousness. I tried to find Belard, but my vision was filled with flickering black spots, and I couldn't even see the scenery around me.

"UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"

Belard's roar, powerful enough to shake the earth, reverberated through the air. He was behind me. If that club came down, I would die. Fear froze my body solid.

Suddenly, the heavy presence vanished. He must have leaped into the air to deliver the finishing blow. There was still distance between us. I still had a little time. Using his voice and the sound of his footsteps, I predicted his position and extended my hand.

"Water Magic, Icicle!"

I had no room to worry about his well-being. I pictured Marmi's mother, Marina, in my mind and unleashed a barrage of icicles.

I heard the sound of shattering ice. Belard must have smashed the icicles with his club. That meant his position was where I thought. I used more water magic to create as many icicles as I could and kept firing.

There was no counterattack from Belard. The pain in my body subsided somewhat, and my vision began to return, albeit faintly.

I tried to push myself up, and my whole body screamed in protest. I gritted my teeth against the pain and got to my feet. Belard was standing a short distance away, blood gushing from several places where the icicles had hit him.

He seemed to be conscious. He held his club, his eyes tracking my movements.

I tried to take a proper stance, but my left arm wouldn't move from the pain. I had no choice but to hold the katana with one hand and advance on him.

I couldn't even manage a proper sliding step. It was just a single, stumbling step forward. But if he so much as took one step, I would cut him down instantly.

With that thought, I took another step. He took one step back. I took another step. He dropped his weapon and retreated again.

One more step, and his legs tangled, and he fell to the ground with a soft thud, sitting on his rear.

When I pointed the tip of my blade at him, all he did was move his hands to protect his face, as if to say no, no. His body trembled uncontrollably.

"My win, right?"

Augustus nodded at my words. I lowered my blade and let out a long breath.

"Master!"

Famu's voice cut through the silent air as she ran to me. She caught my body as my strength gave out and I began to crumble to my knees.

My katana fell to the ground.

"""Mash!"""

It was Myra and Aira, and Cecily was with them too. There was a strange sense of reassurance. Seeing them there made my eyes well up with tears. I reached out to touch them, and Myra wrapped her arms around me in an embrace.

"I'll heal you right away!"

Myra's face was also on the verge of tears.

"Yeah… but please take care of that man…"

I turned my gaze toward Belard.

"That man was definitely trying to kill Mash,"

Aira said in a cold tone.

"…I know. But…"

I looked at Maryanne, who had come to my side.

"He's her retainer."

"Mash…"

Maryanne murmured.

"Maryanne, you still have things you need to do. I told Seim to kill himself if I won. I didn't think your uncle was such an idiot, but he has supported the One-Land family until now. You need him, don't you? If you cast aside your pride and beg for his life in front of everyone, I might just let him live."

Maryanne's gaze shifted to Seim. He was on his knees, stunned by the outcome of the match.

"Maryanne, this is as much as I can do for the One-Land family, you know?"

"Yes. I'll do my best with the rest. But if things get difficult, I'll be relying on you again."

Maryanne smiled and nodded deeply, her eyes glistening with tears.