The carriage trip ended earlier than expected.
It was because we got away from the capital, Enassa, and entered the territory where the teleportation gate was activated.
Because I was genuinely feeling sad about breaking up with Adilun, I said to her.
"Take care of yourself."
"You too. Then… …See you in a month, Physis."
"Yes. Adilun."
I didn't know what was on her mind, but in the hope that everything will be okay, I returned to Ortaire.
The people of Ortaire happily welcomed us.
In particular, all of them were even more pleased to see my older brother, because of all kinds of gifts he brought for the family servants, and everyone was surprised that the money for the gifts came from me.
"Gift money? Master Physis?"
"Is that true?"
"Oh that's a joke, right? Master Huian must have paid for it."
Seeing how they couldn't accept that money came because of me or from me, reminded me that people still couldn't believe in me completely.
But still, this was a lot better. Because they didn't even suspect that we won it by gambling somewhere.
To their words of saying that he must have paid for it, my older brother answered.
"No, it is true. Do you know how Physis got the money? You will probably be even more surprised."
"How did you arrange it, Master Physis?"
"Even if he told you guys, you will not believe him, so I'll tell you. Physis won the National Day hunting competition and the jousting match."
"Yes?"
Except for the people who were directly there, most of the other servants looked wide-eyed in disbelief.
But the surprising thing was that some of the knights among them were nodding their heads saying that it could be true.
The knights personally sparred countless times with me for three months, so they seemed to recognize the fragments of my talent.
"Is that true? Master Physis won the hunting competition and the jousting match?"
But the butler couldn't believe it easily, so he asked my brother directly.
"Yes. It's not necessarily my testimony, it's something father and mother witnessed too. Isn't that right, father and mother?"
"Yes. that's really true. Physis won both events and earned huge bounty money. However, the bounty money was not used for the gifts."
"Yes?"
"Huian, this guy put all his money into private gambling, for jousting matches and martial arts competitions. And I don't even know how many times that money was multiplied."
"Huh."
My father said it as if it was no big deal, but all the servants were surprised.
Rather than the fact that I had won, they seemed more surprised by the fact that that diligent older brother of mine had put all of his money into private gambling.
They looked at my brother as if they were looking at some kind of miracle.
In the end, it was only after the testimony of the servants and maids who accompanied us in Enassa that people accepted that I had indeed won a hunting contest and jousting tournament.
Thus, an unexpected banquet was held in Ortaire.
It was a small banquet for those who accompanied us in Enassa and also guarded Ortaire in our absence.
After all, everything was over, and I was finally able to take a break for while.
* * *
After the banquet was over, my father called all the family members and told us about the great duel between Rodenov and Aiden.
Also, the fact that I, the fiancé of Adilun, will also go out as a great warrior myself.
"It is dangerous. No matter how allied we are, how can they put Master Physis, who will become a member of the Rodenovs in the future, as their great warrior?"
"It's okay. Physis has the skills and he will be fine."
The butler and servants said it was dangerous, but my father told them it was okay.
"I am fine."
"But, Young Master."
"They did not put me in the great duel, I wanted to participate because this is what I ought to do. I insulted Princess Rodenov for a year. I must pay for my sins."
"If you say so…"
Even the vassals, who were extremely opposed, backed down once my father and I spoke firmly.
"Don't worry too much. Physis will do just fine."
Since my father, the strongest knight in Ortaire and the swordsman of the Empire, supported me so much, even the vassals eventually had no choice but to nod and resign.
After they withdrew, my father spoke to me.
"Are you really going to be okay?"
"Yes. Trust me. Three months. In these only three months, I gradually accumulated victories and realized mana in sparring with knights."
"Yes. I have nothing more to say about your talents. However, as long as we don't know who will emerge as Aiden's great warrior, carelessness and arrogance are prohibited. Do you understand?"
"I will keep that in mind. Then, Father, I will go now."
"Are you going for the training?"
"Yes."
"Then let me help you. The family knights won't put much pressure on you anymore. You have to be at least like me to be able to do anything in a real fight. And on top of that, I'm not too busy today, and I've handed over the small paperwork to Huian, so it should be fine."
"I really feel pitiful for brother."
"What? Shouldn't the successor do all of those things? Well, Let's go now."
"Yes, Father."
My father immediately led me to the gymnasium.
* * *
"I heard from the knights. You don't use a separate weapon?"
"Yes."
"May I ask why?"
"There is no particular reason… …It's because it's more comfortable to extend a fist than to swing a sword."
"I've been taught the family's swordsmanship since childhood… … . Anyways. If swordsmanship doesn't suit your hand, it might be better to just practice martial arts. Each has its pros and cons."
After my father finished speaking, he immediately took up his posture.
Maybe he didn't use mana separately, because I didn't feel the airflow of mana.
But, just standing with a sword...
That alone was so terrifying that it weighs me down.
I endured the pressure and raised my mana.
A torrent of mana swirls around my body, making my body that was weighed down by the pressure much lighter.
-Thud!
I stomped my feet and took a step forward.
At that moment, the pressure of my father, which had been weighing me down, broke away.
For an instant, a strangeness dwells in my father's eyes and he said to me.
"It's quite good. It's unbelievable that it's only been three months. Seeing it in person gives me a new feeling."
I hadn't even raised my fist yet, but it felt like everything about me was being read.
Maybe he can even see it as natural. My talent for mana must have come from my father.
"I will stay still, come and attack me."
I didn't even answer, I ran toward my father's sword. But my father swung the wooden sword without even exerting much force.
It was just a simple swing, but I could see it; The way the sword was going, was covering my entire face.
There was nowhere to escape.
The moment I clumsily chose to evade, that roughly swinging sword would immediately hit my body.
'Then. I have to face it, not avoid it.'
Without hesitation, I wrapped mana around my gauntlet and threw out my fist with all my might. The cleanest punch I could do collided with my father's wooden sword.
And in that moment.
-Quaang!
An unbelievable roar echoed from the collision between a training wooden sword that was not even wrapped in mana and a gauntlet that was wrapped in a torrent of mana.
-Crisp...
And… … The steel gauntlets that wrapped around my fists and arms cracked and shattered. But, the training wooden sword that my father held in his hand was fine.
"I lost."
"Excellent."
I spoke calmly, and my father spoke in a satisfied tone.
"I like your eyes. You saw clearly where my sword was headed."
"Yes."
"If you weren't qualified, you would have judged that it was just a rough swing and tried to evade. And it would have come off awkwardly. But you confronted me head-on… … At least you reached my wooden sword. Am I right?"
"Exactly, Father."
At my answer, my father said in admiration.
"You have a precious eye. Aptitude for mana, physical perfection… … There are countless kinds of talents you have, but those eyes are probably the biggest axis of your talents."
"You're right."
"Hahahaha. I will ever feel jealous of my son, I never imagined that. Why did you wander until now with eyes like that?"
"It's good that I'm awake now, isn't it?"
"That is correct. I was puzzled because I had heard so much from the knights, but now I understand. You are a genius. Who in the world would object to you being a genius? Ten years? No, in five years you will catch up with me, and in ten years there will be no one comparable to you on this vast continent."
"Isn't that an overestimation, Father?"
"Three months. With just three months of training, no one dared to touch my wooden sword. I have met countless people who have been called geniuses. Even those people couldn't reach my wooden sword in just three months."
"… …"
"I will have to watch your training often from now on."
"Is that all right?"
"No matter how busy I am, I can make time for that. Also, isn't there Huian? It's not because of the great duel. Now it's just a matter of my personal greed."
"What will my brother think?"
"Do you think he would be jealous of something like that?"
"… …No"
"Huian moves anything out of necessity. It's just that his disposition is right and upright, so the part corresponding to 'necessity' doesn't go out of order. He will welcome you with open arms when you become stronger. There will be many places to use you."
"Well, it certainly seems so."
"The reason why I immediately picked Huian as the successor is a bigger reason. Yes, It would be nice to have strong arms to lead the family, but that is only secondary. Huian is a child with the ability to be a leader. He knows how to embrace his own people, and he knows how to identify talented people."
"As expected."
"Yes. So don't worry."
"Alright."
"Please come here every day from now on. Time will be… … Yes. Morning. After my guidance is over, you may engage in sparring with the knights, or you may train as you please... If you have any stamina left."
"Alright. It's not too long before the great duel."
"Yes. There is no need to worry about the great duel anyway. Because there is still one month left. Perhaps in the meantime, you will become amazingly strong."
At my father's words, I just nodded without speaking.