–The head of the Melvinger family is having a duel with the Blue Lion!
Such a rumor spread rapidly through the camp of the Border Guard.
The soldiers were all puzzled.
"A magician dueling a martial artist? How is that possible?"
The rivalry between the Magic Tower and the Lion Duchy was a widely known fact, even to ordinary citizens.
However, a magician and a martial artist engaging in a duel was unheard of.
This was because the two professions followed completely different paths and methods of combat.
Magicians typically provided support from the rear or prepared large-scale offensive spells.
Martial artists, on the other hand, fought on the front lines alongside knights and soldiers, cutting down enemies and leading the battlefield.
Even when it came to battle magicians who fought on the front lines, they were still more reliant on memorized spells and artifacts than any actual martial combat.
So it was no wonder people were surprised to hear that a magician was dueling the Blue Lion, one of the most renowned of the Lions.
Even if the Blue Lion wasn't in his prime, the skills of a Lion didn't just vanish.
But then again, Elric Melvinger, head of the Melvinger family, was no pushover either.
Tales of the "Hero of Lacente" had spread even to the northern territories.
Curiosity piqued, soldiers began gathering one by one at the dueling ground.
Those who were on duty and couldn't attend asked their comrades to report back, disappointed at missing out.
By the time Elric had finished warming up and stood on the dueling ground, a large crowd had already gathered.
"...This is way too many people," Elric remarked.
"Indeed. Haha! I had just thought of this as a casual entertainment, but it seems the event has grown larger than I expected," Herman laughed heartily.
Elric narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Herman.
"Why are you looking at me like that all of a sudden?" Herman asked.
"This is your doing, isn't it?" Elric asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Ha. Ha. Ha."
『His acting skills are about as bad as yours.』 Mephistopheles chimed in.
Ignoring Mephistopheles, Elric continued, "There's no way word would spread so quickly from a spontaneous decision between us unless… Never mind."
He sighed, noticing Herman still feigning innocence.
'He may be a knight through and through, but I guess he didn't get his noble title for nothing.'
Elric glanced behind Herman, where Isabelle stood, smiling and waving.
'Or maybe it's Isabelle's handiwork.'
He could guess why they had spread the rumor.
It was likely to solidify Elric's reputation among the Border Guard, who still had doubts about the strength of the "Hero of Lacente."
These were soldiers who admired strength, and since the officers had connections with other regions' armies, news of Elric's capabilities would soon reach high society and central politics.
And most importantly, this would serve to demonstrate Elric's worth to the Fourth Prince before their meeting.
Although Elric held disdain for central politics, he knew that to revive his family, he would need to gain fame.
And the easiest way to achieve that was by establishing a relationship with the Imperial Family.
Herman and Isabelle likely saw this as the perfect opportunity to give Elric new wings.
『That girl is quite sharp, politically savvy even. How about you take her as your wife?』
[Wife?]
『Yes. It's rare to find someone with both intelligence and natural instincts like that. Even in my time, such people were few and far between. She seems to like you too, and those around you seem supportive. There's no downside, is there?』
[I have enough on my plate reviving the family, thanks.]
『Ha! Expanding your influence through marriage between families is one of the most effective ways to grow your power.』
[I'm not dating anyone while you're around, so don't get your hopes up.]
『Tch.』
Mephistopheles clicked his tongue in disappointment.
He had been looking forward to teasing Elric about his love life, but it seemed that wouldn't be happening anytime soon.
Elric, knowing exactly what Mephistopheles had been thinking, quickly shut down the suggestion and began to move.
***
If you know one, you know a hundred.
That was what Herman had said about Elric.
But
The Blue Hawks knew better.
That statement was modest, to say the least!
'This isn't just knowing a hundred. It's more like two or three hundred!'
'No, maybe even a thousand?'
'Ugh! He's completely different from when we fought the Blood Wolf King! What has he been up to since then?'
The Blue Hawks, having fought alongside Elric against General Winter and the Blood Wolf King, believed they had a solid grasp of his abilities.
But now, seeing him again, it became clear that much of his true skill had been hidden beneath his magic.
His martial prowess was just as deep and formidable.
Boom!
Though they had agreed not to use aura or mana in the duel, Elric held his ground against Herman's swordsmanship.
While he was occasionally overwhelmed, he was never completely dominated.
In fact, he even managed to launch a few counterattacks that caught Herman off guard.
The soldiers, who had been hardened by their battles against the monsters of the Black Snowfield, were thoroughly impressed.
"Whoa, did you see that slide to dodge? I'd be too scared to try that!"
"Isn't he supposed to be the head of a magic royal family?"
"How are we supposed to compete if magicians fight like that too…?"
"Did he change professions or something?"
Their murmurs of admiration spread through the crowd.
And then.
"Oh, oh!"
"Is that…?"
"Did His Highness the Prince hear the rumors?"
A group appeared, and the crowd parted immediately.
No one had expected the Fourth Prince to show up in person!
Even the senior officers, who had come just to enjoy the spectacle, hurriedly straightened up. Though Prince Cromhel waved them off, telling them to relax, no one dared to do so.
Clang!
'Well, it can't be helped,' Cromhel muttered as he turned his attention to the dueling ground, where the sound of clashing metal had just been heard.
Though he was supposed to meet Elric in the evening, he had heard about the duel and rushed over with his staff.
He had been eager to see the skills of the "Hero of Lacente" for himself.
Before he was a prince, Cromhel was a warrior with a deep admiration for strength.
Boom!
The duel continued for some time, until—
Bang!
With a sound like fireworks, Elric was sent skidding backward. His clothes were torn in places, drenched in sweat, but his lips curled into a smile.
It was a smile of satisfaction.
The kind of smile that comes when one finally grasps something elusive.
"Your form and movements have become much cleaner. But you still have too many unnecessary actions. If you want to fully embody the intent, you'll need to be more concise. Think about that."
"I suppose I need to see more forms to compare."
"The more you see, the more you'll be able to discern what's essential."
"Thank you."
"No, I should be the one thanking you. You're doing well."
As Herman chuckled and responded, Elric straightened his back, looking relieved.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Suddenly, applause broke out from the stands.
Elric turned to see a man in regal clothing clapping as he watched.
'So that's the commotion I heard earlier.'
It seemed that the prince had arrived after hearing the rumors.
Herman offered a respectful bow in his direction, and Elric followed suit.
With that, the rest of the soldiers also stood up and began to applaud.
Their cheers were filled with gratitude for the spectacle and respect for Elric's skills.
***
"Oh, Elric! It's been so long, my friend!"
Elric was about to approach Prince Cromhel with Herman to formally greet him when someone suddenly threw an arm over his shoulder.
『Who is this obnoxious face? Someone you know?』
[Yeah. That's the problem. I know him too well.]
Elric looked silently at the grinning Rodeo Franz.
『Who is he?』
[He's the heir of the Franz family.]
『Franz? As in the 'Red Wall' Franz?』
[Yes.]
『Ah, so a traitor. Haha!』
Mephistopheles let out a hearty laugh, revealing his fangs.
The Franz family, known as the "Red Wall."
Their reputation had been well-known even in Mephistopheles' time.
They had been a massive wall that protected the Melvinger family.
The "Red" in their name came from the blood of countless enemies who had attacked the Melvinger family.
But just over a decade ago, the Franz family had abruptly severed their thousand-year alliance with the Melvinger family.
Driven by ambition to rise higher themselves.
And worse, they had sided completely with the imperial family, which had orchestrated the Melvinger family's downfall.
Along with much of the wealth they had taken.
Mephistopheles was laughing because he found this situation amusing.
He didn't know the exact details of what had happened between the Melvinger and Franz families.
But one thing he did know for certain: Elric wouldn't let this slide.
And Mephistopheles couldn't wait to see how Elric would handle this obnoxious brat.
Yet Rodeo, oblivious to the tension, continued to act familiar.
But Rodeo had his own plan.
'No matter how much Elric resents our family, he can't touch me.'
When Rodeo had first heard that Elric had overcome his disease and risen as the Hero of Lacente, he had been shocked.
But the Franz family, including Rodeo, wasn't too worried.
They had taken a considerable amount of the Melvinger family's inheritance when they parted ways.
Among the items they had taken were several treasures that the Melvinger family desperately needed.
The Franz family believed that in order to reclaim these, Elric wouldn't dare turn against them.
Moreover, the Franz family was now one of the most prominent supporters of the imperial faction.
No matter how reckless Elric was, he wouldn't make an enemy of the imperial family.
With this in mind, the 13th Inspection Bureau had decided to send Rodeo to Elric.
They believed that as long as Elric needed his ancestors' inheritance, he would be forced to cooperate with the Franz family.
Of course, this plan could backfire, but they had also confirmed that Elric and Rodeo had once been like brothers.
If Rodeo could play on that past relationship, things could go smoothly.
Rodeo had a clear strategy in mind:
–We'll return the treasures we took. In return, let's join forces.
For a vassal family to become equal partners with a great house?
Or even politically superior?
There was nothing more thrilling.
Rodeo was elated at the prospect of opening such a great chapter in his family's history.
But
"Hey."
Elric looked down at Rodeo's arm slung over his shoulder.
His voice was cold and flat.
"Haha! What's wrong, my friend? Come on, it's been so long! I'm sure you have plenty to talk about. But first, let's greet His Highness and then—"
"Take your hand off."
"Huh?"
"Take. Your. Hand. Off."
Elric tapped his finger on Rodeo's arm.
"Who said you could act familiar with me?"
"...!"
Rodeo had made a critical miscalculation.
The grudges held by the Melvinger family ran much deeper than he realized.
Elric growled coldly.
"Where do you get off speaking informally to a Duke of the Empire, when even the head of the Franz family should be bowing in respect?"
[T/L: You can read ahead chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]