Chapter 15. It touches your pride. (2)
“Ohh.”
As soon as I entered the banquet hall, I was immediately impressed.
Just like yesterday, we saw delicacies prepared so that the table legs broke.
‘What I saw yesterday was amazing, but I paid more attention today.’
Traces of special products and rare ingredients from all over the empire were used lavishly. It was like shouting over and over again, “This is the extent of the imperial family’s wealth.”
“I decided on you today too.”
It was located in a place full of citrus fruits such as lemons and grapefruits. While I was happily eating the refreshments, “Prince Abel.”
A heavy bass voice called to me.
I have a feeling that something similar to yesterday will happen. But the difference today was that I was waiting for him.
“Lord Mikel.”
Mikel was standing next to me, accompanied by the same personnel as yesterday.
His complexion was slightly haggard, perhaps due to excessive drinking. This morning, he even rushed in right before the meeting started.
‘Well, how many bottles of whiskey did the two of us down?’
It was clear that he was driven by a competitive spirit and pushed himself harder than usual. I, who lit the fire there, am still fine.
“Are you feeling okay?”
When I asked that question with a clean face, Mikel twitched his beard.
“Do I look bad?”
“I thought you were feeling sick because you were gulping down so much hot soup from today’s dinner.”
“When will that happen again… hmmm.”
At the banquet hall, the distance between Mikel and I was quite long.
But there was no problem at all in observing what he ate. Thanks to my eyesight enhanced by Requiem, I was able to accurately determine the number of ingredients in his soup.
“The soup just doesn’t suit my taste.”
Mikel stroked my chin and examined my face carefully.
“Prince Abel looks very fine, doesn’t he?”
“There’s no reason to be bad. Unless you have a hangover or something.”
“…….”
The surrounding nobles who were listening to the conversation bit their lips and turned their faces. I could see him holding back the laughter that threatened to explode.
‘This is my first time seeing Lord Mikel suffer like this.’
‘It’s clear that you won’t even take out the whiskey bottle for a while.’
Those words were exchanged with smiling eyes. It seems like Mikel has suffered a lot in the past.
‘It gave me a refreshing experience unintentionally.’
Mikel cleared his throat and changed the topic.
“Prince Abel seemed to enjoy the palace’s food quite a bit.”
“Yes, I plan to eat diligently until tomorrow.”
That way, the Requiem will be quieter.
I just swallowed those words inside.
“Hehe, it’s similar to me. When I come to the imperial palace, I also unfasten my belt and eat.”
Mikel’s tone was much friendlier than yesterday.
That’s not all, the look in his eyes towards me was extremely soft. It was the moment I realized that even those frozen blue-gray eyes could see warmth.
“As you get older, it’s harder to eat as much food as you used to. Still, since this opportunity doesn’t come around often, shouldn’t you push yourself a bit?”
Mikel shook his shoulders and laughed, causing his coat to flutter. Despite the weather getting colder, the thin clothes exposed his well-trained forearms.
‘As expected, Noikjang of the North.’
I carefully looked at his body.
The whole body is developed in a balanced manner, and not a single muscle is wasted. The scars scattered across his forearms represented his long time fighting at the front.
‘where… … .’
I briefly tried to raise the absolute realm.
Indeed, I felt a powerful vitality that rivaled Diego’s. If Diego was like a bright lamp, Mikel was like a torch that burned continuously.
‘I can’t win yet.’
Although they gained a lot of experience by traveling through the western mountains, it seemed a little difficult to overcome the strongest players in the original.
‘I think I just need to do a little more.’
My goal wasn’t to kill them. That was possible at any time, even now.
What I want is to have the skills to overwhelmingly defeat them. To reach a level that cannot be defeated by any opponent.
“…….”
Wiggle, fingers move. Hoseungshim, who had been sleeping for a while, slowly raises his head.
‘It’s been a long time since I had a proper fight.’
It was a good opportunity to test the skills I had developed while wiping out monsters in the western mountains.
‘Let’s try our luck.’
I watched the atmosphere to see if I could find an opportunity.
“So, would you like to have a drink today?”
Mikel was looking like he was itching.
… … Is this old man still out of his mind?
“Oh my god.”
Other nobles around him waved their hands and backed away.
“I will rest today.”
“I still feel like all the alcohol I drank yesterday hasn’t dissipated….”
When they waved their hands and walked away, I was the only one left.
“great.”
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Of course, I had no intention of refusing. Because the amount of alcohol we share will be proportional to the intimacy Mikel will feel.
“After all, it’s good to be young.”
Mikel chuckled and ordered a different drink from yesterday.
It was a drink with a much higher alcohol content than the whiskey I drank yesterday, and was called the devil’s breath in the world.
Anyway, this country seems to like breathing too much.
“Yes, Prince Abel.”
Mikel grabbed the bottle the attendant brought and popped the cap off.
“So what do you want me to do for you?”
Then, suddenly, he came in with a bang.
‘Ohh.’
It seems that the groundbait laid in advance was successful. Mikel must have been thinking about my request all day yesterday.
‘It would be nice if you brought up the story like this first.’
I took the glass he held out and smiled.
“Were you curious?”
“You said that yesterday and you didn’t reveal it, so of course you’re curious.”
“Are you willing to listen?”
“hmm.”
Mikel rolled the glass in his hand.
“To be honest, I think I can grant you anything except asking for my daughter.”
Instead of passing the glass down his throat, he stared at me.
“Your performance yesterday and today. I was very impressed. It will be of great help to the Node territory.”
“Thank goodness.”
“Of course, you did it because it was helpful to your territory, but….”
Mikel’s deep gaze took in my face. Most of the emotions contained therein were satisfaction.
“Anyway, that’s my honest feeling. So, feel free to tell me. What is your request?”
I drank the glass I was holding in one gulp.
“Aren’t you full?”
The voice had a sweet scent like the devil’s breath.
Mikel looked away from my empty glass and made a puzzled face.
“As I said before, I ate diligently with my belt loosened. But why do you ask that?”
“Then, I would like to suggest a method that may help with digestion.”
I stared into Mikel’s slightly widened eyes and spoke briefly.
“I want to fight swords with Lord Mikel.”
The surroundings became quiet. This was because not only Mikel but also the nobles who were listening to us remained silent.
“……Are you sincere when you say that?”
Mikel seemed to have lost the desire to drink and put down his glass.
“Somehow, I felt like my prayers were sharp and well-organized.”
His narrowed eyes looked up and down my body.
“There was indeed a reason why he was able to remain fine despite my pressure.”
I nodded yes to him with a quiet smile. Mikel became silent for a moment as if thinking about something.
“From what I heard,”
Finally, he slowly opened his mouth.
“I heard your father didn’t teach you swordsmanship.”
“Yes, that’s what the rumors say.”
When he answered in a tone that said it was a ‘rumour’, Mikel’s eyebrows rose.
“Are you saying that’s actually not the case?”
“Why did my father give me a seal and send me here?”
He speaks in a very confident tone, with his shoulders straight. All you have to do is mix the truth with a little lie, and it’s enough to make the lie seem like the truth.
“It is true that I offended my father with my immature behavior when I was young, but that is in the past.”
“…….”
“Of course, I was trained in swordsmanship before appearing here.”
Of course, that’s kind of robbed from Liam and Diego.
“Obest swordsmanship is probably not an easy type to learn.”
“It’s enough to protect myself.”
The surrounding nobles, who had been listening quietly, quietly came out.
“I understand Prince Abel’s confidence, but sparring with Lord Mikel will not be easy.”
“He is famous for teaching very harshly.”
“After receiving instruction, it will be difficult to walk for a while.”
There was genuine concern on their faces. I smiled cheerfully at them.
“How can a man receive instruction without even that much spirit?”
He added, waving his right arm, which was now completely fine.
“I once broke my right arm while learning sword fighting from my father.”
“Huh.”
The nobles sighed in pity.
“Well, that Diego Kindreal must be amazing.”
“When a wolf teaches his cubs, he pushes them off a cliff.”
Diego taught me harshly. It really bothers me to see it being glorified like this.
One of the nobles who was whispering looked at Mikel.
“Actually, Lord Mikel also has a record….”
“Hmm, I’ve had times like that.”
Mikel crossed his arms and agreed.
“My daughter also lost her shoulder blade while learning how to use a sword.”
“Oh, you mean Miss Leah?”
I naturally pretended to be surprised.
Lea Nord Concellare.
Lord Mikel’s eldest daughter and favorite successor, and the girl who will later become the owner of the winter sword Aria.
She was given a sword by Mikel at an early age. The process was as harsh and cold as the north wind of the snowy mountains.
That grueling training eventually makes her surpass her father.
‘Of course, we had to make a huge sacrifice in the process.’
I stared at Mikel, the man who would become the victim. There was also this reason why I tried to win his favor.
‘If he goes back, he dies.’
Caught in a huge snowstorm caused by Aria.
Before the swordsmanship, which was on par with the strongest swordsmanship in the empire, disappeared, I had to learn at least a little bit of swordsmanship from him.
“Yes, it was like that….”
Mikel’s eyes became vague, as if he was tracing the past.
“Leah, she’s my daughter, but she’s so vicious. As soon as her shoulder blade healed, she attacked me again.”
“I see.”
Even though I knew everything, I eagerly argued with him as if I was hearing this for the first time.
“Indeed, it appears that Miss Leia’s skills are considerable. Judging by the fact that Lord Mikel has come here to leave behind her.”
“…I don’t know if that’s a good thing for that child.”
A soft sigh escaped Mikel’s lips.
“If you don’t hold a sword even for a day, you might get cramps in your body. I thought it would be like this, so I didn’t want to teach you how to use a sword.”
He shrugged his shoulders slowly.
“No parent can beat their child. Besides, my daughter’s stubbornness is harder than the horns of a minotaur.”
… … Is it comparable to that hideous monster?
I thought about it, but then I remembered Leah from the original and agreed.
‘She was a really harsh woman.’
Mikel looked into the distance and muttered softly.
“What parent would enjoy seeing those beautiful hands get blisters and the skin become rough?”
“…….”
“I hope I can become the hostess of a good family and live happily and comfortably…”
As I watched that scene, I inwardly clicked my tongue. It was because it reminded me of a certain mother and daughter in our territory.
‘You don’t know my daughter very well either.’
fantasy,
