Honorable Duel (3)
Alicia Hainal.
She is the daughter of the previous head of the family and is given a legitimacy that cannot be compared to Ender, who was born from a concubine.
Additionally, her blood was connected to the Shahzad, a central family.
Shahzad’s blood, which started from Alicia’s grandmother, symbolized the strong trust between the two families.
However, the concept of politics practiced by nobles existed beyond humanity.
Because their blood was blue.
“Please declare!”
Shahzad decided that nearby benefits were more important than distant blood ties.
Because Ender promised it.
This is because he said that if he were the head of the family who could foresee the future, he would give up even things he could not dare to promise.
Shahzad accepted the answer and gave Alicia the honorable knight.
Alicia was fooled, and Bayezid was played.
This match was not honorable.
“······It’s not over yet.”
And in the dishonorable battlefield where everyone was silent, there was someone who stood up quietly.
Josef of the Bayezid family.
A young man who, although he did not intend to do so, became a representative of the North in this duel desecrated by the families of the central region.
He stood up heavily.
“I’m asking for some time off so we can talk about this situation.”
Although it was not a loud voice, it was enough to spread throughout the silent hall.
The priest, who could sense the anger contained in Josef’s words, just kept wiping away his sweat, not knowing what to do.
“Please do so.”
“thank you. “Priest.”
Josef’s burning black eyes were searching for someone.
A man below with a triumphant expression.
Ender Hainal.
“Alicia’s driver abstained! “I understand how you feel, Joseph, but this duel is over!”
“Is this an honorable duel?”
Although the embers have cooled down, they retain heat within them.
That was Josef’s voice right now.
“I have no intention of simply accepting the results you have decided.”
Although he could not lift the sword, Bayezid’s blood was flowing inside Josef’s body.
The blood of the ferocious Bayezid.
“The duel cannot end until I understand the situation.”
“······.”
Those who were quick to notice Josef’s resolute declaration would have sensed it.
This moment is the starting point of a clash between the central and northern parts, which has been unusual for some time.
“How can I convince you?”
Ender, who was on the verge of victory, was shouting in triumph, but his momentum gradually died down.
Because I saw something burning black in the eyes of a man with dark eye shadows.
‘Bayezid…’
There were words that came to Ender’s mind as he looked at Josef’s pitch black eyes looking at him.
The North must pay back.
Whether it’s honor or shame.
“Please allow the duel to proceed.”
Josef thought.
The best has become impossible, but the worst must be avoided.
“I can’t tarnish Alicia’s honor with a loss.”
An honor that has not even been proven.
It was so humiliating that it cannot be described with the word dishonor.
Therefore, Josef chose to end the duel here in some way.
A clumsy stoppage will give away a fatal cause, and a duel that cannot be completed properly will put Alicia in a state where she cannot recover.
In the current situation, only certain defeat can result in a lesser evil.
Only then will we be able to plan for the future.
“Is there anyone who can represent Sir Joubert? “Then I will accept your request.”
Josef listened to Ender and looked at him with fierce eyes.
That raccoon-like person already knew that he and Alicia could not produce a worthy article.
‘You aimed carefully from the beginning.’
Alicia cannot provide any more knights and she has only brought two knights.
It was an unwritten rule among nobles not to bring too many knights or soldiers when invited to another territory.
It was a painful swindler who aimed for that.
“······As Master Ender said, if you appoint someone to represent you, we will proceed with the duel.”
The priest who was listening to the two of them picked up what Ender said with the feeling that it was right.
In order to proceed with the duel, of course there would need to be a representative.
Without that, it was a proposal that would not have been established in the first place.
“······.”
Josef turned his head to look at Alicia at the priest’s words, but she was just holding her pounding heart with a pale face.
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Alicia, who was barely holding on, collapsed from the blow just now.
If it ends like this, she won’t even be able to prove her honor.
“······there is.”
Josef thought as he looked at Alicia who was mesmerized.
It worked out better.
It’s not my plan, but I’m willing to step up.
“There is someone who can take your place.”
A duel is an honorable thing.
Therefore, only those who had proven their qualifications or those who had been delegated qualifications by an honorable person could enter the honorable battlefield.
“Who is it?”
The honor is on my behalf.
So who will hold the sword instead?
“······.”
Josef quietly stroked his face with his hand and looked at his sword, Xayar.
He was nodding.
“Bayezid will appoint a new duelist in place of Joubert of the Shahzad family, who chose to abstain.”
People couldn’t help but feel puzzled by Josef’s remarks.
Who would you let go in this situation?
“I, Josef of the Bayezid family, will be the great warrior who will honor Alicia.”
Josef standing at the highest point instead of Alicia.
His finger was pointing at someone.
“I will establish Vlad of Shoara.”
“······!”
With serene silence.
Everyone here turned their heads to follow Josef’s fingertips.
A person that no one paid attention to or even thought about.
Therefore, there is only one person who can enter the honorable battlefield.
Vlad of Shoara, squire of the knight Xayar.
“uh······.”
The blond boy standing at the tip of Josef’s finger was just blinking, not knowing what to do.
A boy stood at the first and foremost place where the central and northern regions clashed.
※※※※
After confirming Vlad’s identity, Ender foamed at the mouth and protested the injustice.
“He is not a knight! “You don’t deserve it!”
“Duels of honor are not just for knights. “Anyone who holds a sword can do it.”
“The opponent is a knight! Raising a squire against a knight is an act that tarnishes Arnstein’s reputation…”
“You guys!”
Josef stamped his foot strongly, interrupting Ender.
Then he spat out a fireball burning with anger from his mouth.
“Did you do this out of consideration for the honor of the Bayezid family?”
Here and now, the owner is bowing his head and the usurper is drooling hungrily.
“Playing with Bayezid in shallow water like this!”
The only person who could stand alone was Josef of the prestigious Bayezid family in the north.
Josef was the person with the most honorable blood among those here.
“I guarantee his honor!”
And he was a man with more than enough qualifications to guarantee someone’s honor.
“I will replace the deputy. Please accept it.”
“Uh, um…”
There was nothing wrong with what Josef said.
If he guarantees it, even a mere stable keeper, not a squire, will be able to agree to a duel.
“Agree, do you agree?”
However, an honor duel could only be established if there was mutual consent.
Ender made eye contact with the knights behind him for a moment and nodded as if there was nothing else to do.
“If you have to do it like this, I understand.”
What can a mere seed do?
Even if the brat over there was a knight and not a squire, Arnstein’s Pablo was not a man who would be easily defeated.
“We accept Joseph’s proposal.”
“Then let’s proceed with the duel.”
It was a tilted plate to begin with.
But Josef just twisted the plate.
Even though it was a small twist made with a wedge called Vlad, this would be enough.
Because I didn’t want to win in the first place.
‘I just need to buy time.’
Josef came here to Dermar to get something certain.
And Bayezid’s name, Josef, was a man who always prepared for the worst.
I just hope the boy can hold on.
“hmm. hmm. “Umm.”
[Calm down, Vlad.]
Vlad tried to maintain his composure in the face of this sudden situation, but it was not easy.
“Am I dueling now?”
“Yes.”
“And with the driver?”
“That’s right. “Take a breath.”
Xayar was tightening Vlad’s leather armor and arming him as tightly as possible.
People naturally couldn’t take their eyes off Vlad at the rare sight of a knight accompanying his squire.
“······You won’t die, right?”
“If the worst comes to worst, I’ll come in.”
“What about the worst?”
“······.”
Vlad calmly adjusted his sword as he watched Xayar tighten the straps of his armor without giving any response.
It had always been like that, but in the end, it seemed like the only one I could trust was myself.
“Vlad.”
“Joseph.”
Josef suddenly jumped down from the VIP table and hugged Vlad while suppressing his rough breathing.
“There is no need to do this…”
“Hold on for ten minutes.”
“······oh.”
To others, it seemed like he was encouraging his squire to go up to the harsh battlefield, but a close conversation was taking place between the two.
“There is something prepared from the beginning. “You can do it if you persevere.”
“······Is ten minutes enough?”
Vlad knew.
Josef is not someone who just gets carried away by anger and does things impulsively.
“It would be good if you could hold out longer.”
In response to Josef, Vlad turned his head and looked around.
The old, fat, always-maligned knight was nowhere to be seen.
“······All right. “I owe you something.”
“To whom?”
Instead of answering Josef’s words, Vlad focused his eyes on the woman sitting alone at the highest point.
I made eye contact with water-colored eyes that were constantly shaking.
“I’ll do my best to last for about ten minutes. “If possible.”
“be careful.”
It was an answer that did not fit the context, but Josef, who knew that Vlad often talked to himself, simply nodded.
It’s too much weight for this guy to carry.
It’s worth being nervous.
Vlad bowed his head towards the water-colored haired woman with tears in her eyes.
“······.”
I’m sorry for mistaking you for a maid, and I’m also sorry for sneaking into your parents’ grave.
And thank you for not telling me.
So I will do my best.
“Representatives of both sides, please come up!”
What is important to a knight is his lord’s orders first and his own honor second.
Vlad agreed to bear a heavy burden to protect Josef’s orders and Alicia’s honor.
“······after.”
Although it was borrowed, the boy carrying shining honor walked onto the battlefield with trembling steps.
Everyone here was watching that.
Friends, enemies, and even people who have nothing to do with each other.
The world was watching the boy.
“This is Vlad of Shoara.”
Vlad of Shoara.
The name that a faithful priest wrote to the world with God’s permission.
The boy declared his name to the world of his own will.
Today, the boy has the right to shine.
Because for the first time in my life, I picked up a sword for someone other than myself.
