CHAPTER 146: CLASH OF CHAMPIONS [2]

Still, neither Luina nor Rob showed any sign of backing down.

It was like a dance.

A performance.

A pair of man and woman performing a sword dance, filling the entire arena.

The spectators were entranced, their mouths closed, absorbed in the beautiful duel.

Only one person, Gerhard, focused on the Duke’s voice rather than the duel.

"He accepts any request and completes it. No matter what, he prioritizes the client’s orders above all else. He’s a man worth paying for requests."

However, that didn’t mean the client was the boss.

"Garet Schreiner has his own limits. If those limits are crossed, he forfeits the request immediately and pays a penalty."

"Is that all?"

"No matter how strong he is, if he did as he pleased, do you think he could have earned the title of King?"

It was good information. Once he accepts a request, he generally follows the client’s opinion.

"So even in an urgent situation, if the client tells him not to move, will he remain still?"

"Are you viewing Garet as a dog?"

The Duke’s expressionless face rarely showed emotion. It was a snicker.

"Absolutely not."

"If it doesn’t cause problems for Garet himself or his mercenaries, then yes."

That was it. Gerhard secretly clenched his fist.

"But Garet doesn’t accept just any request. If the person isn’t qualified, or if the request doesn’t pique his interest, he refuses."

"I know he accepts at most one or two requests a year."

But it didn’t matter. Gerhard had the most delicious bait to tempt the Mercenary King.

"Thank you."

"Give up on the idea of approaching him carelessly. Garet is not an easy person."

"How could a Royal Knight be easy?"

He had no intention of doing anything special. Mercenary and client. The only thing to do when meeting was to make a request.

’Mercenary. Their king.’

Hire him to fight the demon. A Royal Knight. That was the final fortress Gerhard had established.

Honestly, he didn’t know if it was the right thing to do, or if he was hindering Aint’s growth.

But it was also true that relying solely on Aint was unsettling.

That’s why it was the Mercenary King. Someone who prioritizes the client’s opinion.

’I can prevent him from stepping in until I determine that Aint can’t win.’

Using the family’s power would be the simplest method. But that was also not the right method.

There could be a loss of the family’s fighting strength in the battle against the demon, and there was no way to convince them that a demon was scheduled to be summoned.

Seeing the future was Gerhard’s greatest weapon. Regardless of belief or disbelief, it was something he couldn’t tell anyone.

───!

─!

──!

While Gerhard and the Duke were conversing, the match was already heading toward its climax.

The aura blades formed on their swords were extremely solid and sharp, and due to the sword strikes aimed at each other, it wouldn’t be strange for the artifact to activate at any moment.

Despite hundreds of exchanges, neither of their swords slowed down. Their expressions didn’t change either.

The swords were still both light and heavy, and the arena floor was cracked everywhere as if meteors had fallen.

"How was the performance of that golem?"

"..."

"I’ll tell you how to place a request with the Mercenary King. What you do after that is up to you."

"It tore and killed Andromalius’s serpent."

"That little serpent?"

"It grew to over 20 meters."

"A magical beast, then. Indeed, it’s worth the expensive price. When you said you were going to make a golem with those expensive materials, I thought you were crazy."

If it could tear and kill a demon’s magical beast, its performance was unquestionable.

"A perfect partner for a merchant."

Kuung!

Wooden, dangling from the necklace, greeted happily. The Duke looked down at it impassively.

At that moment-

Waaaaaaaaah!

A deafening cheer shook the arena.

"It’s been decided."

The Duke, after checking the arena, stood up.

"Are the ones recorded in the crystal trustworthy?"

Luina, Ariadne, Veriana, and Aint.

"One is completely trustworthy, one can be negotiated with, and one can be blackmailed."

"The remaining one?"

"Can be persuaded."

"To avoid being discovered by the judges about the demon, you’ll need to seal their mouths well. A merchant who receives an advance payment must deliver value."

He was talking about the headmaster.

"I’ll keep that in mind."

Gerhard called out to the Duke who was leaving first.

"Aren’t you going to watch the Magic Tournament finals?"

"I just wanted to confirm the one you trust."

Looking at the arena, a smile spread across Gerhard’s face.

From the beginning of the festival until now.

Funds to request the Mercenary King had been secured.

And.

"Young master, the first report on Gismond Ert has arrived."

Information about the strange guy as well.

==

Strong.

The moment their lances clashed, Luina realized.

No, in fact, she knew it even before their lances clashed.

Her opponent was Rob Kaellin.

Grandson and disciple of a Royal Knight.

Last year’s Jousting Competition champion.

He had lived 2 years more than her. For some, 2 years might be incredibly short, but for a genius, 2 years was like a massive wall.

But even so, Luina was not afraid. Amidst the chilling hostility and fierce waves of aura, she took a step forward and extended her sword.

If he was the grandson of a Royal Knight, she was the daughter of a Royal Knight.

A knight who had fought and won against a demon.

Rob Kaellin was certainly a fearsome existence. He was strong.

But he wasn’t as fearsome as the demon. He wasn’t as strong as the demon.

That’s why she was confident she wouldn’t lose.

’I said I would win.’

For a knight, a promise was like life itself.

That’s why she had to win.

No, even without that, she wanted to win.

Not all Jousting Competition champions became Royal Knights.

But except for two who didn’t attend the academy, all Royal Knights had won the Jousting Competition.

That’s why Luina had to win.

Sword clashes with sword. Rob Kaellin was stronger than any student she had faced at the academy.

She involuntarily gritted her teeth at the impact transmitted each time their sword strikes collided.

But it was bearable.

Compared to fighting Andromalius, where her muscles tore and blood vessels burst with each strike, this was a drop in the bucket.

The pressure.

The destructive power.

The speed.

Everything was whispering that there was no reason she couldn’t win.

And that whisper became reality.

─!

The swords that had clashed hundreds of times face each other again.

Kagagagak-

Sword slides along sword.

She leans forward while raising her arm. The opponent’s upper body is exposed.

She raises her knee to strike, but a solid aura protects his breastplate. She pushes against him as if falling.

Bang! With a sound like a carriage collision, they fall entangled.

Both soon get up, gasping for breath.

Staggering, they raise their swords and, as if by unspoken agreement, begin to emit aura.

Both Luina and Rob knew this would be the last. Because they had almost no stamina or aura left.

’Sharp. Sharper.’

Like that time when she pierced the demon’s heart, throwing everything away in desperation.

The two swords, honed with extremely sharp intent, collided.

A swirl of light mixed with aura enveloped the entire arena.

And when that light disappeared.

"Huk, huk...!"

The one standing on two feet was Luina.

A faint light emanated from the bracelet of Rob, who had fallen and was looking up at the sky.

...Did I win?

"...Haha, I didn’t expect to lose."

I won.

Luina instinctively looked up.

To the place where high nobles, including Gerhard, were presumed to be.

Why she looked there first, even she didn’t know.

She just wanted to.

If it weren’t for Gerhard.

This victory wouldn’t have been possible.

She wouldn’t have become the top-ranked student and reached this position.

Luina raised her sword high.

"Winner! Luina Berchef!"

The referee proclaimed the champion of the tournament.

Luina didn’t know. That in Gerhard’s eyes, as he watched her, gold was dripping down.