Serev Kamysh recalled the conversation he had had with Blahar just a few hours ago.
"If I were to stand inside a box with a ribbon tied around it, wouldn't it be a bit strange? I'm the gift!"
"...Are you asking now, knowing what I mean?"
Serev tried hard to dissuade Blahar and eventually decided to give Targaryel the gift he had prepared at first.
In fact, the gift he had prepared at first wasn't particularly good. It might have been better for the Targayel royal family if Blahar had just come out and said, "I'm the gift!"
This was because the gift that Heglatan had secretly brought was a lion cub.
It was Blahar who had chosen it himself, and Serev had suspected from the moment he first suggested giving the lion as a gift that he had made up his mind.
It was a celebration of Targayel defeating Baluar and becoming a new empire. At such a place, they gave away the lion, the symbol of the former royal family, as a gift. No matter how nicely it was packaged, it could not help but be considered a provocation.
Of course, he didn't think Blahar would give them a normal gift. But Serev didn't expect it to be this bad. Anyway, he knew Blahar from the time he went to Duke Cirxus's residence and caused a ruckus, but he was a really unique person in this kind of thing.
Serev glanced over at the Duke and Duchess of Cirxus. They were standing right next to Astin and Heyla, watching the lion cubs like the others.
Elze was the first to catch his eye. She looked calm, not showing much emotion except for her slightly pale face.
Serev, who was studying Elze's face, looked at Shan Cirxus standing next to her. His face was expressionless. His eyes were a little cold, but at first glance, he seemed to be unperturbed.
If Shan Kyraxus had become Emperor, he would have drawn his sword without hesitation the moment he saw the lion cub, cut off its head, and flung it at Blahar. Or at least taunted it. Either way, the lion's life was not a consideration in his choice.
But Astin looked different. He was sympathizing with the lion. At least he wasn't the type of person to kill a lion. However, if he showed too much weakness for the sake of sympathy, he would become a laughingstock in the surrounding countries.
What on earth should he do? Serev watched the situation silently.
"Lion..."
“Oh my god, a lion...”
Amid the commotion in the room, the new Emperor, Astin, looked at the lion cub with a slightly stern expression.
The cub seemed to be blinded by the sudden light. It scratched the ground with its claws and made a whining sound. It was wearing a muzzle to prevent it from making loud noises, so all it could do was whimper.
Heyla, sitting next to Astin, bit her lower lip. Her expression darkened. It was a poor dumb beast. But she couldn't leave it alone, considering its symbolism.
Heyla looked at Astin. There was a silent plea in her eyes asking if there was some way to solve this without killing anyone.
“..”
Astin stood up from his seat after looking at the lion cub in silence. While everyone was wondering what Astin would do with the lion, Astin approached the iron cage. He looked Blahar, who was standing next to the cage, in the eye and said.
“I will gratefully accept the gift you have given me.”
Blahar's eyes narrowed. He looked down at Astin, then asked with a wide grin.
“Do you know what I mean and are you saying you will accept it now?”
“Of course.”
Blahar raised an eyebrow at Astin's adamant answer. But Astin was undeterred. Astin spoke up.
“You mean to completely tame the ghost of the former imperial dynasty, to absorb it into Targayel, which is a very meaningful gift indeed.”
“...!”
“...Did you?”
And then there was silence again, as there was nothing to say. At this point, it was standard to just exchange a few formal greetings and talk to someone else.
But the Prince didn't seem to have any intention of backing down. He couldn't bring himself to speak, but he didn't leave Elze's side. Elze felt like screaming.
She could see Shan smiling faintly from afar. He was dealing with another noble a little way away from Elze, and he didn't seem to have much intention of helping. Instead, he seemed amused.
Elze had made up her mind. She would just hide her face and run away. But the Prince opened his mouth anyway.
“I... Duchess.”
Elze was held still. Her heart was pounding as she wondered what he would say. The Prince hesitated and carefully opened his mouth.
“I still can’t believe that you were Elijah’s boss.”
From the moment she took it out, she felt uneasy. Her heart pounded with anxiety. And, as expected, Elze's anxiety became a reality.
“Can you prove to me that you are Elijah’s Elze?”
No, what are you talking about...
She really wanted to shut his mouth and tell him not to talk nonsense. But she couldn't do that to the prince.
“Please don’t say anything weird,” Elze replied sheepishly.
“That... how... should I prove it...”
Then the Prince said with a serious expression.
“Show me your swordsmanship.”
Elze thought she had misheard, so she asked again.
“Swordsmanship... you mean?”
But the Prince confirmed it again.
“Yes. I know it’s rude, but please.”
The Prince continued speaking, looking at Elze with wavering eyes.
“Actually, I thought about it a lot. How should I show you my face...”
Elze could tell from the Prince's expression that he was suffering in his own way.
The Prince was a huge fan of Shan Kyraxus. When he heard the story of the Hundred Years' War from Shan, the Prince was so happy that he couldn't help it. But at that time, the Elijah mercenary group was not invited to the banquet. They were mercenaries, not nobles.
However, the leader of the Elijah mercenary group that he had ignored was Shan Kyraxus' wife and a knight commander of the Targayel Empire.
The Prince must have thought a lot about how to behave before coming to Targayel. Then, he must have reached the point where he doubted whether Erzenes was really Elze. So, he must have asked Elze this favor to confirm it with his own eyes.
Elze fully understands why the Prince is doing this, but it is a difficult request for Elze. She couldn't just fly around the banquet hall with a sword right now. Elze smiled slightly and said to him.
“But right here, right now... isn’t it a little bit like that?”
The smiling lips trembled. When she said with an expression that said, “Please agree with what I say,” the Prince’s eyes widened. Then, as if he had finally realized, he answered, “Ah.”
“It’s definitely not something you can show at a banquet hall...”
Fortunately, he seemed to understand what she was saying. But Elze’s misfortune did not end there. A cheerful voice intervened.
“Why is there a problem? It seems like it would be enough.”
Blonde hair mixed with brown and gold gleamed before her eyes. The man who suddenly appeared was Blahar.
At first glance, it seemed like he had just barged in, but Elze could tell. He must have been watching this side of things since the Prince of Britain had spoken earlier. Then, when he saw that something interesting was about to happen, he quickly barged in. Blahar spoke in a tone that was so lively that it made the listener turn their clothes upside down.
“There are many people other than the Prince who are curious about the Duchess’s abilities.”
He smiled, his red eyes folding into crescent moons, and his words trailed off.
“I think it would be okay to prove it here...”
Then he smiled brightly and asked a question.
“How is it, Duchess Cirxus?”
Ah... my life...
Elze sighed deeply inwardly. Blahar was tying her up in real-time, and she couldn't stop him even though she was watching. Before Elze could respond, the tactless Prince went even further and intervened.
“If it is okay with you, Ma’am, wouldn’t that be okay?”
It's not okay! It's absolutely not okay!! But despite her inner screams, Elze answered gracefully and calmly.
“How can I use a sword here? I can’t dance with a sword alone.”
Of course, Blahar wasn't the type to just let it go. He quickly accepted Elze's words.
“I would like to be your sparring partner.”
“...”
Elze worried for a moment that her face might be showing signs of murder. She had really wanted to kill Blahar just now.
“Your swordsmanship is renowned even in Heglatan. I am also interested in it.”
Elze looked around. Everyone in the banquet hall was looking at her with anticipation. Before she knew it, the atmosphere was naturally flowing in favor of Elze and Blahar’s duel.
Of course, everyone would be curious. It was not common for a woman to be a famous mercenary leader and a knight commander of a royal family. There must have been those who were not only half-confident about Elze's abilities but also completely distrustful.
And crucially, no matter what excuses Blahar would make, he would stubbornly hold on to Elze. In the end, the future was set in stone, and the confrontation was unavoidable.
Maybe I should show my skills once.
As Elze hesitated, Shan approached her. Blahar laughed and called out to Shan.
“Duke Cirxus.”
And Elze called his name too.
“Shan...”
Elze looked at him with an embarrassed expression. She was really hesitant about whether to accept this or Elze. Then Shan whispered softly in Elze's ear.
“Make them think clearly.”
Elze nodded, holding back her laughter. She suddenly felt motivated when she heard Shan’s words.
“If His Majesty, the protagonist of today and my lord, permits it, I will accept it.”
Blahar smiled brightly. His face was thrilled by the situation going his way. He looked at Astin and asked.
“How is it, Your Majesty?”
There was no way Astin could object to Elze's decision. With Astin's permission, Elze and Blahar were to have a duel in the middle of the banquet hall.
The place that had originally been decorated as a dance hall was now wide open. The eyes of the nobles and envoys all sparkled with anticipation at the unexpected entertainment.
The people in the hall emptied the central dance hall and stood on either side. Interestingly enough, those supporting Heglatan gathered on one side, and those supporting Targayel gathered on the other side. It was done without anyone's direction, but it just happened as if it was flowing water. Some people who realized this fact snickered.
Heglatan's envoys were all hanging around Blahar, offering advice or nagging. Judging from the expression on the face of Serev, Blahar's confidant, it seemed like it was probably nagging.
And all sorts of people were gathered around Elze, the player on Targayel's side, talking to each other. Hyeon spoke to Elze with a solemn expression.
“I’m going to pretend it was a mistake and slap that bastard’s shiny face.”
Shan agreed with Hyeon's words and gave advice.
“I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea to break his right arm. Or his fingers, if that’s too much of a burden.”
Anyway, these two people were perfect for this kind of work. Elze listened to the advice and swung the sword in her hand.
The sword they were going to use for the duel was a common practice sword. The blunt-bladed sword was unfamiliar to both Elze and Blahar. The duel seemed fair at first, considering that neither of them was using their main swords.
But strictly speaking, since Elze's main weapon was twin swords, it was like losing one of her main attacking tools. Hyeon must have guessed that fact and asked with a slightly worried voice.
“But is that okay? You only have one sword...”
Elze swung her sword into the air a few times. The clean trajectory elicited small exclamations from those watching. On the other side, Blahar was seen laughing. Elze frowned and answered Hyeon.
“...That’s enough.”
Shan must have seen Blahar's laughter. Shan let out a short laugh and said.
“You didn’t think you would win when you challenged him to a duel, did you?”
"Hmm..."
Elze answered Shan, stretching her body slightly.
“It was a close fight when I fought Blahar last time. I was a bit restricted... So you probably thought I would win?”
“Restrictions? What restrictions?”
“Oh, that’s it.”
There was absolutely no way she could say she was wearing only panties. Elze jumped up from her seat.
“I’ll tell you later!”
And then she quickly picked up her sword and walked out to the middle of the banquet hall. Applause and cheers poured out at Elze’s appearance. Blahar also walked out to the center.
He and Elze stood side by side, looking at each other. Elze spoke to Blahar, who couldn't stop laughing because he was so happy.
“It turned out like this by chance, but please take good care of me.”
He looked at Elze's face and whispered softly.
“I’m the one who needs to take good care of you, Elze.”
The two crossed swords. Tension filled the banquet hall. Although it was supposedly a light duel to show off Elze's skills, no one was taking it lightly.
The duel had already degenerated into a battle of pride between Targayel and Heglatan. If they lost here, it would be a complete disgrace. Elze took a deep breath. Their eyes met. And the duel began.
The moment the signal dropped, Blahar and Elze simultaneously swung their swords at each other. Their swords met. A dull metallic sound rang out.
The swords clashed and fell repeatedly over a short time. The speed was so fast that it was difficult to follow with the eyes. The eyes of the onlookers were wide open at the incredible speed of the sword.
The swords crossed each other, drawing splendid curves and straight lines. After slashing down sharply, the two fell at the same time. Elze took a moment to catch her breath after leaving some distance between them. Then she walked slowly, searching for an opening.
It was fortunate that she was wearing trousers, but it was inevitable that the formal attire would be a little awkward. Blahar would feel the same way. Blahar smiled at Elze. He snickered and spoke just enough for Elze to hear.
“Isn’t it a shame that you’re wearing too much this time?”
Elze answered expressionlessly.
“Then, how about Your Majesty taking it off this time?”
“Do you really want to?”
“...”
Anyway, she was too scared to even joke. Knowing that he was the kind of person who would really take off his clothes if she asked him to, Elze kept her mouth shut. And she attacked him without saying a word.
Blahar leaned back in surprise at the much faster speed. Without missing the shaking of his center of gravity, Elze thrust inside.
“!!”
The tip of the sword barely grazed Blahar's Adam's apple. Blahar, who dodged the blow by a hair's breadth, tried to say something.
However, Elze continued her attacks without giving him a chance to relax. Blahar, who barely managed to block the continuous barrage of attacks, spoke in horror.
“Why are you so good at this?”
Elze answered, extending her sword before he could even finish speaking properly.
“I was already good at it.”
Blahar chuckled at the blunt answer. He seemed to still be somewhat out of his senses, as he had the presence of mind to laugh.
Let's not drag this out and just end it quickly. Elze swung her sword at Blahar, who was busy laughing.
Blahar countered with his sword. But, whether by accident or intention, his sword shook. Elze could not miss the gap that opened up. Elze swung her sword hard and struck Blahar’s sword away.
Blahar's longsword was swung back by a strong recoil. Elze dug into the large space, but Blahar caught her with his foot.
But Elze had already figured out his movements. She dodged the approaching footsteps and lightly turned to his side. Blahar’s desperate move, which was almost like a foul, fell apart. Blahar lost his balance and fell backward.
Elze exhaled and turned to Blahar. Then, she pointed her sword straight at him as he fell.
“It is my victory, Your Majesty.”
"Haha..."
Blahar, who was sitting on the floor, laughed for a long time. He smiled brightly and said coolly.
“Surrender, surrender.”
Targayel applauded Blahar's surrender. Heglatan also reluctantly applauded. Elze bowed humbly.
And when she turned to Blahar, he held out his hand. It was as if he was asking her to help him up. She was more than willing to provide that level of service. Elze took Blahar’s outstretched hand.
But it was a trap.
“!!”
When Blahar grabbed Elze's hand, he pulled her tightly. Elze lost her balance for a moment and stumbled, falling toward Blahar.
Before she could come to her senses, something soft touched her palm. Something slightly wet licked her palm, and a slurping sound echoed. Blahar smiled and whispered.
“Congratulations on your victory, Erzenes Targayel.”
“...”
Elze pushed Blahar's face away with her palm.
“Ugh!”
Blahar, who had finally gotten up, fell backward again. Seeing him fall, Elze felt a belated sense of regret. She had reached out without thinking about the consequences. Still, it was an extremely rude action for a person who was called the Emperor.
Blahar's actions were rude, but he was originally a gangster. His and Elze's rudeness were never considered on the same level.
Blahar groaned and stood up again. Elze considered apologizing to him, even if it was late. But soon there was no need to worry about that.
There was a thumping sound of footsteps, and then something flew in quickly. It hit Blahar’s chest with a thump and fell. An ominous voice was heard.
“Shan Targael Cirxus.”
Elze's face turned pale as she saw what had fallen to the floor. It was the glove Shan had been wearing.
Shan took a deep breath as if trying to suppress his anger. Then he spoke to Blahar.
“I challenge His Majesty the Emperor of Heglatan to a duel.”
It wasn't the first or second time that Blahar had irritated Shan.
Shan had been holding back a lot. It wasn't just that he had been holding back a lot, but considering Shan's usual personality, he had been holding back almost to the point of training. He had been holding back even though he would have killed someone several times, so it was time for him to explode.
But regardless of his feelings, considering the time and place, Shan should have held back just one more time. There were too many people watching here right now. Blahar looked at Shan expressionlessly, then raised one corner of his mouth and said.
"...Duel?"
He slowly bent his knees. Then he picked up the glove that Shan had thrown. It was clearly an act of intent to duel, although Shan was too excited to let the glove hit his face.
Blahar asked again, shaking the glove in his hand.
“Are you challenging me to a duel right now?”
The situation was starting to turn into a near-disaster. Elze looked between Shan and Blahar in confusion. The two were already exchanging sparks. One or two people would have stepped in to stop them, but everyone else was at a loss as to what to do about the sudden turn of events and just watched in amazement.
In fact, when thinking about Heglatan’s emotions, this level of flirting was not a problem at all. Rather, most of them thought of it as proof that their wife was attractive and were secretly pleased with it. The nobles of Targayel also seemed to think that it was a bit excessive, but it was a laughing matter.
But that was their standard, and it was something that Shan could never get over. Provocation should be done in moderation, and acting like this in a public place was an insult to both Shan and Elze. And insulting Elze was one of the things Shan could not stand the most.
“I'm serious.”
Shan's straightforward answer hit Blahar squarely in the face.
“...I see.”
Blahar looked a little more offended than when he had been hit by the glove. As the atmosphere grew tense, Astin stepped in to mediate. Astin spoke in a calm voice.
“I think you two should calm down a bit.”
But Blahar didn't help. He just said something annoyingly from the side.
“That’s right. Why would Lord Cirxus do that on such a beautiful day?”
But there was no way Astin would take Blahar's side. Astin cut him off firmly.
“Didn’t the Duchess express her displeasure?”
She did express it quite violently, as she pushed Blahar's face away with her hand.
“Your Majesty seems to have been excessive.”
It seems that Astin was also upset by Blahar's palm kiss.
Blahar frowned at Astin's words that subtly revealed his anger.
“So you’re telling me to apologize?”
“Wouldn’t that be a good idea?”
Blahar stared at Astin silently, then let out a muffled laugh.
"...Ha."
Then he turned around and said,
“I accept the duel.”
“...!”
There was no time for Astin, who had tried to dissuade them, to step forward. Blahar and Shan were already ready to fight.
“I have tarnished the honor of the ball, so of course I should be given a chance to cleanse it.”
Blahar narrowed his eyes slightly. Then he smiled faintly and said.
“I also owe a lot to Lord Cirxus in many ways.”
It was a statement that struck a chord with the bones. The crowd murmured at the sound that seemed to suggest something had happened between the two.
Blahar and Targayel had been through many things, but they were not known to the public. Blahar, who had said something meaningful, held out both hands and shrugged his shoulders as he asked.
“How about deciding this right here and now?”
Blahar snatched the practice sword that Elze had been holding.
“There happens to be a sword here... I think this will be a good weapon for the duel.”
And he threw the sword he was holding in his hand at Shan. The longsword flew away and was caught in Shan’s hand as if it was sucked in. Shan, who accepted the longsword, looked back at Elze without saying a word.
“...”
It was a final look at asking for permission.
How could she stop him when it had come to this? If Elze had stopped Shan, she would have followed suit, but she would have to risk incurring resentment from him.
Moreover, if the situation had become this serious, if he had gotten out, no matter what the process was, he would have ended up looking like he was running away. It would have also been a disgrace to the Targayel, which was renowned for being a family of unmanned people.
But aside from all this, there was something Elze couldn't understand. Blahar had already mixed his sword with Shan before and had been defeated. At that time, he must have realized that he couldn't defeat Shan with his own skills.
But what is the intention behind his attack on Shan now...? What on earth is Blahar’s intention?
A thought suddenly occurred to Elze, who was pondering. Perhaps he was not being clever right now. The competitive spirit burning in Blahar’s red eyes was genuine. It was truly an uncharacteristic action, but it could also be that he had accepted the duel purely emotionally.
“Erzenes.”
Shan's voice was heard urging her. Elze hesitated but eventually agreed to the duel. As soon as Elze's permission was obtained, the duel proceeded quickly.
Thanks to Blahar and Elze's duel, the banquet hall was completely emptied. The practice longsword used in the duel was decided to be the weapon for the duel.
Shan and Blahar faced each other and crossed swords. It was a greeting before a duel.
Watching the two men with their swords locked from a distance, Elze felt strange. She wondered if Shan had felt this way when she had sparred with Blahar earlier. She saw Blahar talking to Shan.
“Shan Cirxus.”
Shan and Blahar, standing with their swords facing each other in the middle of the hall, were having a brief conversation. Blahar spoke in a low voice so that the audience could not hear.
“Do you know why I accepted the duel?”
Shan answered his question dryly.
“It’s probably similar to the reason I requested a duel.”
Blahar, who liked Shan's answer, readily admitted it.
“That’s right. You’re so smart. But sometimes, do you like this kind of thing?”
He stared blankly at Shan for a moment, then glanced at Elze. She was looking at him with an anxious expression. Blahar raised his eyebrows and muttered in a slightly subdued tone.
“...Maybe, if it weren’t for her, we could have been friends.”
The reason the two ended up pointing their swords at each other was because of Elze. He laughed at the historical story of someone abandoning their country for a woman, but wasn't she exactly that kind of person? Of course, Elze was a woman worth getting even if it meant giving up the empire.
But Blahar's sensitivity was blocked by Shan. Shan smiled crookedly. Then he responded with an expression that said, "Don't talk nonsense."
“You have a rich imagination.”
Blahar smiled brightly at Shan's answer and asked back.
“I see, isn’t that so?”
That was the end of the verbal conversation. From then on, it was a conversation with swords.
The duel began. Shan and Blahar stretched their swords toward each other. Everyone looked at the two with eyes full of anticipation. They expected that a more dazzling and grand display of swordsmanship would unfold than the duel between Elze and Blahar.
But the duel was so simple that it was almost vain. There were no loud body movements, no sound of swords clashing. There was no time to check each other, no test of strength.
It was a single sum.
The match was decided in just one fight. It was Blahar's defeat, without a doubt.
“...”
Blahar, lying on the floor, opened his eyes wide and didn't move. He couldn't understand what was happening to him. Blahar slowly looked back at the situation.
He swung his sword. It was aimed squarely at Shan Kyraxus' neck. And it hit exactly where he was aiming.
But Blahar didn't feel any impact. The moment he realized that the attack had failed, something hit his abdomen hard. Blahar fell backward as if he were flying and slid for a long time.
There was no time to feel pain. Shan quickly approached. He climbed onto Blahar’s stomach to prevent him from getting up. The part that had just been attacked was crushed, and an uncontrollable pain surged through him. Blahar let out a cry of pain.
“Ugh!!”
Shan, who was sitting on Blahar's stomach, raised his sword. An instinctive fear came over him. The fear that he might die came over him.
Blahar tried to say something to Shan. But the moment his eyes met, he couldn't say anything. His voice was muffled as if someone had covered his mouth. All Blahar could do was lick his lips a few times.
The sword slashed down. Although it was clearly a blunt sword without a blade, there was a sharp sound as it cut through the wind. It was a sharp sound that would not have been strange if Blahar's head had been cut off at that moment.
“!!”
The onlookers held their breath. Some ladies screamed, and Heglatan's knights tried to run away.
But Shan's sword was faster. Blahar shut his eyes tightly. Right in front of his ears, he heard a rustling sound of something being cut.
And then there was silence. Blahar slowly opened his eyes. Indifferent purple eyes were looking down at him.
“...!”
The black Blahar's neck was stuck deep into the floor, about a fingernail's length away. A few strands of severed hair were scattered on the floor.
A slight, stinging pain belatedly came. Blahar felt the blood flowing down his neck.
It wasn't a deep cut. But everyone here knew it. If he had wanted to, Shan Kyraxus could have taken Blahar's life right here. Blahar laughed.
"Ha ha ha..."
But it wasn't the usual arrogant laugh he let out. With a slightly weak laugh, Blahar glared at Shan. And he muttered lowly.
“You’re crazy, Shan Kyraxus.”
Shan chuckled at Blahar's words. Shan's eyes darkened.
“If I were crazy, I would cut off your head right here, Your Majesty.”
Just like Blahar, his voice was very low. People who were curious about the conversation between the two moved their bodies, but they could not hear it because of the distance. Shan's voice was rough as it sank. Shan continued speaking slowly.
“Stop your rampage and wait quietly while I find the right time to kill you.”
But Blahar was not the type to give in to such threats. He continued to play with his snout, his face turning pale from the pressure he was feeling.
“...If I don’t like it?”
Shan chuckled and lowered his face a little more at Blahar's outburst. Blahar reflexively tilted his head back. But there was nowhere to escape. In the gap that had become menacingly close, Shan whispered softly.
“Then you will die early.”
Previous Next
"If I were to stand inside a box with a ribbon tied around it, wouldn't it be a bit strange? I'm the gift!"
"...Are you asking now, knowing what I mean?"
Serev tried hard to dissuade Blahar and eventually decided to give Targaryel the gift he had prepared at first.
In fact, the gift he had prepared at first wasn't particularly good. It might have been better for the Targayel royal family if Blahar had just come out and said, "I'm the gift!"
This was because the gift that Heglatan had secretly brought was a lion cub.
It was Blahar who had chosen it himself, and Serev had suspected from the moment he first suggested giving the lion as a gift that he had made up his mind.
It was a celebration of Targayel defeating Baluar and becoming a new empire. At such a place, they gave away the lion, the symbol of the former royal family, as a gift. No matter how nicely it was packaged, it could not help but be considered a provocation.
Of course, he didn't think Blahar would give them a normal gift. But Serev didn't expect it to be this bad. Anyway, he knew Blahar from the time he went to Duke Cirxus's residence and caused a ruckus, but he was a really unique person in this kind of thing.
Serev glanced over at the Duke and Duchess of Cirxus. They were standing right next to Astin and Heyla, watching the lion cubs like the others.
Elze was the first to catch his eye. She looked calm, not showing much emotion except for her slightly pale face.
Serev, who was studying Elze's face, looked at Shan Cirxus standing next to her. His face was expressionless. His eyes were a little cold, but at first glance, he seemed to be unperturbed.
If Shan Kyraxus had become Emperor, he would have drawn his sword without hesitation the moment he saw the lion cub, cut off its head, and flung it at Blahar. Or at least taunted it. Either way, the lion's life was not a consideration in his choice.
But Astin looked different. He was sympathizing with the lion. At least he wasn't the type of person to kill a lion. However, if he showed too much weakness for the sake of sympathy, he would become a laughingstock in the surrounding countries.
What on earth should he do? Serev watched the situation silently.
"Lion..."
“Oh my god, a lion...”
Amid the commotion in the room, the new Emperor, Astin, looked at the lion cub with a slightly stern expression.
The cub seemed to be blinded by the sudden light. It scratched the ground with its claws and made a whining sound. It was wearing a muzzle to prevent it from making loud noises, so all it could do was whimper.
Heyla, sitting next to Astin, bit her lower lip. Her expression darkened. It was a poor dumb beast. But she couldn't leave it alone, considering its symbolism.
Heyla looked at Astin. There was a silent plea in her eyes asking if there was some way to solve this without killing anyone.
“..”
Astin stood up from his seat after looking at the lion cub in silence. While everyone was wondering what Astin would do with the lion, Astin approached the iron cage. He looked Blahar, who was standing next to the cage, in the eye and said.
“I will gratefully accept the gift you have given me.”
Blahar's eyes narrowed. He looked down at Astin, then asked with a wide grin.
“Do you know what I mean and are you saying you will accept it now?”
“Of course.”
Blahar raised an eyebrow at Astin's adamant answer. But Astin was undeterred. Astin spoke up.
“You mean to completely tame the ghost of the former imperial dynasty, to absorb it into Targayel, which is a very meaningful gift indeed.”
“...!”
Blahar's eyes widened slightly at Astin's answer. Unable to hide his surprise, Astin asked casually.
“Am I correct in my assumptions?”
Astin's question was a way to get him to admit his answer quickly. Blahar stared at Astin for a long moment, then smirked. He's belittled him for being young, and he'd gotten a bit bossy.
Everything had to be pushed and pulled in moderation. Blahar could hardly be more stiff here. The new Emperor had given an intelligent answer, so it was only polite to back off. Bladar smiled broadly.
“Yes, that's what I meant.”
The tense atmosphere in the ballroom relaxed at Blahar's answer. Astin smiled slightly, then looked around the room.
“That's enough of the gift-giving, let's get on with the feast.”
At Astin's beckoning, the musicians began to play more lively music. At the same time, servants glided into the ballroom. Delicious food and fragrant liquors filled the room. Expensive champagne was generously distributed to the guests.
The drinkers were in high spirits, and the ballroom was buzzing. Everyone forgot about what had just happened and focused on the banquet.
“Phew...”
Elze patted her chest. She couldn't be too proud of Astin, who had survived Blahar's provocation. Shan, beside Elze, leaned in and whispered.
“Wise move. Better than I thought.”
Elze stopped herself from asking what he was thinking. She felt like she might regret listening in. Shan chuckled without comment, then turned to Elze's outfit and complimented her on it.
“You look good in your robes.”
Shan and Elze were dressed in knightly regalia. It was to signify that they were here today as Knights of the Imperial House rather than the Duchess of Cirxus.
There was nothing wrong with the attire itself, as it was designed for knights to wear to banquets and important events.
But the fact that the Duchess wore pants instead of a dress drew a few curious glances, some of which were gossipy, but most of which were positive. If nothing else, it looked very good on her.
With her hair up, she exuded a strangely androgynous charm. The younger nobles blushed unnecessarily near her, and then they began to squeak and giggle among themselves.
“Hmm.”
Shan, who was watching, crossed his arms and said in a joking tone,
“I'll have to watch out for the girls today.”
He said it jokingly, but Shan's face was serious. Elze laughed and gently grabbed his forearm.
“You too...”
Elze and Shan exchanged playful glances for a moment, then turned to the people and joined the others in the room.
The mood in the ballroom was subtly divided. There were those in favor of Heglatan and those in favor of Targayel.
The supporters of Heglatan rallied around Blahar. Blahar skillfully maneuvered the crowd around me.
Astin and Heyla are trying, but they're not nearly as socially experienced as Blahar, and they can't do it alone.
So the center of the Targayel supporters naturally formed around Elze and Shan. Elze was as beautiful and smiling as she could be.
She didn't particularly enjoy the masked conversations in the banquet hall, but she had no choice. This was a battleground now. If she showed any signs of being outmaneuvered here, she'd be overrun. Elze grumbled to herself that the last thing she wanted was to be complicated and tired, but she tried hard.
The Queen of Ryeo, Hyeon, also did her best to stand by Elze and Shan's side. She drew people in with her mere presence. People from other countries, who had always been curious about the kingdom of Ryeo, flocked to speak with the Queen.
Hyeon made her job much easier. Targayel took the lead in the banquet hall, not far behind Heglatan. Despite the polarized feelings, the atmosphere in the ballroom flowed smoothly. It was a time of peaceful conversation. Surrounded by ladies and young men, Elze left the room to chat.
After accepting a thirst-quenching bottle of champagne from a servant and taking a few sips, Elze was about to turn back when she was confronted by a man.
“...Ah.”
He was the prince of Britain. He had been talking to Blahar and had only now come face to face with Elze. Like Elze, the prince made a small sound of embarrassment when he saw her.
“...Hmm.”
And with that, the two were enveloped in an awkward silence. There was a reason for this awkwardness.
Elze had once shared a luncheon with the Prince of Britain. When Elze and Shan were in the kingdom of Britain, the Prince, a great fan of Shan Cirxus, invited the couple to his palace, where he sat down with Shan and told him stories of the war.
At the time, the Prince didn't know who she was; he thought she was simply a Countess. But now it was known across the continent that Erzenes was Elze of Elijah. Naturally, word spread to Britain, and the Prince learned of it.
In short, she had unintentionally lied to the Prince.
Faced with the truth, Elze was bewildered, not knowing what to say. And so was the Prince of Britain.
They stared at each other and blinked. After some awkward eye contact, Elze spoke first.
“How have you been?”
The Prince was puzzled by Elze's greeting, but then he greeted her face to face.
“Ah, Duchess, how have you been?”
He took up the sword and founded the Targayel Empire...
But that's not the way to answer, so Elze responded with a modicum of politeness.
“Nothing much.”
“...Did you?”
And then there was silence again, as there was nothing to say. At this point, it was standard to just exchange a few formal greetings and talk to someone else.
But the Prince didn't seem to have any intention of backing down. He couldn't bring himself to speak, but he didn't leave Elze's side. Elze felt like screaming.
She could see Shan smiling faintly from afar. He was dealing with another noble a little way away from Elze, and he didn't seem to have much intention of helping. Instead, he seemed amused.
Elze had made up her mind. She would just hide her face and run away. But the Prince opened his mouth anyway.
“I... Duchess.”
Elze was held still. Her heart was pounding as she wondered what he would say. The Prince hesitated and carefully opened his mouth.
“I still can’t believe that you were Elijah’s boss.”
From the moment she took it out, she felt uneasy. Her heart pounded with anxiety. And, as expected, Elze's anxiety became a reality.
“Can you prove to me that you are Elijah’s Elze?”
No, what are you talking about...
She really wanted to shut his mouth and tell him not to talk nonsense. But she couldn't do that to the prince.
“Please don’t say anything weird,” Elze replied sheepishly.
“That... how... should I prove it...”
Then the Prince said with a serious expression.
“Show me your swordsmanship.”
Elze thought she had misheard, so she asked again.
“Swordsmanship... you mean?”
But the Prince confirmed it again.
“Yes. I know it’s rude, but please.”
The Prince continued speaking, looking at Elze with wavering eyes.
“Actually, I thought about it a lot. How should I show you my face...”
Elze could tell from the Prince's expression that he was suffering in his own way.
The Prince was a huge fan of Shan Kyraxus. When he heard the story of the Hundred Years' War from Shan, the Prince was so happy that he couldn't help it. But at that time, the Elijah mercenary group was not invited to the banquet. They were mercenaries, not nobles.
However, the leader of the Elijah mercenary group that he had ignored was Shan Kyraxus' wife and a knight commander of the Targayel Empire.
The Prince must have thought a lot about how to behave before coming to Targayel. Then, he must have reached the point where he doubted whether Erzenes was really Elze. So, he must have asked Elze this favor to confirm it with his own eyes.
Elze fully understands why the Prince is doing this, but it is a difficult request for Elze. She couldn't just fly around the banquet hall with a sword right now. Elze smiled slightly and said to him.
“But right here, right now... isn’t it a little bit like that?”
The smiling lips trembled. When she said with an expression that said, “Please agree with what I say,” the Prince’s eyes widened. Then, as if he had finally realized, he answered, “Ah.”
“It’s definitely not something you can show at a banquet hall...”
Fortunately, he seemed to understand what she was saying. But Elze’s misfortune did not end there. A cheerful voice intervened.
“Why is there a problem? It seems like it would be enough.”
Blonde hair mixed with brown and gold gleamed before her eyes. The man who suddenly appeared was Blahar.
At first glance, it seemed like he had just barged in, but Elze could tell. He must have been watching this side of things since the Prince of Britain had spoken earlier. Then, when he saw that something interesting was about to happen, he quickly barged in. Blahar spoke in a tone that was so lively that it made the listener turn their clothes upside down.
“There are many people other than the Prince who are curious about the Duchess’s abilities.”
He smiled, his red eyes folding into crescent moons, and his words trailed off.
“I think it would be okay to prove it here...”
Then he smiled brightly and asked a question.
“How is it, Duchess Cirxus?”
Ah... my life...
Elze sighed deeply inwardly. Blahar was tying her up in real-time, and she couldn't stop him even though she was watching. Before Elze could respond, the tactless Prince went even further and intervened.
“If it is okay with you, Ma’am, wouldn’t that be okay?”
It's not okay! It's absolutely not okay!! But despite her inner screams, Elze answered gracefully and calmly.
“How can I use a sword here? I can’t dance with a sword alone.”
Of course, Blahar wasn't the type to just let it go. He quickly accepted Elze's words.
“I would like to be your sparring partner.”
“...”
Elze worried for a moment that her face might be showing signs of murder. She had really wanted to kill Blahar just now.
“Your swordsmanship is renowned even in Heglatan. I am also interested in it.”
Elze looked around. Everyone in the banquet hall was looking at her with anticipation. Before she knew it, the atmosphere was naturally flowing in favor of Elze and Blahar’s duel.
Of course, everyone would be curious. It was not common for a woman to be a famous mercenary leader and a knight commander of a royal family. There must have been those who were not only half-confident about Elze's abilities but also completely distrustful.
And crucially, no matter what excuses Blahar would make, he would stubbornly hold on to Elze. In the end, the future was set in stone, and the confrontation was unavoidable.
Maybe I should show my skills once.
As Elze hesitated, Shan approached her. Blahar laughed and called out to Shan.
“Duke Cirxus.”
And Elze called his name too.
“Shan...”
Elze looked at him with an embarrassed expression. She was really hesitant about whether to accept this or Elze. Then Shan whispered softly in Elze's ear.
“Make them think clearly.”
Elze nodded, holding back her laughter. She suddenly felt motivated when she heard Shan’s words.
“If His Majesty, the protagonist of today and my lord, permits it, I will accept it.”
Blahar smiled brightly. His face was thrilled by the situation going his way. He looked at Astin and asked.
“How is it, Your Majesty?”
There was no way Astin could object to Elze's decision. With Astin's permission, Elze and Blahar were to have a duel in the middle of the banquet hall.
The place that had originally been decorated as a dance hall was now wide open. The eyes of the nobles and envoys all sparkled with anticipation at the unexpected entertainment.
The people in the hall emptied the central dance hall and stood on either side. Interestingly enough, those supporting Heglatan gathered on one side, and those supporting Targayel gathered on the other side. It was done without anyone's direction, but it just happened as if it was flowing water. Some people who realized this fact snickered.
Heglatan's envoys were all hanging around Blahar, offering advice or nagging. Judging from the expression on the face of Serev, Blahar's confidant, it seemed like it was probably nagging.
And all sorts of people were gathered around Elze, the player on Targayel's side, talking to each other. Hyeon spoke to Elze with a solemn expression.
“I’m going to pretend it was a mistake and slap that bastard’s shiny face.”
Shan agreed with Hyeon's words and gave advice.
“I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea to break his right arm. Or his fingers, if that’s too much of a burden.”
Anyway, these two people were perfect for this kind of work. Elze listened to the advice and swung the sword in her hand.
The sword they were going to use for the duel was a common practice sword. The blunt-bladed sword was unfamiliar to both Elze and Blahar. The duel seemed fair at first, considering that neither of them was using their main swords.
But strictly speaking, since Elze's main weapon was twin swords, it was like losing one of her main attacking tools. Hyeon must have guessed that fact and asked with a slightly worried voice.
“But is that okay? You only have one sword...”
Elze swung her sword into the air a few times. The clean trajectory elicited small exclamations from those watching. On the other side, Blahar was seen laughing. Elze frowned and answered Hyeon.
“...That’s enough.”
Shan must have seen Blahar's laughter. Shan let out a short laugh and said.
“You didn’t think you would win when you challenged him to a duel, did you?”
"Hmm..."
Elze answered Shan, stretching her body slightly.
“It was a close fight when I fought Blahar last time. I was a bit restricted... So you probably thought I would win?”
“Restrictions? What restrictions?”
“Oh, that’s it.”
There was absolutely no way she could say she was wearing only panties. Elze jumped up from her seat.
“I’ll tell you later!”
And then she quickly picked up her sword and walked out to the middle of the banquet hall. Applause and cheers poured out at Elze’s appearance. Blahar also walked out to the center.
He and Elze stood side by side, looking at each other. Elze spoke to Blahar, who couldn't stop laughing because he was so happy.
“It turned out like this by chance, but please take good care of me.”
He looked at Elze's face and whispered softly.
“I’m the one who needs to take good care of you, Elze.”
The two crossed swords. Tension filled the banquet hall. Although it was supposedly a light duel to show off Elze's skills, no one was taking it lightly.
The duel had already degenerated into a battle of pride between Targayel and Heglatan. If they lost here, it would be a complete disgrace. Elze took a deep breath. Their eyes met. And the duel began.
The moment the signal dropped, Blahar and Elze simultaneously swung their swords at each other. Their swords met. A dull metallic sound rang out.
The swords clashed and fell repeatedly over a short time. The speed was so fast that it was difficult to follow with the eyes. The eyes of the onlookers were wide open at the incredible speed of the sword.
The swords crossed each other, drawing splendid curves and straight lines. After slashing down sharply, the two fell at the same time. Elze took a moment to catch her breath after leaving some distance between them. Then she walked slowly, searching for an opening.
It was fortunate that she was wearing trousers, but it was inevitable that the formal attire would be a little awkward. Blahar would feel the same way. Blahar smiled at Elze. He snickered and spoke just enough for Elze to hear.
“Isn’t it a shame that you’re wearing too much this time?”
Elze answered expressionlessly.
“Then, how about Your Majesty taking it off this time?”
“Do you really want to?”
“...”
Anyway, she was too scared to even joke. Knowing that he was the kind of person who would really take off his clothes if she asked him to, Elze kept her mouth shut. And she attacked him without saying a word.
Blahar leaned back in surprise at the much faster speed. Without missing the shaking of his center of gravity, Elze thrust inside.
“!!”
The tip of the sword barely grazed Blahar's Adam's apple. Blahar, who dodged the blow by a hair's breadth, tried to say something.
However, Elze continued her attacks without giving him a chance to relax. Blahar, who barely managed to block the continuous barrage of attacks, spoke in horror.
“Why are you so good at this?”
Elze answered, extending her sword before he could even finish speaking properly.
“I was already good at it.”
Blahar chuckled at the blunt answer. He seemed to still be somewhat out of his senses, as he had the presence of mind to laugh.
Let's not drag this out and just end it quickly. Elze swung her sword at Blahar, who was busy laughing.
Blahar countered with his sword. But, whether by accident or intention, his sword shook. Elze could not miss the gap that opened up. Elze swung her sword hard and struck Blahar’s sword away.
Blahar's longsword was swung back by a strong recoil. Elze dug into the large space, but Blahar caught her with his foot.
But Elze had already figured out his movements. She dodged the approaching footsteps and lightly turned to his side. Blahar’s desperate move, which was almost like a foul, fell apart. Blahar lost his balance and fell backward.
Elze exhaled and turned to Blahar. Then, she pointed her sword straight at him as he fell.
“It is my victory, Your Majesty.”
"Haha..."
Blahar, who was sitting on the floor, laughed for a long time. He smiled brightly and said coolly.
“Surrender, surrender.”
Targayel applauded Blahar's surrender. Heglatan also reluctantly applauded. Elze bowed humbly.
And when she turned to Blahar, he held out his hand. It was as if he was asking her to help him up. She was more than willing to provide that level of service. Elze took Blahar’s outstretched hand.
But it was a trap.
“!!”
When Blahar grabbed Elze's hand, he pulled her tightly. Elze lost her balance for a moment and stumbled, falling toward Blahar.
Before she could come to her senses, something soft touched her palm. Something slightly wet licked her palm, and a slurping sound echoed. Blahar smiled and whispered.
“Congratulations on your victory, Erzenes Targayel.”
“...”
Elze pushed Blahar's face away with her palm.
“Ugh!”
Blahar, who had finally gotten up, fell backward again. Seeing him fall, Elze felt a belated sense of regret. She had reached out without thinking about the consequences. Still, it was an extremely rude action for a person who was called the Emperor.
Blahar's actions were rude, but he was originally a gangster. His and Elze's rudeness were never considered on the same level.
Blahar groaned and stood up again. Elze considered apologizing to him, even if it was late. But soon there was no need to worry about that.
There was a thumping sound of footsteps, and then something flew in quickly. It hit Blahar’s chest with a thump and fell. An ominous voice was heard.
“Shan Targael Cirxus.”
Elze's face turned pale as she saw what had fallen to the floor. It was the glove Shan had been wearing.
Shan took a deep breath as if trying to suppress his anger. Then he spoke to Blahar.
“I challenge His Majesty the Emperor of Heglatan to a duel.”
It wasn't the first or second time that Blahar had irritated Shan.
Shan had been holding back a lot. It wasn't just that he had been holding back a lot, but considering Shan's usual personality, he had been holding back almost to the point of training. He had been holding back even though he would have killed someone several times, so it was time for him to explode.
But regardless of his feelings, considering the time and place, Shan should have held back just one more time. There were too many people watching here right now. Blahar looked at Shan expressionlessly, then raised one corner of his mouth and said.
"...Duel?"
He slowly bent his knees. Then he picked up the glove that Shan had thrown. It was clearly an act of intent to duel, although Shan was too excited to let the glove hit his face.
Blahar asked again, shaking the glove in his hand.
“Are you challenging me to a duel right now?”
The situation was starting to turn into a near-disaster. Elze looked between Shan and Blahar in confusion. The two were already exchanging sparks. One or two people would have stepped in to stop them, but everyone else was at a loss as to what to do about the sudden turn of events and just watched in amazement.
In fact, when thinking about Heglatan’s emotions, this level of flirting was not a problem at all. Rather, most of them thought of it as proof that their wife was attractive and were secretly pleased with it. The nobles of Targayel also seemed to think that it was a bit excessive, but it was a laughing matter.
But that was their standard, and it was something that Shan could never get over. Provocation should be done in moderation, and acting like this in a public place was an insult to both Shan and Elze. And insulting Elze was one of the things Shan could not stand the most.
“I'm serious.”
Shan's straightforward answer hit Blahar squarely in the face.
“...I see.”
Blahar looked a little more offended than when he had been hit by the glove. As the atmosphere grew tense, Astin stepped in to mediate. Astin spoke in a calm voice.
“I think you two should calm down a bit.”
But Blahar didn't help. He just said something annoyingly from the side.
“That’s right. Why would Lord Cirxus do that on such a beautiful day?”
But there was no way Astin would take Blahar's side. Astin cut him off firmly.
“Didn’t the Duchess express her displeasure?”
She did express it quite violently, as she pushed Blahar's face away with her hand.
“Your Majesty seems to have been excessive.”
It seems that Astin was also upset by Blahar's palm kiss.
Blahar frowned at Astin's words that subtly revealed his anger.
“So you’re telling me to apologize?”
“Wouldn’t that be a good idea?”
Blahar stared at Astin silently, then let out a muffled laugh.
"...Ha."
Then he turned around and said,
“I accept the duel.”
“...!”
There was no time for Astin, who had tried to dissuade them, to step forward. Blahar and Shan were already ready to fight.
“I have tarnished the honor of the ball, so of course I should be given a chance to cleanse it.”
Blahar narrowed his eyes slightly. Then he smiled faintly and said.
“I also owe a lot to Lord Cirxus in many ways.”
It was a statement that struck a chord with the bones. The crowd murmured at the sound that seemed to suggest something had happened between the two.
Blahar and Targayel had been through many things, but they were not known to the public. Blahar, who had said something meaningful, held out both hands and shrugged his shoulders as he asked.
“How about deciding this right here and now?”
Blahar snatched the practice sword that Elze had been holding.
“There happens to be a sword here... I think this will be a good weapon for the duel.”
And he threw the sword he was holding in his hand at Shan. The longsword flew away and was caught in Shan’s hand as if it was sucked in. Shan, who accepted the longsword, looked back at Elze without saying a word.
“...”
It was a final look at asking for permission.
How could she stop him when it had come to this? If Elze had stopped Shan, she would have followed suit, but she would have to risk incurring resentment from him.
Moreover, if the situation had become this serious, if he had gotten out, no matter what the process was, he would have ended up looking like he was running away. It would have also been a disgrace to the Targayel, which was renowned for being a family of unmanned people.
But aside from all this, there was something Elze couldn't understand. Blahar had already mixed his sword with Shan before and had been defeated. At that time, he must have realized that he couldn't defeat Shan with his own skills.
But what is the intention behind his attack on Shan now...? What on earth is Blahar’s intention?
A thought suddenly occurred to Elze, who was pondering. Perhaps he was not being clever right now. The competitive spirit burning in Blahar’s red eyes was genuine. It was truly an uncharacteristic action, but it could also be that he had accepted the duel purely emotionally.
“Erzenes.”
Shan's voice was heard urging her. Elze hesitated but eventually agreed to the duel. As soon as Elze's permission was obtained, the duel proceeded quickly.
Thanks to Blahar and Elze's duel, the banquet hall was completely emptied. The practice longsword used in the duel was decided to be the weapon for the duel.
Shan and Blahar faced each other and crossed swords. It was a greeting before a duel.
Watching the two men with their swords locked from a distance, Elze felt strange. She wondered if Shan had felt this way when she had sparred with Blahar earlier. She saw Blahar talking to Shan.
“Shan Cirxus.”
Shan and Blahar, standing with their swords facing each other in the middle of the hall, were having a brief conversation. Blahar spoke in a low voice so that the audience could not hear.
“Do you know why I accepted the duel?”
Shan answered his question dryly.
“It’s probably similar to the reason I requested a duel.”
Blahar, who liked Shan's answer, readily admitted it.
“That’s right. You’re so smart. But sometimes, do you like this kind of thing?”
He stared blankly at Shan for a moment, then glanced at Elze. She was looking at him with an anxious expression. Blahar raised his eyebrows and muttered in a slightly subdued tone.
“...Maybe, if it weren’t for her, we could have been friends.”
The reason the two ended up pointing their swords at each other was because of Elze. He laughed at the historical story of someone abandoning their country for a woman, but wasn't she exactly that kind of person? Of course, Elze was a woman worth getting even if it meant giving up the empire.
But Blahar's sensitivity was blocked by Shan. Shan smiled crookedly. Then he responded with an expression that said, "Don't talk nonsense."
“You have a rich imagination.”
Blahar smiled brightly at Shan's answer and asked back.
“I see, isn’t that so?”
That was the end of the verbal conversation. From then on, it was a conversation with swords.
The duel began. Shan and Blahar stretched their swords toward each other. Everyone looked at the two with eyes full of anticipation. They expected that a more dazzling and grand display of swordsmanship would unfold than the duel between Elze and Blahar.
But the duel was so simple that it was almost vain. There were no loud body movements, no sound of swords clashing. There was no time to check each other, no test of strength.
It was a single sum.
The match was decided in just one fight. It was Blahar's defeat, without a doubt.
“...”
Blahar, lying on the floor, opened his eyes wide and didn't move. He couldn't understand what was happening to him. Blahar slowly looked back at the situation.
He swung his sword. It was aimed squarely at Shan Kyraxus' neck. And it hit exactly where he was aiming.
But Blahar didn't feel any impact. The moment he realized that the attack had failed, something hit his abdomen hard. Blahar fell backward as if he were flying and slid for a long time.
There was no time to feel pain. Shan quickly approached. He climbed onto Blahar’s stomach to prevent him from getting up. The part that had just been attacked was crushed, and an uncontrollable pain surged through him. Blahar let out a cry of pain.
“Ugh!!”
Shan, who was sitting on Blahar's stomach, raised his sword. An instinctive fear came over him. The fear that he might die came over him.
Blahar tried to say something to Shan. But the moment his eyes met, he couldn't say anything. His voice was muffled as if someone had covered his mouth. All Blahar could do was lick his lips a few times.
The sword slashed down. Although it was clearly a blunt sword without a blade, there was a sharp sound as it cut through the wind. It was a sharp sound that would not have been strange if Blahar's head had been cut off at that moment.
“!!”
The onlookers held their breath. Some ladies screamed, and Heglatan's knights tried to run away.
But Shan's sword was faster. Blahar shut his eyes tightly. Right in front of his ears, he heard a rustling sound of something being cut.
And then there was silence. Blahar slowly opened his eyes. Indifferent purple eyes were looking down at him.
“...!”
The black Blahar's neck was stuck deep into the floor, about a fingernail's length away. A few strands of severed hair were scattered on the floor.
A slight, stinging pain belatedly came. Blahar felt the blood flowing down his neck.
It wasn't a deep cut. But everyone here knew it. If he had wanted to, Shan Kyraxus could have taken Blahar's life right here. Blahar laughed.
"Ha ha ha..."
But it wasn't the usual arrogant laugh he let out. With a slightly weak laugh, Blahar glared at Shan. And he muttered lowly.
“You’re crazy, Shan Kyraxus.”
Shan chuckled at Blahar's words. Shan's eyes darkened.
“If I were crazy, I would cut off your head right here, Your Majesty.”
Just like Blahar, his voice was very low. People who were curious about the conversation between the two moved their bodies, but they could not hear it because of the distance. Shan's voice was rough as it sank. Shan continued speaking slowly.
“Stop your rampage and wait quietly while I find the right time to kill you.”
But Blahar was not the type to give in to such threats. He continued to play with his snout, his face turning pale from the pressure he was feeling.
“...If I don’t like it?”
Shan chuckled and lowered his face a little more at Blahar's outburst. Blahar reflexively tilted his head back. But there was nowhere to escape. In the gap that had become menacingly close, Shan whispered softly.
“Then you will die early.”
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