Chapter 69
Chapter 25. Everyone Has a Plausible Plan (2)
A strange light gleamed in Roden's eyes.
He was surprised by the reaction, which differed from what he had expected.
He had thought Jade would be flustered by the sudden challenge, but unexpectedly, Jade did not avoid his provocation.
‘So he's confident in swordsmanship too, is that it.’
Roden smiled coldly to himself.
He acknowledged Jade's abilities as a spirit summoner.
Though he had never witnessed Jade's exploits firsthand, he had heard about them.
But swordsmanship was another matter.
‘He may have defeated five advanced Sword Experts, but he couldn't have done so through pure swordsmanship alone. It was nearly impossible for anyone to excel that much at both spirit arts and swordsmanship. Perhaps if he were around Father's age, but the marquis is only twenty-five.’
Roden's eyes shone fiercely.
No matter how much of a genius someone was, reaching such a level at twenty-five was impossible.
Roden could say that with certainty, as he was also a genius who represented the kingdom.
“It is only a light spar, is it not? And since it is an instructional spar, I also believe it would make suitable entertainment, as the marquis said. As a father, I would like my son to receive swordsmanship instruction from the marquis. As my son said, meeting the marquis is not an opportunity that comes often.”
“Hmm.”
The crown prince wore an uncertain expression.
It was because the atmosphere seemed to be taking a strange turn.
In particular, the very phrase “swordsmanship instruction” had rubbed Lloyd the wrong way.
-You needn't worry. Though Lord Roden is a swordsmanship genius, compared to Marquis Jade, he is like a firefly beneath the full moon.
Haines's voice reached Lloyd's ears.
He had sent his thoughts so that only Lloyd could hear them.
“Very well. I grant permission for the two of them to spar.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Roden quickly answered, worried that the crown prince might change his mind.
Then he looked at Jade with an even more challenging gaze and took his position.
He stood a suitable distance away from Jade.
“Though this is an instructional spar, I think we should have a referee, if only formally. Lady Arellia, would you do us the honor of refereeing?”
Feeling the gazes of everyone in the banquet hall, Duke Caesars looked at Arellia.
Though he called it refereeing, the meaning behind his words was obvious.
Asking her to referee when he could have asked Haines meant that he wanted something else.
“You want me to make sure the spar is conducted using swordsmanship alone?”
“That is correct.”
Arellia looked much younger on the outside, but in reality, she was the oldest person present.
So no one objected, even if it seemed a little strange.
Moreover, she was not merely an elf but a powerful Master, so everyone remained silent and listened.
“All right. I’ll accept your request.”
“Thank you.”
“Then everyone, feel free to enjoy the show.”
No sooner had Arellia finished speaking than every noble in the banquet hall gathered around.
They formed a circle with the two of them at the center.
But Roden did not notice the nobles moving around him.
With terrifying concentration, he stared only at Jade standing before him.
‘My swordsmanship is superior.’
Roden was the man who had been called a swordsmanship genius since childhood.
He was currently approaching the level of an advanced Sword Expert.
If Marquis Madrain had not appeared like a comet, Roden would have become the second Sword Master of the Kingdom of Polstein.
That was how famous Roden was throughout the kingdom as a swordsmanship genius.
‘I will prove it here today.’
Roden's eyes sank deeply.
He knew that Jade before him was strong.
But that strength came from his spirit arts.
If they fought using swordsmanship alone, Roden was confident he could defeat Jade.
‘And before long, I will overpower Jade as a spirit summoner as well.’
Roden's eyes blazed fiercely.
Though an advanced spirit summoner was said to wield power comparable to a calamity, Roden did not believe one could be stronger than a Sword Master.
In fact, it had been Arellia, a Master, who had defeated Marquis Madrain.
So Roden had secretly looked down on spirit arts.
He, too, had possessed the unconscious prejudice that spirit summoners were weak.
He had heard many rumors, but he had never experienced spirit arts for himself.
‘This place will mark the beginning.’
Shiiing.
The cherished sword he had carried since he was old enough to wield one slid from its scabbard with a clear scraping sound.
It emitted a sharp gleam, reflecting Roden's current state of mind.
“Are you ready?”
“You may begin at once.”
Roden answered as boldly as his gaze.
But Jade smiled even at that provocation.
“As your elder, I’ll give you three chances.”
“You needn't do that, my lord.”
“This is supposed to be an instructional spar. If it ends in a single move, you won't gain anything from it.”
“……That won't happen.”
Roden smiled faintly.
He spoke as though such a thing could never happen.
“In that case.”
Seeing that Roden did not seem inclined to listen no matter how much he urged him, Jade shrugged.
Yet there was no sign of tension anywhere about him.
It was exactly the sort of atmosphere one would expect from an instructional spar.
As everyone watched casually, a streak of black light flashed.
Plop.
“……!”
“It is certainly remarkable talent to challenge the rank of advanced Sword Expert at that age. But does he know that talent of merely that level is abundant even in this kingdom, let alone across the continent?”
Roden's eyes flew wide open.
The instant the black light flashed like lightning, the bow tie around his neck fell to the floor.
Jade's sword had cut through the bow tie before Roden had even realized it.
“For the record, Jade did not use any spirits. He used pure swordsmanship.”
“Ugh!”
Duke Caesars, who was standing nearby, let out a groan.
His eyes rippled with shock at the completely unexpected turn of events.
He had held much the same opinion as his son.
That Jade's spirit arts were outstanding, but his swordsmanship was not.
It was also the common-sense conclusion.
However, like many others, he did not know that Jade himself stood outside the bounds of common sense.
“It seems the match is decided.”
“……I would like to challenge you again.”
“Now you seem willing to accept a handicap.”
“That is correct.”
Roden answered through clenched teeth.
But the carelessness he had shown moments ago had vanished completely.
Though it had been only a single strike, it had been more than enough to understand Jade's skill.
‘This time, I will take advantage of his carelessness.’
Though he had been unable even to react to that single strike, Roden did not give up.
He had been careless, and he had also been caught off guard because it was a sword he had never faced before.
Of course, he would have died instantly if this had been a real battle, but the important point was that this was an instructional spar.
Moreover, there were swordsmen who excelled only at quick sword techniques, so Roden thought about it calmly.
“All right. I’ll let you have three attacks.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Roden answered through gritted teeth.
Then, just as Jade had done, he launched a surprise attack with his sword.
He unleashed a flurry of swift strikes as he answered, giving Jade no time to breathe.
But the result was different.
Swish!
Jade avoided his single strike with astonishing ease, as though completely relaxed.
He did so with the minimum movement necessary.
Roden bit his lower lip when Jade moved exactly half a step to the side, as if he could see everything coming.
It had been only half a step, but that was more than enough to reveal the difference in their abilities.
Whoosh!
But Roden did not stop attacking.
He still had two chances left, so he unleashed his strongest attack.
He revealed the full essence of the swordsmanship passed down through the Caesars ducal family, which had produced the kingdom's foremost swordsmen for generations.
Papapapat!
Sword aura streamed from the blade, surging forward with a vicious momentum that seemed capable of tearing Jade apart, but unfortunately, not a single strike touched him.
It did not even graze Jade's clothes.
“Now it’s my turn.”
Only three sword techniques had been used, but that was enough for Jade to grasp the Caesars ducal family's swordsmanship.
Jade had reached his current level by using his innate ability to break down and reassemble countless sword techniques.
For him, understanding swordsmanship wielded by a mere intermediate Expert was as easy as pie.
Boom!
With a single rough swing, all of Roden's sword force, which had been taking over the space, vanished.
It had all been destroyed by a simple yet mighty blow.
The shock was transmitted directly into Roden's body.
“Guh!”
It had been only one clash, but the impact transmitted through his sword surpassed anything he could have imagined.
Staggering from an impact unlike anything he had ever experienced, Roden involuntarily stepped backward.
Not only that, his right hand trembled violently.
The impact had been so great that his wrist had been badly damaged.
Whoosh!
But the problem was that he had only blocked one attack.
Despair spread across Roden's vision as the next sword, its blade black, came hurtling toward him.
It had been only a single clash, but Roden understood.
He understood how arrogant he had been.
‘I—I wasn’t someone who could stand against him……!’
He had thought himself the kingdom's sole swordsmanship genius.
At the very least, he had believed himself the best swordsman among his peers.
That was why he had thought he could defeat Jade in swordsmanship, and planned to make his name known throughout the kingdom once again by overpowering Jade with his sword.
He would help his father in the process, too.
But that had been an utterly arrogant thought.
Jade was someone far beyond the likes of him, someone he could never hope to contend with.
Clang!
Gripping his trembling sword with both hands, Roden blocked Jade's slash.
But that was as far as he got.
He had only managed to block it; he still had to roll pathetically across the floor.
His sword, which had been with him since childhood, was broken as well.
“Still, you didn't let go of your sword.”
“Cough! Urgh!”
Though only the hilt remained, Roden did not let go of his sword.
Even with the blade shattered, he had held on to it until the very end.
However, Roden could not hear Jade's words.
He was too busy vomiting the blood surging up from his throat to hear.
“It seems there’s no need to announce the winner separately. Any objections, Duke?”
“……None. I’m sorry, but may I leave first? My son is in that condition.”
“Very well.”
Lloyd answered with a faintly pleased expression.
He was in a good mood because Jade had crushed Roden, who had been oddly irritating him.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
Duke Caesars knew that perfectly well, but his son's treatment came first.
So he briefly took his leave, personally attended to his son, and left the banquet hall.
“That boy ought to visit a beastkin village at least once. Then he’d immediately realize what a frog in a well he is.”
“He probably won’t get the chance.”
“But didn't you go too easy on him? You could have ended it in one move.”
“It was an instructional spar, after all.”
Jade wore a meaningful expression.
As he did so, he picked up several pieces of the shattered blade scattered messily across the floor.
To anyone watching, it looked as though he were cleaning them up himself.
“Hmm, you look like you have something up your sleeve.”
“What ulterior motive?”
Arellia stared at Jade through narrowed eyes.
It was obvious that he was after something, but she could not figure out what it was.
“No. There’s definitely something.”
“I told you there isn’t. But since we’ve come all this way, shouldn’t we dance at least once? More than a few men are watching you.”
“Look who’s talking. There are far more women watching you than men watching me. They’re practically shooting fire from their eyes.”
“What does it matter? I’m not interested.”
Jade answered firmly.
Knowing what lay behind that interest, he had no desire to respond to it whatsoever.
Besides, he was not in a position where he needed to maintain friendly relations with everyone for political reasons.
“Ahem! Then how about meeting my students?”
“Your disciples, Marquis?”
“They all want to meet you. I recommended you, too. And they need to experience true spirit arts at least once.”
Haines's eyes lit up.
Though the Department of Spirit Studies had just been established, Jade was the only proper spirit summoner as far as Haines was concerned.
Since Jade wielded spirit arts even more threatening than those of the elves, Haines made his request in a roundabout way.
“Let’s meet them.”
“Thank you!”
Haines's face brightened.
He had not expected Jade to accept his request so readily.
But Jade had not agreed merely out of goodwill.
He had plans of his own.