Chapter 240: True Responsibility (1)

[Baker Gotham]

Knight LV. 7

Strength - 93                 Command - 95

Intellect - 77                Politics - 69

Loyalty - 00

Special Traits - Level-Headed, Clout, Persuasion, 

Level-Headed LV. 5: Increases the perspective of seeing the entire battle situation during a war. Even in a crisis, has the ability to turn things around if the enemy makes a single mistake.  

Clout LV. 7: Able to raise public sentiment of oneself through issuing rewards or giving rousing orations.

Persuasion LV. 7: Able to bend the will of those in disagreement to align better with oneself

Spiritual Eye LV. 9 (MAX): The ability to perceive things without vision. It is also possible to understand the state of mind from the voice or behavior of others.

Just in case, Milton checked Marquis Baker Gotham’s status window. 

‘What odd traits considering the fact he’s a knight.’

Both Clout and Persuasion were traits that were more suitable for civil servants than knights. But Marquis Gotham had both those traits and their levels were quite high. This meant that he usually persuaded or coaxed many people. But his Strength stat was at 93. 

Considering Jerome’s Strength was at 99, the outcome was obvious.

‘So then why… Ah! Could it be that?’

Milton carefully thought about it before realizing why Marquis Gotham had asked for a duel.

‘Alright. So he’s saying that he’s a knight.’

Milton smiled bitterly. If his prediction was correct, then it was a pity to kill Marquis Gotham here.

‘In that case…’

Milton came to a decision.

“You said you wanted a duel?”

“Yes, I did.”

“You truly mean that?”

“I have no regrets.”

“Good. In that case, I accept.”

When Milton decided that, Marquis Gotham bowed deeply in respect.

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to fight the greatest knight in the Lester Kingdom.”

“Huh? I’m not that great, though?”

Marquis Gotham expressed surprise at Milton’s response.

“...You will personally be fighting, Your Highness?”

“Of course. I’m also a Master, don’t you think a duel by proxy is a bit uncool?”

“No, but you’re…”

“You sure talk a lot. Are you trying to back out of it now?”

“......”

Marquis Gotham looked as he was smack in the back of his head. Milton continued to talk.

“Let’s do it. Let’s duel.”

***

In the end, Milton faced Marquis Gotham one-on-one with a sword. Jerome and Violet had tried to stop him, but Milton strongly insisted upon it.

“Trust me. Nothing will happen, so don’t worry.”

After convincing Violet to stop weeping, Milton obstinately pushed his decision forward and went to fight. 

As the two of them faced each other, Marquis Gotham sighed.

“It’s still fine to switch out. Wouldn’t you like to substitute someone in?”

“Are you saying I’m not good enough?”

“...That’s not it. But…”

“Then let’s start.”

Having said that, Milton drew his sword and took up his position. Marquis Gotham also drew his sword but he looked like he was forced into this.

“Why don’t you go first?”

Starting with Milton’s attack, the duel between the two of them began. 

***

Unlike his usual fighting style, Milton swung his sword quite aggressively once the duel began. At first, Marquis Gotham seemed flustered by the aggressiveness, but he soon calmed down and blocked the attack. 

And so, the duel continued in full-swing between the two of them. Once the two got used to each other, their attacks got faster until it became difficult for ordinary knights to follow along with their naked eyes.

ClangClangClangClangClangClang!

A blurry afterimage, a flashing trajectory of light, and the occasional sparks of Aura were the only evidence that the two were still alive.

“Marquis Taker, how does the duel look?”

In order to understand what was going on, Sean asked Jerome how the duel was progressing. He couldn’t figure out who had the advantage with his naked eye. 

“My Lord has a slight advantage.”

“I see. Then the Grand Duke may win.”

“...If it continues on like this.”

Jerome’s face expressed that he thought something was strange. 

‘Right now… why? Why is he doing that?’

From what Jerome could see, Milton was currently dominating the duel right now. This was a good thing, but the problem was, this wasn’t a normal situation. 

Jerome could see that Marquis Gotham was a Master. While his power, speed, and destructive power of his Aura were just mediocre, his ability to grasp the overall situation was excellent even though he was blind. Actually, his situational awareness might have come in the process of honing his swordsmanship as a blind man. 

If Jerome were to fight against Marquis Gotham, he might be able to win, but they would have to exchange 200 blows. That was how excellent Marquis Gotham’s defense was. By comparison, Milton’s skills…

‘He’s definitely gotten stronger, but he’s not strong enough to push Marquis Gotham.’

In Jerome’s eyes, Milton was a genius. How could he not say Milton was a genius when he had become a Master in his 30s.

However, Milton wasn’t a regular knight like himself or Marquis Gotham. As a member of the royal family, he had to rule the country. It was only natural for his swordsmanship to be stunted when he had such a busy schedule that two, no, ten of him wouldn’t be enough to keep up. As a result, Milton’s skills were slightly worse than Marquis Gotham's, so how was Milton overpowering him?

‘It’s strange. Just what on earth is happening?’

As a knight, Jerome might not understand, but Milton, who was fighting in the duel, could see why Marquis Gotham was repeatedly conceding to him.

‘You are a very indecisive man.’

Being this cautious was no different than having a disorder.

Milton sighed inwardly and widened the distance between them. Then, he took an offensive position and spoke.

“It’s pointless to drag on like this. Let’s end it with this.”

“...Your Highness. Please rethink th… huh?”

Marquis Gotham trailed off. He realized that the energy exuding from Milton’s body was unusual.

“If you don’t fight properly, you’ll die.”

Milton wasn’t bluffing. Marquis Gotham could feel the sincerity exuding from the energy and Milton’s offensive position showed his willingness to strike a deadly blow.

“...Hm.”

In the end, Marquis Gotham also took a stance as he thought to himself.

‘It’s better this way.’

Marquis Gotham firmed his stance and pulled out as much Aura as possible. Seeing him like that, Milton smiled at Marquis Gotham.

“You should’ve done that earlier.”

“......”

“Well, then…”

“Come.”

As soon as Marquis Gotham spoke, Milton sprang forward. In response, Marquis Gotham also took half a step forward and swung his sword, hard. Both of them didn’t bother defending and only brandished their swords with the intent to attack.

CLANG!

The head-on collision between the two Masters caused a great Aura shockwave which in turn made everything blurry from the rising dust. The sight that was revealed after the dust had settled was...

“......”

“......”

The two stared at each other silently. Two swords lay on the floor a bit away from them. It seemed like both of them had failed to overcome the attack and dropped their swords.

“It’s a draw.”

Milton shrugged, seeming to ask, ‘what can you do about it?’ Bemused, Marquis Gotham stared at him.

“So you already knew.”

“Well, kind of.”

“If you already knew, then why…”

“Because it’s a pity to just let you go.”

“...Let’s finish talking inside.”

Milton turned to look out into the crowd before shouting.

“It’s a draw. Accept the results!”

At those words, the knights around them loudly voiced their obedience.

“As you will it, sir!”

Amongst those knights, Jerome smirked as he mumbled to himself.

“So, that’s why My Lord stepped forward.”

Violet questioned him from the side when she heard that. 

“Did you understand it, Marquis Taker?”

“Yes, Ma’am. But please forgive me, I can’t say what My Lord is planning to do, Your Grace.”

“Well, then it can’t be helped.”

Violet accepted his answer and thought that she would personally ask Milton later.

And so, the duel between Milton and Marquis Gotham was over.

***

After the duel, Milton entered his barrack with Marquis Gotham. Then…

“This is a Waterport wine that’s been aged for 200 years. Will you drink with me?”

He took out the wine he had been treasuring and offered it to Marquis Gotham.

“Are you hoping to win me over to your side?”

“That’s right.”

Milton didn’t deny it. He calmly agreed with Marquis Gotham. Marquis Gotham looked distressed when he heard that. 

“I am a member of the Gotham Family, a renowned family in the Empire. If I abandoned the Empire, it would be disgracing my family’s honor.”

“Is that why you tried to die in a duel?”

“......”

Marquis Gotham didn’t reply, but his silence was in fact an agreement.

Marquis Gotham had realized that the tide of war was leaning towards the Lester Kingdom. There was no way to win against them and to continue a meaningless war would only kill innocent soldiers. That was why Marquis Gotham had chosen to surrender.

But human beings aren’t so simple that it was easy to carry out a cold and logical decision. For humans, their beliefs are just as important as practicality. A person’s principle is something they’ve attained throughout their life and it was also their identity. It was difficult to abandon it so quickly.

For Marquis Gotham, it meant chivalry and nobility. He was the current head of the Gotham Family and a knight who was respected by many of his peers as a Master of the Empire. If he were to surrender to the enemy, then whatever his intentions were, he would be disgracing himself. 

That was why he had thought up a plan to protect the soldiers’ lives and his honor at the same time. That plan had been a request to duel. He planned to surrender and accept defeat in the war, while fighting and dying as a knight of the Empire. 

That was why he had challenged Milton to a duel. He thought that if he did that, then Jerome Taker, the strongest knight of the Lester Kingdom would come out and if he were to die fighting against Jerome Taker, then he would have no regrets. 

That had been Marquis Gotham’s plan. This was the choice he had made because he was a knight who valued honor more than his life. However, Milton knew what Marquis Gotham’s intent was and ruined it because he thought, ‘what a waste it would be.’

Milton already had plenty of talented people around him, but he still wanted Marquis Gotham. For a monarch, talented people were like having water in a desert: you always get thirsty and want more. He wanted to save Marquis Gotham. That was why he had personally fought in the duel.

Milton wasn’t the type of person to cross dangerous and unstable bridges unless it was absolutely necessary. But this wasn’t dangerous and he believed it was worth it. 

He knew that even if he fought in the duel, there was no reason for Marquis Gotham to kill him. If Marquis Gotham were to kill him, then forget surrendering. Either Jerome or Violet would lead the Lester Kingdom’s army and destroy the Empire. Milton judged that a person who had decided to surrender in order to avoid continuing a meaningless war wouldn’t do something that risky.

Still, wanting to make sure the stone bridge was safe, he tested Marquis Gotham’s intentions at the beginning of the duel. He had purposefully left gaps in his defense and recklessly attacked to see if Marquis Gotham would counterattack, but the Marquis only focused on fighting defensively.

It meant Marquis Gotham had no intentions of winning. The final blow after testing Marquis Gotham confirmed that. Marquis Gotham intended to die. Although it wasn’t by Jerome’s sword, he planned to defend his honor as a knight of the Empire after dying from Milton’s sword. 

But Milton had read his intentions and ended the fight in a draw. After striking Marquis Gotham’s sword out of his hands Milton also let his sword drop. From the beginning, that had been Milton’s plan. He never intended to kill Marquis Gotham.

Jerome had fully grasped the entire situation.

And now, Milton was speaking over a glass of fragrant wine.

“From the start, your plan was too half-hearted.”

“What do you mean?”

“To surrender to avoid a meaningless war, saving soldiers’ lives, and defending your honor by dying? No wonder I was able to read you when you acted so half-heartedly.”

“I believed it was the best decision I could make.”

“Best decision? Ha. It’s more like a terrible mix mash of a decision.”[1]

1. “끔찍한 혼종” 혼종 means hybrid while 끔찍한 has a meaning of terrible. Put together it means that by putting things together, something terrible was the result, sort of like how Frankenstein is the result of putting things together to make a monster.