CH 83

The Duel

Translated by SoundOfDestiny

Edited by Zil

Justy Oigist.

He is the eldest son and heir of Viscount Oigist. 25 years old.

He is both a nobleman and a warrior, and has won many victories in the border skirmishes with the empire that occur every few years, and has defeated countless brigands and thieves who ravage his lands.

His skill with a spear is truly heroic. His overwhelming strength earned him the nickname “The Lion of the East”.

“Not only is he strong, but he’s also very smart. He is also a good ruler thus his people love him.I’ve never seen it, but I’ve heard that it can do magic too.”

This was Sven Arbeil’s assessment.

Sven went on to praise Justy, “but …..”

“He’s a smart guy, but when it comes down to it, he’s all muscle. It’s like a beast walking around in formal wear and glasses, and at the critical moment his skin comes off and he tries to solve the problem with brute force.”

“So the result of that vice is ‘fisticuffs’……”

“Thank you for coming all this way. Your Royal Highness.”

The date and time of the duel had been sent in advance.

When Raidorl arrives in the town of Obrut, home of the Baron Oigist, he is greeted by Justy Oigist himself.

When he visited the town, Raidorl brought only a few guards with him.

When the letter was first delivered, he suspected it was a trap, but Sven, who knew Justy, insisted that there was no way he could be tricked, so he left the army in the middle of its formation in Ulfin.

When Raidorl visited the Baron Oigist, Justy greeted him in the courtyard of the house, armed with a suit of armour.

“Now, is there any mistake in the……letter of challenge, which said, ‘If you win against me in single combat, I will surrender my lands,’?”

“Of course not. I am a proud warrior and I will never make a mistake.”

Justy pushed up the rims of his glasses and assured Raidorl firmly that it was not a mistake.

From the neck up, he looks like a scholar, but his large frame and thick arms and legs stretching out from his armour make him look like a mismatch.

“I’ll ask you … what do you mean by applying for a duel?”

“It is the Barons of Oigist who have turned to the Empire and slandered the royal family to whom we owe so much. Therefore, we will not fight needlessly and harm our soldiers and our people.”

“Didn’t I give the option of surrendering…… unconditionally?　I’d be willing to grant you some amnesty if you surrendered your territory in peace…….”

“It doesn’t work like that!”

Justy struck the ground with the pommel of the spear in his right hand.

“I have turned my back on my loyalty to the royal family, and all I have left is my warrior’s pride!　It is a shame for a warrior to admit defeat without a fight!　I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I must ask you to fight for me!”

“A warrior’s pride huh…….”

Raidorl nodded delicately.

It’s easy to turn down Justy’s offer here.

If the army led by him and the army of Oigist were to fight, his army would win by sheer numbers.

He could have settled the matter on the field of battle without having to agree to a duel or a single combat.

“Still … if you can win without fighting and without bleeding extra blood, that’s the way to go”

And above all, it would be a disservice to Justy’s resolve if he were to back down now.

Raidorl may not think he is an honorable man, but he is still a man of war.

He’s not going to let the pride of a warrior get in the way of that.

“Alright then, I’ll be your opponent.”

Raidorl drew his sword and faced Justy at a distance of a few metres.

“Thank you …………?”

Justy pointed the tip of his spear at Raidorl, but frowned when he saw the dull silver sword in the enemy’s hand.

“Where is your holy sword, Your Highness?”

In Raidorl’s hand is not a jet-black holy sword. It’s the same mass-produced swords that the soldiers are using, the ones that the military provides.

“We have to fight on the same terms, otherwise it’s not an equal fight so I don’t use the holy sword.”

“…… Are you mocking me, your highness?　Confidence and conceit are two different things.”

“You’ll have to see for yourself if I’m being conceited. If you think you’re a weapon dependent mook who can’t do anything without a holy sword, then you’re a fool”

“I see. I would have liked to slay with the legendary holy sword, but this works too!!”

Justy’s face showed a slight expression of frustration, but he said nothing more and held up his spear.

Raidorl, too, sank back, his legs ready to spring into action.

“…………”

“…………”

Raidorl has a sword while Justy holds his spear. They stared at each other in silence.

The soldiers who accompanied Raidorl, and the servants of the Oigist family who looked into the garden from the house, watched them with bated breath.

“…………”

“…………”

How long was the silence that froze the air?

The tension was so great that some of the spectators forgot to breathe, and then, as if it couldn’t stand to be in that space any longer, a wild bird perched on a tree in the garden sang and flew into the sky.

“Yes!”

“Let’s play!”

The sound of its wings was the signal.

The sound of the birds’ wings was the signal for the two men to kick at the ground with a burst of energy.

(TL: Guess Justy is a reference of whom. The author really is good at making references. Answer is in the next chapter)