CH 25

Hot air blew past my ears. A sudden feeling of excitement surrounded me.

Where did this feeling really come from? Is it simply because of the weather, or if that’s not the case… … Is it because of the excitement of the people here?

'Well, whatever it's fine.'

While thinking that I looked ahead.

The faces of countless people were reflected in my eyes. The roaring enthusiasm poured into me with the sound of cheers.

Only then I realized that this was the excitement of today's tournament.

Amid cheers and enthusiasm, I saw knights riding horses and aiming giant lances at each other.

Between them was a thin fence to avoid direct collision between horses.

The joust began with spears pointed at each other along a straight fence and spurred on, and ended the moment the spears collide.

The rules were simple.

– 2 points for hitting the head, 1 point for hitting the body, and 3 points for knocking the opponent off the horse.

– The first knight to score 3 points wins.

– However, all knights participating in the tournament are prohibited from using mana.

The joust was indeed the flower of National Foundation Day. It was a game that everyone could enjoy, regardless of commoners and nobles.

The two knights stared at each other with nervousness, and the raw tension between them was conveyed to the people.

At that moment, the flag was raised.

The knights put aside their tension and focused on the heavy lances they were carrying.

Intertwined between breaths, the will of strong warriors to destroy each other was superimposed on their lances, and they spurred on.

-Yaaaa

-Bang!

It took only a split second for them to bump into each other. Finally, the moment of conflict, the situation that everyone in the arena hoped for, happened.

A roar of cheers swept through the arena, and the winner was announced.

One was rolling on the ground and the other grabbed the horse's chest but did not fall.

When the whole scene was in everyone’s eyes, the flag was lowered and the referee calls out the name of the winner.

“The winner is Sir Ulrich Alekstein!”

"Woah!!!"

A cheer that was stronger than before covered the arena.

* * *

“Nice. Isn’t it, Chancellor?”

The emperor smiled contentedly. Following his laughter, Prime Minister, Crocus Glossuna also smiled and said.

“Isn't the tourney always nice, Your Majesty?”

“Right. A clash of pure human flesh without the use of mana. What could be more beautiful than this? More than that. Did that referee say the winner's name was Ulrich?”

“That’s right.”

“Could other knights really show the same side as him?”

It seemed that the emperor was even more eager for the match now and dragged his body forward to the throne.

“It must be. Many sons of nobles who made their name in jousting participated this time, so it must be more fierce than ever.”

“Right. It was also nice to leave it to you. Oh, come to think of it, is there another person you are paying attention to?”

“Yes.”

“Oh my. Who is a knight that the chancellor, who is uncompromising, is paying attention to? Who is he?”

“Alan Aiden... It's Sir Alan Aiden.”

“Aiden? Wait, if it’s Aiden…”

“Yes. He was the one who will battle against Rodenov.”

“Oh my. Hahaha. That’s really funny. There will be no time to be bored this National Foundation Day. By the way, what about his jousting skills?”

“He doesn’t usually behave very well, and he can’t handle mana, but he is excellent at hunting and jousting. The name Aiden is not in vain.”

“It’s Aiden… … . Hahahaha. Nowadays, he is just a slob who manages merchants, but in the past, his name was also brilliant, so it’s natural. I miss that time.”

“That’s right.”

At those words, the emperor said with a look of longing for some reason.

“Right. Oh, It's starting. The preparations are pretty quick this time. Now, let's stop chatting and focus on the match.”

“Yes. Your Majesty.”

Crocus, after saying that, just bowed his head and nodded.

‘As expected, he didn't even give me a chance to be vigilant.’

But, like a clever man, he had just seen through the emperor’s words.

A mere rich man, a man who was once brilliant. Aiden.

In an aristocratic society, Aiden became extremely wealthy through merchants before the land war with Rodenov was scheduled. Aiden, a family of knights who once valued chivalry, abandoned chivalry and pursued wealth.

No one was cursing it. For a few years, it was natural for nobles to pursue wealth, and nobles who were not wealthy were not even treated as nobles. 

But the emperor and Crocus both knew.  Even though he has become wealthy, that was only the beginning of his downfall.

It was wealth that sustains the lives of nobles. However, it was thanks to their reputation that let them be nobles before that wealth.

But with time nobles lose honor. Only ten years ago, in such cases, the aristocratic family would never again integrate into aristocratic society.

But over the course of ten years, the nobles have changed. Nobles who pursued honor were buried in wealth, and honor was only incidental.

Crocus Glossuna made it that way. With the support of the emperor on his back, he thoroughly corrupted the nobles and even the emperor.

'Why did the emperor give this opportunity to myself who is a thorn in the eye?' After searching for the answer for ten years, Crocus still couldn’t find it.

It’s a strange thing. There must have been some reason when the emperor made himself chancellor, but he couldn’t even figure out what the reason was, so it was frustrating for Crocus. Because there must be a cause and effect in everything.

The reason why the emperor dared to listen to Aiden’s story and smiled as if seeing something he missed was probably because he overlapped himself with them. At one time, he was famous as a sage, but it was a thing of the past now, the emperor now was a tyrant.

'Why the hell did he do these things with such eyes?'

It is unknown. However, Crocus thought that no matter what purpose the emperor had since he had given himself this opportunity, he would only use it to the fullest.

‘I don’t know what His Majesty was aiming for to make me sit as chancellor… …But I also do not intend to be easily defeated.’

* * *

“Nice.”

At my low exclamation of today's events, Adilun also nodded in agreement.

“Yes.”

“Come to think of it, is this your first time seeing a jousting match, Adilun?”

“Yes. In the North, there was no time for these luxuries like tournaments.”

“No wonder. You surprised by the roar you heard when the two knights collided earlier.”

As I smiled, she glared at me fiercely. Of course, the shame contained in it was conveyed desperately.

“Ahhhh. Are you going to keep teasing me?”

“Hahahaha. It’s a joke.”

“Well, it’s true that I was surprised… …Anyway, it’s definitely a great sense of place. The moment the two knights collided with each other, I was shocked. I must say that the power is enormous. Even though it obviously doesn’t have mana.”

“Rather, it may be so. Since it is a match that is only fought with pure human bodies, it is inevitable that those who see it for the first time will be surprised by such power.”

“Now I am looking forward to it more. The upcoming games will be fun, right? Oh, but Physis, Why did you participate in jousting?”

“Actually, I don’t know either. I don’t know why, but my name is on it. I’ve never applied for it…”

“Yes? Isn’t that a big deal?”

“That’s right. It’s not like the organizers misjudged something.”

“That was my work.”

Suddenly, I heard my brother’s voice behind me. He said he was away for a while, why did he suddenly come back?

“Brother?”

“You won the hunting competition, so I think you can win the jousting too. I heard that you even killed a monster single-handedly, so it should not be ridiculous to have a jousting match?”

“Aren’t you expecting too much from me? I’m not good at jousting. Would you rather go out?”

“Why me? You have to go for this.”

“Yes?”

“Since the value of the family’s name has been lowered in all sorts of ways by you in the past, wouldn’t it be right to raise it again like this?”

“But wouldn’t I be just a laughing stock if I went to a tournament and lost, that I’m not even good at? Wouldn’t it be better for my older brother to go out to raise the value of the family’s name?

“I’m not good at jousting.”

“No, Is it good for a nobleman like you to make his younger brother go?”

When I asked as if I was dumbfounded, my older brother said surprisingly seriously.

“I have no reason to go, but you have a reason to go.”

“Why?”

“I don’t have a fiance, but you do.”

“Ah.”

“If you win the tournament, not only you, but Princess Rodenov’s prestige will rise as well. Usually, the prestige of princesses is judged by how good their fiancées are.”

“Oh if that's the case...”

“I’m fine…”

Somehow, when Adilun spoke as if she was burdened by my older brother’s words, I shook my head.

“My brother has a point. I will go.”

“Wouldn’t that be dangerous?”

“Didn’t you see how he beats even monsters? He can do it.”

Adilun still looked at me with worried eyes. but it was true that catching monsters and jousting are fundamentally different.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

“What else?”

“He’s on the list. A guy who belongs to a family involved in a great duel with Rodenov. That bastard, who spoke carelessly about Princess Rodenov. Alan Aiden.”

“Aha.”

Come to think of it, did he lure the baby monster and endanger Adilun? Since there was no physical evidence, I was thinking of repaying it at the great duel, but it turned out rather well.

“I can’t help it now that I have heard that. I will do my best.”

To me who laughed ferociously, Adilun still looked worried, and my older brother gave a wicked smile as if he was plotting something.

“Good good. By the way, I made a bet on you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Private Gambling.”

Somehow, he appeared out of nowhere and said about my participation. He was away for a while... Did he go for the gambling and plan all of this?

“Yes? how much?”

“All my personal expenses.”

“No, this crazy man?”

“What are you so surprised about? It’s obvious that you will win anyway. I bet that you will be the winner.”

“Why did you do that, What are you looking in me, that gives you so much confidence?”

“Your talent.”

To my question, my brother gave a simple answer. Talent.

Again, that wasn’t a mistake. Obviously, my body had the eyes to copy what I saw once, and the ability to fully execute it.

“Then I must live up to your expectations.”

“Yes. Good luck. It will be your turn soon.”

“Alright.”

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