CH 61

(What a surprise !? Is the son of the frontier count a monster?)

Norris was shocked as soon as he saw the match between Rid and Lacis.

Lacis is not weak as a swordsman.

He has the skills to beat even an adult.

But the child Rid didn't even put up a fight. He handled the fight as if he were a grown man comforting a child, or even a baby.

This was possible because of the overwhelming difference in their abilities.

And Rid is younger than Lacis.

And yet, he has that much ability.

If the cracked wooden sword that had been prepared just in case had gone over Rid, ...... no, it still wouldn't have changed the outcome.

But regardless, it was an abominable maid.

Just remembering it makes him angry.

Norris himself went out of his way to take the wooden sword with the soldier, telling him to give it to the maid and gave it to her.

The maid then traced the handle from the tip of the wooden sword she received with her hand with her palm and made a grim face.

"...... What is this?　Do you intend to be disrespectful to my master?"

"What are you talking about?　It is rude of you to speak to me like that out of the blue, "

The maid's words were blunt, but when she heard Norris' comment, she gripped both ends of the wooden sword with her left and right hands and began to exert pressure on them.

Then, the center of the wooden sword gradually warped upward.

Norris and the soldiers were stunned by what the maid had done.

The cracked wooden sword could not bear the warping of the center and broke off in the middle.

Norris couldn't help but yell at the broken wooden sword.

The maid pushed the broken wooden sword to the soldier and said to Norris with sharp eyes and anger in her voice:

"Do you intend to give my master a wooden sword with a crack that can be broken by the strength of the thin arms of a ...... weak maid like me?　What part of that deed is not disrespectful?"

The maid's words caused Norris's face to grow stern, but he remained calm and returned the words.

"I'm sorry about ....... It seems there has been a mistake. I'll get you another one right away."

"No, that will not be necessary. May I be so bold as to allow me to select a wooden sword for his use?"

(What a cocky maid you are!)

(In a frontier count's house, they can' t even educate their maids.)

Norris was secretly angry, but as expected, he didn't show it on his face and replied bitterly.

"...... I understand."

Norris instructed the soldier to show the maid the way.

Then the soldier accompanying the maid told her that among the many wooden swords the maid had the best one in her hand.

Norris no longer believed that the outcome of the match would depend on whether the wooden sword was good or bad.

However, in Norris' mind, this incident was enough to raise his disgust for the Bardia family.

As he recalled the incident with the maid, he heard a voice from outside that would have thrown the prince off again.

(Yes, I don't care about the maid.)

(I have to do something about this situation.)

Norris pondered.

Originally, Lacis had intended to cause Rid to feel hatered toward Renaloute, thereby preventing the marriage negotiations.

But that was no longer possible .

When he thought about next move, he suddenly remembered the "shadows."

(They might be able to do something.)

Norris suddenly disappeared from the group of the nobles who were presented during the match .

Then, in an hidden place, Norris made a signal with his hand and muttered quietly,

"Hey, I know you're there , come on out!"

As if responding to the signal and the voice, eyes and a mouth appeared in Norris's shadow, and an eerie physiognomy appeared.

The shadow glanced at Norris and muttered in a low voice.

'...... What is the matter so important that you would call me in such a, well-liked place?'

The shadow looked at Norris and muttered in a low voice,

"What is it about ...... that makes you call me ...... in a place like this, a very crowded place?"

"Yu, forgive me. Things are becoming more and more serious."

Norris then explained the situation to the shadow and asked if he had any good ideas.

Then the eyes of the shadow's physiognomy narrowed and an air of disgust came over them.

'Huh,...... you can't solve a problem of this level,' the shadowy physiognomist said." It appears that I have been buying into your position too much."

"That's not true, the plan for the was going well, but that son of a frontier count is a monster."

Norris defended himself desperately.

Certainly, it would have been a miscalculation on Norris's part that the presence of Rid was non-standard.

The shadow that was watching him slowly opened his mouth.

'I see,...... then you're going to spread the issue of what the son of the frontier count is currently doing to the prince,................ within the nobility."

."..... what do you mean?"

The shadowy physiognomist's eyes grew stern and his tone a little harder at Norris's question.

" Prince Lacis has a strong and rebellious character. Considering the influence you have had on him, he will not admit defeat."

Norris looked thoughtful upon hearing the shadow's words and then huffed.

"And King Elias doesn't seem to be stopping them , does he?　If so, then Prince is going to be hurt for a long time by the son of the count of the frontier. Now all that's left is for you to use your good at blowing the whistle ......."

When the shadoy finished, he disappeared with a swoosh.

The remaining Norris grinned and went back to where the nobles were gathered.

(Yes, why didn't I notice?)

(Rid's intentions are unknown, but he probably doesn't intend to stun Lacis.)

(And the king won't stop him.)

This means that Rid could have one-sidedly hurt the prince of Renaloute.

(The son of a frontier count is a cruel and rapacious man.)

He could tell the whole country that the son of a frontier count was cruel and rapacious, and that he had a villainous disposition.

Returning to the edge where he could watch the match, Norris immediately gathered the influential members of his faction in secret.

(And the son of the frontier count enjoys hurting Prince Lacis with his overwhelming superiority.)

(He is lecherous and cruel.)

He has a diabolical temperament.

When he told them that the match now taking place in front of them was more proof than argument, he said to them,

"Call on those who are neutral in the matter of this marriage. But do not let the king or queen know."

Those in Norris's faction grinned and dispersed.

Almost all of the country's leading royal families had gathered for this meeting.

The purpose of this meeting was to find out if the son of a frontier count was suitable for the princess or not.

The nobles are divided into three groups: those in favor of the marriage, those who are neutral (in favor), and those who are opposed.

The neutral group is basically in favor of the marriage, but they want to make a decision after seeing the son of the Count of the Frontier.

They, too, do not feel good about their country's prince being hurt for any reason.

Everyone sees what they want to see and believes what they want to believe.

It doesn't matter what the truth is about the content and outcome of their match.

The prince of their own country and the son of a frontier count of another country.

If it comes down to who they believe in, they all believe in the prince.

Norris, who remained there, had a nasty smile on his face.

◇

Princess Fara and her escort Asuna were transfixed by the match between Lacis and Rid.

'I can't believe ...... that my brother can't even make a move,.......'

The two are not the only ones who have been in the same predicament.

Fara asked Asuna, who was guarding her next to her.

:Asuna, as a swordsman, how do you view the strength of master Rid?:

'......If I had to sum it up in one word, ......, it would be 'monster. I'd love to hear what kind of training is needed to become that strong at that age,.......:

The girl who is guarding Farrah, Asuna, was famous as a genius swordsman in Renalute from a younger age than she is now.

Hearing these words, Fara felt pained at the sight of her brother being torn to pieces and muttered sadly,

;Why did Master Rid force my brother to go through such a thing?　With such a difference in ability, I think it would be possible to end the match quickly. ......:

The match between the two looked a little strange even to Fara, who is an amateur in the martial arts.

(The older brother stood his ground, and Rid lightly brushed him off.)

Rid then puts the tip of his wooden sword to the vital point.

It was as if he was showing an overwhelming difference in ability to those who were watching.

As if in answer to Fara's question, Asuna replied in a haughty tone,

"I think that Master Rid is not thinking of victory or defeat."

"..... what do you mean?"

"As you can see, the difference in ability between the two is more obvious than you can see. However, in order to show his own ability in the public match, Master Rid could not afford to lose poorly."

Fara pondered after hearing Asuna's words.

The reason for the start of the match was recalled.

As she recall, it was held to find out how good Rid was.

Besides, in his position as the son of a frontier count, he would not be able to lose badly.

Asuna continued her explanation after seeing Fara's thoughtful look.

'But he cannot treat Prince Lacis with impunity and win. If that is the case, we have to show Prince Leicis and the people around him the overwhelming difference in strength and make him admit defeat. Or, we have no choice but to wait for the king's judgment. I don't know what Master Rid's true intentions are, but I don't think it's too far-fetched."

Hearing her explanation, Fara looked a little relieved.

'Thank goodness ...... that Master Rid is not doing this with bad intentions toward my brother?"

"Yes, that is correct. There is nothing evil in Master Rid's movements. Rather, I have the impression that he is trying to teach or exhort him something. I don't know what his true intentions are. ......"

"Yes. ......"

Farah, who heard Asuna's explanation, seemed convinced, but watched their match with worried look .

In contrast, Asuna observed Rid's movements and was inwardly astonished.

(I can't believe that at that age he is already familiar with the use of physical enhancements. ......)　

Asuna does not flaunt her abilities or talents.

However, he was aware that she was superior to others.

Even she couldn't move like that when she was rid's age.

That meant that he had met a swordsman who had more talent than she did.

Prince Lacis certainly had talent, too.

But it was nowhere near as good as his .

Asuna never skipped swordsmanship training.

She had never enhanced anyone with her superior talent.

But with him, with Rid, she might be able to learn something .

Absolutely.

This was also the intuition of a swordsman who was said to be a genius.

She also wanted to see if she could match Rid, the son of a frontier count, with whom Fara was originally going to marry .

(Would it be possible to somehow arrange a meeting with him?　)

Just as she was thinking about this, Fara called out to her ,

"Hey, Asuna. Why doesn't my brother admit defeat despite the difference in their abilities?"

It was indeed strange. If there was such a big difference in abilities, he would normally admit defeat.

But Lacis didn't do that.

"I'm afraid I don't know that either. Perhaps Prince Lacis has an agenda, but ......"

But even after some time passed since then, Lacis did not admit defeat.

And Elias did not stop then too.

As a result, Rid raised his hands in front of Lacis and said in a high voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, I have lost this  fight ......."

At that moment, Fara and Asuna rolled their eyes in surprise at Rid's action.

T/n Thanks for rating that series on novel update or so i hope you did  !   Still no new review on novel updates ... Anyway challenge is still in power . Also  if you have not added that series on your reading list on novel updates  I hoe you will do so in the future  .