Chapter 80

Chapter 80 – The Little Marquis (3)

“Unit 5 has just made contact with Marquis Milon.”

“Again......?”

Duke Kairos paused and gazed out the window. It was pitch black outside, with zero visibility.

“At this late hour?”

“Yes.”

“......This is starting to bother me.”

Duke Kairos rubbed his bald head.

“Where is he?”

“In the palace’s back garden, near the 13th training grounds, which are no longer in use.”

“Training grounds......?”

For a moment, Duke Kairos flinched.

“Are you saying that Milon is outside?”

“Yes, sir.”

“......”

Duke Kairos made an uncomfortable expression. Sensing the tension, his lieutenant quickly added—

“Surely, Marquis Milon won’t be swayed by the prince, will he? As you know, Marquis Milon is extremely unsociable by nature.”

“......Have you ever heard the saying ‘Never say never’?”

Despite the lieutenant’s reassurances, the Duke’s expression didn’t lighten. Two figures he never expected to side with the prince had already been won over.

“Neither Marquis Foltaine nor Duke Herman would ever risk their political careers for the whims of a young prince.”

“Ah......”

“I’ll have to check this out myself.”

Without hesitation, Duke Kairos stood up.

“L-Let me escort you, Your Grace.”

***

The abandoned training grounds were bathed in moonlight.

Whoosh!

With a single motion, a red carpet was laid out, giving the place an odd sense of charm.

“Arden, was it?”

“Yes? Y-Yes......”

The now-familiar young servant hesitantly answered my question.

“Can you interpret drunken expressions too?”

“Well......”

Arden glanced nervously at Marquis Milon before responding.

“......I’ve never seen the Marquis drunk before.”

“So, that means he holds his liquor well?”

“No. I’ve never seen him drink at all.”

I frowned in confusion. Well, that’s an unexpected variable.

Thud!

To my surprise, Milon’s response came through his actions. He sat down and grabbed the bottle without hesitation.

“Just because I don’t drink doesn’t mean I can’t out-drink anyone!”

That was the message his body language seemed to convey.

“......Hey, Arden. I think I’m finally getting used to that marquis of yours.”

“Huh......?”

“I don’t think I’ll need your interpretations anymore.”

“......!”

Arden’s eyes widened for a second, and then, strangely enough, he looked delighted.

“Really?”

Splish.

After that, the two of us sat silently, each holding a glass of liquor. Under the calm moonlight, we exchanged drinks.

Of course, there was no need for any conversation. I tried to read his expression without any help, and Milon— being Milon— stayed quiet.

Eventually, even Arden started nodding off beside us.

“......Hey, you’re quite the drinker.”

We had just finished our third bottle when I couldn’t help but admire him. At that, one side of Milon’s lips curled up.

‘This is nothing.’

No interpretation needed.

“You’ve got some serious pride when it comes to drinking.”

“......”

“But it’s a shame we’re in the palace. If we were outside, we could have some pretty girls join us.”

“......”

“What’s with that face? You think you could charm them all?”

I burst into laughter. That’s how confident Marquis Milon’s expression was.

“As if. You look like the type that can’t even speak to girls.”

“......”

“Pfft. What’s with that look of defeat? You think your face isn’t good enough?”

This time, I couldn’t quite read his face. He seemed angry, maybe annoyed. Suddenly, Milon stood up quietly.

“......What the. Why are you getting up?”

Though he hadn’t believed it, there were already rumors that the boy had reached the level of an Expert at such a young age.

Of course, rumors are often exaggerated, so he thought the ‘rookie’ was simply a ‘talented novice’.

After seeing him with his own eyes, however, the rumors seemed anything but exaggerated.

If anything, they had been an understatement.

“......Even after seeing it, I can’t believe it.”

Boom!

That enormous chunk of mana was not pushing back the prince’s shimmering blue sword at all.

That was undoubtedly sword aura, a symbol of an Expert.

Whoosh!

Furthermore, what about the prince’s movements which were perfectly keeping pace with Milon’s magically enhanced body?

The way he dodged incoming spells in ways that no one could have predicted?

The efficiency and sheer power with which he wielded his sword aura, even retracting it during smaller attacks?

‘......A genius beyond geniuses.’

He was born with an extraordinary talent for swordsmanship. Bring any other so-called ‘genius’ in front of him, and they would surely turn tail, crying.

‘What was I doing at that age?’

Now it made sense why Marquis Foltaine and Duke Herman were so obsessed with him.

Just then—

Clang!

“......!”

The battle was nearing its end. Unbelievably, Milon’s solid shield spell was beginning to break apart.

At the same time......

Crack!

Ancelot’s sword shattered into pieces.

***

“It’s a draw.”

“......”

“Or maybe I lost? After all, close combat usually favors the knight.”

It was common sense. In close combat, a mage could never win against a knight.

Even a battle mage like Milon was at a slight disadvantage when it came to a one-on-one fight.

But then......

“......Why did you lose on purpose?”

Arden, who had been watching the battle with bated breath, asked, interpreting for Milon.

“I didn’t, though?”

“You’re lying. Are you looking down on me, as well?”

“......”

I shook my head calmly.

“Who in their right mind would insult a high-level mage?”

“You probably think I’m strange too. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have come all this way just for this.”

For a moment, Arden, who had been frowning as he tried to make sense of the situation, suddenly froze.

“M-My lord!”

“......?”

“There’s someone over there.”

“......!”

Only then did Marquis Milon’s eyes widen.

Of course, I had noticed long ago.

It wasn’t just his energy that gave him away; his bald head was reflecting the moonlight from afar, making him easy to spot.

‘This guy isn’t ordinary, either.’

So I was more surprised by something else.

Arden, was it?

‘Someone who can communicate so vividly through just their expressions can’t be ordinary.’

He probably had an extraordinary sense for detecting people. I glanced at Arden with newfound appreciation.

Of course, Marquis Milon’s gaze was still fixed in this direction.

“He’s asking, ‘Did you do all this just to protect my honor?’”

“Squeak, squeak.”

“......?”

“We’ve got a rat eavesdropping on us.”

“......!”

“And the best way to deal with a rat is to catch it and beat it.”

A faint smile spread across my face.

“So why don’t we invite that guy over for a little night time exercise?”

I pointed directly at Duke Kairos. Instantly, Marquis Milon’s eyes widened.

“Are you insane?”

This time, it wasn’t Arden who translated.

“M-My lord?”

Even Arden, the person involved, looked up at me in shock. It was the first time I heard the voice of Marquis Milon himself.

“So you finally opened your mouth.”

Naturally, a wide grin spread across my face.

***