Chapter 135 – Negotiation (1)
“Goodness......”
Kirian, who had been observing the battle from afar, stared slack-jawed in astonishment.
Of course, he couldn’t see anything. Every time there was a flash of light, the person had already vanished.
With his current skills, even following the movements with his eyes was nearly impossible.
“The honored guest...... Just how strong is he?”
“He’s not just strong. He’s a Master, which even the Hart Kingdom only has four of.”
Even Jan looked visibly overwhelmed.
A child caught between adults. Not just any random adults—these were the best combatants in the kingdom.
It was a scene straight out of a painting.
“Master...... No matter how much talent someone has, isn’t this too much?”
Harun was sweating as he tried to take in the fight.
But,
“Those two...... Don’t they seem different?”
Only Winley noticed something unusual.
“Excuse me? What do you mean, Your Highness?”
“I’m talking about Ancelot and the Swordsman of Illusions.”
The three children tilted their heads in unison.
Jan spoke on their behalf.
“What do you mean by ‘different’?”
“In the first place, I’d have to be able to see them to notice anything.”
Harun chimed in. Winley furrowed her brow and continued on.
“With the others, it felt like their movements didn’t quite match. It was as if they were improvising in response to the attacks.”
“Ah......”
Now that she mentioned it, it was true.
That monstrous elf had relentlessly pressured their allies from the start.
But the ones who disrupted the battle, dealt the first critical blow, and ultimately secured victory were those two.
Ancelot and Trevor, the Swordsman of Illusions.
“They were definitely different. It was like...... They could read each other’s thoughts, just by looking into each other’s eyes.”
Their teamwork was flawless.
“Even if you say so, we can’t really......”
Kirian scratched his head, looking embarrassed.
It was clear that, unlike Winley, the others hadn’t perceived anything special. This in itself spoke volumes about her unique talent.
‘Could I ever do something like that?’
At that moment, Winley’s realm of thoughts began to expand. Until now, her sole focus had been on becoming stronger.
But after watching that battle......
‘There’s a limit to what one person can change alone. Even the Great Hero faded into the shadows of history after falling at the hands of great evil.’
Being strong alone held no meaning. That’s why she felt a deep sense of envy.
‘I have so much to learn from you.’
Someday, would she be able to entrust her back to a companion and fight together like that?
She asked herself, but she couldn’t give a confident answer at this moment.
Winley had felt a sense of isolation for a long time. Although she had been allowed to learn the sword in the royal palace, that was it.
The knights she trained with subtly, no, blatantly kept their distance.
It was only natural.
She was a princess of the kingdom, and they were knights sworn to protect the royal family.
‘If one day I stand on the battlefield with them, they’ll try to protect me as part of their duty, not as a comrade they trust with their back.’
It wasn’t a childish rebellion against her situation.
It was just that, watching Ancelot being acknowledged and fighting alongside others despite similar circumstances......
‘I can’t even imagine...... How hard you’ve worked to get here.’
Should she say she was seeing Ancelot in a new light?
“Maybe I judged him too harshly. Just because he’s a bit quirky and likes roasted sweet potatoes......”
“Stop fighting this instant!”
Suddenly, his booming voice cut through the air.
“Would you look at that? You won’t drop your swords? Want me to send this bastard’s head flying?”
“......”
Winley couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
“Let me have one good thought about you in peace, you bastard.”
Somehow, he was always so consistently crazy.
A brief ceasefire followed.
“......”
Duke Serin frowned as he walked into the thicket, having recently captured the Swordsman of Slaughter.
***
When Ancelot returned, everyone was waiting for him.
“Our hero of the day has finally arrived.”
Marquis Foltaine was unable to hold back his laughter.
“You know what’s coming, don’t you? Capturing the enemy commander has brought a temporary lull in the fighting, but the real negotiations begin now.”
“Meaning we should all brainstorm what we can squeeze out of them, right?”
Ancelot joked lightly, though the atmosphere remained heavy.
The unexpected prowess of their enemies, coupled with the loss of one of Duke Herman’s knights, weighed heavily on everyone.
“Despite the sacrifices, this battle holds great significance. We’ve captured none other than the Swordsman of Slaughter, a common enemy of the entire continent.”
“But we can’t execute them outright, can we? That would effectively ruin the negotiation table we’ve just set up.”
What’s more, if the elves chose to launch relentless guerrilla attacks in retaliation, their side would suffer immeasurable losses.
“And yet, letting them live isn’t a simple choice either.”
This was equally valid.
A public enemy was a public enemy for a reason.
They were a menace that transcended nations and races.
Leaving her alive was akin to ignoring a dark sorcerer attempting to resurrect a demon lord.
“If word got out that we let the Swordsman of Slaughter free......”
“It would disgrace not just you, Your Highness, but the entire Hart Kingdom.”
Duke Serin seconded Marquis Foltaine’s statement.
“We can neither release nor easily kill her.”
“In other words, this is His Highness’ first true political test as a noble of his country.”
Duke Serin fixed Ancelot with a peculiar gaze.
“You must make a prudent decision. This matter will become a lasting reference for your future political inclinations.”
“I agree. A series of poor decisions will......”
He hesitated briefly, glancing toward Winley.
“......Make it much harder for you to achieve your goals. Especially since, as someone with foreign roots, you’ll need the trust of other nobles to represent our kingdom in the Master Tournament.”
One could guess that the phrase he originally meant to say was something like, ‘......Make you another fool like King Melio II.’
But then—
“Oh? So Your Highness’ goal is the Master Tournament?”
Duke Serin, learning this for the first time, smiled with great amusement.
“Considering your age, one might think it’s at least eight years away...... But judging by your performance today, perhaps we can expect it in just four.”
“Heheheh. People who hear you say that might call you mad, Your Grace.”
“True, as no teenager has ever participated in the Master Tournament before.”
“But remember, skill alone isn’t enough to compete in that arena. Your patriotism will also be tested politically.”
Everyone’s attention shifted to Ancelot.
At that moment, Winley, who had been holding her curiosity back, finally voiced her question.
“Why can’t you just keep this quiet, whether you kill or spare him? If everyone here maintains secrecy, wouldn’t that solve the problem?”
Marquis Foltaine let out a bitter smile.
“Your Highness, there’s no such thing as an eternal secret.”
“But everyone here is trustworthy......”
“Even if we remain silent, the elves could leak the story. And there are the dwarves, too.”
Winley’s eyes widened.
“The elves, I understand...... But the dwarves, too?”
“Secrets are fragile things. A slip of the tongue while drinking can be all it takes. Even if you try to contain it, suddenly, hundreds of people are all in on the ‘secret’.”
Marquis Foltaine finished with conviction.
“The moment someone else knows, it’s no longer a secret.”
“In politics, secrets tend to come back as weapons against you.”
Hearing their explanations, Winley blushed deeply.
“I didn’t think that far ahead. I apologize for interrupting and causing a distraction.”
“Hahaha. Not at all. It’s refreshing to see such youthful innocence for a change. This one here has none of that.”
Marquis Foltaine nudged Ancelot.
‘......Yeah, it’s not something to be ashamed of.’
Life was about learning. Building on those lessons, one by one.
‘And one day, I’ll be able to stand as tall as you.’
Winley felt certain of that. She was even more curious now. How would Ancelot handle this situation?
“Don’t worry too much.”
Ancelot, who had been keeping silent until now, responded with a faint smile.
“I’ll ensure we suffer no losses while stripping the elves clean—down to their pointed ears if I have to.”
Ancelot’s Code, Chapter 9.
Once you have the upper hand on the table, make sure to squeeze them bone dry.
* * *