"Waaaah!"

A heated cheer erupted. As befitted the final match to close out Iceborn, the crowd's excitement was palpable. Erich waited for Finn in the corridor leading to the arena.

"Here you go, young master."

–Clack.

Erich received his sword from Finn.

"What? Are you worried?"

"Young master, something feels off."

"You mean the rumor about Heinkel's soldiers moving?"

"Yes. I think they mean to harm you. You're aware of that, aren't you?"

"Is there anyone who doesn't know? If they wanted to kill me, they'd do it in secret. But now they're blabbing to everyone that they intend to do it openly."

"... Is the grand duke really going to just stand by and do nothing? Will he really leave the duchess alone?"

"Who knows. How would I know what he's thinking? But whatever the duchess is up to right now, father is probably already aware. I'm sure he's made preparations."

"Excuse me?"

Finn looked puzzled, but Erich was confident. Within Krupp, there was nothing the grand duke didn't know. If the grand duke wasn't acting, it meant that the problem wasn't serious enough to require his intervention.

'He's probably already aware that Heinkel is about to be demanded for.'

Krupp's shadows, the 'Shadow', served only the grand duke and reported everything to him.

Therefore, whatever the duchess was scheming after mobilizing Heinkel's soldiers posed no immediate threat. The fact that the grand duke hadn't taken any action proved as much.

"Don't worry, Finn. Everything is ready."

With a smile at his lips, Erich strode toward the arena.

"Erich von Krupp! The third son of the Krupp Grand Duchy makes his entrance!"

"Waaaaaah!"

The crowd erupted at Erich's entrance. Ludwig was already waiting on the stage.

'... What's this?'

But Erich sensed something different in Ludwig's demeanor. Ragged breathing, bloodshot eyes, and the strange shimmer of heat waves around his body. It gave Erich an odd, foreboding feeling.

Thus, the final match began.

"Grrraaaaah!"

Just then—

Before the grand duke and his consort could give their blessings, Ludwig charged in.

–Claaang!

Erich's grip on his sword wavered slightly. The pressure he felt from Ludwig's strength was greater than expected.

'His swordplay isn't impressive.'

–Clang!

Erich exchanged brief blows with Ludwig. Having already confirmed that Ludwig's sword was no ordinary blade, Erich focused mainly on deflecting his attacks.

But the state Ludwig was in—seemingly bereft of reason—and the unusual strength he was displaying made Erich uneasy.

'He's not in a normal state.'

–Shreaak!

But no matter how fiercely Ludwig glared at him with bloodshot eyes and attacked relentlessly—

The skill gap between them was insurmountable from the start.

Erich parried Ludwig's blows and seized upon every opening to land counterthrusts.

His blade slashed Ludwig's shoulder and thigh. Even the fabled armor, a national treasure, was helpless against Erich's sword imbued with blue aura.

–Crunch!

A harsh sound rang out as his next thrust scraped bone. Yet Ludwig seemed numb to the pain, swinging his sword regardless.

–Shhhk!

A blade swept right up to Erich's face. He pulled back just in time; otherwise, it would have been a dangerous blow.

Or...if Erich had been fighting at full strength.

'His condition is strange. Both his strength and speed exceed what Ludwig can normally achieve.'

Ludwig, bleeding heavily, doggedly pursued Erich. Erich continued to retreat, parrying attacks.

A sword that could destroy another blade on contact, armor immune to non-aura weapons—avoiding all these was only possible because Erich was several steps above Ludwig as a swordsman.

Erich gazed at Ludwig charging toward him. In that instant, a crimson gleam flashed in Ludwig's eyes.

–Kwaaaang!

Erich kicked Ludwig away. Despite being just a kick, Ludwig's body flew through the air and slammed into the ground some distance away.

–Crash! Thud! Thud!

Thanks to the bleeding Ludwig relentlessly chasing Erich, the arena was soon awash in Ludwig's blood. The audience grew silent.

No matter how many times he was cut, Ludwig rose again and again—there was something pitiable about it. But this was not the spectacle the audience had hoped for in the final match.

"You... You've taken something you never should have."

Erich stared at the staggering Ludwig. Bloodshot eyes, flushed skin with bulging veins, mindless ferocity in his attacks, and an utter lack of pain response.

A forbidden drug—'Orca-roid.'

Its manufacturing method was unknown, but this drug was secretly produced in the North.

Erich knew much about it because, for a time, it was quite popular among the Watch back at the Great Wall.

'I almost tried some myself back then.'

The barbarians beyond the Great Wall possessed strength and physique superior to imperial citizens. They were monsters, capable of crushing skulls with their bare hands.

So new Watch recruits were always gripped by the fear of death fighting them.

This 'Orca-roid' substance allowed an ordinary soldier to temporarily match a barbarian's level.

They lost their reason, but from the moment they took the drug, they could fight without fear of death.

If one survived, great; if not, death would be mercifully painless. But it was something that should never be taken. That was Erich's judgment of it.

Because 'Orca-roid' had nearly ruined the Watch for good.

'So it reached all the way here, orca-roid...'

This was something Erich had set out to find since returning. At the unexpected discovery, the corners of Erich's lips rose slightly.

–Kwaaaang!

But there was no time for idle thoughts.

Ludwig, once more covered in his own blood, charged Erich. Erich swiftly deflected Ludwig's sword and immediately locked blades with him in a contest of strength.

–Crkkk!

Muscles and tendons bulged in Erich's forearm. The finely striated muscle showing through his shirt matched the power of the drugged Ludwig.

At that moment, Erich's gaze flicked to the duchess, who looked down with cold eyes from the podium.

'... Ludwig. Poor guy. Even abandoned by his own mother, it seems.'

Ludwig would never have been able to acquire this drug on his own. The only northern connections here were the duchess and members of the Watch.

But the Watch wouldn't have fed him this; it must have been the duchess's doing.

Erich quickly deduced her ploy. This drug forced a person's body to continue functioning, nearly to the point of death.

Therefore, the duchess's goal was Ludwig's death—specifically, for Erich to kill Ludwig.

What would the duchess gain from Ludwig's death here...?

That would be the chance to kill Erich, under the pretext of rage.

If a mother, mad with grief at the loss of her son, attacked, people would be emotionally sympathetic, even if not strictly lawful.

But—

'I'm not about to fall for such a cheap trick.'

Erich's eyes flashed as he quickly scanned the arena.

'... One. Two.'

Most of the Imperial Knights, who should be at the duchess's side, were nowhere to be seen. Just where had they gone, and why?

Erich realized instantly. The duchess's final card: to kill Erich, right here in the arena.

And yet, what a damned thing.

'To offer her own son as a sacrifice?'

With that, even Erich couldn't help but feel pity for Ludwig. Although before his return, Ludwig had scorned and tormented him daily, Erich had never wished for so cruel a fate for him.

–Smaaack!

Ludwig's jaw snapped sideways. Erich had delivered a powerful blow.

But Ludwig, with his jaw hanging loosely, lunged for Erich's throat. He looked for all the world like a revenant from Erich's previous life.

'... I can't subdue him. In that case—'

Erich ducked the swipe, snatched the fallen sword Ludwig had thrown earlier, and drove it through Ludwig's torso.

–Thud!

Then, spinning his body, he slammed Ludwig and the sword into the wall.

–Kwaaaang!

Pinned to the wall by his armor and the blade, Ludwig's movements finally ceased. No matter how numb to pain, in that condition, he could not move.

The sword had pierced his peritoneum, robbing his lower body of strength; without power in your legs, a person cannot stand. Pain aside, this was a physical inevitability.

But then—

"He killed my son! Kill Erich von Krupp!"

The duchess's shrill voice rang out. From among the spectators, great figures clad in golden armor rose and headed toward the arena.

The audience buzzed as, one by one, the gold-clad knights closed in on Erich, swords and shields ready.

Dozens of Imperial Knights—the greatest warriors of the Empire—advanced on Erich's life.

But even then, Erich merely smiled.

*

The duchess wore a cold smile.

The Imperial Knights were breaking from the audience and advancing on Erich inside the arena.

She threw a cruel smile at her husband and at Konrad, who'd betrayed her to the Watch.

But their unshaken expressions made her uneasy, especially the grand duke, who still looked at ease.

"So this is the scene you painted."

"Such a crime cannot go unpunished. His hands are stained with royal blood."

"All that business with Heinkel's soldiers was a feint, wasn't it? Just to keep me from making preparations."

"I saw you sent your riders to Heinkel, grand duke. If they were here, my Imperial Knights would have had a hard time moving."

The grand duke smirked.

"Do you think I can't cut them down?"

"By all means, if you wish. But if you butcher knights sent by the Imperial House... I wonder what His Majesty the Emperor will have to say."

With his power, the grand duke could cut them all down at once if he wished. The duchess knew this, too.

But for the grand duke of the South to personally slaughter knights sent by the Imperial House—even regardless of the situation, the symbolic meaning was not lost on him. The emperor himself might lead a punitive force in response.

Apparently, what the duchess had worked on wasn't Heinkel's soldiers, but rather the Imperial House itself. Without the emperor's covert approval, such a bold plan wouldn't have been possible.

But the grand duke smiled faintly.

"Katrin. I thought you were smart—turns out you're a fool. So your best idea was sending those golden tin cans?"

"... They are the Empire's finest knights. Each and every one is close to being a Swordmaster."

"Keuhuhu. Close to a Swordmaster, you say?"

The grand duke burst into laughter. His laughter sent a chill down Katrin the duchess's spine.

"In the end, Katrin, you're just a commoner who's never held a sword. If you think that's the only difference between a Swordmaster and everyone else..."

"... What do you mean?"

"You'll see for yourself. My wife."

The duchess turned her gaze back to the arena. Her eyes widened.

–Kwaaaang!

The Imperial Knights, the Empire's mightiest warriors, closest to being Swordmasters—

The first knight to charge at Erich crumpled to the ground.

A single exchange.

He hadn't even lasted a single exchange before being defeated. At the sight, the other Imperial Knights hesitated and widened their distance from Erich.

Gradually, a strange dread crawled up the duchess's spine.

'So that's the difference between a Swordmaster and everyone else?'

Once again, the grand duke's words echoed through her mind.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=A fool with nothing but ambition and jealousy...That's a noble for you... And an imperial princess at that...【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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