Chapter 100

“Under the Dueling Edict of the Western Alliance, all types of weapons are permitted in a declared proxy duel. However, the use of weapons that can harm an opponent from a distance of fifty paces or more, such as bows or firearms, magical artifacts that use four-star magic or higher, and items forbidden by the treaty are strictly prohibited. Furthermore, any kind of injury inflicted between proxies during a duel is not considered a criminal act, and no liability can be imposed. The same applies even in the case of murder. And the defeated party shall acknowledge that they have damaged the honor of the victorious party and shall pay a corresponding price...”

Before the duel, Bishop Hille recited the trivial rules.

It was an essential procedure that could not be omitted, and he had a duty to adhere to the procedure.

Even though he knew they wouldn't be listened to anyway.

“That is all.”

Bishop Hille stepped back and Shion and Pneuve stepped forward.

There was a distance of about thirty paces between them. Kukulo and Serena were already standing far away.

Pneuve drew a wooden sword from its scabbard.

It wasn't something he usually carried.

He was not a person who enjoyed killing, even if it was legally justified, so he always used a wooden sword when acting as a proxy in a duel.

Of course, even a wooden sword was a sufficient weapon in Pneuve's hands.

It was not difficult to take a person's life if he was so inclined.

“Serena de Verchello has greatly damaged his and his family's honor by very rudely rejecting Kukulo del Conti's marriage proposal.”

Pneuve spoke in a rather solemn tone, slowly taking three steps forward.

He then held out the wooden sword toward the blond, blue-eyed boy.

“Therefore, under the Dueling Edict, I, Pneuve Freira, as the proxy for Kukulo del Conti, demand a price for honor from Serena de Verchello.”

Shion also slowly took three steps forward and responded.

“Not only did Kukulo del Conti shamelessly propose marriage to Serena de Verchello, but he also applied for an absurd duel. This is a great insult to Serena de Verchello and her family.”

He smiled faintly and continued.

“Therefore, under the Dueling Edict, I, Viscount Rampo, as the proxy for Serena de Verchello, demand a price for this insult from Kukulo del Conti.”

It didn't feel strange at all to say the name Viscount Rampo.

The boy had used various names since he was young and was now completely used to it.

Pneuve adjusted his grip on the wooden sword.

“You're skilled at declaring a duel. Have you had experience as a proxy?”

“I don't have to answer that, do I?”

Shion giggled.

He looked exactly like a boy.

“...Verchello's proxy, I was a knight.”

Pneuve Freira let out the thought that had been bothering him.

“Draw your weapon. I don't want to harm an unarmed child.”

“A child?”

Viscount Rampo (obviously Shion) didn't hide his displeasure.

“Do I look like a child to you?”

“...Anyone would think so. Are you even fourteen years old?”

“What! I'm eight years old!”

“Eight years old?”

“Ah. A slip of the tongue. Eighteen, eighteen. I'm a legally recognized adult in any country.”

He didn't look like it.

Pneuve frowned.

But if he claimed so, that was that.

For a former knight, it was not a pleasant thing to face a young boy.

However, Pneuve Freira was old enough to realize that he could not live his life on pleasure alone.

“If you're acting so bravely because I'm holding a wooden sword, let me warn you. My wooden sword will be sharper than any sword you've ever seen.”

“Is that so? Do you know what kind of swords I've seen?”

There was a sense of composure in his words.

That was because he knew the jade-eyed man with a sharper sword than anyone else.

Seeing Shion shrug, Pneuve regained his composure. He had given a sufficient warning.

“...Don't resent me.”

Pneuve disappeared.

That's how it looked to Serena and Kukulo.

The movements of the man who was once an Erta Magiknight were not slow enough for their eyes to follow.

The wooden sword was heavy.

The sound of it cutting through the air was horrifying.

He swung it with the intention of breaking Shion's arm bone.

Serena closed her eyes tightly.

She thought there would be a splash of blood or a scream.

However, there was no blood.

No scream either.

There was only the shock of Serena, Kukulo and Bishop Hille.

“I see...”

However, Pneuve, the one who swung the wooden sword, wasn't surprised.

It was because he had seen the smile on Shion's lips the moment he took his step.

It was a clear sneer.

All Shion did was slightly tilt his head, but the wooden sword cut through the empty air.

“You have some skill.”

“Does it just look like ‘some’ skill?”

“I'll have to see to know.”

Before he could finish, he thrust the wooden sword forward, aiming for Shion's chin.

As expected, he lightly dodged it.

This was what he had anticipated.

Pneuve twisted his wrist, and the path of the wooden sword curved toward his shoulder.

He couldn't avoid it by twisting his body.

Heh. Shion jumped backward.

Pneuve didn't miss his chance and followed closely.

The wooden sword was dazzling.

It was light because it was made of wood.

Pretending to go for the shoulder, then the side, and if that didn't work, descending to the shin and all the way to the ankle.

Suddenly lunging in to block his movement and striking upwards.

Even if he dodged this, Pneuve was already using his thick leg to kick him.

All of these actions happened in an instant.

To Serena and Kukulo, it looked as if Pneuve was swinging ten wooden swords at once.

And yet, none of them reached Shion.

He cornered him.

He cornered him again and again.

Pneuve's forte was the explosive momentum that came from his innate physique.

No matter how much Shion dodged and weaved, there had to be a limit.

He was confident that if he kept pushing like this, he would ultimately win.

Pneuve was certain of that.

‘...Wait a minute.’

Until he discovered a significant sense of incongruity.

‘...I've been pushing so much...’

He had advanced about fifty paces and yet, his surroundings hadn't changed at all.

The view that should have changed remained the same.

It was a strange phenomenon he would not have noticed if he had not stopped for a moment to catch his breath.

‘...Why am I still in the same spot?’

He looked at the ground.

His frantic movements had left footprints.

He had clearly, very clearly, continuously advanced for about fifty paces.

But the only traces left were footprints of him standing in place.

The sight of Shion smiling faintly was chilling.

“...This is a very strange feeling.”

It felt as if he had been possessed by a ghost.

Why was he only moving in place?

He took another step.

He held the wooden sword and cornered Shion.

He thought he had moved forward once more, but when he stopped, he was still in the same place.

Once he became aware of it, the sense of incongruity became clear.

There was a moment when his vision would suddenly change.

When he was about to reach the boy named Viscount Rampo, he would suddenly be back where he started.

In the eyes of others, it probably looked like he had been pushed back.

“This is astonishing.”

Something was happening.

Something had clearly pushed him back.

He had moved, but it was as if he hadn't, returning to his original spot.

It wasn't magic.

Pneuve Freira was also a Two-Star Mage.

There was no way he couldn't have felt the presence of magic.

If it wasn't magic but such a strange power, there could only be one thing.

The secret of the soul he had yearned for but never obtained.

An area permitted only to the chosen ones.

“To think he was skilled enough to have found his own Ars.”

You can't underestimate the power of the Verchellos.

At the mention of Ars, Kukulo's eyes widened.

Ars, a term that few people in Merion even knew existed. Could he possess such power?

“I apologize for underestimating you.”

A halo of light appeared behind Pneuve Freira's head, the symbol of a mage.

The halo resembled a pointed willow leaf, and there were two of them.

Pneuve's Binary Halo showed that he was a Two-Star Mage.

Two-Star Magic, Woodpecker's Step.

Tap, tap, then a loud rat-a-tat.

Pneuve's feet trembled madly, making a sound like a woodpecker.

The vibration traveled up his entire body and flowed into the wooden sword.

His movements, which were already impossible for ordinary people to follow, accelerated several times over.

If used well, 'Woodpecker's Step' was an enhancement magic that could display a power greater than Three-Star Magic and Pneuve was very skilled at handling 'Woodpecker's Step.'

“So you were an Erta Magiknight. And not just an ordinary one, I see.”

The power of the vibrating wooden sword was enough to pierce through steel.

Moreover, the speed of his sword strikes was several times faster than before.

Shion smiled faintly as he faced Pneuve, who was rushing at him like a wave.

“It doesn't matter anyway.”

“......!”

Pneuve's movements stopped.

He felt suffocated.

No, his throat ached as if it were being torn.

It felt as if an invisible hand was grasping him and it was true.

It was clearly Shion's doing.

And there wasn't just one of these invisible hands.

Pneuve Freira had no choice but to stop as if he were nailed to the spot.

It was because each of the hands was gripping him with unbelievable force.

“Should I continue?”

“...No, that's enough.”

Pneuve Freira bowed his head deeply.

The result was overwhelming.

Regardless of how it looked to Serena and Kukulo, he had already accepted defeat in his heart.

“...I've lost.”

***

“What?”

Kukulo del Conti let out a groan.

And then he raised his voice.

“Pneuve! What are you saying!”

“...Master, I apologize.”

“No, you just swung your wooden sword a few times and then...!”

Kukulo couldn't understand.

Why did he surrender after a few swings, mumbling about Ars, then suddenly stop and say he lost?

It was a natural state of confusion since he was unaware of Shion's invisible Ars.

“If this happens, it's complete...”

The head of the Del Conti family clutched his head.

He had only been thinking about how to crush the Verchellos in an overwhelming manner and hadn't considered the possibility of defeat at all.

It was only natural.

The Verchellos were in a much more fallen state than public perception.

A situation where they had two old men as their family guards, how could a duel be possible?

But he lost.

This was also a great loss for the Del Conti family.

Not caring about one's reputation and being looked down upon are two different things.

The fact that the Del Contis lost after shamelessly proposing a duel to the Verchellos would become a very joyous topic of conversation for their enemies.

He wanted to curse, but he held it in.

Bishop Hille was next to him.

Trying to hold back the fiery rage that was driving him crazy was a great struggle and a pained groan escaped him on its own.

The usual Serena would have felt a great sense of relief seeing Kukulo groaning.

But she didn't have time for that now.

She just raised her berry-colored eyes and looked at Shion.

“...My God.”

Unbelievable joy, boundless gratitude.

She didn't even know how to express it and just let out a sigh.

“Shion, you, really...”

Kukulo del Conti held back his anger and Serena de Verchello (who was of an age to be called a girl) with her eyes shining like a girl.

Bishop Hille felt the need to suppress his own emotions and organize the situation.

It was clear that leaving them in one place would not end well.

“The outcome has been decided.”

The old man with a resolute face declared.

“This duel is a victory for the Verchello family.”

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