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The Rumored Gourmet (4)
Bang!
The moment he seemed drunk with power, the prince’s body went flying after a strong hit. The prince fell badly and rolled on the floor several times.
“Your Highness!” The court knights shouted in alarm, before turning to Count Balahard.
“Count Balahard! What have you done now?!”
Half the court knights pulled their swords out and surrounded the Count.
Bale Balahard didn’t seem bothered. Instead, he stared at his nephew writhing in pain, as he recalled the conversation they had before the sparring.
[You’re asking me to intervene? I’m a commander of the 3rd Legion and a Knight of the Quad Chain, what are you talking about?]
His nephew looked rash as he spoke. [If it does happen. Only if it does…]
[If ‘what’ happens?]
[Please stop me if you think I’m going to kill him. You’re my uncle; you will be able to do it.]
It’s been three months since his nephew has started exercising, and it was almost half that time when he started training with a sword. It was even just a training sword.
As he listened to his nephew, he thought he seemed overconfident.
What did I say to him? Bale Balahard thought.
[Do not get beaten up and don’t cry.]
He didn’t know how scary his nephew was and laughed at him.
But the unthinkable actually happened.
At first, he simply tried to push him off, but his nephew’s sword went up to him. What terrible choice.
He had to block the attack and counter strongly. He gave intense strength in one blow, so he wouldn’t need to do it twice or thrice.
Bale Balahard looked at the sword in his hand. It was glowing brightly as it vibrated.
“Two chains…”
The sword was glowing with a light that occurs when more than one ring was activated.
He gripped the sword hard. Only then did the vibration, and the light of the sword stopped.
The court knights continued to apprehend him. Their number has increased.
“Count Balahard! Answer me! This could be considered a crime against a member of the royal family!”
“He asked me to do it,” he replied coolly.
“That sounds unreasonable! Why would His Highness…”
“Stop.”
The court knights frowned as they heard his nephew’s voice.
“Go back to your positions,” his nephew added as he knelt. “I asked him to do it, indeed.”
His nephew vomited blood all over his forearm. His face was distorted in pain.
Then, he fainted.
“Your Highness!” the worried court knights rushed in.
“Don’t worry,” Count Balahard told the knights covered in sweat at the sight of their prince’s situation. “It’s normal for that to happen. Mana regurgitation. He will wake up soon.”
“Umm…” a little voice murmured.
Bale Balahard turned.
It was the youngest son of Tailheim, pale as a pearl.
“What happens to me, then?”
* * *
The first thing I did when I woke up was to check my mana heart.
My mana heart, which showed signs of reflux, was completely calm. It was sleeping quietly after it had raged so much.
Ha, I thought it would explode!
It was the conversation I had with Uncle that saved me at the last moment. It would not have been strange for my mana heart to break after the amount of mana I took in and used.
I asked my Uncle to stop me.
However, I didn’t tell him to knock me out.
Anyway, he stopped me from killing my opponent, so that was good. And besides…
I won.
The face of my opponent as his sword was shattered came to mind.
How delightful it was.
Suddenly, a deep voice disturbed my thoughts.
“Why are you smiling?”
It was Uncle.
I’m sorry for using too much power, I waited for him to add, but it didn’t happen. Instead, he asked.
“What did you do?”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“For someone who has no experience, shattering a real sword…”
After all, Uncle has a quad chain and is a sword master, so he knew what he saw. He figured out I was using the Dragon Sword, even if he didn’t know what it was called.
“I never taught you such swordsmanship.”
“What have you taught me in the first place?” I joked, but his dark expression didn’t change.
“What was that
Even my pitiful joke didn’t make my eyebrows black.
“What was that impure swordsmanship?”
“It’s not impure. I was just faithful to the nature of the sword.”
“You think the essence of the sword is to cut flesh.”
Uncle ended his speech. It was surprising, although I knew that using the Dragon Sword was going to end up with sermons.
“It’s blatant and uncomfortable, but it’s also one of the truths.” I told him.
Swords were made to kill. Some will say that mastering the sword is a way to honor and such, but those were all big words.
“Some people think differently, but I am not like them,” I added. “I’m not a knight, but a soldier. I want to win, not to be right and proper.”
It had little impact on Uncle.
“First Prince, your sword is too much. I’m going to fix that attitude, even if it meant knocking you out. I will not spoil you.” He got up from his seat.
I had to grab the reins of the raving Dragon Sword. If I don’t control it, it will ruin me.
There was only one way.
Trial and error until I perfect it.
I had hundreds of years of experience, but my solution was for the naĂŻve. But what could I do?
My heart is a sword master, but my body is just a fat kid.
“Your mother is deeply concerned…” Uncle said before leaving. “She spoils you too much. She had lost all her good qualities during her stay here.”
I quickly spoke after him, “You can tell me you’re sorry for…”
Bang.
The door was closed behind him.
Damn.
Well, the most important thing now is not Uncle’s attitude.
It was mastering the sword. I cleared my thoughts.
I had to start practicing again tomorrow.
I have a long way to go before I could ride the dragon.
But there is one comforting thing.
I looked for the list.
My opponents were overflowing.
“Let’s see… who’s the next one?”
* * *
“What?” After walking and heading to the training area, I saw the youngest son of Tailheim. “I thought you were gone, didn’t you go?”
“Ah, because Your Highness didn’t say anything…
Right. I remembered getting knocked out and being unable to say a word about him, so the court knights seemed to have detained him.
“…we were afraid that if we misunderstood Your Highness’ will, we would get punished.”
“No. Well done.” I smiled. “Thanks to you, I have someone to practice with until the next person comes.”
Tailheim’s youngest son trembled upon hearing the words.
I laughed.
* * *
“You said your name was Taylor?”
Tailheim’s youngest son suffered from me for two more days. He was a completely different person than when he first entered the palace.
He was filled with resentment before, only aiming to avenge their family’s name.
Now, he looked as pathetic as a frog in front of a snake.
“You worked hard for three days,” I told him.
Taylor looked down as if he had no energy to respond.
Looking at him, I felt a little remorseful.
For the past couple of days, I continued to use the Dragon Sword against him, each swing rushing to take his life every time. Taylor did everything he could to stop me. When the power got too much, Uncle always stepped in.
Thanks to Uncle’s consideration (?), his attack was moderately weakened, and I didn’t get knocked out like the first day.
Lucky for me, unfortunate for Taylor.
“But really. When are you going to say you’re sorry?” I asked him.
“What do you mean?”
“You wanted to kick my ass. You shouldn’t do that.”
“That’s what…”
Taylor’s face turned pale as he tried to make an excuse.
He is a country villager, and he doesn’t know how to hide his emotions.
I looked up and raised my hand.
“Stop!”
It seems that the past three days have made Taylor fear me so much.
I turned to a maid. “Give it to me.”
The maid handed me a box. I held it for a few moments before giving it to Taylor.
“Me, Your Highness?”
“I did something I shouldn’t have done before…”
I heard the story about his family through the maid.
“I don’t know if this is enough, but go and bring it to Baron Tailheim,” I told Taylor.
I had no intention to rectify whatever the hell the First Prince did.
However, if a person did his job, he must be compensated.
Taylor worked for three days, and I gave him a lot of money to compensate.
He couldn’t kick my ass, couldn’t avenge his family, but he was useful to me.
“There is a letter inside the box, give it to your father,” I added.
“Handwritten letters…”
The young man of a simple, noble country aristocrat looked touched.
The letter was actually written by the maids.
I didn’t tell him that.
“Go. You had a hard time. Be careful on the way.”
After saying that, I waved him off.
The thrilled Taylor shouted that it was an honor to see me again and again and to look forward to the day we would meet again.
The next one will arrive tomorrow.
I said goodbye to Uncle too, as we ended the training for the day, but he just stared at me, deep in thought.
That man, with those eyes again…
I left Uncle’s gaze and went to my room.
* * *
Since then, several people have come to challenge me. Each visitor was determined to kick my ass one by one.
Unfortunately, they did not achieve what they wanted.
Only
“How…”
A man was looking at me with a disheartened face.
Was this person the seventh?
His face had mixed emotions: disbelief at being defeated by a weakling, and amazement at the swordsmanship he saw.
“We’re just setting the table…” I murmured to him with an angry expression. “The rumor was that there was a feast… but there’s nothing to eat at this restaurant.”
The will of the dragon slayer woke up. My sword began vibrating as I stared at the helpless man.
“You have to be stronger to eat.”