Chapter 113: Childhood Friend – Twin Princes
“S-Swordmaster?”
The two knights of Viscount Amus’s household were shocked. A red shimmer emanated from the enemy’s sword. Although they had never seen it before, it unmistakably resembled an Aura Blade.
The Aura Blade was the continent’s strongest technique, proving one to be a Swordmaster.
Unlike knights who couldn’t be judged without a fight, Swordmasters inspired awe and respect simply by condensing mana into their swords.
The knights hesitated and tried to retreat.
But the killing intent emitted by the Swordmaster rooted them to the spot.
“Hah… arrogant fools.”
As the thrill quickly subsided, Lev charged at them. He personally swung his sword to end the wretched lives of his prey. And to receive more divine power.
“Ugh!?”
But… he missed.
An Aura Blade cannot be blocked. The Aura Blade, which ignores all defenses like swords, shields, armor, and the like, can only be evaded.
However, it was impossible for them to avoid a Swordmaster’s sword.
So, when the sword came flying, the two knights closed their eyes tightly and recalled their lives, but their involuntary evasion movements managed to dodge the sword.
“…?”
“…?”
The knights looked at each other, puzzled that their heads were still attached. Had they really dodged the sword of a Swordmaster, the world’s strongest?
Lev swung his sword again. This time, they stepped back out of his attack range.
“What, what is this?”
The sense of imminent death vanished. Although his movements were extraordinary for a Swordmaster, his swordsmanship was similar to theirs…?
“???”
Questions arose in the knights’ minds. But this was something to be relieved about, not doubted, so one knight gripped his sword tighter and motivated himself.
“Pavel!”
As he called out while distancing himself to the right, the knight named Pavel understood his colleague’s intention and moved to the left, targeting the strange Swordmaster’s weaknesses.
The boss and thugs, who had tried to flee at the sight of the Aura Blade, hesitated and turned back at the sight of the knights fighting back.
They were fighting better than expected.
“Martin!”
At Pavel’s shout, Martin’s sword struck from below, and Pavel’s from above. Their combined attack sliced vertically with perfect coordination.
However,
“Hah!”
Lev swung his sword broadly. The knights’ swords were cut off by the sword that swung around his body from his legs to his head.
The broken tips of their swords clattered to the ground.
“Damn it! Again!”
Gritting their teeth, the knights attempted another joint attack with their shortened swords, but Lev’s superiority became increasingly evident.
The inability to clash swords was a significant penalty.
In all martial arts, especially swordsmanship, the actions broadly fell into four categories: evading, blocking, cutting, and stabbing.
While there were various movements like kicking, closing the distance, hooking the leg, or grappling, these ultimately aimed to achieve one of the four main actions.
But with the basic action of “blocking” completely negated, the knights could only dodge and wait for an opening.
If the skill gap was extreme, one might still win that way, but…
“Argh!”
In a moment of carelessness, disaster struck.
The Swordmaster suddenly swung his sword with one hand, and the knight instinctively defended, only to realize his mistake too late. The Aura Blade cut through both his sword and his body.
“Martin! No!”
Lev threw the sword’s hilt into the air. Catching it with his right hand, he swiftly thrust it in.
“Gah…!”
His stomach gave way easily. Pavel looked down at his abdomen.
He had always been prepared to die by the sword. Dying to an Aura Blade might even be an honor…
He tried to take one last look at the masked Swordmaster, but Lev was already gone.
“R-Run!”
The thugs started fleeing in all directions like a swarm of locusts. Lev momentarily considered marking them all with [Target Hunt] but decided against it.
The Nevis Church is a concern.
He remembered the bell of the Rutina Church ringing madly when Prince Eric displayed his power.
This seems to be fine, but the dirty agents of the main god surely notice the use of Asin’s power from afar.
Lev suppressed the divine power in his sword and returned it to normal, then rushed out.
It’s hunting time.
* * *
The Dorf family disappeared.
Their base became a brutal slaughterhouse regardless of age or gender, and several stables on the outskirts of Nevis also faced disaster.
Although the culprit was not caught, there were survivors. Instead of hiding, they fled recklessly, shouting in terror that a knight had attacked them.
Some of them babbled that the knight was a Swordmaster, but it was not taken seriously. There were only three Swordmasters on the continent, and they were not supposed to be in the Kingdom of Oron.
“What bastard…?”
Viscount Taradin Amus gritted his teeth. He had supported the Dorf family for many years. The money they paid was insignificant, but they conveniently provided entertainment for the wayward princes.
He called his butler.
“Tell the princes I request a meeting. I will be ready soon.”
The butler hurriedly disappeared, and while being dressed by maids, Viscount Amus pondered deeply.
‘Who could it be? What is their motive?’
His thoughts were plagued by noble families allied with the princes, like Viscount Pompius, Viscount Germain, and Baron Nensota.
They would have had reason to envy and resent him. It would have irritated them that he monopolized the slave trade in Nevis and satisfied the princes’ desires.
He briefly considered families like Viscount Ogrtun and Marquises Guidan and Drageen, who remained neutral, but quickly dismissed them.
They were too upright to engage in such underhanded tactics and could be excluded from suspicion.
He internally identified Viscount Germain as the main culprit. Only Viscount Germain knew the lengths he went to for the princes.
As soon as his preparations were complete, Viscount Taradin Amus pushed aside the maids and strode out.
“Father…”
His daughter appeared then. Unlike her father, with his yellow eyes and broad cheekbones, she resembled her mother, a pretty young lady. Despite being an adult, her small stature and head made her look adorable, and her braided hair suited her, but her usually bright eyes were filled with worry.
“I’m not feeling well today… Can I skip the evening banquet…”
“Go.”
The viscount gave a curt response and quickened his pace. Behind him, his daughter pleaded.
“Father. Can’t I just miss today? I’m really not feeling well… If I go there…”
“Go.”
“I already did my part. I informed the princes about the banquet being held secretly tonight. Many ladies will attend since it’s been a while. So please… I’m really struggling.”
The count, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped. Taralin Amus hoped her father had changed his mind, but
– Smack!
What came back was a slap. To avoid leaving a mark on her face, he struck below her ear, around her jaw and neck with the back of his hand.
“Kyaa! F-Father.”
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
The count coldly replied and muttered, “Useless thing,” as he turned away.
For some reason, the lecherous princes only toyed with his daughter but never took her to bed.
It was surely because she was unappealing and unattractive.
Otherwise, would the licentious princes have left such a defenseless woman alone?
Being a man himself, he understood. Holding a woman who couldn’t even pout and only cried was extremely unappealing.
Some crazy men might enjoy that, but the count was not one of them.
‘Not feeling well? Hmph. Isn’t that perfect? She must have been scurrying away from the princes all this time, but now she can just sit still and wait.’
Determined to send her to the banquet by any means, Viscount Amus left the mansion.
Soon, he arrived at the residence of the First Prince, Aeton de Lognum.
The princes originally resided in the royal palace, but the twin princes frequently visited their residence on Veddagen Street.
Receiving guidance from the butler, Viscount Amus grinned sinisterly.
‘Foolish bastards. This works in my favor.’
They were deeply engrossed in women.
Though the princes had seized political power, the viscount thought it was merely due to luck.
They had a major falling out in their youth and later reconciled, which had political advantages.
“Viscount Amus has arrived.”
The viscount stepped into the study adorned with numerous paintings of nude women. More paintings than books filled the vulgar room where the princes were passing around glasses of wine.
If these idiots ascended to the throne, there would be quite a stir. – The viscount thought and quickly changed his expression. He smiled slyly and greeted.
“Taradin Amus greets the heirs of Lognum.”
“Oh! Viscount, welcome.”
Despite it being midday, the princes’ faces were flushed, clearly drunk. Inwardly clicking his tongue, the count shared the good news first.
“As I mentioned before, Baron Guidan is hosting a banquet today. Will you attend?”
“Haha, of course. When have we ever turned down a banquet? However, lately, the nobility’s gatherings have been sparse, and we haven’t received invitations, which is disappointing.”
Algeo de Lognum spoke with a hint of regret, and the count agreed.
“Indeed, their loyalty to the royal family is so thin… It’s lamentable. Without the grace of Lognum, they wouldn’t have a place in this kingdom.”
“Hahaha, don’t be too harsh. They just want their own gatherings, don’t they?”
That was Aeton de Lognum.
‘Then don’t you go either.’
Smirking inwardly, the count changed the subject.
“Since Your Highness says so, I will try to see them in a different light. Ah, and there’s some bad news. It’s best if you don’t attend the auction next week.”
“What? Viscount, what do you mean? You know we’ve been eagerly awaiting that auction…”
“I’m sorry. But I’ve heard that there won’t be any worthwhile girls at this auction. It will still take place, but I’m afraid it won’t meet your expectations.”
“I see… Well, there’s nothing to be done. Thank you for informing us in advance. It’s better to look forward to the next one than to be disappointed.”
“Haha, Prince Aeton de Lognum is right. Sometimes, anticipation can be enjoyable.”
The viscount sweet-talked them like children, and the princes laughed cheerfully.
Finally, as Viscount Amus wrapped up his business, he said, “I hope you relieve the fatigue from your political duties at the banquet today. My daughter will also attend, but she is shy and doesn’t express herself well. It would be an honor if you could spare a moment to talk to her,” and then he left.
The princes, who had been smiling faintly, erased their mischievous grins as soon as the door closed.
As if they had never smiled, they pushed their wine glasses aside and each pulled a well-worn book from their desks, moving naturally.
Aeton de Lognum was engrossed in “The Origin and Maxims of Blitzkrieg,” while Algeo de Lognum delved into “Mobile Tactics.”
Coincidentally, these two books were co-authored by King Maunin and Queen Retii, the heroes who liberated the northern kingdom from the empire.
As the sun hung high and began to descend, the intense reading in silence ended. Algeo de Lognum closed his book and spoke.
“Brother, that fellow actually said something right.”
“…Which part? I only heard nonsense.”
Aton de Lognum, marking his place in the book, looked up.
“He said waiting can sometimes be enjoyable.”
Algeo smiled brightly.
His white teeth shone neatly, and the depth of that smile was different from what he had shown the count.
“Ah, yes. That was truly a wise statement.”
Aton also smiled. A handsome smile crossed his face.
“Our waiting is so enjoyable that his words were indeed wise.”
The princes’ declaration that their relationship would remain unchanged regardless of who ascends the throne was simply the execution of an old plan.
The young princes, upon making the plan, had immediately thrown punches at each other’s faces. Even as the guards separated them, bloodied, they exchanged meaningful glances.
– We will not be ordinary kings.
Nobles who only cared for their own territories and viewed the royal family as a honey pot. The grand plan to control them was steadily progressing.
Algeo de Lognum reached out to his brother and asked.
“Brother, what do you think Margrave Harvey will do?”
Aeton de Lognum handed the book he had been reading to his brother and replied.
“Who knows. But Marquis Gaiden probably has no choice. He’ll end up marrying off Harriet.”
“Haha, I like you, brother, but I hope that lady comes to me.”
“Huh… This is serious. To think that our relationship might be affected by a woman. I don’t want to give up Harriet either. Meeting a lady as elegant as her is not easy.”
Noticing his brother’s playful words, Aeton poked at his competitive spirit. Algeo, hiding a book in a corner of the bookshelf, slowly turned and smiled.
“I’m confident she’ll come to me. Marquis Gaiden will want to marry his daughter to someone with a higher chance of becoming king.”
His brother’s confident answer made Aton laugh heartily.
“Haha! You’re right. Surely, that will be the case! But whether she becomes a duchess or a queen is yet to be seen.”
“If you ascend the throne, she’ll be a duchess. If I do, she’ll be a queen. Haha, we’ll know before this winter ends.”
The declaration that their relationship would remain unchanged was backed by the princes’ agreement.
Whoever ascends the throne would elevate the other to a duke and actively support him to become the ‘king.’
War.
The one who becomes a duke would be the spear to strike the arrogant Kingdom of Conrad. The one who inherits the throne of the Kingdom of Orun would be the shield supporting that war.
The ambitious young men found becoming a duke more interesting than the throne, and they were ready to console the brother who ascended the throne.
Noticing the time had passed, Aeton de Lognum stood up.
“Alright, brother. Let’s get ready. We must make a grand entrance at the banquet today.”
Though tiresome, it was necessary to consistently show an interest in women.
Which noble would attach himself to a ruler full of ambition and audacity?
To truly gain loyal subjects, that would be the right approach, but most nobles preferred a flawed ruler.
Just as Viscount Amus did earlier.
“Brother, I’m ready.”
But someday they would know. That there were princes who dirtied themselves to create a great king who would unify the southern continent.
We will be recorded in history.
As they left the obscenely decorated study, the steps of the two princes began to take on a playful rhythm.
