...Why did we end up fighting like this again?
It feels like we just met out of nowhere and started fighting to the death for no reason at all.
It was simply a situation that arose from not wanting to lose a battle of momentum, and in a way, it was almost an accident caused by a man's pride?
So in the end.
'It's all because of that bastard.'
Ihan glared fiercely at him, and the opponent did the same.
The face of the guy who took off his black clothing was somewhat reminiscent of a noble young lord.
The scar engraved on one cheek showed he had lived a rough life, yet it was a face that would somehow evoke a lot of sympathy from women, making them want to approach him first.
...That's why I dislike him even more.
Ihan growled, and the opponent growled even louder.
I wondered why we were acting like dogs, but since we already hated each other, glaring to not lose was a natural principle.
Ihan and Rak glared at each other again, raising their fighting spirit, ready to strike at any moment.
Just as they were about to make up their minds to go at it for real with blades this time, not just a fistfight....
[Stop, how many times do I have to say it?]
"……."
"...I apologize."
[Sigh, this is why knights are like this.]
The shout of an absolute ruler was enough to quell their fighting spirit.
"...I greet Duke Blake, Your Highness."
[So you finally offer your greetings. I didn't know the neck of the White Silver Lion could be so stiff.]
"I will take that as a compliment. Thank you."
[...I stand corrected, it seems only you are the stiff one.]
"Me? My neck is flexible..."
[…….]
"You lowborn bastard! How dare you speak such insolence to His Highness!"
"I spoke nicely, what's the problem."
"You bastaarrd!"
The atmosphere was about to erupt into a fight again, but fortunately, this time the black-clad men grabbed Rak first, preventing him from moving.
Ihan smirked at Rak, who was unable to move an inch, and Rak ground his teeth.
[...My head aches.]
The Duke pressed his temples.
* * *
There was a man in the mirror.
Not a mirror for reflecting oneself, but a mystical mirror that showed the face of someone far away.
A mystical treasure born at a miraculous probability, said to be made by only a very few among magicians.
Artifact.
That must be an artifact.
They said its price alone was equal to a castle.
Those with the wealth and power to own such an artifact were only a very few in the kingdom.
And now, Ihan was facing one of those very few wealthy and powerful men right before his eyes.
...But didn't they say he was in his 60s?
What is that?
'I'd believe it if you told me he was younger than me?'
Ihan felt terror in a different sense as he looked at the opponent, and unaware of such fear, the opponent slowly opened his mouth.
[First, before we talk, I apologize. It was us who first disturbed your peace.]
"Y-Your Highness...! How can you say such unworthy words to a lowborn! You must not do so."
[One must acknowledge what needs to be acknowledged.]
One of the pinnacles of power in the Pendragon Kingdom.
Not merely holding a nominal duke title, the master of contemporary Gallahad, possessing such majesty that he could proudly declare the title of Grand Duke without falling short.
For such a person to willingly show 'apology' to a knight of lowborn origin was something that shouldn't happen.
Before common sense, it was a matter of authority and status.
The nobility of the royal family must always be lofty and absolute.
However
[Enough. How can expressing regret be considered a flaw?]
Duke Blake waved his hand as if such a statement was nothing, and rather scolded them.
Telling them to stop doing embarrassing things.
But seeing this.
"Your Highness, how can you be so generous...!"
"Keuheuk! As expected of Your Highness."
"Indeed, authority is established merely by Your Highness's existence, oh great one...!"
[...Sigh.]
They were excessively, no, like a group worshiping a new religion. The Duke's sigh grew longer.
As if excessive loyalty wasn't a very good thing either.
...Seeing this, Ihan made a subtle expression.
'That's [that murderous psychopath]? ...No, he seems totally normal?'
Well, his tone of voice was openly soaked in a manner that looked down on people. But that was like a passive skill for prestigious nobles.
So there was no need to be bothered by it.
However, seeing such a 'common-sense appearance', he somehow felt a sense of discord.
That wasn't a patient suffering from madness, but just a moderately normal noble, wasn't it?
In Ihan's senses, doubts arose as to whether that person was truly that Duke Blake.
[-No need to doubt. I am indeed 'that' Duke Blake you know.]
"I-I didn't say anything."
He blurted out a lame excuse, but how could he avoid the eyes of a man who had done nothing but politics his entire life.
He sneered.
[One cannot hide irreverent eyes. You must have heard rumors about me, so you probably know. That I am a mentally-ill patient suffering from madness.]
"Umm..."
He says this out loud?
Ihan was now completely certain.
Duke Blake was not a psychopath.
At least not right now.
Rather, he was just a [Duke, Your Highness] who was more common-sensical than expected, and somehow showed the magnanimous demeanor of a great man.
If it weren't for a meeting taking place in such a situation, Ihan would have respected the other person more.
Because he looked like a fairly decent person to that extent.
'Ah, is it that?'
A cliché that typically appears in romance fantasy novels.
Dukes or Grand Dukes and Emperors who were called monsters suddenly become normal the moment they meet the female lead, -that one.
'Well, is it something like that?'
Just as Ihan had such a thought for a moment.
[Are you having irreverent thoughts again?]
"...No. I was just thinking that rumors really can't be trusted."
[Seeing you say that so openly makes me think the prestige of the Ducal house has fallen to the ground.]
"Please look upon me generously, Your Highness."
[...Looking at you like this, you seem like a sycophant again.]
Ihan bowed deeply, and Duke Blake also no longer got angry.
No, it seemed he judged it wasn't worth getting angry over.
Well, from that guy's perspective, his own life would be as light as a feather.
'It's actually better.'
Dealing with a human who only looks down from above is surprisingly easy.
Because he's one who doesn't want to dirty his own hands.
In other words, as long as his interest decreases, escaping his sight wouldn't be difficul-
[-I hope you don't misunderstand. I don't take you lightly, Hidden Dragon of the White Silver Lion.]
"……."
[I heard there was a demoted knight among those teaching my precious adopted daughter, so I looked into it. At first, there was too little information about you, but through the people I planted in the royal court, I roughly found out. What kind of person you are.]
"Can you say that so openly?"
Was it an issue that could be so easily revealed, that he had planted spies in the royal court?
Whether he found it absurd or not, Duke Blake continued speaking.
As if the matter he was about to speak of was more important than the planted spies.
Sure enough.
[During the war with Britain, there was a situation where the lives of all soldiers were in peril in the 'Hundred-Day Siege', which was exceptionally fierce and where Pendragon could seize the decisive chance for victory, right? But in such a perilous situation, there was an unnamed soldier who saved no less than 1,257 soldiers.]
"……."
[Also, when Britain's assassination unit moved to kill that child Aishis, I heard there was a soldier who protected her. I heard that the hero who saved countless soldiers and the benefactor who saved that child were the same person.]
"……."
[Furthermore, that soldier caught the eye of 'that' Sir Baltar and became an official knight right away without even going through the training knights. In addition, I heard he is the only one receiving guidance from Sir Baltar, who is famous for having no disciples.]
"Who receives guidance from that guy! I'm busy getting beaten up all day!"
At this part, he couldn't help but flare up.
Guidance?!
Don't make me laugh.
The only things I learned from that guy were how to take a hit more painfully and how to increase my endurance.
Ihan ground his teeth, not forgetting the grudge of him forcing him into the knight order, but the Duke's reaction was nonchalant.
[Hmm, why are you reacting so sensitively? I'm just talking about 'a certain unnamed soldier'.]
"...Please stop joking."
[No, the most important part is still left. In addition, the unnamed soldier wiped out 15 'major slave trades' and 29 notorious 'illegal magicians' after becoming a knight. To accomplish alone what might not be possible even if the royal forces moved, he is truly an incredible person.]
"...Is there proof that this 'unnamed soldier' did it? It seems more likely to be a baseless rumor."
[It's not a baseless rumor. It's information found by tracking down those rescued from the slave trades and those who were tortured as experimental subjects by the illegal magicians.]
"……."
[If you have power, money, and capable talents, you can verify the truth of information as much as you want. Remember, ─O knight who lives hiding that he is a hero.]
"...Son of a bitch."
A monkey in the palm of Buddha's hand.
It was his situation that suddenly came to mind, and Ihan eventually bowed his head.
...As expected, I hate those in power.
* * *
The Duke, and all the troops of Gallahad, withdrew.
He didn't know the reason.
It was clear there was definitely more to talk about, but Duke Blake leisurely withdrew the troops with a meaningful smile.
As if just conversing with him was enough to roughly finish his assessment.
As if everything he was curious about was resolved.
......He still had an overflow of things he was curious about.
Well, it meant that wasn't important to that guy.
'Seriously.'
─I feel terrible.
It was clearly a situation where he should be happy that an overwhelmingly strong person who could kill him had left, but he wasn't happy at all.
Rather, the fact that his lifeline had been tossed around in someone's hands was indescribably displeasing.
He realized anew.
That he was still.
"Weak, disgustingly weak."
He thought he had gotten better than his past life.
It was just a life still being swayed.
Stagger.
Ihan staggered.
He tried hard not to show it, but his body wasn't normal either.
It was a disgustingly painful and obscenely unhealing injury.
That bastard's punch was disgustingly dirty.
It was the highest praise for the opponent, and the worst for the one who took it.
However, what made him ache more than the pain was.
"...It's not like he's giving the poison and then the antidote."
Ihan looked at the medicine bottle grasped in his hand.
It was a potion.
Not a low-grade potion commonly made by alchemists, but a top-tier potion made from a troll's lifeblood.
Did they say it was a whopping 50% purity one?
"……."
If it were normal times, he would have accepted it gladly. But Ihan couldn't relax his furrowed brows at all.
The feeling of being toyed with by someone.
Because the fact that someone had figured him out down to every detail was simply displeasing.
......Still.
Gulp gulp!
Ihan had absolutely no intention of holding onto his displeasure forever.
He gulped down the potion.
And made a resolution.
'I haven't lost yet.'
It's not the strong guy who wins.
The guy who survives until the end, the 'happy' guy wins.
Ihan resolved again.
That he would become happy.
......Without fail.