The hot spring sunlight was pouring down on Rommel as well.
Though the sea was right at hand, the Naval Headquarters—solidly built up with marble bricks—was far from comfortable. Even if it had been an open-air space, any place where hundreds of vigorous men gathered at once would leave anyone feeling suffocated, their breath catching in their throats.
Edward heard the footsteps of his approaching aide-de-camp but paid them no mind, watching the officers and soldiers moving in perfect order while mentally recalling the whereabouts of the Admiral who should have been performing this duty in his stead.
Count Marco Lindel, Admiral of the Navy, had submitted his resignation to the Emperor due to health reasons, joined by a considerable number of senior officers who felt humiliated at the appearance of a superior unimaginably younger than themselves. Because of that, more than half of the Naval High Command had become vacant, and Edward had been forced to reestablish the chain of command within a single week.
*If we had been at war, we would have been defeated without a doubt.*
The benevolent Emperor had withheld the Admiral's resignation and granted him indefinite leave instead. He did not wish to create a scene of casting aside commanders who had been loyal to him their entire lives overnight.
*It feels like an invisible tug-of-war.*
What Count Lindel wanted was most likely to drive Edward—a thorn in his side—back out to sea, unaware that the Emperor could not grant him even that. Perhaps Count Lindel had expected that naval command would become a mess and he would be summoned back before long. However, thanks to that, Edward had easily seized control of the Naval Headquarters. The command structure could simply be rebuilt, and since everyone who would oppose him was absent, the work itself had actually become rather smoother.
Edward hoped that this delicate balance would last as long as possible.
"Vice Admiral, a guest has come to see you."
Edward turned to Livia with tired eyes. Major Livia stood ramrod straight in a stiffly pressed uniform, staring at him intently. Her silver hair, rare in the Empire, was neatly trimmed and swayed below her ears. The only woman among Edward's aides-de-camp—a fact she herself frequently forgot—her light khaki eyes sparkled with curiosity.
*What has piqued her interest now?*
Judging by the situation, she had come in place of Baihern, who was likely working on documents in the office. Rather than pointing out that he had not yet officially assumed the post of Vice Admiral, Edward immediately got to the point.
"If the visitor's business is not urgent, would you not show them to the main building's reception room, Major Livia? I shall return after watching the remainder of this training."
"The guest appeared to have no patience whatsoever. He is from the Imperial Guard Knights."
"The Imperial Guard Knights?"
Edward asked back, bewildered. There was no reason for a knight of the Imperial Guard to have business with him.
"Ah, perhaps."
Edward's expression faintly hardened. If it was an Imperial Guard Knight, there was a possibility he had come to deliver an order on the Emperor's behalf.
"Inform him I will come at once. Treat the guest with all possible courtesy."
"The thing is..."
Before Livia could explain, a clamorous voice echoed from the direction of the main building's corridor. Edward and Livia turned their heads simultaneously.
"You must not go this way."
"Out of my way! I must meet Count Adrian at once!"
The one who pushed past the soldiers blocking him and stormed out onto the parade ground was a man with the hulking frame of a bull and a fierce countenance. His dark brown hair, mixed with red, was soaked with sweat and disheveled in a mess. His deep green eyes darted about wildly, and a strange, manic light lurked within them. As if he had come straight from duty, he wore the uniform of the Imperial Guard Knights and even had a long sword at his waist.
"You...!"
The impulsive knight glared about as if everyone around him were an enemy, until his eyes finally met Edward's. Edward asked without thinking,
"Did you come from the Imperial Guard Knights?"
"Are you Count Adrian?"
"I am. But may I ask your business?"
Sparks flew from the knight's eyes. Edward's expression, as he regarded the knight bearing such hostility toward him, was simply calm. From the very beginning, Edward was a man who never lost his composed and tranquil nature, even when driving enemy forces into a corner. Perhaps finding that detached attitude disagreeable, blue veins bulged in the knight's neck and forehead.
"I am called Fabian. For a long time, I have admired Lady Savie with all my heart. I absolutely cannot accept this engagement, so let us resolve this like men with swords. To the death of one of us!"
The moment Fabian's murderous declaration ended, gasps of shock erupted from all around. A romantic scandal involving the Feorn Navy Vice Admiral! What a shocking affair this was! The soldiers were rapidly sucked into a cauldron of excitement.
Edward quietly studied the hot-blooded knight—someone he had never encountered even on the battlefield—then asked,
"Is that true?"
"What if it is? Will you give her up?"
"I would like to talk, at least."
Fabian snorted and stamped his foot roughly.
"I don't like men talking at length! From here on, we settle it with swords!"
As if to permit no further conversation, Fabian drew his sword from its scabbard. It was a long sword with a wickedly sharp edge. The eyes glaring at Edward were ferocious and sharp, like those of a carnivorous beast.
"There seems to be some misunderstanding. How about we speak first?"
"Draw your sword! I cannot entrust Yellodia to a coward!"
"......."
Fabian was being completely unreasonable. Deciding that further conversation was useless, Edward obediently took up a sword. At that moment, Fabian's brow twisted mercilessly.
"Is that not a training sword without even a sharpened blade! Are you mocking this sacred duel?"
"I am not mocking you."
*What is he on about?*
*Let's see if he still talks such nonsense with broken limbs.*
Grinding his teeth hard enough that a cracking sound could be heard, Fabian charged like a whirlwind. However, when the two swords first clashed, Fabian was shocked to the point of feeling an icy chill at the nape of his neck. His wrist had nearly broken on the spot. He could sense an extraordinary aura even from their touching blades, so much had the man trained. It was undoubtedly the skill of one who had mastered the sword.
Unlike Fabian, who was now on his highest guard, Edward's gaze as he faced him was tranquil like water. They were eyes that revealed nothing of his inner thoughts.
"Hah! Let's see if you can block this too!"
Enormous muscles bulged in Fabian's forearm, and his sword flew toward a point that would have been fatal to Edward. Edward calmly watched Fabian's arm, then at the last moment slid aside. Then he brought the sword's hilt down on Fabian's wrist with a sharp strike.
"Kuk!"
For an instant, Fabian lost his balance and staggered. He had nearly dropped his sword. However, with a beast-like sense of balance, he recovered his stance, and Edward's sword was blocked by his own with a loud clang.
"Damn it, using dirty tricks!"
Fabian ruthlessly brought his sword down using the strength of his trained thighs and waist. Now that it had come to this, his only option was to push through with pure strength.
*Clang, clang, clang!* The well-honed blades clashed with terrifying sounds.
Fabian was a full head taller than Edward, and the difference in build was even greater. Each time Fabian swung his sword, Edward was pushed back little by little.
"Give up Yellodia at once! Unless you want to die!"
"......I would rather not."
"What!"
At that moment, Edward sharply drove into Fabian's chest. When Fabian flinched and recoiled, Edward swung without hesitation.
This time, Edward's unconventional offensive began. Fabian barely managed to deflect the attacks. He did not panic like a raw recruit, but he failed to hide his bewilderment. The places Edward thrust at were the very spots the Knight Commander had repeatedly pointed out as weaknesses.
As Edward's one-sided offensive continued several times over, the officers and soldiers watching clicked their tongues in amazement.
"As expected of the Vice Admiral. You seem to have perfectly grasped his swordsmanship. Is this not almost like cornering a rabbit?"
"But that Imperial Guard Knight is quite something too, isn't he? What incredible tenacity. And here I thought ground dogs didn't know the first thing about fighting."
"Wow, that was incredible just now. I might not have been able to block that."
Fabian gritted his teeth and swung with all his might. However, his swordsmanship no longer worked on Edward.
*Damn it. Why is he so strong?*
Fabian was in a state of utter confusion. Recently, he had been busy without a moment's rest due to joint training with the Imperial Capital Defense Force, so he knew nothing of the affairs outside the knights' order. Occasionally, when his subordinate knights gathered in groups to chatter, their eyes had stared at him with a strange, drowsy gaze, but he had not been in any position to pay attention to such things.
But Yellodia was holding an engagement ceremony! And with some nobody soldier brat who had just received a title! It was something that should never happen even in a dream. While recklessly spurring his horse all the way to the Naval Headquarters, Fabian had racked his brains over how to tear Count Adrian away from Yellodia. So what he had come up with was to become a hot-tempered fool blinded by love.
It was no difficult task to become a foolish young noble overflowing with love for Yellodia and recklessly challenging another to a duel. He had seen countless such simpletons while standing guard at the palace. The plan to accidentally break one of the Count's limbs was simply a bonus.
*I thought if I made him kneel through a duel, somehow it would work out.*
A deep sense of defeat trickled down Fabian's spine.
On the faces of the onlookers who had filled the corridor before anyone knew it, there was not the slightest trace of worry for Edward. There were even officers placing bets on how many exchanges it would take for Fabian to be knocked down.
"By Lady Savie, does he mean the Vice Admiral's fiancée?"
"That's right! To risk his life in a duel for his beloved lady! Isn't it romantic?"
"Hah, I thought this place was so boring it made me yawn. If I'd known things like this happened, I would have transferred here long ago."
Before anyone knew it, Baihern had come out and joined the conversation. Major Livia, watching from the side, nodded in agreement.
"If Lady Savie is so beautiful, I would like to meet her sometime."
"That's fortunate. You'll get to meet her today."
The voice that suddenly cut into their conversation was that of a clear, elegant young girl.