Chapter 211 : Chapter 211

Chapter : 211

“Is ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍this also part of the plan, Count Steffen?”

“…How ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍could that possibly be?”

At ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the inspector’s tone—almost as if he found it refreshingly clever—Count Steffen felt the back of his neck grow hot.

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had given a strict order to hold position and not act rashly, yet they were disobeying him so brazenly.

It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was humiliating beyond words.

Count ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Steffen could feel it clearly now: his influence was shaking badly. If he still enjoyed the Emperor’s favor as he once had, would those knights have dared to be so insolent?

“How did I end up like this…?”

And look at them—those nobles and soldiers cheering as they watched a knight gallop out in the distance.

Even if he gave an order to return, the knight who had already advanced would clearly have no intention of listening.

Anger, and then a bleak misery, brushed past the corner of his heart.

“Shall I order him to come back even now, Your Excellency Count Steffen?”

The messenger at his side, oblivious to any of those thoughts, spoke up without a hint of tact.

Did that fool truly not understand that calling him back now would only further damage his dignity? Count Steffen swallowed the boiling frustration inside him and replied curtly.

“No. What has already gone out cannot be called back. Who is the knight that came out from the Bellua Margraviate’s camp? Do not tell me it is the Margrave of Bellua himself?”

If it were the Margrave of Bellua, then there was a strong chance the man would lose, and Count Steffen had no intention of letting it go any further.

After that, he planned to send men and clamp down in earnest—hard enough that no one could move without permission.

“No, sir. It is a banner I have never seen before. It seems to belong to a knightly house from the south of the Elang Kingdom.”

“Ah? I see.”

At least that was fortunate.

Then he could watch with a little more ease—no, he could even wait for news of victory.

For an instant, he wondered if it was the Margrave of Bellua’s deception, but Count Steffen soon let out a bitter laugh.

“I have been overly sensitive lately.”

Surely the famed Margrave of Bellua would not disguise his own status and come out. The higher one’s reputation, the more one had to protect one’s face.

He certainly would not behave recklessly like a daredevil the way he once had.

And so, his expression easing slightly, Count Steffen gave his order.

“Keep the knights on standby, just in case. We will watch the duel.”

Never realizing that it is always “just in case” that ruins a man.

-Waaaaaah-!

-Bel-lua! Bel–lua!

-For His Majesty the Emperor!

-Woo! Woo! Woo!

The atmosphere was blazing hot.

I had removed the seal that symbolized my own house, borrowed a different family seal from the knight beside me, and come out under false colors—and I had taken the bait perfectly.

“You bastard! How dare you run your mouth!”

After I rode forward and hurled insults at the Holy Empire’s imperial formation a few times, a knight finally burst out to meet me.

“Hmm, that worked well.”

Count Steffen must have ordered them to hold a firm defensive formation, yet they had forgotten it and rushed out at once.

If I kept deceiving them like this and brought down a few more knights from the Holy Empire’s imperial army, they might lose their heads and that solid formation could collapse in one stroke.

“Heh heh heh.”

I was thinking that, when—

-Piiiiiit!

-Pishut!

With a sharp sound, a chilling sensation crawled up the back of my neck.

“Hup!”

-Chang!

Startled, I trusted the sensation and swung my sword. An arrow, flying in from somewhere, struck my blade and ricocheted away, stabbing into the ground.

-Pa-rururut!

It had been so powerful that the arrow, split in half, buried itself so deep that it was nearly invisible.

Damn it.

He had come out in open defiance of orders, and now I understood why—he was skilled.

The distance between us was roughly sixty meters, far enough that I could not properly make out his face, or even his body. Yet the arrow he loosed had flown straight for my neck with precise intent.

And even from here, I could sense the surging mystery of magic—he seemed to be holding a bow imbued with magic.

“It seems I was far too complacent.”

I smiled bitterly to myself.

Of course. In a world where magic existed, it was absurd to think such weapons would not exist.

-Pushushuk!

-Cha-chang! Puk!

This time the arrows came in rapid succession. I knocked two aside and blocked one with my armor.

A heavy impact rattled through the chain links.

-Waaaaaah-!

Seeing me stagger, the Holy Empire’s imperial army erupted in cheers. To them, it looked as though their knight was dominating the duel.

“Hyah!”

To overturn that mood, I spurred my horse hard. I meant to close the distance at once and finish it.

But infuriatingly, the knight on the Emperor’s side used superb horsemanship to widen the gap again.

-Woooo!

-Coward! And you call yourself a knight!

My soldiers jeered in unison as he retreated and attacked from afar.

And I felt exactly the same.

-Piiiiiik!

-Chang!

-Pishushuk!

-Cha-chang!

The endless arrows from a distance were starting to grate on me.

“This is… irritating!”

I frowned slightly, drew the spear I had brought, and poured strength into my grip.

-Kkuuuuk!

“You bastard. Fine. Let us see if you can keep running after taking this, then!”

Sir Herman, the knight who had stepped forward as the Holy Empire’s imperial champion, was confident.

He had followed the Emperor on campaign for ten long years. With abundant experience, and as a famed archer who wielded a bow containing a magical mystery taken from barbarians in the Empire’s eastern lands, his reputation was already well established.

And even now, it showed.

-Sswaeaeaeaeak!

The arrow he released from nearly a hundred paces away should have pierced his opponent cleanly.

Of course—

-Chang!

Amazingly, the man had reacted and knocked the arrow away.

“Tch. Lucky.”

Watching, Sir Herman clicked his tongue in annoyance.

It was a shot from far away, so the arrow’s force had weakened. That must be why the opponent had been able to respond.

If he narrowed the distance and shot again, the man would not dare block it.

With that thought, Sir Herman focused on the approaching knight.

-Huuuuup!

And when the distance closed to exactly what he wanted—

“Now!”

He released the bowstring.

“Good. This time, you will not block it.”

Archers could feel it. There were moments when instinct told you that the moment you released, the arrow would go precisely where you wished.

This was one of those moments.

The arrow flew toward the exposed nape between the plates of armor—straight for it.

Now the knight would clutch his neck and collapse onto the ground.

That was what Sir Herman thought, but—

-Chang!

“?!”

Contrary to his expectation, the arrow was knocked aside with absurd ease.

And that had been his most certain shot, loosed from a bow steeped in magical mystery.

“N-no, what is this…?!”

Shocked, Sir Herman yanked his horse backward and fired again and again. But it was useless. Each arrow was blocked by the opponent’s blade and fell pitifully to the ground. Only one struck the man’s body, and even that landed on thick armor and did no meaningful harm.

-Waaaaaah-!

Seeing this, the Holy Empire’s imperial army roared, convinced that their knight was winning.

Sir Herman, who understood the true situation, could not even begin to smile.

“Damn it! Where did a monster like that come from?!”

No matter how wide the world was, he had never imagined that such a human knight would suddenly emerge from the Bellua Margraviate’s camp. As far as he knew, the only outstanding knights under the Margrave of Bellua were elf knights.

As for a human knight of that caliber, there was only one name people spoke of—the Margrave of Bellua himself.

“Hmm?”

A thought flashed through Sir Herman’s mind.

“Could it be…?”

What if that terrifyingly skilled knight was the Margrave of Bellua?

What if he had hidden his identity and stepped out like this to topple the Emperor’s knights one by one?

But then—

“No. Surely not. That would be throwing his honor into a sewer.”

A great noble who had achieved as much as the Margrave of Bellua would be the very type to guard his honor obsessively.

Would such a man really do something so shameless?

“No. It must be someone else—just an exceptional knight.”

Pushing down the discomfort, Sir Herman tightened his grip on the bow.

He steeled himself, determined to win this duel no matter what.

But, tragically…

There was one thing Sir Herman did not understand.

The Margrave of Bellua did not care about such things at all. He pursued only what was useful.

“Uh…?”

And the price of that carelessness—

-Flash!

For a moment, the opposing knight gleamed in the sunlight.

-Sswaeaeaeaeaeaeak-!

With a brutal tearing shriek of air, a spear crossed the distance in an instant and pierced Sir Herman’s body.

-Puooooook!

It was the miserable end of Sir Herman, who had stepped forward so confidently.

“……”

“……”

The crowd fell silent.

If one wished to exaggerate, it was so quiet that even a needle dropping to the floor would have been heard.

Yet no one protested the silence.

They had just witnessed something their eyes could scarcely accept.

“Th-that… is that even possible?”

A nobleman who had barely recovered from the shock asked in a dazed voice.

He was not addressing anyone in particular, but everyone avoided one another’s gaze, unable to answer.

To throw a spear and hit a target from a distance where it was difficult to land an arrow?

It was an attack that simply did not fit inside their common sense.

“Was that the Margrave of Bellua?!”

“No, would a man of his stature disguise himself and do that?”

“Exactly! Surely not.”

At someone’s remark, the others wavered, half-believing and half-doubting. No matter what, could a great noble really behave that way?

“Could it be that he is using a weapon imbued with a magical mystery as well?”

“Y-yes! That must be it.”

“That is certainly plausible, Your Excellency.”

At that suggestion, the nobles stirred. It sounded convincing.

After all, magic was always strange, always beyond ordinary understanding.

Count Steffen, too, agreed to a point.

“Hm… yes. If it were the Margrave of Bellua, he would not have taken those arrows so carelessly.”

Count Steffen had once faced the Margrave of Bellua in person, and without realizing it, he had greatly overestimated him.

If it was the Margrave of Bellua, he would have knocked them all away. He would not have been that clumsy.

Therefore, that man was not the Margrave of Bellua—he was simply a knight wielding a magical weapon.

He decided it so.

The problem was, in deciding that—

“Who will teach that insolent knight a lesson? If it has come to this, we must bring him down no matter what!”

“Send me!”

“Your Excellency, no—send me. I will restore the honor of His Majesty the Emperor and Your Excellency Count Steffen!”

—he made a disastrously wrong choice.