[Translator – jjescus]
[Proofreader – Gun]
Chapter 5: The Duke’s Incompetent Son (4)
After the meeting, the Duke immediately returned to the front lines.
It took some convincing to leave room for negotiation, but ultimately, I succeeded.
When I first expressed my desire to go to the front lines, the Duke treated me like a madman.
Well, it’s not surprising.
Wanting to go to a place teeming with monstrous creatures where even the ground is soaked with blood is a bit insane.
In hindsight, ending up labeled as a lunatic was a blessing.
The western territory of the Empire, Velias.
It is the only place in the entire continent known as the ‘front lines’ at this point.
It’s not bordering other human territories or immigrant groups; it’s the habitat of different species, commonly known as the demon realm.
It’s a continent where evil creatures called demons, who are inherently bent on destruction and slaughter, reside. Velias is the territory closest to this harsh land.
The ‘Lemea Valley’ which can be considered the forefront, has been a battleground for hundreds of years, where fierce battles with demons have continued daily.
No one knows why they come over or what lies beyond. It’s an unknown world.
At this point, no one would know much about that place.
Except me.
“Young master!”
Emily burst into the room, panting heavily as if she had run from afar, sweat streaming down her face.
I continued my strength training, unfazed.
“Is it true?!”
She exclaimed.
“What is?”
“You said you want to go to the front lines with the Duke?!”
Word travels fast. Who could have possibly spread such rumors when there’s nobody to spread them to?
“Well, yeah. I haven’t gotten full permission yet, but…”
Emily’s face turned pale as she blurted out her words.
“Are you insane, Young master? Do you even know where that is? It’s a place teeming with terrifying demons!”
Technically, it’s not demons, but rather beasts. There’s a common misconception that there are sentient beings in the Lemea Valley. In reality, it’s inhabited solely by beasts.
Well, there’s still not much known for sure at the moment, so I’m using the terms interchangeably, but this is actually a very important fact.
Think about it – do we really want those beings on the other side to treat us like animals? It’s the same context.
The reason I want to go to the front lines is also aimed at the creatures, not demons, beyond.
“So, what happens now? If you don’t have full permission, did the Duke set any conditions?”
Anyway, she caught on remarkably quickly.
My father set one condition for me.
One month.
Within that month, I must meet the qualifications to go to the Lemea Valley.
If I do that, he said he’d allow me to accompany them to the front lines.
He didn’t specify what those qualifications are yet…
“Phew…”
Once I finished my set, I collapsed.
Despite being my own body, I can’t help but feel how weak I am at times.
How on earth did I live with this body?
Emily brought me some water as I sprawled on the floor.
“It’s hard to imagine you as someone who exercises, Master.”
I wish she hadn’t said anything…
I’m already racked with the dilemma of how to quickly strengthen this feeble body.
Knowing the Duke’s character, he’ll probably arrange another sparring session.
I suppose he wants to see if I can survive when facing the monsters on the front lines.
He might even penalize a senior knight like Eulken and arrange a duel…
Is it possible?
Honestly, it’s not just boasting – I could handle not just one but even ten senior knights.
I was once part of the continent’s top group of fighters.
I remember all the techniques and tricks I learned back then, and I can still use them effectively now.
The issue is that my usable strength is limited.
I still need to confirm a few things, but using the power from my past life with this mediocre body comes with too great a penalty.
If I were to use a trick once, my body would most likely be ruined.
And I can’t even use magic.
Now, at the age when I’m just starting to consider generating mana, it’s ridiculous to think I could wield magic powerful enough to overpower senior knights.
I’ve already confirmed that the mana and magical powers I honed in my past life remain within me through mana sensitivity last night.
Of course, I’ve concealed my energy so that others can’t detect it.
In reality, this isn’t something just anyone can do…
Anyway, until I figure out my suitable attributes by enrolling in the academy, I couldn’t afford to show off to others recklessly.
So, ultimately, all I could showcase would be my swordsmanship.
To think I have to defeat senior knights with strength that can’t even lift a flower vase.
Well, honestly, there’s nothing I can’t do…
Anyway, to increase the chances, I need to maximize my strength as much as possible within the given time.
I resumed my exercises, focusing on push-ups once again.
Tssss!
“It’s noisy outside. I wonder who’s there?”
Whatever it is, whether it’s soldiers changing shifts or not, it’s not something to worry about right now.
I continued my workout without paying any attention.
Unable to contain her curiosity, Emily decided to go out and see what was happening.
Now, I can finally exercise a bit more quietly.
“…”
About five minutes passed, I think?
Urgent footsteps echoed from the end of the hallway.
Even though I was in the middle of exercising, I found myself instinctively listening to the sound.
It wasn’t the heavy steps of a knight, but from the sound of it, it wasn’t a woman either.
The steps seemed light and agile, not characteristic of a noblewoman like the Duchess, and there’s hardly anyone else besides Emily who could be in such a hurry.
Height around 170 centimeters, weight about 55 kilograms…
That’s not the gait of a maid either.
Emily’s steps are much lighter, so it couldn’t be her.
Who could it be?
It’s like the brisk steps of a spirited woman…
“Cyan!”
My posture collapsed as the door burst open.
A stranger walked confidently into the room.
The moment I saw her face, I was taken aback.
“A-Alice, is that you?”
Momentarily stunned, she grabbed my shoulders and shook me vigorously.
“Are you out of your mind? You said you wanted to go to the front lines? Do you even know where that is?”
“Al–Alice, please, just let go for a moment…”
The sudden encounter left me feeling extremely flustered.
“I thought you’d won against Cranz, but what on earth are you thinking?!”
Being shaken back and forth left me with no room to respond.
What’s going on here?
Why is Alice here?
Her eyes, filled with a variety of emotions, gazed at me.
This warm sensation was definitely not imaginary.
The day I would meet my sister again…
Despite the obvious scolding, my face was filled with a smile.
Seeing this, she chuckled.
“Where does it hurt, Cyan?”
She asked, tilting her head.
“Just happy to see you…”
She chuckled briefly, then smiled and ruffled my hair.
“Yeah, it’s good to see you too. I’ve been busy preparing for graduation, so I couldn’t come sooner. But I’m glad to see you’re doing well.”
For her, it had only been a year, but for me, it had been decades since we last met.
She was the second child of the duke, along with the eldest son, Aschel, she was considered the next generation’s leader of our family.
She was the only family member I, the incompetent one, could rely on.
And she was also the woman I had wanted to protect more than anything in my past life.
“When did you arrive at the mansion?”
“Just now. It’ll be even harder to come home after graduation, so I wanted to visit before then.”
My sister is now seventeen years old.
At the verge of graduation after six years of academy life.
In our family, and even in society, she was referred to as the ‘Child of God’.
She had achieved unprecedented success in every subject at the Royal Academy, from swordsmanship to magic and academics, earning the highest grade of S in all areas.
Unlike me, who was incompetent, she was a genius with multifaceted abilities, and her beauty was so stunning that she was worshipped as a goddess, truly worthy of being called the ‘Child of God’.
Despite being only two years older than the eldest son Aschel, she was considered alongside him as a candidate to lead the family in the future.
But she had no interest in such matters.
“But anyway, why did you talk to Father about going to the frontline? Did you really ask him?”
“Well, yes, I did mention it, but… Where did you hear about this?”
“That’s not important!”
My sister was avoiding the question.
In the midst of this, she caught the gaze of Emily, who was peeking through the door.
Judging by her expression, it was clear that she was the informant.
That clueless maid…
“I wanted to experience various things before entering the academy. Among them, I thought the frontline was the closest and most impactful place to feel and learn.”
The location of the Vert mansion was in the easternmost part of the territory, farthest from the frontline in the Lemea Valley.
This choice of location was undoubtedly made under the duke’s orders.
Anyway, the intention was to allow the family to reside within the territory while also creating a situation where they could retreat immediately in case of an emergency breach of the frontline.
For now, I gave the best response I could, similar to what the duke would say.
However, upon hearing my response, my sister had a strange expression on her face.
“Are you trying to be the family head, Cyan?”
* * *
On an ambitious night as the sun set and the moon rose, a chilly mist lingered in the air over the training grounds.
“Do we really have to go this far?”
“Don’t complain, Cyan! It’s all to test you!”
This isn’t a midnight jog—what exactly are we doing here?
Although it was only half a day since the duel with Cranz, the same scenario was being played out again, complete with holding a sword.
“Your determination to uphold the family’s legacy is admirable. But there are things that can and cannot be achieved with determination alone. Think of this as my trial to surpass Father’s trials.”
Upholding the family’s legacy.
In other words, protecting peace on the continent from the demons.
As my sister spoke, I have absolutely no intention of going through with such nonsense again.
My desire to go to the frontline has nothing to do with that.
But in reality, I just said ‘yes’ without being able to speak the truth.
I never expected her to come at me like this, arms wide open, suggesting a duel.
“The trial is simple. Hold off my sword for three minutes, or aim your sword at my throat before then. If you succeed in either, I’ll send you to the frontline.”
Simple? That’s just nonsense. She definitely won’t send me there.
I came out on a whim, but I don’t know what to do now.
Facing off in a sword duel against someone like the Royal Academy’s top-ranked S-grade prodigy?
For someone who just started strength training, it’s… quite easy.
[PR/N: ]
To be honest, I could finish it as soon as I start.
My movements are clearer, and my body feels lighter due to my smaller frame.
But what would happen if I did that?
Cranz is around the same age, but defeating someone who has completed all the specialized training at the Royal Academy in one go?
This is an impossible scenario from the start.
Without even mentioning the possibility to anyone, I just have to accept defeat.
If I were to win thoughtlessly, I wouldn’t be able to cover it up with talent afterwards.
“Alright, once you draw your sword, we begin! Hurry up and draw it,Cyan!”
Sigh…
Well, I guess Alice wouldn’t seriously come at me like that.
She’ll probably just spar with me enough to assess my skill.
If I can just fend her off reasonably while biding my time, I might be able to get through this.
Thinking it would somehow work out, I drew my sword, then…
“…!”
In an instant, her sword aimed straight for my neck.
-Clang!
Although I managed to block it without any issue, I could feel it right away, experiencing her sincerity that she had no intention of going easy on me.
[Translator – jjescus]
[Proofreader – Gun]