Once we arrived, we went straight to change.
We wore tight cycling clothes; the reason was that it was more comfortable when moving.
Cid's suit was black with blue lines, while mine was white with black lines.
(I don't understand why, but I feel annoyed for some reason.)
Our Pegasi were ready; we were just waiting for the order of who would go first from us.
"Huh, I'll go first?"
"Yes."
(That bastard Cid seems to be using me as cannon fodder, since he told me.)
"Razel, I suggest you go fight before me, not only in the first round, but also in the next two."
"Why do I have to carry all the weight!!"
Cid gave me a cold look.
"Really?"
He said, then revealed to me.
"... Listen, you know we're going to fight a prince and his friends, right?"
"Yes."
"Good, think about this for a second. Who is the most dangerous of them all?"
(That's obvious.)
"Bellange, that guy is a gorilla. Or maybe Oscar."
Cid turned his head in denial.
"Undoubtedly, Bellange is physically strong, but he's an idiot. If you're smarter than him, with a good strategy you can defeat him."
"Oscar is a talented mage with wind magic. But he's not a real danger since guys like him use a pattern for their attacks, which are also long-range."
"Jake uses magical weapons, so he'll surely use one that launches something. Regulux is average; he's better than me, but not a big deal."
(What he said was true; I already knew all that beforehand, but if he didn't mention a certain person, it means my answer was absurd.)
"Those three aren't a problem, nor is the prince. The real problem is the sword that accompanies him."
"Lambert."
I said the most terrifying name of all.
(In the game, Lambert had his magical stats lowered so he wouldn't overshadow Jake or Oscar. His physical strength was also reduced by 50% so he wouldn't be stronger than Bellange.)
(The reason for that was because Lambert was the most dangerous human being in the entire game.)
(If he knew how to cast spells and his muscles were much bigger, he would undoubtedly be capable of killing all enemies by releasing only 1% of his power.)
"That's why I'm telling you to go before me. Because we must defeat those three before the real problem. I don't know how much you know about him, but let me tell you, Lambert is the real danger."
Cid clenched his fist tightly as he spoke to me.
"I've known him since the swordsman academy. That boy... is our only true threat. Razel, I will fight him. If either of us goes after fighting the other three, we will undoubtedly lose. But if one of us is at their best capacity, there will be a chance."
His fist made a loud sound.
"Razel, my reason for fighting in the duel against Regulux was that I didn't like what he did to Elize, but... my personal reason for helping her was to teach that spawn of the sword what it means to be looked down upon by someone superior."
(It seems Cid has his reasons for fighting. If what he says is best, I have no choice but to do it. Personally, I don't want to fight him.)
I sighed for a moment before saying.
"... Very well, it will really be a pain in the ass to fight a screamer, a weirdo, and a gorilla. But hey, does that mean you'll fight your brother too?"
Cid laughed a little.
"No way, I won't get past that round, hahaha. I'll just stop his sword, and only then, he will feel true fear. He's always had it by his side, so once he sees him lose, he'll understand he has no chance."
(What Cid said made the main capture target look like a cowardly, crybaby child.)
(But well, it doesn't matter.)
"Let's go."
We both went straight to the center to see the referee and establish the conditions for victory or defeat.
◇
Once we arrived, we got off the boat that Professor Lloyd was driving. He was waiting for us since we would return to see the competitor's Pegasus.
In front of me were five pieces of shit of different colors.
They were all smiling at us.
No, it seems they are looking at Cid; they ignore me as if I were excrement.
(Now I'm angry.)
"Alright, this duel has been approved by the academy and the palace. I would like to confirm the terms of surrender and what will happen when one of the two sides wins or loses, is that okay?"
"Yes." We said.
"No." Said Lambert.
"I mean we accept, but I think you're mistaken; we won't lose, they will. At least on this side, I speak for myself and not these three."
(The sharp words of the sword maniac annoyed everyone present, including his own allies.)
"Cid." Said the handsome prince, piece of shit.
"I'm sorry, but you're going to lose."
Me and Cid made a face at what he said.
Once the referee finished stating the terms and conditions of the duel, the important part arrived.
"Yes, if Prince Cid loses, you must apologize for bothering Prince Regulux. But if you win, Prince Regulux must apologize, is that clear?"
"Yes." We responded.
"Yes, if Prince Regulux loses, he will apologize for bothering the duke's daughter. But if he wins, his engagement with her will be broken, and furthermore, she must apologize, is that clear?"
"Yeees~"
Responded the golden bastard mockingly.
"Good. Now that everything is clear, who will go first?"
At the moment I was about to go out, an idiot spoke before me.
"I, the son of Duke Fitzclarence, Jake! I will be the only one who will have the honor of defeating this nobody and the fourth prince!"
The idiot Jake came forward very confidently.
Then, I came out.
"I, Razel Bartlet, will go first. Not only in this match, but also in the next two I will go out, since..."
I gave Jake a look accompanied by a sarcastic comment.
"Since, I'm sure my victories will be super easy."
Jake seemed irritated; a vein bulged on his forehead.
The referee looked at us both and said.
"Very well, the first round of the duel will be between Jake von Fitzclarence versus Razel Bartlet!"
"Of course!" We both shouted.
"Razel."
Cid looked at me worriedly.
"Good luck." He said.
I smiled at him.
"Wish luck to that idiot tomato."
We both headed to where Professor Lloyd was to go see my special weapon and my horse.
While getting on the boat, I observed two girls in the stands.
One of them was downcast.
"Eli..."
I said to myself as we returned to our side.
◇◇◇
In one of the stands, Lily and Elize were sitting.
Elize was downcast.
"Even until the end, he won't regret it."
Said Elize, almost crying. Lily took her hand to give her affectionate words.
"Don't worry, Elize-san. I'm sure the boys will win, and the prince will apologize to you!"
Hearing those words of support, Elize lifted her face; Lily's smile made her smile a little. Then, she observed their representatives returning after having selected the participants for the first round.
"Razel..."
She murmured. Lily heard that and squeezed her free hand very tightly.
◇◇
Life smiles upon those who walk the path of strength.
That's what my father, Duke Fitzclarence, taught me since I was little.
My father was always a busy man; I played alone, but I didn't mind; I knew he was always busy with important things.
When I was 6 years old, my mother told me that my father achieved an incredible feat in a single generation.
He managed to become the second seat of the 10 holy mages.
He developed a magical weapon for flying ships.
As his son and heir, I was proud.
Years later, I learned a cruel truth about our family.
Apparently, since the founding of the empire, our family has been an enemy of the imperial family.
For that reason, instead of being a duchy like the others, we are a principality.
We still retain our free essence that didn't bind us to any country or faction.
That is wrong; my father is doing something wrong.
I thought that several times.
Once, at a party, I heard some men talking.
"Hmph, why is that traitorous family here?"
"Maybe they want to regain some prestige. Remember that to this day they call themselves a principality and not a duchy; supposedly only a grand duke should have a principality, but it seems that family doesn't know that, hehehe."
"Yes, it's really funny how they call themselves the seven dukes, when in reality it's six and an impostor, hahaha."
I ran to my father to ask him about what I heard.
He looked at me without interest and said.
"So? Does it matter? The Fitzclarence Household is and will always be an enemy of the imperial family until they acknowledge their mistake."
I cried; that day I hated my dad.
He's supposed to be an intelligent man, but what he did was stupid.
Years later, I discovered that our family only rose to one of the three strongest duke houses thanks to the Rosenberg Household falling into ruin.
Truth be told, I don't care about other dukes or their families; I'm sorry Rosenberg, but my house's prestige matters more than others'.
When I entered the academy, it was to have strong connections. Then, one day, he suddenly spoke to me.
"Hello, you're Jake, right?"
A very handsome boy approached me; it was none other than the prince.
"Yes, that's me. You are His Highness, the third prince Regulux, right?"
"Indeed, it's me."
My eyes opened in surprise; I didn't know what to answer.
"Is there something you need from me?"
I had never exchanged a word with him since my father was the only one who went to the imperial palace.
I hope it's nothing bad for my family because of my ancestors.
"I heard that, like your father, you make magical weapons."
"Yes. I don't consider myself at the same level as my father, but I create them myself."
Why would he ask that?
"You see, I'm very curious about what they look like; would you mind showing me some if you have any available?"
He said with a pleasant smile.
My eyes opened wide; this was the opportunity to return my house to its deserved position.
With this, I became a friend of Prince Regulux's personal circle.
I want my house to return to its honor and prestige; therefore, I'm sorry Rosenberg, but I will crush the powerless prince and that nobody.
Don't take it personally; it's just normal for a noble house.
If your family were in the same situation as mine, you would do the same.
Now, let's go kick this jester's ass.
◇
The Pegasus of Jake was riding was a new model; according to Cid, he bought it in a store. The price was very, very expensive.
As there are different brands, they receive names to know what class they are.
His was called Galahad; it was red with blue lines on its body. Although the head is decorative, it has two handlebars like a real motorcycle.
It even has a magical power meter that indicates if it's overheating or depleting.
On his right arm, he wore a strange gauntlet; it looked like a skull; it reminded me of a certain movie about space soldiers fighting using something similar.
On his waist, he carried some small boxes; I don't know what they were for, but I don't care.
(I know you attack at a distance; in the game, you used magical mini bombs from a rifle, but you carry them here.)
While on my side...
"Hahahaha, is that thing for real? What a joke, hahaha!"
He and many others laughed at my horse.
(I tried to paint it, but the paint melted, so it ended up jet black.)
I turned it on; I just had to press a button, and automatically the magical power would run through the integrated magical circuits, making it fly.
On its rear, it has a large hole similar to the underside of a missile.
A great blue light emanated from there.
I was ready; in my right hand, I had my special weapon in a bag.
Jake didn't seem to care; just for that, I'll show it.
When I removed the cover, many laughed; what fools.
"Hahaha, what the hell is that! Hey, do you think this is a joke? You're mocking us, aren't you?"
He was mocking because on my shoulder rested a gray metal bat.
(It was understandable. Even Cid told me I was crazy.)
(But the reason for doing it is for three reasons.)
(First, I don't want to show my trump card here.)
(Second, if I used any other weapon that wasn't a bat, bad things would happen to them.)
(Third, a wooden bat would be easily destroyed.)
(Fourth and most importantly, by using a metal bat, I can hurt them a lot but not kill them.)
(The reason I originally took a bat was because, in that game, I remember reading on a forum that a guy with a strange name used one to annoy other nobles; it seems he was an enemy of the prince.)
(Anyway, I'm ready to kick Jake's ass.)
The referee watched us from a distant position; screens floated in the air.
The duel will take place in the sky above the forest; the maximum limit we can go is up to that enormous mountain visible in the distance.
Some round bat-like creatures were the cameras that would transmit everything they saw.
(Alright, it's time to do something I swore I wouldn't do: stand out.)
"Everyone ready..."
(Goodbye, my life as a background character.)
"Begin!"
We both took off on our flying steeds to have the encounter away from the audience.
As we moved away, Jake spoke to me through a communicator embedded in the steed; we couldn't hear each other's voices without it.
"Hey, nobody! You should give up before you get hurt, hahaha!"
I ignored Jake; I just headed towards the mountain. After all, I'm not interested in fighting you.
I don't want to waste energy either; I just want to defeat them as soon as possible and see Eli smiling again.
I was getting closer and closer to the mountain when Jake shouted at me.
"We're far enough from the audience now; it's pathetic, nobody!"
I turned my head and used a bit of magical power to activate a skill I developed during my training with Cid.
"Eagle Eye."
(I can see a distant object up to ten meters away; fortunately, Jake wasn't that far from me.)
I watched as he loaded an object resembling a soda can into his strange gauntlet.
He aimed at me.
"Die!"
Something flew in my direction.
I dodged it, but it seems it's not a normal missile.
It was heading towards me.
"Hahaha, this is the prototype I created to defeat the fourth prince! I call it, mana heat-seeking missile!"
"Once it locks onto its target, it can follow its magical power trail and attack; you have no escape!"
Just as he said, I didn't. When it headed towards me.
I just hit it really hard so it would explode.
When I turned around, Jake had an idiot face; he got really angry.
I kept going towards the mountain.
"Guh. Don't mock the son of a duuuuuuuke!"
Jake loaded one after another into his gauntlet; it seems only four can fit.
He pressed the button, and the missiles chased me. They were faster than my steed, but it didn't matter.
I dodged them; I could do it easily thanks to having Eagle Eye activated to watch them closely.
(This guy kept being annoying.)
I easily dodged the missiles while whistling.
He fired more.
The number of missiles behind me was 16.
(I couldn't see his face, but it was surely an idiot face with his eyes and mouth wide open. Since I'm dodging the missiles as if they were paper airplanes.)
I finally reached the mountain.
I circled the great mountain so the missiles would crash into it.
I heard various explosions around me.
The mountain remained intact; it's really a very resistant mountain.
Jake approached shouting.
"For a nobody, don't think you're all that! For the honor of the duke's family and Prince Regulux, I will defeat you no matter what!"
(This guy has a big mouth; it doesn't matter. I don't plan on wasting more time with you anyway; I have to defeat two others.)
"You know, Jake, I'll tell you something I always wanted to say to you during the game."
(He doesn't understand what I'm talking about, but it doesn't really matter.)
He loaded more missiles and headed towards me. I had stopped my steed and was waiting for him at the top of the mountain.
It was like in a movie; the steed rested vertically; I leaned back a little to avoid falling down.
Jake approached very annoyed and fired the missiles.
"This is the best advice you'll ever get in your entire life."
The missiles rapidly approached me.
He laughed.
"Hahaha, I won! I, Jake, am the best, hahaha!"
I grabbed my bat very tightly.
Then I told him as the missiles headed for impact.
"For once in your life, learn to shut that damn mouth of yours. You dug your own grave, idiot."
I hit the missiles that were going to blow me to pieces very hard, but using my bat, with a bit of magical power imbued in it. The missiles turned back to hit him.
(How was this possible?)
(It's simple; the idiot said they follow the heat of mana, meaning traces of magical power. They chased me since there was nothing emanating traces of magical power like my steed, but now he was in my position.)
His happy face vanished instantly upon seeing the missiles heading to hit him; he tried to escape, but it was useless.
With a booger hanging from his nose, I heard him say.
"Fathe—!"
A great explosion was heard.
Remains of the red steed fell as Jake fell to the ground.
His eyes were white.
(It seems the missile was harmful, but not lethal.)
(He didn't want to kill his opponent, but leaving him badly injured, yes.)
(But the board changed positions, like Russian roulette.)
(You never know who the bullet will hit.)
(Rest, Jake. With this, I know you won't save anyone during the holy war.)
(I won't expect anything from you anymore; just stop bothering Eli and disappear from the rest of my life.)
"Well, well."
A group of healing mages were hiding nearby; they used a magic circle to catch Jake and heal him.
Smoke emanated from his mouth. With this, only four more colorful pieces of shit remain.
(Whose ass should I kick now?)
"The winner is Razel Bartlet; the participant Jake is unconscious!"
The referee declared me the winner.
I headed to my position to fight the next one.
◇◇◇
"T-That was incredible, wasn't it, Elize-san?"
Lily asked Elize about how amazing the duel between Razel and Jake was.
Elize replied.
"Actually, it was very disappointing; not even five minutes passed, and he was the first to be defeated. Look, even those in his group are laughing."
Lily observed from her position how Bellange laughed like an animal.
"Hahaha, seriously! He bragged so much just to be defeated in such a ridiculous way?"
Oscar held back his laughter.
Regulux just smiled, while Lambert...
"Pathetic, and he calls himself the son of a duke. Worst of all, he talked trash about how he would win. Truly, I must go out as the next one, or they will make His Highness look bad."
He commented with a cold look at Jake's defeat.
"No, I'll go. What happened to Jake-dono was a comedy, I mean, a tragedy. But that happened because he was overconfident. I will win, I promise."
Oscar touched Lambert's shoulder to confirm that he would be the next to fight.
Lily showed a face of disgust about these boys.
"How can they say that about their friend? They are truly the worst."
Said the protagonist to the guys who should be her boyfriends.
"It's simple." Said Elize. "Nobles only look out for their own interests; things like friendship are irrelevant to them. That's why, even though they are in the prince's social circle, they don't feel affection for each other. That's the society we live in, cold and interested in benefits."
Elize commented very coldly and apathetically on Lily's innocent question.
(Such was the world of the nobility, something she once loved and now hated with all her soul.)
(Nobles are selfish; they are heartless, horrendous people. She just wanted to restore the honor of her house and her family.)
(She didn't care about the world of nobles and what they said.)
(That detail did not belong to the game.)
(It's something she learned herself during her humiliation by her fiancé.)
"Elize-san..."
Lily looked at Elize with a sad face.
◇◇◇
Two people watched the duel.
"What did you think, instructor?"
"How to say it without offending? ... Pathetic, very pathetic and lamentable."
"As expected of my instructor. You don't know how to blunt your tongue, hahahaha."
"Dolph, your laugh is worse than what I said."
"Look, I said it because the boy was too confident; he didn't analyze his opponent. Even if he's weak or not very smart, he should get far enough away to observe his opponent and then attack. But he went in crazy, and this was the result. I feel very sorry for him."
"Well, you're feeling sorry for the son of a duke."
"You're wrong." Said the woman, shaking her head.
"I say it because once his father finds out, things will go very horribly for him. Duke Fitzclarence is one of the most horrible people in personality I've ever known. I'm sure that boy will experience hell."
The two figures watched as Oscar mounted his steed, ready for his turn.
"It seems something interesting will come now."
Said the woman, who made a slight smile.
Razel returned to get into position to fight Oscar now.