'A duel? Is that a sort of tradition here?!'
Thoughts reeled through my head, disconcerting my composure for a moment.
'Perhaps, they just want to check if I lost my Arts too. What if I've really lost it? Would they toss me away?'
My stomach lurched with horror. I might even get thrown out right away!
Kamirn had begun his scheme already.
'Well, I better start planning a counter.'
Sure enough, for the MC to be appointed a guard for the only royal Pureblood in the Empire, he must have been decently powerful.
Yeah, I'd do anything to gain a fresh start.
Therefore, I have to eliminate everyone who might know about my past.
Namely, Grandpa.
'Sure enough, I won't be able to graze him with my current strength…if he's the one who saved me from execution, then my plan would have to wait for a while. I've got to grind and get stronger!'
Stronger? I groaned.
Grinding? One of the worst concepts I've ever come across. To me, sloth is plainly blissful.
This was going to be far difficult than I imagined.
…
We matched through the winding path of neatly laid cobblestones. On both sides, orchards of strange purple flowers danced merrily in the wind, their seeds spiraling to the ground. Some stuck to my clothing.
Rald and his guards conversed freely, cracking jokes amongst themselves. At one time, one of the guards slapped his back playfully, guffawing.
I was too deep in thought to listen so I didn't share in.
At certain intervals, Rald turned to see if I was still following. He looked worried but didn't say anything.
After all, we're both nobles, so it might be insulting to me to ask about my condition in the guards' presence.
After a while, we arrived at a second gate, similarly designed but bigger than the first. Guards and oddly dressed people milled around inside the large compound, a few carrying weapons, others raw metal.
We walked in, a few guards greeting Rald as he passed by. Some cast suspicious glances at me but just bowed in greeting.
'Real men, just like I presumed. If it were women, the news about me would have reached the birds by now,' I thought with a smile.
The buildings here were long like halls, with chimneys, no windows and blackened walls
Smoke rose in great fumes from the chimneys, and men rushed out, face and garments glistening with sweat and soot, only to greet, take deep breaths and rush in again.
This had to be the blacksmith forges.
Shouts of greeting and orders reverberated into the air, forming a symphony perfect for this environment.
'Guess I should've reincarnated with headphones or something… this noise is too much for my soul.'
I watched Rald as he replied everyone with a cheery smile. He poked his head into a hall, nodding in approval.
He was a good guy. Far too good to be a noble, unless (just like I'm still suspecting), he's just acting.
'People with hearts like this don't live long here…they should be killed off so that others who are strong and determined enough can survive,' I thought with a frown, in all honesty.
Well, if it turns out that he'll be an obstacle to my cause, I won't hesitate to kill him. I'll make it painless that he doesn't have to suffer.
'I didn't come to this world to make friends or enjoy it after all.'
We left the armory behind and arrived at a smaller gate after a series of winding paths.
The compound was much smaller than the first two, but decently wide. At the other end, a weapon rack stood.
Moveable practice boards for archery stood at another edge.
My hand weirdly twitched towards a cutlass.
I had a thing for pirates and cutlasses.
Five guards stood at the other end, waiting.
All of them clutched different weapons. One flexing a glinting mace, attached to a short staff. He blew a speck of dust off it, glaring menacingly.
Another held a lance and shield, upon which was designed a strange sort of logo, one I didn't bother to check, due to the current circumstances.
One gripped a trident, another a pair of sword. The last guy held what looked like sickles, but more like staff-less scythes.
'So, I'm going to fight them one at a time, with my long desired cutlass? Easy Peasy' a wide leer spread through my face.
I took a step towards the weapon rack.
"Wait," Rald caught me by the shoulder, "You won't be using a weapon."
I turned to meet him, eyes widening slightly. "What do you mean by that? I'm the dueler, not you. You shouldn't tell me how I fight my battles…"
"Easy, Cousin," Rald waved his hands, laughing. "I wonder why you think this is a leisure exercise…this isn't war though," he laughed at his dry jokes. Even the soldiers joined in.
His laughter was infectious, no doubt, but it held no spell over me. I shrugged his hand off my shoulders, my gaze icy.
"It wasn't my orders, but My Great Lord Grandpa's. He said you should be able to beat our best five guards at their best, without any weapons."
I clenched my fists, hiding the nervous twitch of fingers. 'Just who's this "Grandpa" guy?'
This could be Kamirn's doing.
As long as I remained in the Halvelk household, Kamirn could puppet me around through him. This provided me with only two options…
One; kill the 'Grandpa guy' somehow.
Two; leave the Halvelk household.
The second one was a No-no, since that would mean losing my only strong standpoint in this world.
'I don't know how I can kill their patriarch without incurring their wrath… I just have to create circumstances tricky enough to let myself off suspicion…well, till then.'
I stepped back from Rald and faced the guards. I left everything to my instincts and reflexes.
"Let's begin."
Rald flashed me an encouraging smile, and stepped back. He glanced at the guards to assert their readiness, then nodded.
Another man stepped out, and began to rant loudly, something about the rules. This was not a duel to the death, so I had no reason to be afraid…yet.
For some reason, the glares of my opponents didn't exactly feel to me like they cared about rules.
Kamirn (again) probably.
"FIGHT!".
I waited for a while, but none of them moved. They just stood still, flexing their weapons and muscles, watching me.
A hint of panic sprung up in my eyes, but just then something happened.
I felt my body dragging me downward. At first, I thought I'd pass out, but when I obliged, I just crouched to some kind of stance.
I had no idea about this, but my body remembered, like a reflex buried deep in my bones.
A strange wave of pleasure swept through me, and a smile lifted my lips, unbidden.
'Seems like the previous owner of this body enjoyed fights a lot…I just hope he's not a lunatic about it.' I prayed, waiting and watching.
"Bring it on, you mangy curs!"
Hopefully, I'd win. Unless Kamirn interferes, that is.
Well, I should've trusted him to.