Chapter 50: The Jousting Tournament (3)

The moment Damian beheaded the troll, Abel clenched his fist without realizing it.

It was such an exhilarating scene that even the usually calm Abel was excited.

Even though trolls were low-class, they were not easy monsters to deal with.

With their innate savagery, endless regenerative power, and monstrous strength, they could easily turn the tables on you if you weren't careful.

To dispatch such a monster with a single strike was impressive.

"Abel, your brother... is truly remarkable."

Even Lady Olivia looked at the arena with a face full of astonishment.

Seeing his brother receive such recognition, Abel couldn't help but smile.

"Good heavens! I've never seen such a technique in my life!"

Lord Copperhead leaped to his feet from his chair and shouted.

"Sir Abel! What breed is that horse? What kind of horse can move so lightly?"

Lord Copperhead turned to Abel and asked. Abel felt his words catch in his throat.

'...Now that I think about it, isn't that a draft horse?'

If Abel's memory served him right, it was definitely a draft horse raised by the Hassen family.

Originally, it was used for plowing fields or moving heavy loads.

'But how can it move so nimbly?'

Abel was at a loss for words, confused. At that moment, Lord Copperhead grabbed Abel's hand and said,

"It seems difficult to answer! But please, convey this to Sir Damian! Tell him to sell me that horse! I'll pay any price for it!"

"No... that's..."

"Or can you lend it to me as a stud? I'm begging you!"

Abel's eyes darted around at Lord Copperhead's plea.

Meanwhile, Damian successfully hunted the remaining two trolls.

Thus, Damian secured an overwhelming score and concluded the first jousting tournament.

* * *

"Brother! You were truly amazing today!"

As soon as they returned to their quarters, Abel shouted to Damian.

It was uncharacteristic of the usually composed Abel.

"I knew you were skilled with a sword, but I didn't know you were so good with horses!"

"Indeed, it wasn't just good handling. Riding on a troll's arm and slicing it off in one stroke! I can assure you, even the half-human, half-horse centaurs couldn't do that."

Victor, too, was excited.

Damian chuckled at their enthusiasm.

"By the way, did you get closer to Lady Olivia?"

Abel looked embarrassed.

His attention had been completely drawn to Damian's performance, and he hadn't had much chance to talk to Lady Olivia.

To change the subject, Abel mentioned what had happened earlier in the day.

"By the way, Brother, Lord Copperhead wants to buy the horse you rode. If that's not possible, he wants to borrow it as a stud."

"What? Why would he want to buy a draft horse?"

"Really? I thought it was a draft horse?"

Abel looked surprised.

"But how can it move so nimbly? Everyone thinks it's an incredibly fine breed because of that."

"It's because of my skill, of course."

Damian pointed to himself.

Abel looked at Damian with disbelief.

The horse's movements in the arena were beyond what any rider's skill could achieve.

What draft horse could ride on a monster's arm?

"...I see, I understand."

But Abel didn't press further.

He thought it might be possible with Damian.

"Should I explain it to Lord Copperhead that way?"

"No, that would be difficult."

From what Damian could tell, Lord Copperhead was really eager to get the horse.

They were getting along well, and it wouldn't be good to reject such a heartfelt request.

"I can't sell the horse, but I can lend it as a stud."

The horse's agility was entirely due to Damian's skill.

If he sold it, the truth would come out. But lending it as a stud wouldn't be a problem.

Even if a normal horse was born, it would be the fault of the Copperhead family for not raising it properly, not Damian's.

"Also, tell him he needs to pay a reasonable amount."

It would help fill the family's coffers as well.

* * *

The second jousting tournament began the next day.

*Growl*

*Growl*

The monsters prepared for today were orcs.

Dozens of orcs were caged, gnashing their teeth.

The knights looked at the orcs with tense faces.

Compared to trolls, orcs weren't particularly formidable monsters.

But the fear of orcs became apparent in group battles.

The heat of battle, the death of their kin, the hostility of their enemies.

When these elements came together, orcs revealed their savagery and went berserk.

A berserk orc would kill its enemies even if its limbs were torn off.

No wonder they were called berserkers.

"Then, let's begin!"

At the lord's command, the cage opened. The orcs charged at the knights en masse.

The knights were about to charge at the orcs. At that moment, someone ran out ahead of them.

"It's Sir Damian!"

"Damian! Damian!"

The nobles who recognized Damian Hassen cheered.

Damian ignored the other knights and charged into the crowd of orcs.

As he moved through the orcs, a flash of light appeared. In the blink of an eye, three or four orcs were beheaded.

*Growl*

The orcs swung their clubs at Damian, trying to grab him.

As if he had anticipated it, Damian pulled on the reins.

To everyone's amazement, the horse moved sideways, dodging the orc's attack.

"That, that..."

"Can a horse move like that?"

Ordinary horses could only move forward.

Only horses with exceptional talent could move sideways by crossing their legs. This was something that couldn't be taught through training.

The horse moved around, dodging the clubs as it followed Damian's commands.

Damian swung his sword in sync with the horse's movements. Each swing took the life of an orc.

*Growl*

An orc leaped at Damian from behind, determined to kill him even at the cost of its own life.

Without turning around, Damian gave a command to the horse.

The horse bent its body and kicked out with its hind legs. The horse's hooves struck the orc's jaw.

The orc's jawbone shattered, and its body flew far away.

*Growl*

*Growl*

Seeing nearly twenty of their kin killed in the blink of an eye, the orcs could no longer charge at Damian.

They stepped back, their faces full of caution.

"Let's go! Let's exterminate the orcs!"

At that moment, the other knights, who had arrived late, attacked the orcs.

The orcs, who had already lost their fighting spirit, were easily killed.

Damian sheathed his sword. He had already killed enough orcs.

Thus, the second tournament also ended with Damian Hassen's overwhelming victory.

* * *

"Damian! Damian!"

When the second tournament ended, all the nobles chanted Damian's name.

The remaining knights withdrew from the arena with angry faces.

'Damn it.'

Among them was Jackson Cutter.

'After being beaten and dragged around by me, that good-for-nothing...'

Jackson Cutter had come here to gain fame.

But instead of achieving his goal, he was being ignored by everyone.

He was furious. He couldn't stand the anger.

But what stirred him even more was the sense of defeat growing in his heart.

The skills Damian Hassen had shown yesterday and today were incredible.

Even Jackson Cutter couldn't help but be impressed.

He honestly felt he couldn't even attempt to match Damian Hassen.

'It's ridiculous. That scum is stronger than me?'

He didn't want to admit it.

But deep down, he already knew it was true.

This made his anger boil even more.

"Where is Sophia?"

Jackson Cutter lashed out, mentioning Sophia for no reason.

Yesterday, she had come to meet him as soon as the tournament ended. Today, she was nowhere to be seen.

Jackson Cutter headed to the stands to look for Sophia Russell.

"Wow! Damian! Damian Hassen!"

He soon saw Sophia Russell cheering and shouting Damian Hassen's name.

"..."

At that moment, something snapped in Jackson Cutter's mind.

* * *

Sophia Russell couldn't take her eyes off Damian Hassen.

He was impressive when he beheaded the troll on the first day, but today was even more amazing.

Slaughtering a crowd of over a dozen orcs alone was something no one else could do.

"Sir Damian! Look this way!"

"Sir Damian! Sir Damian!"

The other nobles sitting around her also cheered and called out Damian Hassen's name.

Seeing the enthusiastic crowd, Sophia Russell felt a sense of pride.

Do they even guess?

That Damian Hassen had been so eager to please her?

"Ah... Sir Damian... Where did such a person come from?"

"I've decided. I'll ask Father to arrange a match with the Hassen family."

The words made her mood sour instantly.

'Arrange a match? How ridiculous. Who does a woman like you think you can look at?'

Since yesterday, more and more women had started to show interest in Damian Hassen.

Fortunately, among the women here, no one was as beautiful as Sophia Russell.

But she couldn't be completely at ease.

Objectively speaking, there was currently no relationship between Sophia Russell and Damian Hassen.

There was a possibility that Damian Hassen might give up on her and choose another woman.

Sophia Russell imagined another woman by Damian Hassen's side.

Just thinking about it made her angry and her body tremble.

'...No. I can't tolerate it.'

The old Damian Hassen might have been different, but the current Damian Hassen was too precious to give to someone else.

The only fortunate thing was that Damian Hassen still had feelings for her.

'But I have Jackson...'

As Sophia Russell struggled between the two, she suddenly felt a gaze and turned her head. She saw Jackson Cutter standing in the stands.

Only then did she realize she had been so engrossed in Damian Hassen that she hadn't gone to meet Jackson Cutter.

"J-Jackson!"

Sophia Russell hurriedly stood up.

Jackson Cutter turned and walked down from the stands. Sophia quickly followed him.

"Jackson, wait a moment. Jackson!"

Sophia Russell grabbed Jackson's hand. Jackson shook her off.

"...Sophia, what are you doing?"

"What, what do you mean?"

"Cheering for Damian Hassen while I'm here? Are you in your right mind?"

Sophia's face turned red with anger and shame at Jackson Cutter's accusation.

"…What did I do wrong? Isn't it natural to cheer for a knight who performed well in the tournament?"

But Sophia Russell refused to admit her mistake.

"What did you say?"

"Jackson, don't be so petty. You're just jealous because Damian Hassen is getting attention now."

At her words, a vein popped on Jackson Cutter's forehead.

"Sophia...!"

"And do you even have the right to be jealous of Damian? You didn't perform well in the jousting tournament at all."

Sophia Russell thought she should stop talking, but once she started, she couldn't stop. She had a lot of pent-up feelings.

"Jackson, what did you always say to me? That you were the best, that no one could beat you in your age group. What about that now?"

When Jackson Cutter suggested participating in the jousting tournament, Sophia had been hopeful.

She had imagined cheering for Jackson Cutter as he performed well in the tournament.

And being by his side, receiving the attention and cheers of the crowd.

"Instead of being angry at me, think about how you'll perform in tomorrow's tournament."

Sophia walked past Jackson Cutter and disappeared.

Jackson Cutter watched her back with a dazed expression.

"Y-You..."

His anger soon boiled over, reaching its peak.

Just as his anger was about to overwhelm his reason, a voice came from behind.

"The tournament is over."

To his surprise, his anger subsided instantly at the sound of Jacques Noire's voice.

Jackson Cutter bowed his head.

"...Master."

Jackson Cutter couldn't lift his head.

Jacques Noire had ordered him to win the jousting tournament.

Not only had he failed to fulfill the order, but he hadn't performed well at all.

"It was a poor performance. Yesterday and today."

Jacques Noire didn't offer any words of comfort.

"Indeed, my judgment was accurate. You can't defeat Damian Hassen with your current skill."

At his master's words, Jackson Cutter bit his lip. But he couldn't deny the truth.

"I was prepared for this, so it's fortunate. Otherwise, it could have ruined the grand plan."

Jacques Noire turned and said,

"Follow me."

"Where are we going?"

Jackson Cutter asked, and Jacques Noire replied casually,

"To finalize the marriage arrangement between you and Olivia Copperhead."