Chapter 6

When the clock's hands pointed to one in the afternoon, the duel was to begin.

The duel was to take place in the center of the training ground, and before the fight, I was told to choose my "weapon."

Swords, spears, flails, and kusarigamis were all available.

I was free to choose, so I opted for the sword.

"Hmm, a sword. Choose well, I don't want to hear any excuses for losing later."

My older brother, Mark, said this with a sneer, but I ignored him and checked the sword.

I noticed "something" and was about to protest to Mark, but I noticed a gaze from the VIP seats and decided against it.

"...Did my stepmother rig the sword?"

The sword had been deliberately weakened with cracks. It would likely break during the duel and become useless.

"Well, I don't intend to win anyway, so it doesn't matter."

Besides, a few cracks were nothing I couldn't handle.

I infused the sword with magic to reinforce it. Of course, I did this without incantation, so no one would notice.

Not even Mark, or the judges, would realize I had infused the sword with magic. I could cast spells that quickly.

Swinging the reinforced sword, it cut through the air. Hmm, it was quite well-made. Just as I thought this, the clock's hands struck one.

The time for the duel to begin.

I stood in the center of the training ground with Mark, waiting for the signal to start.

"So, you're using a sword too, brother?"

"In our Esterque family, being able to use a sword is a mark of maturity. Since you're good with a sword, it's a handicap for you."

"I appreciate that."

As I said this, the signal to start rang out.

"Shut up!"

Mark took a step forward and swung his sword. It was a well-executed strike.

If it were a regular warrior, they might have been cut down by that strike, but I had trained with a sword by my pillow since childhood. Mark's movements looked like slow motion to me.

I wanted to dodge his attack and counter, but I held back and took a half-step back. His strike came, and I barely managed to defend myself.

"...K, as expected of my brother..."

These were words to give him credit, but they sounded forced. However, if the audience was mediocre, the lead actor would be mediocre too, so no one noticed.

"Hahaha! Are you afraid? Be intoxicated by my sword skills!"

He swung his sword wildly.

I was disappointed by his lack of form, but I pretended to be cornered.

My sister, Elen, pleaded desperately,

"Richt, what are you doing? Put in some effort!"

Seeing her like that made my heart ache, but I steeled myself and pretended to lose.

I wanted to be exiled. My stepmother wanted me to be exiled. Our interests aligned, and I couldn't go against them.

Thinking this, I deliberately staggered to take a hit.

Mark struck, and I received a non-lethal blow. That was supposed to resolve everything, but it didn't.

As I staggered, I felt my leg grabbed.

No, my leg was caught.

Looking down, I saw the ground crack, and spiritual hands extended from it.

"...Is this the 'Binding' spell?"

I saw my stepmother smirking. There were also several magicians in the audience, chanting spells.

"...So that's it."

It seemed my stepmother didn't just want to exile me; she wanted to kill me.

She wasn't satisfied with exile and wanted to eliminate me.

That's why she tampered with the sword and had magicians in the audience to interfere.

Why did she hate me so much?

—There were too many reasons.

My father's legitimate wife, Minerva, was very jealous and treated my mother, his concubine, harshly. She probably killed my mother, a fact that was already known in the castle.

She had been tormenting me since I was young and had been waiting for an opportunity to kill me.

Now, with my stepfather, the earl, away, she saw her chance to exile me and leave me without protection.

She likely planned to send assassins after my exile, but Elen's suggestion of a duel changed her plan.

Perhaps the duel was a perfect opportunity for Minerva.

In this country, anything that happens during a duel is not questioned, according to tradition and law.

"...Truly, I am honored to be hated so much."

Muttering this to myself, I made a decision.

I had two choices: let Mark kill me or kill Mark. There were no other options.

At this point, there was no way to resolve things without bloodshed.

I chose the latter.

I decided to kill my blood brother.

I checked the entrance to the training ground, wanting to secure an escape route after killing my brother.

Killing during a duel was legal, but I wouldn't be allowed to walk away after killing Mark.

I would be captured by soldiers and torn apart. My stepmother was a sadist.

After killing my brother, I would immediately flee.

My decision was correct, but I didn't get to act on it. My sister, Elen, entered my field of vision, crying and protesting to Minerva.

The intelligent and perceptive Elen immediately saw through the tampering of my sword and the binding spell and was protesting to her mother.

Elen, crying and confronting her mother. How long had it been since I saw her cry?

"...Since that day, huh..."

The day my mother died, Elen was the only one who cried at the funeral. She cried for me, whose tears had long since dried up.

Elen fiercely protested to Minerva, who slapped her. Still, Elen petitioned to stop the duel.

Seeing this, I made a third choice.

I blew Mark's sword away with a magical strike and infused my legs with magic.

With a "bang," I sent a surge of magic to the magicians who were binding me from all sides, causing them to faint.

All that was left was to persuade my brother, who was about to cast a fireball at me.

It would be more effective to let the fireball form before acting.

I gave my brother plenty of time, and when he threw the fireball, I split it in two and placed my sword at his throat.

"My brother Mark, and my stepmother Minerva, who has been waiting for this moment!"

My loud declaration silenced the audience. The people I named were sweating and staring at me.

"I am, as you say, a nobody. A bastard. So I will let myself be exiled. But I will not let my sister cry!"

Elen, with a tear-streaked face, looked at me.

"Listen, I could kill everyone here right now. But I won't, because it would make my sister sad. Your blood is worth less than a single tear from my sister!"

"..."

"My sister is everything to me. I will leave this house, but if anything happens to her, I will cut off all your fingers."

Saying this, I traced the tip of my sword along Mark's neck, causing a small amount of blood to trickle out.

As Mark groaned in terror, I said,

"Do you understand, brother?"

He nodded.

Minerva, also sweating, nodded, and the outcome of the duel was decided.

To avoid any disputes later, I ordered Mark to tap me on the forehead with a finger. He hesitantly did so.

I dramatically pretended to be blown away,

"Ah, what a blow! I lost, I lost. I give up. I can't beat the second son of the Esterque family."

I fell to the ground and glared at the judge, who nervously declared Mark the winner.

Confirming that everything was settled, I left the training ground, which had become as silent as a graveyard.

I returned to my room, gathered my belongings, and left Esterque Castle.

"It was interesting."

"I'm curious about the next part."

"Please keep updating!"

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