Chapter 19

The sparring match was a mess.

It was a crude and unseemly sparring match, as if children who had just picked up swords were brawling.

The problem was that one of those who displayed such unseemly sparring was Prince Baltian, the 7th Prince of the Baltiz Kingdom, who had come as a representative.

It was already a known fact to everyone that I had been in a coma for a long time and had only recently awakened, and that I was a frail prince.

At this point, even a foreign prince who had no interest in me would know my situation.

For a genius who was once called a prodigy with talent in swordsmanship, to not only fail to gain the upper hand against someone like me but to be knocked down by a clumsy attack was a significant blow.

The hall, enveloped in silence due to this ridiculous scene, seemed as if it would remain silent until someone spoke.

The advantage of the random sword technique, or rather, the performance sword, is that others cannot gauge my level at all.

Just swinging the sword wildly.

Anyone would think it could be easily avoided.

However, as they say, giving advice and actually doing it are different.

The person being attacked thinks they can avoid it, but they can't.

This is one of the greatest and only advantages of the performance sword.

Originally, it is a sword technique to make the opponent relax, but it's not just about relying on luck and being disorganized.

“Ugh... My limbs are tingling.”

As I weakly staggered, having fallen clumsily and dropped my sword, Winry rushed over to support me.

“Brother! Are you okay?!”

The boy, whose face had turned pale, looked up at me, checking if I was hurt.

“Brother!”

At the same time, Baris, who had been standing there in a daze, ran over and shouted.

“What were you thinking?!”

“Lucky me. Haha.”

“Brother!”

Seeing his expression, which seemed ready to scold me, I gave an awkward smile, and he let out a short sigh.

“The match is decided.”

Finally, Princess Illina, who had been coldly silent, spoke quietly.

“P-Princess! This, this is—!”

As Baltian hurriedly tried to stand and protest, the cold beauty only gave him a more icy look.

“Do you intend to go back on your knight's oath?”

“This was not a fair match!”

“That's right. It was a very despicable match, far from the fairness led by Prince Baltian. And now, having lost, you still have something to say?”

Her straightforward speech was unlike that of a lady in high society.

Glaring at the stunned Baltian, she then turned her gaze to me.

With a look of incomprehension, she turned away.

“Hmph, I'm leaving.”

She walked away as if she had lost interest.

What a cold beauty.

She's beautiful, and her appropriate kindness is appreciated, but that cold gaze is not to my taste.

Except for a few who followed her out, the remaining people soon turned their attention to Prince Baltian.

“No matter what, a promise is a promise.”

Smiling, I said, and the boy's face turned red with shame and anger.

“Grr...”

“Surely you won't say no now.”

“...”

He frowned at my words.

“That’s—”

“Surely the representative of the Baltiz Kingdom isn’t going back on his word?”

At my calm words, his body trembled.

The young nobles who had come with Baltian from the Baltiz Kingdom also seemed at a loss on how to defuse the situation.

“You must apologize.”

At my words, he gritted his teeth.

He looked like he wanted to kill me on the spot but was holding back.

“Keep your promise! Prince Baltian.”

With a cold expression, Baris shot at him, and he clenched his teeth, looked around, and then bowed deeply.

Then he slowly knelt down.

“Princess Winry, and Prince David, I... I apologize for my rudeness.”

Having lost all his dignity, he ground his teeth as if he could kill someone right then and there.

But what could be done?

A promise is a promise.

It wouldn't be easy for him to apologize to me, who had toyed with him in front of so many people.

Grinding his teeth!

“Please... forgive me...”

His muttering, as if he were spitting out the words, was filled with unbearable humiliation.

Winry, who would normally have accepted the apology, seemed very angry as she pulled me by the hand.

“Hmph, let's go. Brother.”

“Let's go, Brother.”

Because of the discord caused by this, it seemed difficult to stay in the ballroom any longer.

Why did someone have to provoke my precious little brother?

Smirking inwardly, I turned and ignored him, who was clenching his fists so tightly they might break, and left the ballroom.

I didn't care what grudge he might hold against me because of this.

Chapter 10. The Monster.

“Brother! That was reckless!”

“You could have gotten seriously hurt!”

As soon as we got into the carriage, the two mischievous twins started scolding me, and I could only laugh.

“Well, it turned out fine.”

“It was just luck! That guy may be a jerk, but he's famous for his talent in the Baltiz Kingdom.”

“Do you know him well?”

“I do. I saw him once at a joint event.”

Winry brushed her arm as if she were annoyed.

“After that, he kept pushing for a marriage proposal. What a fool, he has no discernment.”

“Hey!”

“Hmph!”

I regretted not having disabled his arm when I had the chance, knowing he would act like this.

It's not easy to sense mana while practicing swordsmanship, and it's even harder to reach the expert level through training.

It's not for nothing that most knights spend their entire lives without becoming masters.

While the Round Kingdom has three Swordmasters, there are fewer than fifty Swordmasters in the entire continent, despite its large population.

“Brother... are you hurt anywhere? Are you sure?”

Winry, with a teary face, held my hand tightly and asked.

“Well, I didn't get hit.”

I couldn't have been hit. He was played by my trick.

But from the audience's perspective, I must have looked very precarious.

I chose the performance sword to show my presence without revealing too much and to make the opponent look foolish.

The result was a bit childish, but it was quite satisfying.

However, the discord with him could escalate the already cold relationship between our countries and turn into a national issue.

“I was really scared! If you got hurt, how could I face you?”

As Baris scolded me, I smacked him on the forehead.

“Ouch?!”

I smiled at the boy, who yelped reflexively.

It's touching to have someone care so much.

That's why I cherish these two even more.

“What kind of strength do you have, Brother?”

“It's a knack. And I don't have much patience, so I just act first.”

“Hmph... You're lying.”

Baris's gaze was that of someone who understood me to some extent.

That's the look he gave.

“Alright, it's fine since it turned out well.”

“Hmph... Since you're not hurt, I won't say anything more. But don't do it again. I'll do it next time, Brother.”

“It was really a stroke of luck. Your stumbling from the weight of the sword actually caught him off guard.”

Winry muttered in amazement.

“Yeah, he probably didn't expect to lose so ridiculously.”

“Squeal! Honestly, I didn't say it, but I felt so relieved. Brother, you're amazing!”

Squealing, she said, and Baris, though he didn't say anything, seemed to agree, as the corners of his mouth twitched.

* * *

“AAAAHHH!!!!”

The enraged boy threw and smashed everything in his room.

“P-Prince! Please calm down!”

“Get out!”

The boy, shouting fiercely, sounded as if he could cut someone down at any moment.

“How dare... How dare you mock me, the future Crown Prince of Baltiz?!”

“Prince...”

“Get out.”

“Prince!”

The noble, who had been trying to stop him, trembled at the boy's cold command.

“Get out before I kill you!!”

“...”

There was no point in trying to stop him anymore.

The noble bowed his head and left without a word, and the boy, throwing and smashing things, grumbled.

“I'll kill him. I'll kill him!!”

His intense anger was directed at a specific person. Hatred and rage burned in his heart for the one who had humiliated him like never before.

“Haa... Haa...”

“Do you want to kill him?”

At that moment, the boy, who had been burning with rage, paused.

Turning his gaze, the boy, Baltian de Baltiz, saw a woman with red eyes sitting by the window.

She looked to be in her early twenties.

With red hair and red eyes, she glowed red in the dark room.

“Who are you?”

“Do you want to kill him?”

Her voice was alluring.

It was as if he would be bewitched by her voice if he lost his senses.

“Who are you?!”

Shouting fiercely, Baltian drew the longsword beside him and shouted at her.

Despite the terrifying edge of the blade, the woman only stood up from the window and approached.

“I can help you kill him.”

As if soothing a child, or a caring sister.

Like a woman whispering love.

Baltian couldn't say a word as she approached.

“I can help you. Child.”

Her alluring tone made his trembling hands gradually stop.

At the same time, his eyes began to glaze over.

“Kill...?”

“Yes, your anger called me. I will help you tear his flesh and break his bones.”

“Yes... your name...?”

“Shari, remember it.”

Baltian, with glazed eyes, nodded involuntarily.

The woman, who had been glowing red, slowly showed a cold, icy smile.

Then she approached him, embracing him, and buried her face in his neck, whispering softly.

“Yes, good. Leave everything to me. Just do as your heart commands.”

At the same time, her mouth slowly opened, and in the dark room, her fangs mercilessly sank into his neck.