Chapter 81

#081 The Knight's Honor and the Romance of Middle Age (5)

After saying what I had to say, I came back up, but it was uncertain whether Prince Cedric would act as I told him to. He only let out a low snort and showed no significant reaction. The nobles kept whispering about me. I ignored them as best I could and took the glass bottle that Ganael handed me. Seeing the pomegranateade with lemon slices already made my stomach feel a bit better. Cristel greeted me with sparkling eyes.

"Your Highness, what did you say to His Majesty?"

"I told him to be gentle."

"Really? If it were me, I would have asked him to give it his all."

I laughed awkwardly while sipping the ade. If I could, I would have let the prince do as he pleased, but this time, I was too anxious to do so. Cristel's handkerchief, tied to the hilt of the holy sword, was clearly visible even from here.

"This duel will proceed until one side declares surrender, under the supervision of two witnesses. His Highness Prince Cedric is a 7th-grade mage, an 8th-grade swordsman, and an apprentice holy knight of the fire element. His opponent, the Duke of Blanquer, is an 8th-grade mage!"

Duke Francois Dume stood in front of the audience and began his commentary without missing a beat. Hearing it this way, the prince's overwhelming power was undeniable. He was a cheat character who could do everything, as if to prove he was the 'main male lead.' Even if the duke's magic power was a bit stronger, without talent in swordsmanship, it seemed like a game already over. I subtly checked the duke's condition. He held a wooden staff about 50 cm long in his right hand, and it seemed to be a decorative sword at his waist. His expression was mischievous. Hmm.

"Surely it won't be over in five seconds, right?"

Cristel whispered. Sir Haines, who had been quiet all along, responded.

"Both holy knights and mages are important, but the compatibility of mana is crucial. If the duke's and the prince's mana attributes don't match, it could be tricky."

At that moment, Sir Elizabeth drew her sword and plunged it into the ground.

"Begin!"

-Zing!

As soon as Duke Dume announced the start, the duke opened his 'mana circle,' a magical formula. A bright red square appeared beneath his feet, quickly rotating clockwise and beginning to self-replicate into eight identical shapes.

-Clang, Clang, Squeak!

"Oh!"

The audience gasped as the fan-like magical formula overlapped vertically and horizontally. Even to me, who had only seen portal magical formulas, a mage's personally cast magical formula was a fascinating sight. Since the prince didn't need a magical formula to use his 'special skill,' he had never shown me such a spectacle. During the demon extermination, there was no time to observe other mages.

At first glance, it looked like a circular 'ether circle' used by priests, but upon closer inspection, it was a precise arrangement of eight squares. Eight magical formulas, hence 8th grade.

"The flow of mana is quite stable. Indeed, the Blanquer bloodline is different."

Sir Haines commented. After suppressing the initial momentum, the duke dissolved the circle and swung his staff without hesitation. Dust rose from the ground. Or rather,

"What is that?"

"Wow!"

My mutterings were drowned out by the nobles' exclamations. It wasn't dust or mist. Elegant black particles were swirling and reflecting sunlight intermittently. The prince, without even drawing his sword, calmly observed the scene. A short realization hit me.

"Magnetism."

The duke's mana carried a magnetic property. Sand and iron powder obeyed his commands, clumping together and dispersing repeatedly. Wait. The prince's mana reacts to metal.

-Whoosh!

The Duke of Blanquer smiled and swung his staff more forcefully. The iron powder rushed towards the prince with a 'squeak.'

In an instant, the prince's figure flickered.

-Boom!

A sudden sword aura shattered the iron veil. The flicker was due to his movements being too fast to follow with the eye. He shot forward without hesitation. The sword in his hand was not the holy sword but another one. He immediately reached the duke's face.

-Hum!

The air whistled. Black powder clung to the prince's sword like insects. His left hand, gloved, seemed to be pinned in mid-air. The tip of the sword was visibly trembling. The unexpected turn of events left me speechless. The audience held their breath.

The 8th-grade mage's mana was controlling the 8th-grade swordsman's weapon.

"Is it because the prince's mana is relatively weaker?"

I asked urgently. Sir Haines answered calmly.

"That could be part of it, but it seems the duke's special skill is more refined. The prince can only move metal, which is closer to telekinesis."

Indeed, that was true. During the demon extermination, the prince only threw or summoned daggers, never using more complex abilities. I thought that was impressive enough, but there was someone even more skilled. The duke not only imbued metal with magnetism but also controlled iron powder hidden in the sand, showing remarkable sensitivity. This effectively sealed the prince's special skill.

-Clang!

The prince discarded his first sword without hesitation and dodged. The sword, covered in dust, rolled at the duke's feet.

So that's why he had several swords.

-Swoosh!

As soon as the second sword was drawn, the prince's figure disappeared.

-Boom!

With a loud noise, the iron powder floating in the air fell. The second sword also stopped in mid-air, but not due to magnetism. The attack was too fast, and the duke had to retract his special skill and deploy a defensive magical formula.

Red mana burst from the prince's sword.

"Multiple casting is not possible."

Cristel analyzed. I nodded. Multiple casting meant a mage using two or more spells simultaneously, a rare ability among high-level mages. It wasn't surprising that the duke couldn't do it. He couldn't use his special skill and defensive magic at the same time.

-Clack!

The duke's boots were pushed back. His brown hair and the tip of his staff trembled. The prince's mana and physical force were strongly pressuring him. Red mana from both men rose like smoke.

-Clack!

"Good heavens!"

Exclamations of amazement erupted from the audience. The prince's sword was cutting through the defensive barrier. I clenched my fists in surprise. His orange eyes seemed to spark with fire. However, his expression was surprisingly calm.

"Ugh."

The duke exhaled through his teeth and extended his empty hand, grabbing the prince's sword. Ganael, in the front row, quickly covered her mouth.

-Snap!

-Clang!

"Ah!"

As the magical formula turned off, the second sword split in two. The nobles gasped in shock. The prince, as if he had anticipated it, discarded the hilt. Cristel, who had long discarded her opera glasses, lightly hit my arm.

"That's it, right? A magnet!"

"Yes, imbuing the same polarity of magnetism into one sword..."

It was split. No matter how confident he was in his special skill, to break a defensive magical formula in front of the prince's sword was no small feat. He was a formidable opponent. The prince, without retreating, drew his third sword like a bolt of lightning. He still didn't seem to want to use the holy sword. What is he thinking?

-Whack!

-Clang!

Suddenly, a brooch pin from the duke's jacket was blocked by the prince's dagger. The two metals, trembling in the air, eventually crumpled into one and rolled on the ground. In the meantime, the duke drew his sword from his waist and lunged at the prince.

-Hum!

The two swords didn't clash but repelled each other like magnets of the same polarity. The prince pushed hard. He had no choice but to do so. Unlike the duke, who was gritting his teeth and bleeding from his left hand, the young man's face showed no signs of strain.

"Where!"

The duke shouted and swung his staff with his right hand.

-Hum!

The air roared fiercely, and the two men were flung in opposite directions, unable to overcome the magnetism. The duke's sword flew and plunged into the ground. The prince's sword slipped from his grasp.

It was as if an invisible force had taken the blade.

-Whine!

"Aaah!"

People screamed. The long sword, rotating like a propeller, flew towards the audience at high speed. It felt like my eyes would pop out. It was heading straight for me.

-Boom!

The boundary activated as soon as the sanctuary opened. There seemed to be a protective magic here, like during the demon extermination.

The sword, blocked by the barrier, slowly slid and fell at my feet. I took a quick breath and looked at the battlefield.

"That kid needs to be disciplined. It's a hundred percent intentional."

Cristel growled menacingly. Everyone here, including the prince, who landed lightly, was looking at us. His eyes darkened as he assessed the situation.

Oh... This is a bit dangerous...

-Swoosh!

The holy sword was drawn. There was no time to calm down.

The prince, gripping the black hilt, threw the sword at the duke, eh!?

-Hum!

A strange noise of moving magnetism. The holy sword was also a blade. Even