LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 81
Elia led me to a large lounge, claiming she had something else to show me.
It was the room she used alone for today’s event at the temple.
A place I couldn’t enter without her permission.
“Here.”
Suddenly, Elia pulled something from her bosom and handed it to me.
It was a necklace.
A small, round gemstone hung from a leather string.
Golden flames shimmered inside the gem, waving about like ocean tides.
“This is an artifact I made. It has various uses, but its effect is simple. It allows you to teleport.”
…A teleport artifact?
I wasn’t exactly well-versed in magic theory.
But I knew enough about this world to conclude that creating a teleport artifact was impossible after long research.
Unaware of my shock, Elia continued explaining.
“Of course, it doesn’t mean you can teleport freely wherever you want. You can only teleport to my side.”
So, it meant that the destination was fixed to Elia.
It was more like a summoning device.
“By channeling mana into that necklace, you can send me a signal. If I permit it, you arrive before me. Or I can summon you as well.”
The second option was the same as the first.
If Elia sends the signal, I accept it.
“However, depending on the situation, I might summon you without your approval.”
Conversely, I couldn’t move to Elia without her consent.
My role was that of a knight.
There might be times when she urgently needed me to come.
It was a reasonable feature.
Elia raised her right hand.
On her ring finger was a ring.
It was ivory-colored.
“This ring I’m wearing and that necklace exchange coordinates in real-time, so if either one of us doesn’t wear an artifact, it won’t work.”
“I understand.”
The necklace was made of brown leather.
The gem was a bit dazzling, but compared to the bracelet I received last time, it was simple.
I was quite fond of it.
I tried to put it around my neck.
Well, I was going to.
Suddenly, Elia snatched the necklace back from me.
“Give it to me. I’ll do it.”
“I can do it myself…”
Elia stared at me intensely.
Her gaze was forcing me to stay still.
I obeyed without protest.
After looking me over, Elia grumpily said,
“You’re too tall. Bow your head a bit.”
I lowered my head at her request.
Not being able to look straight at her face as it got closer, I turned my gaze away.
Elia stood on her tiptoes and reached behind my neck.
I felt her gentle touch.
Fixing the necklace, she asked,
“Why is your body so warm? Your face is a bit red too.”
“Well, people naturally have their body temperature…”
“Body temperature isn’t supposed to be this warm unless there’s something wrong. It shouldn’t be like this.”
“…I’ve always been like this since I was young.”
“You weren’t like this when you were younger.”
“……”
Hey.
How come you’re so unyielding?
Can’t you just let this go?
I swallowed my complicated indignation.
“It’s just hot.”
“Hmmm. The heat from this room’s fireplace seems a bit much.”
Finally, Elia seemed to understand.
‘Why is it taking so long to fix this necklace…’
I felt her gentle breath on my neck with every exhale.
But then, Elia began to tighten the necklace further.
“Um, miss? This is kind of getting tight…”
She didn’t answer.
Stepping back a bit, she just stared at the necklace.
“A collar…”
“Pardon?”
“…Oh, never mind. I just accidentally made it too tight. Let me fix it again.”
Elia reached for the necklace’s string once more.
With the loosened fit, it became more comfortable than before.
“If you’re going to tie me up, a collar would do the trick…”
Elia mumbled to herself, and since I didn’t understand the meaning, I just stayed quiet.
After finally adjusting the necklace, Elia took a few steps back.
Looking at me, she smiled with satisfaction.
“It suits you well. Want to try using it?”
I decided to test its performance.
Stepping back a bit, I channeled mana into the necklace.
I sent a signal.
A moment later, when I blinked, Elia appeared right before me.
I was the one who moved, but it felt like Elia had suddenly appeared in front of me.
Then, I tried to receive a signal from Elia to move towards her.
It was just like the first time.
The last was the forced summoning.
There was no time to sense anything.
I stood still, and suddenly the space crumbled, and I was pulled to right in front of Elia.
Literally right in front.
I moved so close that the moment I teleported, Elia’s face bumped into my chest.
“Ouch!”
“Ah…! Are you alright, miss?”
Elia rubbed her reddened nose and mumbled.
“Why is your chest so hard…?”
Well, it’s just how a chest is…
Oh. That might not be it. My apologies.
I silently apologized to Elia in my mind.
“As long as it works, I think we might need to adjust the summoning position… That was my mistake, so don’t worry about it.”
Her frowning face looked up at me, and she smiled brightly.
“Let’s work well together from now on, my knight.”
Her tone was casual and friendly.
Her nose was still red.
I couldn’t help but smile back.
“It’s an honor.”
*
Just as the gift ceremony from Elia came to an end and I was about to head back,
Something flew towards my face.
“Ah.”
It hit my face unexpectedly.
Slap.
The lightweight object that bounced off was a leather glove.
‘This can’t be…?’
Dutifully, three individuals approached me.
A braided blonde woman. Jezebel. Next to her was Sara.
The man in front of them was a face I recognized.
With an outfit resembling a nobleman, messy hair tied back and a laid-back demeanor.
He stopped a little distance away from me.
The crowd whispered and stared at us.
The man spoke.
“My name is Aghan de Bevel. Fourth son of the great fire wizard, Duke Balak de Bevel.”
He threw a glove at my face.
Announcing his lineage.
It was obvious…
“I challenge you to a duel, you shameless and dishonorable fool who insulted my sister, Jezebel de Bevel, and Sara de Bevel.”
It was a formal duel request.
*
A duel. A contest. A showdown. Whatever you want to call it.
It was just like what I had demanded from Lindell ages ago.
Determining right from wrong through each other’s power.
Duel justice.
That concept, used at the training hall, surely originated from the noble culture.
‘But why is it the nobles getting directly involved?’
Normally, that’s how it works.
It’s rare for nobility to step in personally.
It’s more common to send someone to fight on their behalf.
But Aghan de Bevel.
A direct descendant of Balak.
A renowned nobleman.
In situations like this, it poses a problem…
“State your identity, you dishonorable one.”
“…Judas Defecit.”
By then, a crowd had gathered around us.
It seemed there were enough curious onlookers.
‘Ugh, I’m still not used to this.’
Watching a fight could be entertaining.
But not at someone’s birthday party.
Of course, that was just my common sense.
The sense of values here was a bit different.
Even during Elia’s last birthday, there had been some fights.
It could’ve merely been people getting drunk and picking fights.
Or it could’ve been unresolved issues carried over from the past.
‘Nobles’ world… I really don’t get it…’
It was uncomfortable.
The actual protagonist, Elia, seemed uninterested.
‘I didn’t expect to become the subject of that brawl.’
Aghan drew his sword.
‘What’s that?’
That’s a sword I recognized.
One of the relics of the Sun Church.
‘A blazing sword?’
A flowing flame sword.
When infused with mana, it glows red hot.
True to its name and characteristics, it was a fire-element sword.
Its unique feature was its incredible durability.
It could be used like a blunt weapon, swinging it against the opponent’s head if need be.
As he aimed the sword at me, he spoke.
“Face this duel with honor.”
The blazing sword began to change slowly.
It turned red from the bottom of the blade upwards.
The appearance of it heating up.
Mirages floating around because of the heat.
“Wow…! Is that the legendary sword I’ve only heard about…!”
“Aghan young master doesn’t seem willing to show any mercy!”
The crowd gasped in awe.
“I suppose the testimony of the esteemed guests gathered here will suffice as judgment.”
He’s deciding the terms himself.
Unlike the intimidating Aghan, I was feeling somewhat troubled.
I was now officially serving Elia.
I couldn’t just fight recklessly.
‘I need her permission to fight…’
Suddenly, I felt a poke from behind.
Turning, I found Elia there.
“Y-Yes, miss?”
“Look at me.”
I dutifully lowered my head.
Elia stepped in closer.
With one hand covering her mouth, she spoke softly.
“Don’t hold back.”
A duel between nobility and a non-noble.
In such cases, it was typical for the latter to concede.
With the noble visibly furious, one would usually let the noble retain their honor by losing.
But I still didn’t grasp this culture well.
Yet, Elia blatantly told me to win.
Not holding back meant I had permission to fight.
“Is that really alright?”
“Yes. I definitely don’t want you to lose to that foolish noble.”
“…Understood.”
“I’ll take care of the aftermath. Just don’t kill him. That’s too much to handle.”
I had no intention of killing him anyway.
“But losing awkwardly isn’t acceptable either. You have to dominate the fight. Got it?”
I paused for a moment.
‘Can she read my thoughts?’
Since I decided to battle, coarse winning wasn’t in my plans.
I aimed to overwhelm him without feeling embarrassed in front of others.
Elia had directed all that.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
“…Ah. I was just thinking about how to win decisively. I understand fully.”
“Good.”
Elia smiled softly.
Her light chuckle made my ears tingle.
“Hey!”
Aghan shouted, pointing his sword at us.
“What are you two whispering about over there?”
His face was flushed red.
He shouted at us with an angry demeanor, spitting as he spoke.
‘What’s with this rage?’
Aghan de Bevel.
Someone I don’t know much about.
He’s Elia’s brother and the fourth son of Balak; that’s all I knew.
Elia didn’t often share about herself.
Especially, she never spoke of family.
Yet, there are undeniable truths that can be inferred.
A bastard, Elia.
That pride of nobility binding those siblings tightly.
They must have troubled him a lot during their childhood.
‘That arrogant, twisted personality… Could it be genetic?’
I replied by drawing my sword.
The brilliant golden sword radiating from the temple stood out, contrasting with my dark blade.
“If you lose, kneel and apologize for insulting my sister.”
I infused mana into my sword.
“Willingly.”
The moon’s pupil glowed sharply in ivory color.
*
Balak was introducing Cain and Levi to another noble.
Though they were already familiar, it was best to show their faces regularly.
Cain would eventually become the head of the house.
And Levi would serve as his deputy.
Balak had mentally prepared for that for quite a while.
Since it was Elia’s birthday, it was only proper to introduce her to many nobles.
However, that didn’t happen.
Elia had utterly shut herself off.
That was his fault.
Balak greeted each visiting noble while scrutinizing their faces more carefully than usual.
‘When the empire turns against us, will there be any forces willing to support us?’
The empire’s political situation was unstable.
The ongoing war with the demon race.
Endless poverty.
The empire’s response to the plight of its people was inadequate.
However, there weren’t any forces brave enough to oppose or rebel against the empire.
They didn’t even dare think about it.
Even if shortcomings exist, it’s still the empire.
Moreover, most of the powerful figures were relatively untouched by hunger due to war.
Still, discontent must be harbored among some factions.
They just didn’t reveal it.
‘Dealing with this alone has its limits. Even if the numbers are small, it would be great to have secretly cooperating allies.’
And over the past five years, Balak had been carefully selecting potential allies.
They just hadn’t revealed themselves yet.
Almost all were in place.
‘It’s about time…’
Just then, a commotion erupted in the center of the banquet hall.
“My name is Aghan de Bevel. Fourth son of the great fire wizard, Duke Balak de Bevel.”
It seemed his son was about to stir up some trouble.
Balak held back a sigh.
‘That foolish boy again…’
No matter how much it was for his sister’s revenge, it was rare for a noble to engage directly.
Balak scanned Aghan’s outfit from top to bottom.
A blazing sword that had been gifted for becoming an adult.
And he was decked out in the precious armor he took from the Bevel family vault.
It was overkill for a simple duel against a guard knight.
Balak turned to the other side.
Elia and Judas were whispering closely together, looking rather affectionate.
What secret could they be discussing?
“Ahem…”
The two were about to start their duel.
All eyes were glued to them.
Emperor Johan, Pope Nadab of Molsin Church, and many others.
Even if they were high-ranking individuals, a duel was always an exciting spectacle.
Especially if it was a conflict between Balak’s direct descendants.
Amidst the crowd gathering, one person stepped out.
It was Bishop Herald.
He had been relaying news when Angra disappeared on pilgrimage.
‘Hmm…. Even though I don’t believe in Molsin, it wouldn’t hurt to get one last confirmation.’
Now that everybody was focused on their duel, it was an excellent opportunity for a private conversation with him.
Balak chose not to watch the duel and followed Bishop Herald instead.
He could already predict the outcome.
Aghan was to win.
A laid-back son who had given up on competing for the leadership position.
But Balak hadn’t raised him without purpose.
He’d nurtured him with care, training him to become a formidable swordsman since he wanted to resemble his eldest brother, Cain.
Balak was aware Judas was an extraordinary guard knight.
But it’s nothing compared to his son.
Having left Balak’s side, Cain and Levi observed the duel between Judas and Aghan with keen interest.
Levi was the first to ask.
“Which one do you think will win, brother?”
“Hmm.”
The two seemed ready to engage shortly.
Cain scanned both slowly.
Though swords hadn’t clashed yet, he responded as if he’d already seen the result.
“Aghan will lose.”
“Oh….”
Levi gasped in surprise, looking at Judas.
Cain was cautious and reserved in his judgments, so it was rather significant that he would recognize Judas’ skills.
Elia’s guard knight, Judas.
“That level of skill, huh…”
If possible, it seemed like it could pose a significant problem for Elia.
Of course, without more information, it would be prudent to watch a little longer.
*
Judas drew his sword.
The blade glinted in ivory light.
Aghan’s eyes widened.
‘Could it be that sword…?’
It had been black when she first took it out.
Yet when Judas grasped it, its color shifted.
He recognized it as a weapon.
The Moon’s Pupil.
It was nothing compared to the Blazing Sword.
‘Even if it’s changed a bit, it doesn’t matter. I’ll win anyway.’
His own weapon didn’t lack in prestige.
Without warning, Aghan charged forward.
A heavy diagonal slash descending downwards.
Intent on finishing it with a single strike.
“Yup!”
He held his breath and struck down.
Judas mimicked a similar stance.
Controlled breathing.
The calm motion created an illusion of slowness.
A diagonal slash identical to Aghan’s.
The two swords crossed in an X-shaped trajectory.
Clang!
The swords clashed.
A cracking sound.
One Aghan was all too familiar with.
Typically, the weapon opposing the blazing sword would crumble easily.
‘…No?!’
Aghan’s eyes widened.
It wasn’t his weapon that broke.
Judas’ ivory blade cleanly cleaved through the Blazing Sword.
The broken blade soared into the air.
Twisting and spinning as it flew up.
Aghan’s mind froze.
He had never encountered such a situation before.
He was confident that his weapon wouldn’t lose to any other.
Judas didn’t stop his assault.
Approaching the frozen Aghan was the coldly glowing golden-eyed warrior.