Reset Life – Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Oh Yeah? Then Bring It On! (4)

Smack!

A loud sound, caused by the leather glove striking his face, instantly echoed through the ballroom. A deathly silence descended.

Pilledvan looked at me with a bewildered expression, as if he couldn’t believe what had just happened.

“Uh……uh……”

“Pilledvan Salain, you have committed three discourtesies. One. You have defamed the honor of Ibi, whom I have decided to treat as a lady today. As determined by me, the legitimate invitee to this ball, regardless of who her partner is, she need not have her qualities as a lady questioned. Two. By insulting her, who is an honorable swordswoman above all else, you have also insulted me, her mentor. I am the legitimate second son of the Herduke family, and any insult to me is an insult to the family. Three. You have insulted and humiliated His Majesty the Emperor, who organized this event, by recklessly questioning the qualifications of another’s partner while failing to manage your own. I, Arisein Pen Herduke, for the above three reasons, to protect the honor of His Majesty the Emperor, my family, and my Lady Ibi……”

I took a short breath and stared directly at Pilledvan, who was clutching his slapped face in shock.

I declared.

“I challenge you, Pilledvan Salain, to a duel.”

A brief silence was followed by a long gasp of astonishment.

“What in the world is going on here?”

My father, who arrived late with the vassals, quickly found me, likely having heard about the story that had completely taken over the ballroom. Beside my father stood my mother, with a worried expression on her face.

I spoke confidently, without a hint of hesitation.

“I have challenged Pilledvan Salain, who has insulted me three times, to a duel. Restore honor lost through insult with the sword. That is the law of the family.”

“But the opponent is the Salain family. Have you not forgotten that?”

“No. I challenged him to a duel precisely because he is from the Salain family.”

“What?”

My father frowned. And my mother, who was next to him, had a surprised look on her face. If my brother had been here, he probably would have declared me insane.

“It was strange from the beginning. While neglecting Lady Sermaila may be attributed to his personality, he picked a fight with me for dancing with her and continued to look for conflict afterward. That’s how I knew. The Salain family, for some reason, is trying to instigate conflict with the main family. I made the first move before things went their way.”

And I added, looking at Levidian.

“I couldn’t forgive him for his disrespectful remarks to Teacher, even though I don’t know his true identity. He dared to treat Teacher as a third-rate swordswoman.”

My father stroked his chin, lost in thought. What I had done was completely aristocratic. Regardless of the right and wrong of the matter, the process was one that only a noble could have initiated.

My father glanced at the Sword King and then looked back at me.

“Regardless of the outcome, it was a noble act.”

“Thank you, Father. I have something I’d like to ask you about this matter.”

“What is it?”

“What happened with Duke Narvilt? I don’t know the details, but it seems related to me.”

My father looked at me with a slightly surprised expression. However, it wasn’t the look of a father looking at his son, but rather the surprised look of someone who found a mirror unexpectedly clean after wiping it.

He said.

“There was something. As you know, he is the head of the anti-Azot faction of the nobles. It seems he is displeased that the delegation successfully completed its mission and returned, improving relations between the two countries. To be precise, the proposal to reinforce the Imperial Capital Army and the Western Army was rejected. I think you know why it was rejected.”

I nodded.

The Imperial Capital Army, the regular army defending the Imperial Capital Nek, and the Western Army, under the Duke of Narvilt’s command, are the first to be reinforced in the event of a war with Azot. And the Western Army is the first to be deployed.

The reason I was able to become the commander of the 3rd Knight Order before I died was also because the 3rd Knight Order was part of the Western Army.

The reinforcement of the Imperial Capital Army was just an excuse. Along with the reinforcement of the Imperial Capital Army, Duke Narvilt would have been able to secure his own interests in the reinforced Western Army. That would have been the case if the delegation had failed or achieved little.

However, thanks to my efforts, as publicly known, the delegation’s mission was successful. It would have been impossible without Crown Prince Orange’s help, but in any case, the relationship between the two countries is slowly improving.

In such a situation, reinforcing the Western Army, which has a strong meaning of guarding against Azot, would be like throwing all that effort away. Naturally, the proposal was rejected.

“So, this is just him venting his frustration. I think there’s something else involved.”

“That’s right. But that’s not something I can tell you. However, Duke Narvilt wants to promote his second son. He needed a scapegoat for that. I suspect he was trying to pick a fight with your abilities for his own benefit, but you made the first move. Your response was excellent.”

I bowed my head and expressed my gratitude. Even though it wasn’t praise for being an excellent son, but rather for being a good horse to ride, I could count on one hand the number of times this man had praised me in my memory.

Perhaps it was limited to me, but there was meaning in being praised by someone who was stingy with praise.

My father said.

“So, what are you going to do now? The duel is a matter between the two of you, but the family’s honor is at stake. Of course, you’ve also staked the honor of Sir Levidian and His Majesty the Emperor, so the responsibility is heavy. You know that if you lose, all that honor will remain insulted.”

“I know. That’s why I challenged him to a duel.”

“What do you mean?”

My father looked at me with a strange glint in his eyes.

His gaze towards me was still dry, but I didn’t expect it to be filled with love. However, I needed to be acknowledged by this man. That’s why I challenged him to a duel.

“I am the disciple of the Sword King. I will not lose to any of her disciples.”

Well, even if it’s the 134th one. Haha!

September 24th, 372nd year of the Imperial Calendar.

The duel between Arisein Pen Herduke and Pilledvan Salain!

Even the Emperor remains silent about the duel challenge that took place at his own ball. Because a duel is a personal matter, it is an unspoken rule of the Imperial social circles not to question it, regardless of where it takes place.

Moreover, I even staked the Emperor’s honor. To be honest, it wouldn’t have mattered if I hadn’t, but I needed to elevate the host of the ball to ensure the duel would proceed smoothly.

In the end, the Emperor and his family decided to approve this entertaining event. There was a reason why they had no choice but to approve it.

In the common case of duels between nobles, someone usually steps forward to mediate and encourage reconciliation. However, the Herduke and Salain families are, as everyone knows, ‘neither allies nor enemies, neither cooperating nor hindering each other.’

If a duel arises between them, their pride is at stake, so they will not accept anyone’s mediation and must settle the matter through a duel.

A duel that cannot be stopped!

A duel that must take place!

As a result, it has become a topic of interest not only for the nobles but for everyone who can hear the rumors.

The duel will take place tomorrow.

The location is the training ground of the Imperial Palace Guard.

Up close, it’s a contest of honor between two young men. From afar, it’s a power struggle between two of the three central families of the Empire.

I cannot lose, nor can I be defeated.

“Chaat!”

Thwack!

I kicked off the ground and charged towards Levidian. In a duel, only the ‘body’ and ‘one set of a single type of weapon’ can be used. Naturally, I took up a sword, bearing the family name.

“Not yet!”

Levidian forcefully gripped her spear and swung it. The flexible spear bent and the red tassels fluttered. I swung my sword to deflect the spear aimed at my thigh.

Clang!

The spear was deflected, and I charged through the opening, but the deflected spear immediately rebounded and aimed to strike my ankle.

Yikes!

Whoosh!

I jumped low on the spot to avoid the spear. With that, Levidian created distance again and unleashed a series of fearsome thrusts.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Block, deflect, and dodge.

I raised my sword and desperately blocked the spear thrusts that came at me relentlessly.

Don’t think that just because she’s the Sword King, she only knows how to use a sword. In the first place, the Hall of Martial Arts is a place to learn all ‘martial arts,’ so she also had considerable skill in spearmanship.

“Now! Take this!”

Milky Way Shooting Star.

Countless thrusts, like meteors pouring from the Milky Way, came crashing down.

Clang! Thud! Tang!

Deflecting and parrying, I created distance. Her skill is such that even dodging is difficult. On top of that, I’m wearing a 10-kilogram sand vest. To avoid the spear with my sluggish movements, I need to dodge with minimal distance.

The distance widened to the length of two spears, and Levidian aimed her spear at me and said.

“The characteristic of Remove Devil is spearmanship that pressures with strong force. The Milky Way Shooting Star I learned is a rapid thrusting technique. However, a spear, in order to inflict a fatal wound, fundamentally has to draw a ‘point.’”

A sword draws a line because it inflicts fatal wounds by cutting. A spear’s foundation is thrusting. Of course, a spear can also be used to strike or slash with the blade, but among weapons that strike and cut, the sword is the strongest. And when it comes to thrusting, no weapon can match a spear.

“However, that doesn’t mean you only have to be careful of thrusts. Have you seen Joey fight before? A spear is also a weapon that can be easily swung and struck. Look over there.”

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

A little distance away, Joey, wearing a specially made iron plate armor, was swinging an iron spear with fearsome momentum. The iron spear shook the air, creating a storm-like sound.

Joey’s strength and physique are naturally gifted, but because of that, he is somewhat disadvantaged in close combat. His ability to pressure and close in must be exceptional, but to deal with faster and smaller opponents, he needs to create distance.

That’s why he was given a spear, and that’s why he’s learning spearmanship. The 3-meter long iron spear can sufficiently compensate for his weakness.

I nodded heavily as I watched Joey. Even if it’s made of a highly elastic alloy, seeing the iron spear bend so flexibly with such force would make even monsters raise a white flag.

“It’s the principle of leverage. Most weapons incorporate that principle, but it’s especially prominent in pole weapons. It amplifies small force into large force, and large force into even greater force. And with the added distance, spearmanship is a highly efficient martial art.”

And then she charged at me again. I raised my sword and focused, not missing a single word or action she made.

This was the second day of the spearmanship special lessons in preparation for the duel. Actually, I learned military spearmanship when I was in the army. Although my specialty was the sword, the spear came next. I’m fairly familiar with the characteristics of a spear.

What I’ve learned in the past two days is that even if you know something, it’s useless without practical experience to back it up.

“Haat!”

Whoosh!

“Ugh! Huh! Urgh!”

Stabbed three times in quick succession, my screams also came out in three parts. Stabbed in both sides of my chest and abdomen, I fell backward with a thud. To make matters worse, I was hit during a charge, so it was a counter! Ugh!

“Cough! Cough!”

“This is one of the characteristics of a spear. If you can accurately stab an enemy who is charging, it’s possible to achieve a significant counter. You know the power, having experienced it, right?”

“Yes……! Cough!”

Even though she didn’t aim for vital points, being hit with a counter made me see stars. I tried to get up but gave up and just lay there sprawled out. Oh dear, I’ve been rolling around like this for 3 hours already. Ouch.

“Let’s end the morning training here for now. We’ll start the afternoon training after you eat and rest. Ask Namia for help with recovery later.”

There’s no escape. Ugh.

Just the fact that the High Priest was at home allowed Levidian to freely pummel me.

Even though we’re fighting with practice spears and practice swords, the training schedule, which is even more nerve-wracking than actual combat, leaves my body tattered……and eventually, I end up relying on Namia’s help.

The training time is originally 3 hours a day, but with my father’s special permission, I’m receiving training all day long. Surprisingly, that time is 9 hours. I’m receiving training three times a day, 3 hours each time. What is this, brushing my teeth?

“Joey, you can rest now!”

“Ah, yes!”

Turning my head, I saw Joey wiping the beads of sweat from his face, looking like he had just finished a really good workout.

Joey’s problem is that while he has great strength, he lacks stamina. So these days, he’s focusing on stamina training. The menu that Levidian specially prepared for him includes ridiculous things like swinging a spear 3,000 times. It’s amazing that it’s perfect for Joey, though.

Thanks to Levidian, who is an excellent swordswoman and a good teacher, the combat strength of the Herduke family is improving day by day.

I finally managed to sit up, stretched my back, and loosened my muscles. My whole body creaked from muscle stiffness, but it felt good to feel myself growing stronger. My body is much healthier compared to when I first met Levidian.

Just as I took off the sand vest and took a deep breath with my lighter body, a servant approached.

“Young Master, excuse me.”

“Hmm. What is it?”

“A letter has arrived for you, Young Master.”

The servant presented a silver tray with a letter on it, written on white stationery with a seal. There was no specific recipient, just the letters ‘JO’ written on it.

“Who is it……? Good work.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Tilting my head, I tore open the letter and read it. And after reading the letter, which contained only three lines, I grinned. What, so that’s what it means?

“Teacher, can we postpone the training to the evening?”

“What’s the matter?”

“Something suddenly came up. I think I need to go out.”

“Alright.”

She glanced at the letter in my hand and made a slightly displeased expression, but she didn’t actively stop me. She always disliked me meeting them, but she didn’t actively prevent it.

I first went to tell them that I would skip lunch.

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