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“Uh? No. . .”
“You can speak freely.”
“Were you. . . quite modest?”
“Why the doubt? Anyway, got it.”
Marco, looking awkward, tried to change the subject.
“How was the investiture?”
“It’s not the first time talking to the Duke, just felt like he was giving stuff away.”
“. . . . . .”
Marco was surprised by the much more indifferent response than he had expected.
He, as a b*stard, had been so excited about his own investiture ceremony that he couldn’t sleep. He vividly remembered bathing and praying all night in the temple. . .
“What did you receive?”
“A sword, a cloak, and a belt.”
Considering what he received, he wondered if it was worth the long journey, but the significance was not light. The name and lineage of the Duke were represented in these items.
“Have you thought about fighting under the Duke?”
“I haven’t even thought about it yet.”
It wouldn’t be a bad choice to work under the Duke and aim for a fief, now that he had a title.
But Johan still found this land unfamiliar. The western part of the Empire was at least not too far from where Johan grew up, but this place felt completely different.
For now, he thought to wait until the tournament was over.
“Geoffrey. I’m Count ing on you.”
“Yes! Just leave it to me.”
“If things look bad, I’ll give the command, so don’t worry.”
In the arena, it was the role of servants or slaves to carry out a fallen knight.
Geoffrey, aware of this, had a tense expression.
Johan lightly checked his thoughts and drove his horse towards the knights in the east. Already, more than a dozen knights had finished preparing and were waiting in formation.
‘𝘜𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘩𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘬𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘩𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘶𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵.’
There was nothing particularly special. Losing armor and weapons was painful, but none of the knights present for the investiture ceremony would die without them.
Instead, one had to worry about their life. A wrong hit and a broken neck meant death for Johan as well.
“Sir Knight. Have you come searching for the Alcia tribe as requested?”
“!”
A playful voice was heard from the front. Achladda stood in the center of the group, waving his hand with a pleased expression.
“I thought you would stand with the West since you came from there, unexpected, isn’t it?”
“I came here because I like you more.”
“Did you hear? This Sir Knight is such a person.”
Achladda burst into laughter. Other knights also looked at him favorably.
“What weapon does Sir Knight use best?”
“Not sure. I seem to manage with a sword.”
“What are you saying! Even though you are a knight!”
Achladda laughed until tears formed. It was too funny for him. He had never seen an Empire knight talk like that.
“And you?”
“I am best with a bow. Of course, I’m not bad with a spear either. . . but Euclyia here is better with it. Say hello.”
Achladda’s cousin, Euclyia, had muscles that could be felt even through the armor gaps.
It was natural for centaurs to be larger than humans, but Euclyia was especially tall among them. Her spear seemed half longer than others’.
She looked troubled and hesitated to speak. Johan was puzzled.
Didn’t she want to talk with a human knight from the Empire?
“He understands the Eastern tongue, so feel free to speak.”
“Ah. Hello, Sir Knight.”
“Pleased to meet you. I look forward to seeing your spear skills.”
“Ah, no! It’s really nothing special! So I hope you don’t expect too much. Spear skills are ultimately. . .”
“Let’s leave it at that. You’re giving it all away.”
Achladda slapped his cousin’s shoulder and said,
“It’s a pity that you can’t use a bow, but what can we do? The Empire desires it, so we must adapt. To receive one, one must give one, right?”
“I see. . . .Wait. What do you mean by receiving one?”
“By the way, Sir Knight! What role do you want in this fight? I, Achladda, will help you get it.”
“Is that possible?”
“Yes, of course.”
Johan was secretly surprised. It meant Achladda was qualified to be a commander among these eastern knights.
Was he from a more impressive family than expected?
“I have no special desires. Besides, you all have more experience fighting together, right? Just place me somewhere comfortable and I’ll fight my best.”
Achladda’s expression became more curious. The more he looked, the more fascinating it was. He just didn’t seem like an Empire knight.
“Sir Knight, do you know you’re the most peculiar Empire person I’ve ever met?”
“And you’re the most peculiar centaur I’ve met.”
“Besides me, which tribe have you met. . . Ah, haha! I see what you mean. I understand. I’ll place you somewhere comfortable.”
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
Crowds filled the vast stadium, swarming in such numbers that they packed the area, while the knights lined up orderly from end to end.
The sight of over dozens of armed knights looking for an opportunity to charge, facing each other, was magnificent. Despite the noise outside, a chilling tension was palpable.
Trumpets and shouts. A fitting response to them.
Before reality could sink in, the knights on both sides charged at each other. Johan felt an instinctual cry within.
Instinct was shouting within Johan.
To crush the skulls and break the necks of those in front!
‘𝘏𝘮𝘮. 𝘐 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.’
Johan slowed his horse, calming his instincts. The first clash was already nearing its end. As the thick dust settled, knights who had been thrown off their horses were visible, swearing and swinging their weapons at each other.
Some were immobile, some writhed, and some struggled to escape. The crowd viciously shouted for more fighting, yelling at the knights, whom they would normally not dare to address, to ‘𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳!’
“?”
The Duke revealed a hint of interest in his expression.
Even amidst this fierce battle, there were some knights who had not joined the fight. They had been unable to find their place in the chaotic charge.
However, once these knights grasped the situation, they quickly turned their horses and joined the fray.
But Johan stood quietly in the middle of the battlefield, as if he had come there alone, with a calm expression.
Not engaging in the nearby battles, he waited with his spear, his demeanor inexplicably serene and composed. Even though the Duke couldn’t see Johan’s expression, he strangely felt its impact.
“For honor!”
A knight, spotting Johan, charged at him. His lance seemed to have broken earlier, as he had drawn his sword.
Johan aimed his spear at the opponent’s shield. The corners of the opposing knight’s mouth rose in a confident smile.
It was a confidence that he could withstand such an impact.
“Cough!”
With the collision, the knight was sent flying. Johan, shaking off the tingling in his hand, threw the shattered spear aside. The opponent, having absorbed the full impact, couldn’t even rise from the ground.
“Sir Boriska! How dare this man!”
“Avenge Sir Boriska!”
Apparently a knight of some renown, the nearby knights fiercely attacked. Johan sensed that things were unfolding differently than he had expected.