A second later, that tonitruous metallic sound rang out once again as the knight in green was launched backward. This time, there’d been no back-and-forth whatsoever. The civilian had struck before the knight could do anything, and his slash had been so powerful that he’d blown the knight away even through his attempt to block.
At the sight of the knight’s shattered armor on the ground, the crowd fell silent. I started trembling once again. He’s so scary…
After checking on the knight on the ground, the referee made a sign to the host, who proclaimed, “The victor is the jet-black warrior!”
The crowd cheered as the man in black armor sheathed his sword. His shoulders were shaking as though he was taking deep breaths.
Huh? Why is he that tired? He wasn’t hit, and he won in the blink of an eye.
After thinking about it for a moment, I assumed being able to carry out such an attack took a considerable amount of focus. Despite his full-face helmet and practically demonic strength, this was surely a living, breathing man, not a Dullahan.
As I clapped away, I decided to get answers from Mio while she was working hard to put away her second turkey leg. “You didn’t see the other matches, so how did you know he’d win?” I asked.
“Well, I just observed the way he walks despite his heavy armor and helmet, his stance, and his general build. He seemed used to fighting,” she explained.
“The swordsmanship that knights practice most often nowadays is meant for ceremony,” Prince Luifon explained. “The one in green had good technique, but a fighter with actual experience naturally proved a bit much for him.”
I tilted my head in confusion. “Wouldn’t that civilian in black have even less fighting experience? The war has been over for fifty years.”
“There are occasions to fight even outside of war,” Mio said. “Besides, in this era of powder and firearms, swordplay has become more so the specialty of brigands and the like rather than something soldiers trifle with. Well, I should say, brigands and the people who need protection from them, like merchants.”
“Or maybe he’s the son of an important lord in charge of protecting the border, and he’s been practicing swordsmanship since his school days to try his hand at foreign trade…? Who knows?” Prince Luifon suggested.
Mio seemed to be about to say something, but the prince stood up before she could and added, “I’m going to go congratulate the winner. The two of you can go home if you’d like.”
“Thank you for your invitation today, Your Highness,” I said. “I had a very pleasant time.”
He grinned. He somehow seemed both the happiest he’d been today and also the meanest.
“Don’t forget to pay up that ten thousand eiros you owe me for losing the bet, my little Marie.”
“What?!” I exclaimed. “I don’t remember agreeing to that bet!”
“Of course you did. It’s all right if you don’t have the money with you right now. I’ll send someone to Granado Castle to collect it, so do get it ready for me.”
Wh-what should I do? I thought as I started panicking.
“I-I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I’m penniless, and my parents have no money either,” I confessed. “I’ve been relying on the good will of the people of the castle to live, but I…I promise I’ll work to pay you back! Please give me some ti—”
I couldn’t finish my sentence because Mio shoved a pumpkin croquette into my mouth. Having forcefully shut me up, she said, “I don’t believe I’ve received the money you owe me for losing against me at chess, Your Highness. You may take out the ten thousand Lady Marie owes you from that sum, but please make sure you bring the remaining three hundred twenty thousand eiros to me at your earliest convenience.”
Prince Luifon raised an eyebrow and laughed. “Kyros sure is blessed with kind servants.” And with that, he turned on his heel and left.
Down below, on the stage, the warrior in black was being congratulated on his victory. He was offered a trophy and a treasure chest by a beautiful woman. After he accepted them, the woman leaned toward him and made to kiss him on the cheek. He seemed taken aback and whispered something to her. I imagined he’d told her removing his helmet was too much work because she hugged him instead. For all his bravery during the battles, he was frozen stiff, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I could see why that warrior was so popular with the ladies. Despite his strength, he was considerate and seemed very humane.
I’m sure he’s a very nice person.
“I think I could enjoy watching this man’s matches,” I said. “But only from time to time.”
Mio gobbled down another piece of dried squid before whispering, “I’m sure our lord will be pleased to hear that.”
Huh? I turned back toward the warrior in black and started at him perplexedly.
“For years, the Dilts Kingdom has expanded its territory through military conquest. While we are now at peace, the people of Dilts must carry this pride. We are all part of this great history—we are all warriors at heart.”
Every child born in this country had heard this speech at least once growing up, but most people didn’t actually take it to heart. Learning martial arts did not put food on the table, and most nobles and commoners never wielded a sword.
The most prominent nobles, however, couldn’t afford to ignore it. The higher their rank, the more patriotic they were expected to be, and young boys of upper social strata were all given swords. That was also why the commander of the royal knights was a prince.
Needless to say, at the academy royalty and high nobility attended, swordsmanship classes were compulsory.
Kyros Granado had trained tirelessly during his days as a student. Thanks to his muscular build and the skills he’d acquired, he’d emerged victorious at countless tournaments, both at home and abroad. Because of his dark skin and black hair, people sometimes referred to him as the “jet-black warrior.”
After Mio told me all that, I laughed. “Surely you’re joking,” I said.
“I’m not, my lady. He practices hard because he knows that, due to his work, he can encounter brigands and pirates at any time. Even though I haven’t seen his face either, the way he carries himself and his strength leave no place for doubt. That man is our lord,” she asserted.
She seemed so sure of herself that I flinched.
“B-but His Highness didn’t say a thing! He’s the one who organized this tournament, so he has to know who the participants are!”
“He simply concealed that fact from us, just as I’m sure he didn’t tell our lord that we’d be watching. He must have had his fun watching our reactions as the only one who knew the truth.”
That did sound like the prince.
“So that powerful warrior…is Lord Kyros?”
“Is that surprising? He doesn’t look weak in the slightest, does he?”
“Well… He is tall and muscular, but…how do I put this…? I’ve never imagined him with a sword in hand. And to think that he’s the jet-black warrior! It’s just…”
I didn’t think Mio was lying, but I had a hard time wrapping my head around it. I ended up repeating the same things again and again, utterly confused.
“If you’re so unsure, we can check,” Mio suggested eventually. I nodded, and Mio took a deep breath. “AAAAH! COUNT KYROS GRANADO! YOU’RE SO COOOOL! LOOK THIS WAY!” she screamed.
The warrior started to panic while murmurs swept through the crowd.
“Kyros? The Count Kyros?”
“Seriously?! The one from the Granado Trading Company?”
“Remove your helmet! Show your face!”
With that first call as the trigger, more and more people started screaming for him to take off his helmet: “Show your face! Show your face!” Everyone was curious about the mysterious warrior who’d defeated all the knights.
The jet-black warrior was in a bind. He tried to retreat and leave the stage altogether, but the staff of the event stopped him and dragged him back to the center of the stage.
Out of options, he finally reached for his helmet. As he pulled it off his head, his black hair cascaded to his chest, framing his tan skin, sharp features, and piercing green eyes. The knight was Kyros Granado, without a shadow of a doubt.
Shouts louder than ever echoed all over the coliseum, while Lord Kyros scratched the back of his head, unsure what to do.
“Should we visit him to congratulate him?” Mio asked.
After staring at him, mouth agape, for a few more seconds, I nodded.