In time, Watt and Cullina’s official engagement was announced. It was more than apt to say that it was all smooth sailing back then.
And yet, in the shadows of it all, the footsteps of tragedy were quietly drawing near.
“Annul your engagement to the daughter of Count Turris.”
The words that leaped from the mouth of Lezamer Ogdenn, the first prince of the Kingdom of Ogdenn, were enough to make Watt doubt his own ears.
“That’s quite the joke to make, Your Highness. Royals though you may be, is it not the rule that marriages between nobles aren’t to be interfered with?”
It was absurd. Lezamer might’ve been royalty, but there were things he could ask and things he couldn’t, and in this case, it was quite unmistakably the latter. Watt was visibly daunted, but Lezamer only cast an unpleasant grin back at him.
“Between nobles? I could’ve sworn I heard something odd there. It almost sounded like the lowly likes of a commoner was convinced he’d become a noble himself just because he can swing his sword around a bit!”
“I was born a commoner, no doubt,” Watt replied. “But even then, I’ve been granted the rank of Top Knight of the Kingdom by His Majesty, you see. My skill with the blade, then, is meant to be symbolic of the kingdom’s might.”
It had been a long while since he’d had others speak ill of him—ever since he’d risen to become the Top Knight of the Kingdom, in fact. He’d never even remotely expected to hear such from the mouth of the kingdom’s first prince. The fact he didn’t just bounce back such verbal attacks as he used to, but was now able to unleash fitting rebuttals, likely meant that he’d grown.
The remaining issue was how he could stay in the narcissistic prince’s good graces. This was exactly why he wasn’t good with messes that couldn’t be swept away with martial might.
At that point, Watt still hadn’t taken the situation all that seriously. And yet, immediately thereafter, his story was about to take a sudden twist in an unexpected direction.
“It’s as you say—royalty or not, I can’t interpose in marriages between nobles just because I’m royalty. However, it’s another matter entirely if I speak as an individual! You’re no more than a single blade—a woman like her would be wasted on you. You’d do well to give her to me.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Watt answered. “And besides, she’s a human first and foremost, well before whether she’s a noble or not comes into play. She’s not some thing to just be snatched up.”
“Heh heh, I should’ve known you’d refuse. Then in that case, let us follow the laws of yore! Watt Sears, I challenge you to a duel!”
“What...did you just say?”
Was this what it meant to be rendered speechless? Without giving Watt so much as a moment to come back from his confusion, Lezamer continued on.
“Heh, what I’m saying is, let’s settle this with a one-on-one fight between you and me with the woman on the line. You’re supposed to be the Top Knight of the Kingdom—don’t tell me you’ll shrink away now!”
That’s absurd... A duel against me? Hey, does this guy even know who he’s up against?
Watt had never even heard so much as rumors suggesting that the first prince was an outstanding swordsman. There was simply no way he could ever hope to fight against Watt, the Top Knight of the Kingdom.
Even then, Watt’s patience was nearing its limit. He’d behaved as a knight would to meet Cullina’s expectations, but there wasn’t a single reason for him to overlook such nonsense. If it’s a duel you want, then it’s a duel you’ll get! And besides, putting that self-absorbed first prince in his place was also his duty as a knight in service of the kingdom.
“Very well, then, Your Highness. I shall accept your challenge. Having received the rank of Top Knight of the Kingdom from His Majesty, I’ll allow you to spar with me.”
At the time, Watt was still convinced that Lezamer would give up right away the moment he got burnt just a bit. While it’d be a chore, and he’d have to half hold back, Watt was confident that he could pull it off, and he had the skill to actually do it and then some.
It was only upon the stage of the duel that he would learn that every last bit of that sentiment was a mistake.
“The duel will be in the form of a one-on-one fight between your Mechsteels! You will both use weapons that have had their edges removed, and note that direct attacks to the Steelriders are prohibited. The duel shall be determined when one of the Mechsteels is incapacitated or when one of the parties yields!”
Sitting in the cockpit of his partner he knew so well, Watt made no attempts to conceal the look of disdain on his face. At any rate, for a fight between Mechsteels, there would be impact on the Steelrider if their machine’s limbs were crushed. It was just right for threatening the prince.
Let’s dance, then! Watt thought, as he prepared to unsheathe the twin blades equipped on his Mechsteel like he always did—
“Hold on! Watt Sears! There’s something suspicious about your weapon! Allow us to inspect it!”
Before the starting signal could even be given, the knight judging the match squeezed in between them. It was a clearly suspicious act, but letting them investigate was no skin off his back.
However, no sooner had they taken the weapon from Watt’s Mechsteel than the judging knight gave an exaggeratedly loud shriek.
“What?! He’s using a weapon that hasn’t had its edge removed! Surely you weren’t plotting to harm His Highness the prince in the struggle of the duel!”
“...What?”
For a moment, Watt couldn’t make sense of what he’d heard. They were the ones who prepared the edgeless weapons in the first place, so there’s no way it could’ve—thinking just that, Watt reclaimed his weapon and inspected it intently, only to discover that the blade’s edge was unmistakably still there.
That was the moment Watt realized: Lezamer had selected the judging knight, and all those around them were unfamiliar faces. Watt was likely surrounded by Lezamer’s lifelong servants.