Chapter 34:
Secrets
“HOW LONG?” I GRUMBLED.
I gazed upon the scene in front of my eyes as the annoying clangs of metal continued to reverberate in the air.
“How long will this continue?” I asked.
“I haven’t the faintest clue, Your Highness,” the Knight of Wrath replied. His tone was casual and indifferent.
“You’re the cause of it all, Faust.”
Faust wasn’t involved with the two knights who dueled in front of us. He was the reason that the two knights clashed, and there was no need for him to interfere. The two were fighting over the right to challenge Faust von Polidoro to a duel.
“Yield already!” a knight snapped. “You’re just a pathetic regional lord! You don’t have the power to challenge Sir Polidoro!”
“You’re just a Noble of the Robe, a shrimpy knight fitting for Anhalt,” the other rebuked. “Do you think that you stand a chance against me, with my years of military service and the lives of my citizens on my shoulders?!”
Uh, guys? We’re being dissed here, I thought. But I can’t really blame these brawny knights for calling us “shrimpy.” We call you guys “barbarians” or “savages” anyway. Faust approached the two, tired of watching the fight.
“Can we end this?” he asked. “I’ve seen the both of you clash dozens of times, but I find that training swords just won’t settle the match. The two of you hold more than enough power, and I can duel both of you.”
I saw that coming. The fastest way to end this was for Faust to beat the two knights. I knew that best.
“If you say so, Sir Polidoro,” one replied. “But it just pains me to see her bring shame to Villendorf after she’s defeated in one strike.”
“I’m fine with that arrangement as well,” the other added. “Though I simply cannot find this woman suitable to fight you.”
“Shut the hell up.”
The two Villendorf knights began to argue once more. Just silence them both and end it all, Faust. Why not just take on both of them at once?
I sighed. At the border, Faust had easily defeated six elite knights donned in armor. He took a few blows, likely because he wasn’t used to his suit of armor yet, but he sustained no physical damage. The magic sigils protected him, although I still expected him to feel some pain. His colossal body easily repelled any damage that came his way, and every match ended within minutes.
The commander of the border could only express her awe; she proclaimed that while she had no need to state the obvious, Faust was truly a hero. She then guided us to the royal capital, but on the way, people rushed out to challenge Faust to duels. I furrowed my brows, but Faust didn’t decline a single challenge. Just as he’d said to me, he accepted every match.
Every magistrate, feudal lord, and renowned knight challenged him, no matter the size of their land. Knights who represented certain areas and elite knights also challenged him to duels. To top it all off, people assumed that he’d have no time to duel at the royal capital, so those from the outskirts made the long journey to Faust. The military officers of the royal capital were all eager to fight.
But it would soon be over. These noisy days of relentless duels would be behind us. Once we made our way through this town, we’d be in the royal capital.
“Princess Valiele, may I ask just in case?” Martina von Bosel inquired. “Are you not worried about Lord Faust?”
“Then I’ll respond, just in case,” I answered. “Is there any need for me to worry?”
The girl was Faust’s apprentice and squire. I turned a blind eye to the fact that she dared speak to me and gave my response. How many fights do you think he’s been through? Ninety-seven. And he’s won them all. If he beats those two knights, it’ll be ninety-nine consecutive victories. It’s a shame we can’t make it an even hundred.
Faust himself wasn’t keeping track of the matches. He wasn’t mocking his opponents or anything, but he simply wasn’t the type to count the number of people he killed in combat or the number of duels he won. Everyone expected him to be the victor, and he knew that these results should come to him.
Though it seems like people across Villendorf are keeping records of the duels in great detail. I presumed that the archivists’ records would turn into legends, and those who engaged in duels against Faust would be honored for their deeds. Is that what it means to be a hero? An ordinary, mediocre person like me can’t understand it.
I’d been given an excellent education as a backup in the palace, and recently, I’d received some advice from my sister, Anastasia, but I was still average in every sense of the word. I had my limits. Faust resided in an area that was outside my scope of understanding. But enough about that.
“Now then, who should I fight first…” Faust said. He fastened his great helm onto his head. “Oh, please don’t. There’s no need for another troublesome battle. I’ll be the one to make the decision.”
Just end it already, Faust. There was absolutely no reason for me to worry throughout this trip. I knew that Faust wouldn’t lose. Maybe Queen Catalina also assumed the same of her hero. Ultimately, Reckenbell had lost to Faust, the manifestation of war. Faust claimed that Lord Reckenbell had been a hero of her nation. He was certain that there was a woman out there who was stronger than he ever could be. Unfortunately, such a threat no longer resided in Villendorf. He sounded a touch disappointed when he said as much, though I wasn’t sure if there was a person in this world stronger than him.
Extraordinary people were favored by the Valkyries in Valhalla while they resided in this world; Faust was the strongest amongst these favored individuals.
“Now then, why don’t we fight, fair and square?” Faust said.
“By the name of my land, my citizens, and all the honor that I have, I challenge you to a duel,” a knight replied.
His first opponent was the regional lord. No matter. The only difference was losing sooner or later, and there was no need for me to watch the duel with bated breath. He’d clash with her several times as a way to comfort her, and once she understood Faust’s strength, he’d throw her onto the ground, back first, and tap the training sword on her neck. That would end the match.
As I thought, he attempted to push her down and tap his training sword on her neck. This was Faust’s way of displaying his consideration; a man of his combat prowess could likely end the duel in one strike, but he chose not to do so. I once again contemplated my problem. I had no issues with Faust’s actions. He accepted duels to respect his opponents’ honor and displayed his thoughtfulness. He held himself back in the matches, but I knew that it wasn’t right to claim that he did so. That wasn’t the issue that plagued my mind.
“How in the world do we slice Queen Catalina’s heart?” I muttered.
This was the pressing matter at hand. It didn’t matter how many duels Faust engaged in—it felt like a meaningless task that only won favor with Villendorf’s knights. But it was Queen Catalina who held the sole power to agree to peace, and unless we could slice her heart open, our problem wouldn’t be resolved. Think, Valiele! I know that I’m only a chief delegate in name—I’m more akin to decoration.