Once the blue dragon’s breath attack was over, I landed in the courtyard.
The three suitors and most of the soldiers were either unconscious or had fallen on the ground in disbelief. Both the air and the ground reeked of flames.
The dragon also landed behind me.
“First of all, does this mean that I’ve won the duel?” I spoke to the duke, standing between the frightened prime minister and his wife, in as calm and collected a voice as I could muster. I thought the decision would be quick, but the duke started coming down the stairs, his eyes sparkling.
“Lord Margilus. May I have a moment?” The duke couldn’t take his eyes off the dragon behind me.
“Wh…what is it?” I thought that if he came any closer to me, I would be overwhelmed by the oppressive aura emanating from his body. So this was what a general with a decades-long history of conquest looked like. If I hadn’t already come to know the wrath of Lade and Reyha, then I could see myself kneeling before this duke.
But I hadn’t lived the life of a great wizard until recently. Ultimately, I was still a pretender in the role. I gripped my Staff of Wizardry and steadied my trembling legs, standing as tall as I could.
“Please, let me test its might. Just once.” The duke drew his magical sword. He kept staring at the dragon. I couldn’t tell if he was challenging it in earnest, or actually hoped to fail. I had no idea what he was going to say to me, but he couldn’t very well kill me right there, so I nodded.
“As you wish.”
“Thank you.” The duke gripped his magic sword with both hands and faced the blue dragon. He had considerable power, if not quite as much as Lade. However…he proved to be useless in front of the massive, four-legged beast. It towered over him like a wall.
“Hrah!” The duke let out a battle cry. He thrust his magic sword into the base of the dragon’s neck. His attack would have easily skewered heavily armored knights and gigants. However, the sword rebounded off the dragon’s blue scales. There was a ringing of metal hitting metal.
“Erm… Hmph… I see. It’s real.”
I thought the duke would try slaying the dragon many more times, but instead, he raised his sword to the heavens.
“The duel for Elisabel Roney Filsandia has come to an end. The winner is the wizard, Geo Margilus. I, Darmund, duke of Filsand, hereby bestow upon him all the honors and rights of victory!”
I got the feeling that a marriage between Elisabel and me was drawing closer and closer to reality… There was nothing I could do about it just then, so I bowed slightly and raised my Staff of Wizardry high in the air.
“Spread the word! The legitimate winner of the duel is Geo Margilus! Anyone who threatens the safety of Elisabel threatens me, your duke, and will not be forgiven! Hear this: Anyone who does harm to Elisabel shall suffer the wrath of the great wizard!”
“Oh… I see.”
Everyone who was still conscious (except for the duke) nodded their heads furiously. The duke nodded in satisfaction and turned back to his first wife.
“Did you hear that? I support the Lord Wizard. I think you understand how things stand, yes?”
“Er… I-I understand! I understand, dear husband. My Lord Wizard! I will no longer… Or rather, I vow to do everything in my power to protect Elisabel!”
“A-as Elisabel’s older brother, I also will not forgive anyone who causes my sister harm.”
The duke’s words to his wife and second son were, in fact, a threat. His wife’s fear was especially pitiful to behold. She was probably also still frightened by the lightning, but the duke made it clear to his wife that he was completely on the side of Elisabel and me. That must have been devastating.
“Good. Now, let’s begin the welcome party.”