MTM 35

The place for the duel was a clearing beyond the hill where there were few watchers. It seemed to be a spot where townspeople and apprentices often gathered, because by the time they arrived, quite a few people were already there.

Clink, clink, clink. When the group of holy knights in silver armor appeared, the crowd murmured and hid behind the hill. Their curious gazes gathered at the center of the dueling ground.

“You can sit here.”

“Okay.”

Harto climbed the hill and sat beside Zed. Zed told him it was only a duel between two people, so there was nothing to worry about, but Harto felt more anticipation than concern.

To see a duel in person, one he had only read about in novels, made his heart pound. It was on another level compared to the cock fight he had seen in Lindel Village. His heart hammered in his chest.

“The rules?”

The red-haired apprentice, who seemed ready, asked Allen. Allen tapped the ground with the tip of his sword and smiled.

“Rules? There are none. The only rule is to risk your life.”

“……”

At those words, the red-haired apprentice clenched his teeth and put his helmet back on.

“Don’t regret it.”

“You too.”

Allen also put on his helmet.

Clink, clink, clink.

The two stared at each other while holding their swords, and then they began to move slowly in a circle to the right. The noisy atmosphere went still, and even the wind quieted down.

“Hiyah!”

At that moment, the red-haired apprentice shouted and launched the first attack. He swung his sword as he charged, and Allen twisted his body and countered. Clang! The metallic sound rang through the air.

“Ugh!”

Allen groaned and stepped back. The blow had was enough to make it hard to block carelessly.

“Whoa!”

The crowd cheered. Even the children who had run over late after hearing that a duel had started shouted excitedly.

Allen fixed his stance and widened the distance. When his opponent charged again with renewed strength, Allen aimed for his side and thrust his sword. But the apprentice blocked it with his sword. For the first time, Allen’s confident face changed.

‘What is this guy? He’s better than I thought.’

He had heard the apprentice was from a merchant noble family, but that skill meant years of training. Allen had planned to casually fight him, but now he had no choice but to fight seriously.

Chaaang!

“Ugh!”

In a flash, Allen’s blade broke through the apprentice’s defense. He didn’t miss the opening and landed the final strike. The sword struck, and the opponent fell to his knees.

The result was clear. Allen had won.

“Wow!”

Harto jumped up, excited. It had ended quickly, but it was such an impressive duel that he couldn’t look away. The man who had been all jokes a moment ago looked completely different now.

“Allen! Allen!”

The spectators shouted his name loudly. People rushed down from the hill and lifted Allen high. They tossed him up in celebration as if he were a hero.

“Zed! Can I go join them?”

“Go ahead.”

Zed nodded at Harto’s eager question. He knew how easily delighted Harto was, even by a small thing like the cock fight before. The duel was over, and there seemed to be no danger now.

Allen, lifted and cheered by the crowd, soon met Zed’s eyes. Maybe he understood that it was time to leave, because he came down quietly from their hands.

“Hey.”

He walked to the defeated apprentice who still knelt on the ground without moving. The red-haired apprentice didn’t lift his head or even twitch.

“What are you doing? Get up.”

Allen reached out his hand instead of his sword.

“I’m not asking for an apology. You’re not worth killing, so I’ll let you live.”

“……”

He had never planned to kill him. He knew better than to provoke trouble by hurting a noble’s son.

“Hey. My arm’s getting tired.”

Right after Allen waited with patience, the red-haired apprentice, who had been staring at the offered hand, suddenly shouted toward the other holy knights.

“Kill them all!”

“You bastard…!”

Realizing the man was beyond reason, Allen swung his sword. But a spear flew from somewhere and deflected his hit.

“Ahhh! Run!”

The dueling ground turned into chaos in an instant. People screamed and fled over the hill in a frenzy.

“Ah! Z-Zed…!”

Harto was swept up in the panicking crowd and stumbled. He couldn’t understand what was happening before his eyes and reached out for Zed in confusion.

“Harto!”

Zed ran toward him while avoiding the indiscriminate attacks of the holy knights.

Whoosh

“Huh…?”

Something happened at that moment. With the sound of wind grazing his ear, a holy knight’s sword swung at Harto. The blade caught the sunlight and flashed blindingly. Zed squinted his eyes by reflex.

Almost at the same instant, Harto lowered his body and put his hand on the ground and pillars sprouted from the earth.

Clang!

The sword hit the solid wall of dirt and bounced away with a piercing sound.

Zed wrapped his arm around Harto’s waist at that moment. He pulled the dagger from Harto’s back pocket. He didn’t hesitate. He looked straight into the eyes of the holy knight who had attacked Harto and swung the dagger.

Swiish!

“Argh!”

The dagger sliced the man’s arm in one swift stroke. The holy knight staggered and fell with a scream. Blood spurted, and the men around them stopped.

Every gaze turned to Zed. The red-haired apprentice did too.

“If you’re not ready to die, stop now. Like you said, we’re savage barbarians. We don’t care about duels or honor. We only care about cutting off your heads.”

Zed warned him and nudged the fallen holy knight’s body with the tip of his boot.

“This one’s not hit in a vital spot, but he’s bleeding a lot. You’d better treat him fast.”

Bright red blood spread quickly across the ground.

The red-haired apprentice moved his lips but couldn’t speak. He only clenched his fists in frustration and then ordered the holy knights.

“…Let’s go.”

The holy knights carried the wounded man and left the hill quickly. Their retreat looked hollow and defeated.

“Are you alright?”

Allen took off his helmet and approached. He spoke to Harto, who was still in Zed’s arms.

“…Yes, I’m okay.”

Harto calmed his breathing and slowly pulled away from Zed. Maybe it was the adrenaline of the moment, but his fingertips trembled.

“You’re okay? Look at your hands, they’re filthy.”

Allen clicked his tongue as he saw Harto’s dirt-covered hands, his tone nothing like that of someone who had just fought for his life.

“……”

Zed brushed the dirt from Harto’s hands without a word.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

“Phew. Got caught up with a lunatic…”

Allen, now at the stream near the dueling ground, stripped off his shirt and swam. The water had to be cold, but he didn’t seem to care at all.

“Zed! Did you see that guy’s face? He looked terrified!”

Allen splashed water while ranting about the man from the duel. Water droplets hit Harto, who was washing his hands on the bank. Judging by Allen’s laughter, it seemed deliberate.

“Harto, give me your hands.”

Zed came over after Harto had finished washing and handed him a handkerchief. Harto said thanks and was about to dry his hands, but Zed took them back and did it himself.

His hands were large and warm, and Harto’s cold fingers quickly grew warm again.

“Harto.”

“Yes?”

While Zed carefully wiped the water between his fingers, he spoke.

“It was really dangerous back there.”

“Huh? Back there? Yes, it really was…”

Harto thought about what would have happened if he hadn’t raised the earthen wall to block the sword. He would have been badly hurt, maybe worse than when he had been hit by the arrow before. This time it had been a blade, not an arrow, so it could have gone right through him.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have left you alone.”

Zed still wiped Harto’s hands and spoke in a voice heavy with guilt.

“Wait, why are you sorry? No, it’s because I was too slow…”

The one who had attacked him so suddenly had been in the wrong. There was nothing for Zed to apologize for.

“But I’m glad. You didn’t get hurt.”

Zed looked at Harto’s clean hands and smiled. Harto smiled too because he felt the same.

Splash, splash.

“Ahh! It’s freezing! I’m gonna die here!”

At that moment, Allen shouted as he jumped out of the stream. The only cloth he had to dry himself was the cloak attached to his armor, but he used it quickly. Then he looked at Zed and Harto and spoke in a joking tone.

“What’s this? You two sitting that close… feels like I just interrupted something.”

He wasn’t entirely wrong, and both of them stared blankly at him without answering.