Ch.100100. Please Evaluate How Much My Skills Have Improved!?

“Why do you train so hard, Sir Rio?”

In response to Luna’s question, Rio paused his training and gave a gentle smile.

“Do you think there needs to be a reason for a knight to train?”

“Yes, I have a reason.”

“What is it?”

“I want to protect Young Master Selden.”

“Hmm, that’s the most basic duty of an Alphonse family knight.”

“That’s all for me, but do you have a different reason for wanting to become stronger, Sir Rio?”

Rio sheathed his sword and let out a short sigh.

In truth, even he didn’t know.

He had held a sword since childhood and never doubted that it was his life’s purpose.

And he took pride in becoming a knight of the Alphonse family.

After all, Baron Byron was known as one of the most skilled knights even within the imperial court.

But then.

Contrary to his expectations, he was ordered to serve Selden Alphonse.

The wastrel from the edge of the Eastern Continent, wasn’t that what they called him?

However, Rio never complained.

If he silently performed his duties, Baron Byron would eventually recognize his worth.

Then came that day.

Having fallen out of Baron Byron’s favor, his exile to Lake Territory was confirmed.

The knights and servants were all busy lamenting their fate of having to serve Selden.

Of course, Rio too was reaching his limit of patience.

However.

From that point on, the Selden Alphonse he knew began to change as if overnight.

Somehow, he compiled a list of corrupt business owners in the territory and dealt with all the criminals in the village.

And that wasn’t all.

He instantly established discipline among the knights through a duel with Jawill Wilson, and now Rio began to see the same charisma that he had only witnessed in Baron Byron.

Was it just good luck?

Was he bored because of his exile?

Had he finally matured?

No, Rio Sergang interpreted it differently.

Selden Alphonse was a tiger who had hidden his claws for the succession battle…

Rio spoke confidently to Luna.

“My biggest reason is also that I want to protect the Young Master.”

“I thought as much, right?”

Rio continued to train diligently after that.

He wanted to be even a small help to Selden Alphonse in the upcoming succession war.

He prided himself on being able to provide such strength.

But then.

“Arghhhh!”

“R-Run away! He’s a monster!!”

“No one said Selden Alphonse was this strong!!”

Rio rubbed his eyes with his palms again, staring at the unbelievable sight before him.

Even during the duel with Jawill Wilson, Selden Alphonse’s movements had been excellent but never beyond Rio’s visual tracking. Now, he could barely follow even the afterimages.

‘Could it be that he was hiding even more of his skill?’

Rio had never neglected his training.

If anything, he had trained harder for his goal, not less than before.

Yet Selden Alphonse was far ahead of him.

“Thunder Bolt!!”

Selden Alphonse blocked the Thunder Bolt cast by an enemy with his sword and raised his voice.

“Ugh! There’s a mage in the trees, everyone be careful!”

With that warning, Selden Alphonse leaped into the crowd without hesitation.

Rio Sergang could only watch in a daze.

“Sir Rio, are you alright?”

“…Huh?”

“You were standing still, so I thought you might be injured.”

Rio Sergang shook his head at Lightner’s words.

“I-I’m sorry. I feel like I’m in some kind of trance.”

“It’s because of the Young Master’s movements, isn’t it, Sir Rio?”

“…That’s right. Can you see the Young Master’s movements, Sir Lightner?”

“No. If someone of your skill is bewildered, then there’s nothing wrong with my eyes after all.”

“Haha…”

Rio laughed awkwardly amid the chaotic atmosphere.

He felt embarrassed as he recalled his past vow to protect the Young Master in front of Luna.

Just then, Selden Alphonse’s voice rang out again.

“Hey, am I fighting alone!? Am I the only one fighting?! Didn’t you ask me to evaluate how much your skills have improved?!”

At Selden Alphonse’s thunderous command, Rio and Lightner looked at each other and gulped simultaneously.

Then they too threw themselves into the fray.

*

“I’ve taken care of the task you assigned me.”

“Taken care of?”

In response to Jason Alphonse’s question, the second son of the Alphonse family, Butler Blackwell continued with a tense expression.

“I’m referring to what you asked me to do, Young Master.”

“By ‘taken care of,’ do you mean you’ve achieved perfect results?”

“W-Well, not exactly… but we even deployed a mage, so it should have been handled without issue.”

“Butler, the term ‘taken care of’ can only be used when a matter has been conclusively settled.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“I’ve told you this repeatedly, but what am I to do if you can’t understand? I can’t just replace everyone.”

Butler Blackwell immediately knelt on the floor and bowed his head.

“P-Please spare my life!!”

Jason Alphonse, still seated in his chair, smiled broadly and gestured for Blackwell to rise.

“Haha! Stand up! My jokes don’t seem to land well with you these days, Butler Blackwell.”

Butler Blackwell slowly rose, carefully watching Jason Alphonse’s expression, and spoke with a trembling voice.

“Is that so…?”

“By the way, I heard Rio Sergang is accompanying him this time?”

“…Yes, he seems to be accompanying him because he’s the most capable knight among Selden’s guards.”

“What a waste of talent. I begged Father so desperately for Rio Sergang, but he loves the youngest so much… he rejected my earnest request outright.”

Blackwell wiped the sweat still flowing from his forehead with a handkerchief and continued.

“No matter how strong Rio Sergang is, numbers can’t be ignored. As I mentioned earlier, a mage is accompanying them as well.”

“Speaking of mages, I’ve been hearing strange rumors?”

At Jason Alphonse’s words, Blackwell raised his eyebrows as if recalling something.

“Do you mean the rumor that Master Selden can use magic?”

“It’s such a ridiculous rumor. Leonard came to me babbling about seeing something strange, and I nearly killed my beloved brother out of irritation!”

Blackwell hid his trembling hands behind his back and gulped.

“If that were true, Baron Byron would have informed you, Young Master.”

“Father is not that kind of person. If my brother is building his strength, he’s the type to turn a blind eye.”

“I-Is that so?”

“That’s how I was able to build my strength without my eldest brother knowing. Of course, that was only possible because it was me.”

“Haha… You truly are remarkable, Young Master.”

Jason Alphonse let out a short sigh.

“Sigh… Today seems like it will be a very sad day. To lose the youngest of the Alphonse family… If only he had continued living like a wastrel, why did he have to try to climb up?”

“Indeed. But you did care for your youngest brother, Young Master.”

“He was a lovely brother. He knew his place and conducted himself admirably. If he had quietly enjoyed his pleasures, he would have had such a comfortable life… As his brother, I can only feel regret.”

“By now, he’s probably no longer in this world.”

At Blackwell’s words, Jason Alphonse twitched his eyebrows.

“By the way, how many men did you prepare?”

“Including elite knight-level fighters and the mage, a total of twenty-three.”

“Twenty-three… My little brother has grown quite a bit. To think we need to send twenty-three men just to deal with him.”

“It’s not because of Young Master Selden. We needed sufficient numbers because of Rio Sergang and Lightner.”

“Who is Lightner? That’s a name I haven’t heard before.”

Blackwell straightened his posture as if he had been waiting for this question.

“He’s one of the knights serving Baron Byron.”

“If Butler Blackwell is mentioning him, he must be a skilled knight? But it’s strange that I wouldn’t know of him.”

“He’s a knight who has grown rapidly in just one year. Baron Byron has taken quite an interest in him as well. We were originally planning to recruit him to our side, but the situation became complicated.”

“To think such a knight was assigned as my youngest brother’s guard… It seems our father’s view of the youngest has changed considerably.”

“W-Well, that’s…”

Suddenly, a chilling air washed over Blackwell’s face, cold enough to freeze.

Then, Jason Alphonse’s laughter was heard once more.

“Haha… To think the youngest is finally receiving love, it’s truly a moving moment for me as a family member.”

*Clap-clap-clap*

Jason Alphonse, still seated in his chair, began to applaud.

*Clap-clap-clap*

The sound gradually grew louder until it rang in Blackwell’s ears, loud enough to redden Jason’s palms.

And then.

*BANG*

Jason Alphonse slammed his palm forcefully on the desk.

Then, curling his lips into a vile smile, he continued.

“I think Selden’s funeral will be more entertaining than Leonard’s wedding.”