Ch.229Head of All Trading Companies, Dieta (3)

Ageshio Albania was the eldest son of the Duke’s family.

Until just recently, he had been a strong candidate to inherit the position of family head, and wherever he went, he was the protagonist who drew attention.

With the backing of the Albania ducal family supporting him, he was never mistreated, nor did anyone dare show him disrespect. To Ageshio’s eyes, the current situation was incomprehensible.

‘Isn’t Sir Griffin a knight of the Albania family? Isn’t he a knight who serves only Albania and has promised to be loyal to Albania?’

Why would such a Griffin bow his head to someone else? And at an angle that should only be shown to his father, Ottoman? Ageshio’s eyes widened.

Of course, if Griffin had bowed to someone else, Ageshio would have thought, ‘Sir Griffin must have his reasons,’ and hidden his displeasure, but…

Crack.

The problem was the recipient.

Griffin was kneeling before that damned woman and the young man who had humiliated him earlier.

The moment he saw this, Ageshio lost control of his emotions. The flames ignited by his inferiority complex burned away his reason. His actions and words came before understanding the situation.

“What impropriety is this, Sir Griffin!”

Ageshio bellowed.

His voice echoed throughout the restaurant, and the gazes of all the dining nobles focused on them.

“You are a knight of Albania, a knight who swore loyalty under the name of Albania.”

He had no room to consider whether it was wise to reprimand his family’s knight in front of everyone.

“What kind of knight bows his head to someone other than his master? Have you forgotten the precepts of knighthood? A true knight…!”

The precepts of knighthood.

The moment those words came out, Griffin’s head turned sharply. The man who was always calm and never made a fuss turned his head noisily to look at his master. Griffin’s gaze begged him to shut his mouth, but…

“Is a sword loyal to his master, bowing his head only before his master, and only for his master…”

Ageshio failed to notice that gaze.

In the end, he spoke of the precepts of knighthood and his own noble-centric view of what a knight should be.

This wasn’t a thought unique to Ageshio. If you asked ten nobles “What is a knight?”, eight out of ten would give the same answer as Ageshio.

However, if one condition were added, all ten would either shut their mouths or answer pompously, “Isn’t a knight someone who maintains honor and pride?”

That condition is simple.

Either in front of the Knights of Atanga, the knights among knights.

Or in front of someone with a similar rank.

“…”

Najin belonged to the latter category.

From the moment Ageshio mentioned the “precepts of knighthood,” Najin’s eyes narrowed. Griffin, noticing that gaze, turned deathly pale.

Griffin knew.

How absurd this situation was.

Najin was a free knight. A free knight is a guardian of knighthood, a symbol that all knights look up to. To speak of the precepts of knighthood in front of such a person was tantamount to suicide.

‘What happened to those nobles who spoke of the precepts of knighthood in front of Atanga?’

He remembered that the outcome was never good.

Beyond legal issues, it was about insulting the very title of knight itself. It could provoke the collective anger of those bound by the name of knight.

“Where are you looking, Sir Griffin? I am speaking to you now!”

Griffin wanted to shout for him to shut up, but showing remarkable restraint, he merely chopped the back of Ageshio’s neck. Channeling mana into his body, Griffin knocked Ageshio unconscious.

He believed that even if it meant laying hands on his master, he couldn’t let this issue escalate further.

“Ugh…”

After seating the collapsing Ageshio in a nearby chair, Griffin knelt before Najin.

“I apologize for the rudeness on behalf of my master.”

Although he had prevented the situation from escalating further, spilled water cannot be put back in the glass. Griffin felt his insides burning.

Many eyes were watching.

They had made a mistake.

And they had given the other side justification.

The political position was unfavorable. It was as if a sharp sword had been placed in the opponent’s hand, and they had given them reason to swing it. Griffin looked up at the person holding that sword.

“…”

There was a girl looking at him with indifferent eyes. Her cold, golden eyes were like those looking at their master. The corners of the girl’s eyes, with the golden eyes inherited by the Albania bloodline, curved like a crescent moon.

A born merchant, negotiator, and politician.

In less than a year, she had secured the position of the Empire’s greatest merchant. She wouldn’t miss such an opportunity. Though it wasn’t a battlefield with swords and spears, in politics where justification is used as a weapon, that girl was no different from a Sword Master.

“Sir Griffin, Knight Commander of the Albania ducal family.”

Dieta opened her mouth.

She opened her mouth and precisely specified Griffin’s affiliation and status. It was like declaring each other’s names before a duel.

A signal that she was about to attack him.

Griffin suppressed a sigh and straightened his posture, trying to evade that attack even slightly.

2.

Ageshio woke up about an hour later. He hurriedly sat up and looked around. It was his room. The room was dark, with the sun having completely set. Ageshio blinked, holding his throbbing head.

He clearly remembered reprimanding Griffin, but couldn’t recall what happened next.

As he was trying to piece together his memories:

“You’re awake.”

“Ack!”

Ageshio was startled by the voice beside him. He quickly turned on the mineral lamp at his bedside and directed its light toward the source of the voice. There sat Griffin, fingers interlocked, on a chair.

“…What is it, Sir Griffin?”

“First, I apologize for laying hands on you, young master. I am prepared to accept any punishment for this, but there is a matter I must report first.”

Though not in the best mood, Ageshio, with his head now cooled, decided he should at least listen. With a sour expression, he nodded.

“Go ahead and speak.”

“To get straight to the point, the Albania family must proceed with a trial by combat against the free knight, Sir Najin.”

“What? What are you saying?”

Ageshio’s eyes widened.

Griffin exhaled deeply and continued.

“Young master, you have greatly offended Sir Najin, the free knight. Additionally, the Albania family has previously committed illegal acts against Dieta Trading Company. At that time, since the company wasn’t significant, the nobility didn’t make a big issue of it… but if raised, it could become problematic.”

What are you talking about?

Despite Ageshio’s command to explain clearly, Griffin continued without pause.

“Past incidents have been brought to light, and the disrespect you showed has given them justification.”

“I showed disrespect?”

Griffin remained patient despite Ageshio’s bewildered blinking. This person is my master’s son, someone I must serve. Do not question, do not doubt, do not judge. Repeating his beliefs to himself, Griffin composed his breathing.

“They’re just merchants, aren’t they? Even if their status has grown, it doesn’t make them noble. And you say I showed disrespect to that young man? The problem was that you suddenly bowed your head! What disrespect did I…”

“Listen carefully, young master.”

Griffin interrupted Ageshio.

It was a discourtesy he had never shown before.

“Setting aside that the head of Dieta cannot be treated as ‘just a merchant,’ Sir Najin is a free knight.”

“I know that. Isn’t he treated as my equal in status? Like the highest nobility…”

“That’s merely administrative status. If I may be bold, a free knight is not bound by rank. They are not protected by rank, but rather, if necessary, they use rank. That is what a free knight is.”

Griffin explained to his blinking master.

“A free knight is like an idol to all knights and holds a symbolic position. They hold the same rank as the mythical knights who were part of the founding festival.”

In an empire that values tradition, the implications of this were clear without further explanation.

“The nobility didn’t exist before the empire; the empire existed, and then came the nobility. And the empire was founded by the founding festival, by Knight King Arthur with the Round Table and free knights. Do you understand what this means?”

“…”

“To speak about what a knight is in a public setting means bearing an enormous political burden.”

And Ageshio had expounded on what a knight is in front of numerous nobles, from an extremely noble-centric perspective.

“To speak words that could be interpreted as insulting to knights in front of a free knight, who is an idol to knights, is not something that can be taken lightly, young master.”

“Are you saying I should apologize to him?”

“It would be fortunate if an apology could end this. The problem is that it cannot.”

The conversation returns to the beginning.

“The illegal acts previously committed by the Albania family, and the charge of ‘insulting knights in front of a free knight.'”

Ageshio’s face turned deathly pale as he finally grasped the situation.

“These are not charges you can bear alone. Therefore, this has escalated into a matter for which the entire Albania family must take responsibility.”

“That means…”

“A trial by combat. Even this, I would say, is a merciful measure. It’s only possible because Sir Najin has shown leniency.”

Griffin let out a short sigh.

“A message from the family head.”

Griffin said.

“Return to the main house.”

We’ll discuss the details then.

Upon hearing this, Ageshio fainted.

3.

The incident surrounding the Albania family, Dieta Trading Company, and the free knight Najin spread throughout the Empire overnight. And when the schedule for the trial by combat was set, the Empire’s citizens couldn’t help but tilt their heads in confusion.

Why handle such a clear-cut case with abundant evidence and clear responsibility through a trial by combat?

A trial by combat is typically held when evidence is unclear, not suited for a situation like this. But following Najin’s statement, the citizens understood.

“Insults are washed away through duels.”

“Honor and pride are proven by the sword.”

“That is the precept of knighthood.”

By speaking of the precepts of knighthood and chivalry, “Ageshio Albania” had tarnished the honor of knights. The Albania family needed to prove that this was a slip of the tongue and not representative of Albania’s thinking.

How could they prove this?

Duel. Let the knights of the Albania ducal family show before the free knight that this is not the case, show your honor and pride. Then I will consider a merciful treatment for the wrongdoings you have committed.

The Empire’s citizens cheered at Najin’s statement. They praised it as a merciful measure and a choice befitting a free knight. But for those involved in the duel, it wasn’t entirely merciful.

If they couldn’t prove it.

That is, if they were shamefully defeated in the duel.

This trial by combat would be held with the entire Empire watching. Depending on the outcome, Albania could see its reputation, built over years, crumble to the ground. Ottoman, the head of the Albania family, summoned all the family’s Sword Seekers.

The rules of the duel were simple.

Any number could challenge.

Any knight belonging to Albania could take up the sword.

The rules specified by Najin were very favorable to the Albania family, which made the risk they would bear in case of a shameful defeat even greater.

As time passed, the day of the trial by combat arrived.

In the arena filled to capacity, amidst cheers and applause, Najin stepped onto the stage.

“…”

The free knight’s coat fluttered. In one hand, a sword, and on his back, the Cross Star Spear.

With a thud, Najin planted the Cross Star Spear.

As the flag tied to the spear shaft swayed, Najin spoke.

“Insults are washed away through duels.”

Najin pronounced the precepts of knighthood.

“Honor and pride are proven by the sword.”

Najin raised his sword.

“Take up your sword, and prove it.”

Prove that you are a knight.

The duel was declared. From the opposite side, the first to ascend was one of the four Sword Seeker-level knights affiliated with Albania.

“Free Knight, Najin.”

“Knight of Albania, Guyot.”

Knight Guyot, with sword and shield.

Guyot looked at Najin, holding a shield in one hand and a sword in the other. If one were to name the most famous person in the Empire recently, it would be the young man before him. Guyot had no intention of denying the achievements this man had made.

He would be strong, and Guyot couldn’t win against him.

But to tire Najin even slightly for the knights who would duel after him, Guyot drew up his mana.

‘No matter how famous he is, he’s still a Sword Seeker like me, isn’t he? He’s not a Sword Master.’

If so, he would endure as much as possible.

What Guyot was most confident in was endurance, dragging out a fight. Guyot struck his shield with his sword with a clang. The shield, surrounded by aura, glowed red.

Preparations were complete.

The knight of Atanga, who was overseeing the duel, announced its beginning.

And.

CRASH!

As soon as the duel began, Guyot was slammed into the wall.