Ch.27591. Now I’m Curious About Your True Identity…

# Deilira Barzenon

Once the leader of a famous mercenary group known as the “King of Polearms,” he was a legendary iron man who, despite not being a knight, overwhelmed heavily armored knights in mounted combat while lightly equipped.

Still active during the Demon King’s invasion, he was also famous for fiercely resisting the Demon King’s oppression out of rage after losing his blood relatives and sworn brothers.

After the Demon King was defeated, he naturalized to the Empire and was granted the title of baron in recognition of his achievements. Later, he joined the Barzenon Viscount family in middle age when the heir disappeared, and legitimately inherited the Barzenon family name.

The foreign mercenary named Balmartan naturally took a wife twenty years his junior, and their relationship was widely known to be surprisingly good.

Deilira was one of their five children.

“……”

One of the characteristics of the Imperial Jousting Tournament is that participants can choose whether to reveal their identity or keep it hidden.

If one becomes a runner-up, they would inevitably have to reveal their identity, but otherwise, there’s no need to expose oneself and bear the dishonor of defeat.

Therefore, participating with one’s identity fully revealed requires considerable courage.

In that sense, although Deilira hadn’t explicitly revealed herself, her identity was already somewhat publicly known due to her distinctive armor, unique spear technique, and the breed of her warhorse.

“……”

On the other hand.

The identity of the White Knight remained completely unknown.

Clearly, someone possessing such armor and warhorse couldn’t be from an unknown family, yet his identity remained a mystery.

There were some suspects, but some of them were actually sitting in the audience stands watching the tournament.

Even with the finals approaching, his identity remained elusive.

That’s why the citizens were secretly hoping.

Hoping that he would win or become the runner-up so his identity would be revealed.

Perhaps they were filled with the expectation of witnessing the birth of a new, unknown hero.

“From my careful observation, I don’t believe someone with such excellent spear and sword skills as yours could be unknown. Isn’t it time you revealed your identity?”

Before the duel, Deilira proposed with a hearty tone.

“Then I too will formally reveal my identity and true name, pledging the name of my house.”

From Deilira’s perspective, she didn’t want him to lose here and be forgotten.

The man seemed to have no intention of promoting or revealing himself.

Whether he had some circumstances or was thoroughly concealing himself due to some agreement or contract, she didn’t know.

But so far, he had never overwhelmingly crushed his opponents with his strength and skill.

He had been carefully adjusting his capabilities to match his opponents’ levels, showing considerable consideration to allow them to demonstrate their true abilities.

This indicated both exceptional skill and perfect character development.

While those with great power often flaunt it and act recklessly,

not once had he shown such boastful gestures or attitudes.

That alone proved what a disciplined, refined person he was.

That’s why Deilira liked him.

So much so that she was determined to recruit him as her vassal if possible.

She probably wasn’t the only one thinking this way.

In that sense, she felt privileged to have the opportunity to recruit him.

“What do you say?”

“I appreciate the offer, but unlike you, I regret to say I am not a knight.”

“Then you can be formally knighted now. Haven’t you already proven yourself? Both in skill and character.”

“……”

Their voices were magically amplified throughout the arena.

This itself was another element of interest and entertainment for the spectators, so the audience never rushed or hurried the combat or duel.

The two had already become the talk of the tournament.

“Are you suggesting I should belong to the Empire?”

“Are you not an Imperial citizen?”

Non-Imperial citizen.

That alone could turn some expectations into antipathy and discomfort.

But it didn’t matter.

In an era where everyone wanted to become an Imperial citizen, someone as powerful and outstanding as him would surely want to belong to the Empire.

The people, the citizens, never doubted this point.

Therefore, the antipathy and discomfort transformed into another form of interest.

“It doesn’t matter. The Empire will gladly accept you.”

“……”

A small laugh escaped from the White Knight.

“Our chat has gone on too long.”

The conversation ended.

But Deilira didn’t give up or feel disappointed.

To get what you want, you must constantly clash and challenge.

And even then, there are so many things in this world that remain unattainable.

It was the same when she first grasped a spear, a sword, or a mace.

They hardly followed her will, her words, her intentions.

But look at her now.

All of them had become like extensions of her limbs.

“If that’s what you want.”

From the main tournament onwards, participants were allowed to use actual weapons rather than tournament-grade ones.

And the long, bright blue spear that Deilira brought…

It was also an element that revealed her identity and status.

“The Blue Spear of Isadora!”

The blue wildflower that the mercenary Balmartan carried and made famous.

Later, it was added to the coat of arms of the Barzenon Viscount family.

It was the multipurpose spear that Balmartan had gifted to his second child, Deilira.

Usable as a cavalry lance, a long spear for ground combat, or a short spear for throwing or close combat, it was clearly a weapon of significance.

“……”

In contrast, what about the White Knight?

He persistently used only the initial tournament spear.

Not a cavalry lance, not a long spear, not a short spear, but something in between.

“Will that be sufficient?”

“……”

As the White Knight nodded, the crowd began to cheer.

In terms of equipment alone, he was at an overwhelming disadvantage.

In a tournament where even the equipment one brings is part of the competition, the gap between the two could create quite a story.

If the White Knight were to win even here, he would become a living legend.

“Then!”

The starting bell had already rung long ago.

Deilira spurred her horse and began to charge.

The spear in her hand suddenly transformed into a thick cavalry lance.

As it changed into a cone shape and grew even thicker,

everyone watching knew what it meant to collide head-on with such a weapon.

“……”

Yet the White Knight, rather than charging to meet her, seemed to be waiting to counter her, taking a stance with his spear.

He held the spear with both hands, raised it brilliantly, but not with his arms fully extended—an awkward posture.

“Haaaah!”

A fierce battle cry like lightning, like a beast’s roar, swept over the arena.

Some spectators were startled, widening their eyes or covering their ears, but…

“……”

The White Knight didn’t flinch at all.

The blue knight charging fiercely and the white knight standing still, ready to respond.

CRASH!

Surprisingly,

the White Knight’s horse rotated in place.

And it did so just before the collision.

The White Knight, mounted on the horse, skillfully deflected the incoming momentum and was now thrusting his spear at the exposed back of the blue knight.

“Not so fast!!!”

By the time she shouted, she had already deflected it.

Though she had reacted reflexively, half startled, Deilira couldn’t help but stare more at the White Knight’s mount than at the knight himself.

‘Despite its small build, it’s amazingly… agile and skilled.’

In jousting, the knight and the warhorse must become one to maximize efficiency.

Even if the White Knight was a monstrous talent, if his mount couldn’t keep up, he would be only half effective.

After dismounting, it might be different, but so far, the White Knight had never been forcibly dismounted even once.

“Excellent!”

Several more of Deilira’s offensives followed.

The White Knight displayed remarkable ingenuity, seemingly barely and narrowly blocking them with miraculous maneuvers.

I call them miraculous because they truly were close to miracles.

The White Knight’s mount’s performance was also hard to ignore, but ultimately, it’s the knight’s capability that guides the horse.

The collision and engagement of the two were visually not just spectacular but dramatic.

The crowd cheered.

Spectators unconsciously stood up, clasped their hands together, widened their eyes, and focused intensely.

“Uwaaa!”

Someone, overwhelmed by the intensity of the confrontation, involuntarily shouted.

As if on cue, the crowd began to go wild, raising their voices, waving their arms, and stomping their feet.

“Someone, anyone, win!”

“This is amazing! What is this?!”

“I can hardly believe my eyes! Such a level of skill!”

“Those who missed this must be so regretful! Hahaha!”

The more dramatic the match, the more the crowd cheers and applauds.

It’s not a realm of reason but of emotion.

The powerful heat rising from the heart, the emotions… explode and run wild one after another.

CRASH!

As the horse stomped the ground, the ground burst.

The Blue Knight, leading a warhorse with dark skin and a white mane, pressed the White Knight and his white mount.

Yet without retreating or being pushed back, the White Knight skillfully moved diagonally to counter the Blue Knight’s offensive—a monstrous maneuver and response by any knowledgeable observer’s standards.

“That guy’s insane.”

“It’s the unity of knight and horse. They’re in perfect sync, that’s why they can do that.”

Even knights ranked within the top 100 exclaimed in admiration as they watched.

Honestly, they doubted if they could do the same if asked.

And this… was no exception even for knights ranked within the top 10.

“If His Majesty were here, he’d be amazed.”

“Who knows? He might be watching in secret.”

“I doubt it. He might be observing through magic while working in his office, who knows?”

Despite their words, none of them could take their eyes off the arena.

The intense confrontation had, in fact, lasted less than a few minutes.

Yet everyone felt as if a considerable amount of time had passed due to the intensity of the density.

And just as their eyes were beginning to get accustomed to the movements…

“Ugh!”

The Blue Knight was pushed back.

As if it were predetermined, the time for counterattack had come.

Come to think of it, the White Knight had always been like this.

At first, he would respond conservatively, allowing his opponent to demonstrate their full capabilities, and then, once he deemed they had shown their limit, he would charge without hesitation.

Just like now.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

A series of thrusts without swinging.

But due to the horse’s movement, the thrusts combined the effects of swinging and slashing.

And the White Knight’s skill in twisting, pushing, and tilting it added to its effectiveness.

Despite being just an ordinary weapon, a tournament spear,

why was it so hard to parry or defend against?

“Ugh!”

The first to tire was none other than the Blue Knight’s warhorse.

With foam already dripping from its mouth and its slender muscular legs trembling, the outcome was already determined.

At that point, the White Knight ghostly retreated.

“……”

Since Deilira had initiated a war of attrition earlier, this was somewhat expected.

Even so, would her beloved mount’s condition deteriorate this quickly?

‘It’s not just the burden of receiving attacks…’

This was a method she had seen a few times before.

The White Knight would neutralize his opponents in this manner and then induce a ground battle, away from mounted combat.

As if challenging them to demonstrate their skills on foot.

‘I was wrong in my thinking.’

The opponent was beyond extraordinary, not an ordinary skilled person.

Yet, I tried to engage in unnecessary conversation with such a person.

‘What you see is not all there is.’

Perhaps inside that armor, there’s an old man with wrinkles.

Though his voice sounds young, that could easily be disguised.

“Huff.”

Judging by his experience alone, he might be even older than her father.

She realized it only after being defeated.

The other side was still not even panting, neither the warhorse nor the knight himself.

“I appreciate your consideration.”

The White Knight nodded.

Deilira finally dismounted.

She stroked her beloved mount a few times and gave it a look, as if telling it to step back.

As the horse understood its master’s intention and retreated, the watching crowd also expressed admiration.

‘It’s well-trained.’

‘They must have a deep connection.’

The White Knight also calmly dismounted.

Without even giving a signal, the white horse naturally stepped back, understanding the situation.

In a way, it seemed as if the horse was showing off, understanding the situation beyond mere affection, which was a spectacle in itself.

But this was already a familiar sight to the audience.

With both now on the ground,

the White Knight held a sword in his left hand and a spear in his right, while Deilira transformed her long spear into a cavalry lance.

“I’ll go first!”

With a battle cry, Deilira charged straight at him.

While straightforwardness is often susceptible to deception, when that straightforwardness is the result of rigorous training and perfection…

A knight’s physical abilities surpass those of superhumans.

Proving this, Deilira compressed an eight-step distance into just two steps.

“……”

The White Knight skillfully swung his spear to deflect the initial attack.

But Deilira’s long spear suddenly transformed into a short spear, catching him off guard.

She skillfully utilized the spear’s transformation technique.

But the White Knight wasn’t idle either.

The sword in his left hand elegantly deflected the dotted line of the spear’s thrust.

“Ugh!”

Though she forcefully twisted it with strength, barely managing to graze the White Knight’s armor,

it wasn’t enough.

‘Indeed, it’s not cheap.’

If it had been an ordinary armor, that alone would have torn the area like paper.

But it merely grazed?

It was effectively blocked.

And Deilira had no choice but to receive the White Knight’s counterattack, trusting in her armor’s defense.

CLANG!

The sound of metal colliding echoed clearly.

Along with it, an unbearable pain shot through her body as she was pushed back.

“Ugh!”

Even though he had struck her armor, the pain reached her internal organs.

If she had received it without armor…

‘What an amazing person.’

She hadn’t underestimated him, but perhaps she had.

This person is a master who might not be affected even if she clashed with him with all her might and determination.

He had already reached the realm of mastery.

Otherwise, creating such a gap would be impossible.

‘Even when facing father, it wasn’t this severe.’

Though he’s aged and not as good as before, she still couldn’t surpass his domain.

But the person before her might be an even greater master.

“……”

Yet, he still doesn’t boast or act arrogantly.

He only displays a concise, refined restraint.

“Huff.”

Deilira took a short breath.

“I will give my best.”

After saying this, she spread her legs wide front and back, pointed her spear, and lowered her stance.

Seeing this, some who recognized the stance let out short sighs,

and someone even exclaimed in admiration.

“Already replicating that technique.”

“He raised his children well, that Baltan.”

“If my child were half as good as her, they would have ruled the world, tsk!”

A bluish, distinctive mana current began to swirl around her body.

The deep blue mana, already absorbed into her body and completely transformed into her own essence and nature.

As the burning resonance of mana flowed distinctly, and its light shone clearly,

Like a flame clinging to firewood, it burned brightly and continued to burn.

“……”

Only then did the White Knight put down his sword.

“Hmm.”

He finally gripped his spear with both hands.

Unlike Deilira, who pointed her spear at the ground as if aiming at her opponent,

he held his spear diagonally, as if pointing to the sky.

“Ordinary… indeed.”

Someone watching couldn’t help but murmur.

It was like the stance someone unfamiliar with weapon techniques would learn when first holding a spear.

Static, yet fundamental and basic.

A basic posture designed so that even if one couldn’t thrust, just by standing and holding firm, one could become part of the military formation.

“Here I come!”

Deilira neither let her guard down nor hesitated.

The best of the best!

The blue current suddenly concentrated in her body,

and her entire body drew a blue line, passing by the White Knight like a flash of light in an instant.

Probably only a very few in the arena could have properly witnessed this to the end.

And one middle-aged person among those few…

“Truly… astonishing.”

Isadora’s Flash.

Essentially one of the signature techniques of the current Balmartan, Viscount Barzenon.

A technique known as a fatal strike was recreated by his daughter.

Most people are hit without even knowing what it is, hence it’s also called the direct flash or lightning spear—a unique technique.

“……”

But look at the White Knight.

“What happened?”

The silence and stillness gradually subsided.

And the one who first knelt was Deilira.

That is, the young female knight who had demonstrated the amazing technique, the irreplaceable one.

“Excellent.”

The White Knight turned his back and praised her in a purely sincere manner.

This might be close to a commendation.

“Are you some deceased person?”

“Calling me deceased to my face.”

The White Knight let out a weak laugh.

“I suppose that’s possible.”

He readily admitted.

“You did well.”

By now, the white horse had approached its master and was nuzzling against him affectionately.

As the White Knight took hold of the horse and headed out of the arena,

the announcer teleported to ask Deilira for her opinion, as if the outcome had been decided.

“This match. It’s my complete defeat.”

With her straightforward concession, the finalist was determined.

Several clerics approached Deilira to perform holy magic for injury and stamina recovery.

In contrast, the White Knight politely declined even that consideration and was just leaving the arena to entrust his warhorse to the stable.

“Now I’m curious about his identity…”

I must find out.

Deilira firmly resolved.

Anyway, in two days, she would know regardless of what anyone said.

That’s when the third-place determination matches for the jousting and combat tournaments would be held.

Afterwards, the two finals would naturally take place, so she would know by then.

Whether he becomes the ultimate champion of this tournament,

or whether he loses.

Deilira’s inner thoughts became increasingly complex.

Part of her felt that only if the one who defeated her won would she feel satisfied.

But in another sense, she wanted Alesius to win and restore his honor by his own hands.

Such dual feelings were complicating her mind and heart.