Ch.3434. The Stroph Family (2)

Grand Duke Quenore brought his family before our party. It was obvious how much love he had for his family. A northern grand duke so warm to his family. I inwardly chuckled as I looked at Grand Duke Quenore’s family.

“So you’re the hero party who came to capture the calamity.”

The first to greet us was the grand duke’s wife. She seemed to be from the central region rather than the north, with her hazelnut-colored hair neatly tied up. I guessed she was probably in her late 40s, similar to the grand duke, but her smiling face looked no older than her early to mid-30s.

“I am Hela Strope, wife of Grand Duke Quenore Strope.”

Her manner and gestures were elegant, befitting a noblewoman. Rather than the elegance of a greenhouse flower, her attitude seemed to come from the composure of someone who had weathered many political storms. Overall, she was far from the rough northern impression, but the aura she exuded had enough charisma to easily suppress that northern roughness.

“They’re truly worthy of being calamity hunters.”

Grand Duke Quenore said as he placed his hand on my shoulder. This guy seemed to be acting extra friendly in front of his family, but I decided to play along.

“It feels like I’ve met good warriors after a long time.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you be so friendly with guests.”

The grand duke’s wife said with a bright smile.

“Welcome to Evernode. I hope you’ll be comfortable during your stay.”

After saying that, she turned her attention to her children. First, the eldest son stepped forward and extended his hand to me. I awkwardly shook his hand.

“I am Luke Strope, deputy commander of the Evernode Knights.”

The grand duke’s son introduced himself by his position. The future lord of Evernode. He really resembled Grand Duke Quenore in appearance. Especially that stoic expression and the suspicious look in his eyes.

“Stories of the hero have reached even the north. I heard more about you when I was in the capital.”

Luke said, glancing briefly at our party. His gaze slightly frowned when he saw Daphne and Marianne in her nun’s habit, but quickly returned to normal.

“…The saint really isn’t here.”

“There were many circumstances. You would have heard about it while in the capital.”

This isn’t some reverse harem story with the saint, why are there so many people looking for her? I inwardly scoffed as I released Luke’s hand. Luke shrugged as if he had nothing more to say.

“I look forward to working with you, Hero. I hope you can successfully defeat the fourth calamity along with Evernode.”

After saying that, Luke gently pushed his younger sister forward. The child whom the Evernode knights called the ‘Iron Blood Princess.’ It sounded like someone’s joke of a nickname. The child looked around nervously, and only met my eyes when I slightly bent my waist. Her hair was jet black like the northern grand duke’s, but her eyes were the same green as her mother’s.

“I am Karin Strope.”

The northern grand duke’s daughter said in a voice she had clearly tried to compose. She must be overprotected by these Evernode knights. Despite that, she didn’t seem spoiled at all.

Unable to think of greetings like her brother or mother, Karin just stated her name and fidgeted before suddenly extending her hand to me like Luke had done. I grinned and shook her small hand. Karin’s expression brightened as she shook hands with me.

“I look forward to working with you.”

“I-I look forward to working with you.”

After Karin struggled through her greeting, our party members began exchanging greetings with Grand Duke Quenore’s family one by one. Surprisingly, Luke still remembered George, who had been deployed here 10 years ago. And Karin’s expression froze in fear when she saw George. Tsk. Scaring a child like that.

“I am Karin Strope.”

And Daphne looked like she might either hug Karin or faint backward. Karin seemed even more frightened by Daphne, who was looking at her with sparkling eyes. Then Karin looked at the expressionless Marianne with admiring eyes.

“My daughter really likes you. I suppose there’s no child who doesn’t like heroes.”

Grand Duke Quenore whispered to me. When I glanced aside, I could see Karin continuously stealing glances at me. She seemed conscious of the gazes around her and couldn’t look at me directly.

“I’d appreciate it if you could spare some time later to chat with my daughter…”

Grand Duke Quenore looked at me with a somewhat troubled expression. So he’s a father after all. I nodded with a smile.

“I can certainly make time for that. It’s not like I’d be forcing myself.”

“Thank you, Ilroy.”

As I was watching the Strope family converse, Ris approached me.

“As you can see, Miss Karin is the grand duke’s late child. She’s nine years old this year… fifteen years younger than Lord Luke. She’s like a niece to our Evernode knights and soldiers. Some older knights even see her as a grandniece. You could say she’s loved by the entire domain.”

Ris was watching Grand Duke Quenore’s family with me.

“…Perhaps the reason you received such scrutiny from Evernode was because the young miss is very fond of you. That thought occurs to me.”

Then Ris turned to me and shrugged.

“There were certainly knights who thought, ‘Let’s expose the true face of whoever stole our young lady’s heart.'”

“What are these grown men doing, acting so childishly?”

Well, I suppose they’re still better than those court nobles who tried to put a leash on me? I let out a scoff, and Ris scratched his head awkwardly.

“By the way, why ‘Iron Blood Princess’?”

That nine-year-old little girl is exactly the opposite of the ‘iron blood’ I know. At my question, Ris laughed.

“It was three years ago. When the young miss was six years old. She was beginning to learn about the world from the library in the Strope mansion.”

A six-year-old reading on her own. The grand duke’s daughter is indeed extraordinary.

“At that time, the young miss must have read somewhere about the ‘Iron Blood Admiral’ of the old navy. After that, she must have been quite taken with the term ‘iron blood,’ because she went around telling the knights with a solemn expression, ‘Call me the Iron Blood Princess!'”

After that, the knights, soldiers, and vassals eagerly began calling Karin the ‘Iron Blood Princess.’ These people are truly wicked.

“…I wonder how embarrassed she’ll be when she grows up and remembers this.”

“Actually, we’re all looking forward to that. In about six years, the word ‘iron blood’ will probably become forbidden throughout Evernode.”

As Ris and I were chuckling and chatting, someone approached me.

“Hero.”

It was Luke Strope, the grand duke’s eldest son. There was no particular hostility visible, but he looked somewhat confused. If he had stayed in the capital before coming here, he would know Ilroy’s old reputation better than the northern knights, so such a reaction was understandable.

“I saw the departure ceremony. As Evernode’s representative, I should have greeted you and accompanied you to Evernode, but I had many other duties and couldn’t join you.”

“Don’t worry about it. The knights of Evernode welcomed our party warmly enough—”

At this point, I turned to look at Ris, who avoided meeting my eyes. Right, you people should feel a bit guilty.

“We’ve been staying comfortably, as if it were our own home.”

“…I see.”

Luke continued to look at me with a disgruntled expression. Then, as if he had made some decision, he stepped forward.

“Hero, would you care to cross swords with me?”

At this sudden topic from Luke’s mouth, the ears of the Evernode knights and soldiers present perked up like hunting dogs that had spotted prey.

“A fight?”

“Who’s competing with whom? The hero and the young lord?”

“Big match! Holy shit!”

“You two, go clear the training ground!”

Right. Fighting and duels are the best entertainment for these battle maniacs. I stared in bewilderment at the soldiers disappearing at the speed of light and the knights suddenly starting to set things up, even though I hadn’t even accepted the duel. Even Ris, who had been chatting with me just moments ago, had disappeared, and George had started murmuring with the northern knights without even looking at me.

“The knights of Evernode don’t usually welcome outsiders like this.”

Luke looked at me with eyes containing a hint of hostility. By now, I was so used to that look that I tried to remain indifferent.

“I want to cross swords with you to understand what I might have misunderstood about you.”

“…Well, I’m fine with it. I’m not petty enough to make a fuss over one fight.”

Is dialogue and compromise absent from the minds of Evernode people? I thought as I accepted Luke’s proposal. I need to grow stronger as quickly as possible. I had no reason to refuse a fight with a strong opponent like the deputy commander of the Evernode Knights.

The two youngest soldiers had polished the training ground until it shone. I stretched my muscles and bones, which had become stiff from riding horseback for so long.

“[This time I won’t advise you. Fight as you wish.]”

Even if I end up getting crushed?

“[It’s good not to be careless, but don’t underestimate yourself too much either.]”

At the Holy Sword’s serious advice, I let out a chuckle. Just then, a female knight who had taken on the role of referee approached me and handed me an ordinary iron sword.

“What’s this?”

“…I don’t think it would be appropriate to use the Holy Sword in a duel.”

The referee said, looking past me. As I frowned in confusion, jeers came flying from behind.

“That’s right, Hero! If you don’t want to end the duel in 10 seconds, put down the Holy Sword and fight!”

“It’s been a while since we’ve had a good duel, we should enjoy it!”

I frowned at the knights, but they continued to clamor for me to fight without the Holy Sword. Seriously, do they think I would unleash the Holy Sword just to face the grand duke’s son?

“[…Very well, do as they wish.]”

The Holy Sword spoke in my mind. Was it my imagination, or did it sound a bit sulky? Is it upset, perhaps?

“[Who’s upset! This is a fight I wouldn’t be involved in anyway, so using another sword would be much more helpful for you.]”

Yes. It definitely seems a bit upset. I’ll have to polish the blade carefully later.

“[Ilroy…!]”

Before the Holy Sword could get angrier, I quickly handed it to the referee. I was worried it might take out its anger on the female knight, but nothing like that happened. I accepted the ordinary iron sword from the referee with a wry smile. With a clinking sound, an unfamiliar scabbard was placed in my hand.

Come to think of it, this was the first time since my possession that I had held a sword other than the Holy Sword. I looked at the sword with its distinctly different weight and feel. The leather strap wrapped around the hilt was soft and moist, and the blade was a bit shorter and lighter than the Holy Sword’s. Would it get angry if I said that?

“Let’s begin.”

Luke’s voice came from across the field. He seemed quite offended by the fact that I was fighting him without the Holy Sword. Well, setting aside fighting without the Holy Sword, what really hurt his pride was probably the jeers directed at me.

Looking back, I could see our party cheering for me. Actually, only Daphne was really cheering for me; that bastard George was subtly supporting Luke. Marianne was staring at me expressionlessly. I smiled, thinking that was her way of cheering. Grand Duke Quenore, who had somehow joined the spectators, remained neutral, and the ‘Iron Blood Princess’ Karin was looking at Luke and me alternately with sparkling eyes.

“I look forward to this.”

Ignoring my greeting, Luke took a stance. I also smiled awkwardly and took my position.

Jeers and cheers could be heard. Voices supporting me, voices supporting Luke. Voices belittling me, voices belittling Luke.

Without the Holy Sword’s advice in my head, all these noises were more audible. So I concentrated more. I observed my opponent’s footsteps and breathing, analyzing the small movements of his muscles and his tendencies. I input only the facts I was certain of into my mind and discarded uncertain judgments.

“Both fighters ready.”

Crunch.

The sound of Luke’s foot crushing the ground. I could barely hear the signal to start. Using the sound of Luke’s foot striking the ground as my cue, I raised my sword and deflected the incoming sword strike. I could perceive the approaching sword tip with great precision.

And then, the thought that I might be able to handle this flashed through my mind.

CLANG-!!

I thrust my sword forward. Luke blocked my strike by deflecting his sword upward. Now Luke’s offensive targeted me. Extending my foot backward, I recalled Marianne’s movements. Like tracing the veins of a leaf, I tried to deflect his sword tip with mine—

CLANG-!!

Tsk. I failed as his blade met the flat of my sword. Well, he’s not an opponent who would fall for a technique I haven’t even mastered. Luke contorted his face and pressed me harder. Once my movement was disrupted, I had no choice but to switch to defense. Looking at Luke’s increasingly distorted face, I apologized inwardly. Sorry, I didn’t mean to disrespect you.

“Kuk-!”

I block. I deflect. In the midst of this, I slowly regained my breath and began looking for openings. As our offensive and defensive exchanges reached a stalemate, Luke drew up mana and pushed me back. The blade of Luke’s raised sword was enveloped in a blue light of magical power. An aura.

“Is he going to fight with his real strength now?”

“This is going to be a good fight, for real.”

Aura, aura.

I frowned as I looked at Luke’s sword.

Come to think of it, I couldn’t overlay an aura on the Holy Sword.

I then looked down at the iron sword in my hand. It had already been damaged quite a bit from our clashes.

…Can I do it?

Luke charged. Knowing that the sword would break if I met his aura head-on a few times, I deflected Luke’s aura by a hair’s breadth and drew up my mana.

Thump.

It was a new feeling. A feeling that the sword and I were connected. A feeling that I was completely controlling the sword as a part of myself. A feeling that I had become a tree, rooting into the ground that was the sword.

Whoosh.

I dodge the aura blade again. Feeling the lingering traces of magical power, I exhaled deeply. A handful of mana flowed from my heart into the sword hilt.

BOOM-!!!

A thunderous sound reverberated. I could no longer feel the weight of the sword in my hand. Luke, across from me, looked at my sword with a surprised expression.

“…So this works.”

I looked down at my sword as I took a stance. A faint silver aura was rising from the blade.