Ch.6767. Toolung Harbor (4)

The dueling culture of the Frankish Kingdom, and by extension the Western Continent, is closer to a means of settling disputes.

In a world where not even early modern judicial capabilities exist, let alone modern ones, resolving cases with insufficient evidence or witnesses is no easy task.

Therefore, to resolve such cases, people of this era chose a simple yet irrefutable method: the “trial by combat,” where the opinion of the victor prevails.

At first glance, it might seem like a primitive and violent custom of barbarians, following the logic that might makes right, but…

Trial by combat is not merely a violent and barbaric custom but an institution with religious significance.

This trial is established on the religious premise that God will grant victory to the righteous. Unlike real-world trial by combat, this version is relatively fair because divine intervention actually occurs.

To prevent stronger individuals from automatically winning, participants must be of equal rank, and in cases of extreme disparity in combat ability, handicaps may be applied.

Even when employing methods such as hiring champions to fight in one’s stead, duels must appear fair (at the very least).

And now.

“Druid, your arrogance shall be judged by Denville Bistro!”

‘…What an idiot.’

I looked contemptuously at the self-proclaimed knight-errant of a baron’s house in the dueling arena, established specifically for settling disputes in this conflict-prone port.

…I mean, this lunatic received his knighthood from a baron appointed by the king, yet he misunderstood it as being directly from the baron, considering himself a knight-errant of the baron’s house.

How could I possibly view favorably someone who not only picks fights with random passersby but also, perhaps due to his rise from humble origins, obsesses over his status and belittles others?

According to an adventurer who spoke to me earlier, this self-proclaimed knight-errant was originally a serf who awakened his aura, became a mid-tier warrior, received knighthood, and achieved social advancement.

Though not common, I’m told there are quite a few people who have entered noble society in this manner.

However, not all nobles who achieve social advancement are equal. Especially a knight-errant with no territory and only a knighthood to his name can hardly expect good treatment in noble society.

That’s why this fellow is notorious for picking fights in inappropriate places, trying to compensate for his inferiority complex…

“I don’t care about judgment or whatever. Come on, attack. You’re really annoying me.”

“…You scoundrel!”

I provoked the knight-errant who had caused a disturbance in front of Sofia and me, ruined our mood, and even insulted me when I stepped in as a mediator.

-Shing!

The self-proclaimed knight drew his mythril rapier from its ornate scabbard, while I circulated magical power within my body, preparing to cast spells at any moment.

“—Let the duel begin!”

And the moment the priestess from the Temple of Debona (Goddess of Healing and Life), who was present as a witness, announced the start of the duel—

[—Grow!]

I cast a spell I had prepared in advance, causing plant seeds deeply embedded in the ground to come to life and burst through the floor.

-CRASH!!!

The plants, imbued with the Mystery of Hydra, took the form of serpents made of green vegetation. They erupted through the entire dueling arena floor at once, destroying the footing and extending toward the knight-errant…

“—Hup!!”

-SLASH!!!

True to his mid-tier status, the knight instantly leaped onto the plants and swung his aura-infused rapier, chopping off the serpent heads one after another. Watching this, I calmly analyzed the self-proclaimed knight’s combat style.

He was a typical light-armored warrior specialized in one-on-one combat. His thin armor ensured flexible movement while utilizing that flexibility and speed for rapier swordsmanship.

The blue uniform he wore was made of magical fabric providing a certain degree of protection, and both his light armor and rapier were made of mythril, a special metal.

Mithril, with properties similar to silver, boasts excellent magical conductivity, incredibly light weight, and durability exceeding most metals even in its unprocessed state.

Additionally, that rapier with a sapphire embedded in the pommel was no ordinary weapon. Not only was it made entirely of mythril, but the blade was enchanted with a unique magic that distorted vision and interfered with perception.

In particular, he employed a distinctive swordsmanship specialized for one-on-one combat, utilizing both this characteristic of making the blade difficult to perceive and the rapier’s flexible, bending nature.

As an aura awakener, he didn’t lack attack power despite his specialization in one-on-one combat.

[Serpents, bite!]

The knight cut down the numerous approaching plant serpents’ heads and looked at me with a provocative smirk.

Of course, instead of falling for his provocation, I smiled back and immediately prepared my next spell.

[Slash, claws!]

Slashes resembling beast claws tearing through the air rained down on the knight. With dozens of plant heads still remaining, the sudden attack seemed to catch the knight-errant off guard, and he frantically swung his sword.

Indeed, his ability to somehow dodge or parry invisible slashes clearly revealed how he had survived in this field despite his foul personality.

“—Kuk!”

But as time passed, the frequency of incoming slashes only increased, while the knight was struggling to block attacks coming from unknown directions, gradually accumulating small cuts on his body.

The slashes coming from all directions had to be blocked or they would hit, naturally revealing the limitations of this light-armored knight.

Swordsmanship that deceived and confused human eyes was ineffective against slashes steadily pouring from a distance. Even if he tried to directly take the attacks like a warrior, the slashes’ power exceeded his defense.

Moreover, with plant serpents emerging from all directions to attack him, the knight had to make a choice.

And…

-BOOM!!

After forcefully kicking away a plant stem, the knight recklessly infused his blade with so much aura it glowed blue and charged toward me.

He ignored the wounds from the slashes as long as they weren’t fatal. He swung his rapier to instantly eliminate anything blocking his path or threatening his life.

With only about 10 seconds left until our direct confrontation, I, a magic user, faced a properly excited warrior in one-on-one combat…

[KUOOOOOOOOO!!!]

“…?!!”

The moment he entered my range, I transformed into a manticore using an animal transformation spell I had prepared in advance.

-CRASH!!!

Before he could react, I moved the manticore’s body quickly to press down on the knight-errant.

I drove claws sharper than blades into the self-proclaimed knight’s body and pressed down with my full weight. Aiming for the heart or neck—vital points that could cause instant death with a single strike.

“AAAAAAHHH!!!”

But a mid-tier is still a mid-tier, I suppose. Despite having claws embedded in his body and being pinned to the ground, the knight-errant, while screaming like a little girl, tenaciously held onto his rapier.

-SLASH!

[…?!!]

The result was my left arm being severed by the rapier he swung without concern for consequences.

Although the rapier completely evaporated from the excessive aura he had infused for destructive power, losing my left arm below the elbow was by no means a minor injury.

“…Ugh!”

Belatedly returning to human form, which was much easier to regenerate, I urgently drew upon the Mystery of Hydra to heal and recover from the wound.

However… the loss of a body part was not a shallow injury that could be healed in just a few seconds, and while I attempted regeneration, the knight pulled out a stiletto from his pocket as a backup weapon and began approaching…

“…Bite, serpent.”

-■■■■■■■■■!!!

Through the floor, a translucent hydra head I had manifested through wild magic rose up and bit into the knight’s body.

Since this was merely a “duel,” I didn’t actually implement the hydra’s poison. The magically recreated “magic-destroying” venom instantly destroyed the knight’s internal aura.

And as the knight spat blood from all seven orifices and collapsed to the ground from the backlash, I felt my left arm regenerating inside my empty sleeve and realized something as I looked at his fallen form.

…Perhaps this fellow had sustained injuries far more serious than I had initially thought.