Chapter 3: Became the royal sandbag (3)

The current situation could best be described as a dead end.

“Draw your sword.”

The glaring face before me was very familiar. Although this was my first time seeing her in person, I’d studied the faces of the royals almost as much as Defeat Swordsmanship since being selected as a Royal Instructor. It was only natural that I’d recognize her.

Princess Hestia. Among the ten royals, she was considered one of the top three in terms of swordsmanship talent. At the same time, she was the most unpretentious of all the royals.

Thanks to this, she received a lot of attention and affection, but simultaneously, she was a source of worry and concern for many, including the Commander. Notable anecdotes included the King sighing and asking, “Who’s going to handle her?” and her assigned senior instructor repeatedly submitting, and having rejected, resignation letters. Along with the Third Prince, she was one of the most troublesome royals, so information about Princess Hestia was etched deeply in my memory. After reading her file, I thought, “I need to avoid this person at all costs!”

But then, why was she here, challenging me to a duel? I couldn’t even refuse. This was something I’d only experienced with Pokémon trainers in my past life!

‘Help me!’

I was doomed. To face someone officially recognized as a prodigy in the Kingdom of Knights… I’d prefer to lose gracefully, but…

“I can’t entrust my brother to someone who doesn’t even meet my standards.”

Glaring at me, she declared she wouldn’t acknowledge my position as an instructor if I wasn’t skilled enough. I glanced at the Commander again, but he avoided my gaze.

That damned old man. I had no choice but to raise my wooden sword. The atmosphere shifted instantly. A bloodlust as if she was ready to cut me down at any moment.

She was barely past the age of elementary school graduation by my previous life’s standards. How was this possible? Then again, remembering the elementary school kids featured in the news for juvenile delinquency back in my world… maybe it wasn’t so far-fetched. If those kids were born in this fantasy world, at least one of them would probably turn out like our princess. The problem was that I had to deal with this little monster.

“Ready.”

Oblivious to the tears welling up in my eyes and the way my grip tightened on the wooden sword, the referee, instead of stopping us, seemed to be encouraging the fight. Well, he was probably just following orders, but from my perspective, it was incredibly irritating.

“Begin!”

As soon as the match started, the princess charged at me like a madwoman, leaving me no time to think about anything else.

“Haa…”

I inhaled sharply as her wooden sword rained down blows. I vaguely recalled from health class in my past life that girls matured faster than boys. Even considering that, and the fact that she was older than me, her blows were heavier than most men I’d fought. I was barely managing to block them. Then, I met the Second Princess’s gaze, and I was shocked again.

“You block well!”

Holy crap, she was crazy. I knew she wasn’t normal from the moment she challenged me to a duel, but seeing her with a sword in hand revealed a whole new level of insanity.

“Try blocking this!”

“This is a bit…?!”

A red aura enveloped Princess Hestia’s wooden sword. Faint, but definitely imbued with magic. As expected of a prodigy recognized by the kingdom. But it seemed all her talent was focused in one area, leaving her lacking in other aspects. Did she not understand why we were using wooden swords?

“Haaa!”

I was suddenly reminded of a manga from my past life where a character used a reversed-blade sword, claiming it wasn’t murder because he hit people with the blunt side. We were given wooden swords for safe sparring, and she was imbuing hers with magic? If our swords clashed, mine would be splintered, and if it hit me, I could become literally “Adam.” It was an emergency.

“Do you have no pride?!”

So, just as our swords were about to collide, I quickly rolled on the ground to dodge the attack. However, I was met with an indignant shout.

This was frustrating. It might have been unknightly, but survival came first, didn’t it?

“Die honorably!”

“…”

Excuse me, this was supposed to be a sparring match. I wanted to retort, but a Royal Instructor’s code of conduct included not contradicting royalty. I was supposed to just appease her, right? Ah, the ways of royal education. The subordinate just had to shut up and take it.

-“What if the Prince is stronger than you expect? That’s a silly question.”

As I watched the princess charge at me again, I recalled the Commander’s words.

-“Unleash your talent!”

-“…”

-“You can do it!”

That man was useless. What good was being a high-ranking official and a renowned swordsman if he couldn’t give me any useful advice?

Despite my thoughts, I gritted my teeth and raised my sword. I’d come to another world. Maybe I had some hidden talent I didn’t know about! Explode, my talent!

“Haa!”

I took a deep breath, assumed a stance, and swung my sword. One of the Defeat Swordsmanship’s prescribed stances for an honorable defeat. The problem was that my opponent was significantly stronger, but if I were the protagonist, wouldn’t things work out somehow?

“Oh.”

As my talent—or rather, my wooden sword—exploded into fragments, I realized with certainty that I was not the protagonist.

****

Staring at the wooden fragments scattered in the air, Hestia came back to her senses.

‘I’m screwed!’

Honestly, the test was already over. Many who were recognized for their talent in the kingdom couldn’t even withstand ten exchanges with her. This boy, two years younger and the same age as her brother, had already endured more than ten.

That alone was enough to pass. Even when she got a little carried away and imbued her sword with magic, he managed to endure with optimal movements. Her criticism of his roll was just a momentary outburst of frustration at her missed attack. She actually admired his unwavering dedication to winning.

Some nobles might look down on someone who stubbornly challenged a superior despite the overwhelming difference in skill, but Hestia wasn’t one of them. Therefore, she fought seriously. Giving her all against someone giving their all was Hestia’s idea of respect. As her opponent continued to endure even after several more exchanges, a sense of stubbornness arose within her.

Let’s see if you can block this too. Oh, you did? Then how about this? As she continued to escalate the duel, she ended up unleashing a full-powered attack.

“…”

And the result was the carnage before her. The fragments of the wooden sword scattered on the floor.

The sight of a piece of wood embedded in the boy’s neck, bleeding, would have been traumatic for an ordinary person. Of course, this was the Kingdom of Knights, so it wasn’t that shocking. Accidents during training or duels were common.

However, such incidents were only acceptable between opponents of similar skill levels. In the current situation, anyone could see that she had abused her authority (true) to drag a younger prospect into a duel (true), unilaterally beat him up (true), and to top it all off, imbued her sword with magic, causing bloodshed (true).

“…”

Even as she heard the urgent voices around her and saw the boy writhing on the floor, Hestia couldn’t move. She was aware that she had crossed a line, even as a princess. And this was the first time she had witnessed such carnage.

No, more than that…

‘I…’

Hestia’s eyes trembled violently at the realization that she had caused this carnage with her own hands. The sword in her hand felt heavy.

‘To become a knight, you must be able to bear the weight of the sword.’

One of her masters used to say that. Hestia would smile brightly and reply, “This isn’t heavy at all!” as she swung her sword around.

But now, she understood.

The weight of the sword her master spoke of wasn’t the physical weight of the blade. Born in Leon, the Kingdom of Knights, she had taken holding a sword for granted.

A sword was a weapon. A tool for killing. While it could be used to save lives, its primary purpose was undeniably to take them. As this realization truly sunk in, fear washed over her. The sword felt heavy. The sword she had always felt so close to, the sword she considered a friend, now felt alien.

“Adam!”

Amidst the surrounding commotion, the boy, covered in blood, stood up. Holding his half-broken sword as if declaring he hadn’t lost yet. Hestia’s eyes widened at the sight.

Why did he get up? He looked like he would collapse at the slightest touch. What more could he gain by continuing to fight?

“Ah.”

As she thought that, she remembered something.

-“A knight is someone who draws their sword even knowing they will lose.”

Her father’s words, spoken when he first placed a sword in her hand as a child. Why had she forgotten? Why had she forgotten something she should never have forgotten?

The sword, which had felt so scary and heavy, returned to its usual weight. No, it felt even lighter. But she dropped the lighter sword from her hand.

Because…

“I lost.”

…today’s victor was him.

****

The moment Princess Hestia conceded, I collapsed. Because it hurt like hell.

“Are you alive?”

The Commander quietly asked, looking at me being carried away on a stretcher. Was I alive?

“I feel dead.”

“You’re alive, then.”

At his nonchalant nod, something welled up inside me, but…

“Don’t worry about the treatment. You’ll also receive compensation from the royal family.”

“How much?”

My anger subsided at the mention of compensation. As expected of the Kingdom of Knights. Even their compensation was generous.

“Is it alright to give me this much?”

“It’s fine. You’ve done a lot.”

Princess Hestia had never lost to anyone her age. Not just due to her status, but because no one could match her skill. She had become too arrogant.

Arrogant enough that one stumble could shatter everything. And that moment was today.

“If you hadn’t stood up at that moment, Princess Hestia might not have picked up a sword again for a while.”

Was it that serious? I’d been contemplating just staying down until that very moment.

“Well done.”

“It hurts.”

A head pat filled with praise landed squarely on my head. It hurt. No, it really hurt.

“Ow, there’s a splinter there!”

“Haha!”

I spent some time in the infirmary, but as expected of the Kingdom of Knights, injuries were commonplace, so a few days of treatment completely healed me. No, more than healed. I became stronger after consuming the elixirs provided by the royal family.

And as a result, everything became perfect.

I was both the greatest talent the Commander had ever seen and the benefactor who reformed Princess Hestia, the royal family’s problem child. No one could object to me being in charge of the Fifth Prince!

…Or so I thought.

“Huh?”

“Whoa!”

Princess Hestia’s eyes widened as a sword pointed at her throat. The Fifth Prince, who had defeated his sister for the first time, also widened his eyes in delight. But the most surprised people were me and the Commander beside me.

“What the…?”

A curse word from my past life slipped out. But it couldn’t be helped.

One year of learning swordsmanship. Princess Hestia, a top talent even within the royal family, lost to her brother, who had only been learning for a year. It was a result that could only be described as insane talent.

And the problem was… I had to be the pacemaker for that insane talent.