I Became the Hero Who Banished the Protagonist chapter 34

34. House Strop (2)

The Archduke of Quenore brought his family to the front of our party. Even just looking at it, I was overflowing with love for my family. The Grand Duke of the North is so warm to his family. I smiled inwardly and looked at the family of the Archduke of Quenore.

“You guys are a party of warriors who came to catch the disaster.”

The first to greet us was the Grand Duchess. She seemed to be from the center rather than the north, her hazelnut-colored hair neatly tied back. I think he may be in his late 40s, similar to the age of the Grand Duke, but the smiling face to us only seemed to be in his early to mid 30s.

“This is Hella Strop, wife of Archduke Quenore Strop.”

It was an elegant way of speaking and gestures befitting a noble lady. Rather than the elegance of a flower in a greenhouse, it seemed to be an attitude born from the composure of a person who had gone through all the hardships of the political arena. Overall, it was far from the wild feeling of the North, but the aura that the wife gave off had enough charisma to lightly suppress the roughness of the North.

“They weren’t just trying to catch a disaster.”

Archduke Quenore put his hand on my shoulder and said. This man seemed to be pretending to be more friendly in front of his family for no reason, but I decided to roughly match the rhythm.

“It feels like meeting good warriors after a long time.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you treat a guest so kindly.”

said the Grand Duchess with a broad smile.

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

After saying that, she turned her eyes to her children. First, the eldest son stepped forward and reached out to me. I took his hand and shook it awkwardly.

“This is Luke Strop, vice-captain of the Evernode Knights.”

The grand duke’s son introduced himself by title. The person who will be the next lord of Evernode. First of all, it really resembles the Archduke of Quenore. Especially that blunt impression, and even the eyes looking suspiciously at me.

“The story of the hero has been heard all the way to the north. When I was in the royal capital, I was able to hear more of the hero’s story.”

Saying that, Luke sneakily looked around our party. That gaze frowned upon seeing Daphne and Marianne dressed as nuns, but soon returned to normal.

“… There really is no saintess.”

“There were many circumstances. You must have heard it while you were in the royal capital.”

It’s not a saint woman reverse harem, why are there so many kids looking for a saint woman? I let go of Luke’s hand while letting out a laugh inwardly. Luke shrugged his shoulders as if he had nothing more to say.

“Please take good care of me, warrior. Hopefully this time, together with Evernode, we can successfully defeat the fourth disaster.”

After saying that, Luke gently pushed his sister forward. The child that the knights of Evernode called ‘Iron-blooded Princess’. It was just someone’s jokey nickname. The child turned her eyes around, and when I slightly lowered her back, she met my eyes. Her hair was black, just like that of the Grand Duke of the North, but her eyes were the green eyes of the Grand Duchess.

“This is Karin Strop.”

The daughter of the Grand Duke of the North spoke in a voice that she had refined in her own way. He’s probably overprotected by these Evernode knights. It didn’t look like pampering at all, though.

Karin couldn’t think of a greeting like her brother or mother. She just said her name and hesitated, then suddenly reached out to me like Luke. I smiled broadly and took the little hand and shook it. Karin’s expression brightened as she shook my hand.

“I’m begging you.”

“Now, please? I will.”

Karin struggled to say goodbye, and then our party members began to greet each other with the family of the Grand Duke of Quenore. Unexpectedly, Luke still remembered Georg, who had been dispatched 10 years ago. And, when Karin saw Georg, her expression hardened in fear. Tsk. I’m afraid to scare the kid.

“This is Karin Strop.”

And, it seemed that Daphne would either hug Karin or fall back alone. Seeing Daphne staring at her and her eyes twinkling, Karin seemed a little more frightened. And Karin looked at the expressionless Marianne with admiring eyes.

“Your daughter really likes you. I wonder if there is a child who doesn’t like a hero.”

Archduke Quenore tipped off. When I slightly turned my gaze, I saw that Karin was still glancing at me. Maybe he was conscious of the gazes around him, but he didn’t look at me openly.

“I wish I could set aside some time later and talk to my daughter for a bit, but… .”

Archduke Quenore looked at me with a slightly puzzled expression. This person is also the father after all. I smiled and nodded.

“It’s that much time, you can pay as much as you like. I am not forced to do it.”

“Yes, thank you, Illroy.”

And as I was watching the people of the Strop family talking, Reese came up to me.

“As you can see, Lady Karin is the grand duke’s youngest child. I’m nine years old this year… . Prince Luke and I are 15 years apart. He is like a nephew to the knights and soldiers of Evernode. There must be some old knights who regard her as her niece and granddaughter. You can think of her as a child who is loved by the entire estate.”

Reese, like me, was looking at the family of the Grand Duke of Quenore.

“… Perhaps the reason why the hero was particularly wary of Evernode was because the young lady liked the hero very much. I feel that way.”

Then, Reese turned to me and shrugged.

“I’m sure there were knights who had this idea of digging up the bare face of whoever stole my lady’s heart.”

“What are old men doing childishly, that’s all.”

Well, is it much better than the court aristocrats who came out to put a leash around my neck for no reason? When I let out a blank laugh, Reese scratched her head shyly.

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

That nine-year-old kid is the exact opposite of the ‘iron-blooded’ I know. At my question, Reese laughed.

“It was three years ago. By the time she was six years old. It was the time when I started to learn many things about the world from the library at the Strop Mansion.”

A six-year-old who reads on his own. After all, the grand duke’s daughter is extraordinary.

“At that time, the young lady seems to have read a story about the ‘iron-blooded admiral’ of the old navy somewhere. Since then, she seems to have been obsessed with the word ‘iron-blooded’, and with a solemn expression, she told the knights, ‘Call me iron-blooded princess!’”

Since then, knights, soldiers and vassals are said to have started to call Karin ‘Iron-Blooded Princess’, saying that she is an idiot. These people, even the evil ones, don’t have this kind of evil.

“… How ashamed she will be when she thinks of this later when she grows up.”

“Actually, we are all looking forward to it. If we wait about six years, the word ‘iron-blood’ will become a banned word in the entire Evernode.”

As I was laughing and chatting with Reese, a person approached me.

“Hero.”

It was Luke Strop, the eldest son of the Archduke of Quenore. He didn’t show any hostility, but he looked a little confused. If he came up after staying in the capital, he would know Illroy’s old reputation better than the northern knights, so it would be natural for him to react like that.

“The launch ceremony went well. I should have greeted you as the representative of Evernode and came to Evernode together, but I couldn’t because I had a lot of other work.”

“Don’t worry. Even if it’s not, the drivers of Evernode warmly welcomed our party-”

I turned to Reese at this point, and Reese refused to make eye contact with me. Yeah, you guys should get some stabbing.

“I feel as comfortable as at home.”

“… Is that so.”

Luke continued to look at me with a puzzled expression. Then, he made up his mind about something and took a step forward.

“Hero, would you like to compete swords with me?”

At the topic that just popped out of Luke’s mouth, the ears of the knights and soldiers of Evernode who were present stood erect like those of a hound that has caught its prey.

“fight?”

“Who is competing with who? Hero and Gongja?”

“It’s a big match! F*ck!”

“For now, you two go and clear the parade ground!”

yes. Fights and duels are the best entertainment for these combatants. I stared dumbfounded at the soldiers disappearing at the speed of light even though I hadn’t accepted the duel, and the knights who suddenly began fighting. Rhys, who had been chatting with me just before, had disappeared, and Georg started to hum along with the knights in the north without paying attention to me.

“Evernode’s knights don’t welcome strangers this way.”

Luke looked at me with weak hostility. Now that gaze is so used to it, I was about to become grave.

“I want to know what I misunderstood by competing swords with the hero.”

“… well i’m good I have no intention of being petty, asking for something to do with just one fight.”

Are conversations and compromises not in the minds of the people of Evernode? Thinking so, I accepted Luke’s offer. You have to grow up as fast as possible. There was no reason for me to refuse a fight against a strong man like the vice-captain of the Knights of Evernode.

The two youngest soldiers put a lot of light on the parade ground. I was riding a horse for a long time, so I relaxed my muscles and bones that had become sore.

“[I’m not giving advice this time. Fight as much as you want.]”

Even if I’m broken miserably?

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

At the holy sword’s sincere advice, I let out a chuckle. At that time, the female knight who served as the referee approached me and held out an ordinary iron sword.

“This?”

“… I don’t think it’s good to use a holy sword in a duel.”

Saying that, the referee raised his gaze behind my back. As I was frowning at what I was saying, a booing sound came from behind.

“That’s right, warrior! If you don’t intend to end the duel in 10 seconds, put down the holy sword and fight!”

“It’s a duel after a long time, shouldn’t we enjoy it a bit!”

I looked at the knights with a frown, but they didn’t care and shouted at me to take out the holy sword and fight. No, I don’t think they know how to open the holy sword just because I want to deal with the grand duke’s son.

“[…] Yes, do as they please.]”

The holy sword spoke to my mind. Maybe it’s because of his mood, but his voice sounds like he’s a little pouting. Are you upset, maybe?

“[Who’s pissed off! A fight I won’t be involved in anyway, it would be much more helpful for you to use a different sword.]”

yes. It also seems a bit sloppy. I’ll have to clean the sword body carefully later.

“[Illroy… !]”

I quickly handed the sword to the judge before the Holy Sword got even more angry. I was worried that the Holy Sword might get angry and take out its anger on the female knight for no reason, but that didn’t happen. With a wry smile on my face, I handed over an ordinary iron sword from the referee. With a clicking sound, an unfamiliar sword sheath was gripped in my hand.

Come to think of it, it was the first time I possessed a sword that was not a holy sword. I looked at the sword with a distinctly different weight and texture. The leather belt wrapped around the hilt was soft and moist, and the blade was slightly shorter and lighter than that of the holy sword. Do you get angry when I say this?

“Are you ready?”

Luke’s voice came from the other side. Luke looked like he was quite proud of the fact that I was fighting him without the holy sword. Well, aside from fighting without the holy sword, the only thing that really touched his pride was the booing at me.

I looked back and saw my party cheering me on. No, Daphne was the only one actually cheering me on, and Georg was subtly cheering for Luke. Marianne was staring at me with an expressionless expression. I smiled, thinking that it was her own support. Archduke Quenore, who had suddenly intervened among the spectators, remained neutral, while Karin, the Iron-Blooded Princess, stood next to him and looked at Luke in turns with sparkling eyes.

“I will leave it up to you.”

Ignoring my greetings, Luke took the flag-raising ceremony. I also smiled shyly and stood up.

Boos and cheers are heard. The sound cheering for me, the sound cheering for Luke. The sound that cuts me down, the sound that cuts down Luke.

I couldn’t hear the advice of the Holy Sword in my head, so I could hear all kinds of noise better. So, focus a little more. Observe the opponent’s steps and breathing, and grasp the small movements and tendencies of the muscles. Put only the facts that you are sure of into your head, and discard the judgments that you are not sure about.

“Ready for the sheep knight.”

Pudeudeuk.

The sound of Luke’s feet crushing the ground. I couldn’t even hear the sound to start. Taking the sound of Luke’s feet kicking the ground as a signal, I raised my sword and first let off the rushing sword strike. I was able to spot the approaching sword tip very accurately.

And, the thought that it was worth trying passed through my head.

bang-!!

I straightened my sword. Luke brushes his sword and blocks my sword attack. This time, Luke’s barrage catches me. Stretching my feet back, I recalled Marianne’s movements. As if picking out the veins of a leaf, I ran the tip of my sword through the tip of my sword.

Kang-!!

Tsk. The sword tip hit the sword face and failed. Well, he’s not a formidable opponent to the point where he’d be beaten by a skill he hadn’t even reached perfection with. Luke’s face twisted and he pushed me. Once the movement was twisted, there was no choice but to switch to defensive. Looking at Luke’s even more distorted face, I apologized inwardly. Sorry, I wasn’t ignoring you.

“Kuh-!”

block spilled out In the meantime, I slowly regained my breath and started looking for an opening. When the battle reached the middle of the century with each other’s offensive and defensive forces intersecting, Luke raised mana and bounced me off. The blade of the sword Luke had lifted was wrapped in magical blue light. It was an auror.

“Are you trying to deal with it with real power?”

“This is going to be a fight worth seeing after a long time.”

come, come

I looked at Luke’s sword and frowned.

Come to think of it, the holy sword couldn’t be overlaid with an aura.

I then looked down at the steel sword I was holding. No matter how many times they collided, the sword body was damaged a lot in the meantime.

… can i do it

Luke ran. Knowing that the sword would shatter after a few head-on blows, I raised my mana as I passed Luke’s aura in short order.

pounding.

It was a new feeling. The feeling that the sword and I are connected. The feeling that I completely control the sword as a part of me. The feeling of becoming a tree and taking root in the land of the sword.

swish

Avoid the Aura Blade again. Feeling the remnants of the overflowing magic power, I let out a long breath. A handful of mana drained from my heart and flowed into the hilt.

bang-!!!

There was a roar that sounded like lightning. I no longer felt the weight of the sword in my hand. Luke across from me looked at my sword and gave me a puzzled expression.

“… This is it.”

I took a jockeying ceremony and looked down at the sword. A faint silver aura was rising from the blade.