“… … .”
“… … .”
Silence settled in the room. Luke silently glared at Arathion. To openly mention the Emperor’s seat is treason in the Empire.
Although Luke had mentioned the position of emperor many times, it was only in front of someone he could trust or someone who had no public confidence in what he was saying.
But right in front of my eyes, Arathion mentioned the emperor.
‘What kind of reaction should I do?’
Should I frown on my arrogance and yell at him for daring to suggest treason? Otherwise, should I just laugh and move on, saying I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it?
After thinking about it for a while, Luke decided to choose the third option.
“… If I want to become emperor, would Your Highness be willing to help me?”
Talk openly and make them your allies. In a way, it was a risky choice, but Luke’s intuition told him that this was the correct answer.
As if he really liked that answer, Arathion smiled with a much brighter face.
“I don’t even have to tell you. There is no elf who spares himself for the sake of his family.”
“Even if it’s a war?”
“There are no elves who fear death. Especially if it’s my army.”
A refreshing answer without the slightest hesitation. An ordinary person would have been overwhelmed by the excitement and nodded right away.
However, Luke was a person who was well aware of the reality that elves were facing. Before giving his trust, Luke pointed out a fact.
“There will be sacrifices. The price of an elf’s blood must be invaluable.”
“Yes, it is valuable. It is truly invaluable.”
Elves are few in number. Fertility lags behind that of humans, and it takes a year for a population to grow.
No matter how much it reaches the revival period, it does not grow as easily as humans. Of course, even if you have an invincible army, you have no choice but to be passive in the fight.
Because it takes a lot of time to restore the population as much as the soldiers lost in the war.
“But sometimes it is necessary to shed blood for a cause. There is nothing as empty as the rights claimed by those who have not paid the price of blood. More than anything… … .”
Aration paused for a moment and smiled at Luke.
“We know that you are not the one who only trusts us and seeks to claim the position of emperor. Even considering the time after he became emperor, he must be willing to receive minimal help from us.”
“… … .”
“Aren’t you already preparing this and that? Please let us put our feet up too.”
It was as it was said. Those who borrow the power of another power to sit on the throne are always swayed by the vassal who lent their power.
Even if the elves were on Luke’s side, they wouldn’t rely on that power. It’s enough for the elven army to act as a show of force or a trump card.
‘Is this old age?’
Luke stuck out his tongue. Even if it was a guess, he caught a glimpse of Luke’s ambition, and in the meantime, as a collaborator, he accurately weighed the blood and cost of the elf on the scales.
Should I really call him the Grand Duke of the Elves? After thinking for a moment, Luke came to a conclusion.
“great. I will accept the marriage alliance.”
He hesitated because of the weight of marriage, but if you think about it, it was a proposal that didn’t have anything bad from Luke’s point of view. The more power there is for the giant, the better.
Needless to say, it was a person called the Grand Duke of the Sword and a powerful elven army. At Luke’s answer, Arathion smiled with a satisfied face.
“It is indeed a wise decision.”
“However, there are conditions.”
“condition?”
“We will marry Eldira only after the goal has been achieved. If I get married right away, my movement might be limited.”
“Well, then it can’t be helped.”
Arathion nodded, feeling a bit regretful. The difference between the weight of the steps taken by those who have a family and those who do not have a family.
Even more, if you are a noble, the things you need to pay attention to increase several times. Whether it’s an elf or a human, that’s the same.
“i get it. However, I would like to talk about the engagement, even verbally. Would it be okay if I sent envoys to your family?”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s just a story. You can’t keep everything a secret.”
Rather than leaving it as a completely secret relationship, it is better to reveal it to the people around you. That way, people around you will notice Luke.
If they knew that the relationship between the elves and Luke was deeper than they thought, even the lords who were recklessly trying to oppose Luke would think about it at least once.
If necessary, he could turn to Luke’s side altogether.
“Please take good care of me from now on, father-in-law.”
“Me too, son-in-law.”
Arathion also laughed at Luke’s handshake and held his hand. It was the moment when the alliance between Luke and the Elf was formed.
When the two clasped hands fell apart, Arathion spoke as if he had just remembered.
“I’m sorry that you just became a family, but I have one favor to ask of you.”
“What is it?”
“Even if I vouch for it in my name, those who do not believe in your lineage will come out. So, if possible, I want you to prove your lineage in front of everyone.”
“Proof.”
At Arathion’s words, Luke touched his chin. What I got from the dragon’s lineage was mighty power. Then there is only one way to prove it.
Luke looked at Arathion with a mischievous smile.
“Have you ever fought a dragon, Your Highness?”
“Unfortunately, not so far. My domain is peaceful.”
“Then, what is your experience of fighting those who inherit dragon blood?”
“Well, there wasn’t even that… … .”
Arathion understood the meaning and laughed fiercely.
“Today, for the first time in my life, I will fight a half-dragon.”
* * *
Arathion and Luke stood side by side in a clearing in the forest. The two looked around and spat out a word.
“Looks like you’ve been here for half a year. Did you choose it symbolically?”
“No, this is just the most spacious and good place to exchange swords.”
The place where trade treaties between elves and humans were concluded. And the place where Archduke Arathion beheaded Count Valdemar.
Now, it was nothing more than a street corner for trade goods, but it was a place with many stories to talk about.
“Anyway, your eyes sting.”
Luke glanced at the elves lined up behind Arathion and said. Unlike the time when there were full of armed soldiers, there was no one wearing armor except for some of the SS.
It is impossible to distinguish precisely, but most of them seemed to be merchants or nobles. The problem was the burning hostility in their gaze.
“I don’t remember doing anything to earn them a grudge.”
“Most of them are those who suffered damage from the previous Count or his vassals. Rather than having a grudge against you, you probably hate humans.”
“… Why did you call those people together?”
“Of course, to prove your lineage.”
Arathion spoke lightly and inspected the sword for sparring.
“They are the ones who will oppose your marriage with Eldira more than anyone else. If such people acknowledge your lineage, who will say anything?”
“I understand Your Highness’ intentions, but the back of my head feels sore.”
“Aren’t you confident? Aren’t you worried that you might lose in an ugly way?”
“This is one of the funniest jokes I have ever heard.”
Luke accepted the light provocation casually. Either way, it was a big deal because I couldn’t get back the tension.
Having fought such a huge dragon, the human-sized foe seemed small. Arathion’s eyes slightly stiffened as if he had noticed Luke’s feelings.
“If you trust your lineage too much and be careless, you will be truly disgraced. Take it seriously.”
“I know.”
That’s what I said, but my heart still didn’t move. No matter how nervous I was, my muscles were relaxed no matter how much my brain sent me a signal.
Perhaps that appearance touched the pride of a warrior, and Arathion’s eyebrows narrowed.
‘You’re overconfident. No, is it natural?’
Even if I didn’t train at all, it wouldn’t matter. Just waking up the ancient power would have made you invincible.
In an age when ancient dragons disappeared and the power of lineage weakened, martial prowess was allowed. If so, it would be one’s role to remind young people of the vastness of the world.
“Don’t give up your lead. Come in.”
“Then I will not decline.”
Luke slightly bent his knees. A typical leap posture. Arathion warmed up calmly, anticipating all kinds of sword attacks.
And the moment Luke slightly bent his bent knee.
Pooh.
“… … !”
The Grand Duke of the Sword widened his eyes in astonishment.
* * *
Looking at Luke facing Arathion, Max sighed.
“Why are you fighting like this? Isn’t it obvious that your lord will lose?”
“That, I haven’t even started yet, but it sounds unlucky.”
“I didn’t say anything wrong, did I?”
Despite Bruno’s criticism, Max did not give up. I admit that Luke’s skills are outstanding. Right now, neither Max nor Luke will be able to get even three sums if Luke fights properly.
But the opponent is the Grand Duke of the Elves. He was also the Grand Duke of the sword who had honed his sword for hundreds of years. Even thinking about cancer, I couldn’t see any hope of winning.
Eldira also had a confident face of her father’s victory.
“Is your father trying to bring out Luke’s skills? It might be some kind of training.”
“Then why don’t you just get together and do it? Why is it necessary to gather so many people?”
“Well, I haven’t heard anything else from my father either.”
Bruno and Ray frowned as they listened to their conversation. Aside from Eldira, isn’t Max’s evaluation of the lord too low considering that he is a vassal?
Even before consuming the dragon’s heart, Luke’s swordsmanship had reached a considerable level. Unbearable, Bruno whispered in Max’s ear.
“Is it because of how strong the Archduke is?”
“It’s my guess, but it’s as strong as the Lords.”
“what? really?”
“… … !”
At Max’s answer, the two could not hide their surprise this time. No matter how much he is nicknamed the Grand Duke of the Sword, is that enough?
From noble mtl dot com
“Previously, at the Herning family’s gymnasium, I showed them sparring with the elven knights. In fact, it must have been a semi-armed demonstration. I did it like it was on purpose.”
“You said that the strength you showed then was on par with ours? Didn’t you see it wrong?”
“I don’t know the power, but the speed seemed similar. That’s for sure.”
If that statement is true, there is a high possibility that the two are really similar in strength. A warrior’s speed usually comes from the strength of his body.
Could it be that the grand duke is also of ancient bloodline? Seeing Luke and the others whispering, Eldira frowned.
“What are you talking about behind my back?”
“I was talking to you because I wanted you to know how strong the Archduke is.”
“If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be quicker to ask me?”
Eldira shrugged and opened her mouth. His face was full of pride for the grand duke.
“My father is the last heir to the fairy swordsmanship. In this era, no swordsman can surpass him.”
“Fairy Swordsman? Is it a powerful swordsmanship?”
“Of course! It requires a lot of magic to learn, and it is a swordsmanship that can only be fully learned by taking medicines that are currently unavailable and building a body. The process of learning it is extremely difficult, but once you learn it, you have the power of a thousand.”
In other words, a vision that combines swordsmanship, magic, and medicine. If properly trained, it falls short of the ancient lineage, but its physical ability rises enough to be proud of below it.
In addition to this, if the heirlooms of the grand duke’s family are added, even the ancient lineage will have the power not to be pushed back.
“Of course I know that there are still bearers of the old lineage in the world. But even if they outsmarted my father in strength, they would not be able to win in real combat.”
“… Why is that?”
“Even if the power remains, the martial arts to use that power are gone. If people with similar strength fight each other, the superiority of martial arts determines the outcome.”
The swordsmanship of a person who can crush a tree with his fist and a person who can crush a rock cannot be the same. The total amount of power you have is different and the way you use it is different.
“Even if a strong person learns the swordsmanship of a weak person, the effect is insignificant. From the beginning, swordsmanship was created by the founder assuming the practitioner’s strength. It may be useful to some extent, but in the end it’s like wearing clothes that don’t fit.”
Arathion has mastered swordsmanship to the limit that suits his strength. therefore undefeated. With the title of Grand Duke of the Sword, he can reign as the strongest swordsman of his time.
Even those who inherited the old bloodline would not be able to defeat the Grand Duke unless two of them rushed at once.
“Even if Luke has awakened the power of the dragon, it is the same. I wonder if he inherited the swordsmanship of the anti-dragon Lachesis in its entirety. … .”
Kwaaang.
A roar cut off Eldira’s words. Everyone’s gaze turned to the middle of the clearing. Terrible shockwaves were scattered in all directions and shook the atmosphere.
In the meantime, I could see Eldira. The sight of his father, who was called the Grand Duke of Swords and the strongest swordsman of the time, being pushed away with a bewildered face.
“multiplication… this… … .”
“It is high.”
To Ray’s spiky tone, Eldira couldn’t answer anything.