118th Episode
When Jenkins was preparing for the duel disguised as a sparring match, there were many who looked at it with a dismissive gaze.
Hamus and Viktor understood why others underestimated Jenkins.
Training a knight required an enormous amount of money, and even pouring in funds did not guarantee the creation of an exceptional knight.
For a house like the Phillip’s County, with its level of power and influence, recruiting proper talents and training them into formidable knights was incredibly difficult.
This was why Jenkins was seen as insignificant.
However, Hamus and Viktor knew that the knights of Phillip’s County had reached a considerable level of mastery.
They didn’t know how it was possible, but nonetheless, the knights of Phillip’s County were strong.
Clang!!
Not long after the sparring began, one of Duke Matthias’ knights hit the ground.
Hamus groaned softly.
“Ouch…”
Harry of the Matthias family couldn’t maintain his composure and flushed with embarrassment.
Others present in the training yard also exchanged confused glances as the unexpected scenes continued to unfold.
Was the knight of the Matthias family really so lacking in ability?
Absolutely not.
The knight from the Matthias family had undoubtedly reached the mature Expert Level.
Though not among the elite of the ducal house, his skills were certainly nothing to scoff at elsewhere.
However, Jenkins completely dominated him.
Even Hamus hadn’t anticipated such a one-sided result.
While he knew that the knights of Phillip’s County were powerful, he never imagined there would be such a significant gap in skill levels.
Crack!!
Unable to properly withstand Jenkins’ sword strike, the knight of the Matthias family eventually dropped to one knee.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth due to internal injuries.
Though the sparring match was harsh, no one complained since it was an unspoken agreement within the context of a duel.
Frustrated and out of breath, the knight of the Matthias family finally stepped back, unable to continue the sparring match.
It was Jenkins’ perfect victory.
In the silence that followed, applause rang out alone.
Johanna, who had been clapping along with Ray, suddenly came to her senses.
With a furrowed brow and a beet-red face, Johanna shoved Ray, who was behind her.
An apprentice Templar stepped forward towards the bickering Ray and Johanna.
The apprentice Templar displayed a tension that wasn’t evident before, having witnessed Jenkins’ prowess.
After seeing Jenkins’ abilities, the squire standing before them no longer seemed easy to underestimate.
Hamus and Viktor briefly glanced at each other.
This wouldn’t even qualify as a fair sparring match.
The apprentice Templar was slightly older than Ray and had a better build.
But Ray, according to Hamus’ experience, was a crazy guy who showcased Expert-level performance at the age of thirteen.
Even pairing him against a seasoned Templar seemed questionable, let alone an apprentice.
“Hopefully, it’ll end cleanly…”
Viktor nodded at Hamus’ mutter.
It would indeed be fortunate if it ended cleanly.
‘But will it…?’
Apparently, Ray harbored some resentment towards clerics, possibly stemming from getting beaten by church people as a child.
As Hamus and Viktor worried, the sparring match began.
The atmosphere in the training yard was much heavier than before.
Most people didn’t know much about Ray’s skills.
Everyone watched Ray with skeptical eyes.
The apprentice Templar tightly gripped his sword and shield, abandoning any thoughts of underestimating his opponent.
The apprentice Templar made the first move.
Each step and swing carried devout prayers.
The凝聚of mana, infused with divine power, surged through his body, invigorating him.
But…
Clang-!
Ray easily parried the apprentice Templar’s sword and casually flicked his wrist, sending the shield flying.
As the apprentice Templar tried to regain balance, Ray closed the distance and kicked his shin.
After rolling on the ground once, the apprentice Templar quickly adjusted his stance and swung his sword again.
However, the previous vigor was no longer present in the swings.
The skill gap was too vast.
From just one collision, the truth became undeniable.
This was a sparring match Ray could end whenever he chose to.
Yet, Ray didn’t finish it in one go.
He alternated between trading blows and closing in to attack using martial arts.
“Kuh…!”
The apprentice Templar, having repeatedly taken hits to his legs, staggered backward. The aura that flowed through his sword had long disappeared.
Seeing this, Ray kicked the apprentice Templar’s shin again.
As the apprentice Templar wobbled and was about to sit down, Ray shouted.
“Stand straight, Templar.”
“…!”
“Are you so weak that you can represent El-Lam’s will?”
Viktor couldn’t hold back his laughter, and Hamus covered his face.
Ray was simply repaying the apprentice Templar for earlier when he had acted disrespectfully toward Jenkins.
“There are all kinds, aren’t you crazy bastard…”
It was rare to find someone who dared to challenge the Church’s Templars in such a manner.
Fortunately, the apprentice Templar’s reaction was positive.
Regaining his senses from Ray’s reprimand, the apprentice Templar firmly planted his feet and raised his sword again.
Clang!
Ray then ended the sparring match cleanly without further taunting.
Struck by Ray’s sword, the apprentice Templar flew back, lost consciousness, and collapsed onto the ground.
The atmosphere grew extremely somber, as if frost had settled in the air.
Only Jenkins and Johanna were laughing happily.
Viktor shook his head in disbelief.
“Isn’t this going too far?”
“There won’t be any issues.”
“But still… shouldn’t we read the room a bit?”
Viktor was right.
The ducal house and the Church were forces capable of wielding significant influence within the Empire.
It wasn’t good to provoke them. However, from the perspective of Phillip’s County, being disliked by them a little wouldn’t immediately cause regret.
“After all, the house has been semi-isolated until now. Even if someone tries to pressure them now, there wouldn’t be anything to regret…”
In fact, considering that the ducal house and the Church had insulted Phillip’s County first, Jenkins and Ray had valid reasons.
Hamus muttered,
“Phillip’s County will gain some respect today.”
Since many characters from across the empire had gathered here, rumors would spread quite rapidly.
Phillip’s County was not a toothless beast as previously thought.
Ultimately, the sparring match concluded as the representatives from the Matthias ducal house and the Church left with red faces.
*
Aaaaaah-
The tide flows in, wetting the sandy beach.
The gentle waves retreat, pulling the seawater back.
Ray saw the sea for the first time in this world.
Apart from the waves feeling a bit tamer compared to his past memories, the scenery wasn’t particularly new to him.
However, unlike Ray’s calm demeanor, Johanna felt an indescribable sense of awe.
Looking at the endless expanse of the sea beyond the horizon, involuntary exclamations kept escaping her.
Shortly afterward, Johanna and Alesya, dressed lightly, dipped their feet into the seawater.
Johanna tasted the seawater, giggling and marveling at its saltiness.
Watching Johanna and Alesya splash water, Ray stroked his chin.
Seeing Johanna enjoy herself so much made Ray consider taking the kids to see the sea when the opportunity arose.
“It’s not that far away…”
“You seem to have a lot of affection for them, Ray.”
Florya interjected with a chuckle at Ray’s murmurs, walking gracefully across the sandy beach after their long-awaited reunion.
She exuded more ease than in the past.
“Everyone’s talking about Phillip’s County revealing its hidden strength.”
“Hype, that’s all. How have you been lately?”
“I’ve been having fun. Father is just worried about finding suitable marriage prospects, though.”
Florya covered her mouth with a fan while smiling subtly.
For Florya, who had a free-spirited nature, the delay in marriage was rather satisfying.
“Still, it might be wise to be a bit cautious. Phillip’s County’s response to insults has become too abruptly assertive, which seems to have surprised even Father.”
“If you could tell him I don’t harbor any sinister intentions and he should rest assured.”
“Hehe, I’ll pass that along.”
In the increasingly warm air, Florya fanned herself as Ray broached the main topic.
“Why are the Templars staying at the manor?”
“Hmm… It’s not a big deal.”
Florya began her explanation.
“Principally, trophies from vanquished corrupt individuals are destroyed, but those difficult to destroy are managed by the Church.”
The Church, recognizing the risk of relics from corrupted individuals being misused as ‘mediums,’ strives to keep them under their supervision.
Due to practical limitations, the Church doesn’t manage all relics directly.
Individuals can own relics acquired from the battlefields of the fallen.
However, any transactions involving these relics must include the presence of a Church representative.
This system aims to both guard against potential dangers and uphold the Church’s authority.
“It seems the ducal house plans to trade an old ‘trophy’ with a merchant guild from the kingdom.”
“The merchant guild from the kingdom…”
“Yes, the one you’re thinking of. The trophy probably isn’t something extraordinary. At best, it might be a rare antique.”
If the trophy the ducal house intended to trade was truly valuable and dangerous, the Church would have blocked the transaction outright.
Given that only a few Templars were dispatched formally this time, it wasn’t likely to be something major.
Nevertheless, Ray couldn’t afford to think optimistically about the situation.
“I need to inspect the item they intend to trade.”
Whether by drawing closer to the guild master and persuading them or infiltrating the warehouse brazenly, it seemed necessary to confirm the item with his own eyes.
Using the Decipher Ability, he could roughly determine the true value of the trophy meant for the transaction.
If the trophy posed extreme danger…
‘I’d either need to destroy it or make off with it.’
Any problems arising on the kingdom’s side would endanger Phillip’s County as well, necessitating active intervention.
However, under no circumstances should his identity be revealed, even if the trophy had to be seized.
After pondering for a moment, Ray looked at Florya.
“Miss Florya, could you perhaps procure a wand without any records of the transaction?”
“Hmm…”
A wand is a tool that assists mages in manifesting magic.
It wasn’t essential, and many skilled mages avoided using wands altogether.
For delicate spells, using both hands was often more stable than relying on a wand.
“Is it a gift for a girl named Luna?”
“No. I may need to use it temporarily myself.”
“…”
After a brief silence, Florya forced a smile and asked.
“Now that I think about it, Ray, wasn’t your specialty freezing magic? Hehe…”
“My most confident spell is actually Wind Cutter.”
As Ray waved his hand in the air, mimicking a cutting motion, Florya’s expression noticeably stiffened.
“Um… You’re not planning to cause trouble in our territory, are you…?”
To Florya’s subtle probing, Ray simply smiled faintly.
Contact (1)
