My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 52

“Hey! You! What kind of tone is that towards His Highness the Crown Prince?!”

The nobles pushed me aside while shouting.

“I heard everything a moment ago. You, a commoner! How dare you come to a place like this?!”

They thumped their chests while speaking.

Suddenly, the commotion caught everyone’s attention. Even the Emperor was watching us.

The knights seemed to sense the potential for trouble, their hands resting on their weapons in anticipation.

I sighed and scanned the faces of the nobles.

Familiar faces? Not a single one.

These characters without even illustrations were of no real significance to the plot, so it didn’t matter if I dealt with them a bit roughly.

“I was invited by the Crown Prince sitting over there. Are you of such an esteemed lineage that you can disregard the Crown Prince’s command?”

“W-What…?”

“If you have a problem with my presence here, take it up with the Crown Prince!”

I spoke while trying not to let my killing intent seep through.

“A commoner like you acting so arrogantly! How did someone like you even—”

“No, no. Did your hairline go along with your brain cells?”

I cut off the noble’s words, shaking my head vigorously.

“What did you say…?!”

Apparently, making bald jokes was a trigger, as the bald noble began to fume with rage.

Ah, seriously, who told you to pick a fight?

“How dare this punk insult me?!”

Unable to hold back, he pointed a finger at me, but I just scoffed.

“Have you thought this through? Why would a noble banquet invite a commoner like me among the countless commoners rolling around? Tell me the reason.”

“W-Well… You must have been summoned for some reason…”

“Me? Summoned by the Crown Prince? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard. If that were true, I would be engaged to that princess by now.”

I intentionally gestured towards the princess.

Princess Seri was caught off guard, looking at me in surprise.

Sorry! I don’t have any feelings for you.

Despite the rudeness of creating enemies out of all the nobles present, I couldn’t help it.

At this point, the Crown Prince must think, “There’s something to rely on.”

“There’s nothing more reliable than involving family when making allies.”

Even now, there are many wealthy people in drama who marry for business.

I recalled a suitable example and continued speaking.

“So, the point I want to make is this: My standing here is due to the Crown Prince, and if you want to kick me out, you need to ask for the Crown Prince’s permission first. Only then will I leave. I really don’t want to be here.”

I pointed at the Crown Prince defiant, making the bald noble look back and forth between Chris and me.

Seemingly unsure of asking for the Crown Prince’s approval, he hesitated.

“This punk…!”

“Pft!”

The Crown Prince’s laughter suddenly echoed in the air.

“Ha ha ha ha!!”

Chris threw his head back and laughed heartily. His laughter resonated throughout the banquet hall for some time.

No one could speak or act in response to the Crown Prince’s reaction.

Only Tina groaned, “Teacher, that person is strange,” frowning slightly.

“Shush.”

I lightly tapped Tina’s head.

“Yeah, yeah… Could it be because you’re Pasma’s disciple? That freedom of not being bound by status. That person even refused His Majesty’s command.”

Was he referring to the order to become the head of the Royal Knight Order?

Pasma had reached the level of Sword Master and had an opportunity to become a noble, yet he refused.

Perhaps he still felt inadequate, but at the time, he’d heard that being by the Emperor’s side would limit his ability to kill the Demon Tribe, which played a huge role.

In reality, the Royal Knight Order was a group of knights dedicated to protecting the royal family.

Among them, the commander had to spend his entire life by the Emperor’s side, which meant he couldn’t protect the citizens from the Demon Tribe.

That point was something Pasma and Ariel couldn’t agree with.

“But, I’ve heard you’re nineteen years old, how could you become his disciple? Pasma died even earlier than that?”

Good point.

Isn’t it odd for them to mistake me as a disciple?

“Hmm. Were you perhaps the disciple of his disciple? I heard he taught his comrades who died alongside him various things… Regardless, his influence is apparent.”

A disciple of a disciple…

I was still being treated like a disciple. Did Duke Tori come to this conclusion too?

“But you’re pushing it too far, Praus. You’re a commoner, and this person is a noble. I’m even the Crown Prince. In an empire with a strict class system, it’s inappropriate for a commoner to behave boldly around nobles and royalty.”

That makes sense. I know that.

Anyone who disrupts the hierarchy deserves execution. Especially since I insulted the royal family, the price could be steep.

However, the Crown Prince was being lenient because he knew I had defeated Urka and possessed strong magical powers.

Perhaps he was checking to see if I’d be useful in the future as a candidate for the Emperor.

“So, I have to pursue this rudeness…”

I silently listened to the Crown Prince.

“…You don’t even flinch. It’s like you have the confidence to beat everyone here.”

Not true. This is just my expression management skill.

Can’t you see my shaking hands?

“Well, anyway, since today is a good day, let’s spice things up. Under the condition that you entertain me, try to subdue the Knight Commander right here.”

His words took me by surprise. The Knight Commander stood proudly beside the Emperor without so much as a change in expression.

“Is that okay? Conver.”

“What shall I do, Your Majesty?”

“…Isn’t it interesting? An event like this at a New Year’s banquet wouldn’t be so bad.”

The Emperor readily agreed.

I viewed the Knight Commander as someone of at least S-Class level, on the brink of becoming a Sword Master.

And now, he wanted me to fight him without any artifacts?

It seemed the Crown Prince really wanted me dead.

“Don’t want to? If you don’t, I’ll have to punish you for disrespecting the nobility and royalty.”

Chris crossed his legs and smirked. The nobles around him began whispering among themselves.

I was annoyed by their smug expressions, but I already knew the Crown Prince wasn’t on my side from the get-go.

Crown Prince Chris assesses people based on their usefulness.

“Then I’ll put forth a condition too. If I manage to subdue the Knight Commander, let’s end this rudeness right here.”

I had no choice but to propose such a condition.

Since I couldn’t change my expression management skill, I had no other way but to demand their approval.

However, my condition seemed to upset the Crown Prince, his eyes narrowing with displeasure.

“Ha… Do you think the royal family is a joke? You’re not in a position to set conditions.”

‘But what can I do? With this skill, I can’t go around slapping people like a beginner-level fighter.’

“I could kill everyone here and just leave without a trace.”

Damn it…!

My bombshell of a proclamation sent the banquet hall into a frenzy.

Weapons were drawn around me with a swish.

The Crown Prince’s face turned to surprise at my provocative words.

Gone was his earlier cheerful demeanor.

“Crown Prince Chris! Immediately punish this person for his disrespect—”

‘Wait a moment.’

“Shut up.”

[Activating Skill “Killing Intent”.]

“Ugh! What an aura!”

I was caught completely off guard by the unexpected activation of my skill.

The nobles facing my killing intent hurriedly backed away.

Despite their noble status, not everyone was proficient in magic or strength.

Retreating was the only means available to them.

“This is… something…”

Chris’s voice tinged with laughter came through.

He bore a rather bizarre smile, a strange kind of joy spilling from his opened lips.

As if he had been looking for someone like me all along.

“Ha, ha…! Yes, it seems that was ‘the truth’.”

What truth? What word is he talking about?

“The aura is indeed as the book describes, but still… I want to see it for myself, Praus. If you can prove that, I’ll overlook your rudeness from now on.”

It seemed the fight was unavoidable now.

Still, my actions could easily lead to execution.

If it had just been against the nobles, I might have received some help from the Duke’s residence, but having disrespected the next Emperor could put me in a bind.

But why is that Ella woman gasping for breath so much?

“Prove it, huh…”

I surveyed the banquet hall, noticing that the knights looked hesitant, having drawn their swords midway.

In all honesty, I’d rather have Tina stand in front, but using her in this fight would merely show that I lacked capability.

“…So just subduing the Knight Commander is the goal?”

“That’s the case, but I want to see it properly. Let’s do it not here, but in the sparring arena out back.”

Now that I’ve come this far, it seemed there was no way to decline the duel.

Still, the silver lining was that going to the sparring arena would grant me the chance to obtain a weapon.

If I’d fought in the banquet hall, I would have had to rely on my bare hands, and that would have been a 100% loss.

As long as I could incorporate ‘Unwavering Revenge’ or ‘Wind Sword – Aura’, I’d have a chance of winning this fight.

“Okay, let’s do it.”

“That’s my teacher! You’re going to smack down nobles and royalty alike!”

Tina, could you tone it down? Don’t make it any more stressful.

I clamped a hand over Tina’s mouth to silence her unnecessary chatter.

—

“Wooden sword…?”

I gazed at the wooden stick in my hand.

“Killing each other seems a bit over the top, don’t you think?”

“I wouldn’t mind using a real sword. In fact, a real sword might even be better.”

Chris shook his head at my words.

“That’s not allowed. I’d hate for one of you to become crippled. This is just entertainment, and we can’t afford any trouble for the Emperor.”

Conver. That was the name of the Knight Commander.

“…Alright then.”

I feigned acceptance while internally screaming.

Damn it! Save me!

“Both of you, come up to the sparring arena!”

The knight, seemingly here to referee, called out robustly. Looking at him, he appeared to be the knight who had interrogated me and taken 50 gold.

Climbing up to the sparring arena, I saw the Knight Commander, Conver, radiating a menacing energy.

“That aura you showed earlier, it’s clear you’re bursting with confidence. It reminds me of Sir Pasma from my childhood.”

A blue aura enveloped his wooden sword. It emitted a faint magical energy, as someone on the brink of becoming a Sword Master.

“…Is that so.”

“Then let’s get started.”

Conver took his stance, preparing to charge at any moment.

The referee knight lifted his hand high.

At this point, there was no escape. My fate seemed sealed here.

I awkwardly grasped the wooden sword and gazed at Conver.

If the referee knight saw me ready, he wouldn’t hesitate to drop his arm.

“Begin—!”