Chapter 119
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I'll purchase divine power with money.
Chapter 119
"D-Duke..."
You all fight. I'll just watch.
The moment my arrogant gaze met Lloyd's eyes, his face flushed crimson with rage.
"B-but surely this is a bit much, isn't it? If you're sitting so close and end up getting hurt..."
Oh, how amusing—a man who'd never once worried about Ordel Kiris suddenly spouting such concern.
I suppressed the trembling in my face as I forced out a strained laugh.
"I never knew you were capable of such worry, Lloyd."
Lute Sheary, standing opposite Lloyd, smiled.
Unlike Lloyd, his expression was filled with a natural, contemptuous smirk.
"I'm curious whether that concern is genuine, but let's set that aside for now."
"...Yes?"
"Besides, with your strength, you won't be able to penetrate the defense of the one standing beside the High Priestess, so there's no need to worry needlessly."
Even if Lloyd swung his blade right in front of Seth's face, he wouldn't land a single scratch on him.
"I-I see."
It was an obvious fact, yet Lloyd seemed to take it as an insult, his face convulsing even more violently.
The admiring gaze he'd been directing at Lute vanished without a trace, replaced entirely by fury.
"Then I humbly ask for your instruction."
Lloyd gritted his teeth and drew his sword roughly.
At that, Lute's expression softened into a beautiful smile.
"I wonder if you'll actually learn anything worthwhile."
My, what a sharp tongue.
Still, since his opponent was Lloyd, it wasn't irritating so much as deeply satisfying.
"How dare you...!"
"Don't worry. Regardless of your skill, I'll do my best. I hope you at least glean something from my blade."
Lute extended his hand.
In the empty air, ash-gray mana tinged with gold light surged and writhed.
Beyond the magic circle inscribed with incomprehensible geometric patterns, Lute drew forth his sword.
Lloyd's blade was so ornate it seemed fit only for ceremonial display.
In contrast, Lute's sword bore not a single jewel—both blade and hilt were a beautiful, pitch-black black.
The only decoration was the ash-gray pattern engraved upon the blade itself, yet that alone made it stand out all the more.
"To see that sword in person... that alone makes watching this duel worthwhile."
Victoria, standing beside me, gasped in admiration as she gazed blankly at the sword, which resembled a work of art.
"Really?"
"Yes, it's a very famous blade. Every swordsman on the Continent hopes to see it at least once."
"That sword is made from a mixture of iron and mana stone—an extraordinarily precious weapon. The fact that it bears such a deep black color means the ratio of mana stone is exceptionally high."
"Mana stone?"
At Seth's explanation that followed, I was taken aback.
Mana stone was the second most precious substance in this world, after holy stones imbued with divine power.
Just one mana stone mine alone is enough to feed generations, yet he ground it up to make a sword?
And in quantities that even Seth acknowledges?
So this is how the truly wealthy spend their money....
"It is nothing to Duke Sheary. He is known to own at least three mana stone mines."
"...."
Three? And not just three, but at least three?
I glanced sideways at Yuri Polton standing nearby.
Having heard our entire conversation, an awkward smile played across his face.
"Well, it's not incorrect, but...."
Wow, so he actually owns more than three. So that's why Lute Sheary is called the master of the Western Mines.
At that level, isn't a billion gold just pocket change?
Ten million might as well be tissue for wiping his nose.
Should I just close my eyes and borrow from Lute Sheary?
"High Priestess, we begin."
At Seth's words, I set aside my fierce internal conflict for a moment and turned my head.
The moment Lute Sheary gripped the sword, his entire presence transformed.
The leisurely, carefree atmosphere that sometimes made it hard to tell if he was a duke or a wastrel vanished without a trace, leaving only a cold-blooded swordsman in its place.
Lloyd, who had been glaring menacingly at Lute Sheary, looked utterly intimidated by merely standing across from him.
"I'll yield the first strike."
"...Right."
"If you don't come, I'll have no choice but to go first."
Finding that even more terrifying, Lloyd gritted his teeth and charged forward with a fierce shout.
"Haaah!"
The moment his blade thrust forward precisely, Lute Sheary gently pushed his sword aside.
Whoosh! Tap.
"Huh?"
At the same moment, Lloyd's sword slipped from his grasp and clattered across the floor.
The spectators murmured at the sight of Lloyd losing his weapon without Lute Sheary even properly counterattacking.
It looked as though Lloyd had simply made a careless mistake due to insufficient grip strength.
Especially since he stood there with a vacant expression, alternating his gaze between the fallen sword and his empty hand.
"I had some expectations since you boasted about your talent, but is this really all you have? How can a swordsman lose his blade?"
Above his head, Lute Sheary clicked his tongue in disapproval.
Wow, incredible. I couldn't help but admire it.
"Just now, the Duke pushed Lloyd's sword aside with the flat of his blade, didn't he?"
"Yes, you observed correctly."
"Is Lloyd an idiot for losing his grip, or is the Duke simply that skilled?"
"Both."
Seth answered cleanly.
"Even if the Duke is overwhelmingly superior, it's strange that Lloyd would lose his grip so easily. I'm curious how someone with such mediocre skill could confidently proclaim himself talented."
"Ugh!"
I couldn't help but laugh at such a merciless assessment.
Wow, Seth really does have a sharp tongue.
Well, he probably has plenty of frustrations pent up from the Count Kiris Mansion.
"Since I've agreed to teach you, I'll allow you time to pick up your sword."
Lute's scorn fell upon Lloyd, who stood staring blankly at his empty palms.
I could clearly see Lloyd's face flush crimson from here as well.
"...Thank you."
I thought he'd give up and flee right then, but Lloyd unexpectedly grasped the fallen sword again.
He gripped it tightly, as if swearing never to drop it twice.
I could already see what was about to unfold.
Lloyd swung his sword once more.
His movements were considerably faster than before, but even I, a complete novice with blades, could see his stance had grown sloppier.
But how serious must it look to Lute's eyes.
"Speed alone doesn't make a swordsman."
"Ugh!"
Lute sidestepped with a single fluid motion and struck Lloyd's hamstring lightly with the flat of his blade.
As Lloyd collapsed with a brief cry, this time the blade's edge came flying at his hand.
Smack!
"Ahhh!"
Lloyd dropped his sword once more.
"Even if your hand gets severed, you must never release your grip. It seems Young Master needs considerably more training."
Lute clicked his tongue in disdain.
But honestly, even I could tell something was off.
"It didn't look like you hit him that hard though..."
I may not know swords, but I certainly understand impact.
"You have a keen eye. The Duke is barely using any force right now."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes. He's simply striking vital points."
"...Huh?"
Vital points? Seriously...?
The distance was too great for me to see that clearly, but now I understood. Lute was doing this deliberately.
"There won't be any broken bones or bleeding, but the pain will linger for quite some time. Since the Duke doesn't seem to be ending this, it will last even longer."
"Oh..."
I turned my gaze back to the Training Grounds.
Meanwhile, Lute continued diligently beating—or rather, teaching—Lloyd.
"Who swings a sword from the wrist? Are your shoulders just for decoration?"
"Ahhh!"
"Your ribs are completely exposed. Do you want to get cut, showing yourself off like that?"
"Argh!"
"Why are you sticking your backside out so shamefully?"
"Ugh!"
Lute Sheary kicked Lloyd's rear with her booted foot.
At this point, it hardly seemed like she was teaching swordsmanship—more like venting her frustrations.
I glanced around at the spectators, and their expressions grew darker by the moment.
They had hoped for a magnificent duel between the Duke and Count Kiris's son—something so brilliant it would bring tears to their eyes. Instead, all that flowed through the Training Grounds was Lloyd's anguished screams mixed with tears.
When your opponent is Lute Sheary herself, you should have known better what to expect. Tsk, tsk.
"Bend your knees. Do you want to be crushed?"
"Aaaahhh!"
As if ice water had been poured over them, the spectators fell silent, and for a long while, only Lloyd's screams echoed through the Training Grounds.
Thanks to Lute Sheary having prepared a chair in a prime viewing spot beforehand, I was able to witness every single moment of this spectacle without missing a thing.
Ordel Kiris should have seen this too.
That was my only regret.
* * *
"You've worked hard, Duke."
The duel finally ended only after Lloyd could no longer move and collapsed.
After the unconscious Lloyd was carried away, I handed a cool drink to Lute Sheary, who hadn't shed a single drop of sweat.
"It was indeed work. Controlling my strength so as not to kill him is its own labor."
"Still, you were thinking about not killing him, at least."
"Of course. It would be too easy to simply kill him."
Lute Sheary's face turned fierce as she drank.
Why was Lute Sheary burning with such a thirst for revenge when she harbored no particular resentment toward Count Kiris's House?
Looking at it this way, she seemed to have far more grievances than I did.
"Ahem, Duke!"
As I regarded Lute Sheary with mild displeasure, Yoanna suddenly interjected—the one I naturally expected to have followed her brother.
Her eyes sparkled brighter than ever as she looked toward Lute Sheary, who had reduced Lloyd to a pulp.
Her own brother had been carried away in such a pathetic state, and yet she wanted to do this...?
---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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