Much apologies for disappearing for some time. Hadn’t had much time to translate Din so this has been delayed for a long time. m(_ _)m
Translated / Edited by: Rinkage
A special thanks to Frost for helping me out with this chapter ^^
Character page:
Illustrations for Volume 1:
Chapter 21: The Reunion of Two People (part 1 / 2)
The moment I cancelled out Cross Blast, exhaustion swept over me.
I breathed heavily as I knelt on the ground.
When I looked up towards the audience seats, seventy percent of the nobles appeared displeased.
Rather, the best part would begin from here.
The observer who was standing in the ring, waited for Horgos’ representative to come over.
…However, Durf, the assassin brothers, as well as most of the attendants were carried off somewhere at the speed of light.
It was probably so that the magicians could carry on with healing, using their recovery spells.
Rather, did the kingdom assign any magicians for that?
I strapped the knife back onto my waist and tried to get up.
Possibly because a sense of fatigue had attacked my feet, I ended up staggering unintentionally.
「…Uoo, whoops」 (Regis)
I collapsed backwards, but someone supported me from behind as I keeled over.
Without even needing to turn around, I could tell that it was Walkins.
「Regis-sama, thanks for your hard work.」 (Walkins)
「Yes. You have a very reliable back. 」 (Walkins)
As she said so, she hugged me tightly from behind.
Shadiverga walked towards us as the maid lent me her shoulder.
Had the effect of the poison lessened significantly? His complexion seemed to have returned to normal.
「It was exhilarating, Regis! I would like to try resolving it that way with my own hands, too, even just once.」 (Shadiverga)
「What are you talking about? It’s because I’m your son that I was able to obtain victory like this.」 (Regis)
On hearing that, Shadiverga merely scratched his cheek in embarrassment.
Since he has low self-esteem, he deprecates his own abilities entirely.
「Haha. Regis’ endurance and strength in magic are definitely inherited from Sefina.
「No. Father’s encouragement gave me the strength. In other words, this strength belongs to me, Walkins, father and mother. This is our victory.」
I looked at Shadiverga, seeking his acknowledgement.
This guy is someone who is easily moved to tears.
Well, that part of him was what made me trust him, though.
「As expected of Regis-sama. Watching this match made me feel anxious, but I believed that you would definitely win.」 (Walkins)
「There was no way I was going to lose, when what’s at stake is you.」 (Regis)
Even so, it was a pathetic sight.
The state of my legs was that of a newborn deer.
If I were to stumble upon people like my classmates in a place like this, I would be nicknamed Bambi-chan on the following day.
Hold on a second.
Bambi-chan is really cute.
While I was being overwhelmed with happiness, someone walked out from the front.
Since Durf, the original representative was seriously injured, the attendant had stepped out on behalf of him.
Yes, this was so he could find out my demand.
Incidentally, the aforementioned representative was the attendant that I had clashed with in the northern noble district.
It was that guy who sent out the private soldiers in an attempt to kill Edgar and me.
「Yo, so how’s the feeling of being a loser?」 (Regis)
「…Tch. I can't believe we’re beaten by a brat like you.」 (Attendant)
The attendant spat on the ground and faced me as he clasped my hand.
The observer who had confirmed it, began delivering her speech.
「Well then, I would like to reveal the demand of the winner of this duel. Furthermore, I, Limwris Trúvaneia, as someone who has been selected as the judge of this duel between nobles in this kingdom, have the power to enforce and the right to reject the demand.」 (Observer)
I paid no attention to the long-winded explanation.
From what I’ve seen, she didn’t seem to be a noble.
She’s an earth-shattering beauty. It made my heart skip a beat.
She didn’t seem to be that old, but she was chosen as the observer.
She might unexpectedly be someone from the magic association.
However, she has quite a cold expression.
After a lengthy speech, Limwris paused for a moment.
This uncle dislikes listening to long-winded talk.
「—- But just one more thing. Some demands may not be accepted and are at the discretion of the king. We will not accept any demand that would be disadvantageous to the kingdom. This is also one of the supplementary points in Article 122 of the dueling rules—-」 (Limwris)
Ah, sorry. She wasn’t done yet at all.
Although, were they familiar with the duel already?
It amazed me that they could endure listening to such a boring thing every time.
Rather than listening to these uninteresting words, copiously cited with references, I would have preferred to work on the electric circuit for physics that I have yet to do.… Ah, on second thought, physics is impossible.
There was once when I was conducting the experiment using iron balls, but I accidentally dropped it on the tip of my foot, breaking a bone in the process. That incident was too traumatic to me.
I was 'blessed' to have met that physics teacher, who had instructed us to use those real iron balls. Really.
「Well then, I shall disclose the demand without delay.」 (Limwris)
Finally over?
At that moment, her face twitched.
She rubbed her eyes and read it again.
She then looked at me suspiciously, with unclouded eyes, seemingly asking if I really wanted to go ahead with it.
I nodded slowly.
Upon seeing our exchange, the attendant raised his voice irritably and spoke out in a haughty manner.
「Could you make it quick? I don’t have that much free time to be sitting down with a filthy fallen noble. There’s a limit to how much insult I can take.」 (Attendant)
「…What?」 (Attendant)
The instant he heard those words, he frowned.
Walkins’s body felt warm.
I didn't show it, though.
Limwris cleared her throat and read out the contents in one breath.
「Alright. First, the things that are requested are as follows:
second, all his surrounding lands and authority over the residents there are to be transferred to Din family;
and fourth, the rebuilding of the magic shop managed by Edgar-shi—」 (Limwris)
She read them out one after another.
Everyone was paralyzed by the demand, since the contents entirely undercut the honour of this kingdom’s nobles.
Normally, it is a common practice to make only one request in the duel.
The absurdity of it made the attendant jeer at me.
「Wha.. What fucking demands are these?!」 (Attendant)
「There’s no helping it, isn’t it? Your side lost.」 (Regis)
The attendant became even more furious when I shrugged my shoulders and answered him.
He paid no mind to his honour anymore and spat out all the words of criticism held deep inside him.
「Do you even have any common sense! How many fucking demands are you going to make?! Gold mines? Territories? Authority? Shop? There are no nobles who would make such preposterous demands!」 (Attendant)
「There's one in front of you. Ah, don’t forget the silver mines. You left it out. Besides, don’t expect any dignity from a fallen noble. We’re just earning back our money for tomorrow since we almost died today. Exploiting the upper echelons just a little is fine, isn't it?」 (Regis)
I will definitely not change my demand.
Just because the nobles in this continent regard someone who makes more than one demand as despicable?
Who’s going to abide by the dueling rules or the supplementary rules when the contents are not even written clearly?
It was my belief that you should take whatever things that you can get.
It was just like how I acquired too many free pocket tissues that were distributed outside.
However, there was one occasion when someone reported it to the girl who was distributing them.
A man prostrating to a girl at the station at night.
I don’t think there are any other weirdos except for me who would do such a thing.
Don’t look down on this NEET bastard who has gone through numerous ‘trials and tribulations’.
Did you think I have still not made any progress after all that?
The attendant’s shoulders were trembling out of anger.
「There is no way such suggestions would be accepted! This will definitely affect the country's interest!」 (Attendant)
「…This brat. Are you planning to crush the Horgos family?」 (Attendant)
「It’s just crushing a stinking pigsty. Deliver the requests quickly and disappear from my sight.」 (Regis)
The attendant placed his hand on the hilt of his sword when he heard my words.
This was retribution for making light of me just because I am a kid.
There wasn’t anything else to say.
I made eye contact with the observer.
Thereupon, Limwris made a loud declaration.
「Well then, we will let the king decide if the contents of the demand are acceptable. The representatives from the two families will come by the king’s castle after this!」 (Limwris)
Hou, so the king will be the one to decide?
By the way, these additional points in the dueling rules article are not really well-known, since fundamentally, the seven main rules of the duel are already sufficient.
Therefore, the supplementary points to the dueling rule are only for when something unexpected happens.
Nevertheless, there were a few exceptions in the situation this time.
Not only had I forced the opponent out of the ring, Din's family requested an abnormal amount of demands as well.
I had, in any case, incurred the animosity of the nobles who have good relationship with Horgos already.
Nonetheless, if we had cared about something like prestige, we wouldn’t have ended up becoming fallen nobles.
Also, my job ends here.
I shall leave all the complicated discussions after that to Shadiverga while I go to the vicinity of this area to pick up medicinal herbs for curing baldness.
I then turned around triumphantly, anticipating seeing Shadiverga standing there, overflowing with pride but…
It was different than what I expected.
Yet he was trembling and chattering his teeth.
「Father, what’s wrong? Has the poison not wear off yet?」 (Regis)
「N-No, that’s not it. I’m going to have an audience with the King now, right? I-I was wondering, if it would be alright for someone like me to have this honour…」 (Shadiverga)
Certainly, it might be too over the top for a fallen noble to have an audience with the king.
If he really didn’t want to, I wouldn’t mind going in his stead.
「Since I’m the head of the family today, I don’t mind going actually.」 (Regis)
「But as I thought, father should be the one to go. It’s only the process of transferring the execution right and decision-making power to you. So, just go and have the audience with the king.」 (Regis)
I gave Shadiverga a light pat on his back.
I had intended to hand over the baton to him casually, but he shook his head, looking flustered.
「T-That won't work! If it’s just meeting me, then it’s fine, but the King wants to meet the head of the family, right?」 (Shadiverga)
「…Uu, that is certainly true, based on the past experience. I wouldn’t know what might happen if you were to be the one to meet the king.」 (Shadiverga)
Oh, you do understand it well, don’t you?
After my interaction with Durf, he seemed to have acquired the 'skill' that prevented him from stepping on the 'landmines'.
Yes, so it would be a conversation between adults from here.
So, let’s just say that I have left the play.
After all, Shadiverga is originally good with words.
At any rate, he will not mess up as long as they do not touch the issue regarding Sefina.
I shall entrust Shadiverga with the matter of diplomacy.
The lingering scent of something burning hung in the air inside the arena.
Shadiverga and the attendant, who represented Horgos's family, were taken away by the observer.
A fallen noble and a high-ranking noble.
For the time being, the event that had disrupted the ordinary days was settled.