Chapter 37. Let’s Just Take a Few Hits

Maelyn barely held back from sarcastically remarking that everyone looks normal and pretty if you look at their eyes, nose, and mouth one by one.

“Ha, haha, yes. His Highness the Grand Duke is also, well, yes… good-looking.”

Maelyn deliberately mumbled the last part while pretending to agree.

“Right? His Highness was quite popular, wasn’t he?”

Yuelina’s eyes curved happily at Maelyn’s affirmation.

Maelyn felt a small pang of guilt.

It seemed the Grand Duchess truly believed the Grand Duke was handsome.

While Theo might have been popular in war, Maelyn had never witnessed his popularity firsthand.

To judge if someone was handsome, one would need to have properly seen their face.

But Theo’s face wasn’t one you could easily see just because you wanted to.

You’d need the courage to face death by his sword to dare look him in the eyes.

“By the way, where’s Raye today?”

Maelyn looked around for Raye.

Every morning when she visited Yuelina’s room, Raye would bring out tea and desserts for a light refreshment.

Also, in the current situation, having Raye around would make things more comfortable.

When alone with Yuelina, she might slip up and say something wrong about Theo.

“Ah, Raye said she’d stop by the training ground today. There’s an important match.”

“A match?”

Yuelina nodded.

* * *

The morning training ground was filled with the knights’ laughter.

“Hahaha! You’re really funny! Did you really catch a bear with that dagger?”

“Yeah. It’s not difficult. Our daggers are curved, you see. Once you succeed in getting it in the neck, it’s as good as won.”

Asarim showed the dagger he’d brought from the village to the surrounding knights.

As he said, the dagger was sharp and quite sturdy, and being curved, it looked like it wouldn’t easily come out once it was stuck.

“Ooh, it’s true! That’s great technique.”

“If you want, I can fix yours. I know how to make them too.”

“Really? Then me too!”

“And my dagger!”

The knights held out their daggers to Asarim.

Asarim accepted all their weapons without complaint.

“For someone who looks so delicate, you sure know how to handle a blade.”

“Despite my looks, I’m the most capable warrior in the village. Of course, my good looks are naturally praised too.”

“Hehe. Aren’t you a bit too confident?”

“You guys must be quite popular too, aren’t you? I was talking with the maids today, and they seemed very interested in the knights.”

The knights’ eyes sparkled at Asarim’s words.

“Th-they talk about us?”

“Want me to arrange a meeting?”

“Ooh! To think we could talk to g-girls! This is our chance!”

“You’re our friend from now on!”

“Hahaha. So please take good care of Yuna, no… Her Highness the Grand Duchess. She’s my only friend.”

That’s when it happened.

Theo, who had been listening to Asarim and the knights’ conversation with distaste from afar, strode over.

Only the swirling sand in the wind welcomed him.

“Neglecting training for useless chatter.”

At Theo’s words, the knights scattered back to their positions.

Asarim put down his dagger in the corner and stared at Theo.

“Oh my, Your Highness the Grand Duke is here, yo?”

“You must be getting muscle cramps from forcing etiquette you don’t want to show.”

“Aw, why say that, sir? Yuna told me to be polite, so I must be, sir.”

A vein popped on Theo’s forehead at Asarim’s playful voice.

“Bring wooden swords.”

“What?”

“We’re going to spar, so bring them.”

A knight hurriedly handed Theo two wooden swords.

Theo threw one wooden sword to Asarim. Asarim caught it easily with one hand.

“Be grateful it’s not a real sword.”

“Oh my, how thankful I am, sir!”

Asarim headed to the center of the training ground with Theo, holding the wooden sword.

The knights who had been training in the corners gathered around Theo and Asarim.

“How long has it been since His Highness sparred?”

“What wind brought this on suddenly?”

“But will that guy be okay?”

“Well, we’ll see. When I checked his hands earlier, it didn’t seem like he’s just all talk.”

The knights quietly exchanged words while watching the situation.

Asarim and Theo stood facing each other.

Both held swords but weren’t in attack positions.

“What? Now that we’re actually sparring, you don’t want to, sir?”

“Just gauging where to hit so you can still walk.”

“Such bravado.”

Asarim laughed mockingly and properly gripped the wooden sword.

He thought Theo was really big.

Like facing a bear, no… even facing a bear didn’t give this kind of pressure.

What was more irritating was that unlike a ferocious bear, Theo was overflowing with composure.

He didn’t want to wait any longer.

Asarim twisted his body to target Theo’s side with the wooden sword.

Theo lightly stepped back to avoid his sword.

But Asarim wasn’t to be underestimated. He naturally followed Theo’s movement and raised his wooden sword high, precisely aiming for his neck.

Theo also raised his sword to block Asarim’s attack.

Clang–. Clang–.

The sound of wooden swords clashing was louder and more chilling than real swords.

It was like thunder striking in clear skies.

The knights watched open-mouthed at the resounding sound of wooden swords.

Asarim’s attacks didn’t stop.

Theo focused more on defense than counterattack.

Asarim was gradually tiring. He roughly wiped the sweat from his forehead while looking at Theo.

Theo, without a single drop of sweat, looked as solid as an old rock by the sea.

“Yuna will be unhappy here.”

Theo’s composed expression instantly turned cold.

Asarim didn’t miss that moment and struck Theo’s abdomen with the wooden sword.

For the first time, Asarim’s attack landed.

The knights couldn’t hide their surprise when Theo was hit.

“You don’t know how much Yuna loves and cherishes our village.”

This time it was Theo’s arm.

Asarim hit Theo’s arm with all his might.

Asarim was sure it had landed properly. Theo raised one eyebrow while staring at Asarim.

“Don’t you think it’s cruel to keep Yuna in this lonely place where there’s no one?”

Asarim raised his wooden sword high again. He aimed for Theo’s neck once more.

But Theo blocked Asarim’s attack in one breath.

Their faces drew close as their swords clashed.

“Now let’s just take a few hits.”

“What?”

“Just three hits.”

Theo forcefully pushed Asarim back and tripped his legs, making him fall.

Asarim managed to land while rolling on the ground.

Before he could catch his breath, Theo’s attack came.

Theo struck Asarim’s back hard with the wooden sword.

“Kuk!”

Asarim quickly got up and took a defensive stance.

Theo was looking for openings in Asarim’s defense with a keen expression.

Asarim was out of breath, and his hand holding the wooden sword trembled slightly, but he showed no gaps.

But that was fine.

Gaps could be created if needed.

However, Theo had no intention of disturbing his opponent’s mind by mentioning Yuelina like Asarim had done.

He could just overwhelm him with force.

Theo pressed Asarim by pushing his wooden sword against Asarim’s.

He struck Asarim’s side and chest in succession. Asarim collapsed as his legs gave out.

“You’ll still be able to walk.”

“……”

Asarim had trouble breathing. His face automatically contorted from the pain constricting his chest.

But it wasn’t over yet.

As Theo said, Asarim could still walk.

He raised his wooden sword toward Theo again.

The sound of their swords clashing and hitting flesh rang out once more.

“My, my goodness!”

Just then, one knight exclaimed in shock.

The wooden swords of Theo and Asarim broke and were rolling on the ground.

Theo threw the broken wooden sword to the ground. Asarim did the same.

“That’s enough.”

Asarim gave a hollow laugh.

He had rolled in the dirt, and his clothes were half torn, looking like rags.

Yet Theo was speaking without breaking a sweat, looking perfectly fine.

“So there was a reason you eat so much.”

“…I eat moderately.”

Theo flinched at Asarim’s sarcasm.