5.4 

Sven emerged from the tent across the field, and King Arno appeared with the ceremonial procession, including trumpeters, as the stage was set.

“…I swear in the name of His Majesty the King, anyone who disrupts this sacred trial by combat will be severely punished, regardless of their status.”

The master of ceremonies warned all spectators not to act rashly and concluded his speech by reading the rules that the combatants must follow.

Before the battle, Julian and Sven stood before King Arno.

“I, Julian Plavant, champion and protector of the virtuous Viscount Vanessa Cloet, will prove through this life-risking combat that she is truly innocent of the murder charge. I will fight with all my might to ensure that the wicked Miriam Cloet receives the punishment she deserves for poisoning her own father.”

“I, Sven Hitzburg, champion of the faithful and pure nun, Lady Miriam Cloet, cannot tolerate being falsely accused. I will make sure the notorious villainess Vanessa Cloet, who betrayed her marital vows and sold her soul to Satan, pays for her sins.”

Julian and Sven made their vows before the king and the people, each claiming their own righteousness. They then walked to opposite ends of the arena and mounted their horses. They took up their lances and locked the visors of their helmets. The horses, excited by the throngs of people, chewed on their bits and pawed the ground.

Julian gripped the reins tightly and glared menacingly at his opponent. He was grateful for the rightful opportunity to kill his mortal enemy. How long he had awaited this day. Amidst the longing for slaughter, a strange unease gripped him.

The fact that a woman’s life depended on him became a heavy burden. Though experienced in battle, he was still clumsy at jousting. He had to somehow unseat Sven from his horse and fight him on the ground.

Julian wedged the lance firmly under his arm to keep it steady, almost horizontal.

“Begin the duel! Begin the duel!”

At the signal from the master of ceremonies, he spurred his horse. The horse charged at Sven with terrifying speed. Within seconds, the distance between them closed rapidly.

He aimed the sharp steel tip of his lance at Sven’s right chest while raising his black shield emblazoned with three lilies to brace for the attack.

Crash!

With a thunderous sound, the two collided in the center of the arena. The impact shattered the lance into several pieces. Wood splinters flew high into the air like dandelion seeds.

No matter how well protected by solid armor, it was impossible to fully absorb the shock transmitted through the body. The pain felt like his insides were being turned upside down, and Julian’s breath momentarily stopped.

“Bring me another lance!”

Sven’s shout from behind snapped him back to his senses. There was no time to hesitate.

Julian also grabbed a new lance from his attendant and launched a second attack. As one with his horse, he charged forward like a massive projectile, slicing through the fierce wind. When he got close enough to see Sven’s eyes filled with malice through the visor’s eye slits, Julian twisted his body and struck Sven’s face.

Bang! Crack.

They exchanged blows almost simultaneously. A crack formed in Julian’s shield from the impact. The horse staggered, unable to withstand the recoil, and Julian’s back bent backward as he nearly lay against the horse’s back. The broken lance slipped helplessly from his grasp.

Just before crashing into the wall, he managed to turn the horse’s head and avoid the collision. He pulled out the axe hanging from the saddle and searched for Sven’s whereabouts.

The previous attack must have been critical, as Sven struggled to maintain his balance on the horse. This was his chance.

Julian quickly spurred his horse toward Sven. Seeing Julian charging at him, Sven gripped his lance tightly and spurred his horse.

In his haste, Julian attempted an early attack. He threw the axe with all his might, and it spun through the air, aiming for Sven’s head.

Whoosh, whoosh—thud!

Sven, with remarkable reflexes, barely managed to raise his shield and block the incoming axe. The axe head pierced the wooden shield, leaving a deep groove in the vambrace on his left arm.

Failing to deliver a decisive blow shook Julian’s composure. He tried to block the steel tip of Sven’s lance aimed at his chest with his shield, but the already worn shield split in a line and shattered. The lance pierced through the shield and struck Julian squarely.

Thud! Crash!

The impact catapulted Julian’s heavy body out of the saddle. The sand-covered ground cushioned the fall somewhat, but his shoulder throbbed as if it would tear off.

Julian’s black horse abandoned him and fled, while Sven still held his ground on his horse. Julian pushed himself up from the ground. Seeing Sven discard the broken lance and draw his sword, Julian quickly unsheathed the one-handed sword at his waist. It seemed like it would be a tough fight.

With his shield shattered, he had no choice but to withstand the attacks raining down from above with his entire body.

Clang, clang!

Each strike left large dents in Julian’s armor. Moreover, he had to keep moving to avoid being trampled by the horse’s hooves.

Watching Julian struggle so hard in battle for the first time, Vanessa covered her mouth. Unlike Julian, who approached with honest strength and stamina, Sven’s attacks targeted vital points one by one. From Sven’s cunning fighting style, like a snake with its venom up, Vanessa recalled the cold sensation she felt when Julian kissed her hand. Her whole body trembled.

If he couldn’t unseat Sven from his horse, there was no chance of winning. Julian drew a dagger from his waist. After dodging Sven’s sword, he took a step back and plunged the dagger deep into the horse’s exposed side through the gap in the plate barding. The dagger caught between the ribs with a metallic clink. Warm blood, flowing from the severed muscles and innards, soaked his steel gauntlet.

“Neigh!!”

Kicked by the thrashing horse’s hind legs, he tumbled across the sandy ground. His vision momentarily blurred. He hoped the horse would collapse sideways and crush Sven’s leg, but unfortunately, Sven jumped off the horse before that could happen.

Now, Julian’s only weapon was the one-handed sword. The two-handed sword was strapped to the saddle, and the damned horse had scurried off to a corner. The one-handed sword made it difficult to attack and defend, but he had no choice. There was nowhere to run, and if there were no teeth, he would have to chew with his gums.

He brushed the blood off his gloves and adjusted his grip on the sword.

Sven slashed the neck of the struggling horse with a single stroke. The high-pitched death cry echoed in all directions. It was hard to tell if he was easing the suffering of the irrecoverable horse or venting his anger on something that had outlived its usefulness.

People watched the gruesome scene of bloodshed in a daze. When Sven irritably threw off his helmet, the spectators were shocked.

A shard of the lance was lodged in Sven’s right eye. When Sven pulled the small piece of wood from his eye, blood trickled from the empty eye socket.

Had he been fighting so boldly with just one eye?

Julian spat out blood-stained saliva. The metallic taste in his mouth was unpleasant.

Sven accepted the fact that he had lost one eye with surprising composure. He even seemed to find the situation rather amusing, as he laughed.

“Riding a horse you couldn’t tame until now. Still hung up on that wh*re, I see?”

It seemed Sven recognized Julian’s black horse, which was still alive but showed no intention of returning to its master. His breath grew rough at the words that struck a nerve.

“From a heathen woman to a widow. You still pursue unrequited love like a fool.”

“Shut up!”

Sven continued to taunt Julian as he approached nonchalantly.

“Poor Julian. There is no woman in this world who will love you. Don’t you get it yet? She’s using you. Do you think a respectable lady would fancy a rogue like you? What a pathetic death….”

“Blah, blah, you talk too much! Are you scared to fight now that you’ve lost an eye?”

Julian lost his temper first and charged at him. Sven’s single eye gleamed with madness. He quickly parried the sword aimed at his neck. With his other hand free, he clenched it into a fist. His iron-hard fist struck Sven’s lower jaw. The punch barely grazed his chin, and Sven’s sword, swung strongly from below, clanged against the seams of his armor.

The inside of the armor felt hot and humid. His whole body was drenched in sweat, but there was no time to wipe it off.

“You’re still no different now than when you squealed like a pig under me. Still base, filthy, and vile!”

Sparks flew each time their swords clashed. Screech, screech, the grinding blades wore down harshly. Julian pushed the swords apart with his strength. Then Sven grabbed the tip of his blade and shifted his weight to effectively press down on Julian’s sword. His foot slipped on the sand, and Julian was pushed slightly backward.