TRHK Chapter 15

Seen in good light, he really was more handsome. His dark eyebrows, so like the Count's, and his brown hair swept back gave him an elegant look. Whether the inside matched, of course, was another matter. Seeing Kahron's absolute beauty every day had left me somewhat immune to any other man's good looks.

……Anyway, why did he keep staring like that?

I worried that Joel's strange behavior might draw the Count and Countess's attention. I hurried to gather up the used plates and glasses and get out of the hall.

"A wandering knight, you said?" Joel called out loudly, striding over. If only he hadn't.

I stopped short and glanced back, and Joel's unfriendly gaze was flicking back and forth between me and Kahron. Hwirozen and the other knights nearby had gone wide-eyed.

"What's your name?"

Joel had a decent enough build himself, but next to Kahron—tall even among the knights—there was no comparison. Joel stood in front of Kahron, then, seeming to realize just how small it made him look, stepped back a few paces. He scowled, put out even by that.

"…….”

Kahron, still holding the glass a servant had just refilled for him, looked down at Joel standing before him without a word.

The longer the silence stretched, the more uncomfortable the air grew. Hwirozen drove an elbow into Kahron's side from behind, hard, where Joel couldn't see. Kahron's brow creased slightly before he spoke.

"Kahron."

"A commoner, then. Isn't that right."

"Yes."

Actually, he wasn't a commoner at all—he was a noble. But that had never mattered to a Sword Master anyway. And hadn't the Count himself, without even knowing Kahron was one, offered him a title purely on the strength of his skill not long ago? Kahron had turned it down, apparently.

"Father speaks highly of your swordsmanship. Not that I doubt Father's word, of course……but seeing it with my own eyes is a different matter. What do you say—care to show me a demonstration?"

It was a rather high-handed proposal—no, an order. The words said 'show me a demonstration,' but the malice was caked on thick underneath.

The air around them went cold. As the Count and Countess and their retainers, in conversation elsewhere, began to take notice one by one, Hwirozen stepped in to try and smooth things over.

"Ha ha ha! You heard Master Joel, didn't you? Better get to special training starting today, eh?! Now then, Master Joel, why don't we have him show you his skill in, say, three days' time……"

"No. Right now."

"……Sir? But he's had quite a lot to drink right now……"

"Does drinking make a knight any less a knight? I don't think so."

It was a plainly unreasonable thing to say. Checking the other knights' faces confirmed I wasn't the only one who thought so. The Count and Countess seemed content to watch things play out for now—they frowned, but didn't send a servant to intervene.

Joel raised his voice and called out cheerfully.

"Now, who'll take on this wandering knight? Come forward, however many of you, proud knights of this house!"

It was the kind of remark meant to stoke their competitive blood and needle their pride. Worse—"however many of you." What was he even trying to do to a man who'd been drinking? I had to physically stop myself from throwing my plate at him.

"We'll do it."

A familiar-looking knight stepped forward with a few companions. It was the one who'd once bothered me going on about how nice my hair smelled. Joel looked delighted.

"Ah, brave knights have stepped forward!"

Which meant, presumably, that the ones not stepping forward now lacked courage?

Landale, who'd only just caught up with the situation, went rigid. Even the usually easygoing Hwirozen looked deeply uncomfortable with all this.

But those already committed carried on as if they'd planned it together.

"Let's move to the training yard, Master Joel. We'll escort you."

"Good. My house's knights never disappoint me."

Joel and the knights moved off toward the training yard in a group. Landale followed after, looking like he meant to say something, but Kahron held out the hand with his glass in it, blocking him. Landale, caught off guard, took the glass with a frown creasing his face.

"Don't get any stupid ideas. However good you are, that's only true when you're sober."

"Right. Listen to the commander. Nobody's going to blame you if you turn this down."

Following Hwirozen, Seylon, who'd been watching anxiously, cut in too.

"Kahron, haven't you had at least ten glasses by now? We'll tell Master Joel—go back to your quarters and rest."

Unlike when he spoke with me, there was no stammer in Seylon's voice this time, and real worry ran through it. Kahron regarded the three of them for a moment with an odd look.

"Sir Kahron! Come quickly! Master Joel is waiting!"

Squires called out to him anxiously from a distance. Only then did Kahron's expression return to its usual indifference, and without further comment, he left the party hall.

But nobody left standing here thought he'd meekly go back to his room. Neither did I. I set the plates down on the table and hurried after him.

"Kahron!"

I caught his arm, and he glanced down as if to ask what now.

The original Sword God's Adventure's protagonist had achieved, through countless trials, an unrealistic ability that transcended human limits. In this world, someone who reached that state was called a Sword Master. Kahron had already become one back in his childhood, so there was no chance he'd lose after stumbling around drunk. Honestly, worrying about the drink mattered less than worrying about the madness, which could flare up without warning.

But hearing he'd had not just one but ten glasses, worry got the better of me regardless. I should've dug up some sobering herbs in the forest! I'd never imagined anything like this would happen.

"You can win, right?"

Certainty and worry had gotten tangled into one voice. I stared at him harder than I ever had. I didn't know much about it, but knights apparently used live blades even in training.

If he looked at all unsure, I was fully prepared to kidnap him back to his room right then. Just keep him hidden until the party ended—could I even pull that off? I had no idea.

"What'll you give me if I win?"

Kahron, who'd been sulking the whole time, suddenly asked that with a sweet smile. Oh no. When he smiled like that, it was dangerous. A warning went off in my head, but the situation was what it was, and his smile was overpowering enough that all I managed was a stammer.

"Wh-what do I need to give you?"

He was the one dueling—why did I have to give anything? My confusion lasted only a second before it hit me: if I said I wouldn't give him anything, he might lose and come back hurt. My lips just moved on their own.

"F-fine, I'll do it."

I had no idea myself what "it" even meant, but I nodded anyway, however it came out. Kahron, satisfied at last, sauntered off like a sated predator.

"Don't get hurt!"

I shouted after him.

I'd never seen so many people gathered in the training yard before. Since it was all happening because of Joel Coutner's own antics, at Joel Coutner's own welcoming party, no one could very well stop it—servants, the Count and Countess, and their retainers had all made their way to the yard.

Kahron and his opponents stood facing each other at the center of the ring the onlookers had formed. The first knight to volunteer against Kahron was short and slight, but the others were solidly built.

Five opponents in total. Kahron, drunk, would have to face all five alone.

Joel, who'd steered the whole thing to this point, spoke with a look of feigned innocence.

"It's a friendly duel, so there's no need to fight to the death. Still, a duel's a duel, so I suppose a little blood can't be helped."

……That bastard. Several knights besides me, including me, frowned at the way he spoke, as if he were actually hoping to see blood.

"I thought going off to the Academy might've knocked some sense into the eldest young lord. Guess not at all. Commander."

Hwirozen muttered, shaking his head slightly, to Landale. I was standing right in front of them, so I could tell Landale hadn't answered at all.

Whether he knew how tense I was or not—even if he knew, I doubted he'd care—the faintest edge of a smile still lingered at the corner of Kahron's mouth.

……He's really not drunk, is he?

The Count and Countess had already taken seats prepared for them in a shaded spot, settling in to watch.

"Not running away. You're a braver knight than I expected."

Joel said, still wearing that unpleasant smile, directed at Kahron. I wanted to do something about that smug trap of his.

Had a scene like this ever appeared in the original novel? No matter how many times I turned it over in my memory, nothing came to mind.

Not... the original. Not anymore.

In truth, just my existing here had already knocked the original story off course. I wasn't going to fall for Joel, and I was going to cure Kahron's madness myself instead of leaving it to the Wandering Healer. Unexpected turns like this were bound to keep happening from here on out. I bit down on my lip, anxious. I'd drawn blood biting it like this before, and I still couldn't stop myself.

Just then, Kahron smiled back at Joel. I wasn't the only one who gasped every time I saw that smile—sharp intakes of breath came from all around. It was the kind of reaction you'd expect from witnessing some rapturous work of art.

Meanwhile, the knights who saw the smile reacted with nothing but unease.

"……That guy...looks bad news, Commander."

Hwirozen whispered from behind, sounding thoroughly uneasy.

"You said it was fine if there was blood."

Kahron asked, and Joel nodded readily.

"That's right. It's a duel between knights—blood's bound to be spilled somewhere!"

"Then there won't be a punishment?"

"What punishment, for something that trivial?"

"If the commander agrees too, I'll happily take part in the duel."

Suddenly named out of nowhere, Knight Commander Landale's frown deepened further. He looked no more pleased with the situation right now than I was. Joel, apparently surprised by the response, summoned Landale over at once.

"Landale! Seems the wandering knight here listens well to you. He doesn't seem to trust my word much, so go on and give your consent. Everyone's waiting for the duel."

Joel looked eager to get past this back-and-forth quickly and throw the knights—Kahron, more precisely—into a bloody fight.

Since the son of his lord had called for him, Landale had no choice but to step forward a few paces. He glared at Kahron and said:

"I agree."