[V3C13] No! Don't Fight For My Sake!

“As someone born into a family of knights, I shall accept the duel in his place.”

Ray widened his eyes at Frieda’s spirited declaration, saying, “W-why!? Huh? Why? L-Let’s start with a discussion…”

To Ray’s nervous proposal, Frieda shook her head and decisively replied, “No. Brother will never withdraw once he has declared a challenge.”

With that, Frieda stepped forward.

Ray thought that her brother Henrik would surely back down rather than duel his own sister. But to his surprise, Henrik suddenly picked up a large shovel that was lying in the garden.

“Very well. However, I have only brought one sword with me…”

Henrik threw the sword at Frieda’s feet and tightly gripped the shovel instead.

“I’ll go easy on you. You may use my sword.”

“Then I shall take you up on that offer.”

Frieda picked up her brother’s sword, unsheathed it, and assumed a stance with both hands.

Her movements were seamless, clearly indicating her familiarity with the blade.

(Ahh… What’s happening…? Seriously, what’s going on here…!?)

While speaking with his fiancé Frieda, her brother suddenly appeared and challenged him to a duel. Despite Ray’s attempt to decline, for some reason, Frieda accepted the duel instead.

Now, Frieda and her brother were glaring at each other in front of Ray, brandishing a sword and a shovel respectively.

To put it mildly, Ray had no clue what was going on.

“Frieda, do you understand what it means to point a sword at your brother?”

“Yes. I will give my all for my happiness. If you intend to interfere with that, Brother… I will show you no mercy.”

Frieda’s strong tone caused Henrik’s gaze to soften, revealing his previous unreliable-looking expression.

“Not even a little?”

“No.”

“I see… Well, then.”

Henrik sighed and lowered his gaze. Once he lifted his eyelids again, his eyes were no longer those of a helpless young man.

If there was anyone present who knew about the war over fifty years ago, they might tremble and say:

──Those are the eyes of the War Wolf of Valmbelk.

Even though he held a shovel instead of a sword, the killing intent emanating from his entire body was genuine.

“Come at me with everything you’ve got! Frieda Blanquet!”

“Very well, Brother… Here I come.”

Without the slightest hesitation, Frieda closed the distance with her brother, thrusting her sword at his shoulder.

However, Henrik skillfully deflected Frieda’s blade with the shovel’s handle and effortlessly knocked the sword upwards. If Frieda’s strength was any weaker, she would have dropped the sword with that single parry.

Frieda managed to hold onto the sword at the last moment and stood her ground, delivering the next slash.

“Hya!”

“Weak!”

Henrik bellowed as he easily intercepted Frieda’s attack. The handle of the shovel was made of metal, making it difficult to cut through.

As Frieda tried to create some distance, Henrik closed the gap and swung the shovel down while shouting.

“I will not give my sister to a man who proposes to any girl he sees!”

Dodging the shovel’s strike, Frieda shouted back, “Rest assured, Brother, I was the same! I thought anyone would do as long as they had money!”

“Let’s not bring that up here, shall we!?”

The War Wolf’s face returned to the pitiful face from earlier. However, there was no hesitation in the arms wielding the shovel.

Evading an attack that would surely result in a broken bone upon direct impact, Frieda swung her sword again, saying, “What reason is there to ignore the truth!”

“To preserve your dignity! After all, we are a family of knights!”

“Brother, haven’t you always said that honesty is a virtue!”

“When used appropriately depending on the situation!”

Contrary to the seemingly tension-free exchange of words, the sword and shovel continued to be thrust accurately at each other’s vital points.

In front of Ray, who was at a loss about what to do, the fierce quarrel and duel between the siblings continued.

“Just come back, please! Grandfather is worried, and keeps saying shamans are scary!”

“Don’t worry, Brother. The Abyss Shaman is a surprisingly human-like and enjoyable individual. You and Grandfather, who try to solve everything through force, are much more dangerous.”

“Aren’t you being a bit too harsh on your family!?”

“Face the truth! Right now, you are trying to resolve things through force, aren’t you, Brother!”

Henrik struggled to respond to Frieda’s declaration, and she quickly dove in with a horizontal swing.

Henrik agilely jumped to avoid it, then readjusted his grip on the shovel.

“Regardless! We must break off the engagement as soon as possible. Lost time will never return… Please come back already, Frieda.”

Henrik voiced a sorrowful plea while firmly swinging the shovel. In response, Frieda began muttering emotionlessly.

“Farm tools, stable, exterior repairs…”

Henrik fell silent, seemingly hit where it hurts.

As Frieda swung the sword down on her brother, she loudly declared, “Time lost will never return, Brother, just like the funds we spent won’t return either!”

“I wanted to return the money! I said it! But you just went ahead and spent it on your own!”

“Revitalizing the economy allows your people to prosper! As the lord, you should be pleased!”

As Valmbelk’s financial troubles were gradually exposed, Ray shouted with teary eyes and trembling.

“S-Stop it… Stop… Don’t fight for my sake!”

＊　＊　＊

“Ray can still say those lines in this situation; he’s really thick-skinned,” Raul remarked while trimming roses that kept growing one after another with gardening shears.

Glenn, diligently plucking the petals, asked, “So, why are they quarreling again?”

“…Can you really call that a quarrel, Glenn Dudley.”

Cyril, who was plucking the petals with more grace than Glenn, expressed his exasperation, and Glenn responded in his usual manner.

“My master would call it within the realm of a quarrel.”

His words revealed the intensity of the Barrier Mage’s education.

As Cyril sighed with a bitter expression, Monica interjected while gathering the petals in a bag.

“Um, so… Is it okay not to stop them…?”

The duel between the Blanquet siblings was growing more and more intense. Although the arguments they exchanged were trivial, the metallic clanging of sword against shovel was undeniably real.

Isaac paused his flower plucking, directing his attention to the Blanquet siblings, and commented, “It would be great if we stop them, but that won’t be easy.”

Frieda’s excellent agility made her a formidable woman, but her brother, Henrik Blanquet, was even more terrifying.

He handled his makeshift weapon, the shovel, as if it were an extension of his own limbs.

(Those movements… He must be skilled in spear techniques in addition to swordsmanship.)

If he held his original weapon, the sword, this battle would have been settled instantly. The difference in strength was that clear. Even if it seemed almost evenly matched, Frieda was gradually being pushed back.

(…However, he’s stronger than I heard in the rumors. The Margrave of Valmbelk, huh.)

Isaac observed Henrik’s movements while contemplating. If there was a war between the Ridill Kingdom and the Empire, Valmbelk would likely be the first target of invasion.

The once renowned and valiant War Wolf of Valmbelk had aged, and his grandson was reported to be an unreliable young man… But it seemed that this information needed correction.

(Well, not that I have any intention of going to war… Rather, perhaps we can form an alliance under the pretext of dealing with dragon attacks?)

The financial situation of Valmbelk was evidently challenging, as revealed in the quarrel between the siblings. If they were in need of support, a little aid should be enough to earn plenty of gratitude.

(Since it’s not appropriate for the retired second prince to lead the alliance openly, it might be best to ask Bridget to lead, then let Albert take charge of the negotiations.)

Isaac considered such matters while plucking flowers, as a sharp and rigid sound reverberated.

Henrik’s shovel had knocked Frieda’s sword out of her hand.

This was no longer the time to be picking flowers, but Isaac decided to continue playing the observer.

＊　＊　＊

Before Frieda could reach the fallen sword on the ground, Henrik swiftly thrust the shovel toward her forehead.

“Now, let’s go back to Valmbelk, Frieda.”

“No, Brother. I refuse to return to Valmbelk.”

“I see…”

Henrik’s mutter contained a hint of grief, but he looked down at Frieda with a stern expression.

“In that case, you leave me no choice… I’ll take you home even if I have to knock you out.”

“Wa-wait, wait…!”

Ray shouted with an inverted voice and rushed in front of Frieda, his face paler than usual.

Henrik’s eyes grew even sharper.

“Step aside, Lord Albright. It’s no longer your place to intervene.”

“N-no, stop, don’t hurt her…!”

Henrik intended to knock Frieda unconscious and take her home by force. Thus, Ray desperately extended his trembling arms to protect Frieda.

Ray, who was not good with violence, was terrified of Henrik… but even so, he should be better than the Barrier Mage, the personification of violence, and the combat-crazed Artillery Mage… probably.

As the trembling Ray looked up at Henrik, Henrik twirled the shovel in his hand.

“I have no intention of letting a weakling like you marry my sister. If you want Frieda, defeat me with your own strength.”

“…!”

Henrik pressed the tip of his shovel against Ray’s throat. Ray froze, with beads of sweat forming on his face.

A drop of sweat dripped from Ray’s forehead into his eyes, distorting his vision.

(…I’m scared, scared, scared, scared, scared…!)

“Why can’t you offer any rebuttal! You coward!”

Upon hearing Henrik’s sharp rebuke, Ray’s fear reached its limit.

Suddenly, the sound of something breaking echoed in the back of his head.

And…

“Ah, ah, ah… ah…”

The curse marks engraved on Ray’s entire body writhed, silently crawling across his skin. Dark, slender curses emerged from Ray’s pallid cheeks as if taking the form of slithering serpents.

The trembling Ray covered his face with his hands. However, the relentless transformation of the curse marks showed no sign of stopping.

——Curses are greatly influenced by emotions.

The overwhelming fear had unshackled Ray’s restraint.

“Ah, ah! AHHHHHHHHHH…!!”

And thus, curses began welling forth from the Abyss.

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