Giscard stared at the commander of the 4th Knight Order for a moment before speaking.
“This is amusing.”
“Wh-What is amusing?”
“Wasn’t it the commander of the 4th Knight Order who lacked respect first, with all that nonsense about monsters?”
Wow, our male protagonist.
He’s really on fire today!
With the explosive series of developments unfolding one after another, like a burst of refreshing soda, I couldn’t be more satisfied.
‘He’s just staring, but his presence is no joke?’
Simultaneously, Giscard removed his leather glove.
‘Oh, could it be?!’
My eyes sparkled.
A duel.
When there was a difference of opinion, it was a way to settle it by fighting, risking each other’s honor.
It was an old-fashioned custom, rarely practiced nowadays, but…
Thud.
Giscard threw the leather glove at the feet of the 4th Knight Order commander.
The commander, staring blankly at it, looked up at Giscard.
“It’s common for those who are lacking to be jealous of those ahead of them.”
Giscard gazed at the commander with an arrogant look.
As someone who had once been in line for the throne of a nation, a strong sense of authority could be felt.
“I’ll accommodate you.”
Giscard had even dropped the formality in his speech that he had been maintaining out of courtesy.
The commander’s face twisted in anger.
“A-Accomodate me? What do you mean by that…!”
“You were spouting nonsense about us being monsters because we use aura.”
Giscard shrugged lightly.
“So I’ll fight without using aura, to match your low standards. How about that?”
“…”
The commander gritted his teeth.
Refusing a challenge was already shameful, but accepting under such terms would be even worse.
Stepping back now would utterly crush his pride.
“W-Wait a moment!”
At that moment,
“Are you seriously suggesting a duel between knight commanders?”
The evaluator, alarmed, hurriedly intervened.
“This is unacceptable! You should be setting an example for your knights, what kind of disgrace is this?!”
Despite his talk of setting an example and avoiding disgrace, his true concern was transparent.
If the commander of the 4th Knight Order lost the duel, it would be an embarrassing spectacle.
From the evaluator’s perspective, it would be awkward facing the commander-in-chief afterward.
“You must not cause further issues!”
The evaluator, desperate, dragged me into the conversation.
“Princess, I mean, Administrative Officer Astrid, please say something!”
Huh? Me?
I blinked in surprise, then smiled bashfully.
“I’m actually in favor of the duel.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
Silence fell.
Not only the evaluator who had addressed me but also the 4th Knight Order commander, who had hoped for a resolution, were at a loss.
On the other hand, Giscard gaze, as he looked at me, seemed to say,
‘It’s reassuring to have a lunatic on our side.’
…Something like that.
To reciprocate that trust, I clenched my fist.
Do whatever you want, our male protagonist.
This troublemaker princess will handle the aftermath!
Giscard then smiled slightly and confidently declared,
“And as our witness to guarantee the outcome of the duel… I select Administrative Officer Astrid.”
“Wh-What did you just say?!”
The evaluator exclaimed in shock.
Ignoring him, I added fuel to the fire,
“I’m deeply honored that the commander trusts me so much.”
I smiled sweetly.
“I promise to observe with the utmost fairness.”
Of course, the definition of ‘fairness’ is entirely up to me.
“It seems she agrees.”
Giscard added slyly, then turned to the evaluator with a question.
“So, do you intend to act as a witness for the Commander of the 4th Knight Order?”
The evaluator’s face turned ghostly pale.
I could almost hear the gears in his head turning…
If he sided with the 4th Knight Order’s commander, he risked angering the unruly princess standing before him.
On the other hand, abandoning the commander could upset the Northern Commander-in-Chief.
Ultimately, the evaluator decided to push for reconciliation between the two commanders.
“Still, isn’t it a bit much for commanders to duel? You’re both part of the Northern Command.”
“Oh, so it’s fine for a member of the same command to call others ‘monsters’?”
Giscard shot back without batting an eye, crushing that feeble question.
‘Hmm, it seems Giscard is actually enjoying this?’
I briefly felt uneasy.
But, since I preferred this bold approach over the previous timidity towards the 4th Knight Order.
I decided to help Giscard a little.
“Evaluator, I’m a bit disappointed.”
I said, narrowing my eyes.
The evaluator paled further.
“Yes? D-Disappointed?”
“Isn’t it obvious? You stayed silent when our knights were insulted.”
The evaluator flinched, stiffening his shoulders.
I continued, my tone dripping with sarcasm.
“Now that we’re trying to address this insult through a fair duel, you’re suddenly trying to interfere?”
“N-No, that’s not…”
The evaluator, about to argue something, bit his lower lip tightly.
Well, I guess he doesn’t have anything to say.
In fact, the evaluator has shown blatant bias so far.
“So, what about the matter of the witness for the Commander of the 4th Knight Order?”
I continued to press the evaluator further.
“I am opposed to this duel.”
After a moment’s hesitation, the evaluator replied with a troubled face.
“How could I serve as a witness for anyone?”
It was a lame excuse.
But it wasn’t a bad reaction for me.
‘Good.’
I nodded my head in satisfaction.
The evaluator, it seems, has chosen to cut off the 4th Order Commander.
After all, it was the 4th Order Commander who caused all this trouble in the first place.
It would be embarrassing to favor him even more.
But in the meantime, the way he’s stepping back, saying, ‘I won’t take sides,’ is pretty pathetic…
‘Whatever, this much is enough.’
I shrugged my shoulders and hammered it in again.
“Then, will the 4th Order Commander proceed with the duel without a witness?”
The 4th Order Commander looked at the evaluator with pleading eyes, but the evaluator averted his gaze, ignoring him.
“There’s no need to wait any longer, right?”
Watching the scene, I confirmed the duel in a cheerful voice.
“Let’s proceed with the duel now, shall we?”
* * *
Giscard and the commander of the 4th Knight Order each stepped onto the training ground.
The knights who had just finished their training looked at the training ground with contrasting expressions.
“Win this for us, Commander!”
“We believe in you!”
The knights of the Azure Dawn Knights shouted energetically, waving their fists.
They seemed to be greatly encouraged by their recent victory in the joint training.
On the other hand, the knights of the 4th Order kept their mouths shut, glaring intensely at their commander on the training ground.
“…”
“…”
Having already been defeated themselves, they couldn’t bring themselves to wish for victory out loud.
Their desperate eyes seemed to plead for their commander to win and restore their pride.
‘Damn it.’
The commander cursed under his breath.
Opposite him, Giscard stood, holding his wooden sword loosely and simply facing the commander without any signs of tension.
And yet…
‘He feels like a wall.’
To the commander, Giscard appeared like a massive fortress wall—so tall and smoothly polished that it was impossible to climb, with countless knights at the top holding various weapons, guarding it.
An impregnable fortress.
‘No, but he said he wouldn’t use aura.’
The commander gritted his teeth.
‘In that case, I have a chance to win.’
TL/N: HAHA. IN YOUR DREAMS LOL.
* * * *
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Thank you for your work! Great translation!
Captain of delulu squad fr