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chapter 07
So, Some Meat
Morgan’s expression immediately lit up again. He seemed to think Lando had taken his side. Feeling invincible in the duel, Morgan grinned arrogantly and glared at Myer.
Myer glanced at Lando, who had suddenly stepped in, and nodded.
“I’ll accept it.”
Lando looked briefly surprised but quickly erased the expression and nodded.
“I have business to take care of today, so the duel will be at noon tomorrow. I, Lando Bellins, will serve as the witness. Anyone with objections, speak now.”
A knight presiding over a duel between mere recruits?
It was extremely rare. Even more so for Lando, known as the strongest in the territory, to personally step in. When no one raised objections, Lando nodded.
“Recruit. Hand me your sword.”
Lando extended his hand to Myer. Myer handed over Lando’s sword with both hands. After strapping the sword to his waist, Lando turned away as if without regret.
Seeing the knightly exemplar walk away, Morgan bared his teeth and spat on the ground.
“You owe me a lot today. As repayment, tomorrow I’ll smash you so you’ll never climb again.”
Morgan’s eyes were terrifying as he brushed his hair back from a blow Myer had delivered with the sword. With a slightly upturned gaze, as if already scheming for tomorrow, he tapped Myer’s shoulder and passed by, followed by the recruits trailing behind him.
Myer was left standing alone.
“A duel, huh.”
The imprisoned noble Myer Garden.
The cowardly prince who used to wet himself and faint at the sight of a sword was now facing a duel. And it wasn’t like he had much experience swinging a blade—only once in his life.
It was disappointing that no one recognized him as the legitimate heir of the Garden family, but Myer smirked.
“Strangely enough…”
He felt a tingling in his hands, an uncontrollable urge to swing a sword. His eyes, like clear blue lakes, emitted a cold, blue light.
“I don’t think I’ll lose.”
Vector was checking to see if anyone had been injured when Lando approached, and he gave a playful salute.
“You were talking with the recruits. Did you plan to pull out anyone useful?”
Vector had always scolded Lando for going without recruits. To someone of Lando’s caliber, wasting his skills was itself a crime, hence Vector’s nagging to bring recruits along.
If Lando had decided to do so, Vector would have been pleased. But Lando shook his head.
“The recruits requested a duel among themselves.”
“A duel? That’s… something. If the high-and-mighty knights heard, they’d be scandalized.”
One thing knights despised was recruits pretending to be knights.
“So, I decided to mediate.”
“You, Commander?”
Vector feigned exaggerated surprise but was genuinely shocked. After all, it was Lando’s domain to meddle.
“You didn’t seem interested before.”
“The kid I entrusted my sword to. I had no choice but to intervene.”
“Oh?”
Lando’s entrusted recruit. Vector had never seen this recruit before, but Lando was showing interest for the first time.
“Really? Not someone you know? Surely not… Ah, could it be a hidden son?”
“What!!!!!”
“Of course. Everyone knows Sir Lando is a devoted husband.”
Lando was a stoic, unwavering man, yet he married one of the most beautiful women in Auvis. Everyone was curious about his secret.
Vector continued joking until Lando’s expression suddenly changed, his gaze sweeping over Vector.
“The formation was disrupted.”
“Not disrupted—just slightly disorganized.”
“Crane. Marshal. Garan. There’s blood.”
Vector realized he had crossed this stern superior—but the realization came just a fraction too late.
“C-Commander. The kids were putting extra effort because they were facing the knights…”
“Then your bodies are fully warmed up.”
Lando’s icy smile sent chills.
“As promised, I’ll conduct special training equivalent to the number of injuries. Fifteen, I believe?”
“I… only got slightly scratched.”
“Me too!”
Those singled out raised their hands, claiming minor injuries, but Lando’s voice was cold.
“Still, they’re injured. Fifteen it is. Fifteen hours.”
One hour per person.
Even though the soldiers had defeated the Iron Bear Knights as ordinary troops, the special training gave them a target for their frustration.
Lieutenant Vector.
“If he hadn’t foolishly teased the Commander…”
“His mouth is the problem!”
“Today I’ll rip that tongue out!”
The soldiers’ burning glares made Vector gulp. At this rate, he might die at the hands of his own men before any enemy.
“Move! Run!!!!”
With Lando’s piercing command, Viktor’s soldiers screamed and began running.
“Hey, Heirun?”
“You’re here, Master.”
[Heirun Usher: ★★☆☆☆]
Waiting for Myer in the annex was Heirun. But beneath the polite greeting, his face was full of displeasure, making Myer smirk.
“You look like you have a lot to say.”
“Why did you do that?”
“What did I do?”
Heirun sighed.
“You went to the Iron Bear Knights’ training ground.”
“Were you… spying on me?”
Myer frowned, but Heirun nodded confidently.
“Yes.”
“How bold. Shameless.”
“Of course. If something happened to you, I’d hold the stewards responsible.”
Blood is thicker than supervision.
Though Kyle had been adopted, Myer remained the legitimate heir of the Garden family.
“You’ve been watching all along?”
“Yes.”
Seeing no point in hiding, Heirun admitted it. But Myer didn’t take his words at face value.
“Who is it?”
Someone sensitive to his changes. The sudden emergence of a previously hidden observer suggested a shift in sentiment.
But Myer lacked enough information to guess. He shivered slightly and nodded.
“Just… felt like it was okay now.”
“So you plan to duel?”
Heirun already knew something had happened to Myer. Only minutes had passed, yet he knew—a sign of sharp eyes and ears everywhere.
“I’m fine now.”
“Indeed, you are.”
Myer didn’t show it, nor did he try to hide it. Since Heirun’s actions were only a verification step, hiding it was pointless.
“So, will you help?”
“I think it was unnecessary.”
Heirun seemed to have no intention of intervening further. Myer smirked.
“You can at least grant a small favor, right?”
“If it’s a favor…”
“Meat. Just some more meat. Make sure I’m well-fed.”
Heirun’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Me-meat?”
To ask for meat as a favor! He narrowed his eyes but then lowered them in defeat.
“Just bring meat?”
“Bandages and medicine too.”
Myer gestured to his hands. The one that hadn’t held a sword was blistered from swinging a sword all day.
“…You plan to duel with these hands?”
“Of course. I can’t become a knight otherwise.”
“A knight?”
Heirun looked surprised.
“You intend to become a knight? You’ve changed a lot.”
“You talk too much. I have no obligation to explain everything to you.”
Heirun paused, then bowed politely.
“My apologies. That was presumptuous.”
Even a neglected child like Myer was the Garden heir. As steward, Heirun had no right to question him.
“I’ll bring the items you requested.”
Heirun bowed respectfully. Myer called after him.
“Make sure whoever’s behind you knows I’ve changed. I don’t plan to live like I used to.”
Heirun paused at Myer’s small declaration, then bowed and left.
Now everyone would know Myer had changed. He picked up the sword Gillot had dropped.
“I must change too.”
Myer’s eyes burned with excitement as he recalled Lando’s Rebellion Sword.
“My lord.”
“Lando.”
Lando kneels only for one person—the head of the Garden family, Erigo Garden.
Erigo removed his helmet and looked at Lando.
“I heard you defeated Stan and the Iron Bears. Well done. Training soldiers to that level of elite.”
Lando bowed at the praise. Then he noticed drops of blood on Erigo’s helmet.
“You could have left it to the captain, but you came personally?”
“Those were insignificant.”
Erigo chuckled and gestured to his helmet. The chief attendant wiped the blood off with a cloth.
“So, what brings you, Lando?”
Erigo removed his armor, changed into lighter clothes, and sat comfortably.
“You rarely come unless I summon you. You must have something to report.”
True to his nature, Lando rarely approached first, believing a knight should be devoted to protecting his lord and territory.
“My apologies.”
“I do not blame you.”
Erigo sipped wine as red as blood.
“Today, I saw the young master at the training ground.”
“The prince? You mean Kyle?”
Lando shook his head. Myer’s small face showed Erigo’s features—Lando recognized him instantly.
“Prince Myer.”
“Myer.”
Erigo frowned but relaxed shortly after.
“The training ground… the sun must be rising in the west.”
“And tomorrow, he will duel.”
Lando explained the situation that led Myer to duel. Erigo stroked his chin in disbelief.
“He didn’t faint, didn’t wet himself, and couldn’t take his eyes off your sword?”
“Yes, my lord.”
Erigo made a thoughtful sound.
“I didn’t underestimate him, nor deny him a chance. Though he inherited my blood, he missed it all.”
Erigo gripped the armrest tightly.
“Ten steward commanders killed the royal guard captain, the enraged nobles quelled them, and the empire’s situation is unstable. At times like this, what is needed…”
Erigo’s eyes flashed.
“A strong heir. That’s why Kyle was adopted.”
He raised his hand, already knowing what Lando would say.
“Bloodline is important, of course. I know you dislike Kyle due to his unknown origin. But his courage and talent are genuine, as you know.”
Erigo said to Lando:
“If the boy wins tomorrow, bring him to me.”
Lando bowed deeply.
“Return.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The loyal knight disappeared. Erigo gazed out the window, frowning.
“Myer. Myer.”
Even speaking his son’s name didn’t ease the tension on Erigo’s face.
