“Who is this eye witness?” I asked, spreading my arms out. “If someone claims to have seen me beating your two younger brothers senseless last night, I would very much like them to step forward so I can rebuke them.”
All of the people surrounding us glanced at each other, as if wondering which one of them was the eyewitness who’d seen me violently destroy Alf and Arvid, but of course, none of them stepped forward. None of these people had seen me. Whoever it was had clearly been someone with not only an incredible amount of control over their Spiritual Power, but they obviously had an affinity for the darkness element.
Darkness was an element that excelled in stealth attacks. If a skilled Spiritualist had the darkness element, they could hide their presence within the shadows. There was even a technique called Shadow Walking that would let them travel between shadows. Not only did the darkness element have excellent stealth techniques, but the powers of a darkness user increased during the night, when the shadows were at their thickest, which explained why I couldn’t sense them.
Just as I was about to lay into Albert for not having his witness step forward, someone spoke from amongst the crowd.
“I am the witness.”
I was sure an ugly expression crossed my face when I heard that voice. Beside me, Kari also looked like she’d swallowed something foul. The person who had spoken, who was now walking out from behind Albert, was Grant Leucht. He wore a mocking grin as he looked down his nose at me.
“I had been out late that night, searching for Alf and Arvid because they had run an errand for me and never returned,” Grant began his “tragic” tale. “While I was traveling through the streets, I found you mercilessly beating those two senseless.”
“Is that so?” I asked with a soft frown. I was somewhat mimicking an expression I’d seen on Kari’s face many times in my previous life. “If that is the case, and you did indeed see me beat up your two friends… why did you not intervene and rescue them?” I tried not to smile when I saw his face twitch. “Are you not friends with Alf and Arvid? You witnessed them fighting someone who was superior to them and didn’t even try to help? Did you wait until I was gone before slinking over and bringing them back to the Himmel Family with your tale of woe? Are you that afraid of me?”
“I’m not afraid of you!” Grant glowered at me, his face boiling red.
“And yet you did not step up and protect your friends when they were in danger,” I replied in a soft, mild voice. “Could it be that you are lying? If you do not fear me, then surely you would have stepped forward and rescued them… unless, of course, I did not beat them up and you are merely trying to falsely incriminate me without a shred of evidence.”
I carefully watched as Grant’s face turned an ugly puce color. Then I looked at Albert, who was glancing at Grant as though asking him what they should do now.
It was clear to me that these two were in cahoots with each other. I didn’t know what this Albert or the Himmel Family’s relationship was with Grant or his Leucht Family, but it was at least easy to recognize that one was subservient to the other.
“Of course, I wanted to step in and help my friends,” Grant began slowly. “However, by the time I had arrived, the battle was practically concluded. I could have attacked you, of course, but I deemed getting my friends back home where they could be treated for their injuries to be more important.”
“But Albert said his younger siblings were found early the next morning,” I pointed out. “This battle you claim to have witnessed happened during the night. If you brought them home immediately after the battle, then would that not mean they had not been found early the next morning? In which case, one of you is lying.”
As my words echoed across the street, many of the common folk who surrounded us began murmuring. My ears perked up as I listened to what these people were saying.
“That’s true. How could they have been found early in the morning if Lord Grant brought them home after the battle last night?”
“Do you think Lord Albert is lying?”
“Maybe Lord Grant is lying.”
“They could both be lying.”
“That’s right! What if those two are just trying to implicate that young man for some reason?”
“But why would they do that?”
“Don’t you know? That boy is Eryk Veiger! He and Princess Kari have become very close. There’s a rumor going around that Lord Grant covets Princess Kari and wants her for himself. I heard his family is even undergoing marriage talks with Empress Hilda.”
“So he’s slandering Eryk because he’s jealous?”
“Verily.”
I glanced at Kari, whose cheeks had gone from pale to pink. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who overheard the conversation about how she and I had become close. Despite her obvious embarrassment, she still reached out and gently grabbed the sleeve of my shirt. This action caused Grant, who had shown up a little after Albert, to glare at me with even more vitriol.
“Well?” I asked, staring between Albert and Grant. “Albert says they were found early in the morning. Grant says he witnessed my battle and brought Alf and Arvid home late at night. You can’t both be speaking the truth. That would be contradictory. So, which one of you is lying?”
I almost smiled. If Grant confessed that he was lying, it meant he had also lied about witnessing the battle between myself and his two friends. In which case, neither he nor Albert would have any grounds to stand on, but if Albert confessed to being wrong, then Grant could still potentially make the claim that he had witnessed the fight.
Albert glanced at Grant, clearly aware of this problem. The young Leucht Family heir returned the look and frowned.
“It could be… that I was mistaken,” Albert admitted in a voice that made it clear he was forcing the words out. “I only heard about what happened late this afternoon, after I had returned from the Demon Beast Mountain Range. It is possible that I merely misheard the elders when they spoke.”
Even though I wanted to frown, I didn’t let it show on my face. I glanced at Kari. She was biting her lip now. As the Princess of Nevaria, she was well versed in politics and understood that I could still be implicated as the person who had assaulted Alf and Arvid, which would be considered a serious offense. One did not just assault nobility. At the same time, there were ways around this.
“It seems we are at an impasse,” I muttered with a sigh. “You have implicated me in the crime of assaulting nobility, but I have never once laid a hand on anyone who has not laid their hands on me first.”
“So you plead innocent?” Albert asked.
I stared at him with an even frown. “I do.”
No one dared to speak for the longest time as a thick tension filled the air, clogging the throats of those who were too weak-willed to deal with it. Most of these people had probably never seen such a confrontation like this before. It was almost like watching a dramatic play.
Beside me, Kari continued to chew her lip for several seconds before her eyes hardened.
“Since it seems neither side is willing to back down, I believe there is only one way to settle this.” Kari stepped forward, standing between me and the other two. Her eyes were polite but firm. “As the slighted party, you have the right to challenge Eryk to an Honor Duel. Should he prove victorious, these accusations that you have brought against him will be dropped. Should he lose, then it means he is guilty and will face an appropriate punishment.”
Honor Duels were only something I’d heard of before. Kari had once told me about them a long time ago. They were used to settle disputes between nobles. I’d never heard of a peasant having an Honor Duel with a noble, and I was sure these two hadn’t either, but they didn’t dare dispute Kari.
“When and where will this Honor Duel be held?” asked Albert.
“We will hold it in five days,” Kari said. “I will inform my mother, Empress Hilda, about this matter and have her prepare a proper venue for the two of you.”
Whi
le Grant looked like he wanted to dispute Kari, Albert nodded, turned around, and began walking away. After glaring at me with a look that could have killed lesser men, Grant also turned around and followed after Albert.
With the situation resolved, the common folk who’d gathered to witness this event slowly dispersed. Many glances were still cast at me and Kari. What’s more, the numerous conversations had become heated and excited as they talked about the upcoming duel. I was sure these people were enjoying the drama.
“It seems I’ve gotten myself into some trouble,” I said with a sigh.
Kari turned to me and smiled. “You have indeed, though I do not believe what happened just now was your fault.” She glanced at where Albert and Grant had disappeared. “It is obvious that Grant is the one who instigated this event. The Himmel Family is a minor noble family who are subservient to the Leucht Family. In fact, it was only thanks to Grant’s family that the Himmels were able to gain the status of a noble family to begin with.”
“Can you tell me more about them?” I asked.
“I will tell you what I know of the Himmel Family and Albert in particular tomorrow.” Kari’s eyes crinkled a little as she glanced at the darkening sky. “It is getting quite late. I should have been home by now.”
After noticing how late it was, I realized that the confrontation had lasted far longer than I’d thought. I cursed those two. They had completely ruined the time I had been spending with Kari. Did they have no tact?
Sighing, I glanced at the young woman beside me. She appeared just as unwilling to part as I was, biting her lower lip as she twiddled her fingers together. That made me smile. It also made me feel bold.
Reaching out, I placed my right hand against Kari’s smooth, warm cheek. Her eyes widened as I leaned down. That was the last thing I saw before my lips made contact with her skin. I did not kiss her on the lips, which had been my first impulse, and instead I placed a soft kiss on her cheek. When I leaned back, Kari’s face was burning.
“I… hope that wasn’t too forward,” I said. Kari shook her head, but that was seemingly all she could do. It was like she’d been rendered temporarily speechless. “I’m glad. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“R-right. See you tomorrow.”
After gracing me with those parting words, Kari turned around and walked away, her gait still graceful even as she hurried along.
* * *
“Why did you agree to an Honor Duel?” asked Grant as he and Albert walked through the Noble District. He was gritting his teeth as he spoke. “An Honor Duel with a peasant? Who has ever heard of such a thing?!”
Albert sighed. “What would you have me do? Would you have me slight Princess Kari by denying her suggestion?”
“But it’s an Honor Duel!” Grant growled.
The high walls of the many grand estates stood on either side of the street. If they were to look over, they would have been able to see the massive homes of the numerous noble families situated within. A number of carriages rolled past them. They were being pulled by Mares, harmless F-Rank Demon Beasts that had been tamed for the purpose of transporting people and cargo.
“I am aware that it is an Honor Duel,” Albert said. “You do not need to tell me that.”
“Then you should know what is at stake!” Grant clenched his hands. “Should you lose, not only will all the charges against that peasant be dropped, but his prestige among both the peasants and the nobles will soar!”
“Your point? All I have to do is not lose.”
Grant ground his teeth in frustration as he heard Albert’s words, but he eventually relaxed. There was little point in getting mad now that this situation had come to pass. He took several calming breaths, and then sighed.
“I suppose it is unlikely that you will lose,” Grant admitted. “Among our generation, you are one of the finest warriors. Only a few other people our age like the younger members of the Kriger Family and maybe the Drage Family are stronger than you.”
“You are slighting yourself,” Albert said with a faint smile. “I still have yet to defeat you in combat.”
Grant smiled but did not say anything. He looked up at the dark sky and clenched his hands once more. Even if Albert lost, which he didn’t believe would happen, he would still be able to learn more about Eryk and his abilities. In the meantime, he would have Skygge and his group search that peasant’s house to learn anything they could.
Just you wait, he thought as a black feeling penetrated his heart. I will destroy you for humiliating me and trying to claim Kari and Fay as your own!
* * *
I arrived home much later than I expected. Lin was already sound asleep when I gently shut the door behind me.
I glanced around the room as I walked in, studying the very few pieces of furniture I had. All of this would need to be moved to the house I had just bought, which would require the aid of other people to help. I was going to have to hire someone to bring it all over. However, there was a problem with that.
Reaching my bed, I glanced at the sleeping Lamia girl. She was turned on her side, her snake tail curled up and poking out from under the covers. Because her tail was so long, the tip was dangling off the edge and touching the floor. The bed was also bending. I was afraid it might snap.
Her black hair flowed across her body and the bed like a curtain of silk. I glanced from her face to her bare breasts. Her nipples had hardened thanks to the chilly night hair. She seemed cold.
“How am I going to get you to our new house and have the movers move everything over without you being seen?” I wondered out loud as I slowly reached out with my hand and stroked Lin’s hair. I didn’t even realize what I was doing until much later. After which, I retracted my hand and shook my head.
It really was difficult living with such a cute and exotic girl.
* * *
The next morning was a little problematic for me. The first thing I needed to do was find some people who could help me move all of my current furniture into my new home. Fortunately, the Eieren Family actually had people who could do that. After speaking with the young man who had helped me find my house, I soon brokered a deal to have several people come over the next day after I got off from work. It did cost me 3,000 valis, but that was honestly a small price to pay. The only problem I could foresee came in the form of Lin. I’d have to get her over to the new house tonight. I’d also have to convince her to hide somewhere so none of the people helping move my furniture would see her.
Once I had finished speaking with the young man from the Eieren Family, whose name I learned was Kaleb Eieren, I traveled to the training ground. Fay was not there today. She had classes at the Spiritualist Academy.
I stood in the clearing and wondered what Spiritual Technique I should practice today. I’d basically remastered the Flash Step by this point, or at least the first stage of the Flash Step. It came in several stages. The more advanced forms were more difficult to master.
“I suppose I should focus primarily on getting the hang of Flash Step Version 2,” I muttered.
Taking a deep breath, I unleashed my Spiritual Power, which flowed through my body like an overbearing tempest. My aura swiftly soared. Pale arcs of blue lightning skittered across my body as swirling eddies of Spiritual Power flowed around me. However, despite the power flowing around my body, none of it affected the environment as I carefully controlled it.
Once my Spiritual Aura had appeared, I gnashed my teeth together and enforced my will over it, drawing all of my Spiritual Power back into my body. The pale blue aura was drawn back inside my body as though I had become a black hole sucking it up. This was different from merely letting it dissipate. The aura was still circulating, still there, but now it was underneath my skin. It felt like lightning was flowing through me just underneath the surface of my flesh.
After taking my aura back into myself, I took a single step forward and the world around me vanished. Not even a second had passed before I was fifteen meters from my prev
ious location. I looked back and frowned.
“There’s no afterimage.” I sighed.
It looked like the Flash Step Version 2: Illusion Step was going to take a while to master.
* * *
Kari sat in the lecture hall alongside the other students who attended the Spiritualist Academy, biting her lip as she waited for the old teacher’s lecture to finish. Instructor Duendas was currently teaching them about the uses of Spiritual Power outside of Spiritual Techniques.
“Many of you have yet to reach the stage where you can create a Spiritual Aura with your Spiritual Power,” he was saying. “However, once you have attained this ability, your Spiritual Aura will not only act as a suppressant that can cause your opponent’s Spiritual Power to grow sluggish, you can also emit a Spiritual Pressure that can make your enemies feel fear, a great reluctance to fight, and even a near physical discomfort that feels as if something is pushing them into the ground. Of course, the greatest asset of a Spiritual Aura is defense. Your Spiritual Aura will act as a shield that can defend you against both physical and spiritual attacks.”
As she continued listening to her teacher with one ear, Kari glanced at Fay several seats away. She had yet to speak with the girl about Eryk. However, she really did need to. The longer she put this matter off, the harder it would become to resolve it.
Instructor Duendas continued to lecture them. At the end of his lecture, he activated his Spiritual Aura. A vast and mighty Spiritual Pressure swept around the room, causing even her to pay more attention. The instructor’s Spiritual Aura was a fiery red that appeared around his body like a flame. The red of his aura meant his elemental affinity was for fire.
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