Chapter 64
The imperial banquet hall glittered with golden staircases and luxurious ornaments studded with jewels displayed all around.
On stage, Kashimir raised his glass before the many nobles gathered from both the West and the East.
“Thank you for gathering here to celebrate the beginning of this historic swordsmanship tournament.”
In front of him stood twelve proud students, representing the Western and Eastern Academies.
“These young men and women before us are the talents who will one day lead the Empire. Let us all raise our glasses to them.”
As Kashimir extended his glass forward, countless nobles in the hall followed suit.
“To the future of the Empire.”
“To the future of the Empire!”
Among them, one person’s beaming smile especially caught Ludiana’s eye.
“Irene seems awfully happy.”
Though she tried to rein in the corners of her lips, Irene couldn’t help but grin, her eyes squinting brightly.
“It’s all thanks to Teacher Catherine.”
“No, it isn’t.”
Ludiana leaned slightly toward Catherine, who stood beside her, but Catherine shook her head firmly.
“It’s thanks to Irene’s talent and hard work.”
Though her voice was blunt, her flushed face betrayed her emotion as she couldn’t take her eyes off Irene.
“Now then, everyone, enjoy the eve’s festivities!”
Kashimir stepped down from the stage. The nobles, after exchanging glances, began to cluster into groups and chat.
Young nobles of the East flocked around Kalos, while Irene slipped away and headed toward Ludiana.
“Master!”
But her delighted voice was quickly drowned out by one laced with hostility.
“Irene Roembeck.”
“Narthas?”
Turning her head, she saw Narthas approaching, brow furrowed.
Both Irene and Ludiana stiffened at the unexpected encounter.
“How someone like you became a representative…”
“What?”
With a sneer, Narthas looked her up and down as he drew closer. Irene let out a disbelieving laugh.
“How dare you speak so rudely in the Emperor’s presence?”
Ludiana stepped forward to block Irene, glaring at him.
“I have no business with you. Move aside.”
“Hey!”
Unable to hold back any longer, Irene squeezed between them and shouted.
“If you’ve got a problem, face me in the arena fair and square.”
“Judging by the match brackets, it looks like we’d only meet in the semifinals.”
Trailing off, Narthas glanced at Catherine standing behind them and smirked.
“With such a difference in the level of our teachers, you think you’ll even reach the semifinals?”
“You…!”
“What? Am I wrong?”
Irene ground her teeth and stepped toward him, recognizing the clear insult to Catherine.
It was obvious provocation, brimming with hostility.
While Irene’s face flushed with anger, Ludiana assessed the situation more calmly.
A transparent provocation.
If Irene attacked here, all responsibility would fall on her. Worse, it could bring disadvantages to the Eastern representatives.
I have to put an end to this first.
Just as she was about to intervene, Catherine’s calm voice cut through the tension.
“Lord Nürenbern.”
“Yes, Lady Crow.”
Lady Crow.
Though Catherine had been knighted by Allen, she neither graduated from the academy nor joined an order. Narthas deliberately ignored her title by calling her only “Lady Crow.”
“I advise you to stop.”
“And why is that?”
“It’s unseemly. Do you wish for the East to lodge a formal complaint against the West?”
She was, after all, a professor of the Eastern Academy. Narthas, still a mere student, had no authority to look down on her.
Despite his insulting words, Catherine remained poised, delivering her warning with composure.
“Click your tongue all you like. You’ll see tomorrow.”
Knowing full well he could not escalate things further, Narthas backed down—for now.
Watching him retreat into the crowd, Irene clenched her fists and moved to follow him.
“You…!”
But Ludiana caught her by the wrist and held her back.
“Irene, let it go.”
“Why?!”
Irene turned, her eyes blazing with resentment, but Ludiana shook her head.
“Charging after him now will only hurt you.”
“……”
“Beat him tomorrow. That’s all that matters.”
As Narthas disappeared into the crowd, Kalos approached them.
“Ludi, what happened?”
“Narthas…”
Following the sound of Narthas’s voice, Ludiana’s gaze shifted—and at the edge of her vision, she caught sight of Jonas watching them from afar.
His emotionless face, unforgettable even in dreams, curved into a faint smirk when their eyes met.
As if he were thoroughly pleased with the situation.
“Narthas, what the hell was that?!”
As Narthas strode toward the terrace, Payden hurried up beside him, scolding.
“What were you trying to achieve by provoking them?!”
But when Narthas didn’t respond, Payden glanced around nervously and pressed again.
Narthas’s eyes, which just moments ago had been mocking, suddenly turned feral.
“The public already doesn’t look kindly on us…”
“Payden, come with me.”
“Huh?”
Without waiting for an answer, Narthas veered into the outer corridor of the banquet hall. Intimidated by his unsettling aura, Payden swallowed hard and followed.
“You—why are you… Ugh!”
Suddenly, Narthas spun around, grabbed Payden by the collar, and slammed him against the wall. Payden choked as his airway was crushed.
“Khahk… guh…!”
“Get your head straight.”
Narthas growled, making no attempt to mask his rage, tightening his grip on Payden’s throat.
“This isn’t some friendly tournament. It’s a duel with our family’s honor on the line. Are you going to lose to a bastard?”
“Kh—kugh—!”
“You don’t even plan to fight seriously, do you?”
As Payden’s face grew paler, Narthas finally released him. He collapsed to the floor, coughing and gasping desperately for breath.
“Pathetic.”
Clicking his tongue, Narthas turned and strode back toward the banquet hall. Still wheezing, Payden glared at his back from the ground.
What the hell does he expect me to do…?!
He slammed his fist against the floor, his eyes burning with fury.
“Damn it, damn it…!”
The House of Ransthein had long been known as a prestigious line of master swordsmen who upheld the Empire.
Payden was the legitimate youngest son of that house. But unlike his brothers, he lacked true talent with the sword.
Compared to his second brother, hailed as the Empire’s greatest sword, or his eldest, who had already become heir, Payden was mediocre. And yet, that had been fine—until a few years ago.
I was just the youngest, after all.
Of course his older brothers would be better. He thought that, with age, he too would grow into greatness like them.
But everything changed when that boy entered the academy at the same time as him.
Kalos.
That bastard, born of a servant woman his father had taken for a single night’s pleasure.
Yet fate chose not him, the legitimate son, but Kalos.
At the Eastern Academy, Kalos became the direct disciple of the great sage Baron. Soon, the entire Empire was speaking of his brilliance.
“Payden, you must defeat Kalos.”
“Mother, me…?”
“Yes! Show them the true heir of Ransthein is not that bastard, but you!”
Why me, of all people…!
“I never even wanted to be a representative in the first place!”
Normally, Payden wouldn’t have been chosen.
But his father, Graham, head of the family, wanted him on the team. The professors, wary of the chairman’s authority, placed Payden among the representatives.
In that situation, Payden couldn’t say a word—not that he lacked confidence to beat Kalos, nor that he could.
So he chose instead to lose early, before ever facing him. He’d be criticized for being the first Ransthein to fall, but at least he wouldn’t suffer the humiliation of defeat at Kalos’s hands.
But just now, Narthas had pierced straight through his heart.
“Gh…”
Payden trembled with humiliation and shame.
“Lord Nürenbern.”
Back in the hall, Christina approached Narthas. His lips curled faintly upward.
“You’re here.”
“Sorry I’m late.”
Earlier today, Christina had sent word she wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t accompany him.
Though Narthas had been annoyed, he didn’t press the issue. Once they married, the whispers about him being born of a concubine would vanish.
“Are you feeling better now?”
“Yes, thanks to you.”
As Christina smiled radiantly, Narthas felt his irritation melt away.
Perfect.
He was satisfied with Christina. Her lineage, her blooming beauty, her gentle nature—everything.
If only she hadn’t been a student at the Eastern Academy, she would have been flawless.
Well, that much I can overlook.
After all, once they married, she would be his.
A little dalliance beforehand didn’t matter. Smiling darkly, Narthas extended his hand to her just as new music began to play in the dance hall.
“Would you care for a dance?”
“Of course.”
Christina returned his smile with ease, taking his hand. Narthas pulled her close to his side.
And with her there, his face lit with smug satisfaction.
