MTLNOVEL Ch. 2
Chapter 2. Dammit, to think I died there (3)
Five years later.
Patrick Schneider, ten years old.
Although he was ten, he was in such an excellent state of growth that he already looked fourteen.
And it was this splendidly grown Patrick that Baron Schneider had summoned.
“Father, you called for me?”
“Yes. You’ve come?”
As he opened the door to the office and entered, Baron Schneider was looking at Patrick from between piles of documents.
He smiled with satisfaction for a moment as he looked at his son.
‘Who would say that boy is ten? He is truly a natural-born knight.’
Though he was his own son, a gentle smile graced his lips as he looked at Patrick, who stood a full head taller than his peers.
But today, he was also worried.
“Sir Erickson spoke to me.”
“That bastard did?”
“……”
“He’s asking to die.”
Patrick’s expression as he spoke of Brian was not pleasant.
He had never liked Brian, but the more he learned about the fiefdom’s situation, the more he disliked the man’s existence.
Seeing this, Baron Schneider let out a deep sigh and said.
“He says it is time for you to come out for training as well. As a noble, as the heir to a family of knights, shouldn't you also take up the sword now?”
“Hahaha…. I see. So….”
Patrick continued, a vein popping on his forehead despite his smiling face.
“That bastard ‘ordered’ his lord, my father, to have me come out, and so you ‘summoned’ me. Is that it?”
“……”
Such a cynical child of mine.
How could he hear a single word and interpret it so cynically?
Baron Schneider couldn’t help but sigh.
In truth, the bad blood between Patrick and Brian was nothing new.
For several years, the two had growled at each other whenever they met.
It was quite comical to see a full-grown adult knight and a child not yet ten years old openly at odds with each other, but when those two held the positions of the fiefdom’s only heir and only knight, the story became quite serious.
Until now, because Patrick was young, it could be overlooked as just one of those things.
But as Patrick grew, this problem became more and more serious.
Baron Schneider sighed and spoke.
“Why on earth are you so at odds with Sir Erickson?”
“That's because that bastard is…”
Patrick, about to say something, bit his lip and fell silent. Then, with a displeased face, he said.
“In any case, I don't like him.”
“Hahaha….”
It was a headache for Baron Schneider.
For the only heir of the fiefdom to so openly detest the only knight of the fiefdom.
He steeled his heart and spoke.
“Son. In my view, Sir Erickson is right this time. You too must receive training now.”
“From someone weaker than me?”
“Haha…. Hahaha….”
Baron Schneider just laughed it off.
Patrick had been saying things like this for several years now.
-Father, I am stronger than Brian. So what is there to learn from an inferior?
He had been saying this since he was about seven, but, needless to say, no one believed him.
They just considered it the typical bluff or bravado of a young child.
But Patrick was now ten.
It was no longer possible to accept it as a child's immature bravado.
‘At ten, shouldn't he know how to distinguish right from wrong?’
Baron Schneider hardened his resolve.
He thought that he could no longer indulge his son’s childishness.
“Son, do you truly believe you are stronger than Sir Erickson?”
“It's not a belief, it’s a fact.”
“In that case, would you face Sir Erickson in a duel? In front of all the soldiers of the fiefdom.”
Baron Schneider thought that if he laid down the threat this far, his son would get flustered and back down. But….
“Huh? Really? I can beat the crap out of that bastard?”
“If you are afraid of that…. what did you say?”
“For real? I can legally beat that bastard to a pulp?”
“……”
His son spoke with a joyful expression, as if he had been waiting for this very moment.
Is he serious?
Is this bastard serious?
Baron Schneider was flustered.
While he was thinking to himself, ‘This isn’t right,’ Patrick spoke.
“When should we do it? Now?”
“No, ahem, first I must ask Sir Erickson for his opinion.”
“Why does that bastard’s opinion matter? You’re the lord. If you tell him to jump, he has to jump, doesn't he?”
“……”
In principle, that was correct. It was, but….
“Still, that’s not how it’s done.”
“No, that’s exactly how it’s done.”
Patrick spoke with a frustrated expression.
This was the problem. This was….
‘Am I really cursed with some strange fate that only attracts pushovers? My Master in my past life, and now my father, why are people so soft?’
In any case, this was not something to be said right now.
And it was doubtful they would listen even if he did.
From Patrick's perspective, this was an opportunity.
“I’ve been patient for ten years, that’s long enough.”
The time had come to slowly start making his move.
People did not know.
They did not know what kind of monster had been steadily building its strength in this remote Schneider fiefdom for the past ten years.
* * *
“Ahem, so that’s what happened.”
“My goodness…. So you’re saying I should really have a duel?”
“That’s what happened.”
Baron Schneider said with a sigh.
And Brian, with a dumbfounded look on his face, said.
“My lord. Are you truly alright with this?”
“Is there any other choice?”
“……”
“Perhaps it’s for the best. That child needs to grow up now.”
The reason Baron Schneider spoke this way was that he thought Brian would go easy on him, even if they dueled.
Naturally, it made no sense for a 2-star knight to duel a ten-year-old child.
Wouldn't he obviously go easy on him?
However, there was something Baron Schneider did not know….
‘I will teach him a severe lesson.’
It was that Brian genuinely disliked Patrick.
He was the only knight in this fiefdom.
Even the lord, Baron Schneider, respected him as such.
And yet, Patrick, who was not the lord but merely the lord's son, had been frowning and picking fights with him for the past several years.
[Tsk tsk tsk, look at the state of that sword swing.]
[To think we have to pay a salary to a man like that. Is my father a Bodhisattva?]
[What? So? You got a problem? Wanna go?]
[You little brat, where do you think you are… Fix your eyes when you look at an adult.]
For a child's provocation, the level had long since crossed the line by a wide margin.
‘In all my life, I’ve never seen such a bratty little kid.’
Still, he was the lord’s son.
Inwardly, he wanted to break his legs, but he had to endure and endure.
However, if it was a duel officially sanctioned by the lord, the story was different.
“Indeed, it is time the Young Master learned about the world.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Then, Baron Schneider said with a stern look.
“Correct my thoughtless son’s habits.”
“I will carry out your command.”
‘Sir Erickson will know how to handle it well.’
‘I won’t leave any lasting injuries. But I will carve fear deep into his bones. So deep he’ll never be able to lift his head again.’
And so, their different dreams in the same bed were unfolding.
No, should it be called three dreams?
“He’s so dead.”
Patrick was clenching his fists and making a firm vow about something.
* * *
On the day of the duel.
The time and place were set for the training ground late at night when no one was around.
Originally, Baron Schneider’s plan had been to make his son come to his senses by showing everyone his defeat.
However….
[My lord, no matter the circumstances, if the soldiers see me, a 2-star knight, dueling the Young Master, it could have a negative impact on the army's morale.]
He amended the plan based on Brian’s words.
In fact, he was right.
A duel between a ten-year-old boy and a 2-star knight.
Did that even make sense?
Thus, he listened to Brian’s words without any suspicion.
‘As expected, Sir Erickson is a deep thinker.’
That was what Baron Schneider thought, but in truth, Brian was thinking something else.
‘No matter what, it’s hard to beat the fiefdom's heir brutally in front of everyone. But…. Hehehehe….’
Having finished his preparations, Brian spoke to Patrick.
“Young Master. Are you ready?”
“Why make a big deal about being ready? Let's just do this casually.”
“Hahaha. I see. Casually, you say.”
‘Take a casual beating, you bratty little punk.’
Brian thought to himself as he raised his wooden sword.
And Patrick too raised his weapon….
“Twin swords? You intend to use two swords?”
“Yeah. Why? Is that not allowed?”
“There’s no reason it wouldn’t be. Not at all, hahaha….”
Twin Sword Style.
It was a sword style extremely rare to find, even if one searched the entire continent.
Usually, the swordsmen of the continent preferred to firmly grip a greatsword with both hands and swing it, or if not, to hold a sword in one hand and a shield in the other to fight with a balance of offense and defense.
These two methods were the most favored by the continent's swordsmen; something like a twin sword style was practically unheard of in reality.
If you fought with a longsword in one hand, it was difficult to put power into your attacks, and without a shield, defense was difficult.
Above all, wielding two swords simultaneously was an extremely tricky skill.
Simply swinging them was meaningless, and if you swung them in a complex manner, your own swords would often collide and get in the way.
In short, the twin sword style was a damn difficult skill to handle.
‘There’s no way he knows that. He’s probably just doing it because it looks cool. Tsk, only cares about looking good.’
Brian thought so and resolved to completely break the spirit of that bratty Young Master.
After taking his stance, he said with a relaxed smile.
“Now, then, come at me. Young Master.”
“You want me to go first?”
“Yes.”
“Really? Is that really okay?”
“Hahaha. Are you scared?”
“...Tch, can't be helped. Well then, Sir Erickson. I'm coming.”
“Yes. Come on.”
“I’m really coming.”
“I said, come on.”
“I’m really, really coming.”
“Are you playing around right now…. Keok!”
Baaam!
At that moment, Brian felt two things.
One was a shock, as if the top of his head was splitting open.
The other was the sight of the ground rising like a wave and crashing down on him.
And only belatedly could he hear it.
“Tsk tsk tsk, can’t even block it after I warned you. What am I going to do with you? Really?”
It was Patrick’s cynical voice, looking down on him pitifully.
* * *
‘What did I just see?’
The mouth of Baron Schneider, the sole observer of this duel, fell wide open.
If one were to make a plaster cast of his face right now, it would be a perfect model for the expression a person can make when they are shocked.
But who could blame him?
His knight.
Had been struck down by a ten-year-old boy.
And in a single blow at that.
No, in fact, he wasn't even sure if it was a single blow or not.
What Baron Schneider saw was Patrick’s body blurring and disappearing, and the next moment, a wooden sword was touching the crown of Brian’s head.
The distance between them had been over 5 meters, yet he had no idea how he had closed the distance or how he had attacked.
“This is absurd….”
Just as Baron Schneider was trying to deny reality, Brian staggered to his feet.
“Kuuuk…. Young Master.”
“What?”
“Have you been hiding your skills?”
“What? When did I ever?”
“That is…. Huh?”
Only then did Brian realize.
For the past few years….
[Sir Erickson, shall I teach you a thing or two?]
[I'm telling you, I'm stronger than you.]
[Look at the state of your training. I'm going crazy. Really.]
[Sword Cry? You acted so high and mighty for a 2-star knight, but is this your best? Is it?]
The numerous words Patrick had directed at him and his pathetic, pitying gazes.
Come to think of it, he had always said it.
That he was stronger.
Looking at Brian’s dumbfounded expression, Patrick spoke.
“If you have a conscience, tell me. When did I ever hide my skills? Hm?”
“……”
It was truly strange.
He had a mouth, but he had nothing to say.