abcnovels
Chapter 62
Chapter 62
Chapter 62 – Bastards from the Empire (2)
With Kirian’s defeat, the knight exams for all the participants from the Arsene family had come to an end.
“……!”
It only served to remind Kirian that he was the only one who had failed. Kirian, who had been trying to hold his head high, suddenly froze for a moment.
Then, he quickly adjusted his clothes. A familiar figure was approaching from a distance.
“Father……”
“……”
Count Arsene, who had come right up to them, looked at his children without saying a word. Even Jan, who had passed the exam, became solemn to the mood.
And then,
Pat.
Count Arsene simply patted both of his children’s shoulders quietly.
“You both did well.”
“……”
A faint smile then appeared on his lips.
“I am proud of you both. My children, who completed the exam despite the difficulties, make me very proud.”
“……!”
“Especially you, Kirian. The way you acknowledged your defeat and respected your opponent until the end was admirable.”
At his father’s words, tears welled up in Kirian’s eyes.
“You are already an outstanding knight in my eyes.”
Having said his piece, Count Arsene embraced his two children.
“I’m proud of you, my sons.”
“……”
“……”
Jan and Kirian silently embraced Count Arsene in return. Harun looked on with a slightly envious expression, while the knights guarding them smiled warmly.
However, there was one person who didn’t share the sentiment.
“Proud? What’s there to be proud of?”
Only Ancelot spoke up in a dissatisfied tone.
“You say he fought well even though he lost? Sure, if he had fought well, I wouldn’t be saying this.”
“……Did you really have to ruin such a touching moment?”
“Touching or not, haven’t you felt it as well, Count? Unlike Jan, Kirian is forcing himself to wear clothes of the wrong size.”
Ancelot’s voice grew deadly serious. It’s about letting go of the old ways and learning something new. This was about the swordsmanship passed down through generations in the family.
Kirian’s situation was completely different from Harun’s. To make someone learn unverified swordsmanship without the family head’s permission was clearly crossing a line.
So, it was time for everyone involved to realize and accept this.
“……Yes. It did seem that way.”
Thankfully, Count Arsene’s expression hardened as he nodded in agreement.
“Kirian. If you do not wish to give up on the path of a knight, I will do my utmost to support you.”
“What? But Father, even if it’s new swordsmanship, the costs will be enormous if it’s anything above mediocre……”
In this world, knights held power. As such, high-level swordsmanship and training methods were incredibly expensive.
“Do you think I would begrudge spending money on you?”
“……!”
Kirian’s face was once again filled with emotion. But at that moment, another troublemaker chimed in.
“Oh, don’t worry about the money.”
“Huh?”
“There’s a way to learn top-tier swordsmanship at a low cost, and one that would be perfect for Kirian.”
“Is that true?”
It wasn’t just Count Arsene who was intrigued. Everyone around them turned their attention to Ancelot.
“Yes, we have a walking swordsmanship manual right here, don’t we?”
“……”
Ancelot pointed to himself with his finger.
“I’ll offer my services at a discount, money bags…… I mean, clients.”
“……Urp……”
At that, Kirian quickly covered his mouth. Count Arsene looked resigned, and Jan sighed with a pitying expression. Harun, feeling a sense of solidarity, could only react with sympathy.
“Harun, you can repay me when you grow up. But of course, I’ll make sure you get your money’s worth.”
Even Harun wasn’t spared from the sudden blow.
“Huh? M-Me?”
“I can’t show favoritism among my students.”
“W-Wait, Master. Of course, I’ll repay you, but wasn’t I supposed to be heading to the academy soon? The Count promised to give me a recommendation letter……”
“At first, I thought that was the best path, but after seeing Kirian, I realized there’s no need to take the long way around.”
“……!”
Harun’s face turned pale.
“Alright then. The enrollment for Ancelot’s premium knight trial prep course is now open.”
“Urp……”
While Kirian continued to gag at the thought, Jan quietly approached Count Arsene.
“Father, would you like me to massage your shoulders?”
“……Hmm?”
“Thank you for raising me so well.”
“A-All of a sudden……?”
“I just felt like doing it today.”
* * *
Reaper Scans
[Translator – San]
[Proofreader – Abstract]
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* * *
Meanwhile, at the Herman Duchy.
“……Gasp!”
Winley, who had been unconscious until now, suddenly jolted awake, clutching her body with both hands.
Her body ached all over, quite literally. However, despite the pain, she wasn’t seriously injured. It didn’t seem like any bones were broken.
‘Just how many people has he beaten before……?’
Cold sweat trickled down Winley’s back. Suddenly, an overwhelming sense of powerlessness washed over her.
“I…… lost, didn’t I?”
It was an overwhelming defeat. But it wasn’t just that she lost—
She hadn’t been able to show off any of her skills during the exam.
“……I’m sure I failed it.”
The reality of the situation doubled her sense of helplessness. Of course, there wasn’t anything she could’ve done. Her opponent had been too strong.
Knock, knock, knock.
“……Your Highness, it’s Harbus. May I come in?”
At that moment, there was a knock on the door, which then opened cautiously. The person who entered widened his eyes.
“Your Highness! Have you regained consciousness?”
“Sir Harbus……”
It was Viscount Harbus, the right-hand man and aide of Duke Herman. Seeing him, Winley immediately asked a question.
“Who was that?”
“Pardon?”
“My opponent. They were about my age, but I don’t think someone like that could be from an ordinary family.”
Winley was certain. After all, her talents had been acknowledged by a Master. She had grown up hearing endless praise about how no one her age could rival her, but she had been completely defeated without even putting up a fight.
‘It must have been someone hiding their true identity, just like me.’
It had to be someone from an extraordinary family. Otherwise, there was no other explanation for what had just happened. Her curiosity only grew stronger.
‘Why?’
It’s only natural to be more curious about someone in a similar situation. Why would they hide their identity and take part in the knight exam?
“Could it be a child from another ducal family? Like someone born with immense talent but as a bastard child, facing countless obstacles and leaving their family to prove their worth and dreaming of becoming a hero known across the continent……”
Winley quickly spun a story in her head. It was something she had heard many times before. It sounded quite plausible, even to herself.
“Your Highness……”
“Please, Sir Harbus, tell me.”
Winley pleaded with a desperate voice.
“You know my situation well, don’t you, Sir Harbus?”
“……Well……”
Winley was genuinely desperate. Her plan to live a proud new life as a knight had just been shattered.
“Sigh.”
Knowing this, Viscount Harbus let out a quiet sigh.
“……Please, keep this a secret. If word of this gets out, it’ll put me in a difficult position.”
“I swear! I’ll keep it to myself.”
Winley’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. There had to be something special about that child!
The truth was even more astonishing than she had imagined.
“Actually…… that child is a prince from the Duchy of Meeke.”
“What?”
Winley’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“A…… prince?”
This was an answer she had never expected. So that story about being a prince…… was true?
“……Yes, it seems that while he was essentially being exiled, he was kidnapped by slave traders…… but it appears he was hiding his true abilities. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he’s survived on his own until now.”
“……Oh……”
“Now that I think about it, it’s quite similar to the story you mentioned earlier, except for the difference in status.”
“……”
Winley’s mouth hung open in shock. But despite her dazed expression, her eyes were shining brighter than ever.
“……Unbelievable……”
An exemplar of the life she wanted to live was right in front of her. At that moment, Harbus had no idea. That this reaction would turn the entire duchy upside down, just a few hours later……
***
Just as a maid was about to escort the priest to the room, her eyes widened in shock.
“P-Princess!?”
“Wh-What on earth is this……?”
The priest was equally flustered.
“S-Sir Harbus!”
“What’s going on!?”
Harbus rushed in immediately, and his two eyes also widened in surprise. The person who should have been in the room was nowhere to be found.
“Wh-Where is the princess……?”
“O-Over there!”
The maid quickly pointed in a certain direction. The view through an open window entered their line of sight.
“Emergency! This is an emergency!”
Harbus darted outside without hesitation. At that very moment, the drinking session between Duke Herman and Marquis Foltaine was in full swing.
***
“……What a boring opponent.”
Bobson Treman clicked his tongue repeatedly, having effortlessly defeated his opponent. The exam had left him feeling unsatisfied.
“Even the examiners were a problem. They should’ve matched opponents by their skill level.”
Kirian of the Arsene County was a notorious loser, even back in their academy days.
The gap between them was so vast that Bobson couldn’t even showcase his abilities properly.
“Trash.”
He had felt nauseated when that idiot had thanked him. Thankful for what? For the one-sided beating?
“……Huh?”
At that moment, Bobson Treman’s body stiffened. He had spotted something by chance. A kid was entering the exam grounds, looking around, here and there.
A young boy with blonde hair, with bandages wrapped around his forehead,.
No, wait……
‘……How adorable, princess.’
A young blonde girl. Bobson Treman already knew the true identity of this child. He had heard about her from his father. Her alias was ‘Winzer’, a commoner, wasn’t it?
‘Should I play with her for a bit?’
A sly smile crept onto Bobson Treman’s face as he approached her.
“Sir Winzer……”
As he drew closer, Bobson Treman frowned. Winzer was already engaging with someone else.
“……He’s……?”
Another piece of trash, the type he would’ve immediately pantsed to confirm their gender if they were friends. Wasn’t this one called Ancelot or something equally undeserving?
A true low-class commoner, not just someone pretending to be one.
‘An idiot who will lose his head as soon as the exam ends.’
That was Bobson Treman’s assessment of him. No matter how well she hid her identity, she was still the kingdom’s princess.
And this fool had the audacity to beat her so mercilessly?
‘Is she planning to take revenge?’
Just as Bobson Treman’s face began to show interest……
“……Huh?”
The situation unfolded quite differently from what he had expected. The princess’s attitude toward that piece of trash was the problem.
She was hesitating, as if unsure whether to speak or not, her pale face flushing as she fidgeted with her hands. It almost looked like……
“……Like she’s about to confess?”
Bobson Treman’s lips twisted into a smirk.
“Does the princess have that kind of preference?”
Bobson made a strange face.
Princess Winley Kun Hart, the youngest princess, was known for her stunning beauty but wasn’t very prominent in social circles.
It was said that she avoided men, preferring to spend time in the training grounds rather than at balls. But what if that was because of some peculiar taste?
“Interesting information.”
Bobson Treman’s smile deepened.
It was undeniable that Princess Winley, with her beauty and status, was an ideal match. Now, he knew exactly how to win her over.
‘If I find the right moment to beat her up……’
Bobson licked his lips. Who in their right mind would dare imagine laying a hand on the princess?
But that plan would have to wait.
‘This shitter doesn’t know his place.’
Bobson quickened his pace. Letting someone else take the woman he had marked for himself? Especially a mere commoner?
Unthinkable.
“Hey.”
“……?”
Did his irritation show on his face? Even the other pieces of trash around them flinched and froze.
But,
“Oh, you……?”
The most annoying piece of trash smiled brightly. As if he had just reunited with a long-lost lover.
‘This guy…… no, was he a girl?’
Did she fall for him at first sight because of this handsome face?
‘……She does have a rather attractive face, suitable for a plaything.’
As Bobson Treman stood there, lost in his thoughts……
“Wait, wait. Why are you just standing there? Go on with what you were doing.”
“……”
Bobson Treman frowned again. The voice was definitely male. The realization that he had been momentarily confused made him even more annoyed.
“Oh! Yes! That’s the face I was looking for!”
“……What the hell is this lunatic talking about?”
“You were about to pick a fight with me, weren’t you? Don’t deny it. Your face says it all.”
“……What? No, that’s not……”
“No, no, don’t bother denying it. Just go ahead and do what you were planning.”
“……”
Bobson Treman stood there, mouth agape, bewildered by the strange situation. What was this guy’s deal?
“How about this?”
“……!”
Suddenly, the trash had the audacity to wrap his arm around Princess Winley’s waist.
“……This piece of shit……?”
Finally, flames of anger flared in Bobson Treman’s eyes.
***