Chapter 258 - A Swordsman’s Honour (1/2)
After the feast, Gerald and Vrald excused themselves. Nobody stopped them. It was obvious that the swordsmen were going back to sharpen their swords before the battle. Unlike Camie and Clowis' match, neither of them wanted to dull their blades. As true swordsmen, they would compete fair and square. There were no tricks like the previous match. This was a match about skills and ethics.
The two dragon descendants didn't speak. Olaf had made them a promise to teach them art if they proved their worth during the match. Neither ex-adventurer wanted to lose the chance. However, they didn't want to lose to each other either. After working together for so long, they knew each other so well like blood brothers.
Vrald didn't think that the next time he used his two-handed sword, it would be pointed against his brother. Likewise, Gerald didn't ever think that he would be using his claymore against a brother. Normally, both swordsmen would carry a shortsword by their waist. Their old weapon partners were hidden beneath the floorboards of their rooms, never to be used again. However, with the orders to go adventuring once more for marketing purposes, the two friends reconsidered their purpose of wielding the sword.
A sword was a vow. Vrald once vowed on his sword to walk the path of a hero. However, after betrayal from those whom he sought to protect, the ex-adventurer stopped wielding his sword. he'd broken his promise and his honour as a swordsman was no more.
Gerald vowed on the sword to earn an honest living by taking on jobs as an adventurer. Life was hard for him who had dragon claws instead of human hands. He picked up his sword skills from working as a conscripted garrison for two years. The golden-haired masculine beauty was skilled enough to become a knight but due to his dragon blood, he was denied the chance. Taking his skills with him, he met Vrald on one job from the guild and the two became inseparable since then.
While the life of the party was in the feast cave, the two dragon descendants polished their blades in silence across each other in the same room.
Vrald was the first to break the silence.
”Will you be wearing gloves?”
Gerald didn't answer immediately. Instead, he examined the oiled blade under the candlelight. ”Will you be using dragon art?”
The crimson-haired warrior laughed. ”Dragon art in a sword fight? I think not.”
Gerald smiled. ”Then I will wear my gloves. Unlike you, I have a set of codes I abide by.”
Vrald rolled his eyes. ”Stuck-up pretty boy.”
”Boorish punk.”
The crimson-haired warrior stuck out his tongue and Gerald laughed. After aligning their feelings on the same page, the golden-haired swordsman knew that tomorrow's match will go well. Regardless of what Olaf thought about them, they were going to fight without holding back. As swordsmen, the first to kneel on his knees or lose his sword concedes.
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Zero was excited. He woke up early and brushed his teeth twice because there was a lot of time before the first match. Lovina said that they didn't need to maintain a barrier today because the match was going to be rather subtle. Zero knew that both the participants were experienced fighters as well as ex-adventurers. The teenager was eager to see how different Vrald and Gerald's sword styles were.
The highly anticipated match drew all the veteran fighters out. Coux and Sekkin made the trip back to the village just to see it. Wiser also applied for a study break to return and Zero greeted them enthusiastically. Surprisingly, Amon and Lucifer chose to come while Baal decided to watch the match from the comfort of his castle. Michael was the last village guest to arrive after hearing the news from Lucifer about an interesting showdown for two days.
Zoe fretted over the level of hospitality she should be showing the unexpected guests. Nobody expected such noble guests to turn up when Zero told them to prepare extra food for six.
”Don't worry,” Lucifer and Amon told them. ”We will return as soon as this match ends.”
Zero smiled. ”We still have a match tonight and two more tomorrow. Why don't both of you stay until then?”
Michael patted the teenager on his head. He was here for two reasons. The first was to confirm the identities of the two dragon children and the second was to watch over Zero for Hua Tuo. The Sage God sounded very worried and while Michael didn't like Zero very much from interfering with the battle at the Academy, they managed to resolve Arachne's regret thanks to him. In some way, the archangel had mixed feelings regarding the mysterious boy who had the blessings of so many Gods. Information about Zero was limited so Michael hopped on the opportunity to observe his object of interest more closely when Hua Tuo posted out a notice for help.
”They're busy Demon Lords. If they leave for any longer than this, there would be trouble.”
Zero pouted. ”But Baal leaves his domain unattended for centuries and nothing bad happens to it. Bad things only happen when Baal wakes up.”
Unable to deny this, Lucifer nodded. ”Baal is a special case. Besides, Mammon and Lilith help to maintain his territory from time to time. It would be troublesome if Baal was constantly awake. Napping is his way of preserving the domain's power.”
Coux heard that as Lucifer's indirect inference to her. She admitted that she might have overworked Baal too much to tend to all the matters in his domain but there simply wasn't a way around it. Zero would be leaving soon and there were many things to settle before he left for his adventure. Baal wanted to finish his preparations before Zero completed his magic training and Wiser's research couldn't be rushed. The terraforming project took time too.
Zero sighed. ”I guess I cannot persuade you to stay for too long?”
Amon laughed. ”No, we can't. However, your friends here can stay until the end. If it weren't for the Garden of Roth, it would be impossible for us to visit Earth in the first place. Demon Lords aren't usually allowed to leave their domains or the abyss because of the fragile balance. Shittomi is the only exception.”
Zero nodded with slight confusion. It didn't really matter. ”In that case, please start helping yourself to the food that Zoe is preparing. We are having lunch later but if you are in a hurry, I don't want to trouble you too much. If there are any special requests or take away orders, please let Zoe know too.”
The Demon Lords were satisfied with Zero's hospitality and told the nervous zashikiwarashi their orders. Zoe was glad to comply and quickly left for the kitchen while the Demon Lords were ushered to the front row seats for the match.
Olaf still looked slightly afraid of Lucifer who made no notion to acknowledge his presence. The Frost Dragon lingered around the back as Lowis stepped into the village square.
”Thank you all for gathering even on such short notice. Today's match is going to be relatively idler than the previous two matches. In a battle between swordsmen, there is a code of conduct called the swordsman's honour. The rules of today's match are simple. If a swordsman falls and kneels on their knees, it is a loss. If the swordsman has a sword pointed to their neck, they must concede. If a swordsman is disarmed during the battle, the match is over.”
Zero noted how differently the two dragon descendants were dressed. His mental image of a swordsman from stories were men in stiff steel armour with visor helmets on horsebacks. Reality painted this very differently.
Vrald looked very dashing with his long crimson hair pulled back into a braided ponytail. The ex-adventurer was holding a huge sword with both hands in a half stance, pointing the tip of his blade at Gerald. He didn't look like a swordsman at all with that pose and Zero noticed how Vrald was wearing something similar to what Hua Tuo normally wears. It was a robe that Zero wore called chang shan but the sleeves were ripped off to show Vrald's muscular biceps. It was black with a red embroidered lining that complemented Vrald's crimson hair.
”Some of you might recognise him. Many years ago, this hero was known in the Western Regions as the Crimson Swordsman who bathed in the blood of his enemies while setting the flame of hope in people's hearts. However, here, we know him as the idiot called Vrald. Today, he will take on the mantle he left behind as the hero of his time to fight with the pride of a swordsman on the line.”