Chapter 15: Reverse Veins (5)

Surprisingly, inside the cabin were seven men dressed in various clothes.

And they were unconscious, their limbs and mouths bound by Estriel’s Strong Wire.

Wondering what on earth this situation was, I looked around the cabin’s interior, and Estriel said to me.

“These are the guys who were tailing you on the first day we came to the forest.”

Hearing that, Linia opened her mouth.

“They seem to be monitors sent by the grand prince. I’ve seen one of them meeting secretly with Sir Fritz Reichardt, young master Litton’s closest aide.”

“That guy again.”

Frowning, I checked these men’s character sheets.

<Volker Linor>

[Level: 1/16]

[Trait: Spy (C)]

[Description: 31 years old, human race. Belongs to the intelligence organization under the Stroke Family.]

This one with the highest level must be the leader of the surveillance group.

Volker sensed our presence and suddenly regained consciousness.

As soon as he saw my face, he widened his eyes and began thrashing in his restraints.

“Mmph! Mmmph!”

“Young master, it seems he’s asking to be released?”

Volker desperately twisting his body.

Watching that pitiful gesture, Estriel asked me.

“I caught them because they seemed suspicious and just left them, thinking they might know you. Should I release them?”

“Keep the limbs bound as is and just remove the gag.”

At my words, Estriel lightly gestured, moving the Strong Wire.

Then the gag blocking Volker’s mouth flew off.

Immediately after, he shouted.

“P-please spare me! I never had any intention of harming the second prince! We were merely tasked with reporting the prince’s actions while on his outing to the higher-ups!”

Seeing him beg for mercy as soon as he could speak, Estriel let out a chuckle.

“Family circumstances seem quite complicated.”

“Well, yeah.”

“Want me to handle it?”

His offer was by no means empty words.

The Alsigima Style, a group of those with the abnormal constitution Reverse Veins, had bonds depicted in the main story of Reca Chronicles as even stickier than blood ties.

My heart thumped.

Just thinking that if I wanted, I could have a Triple Star-level powerhouse as my backer made me feel invincible.

“…It’s a grateful offer, but I have to handle my own affairs.”

Saying that, I approached Volker.

The guy trembled and said to me.

“Prince. That boy… no, what is the noble’s name? Is he perhaps one of the Continent’s Twelve Heroes? I’ve never in my life seen a martial artist move so ghost-like.”

Perhaps recalling the moment he was subdued by Estriel, Volker’s face turned pale.

From the way he spoke, it seemed he had met the pre-possession Aiden.

“You got caught tailing me and have a lot of questions. I’m the one asking. What is Litton plotting?”

“I-I know nothing. As I said earlier, we only received orders from Sir Reichardt to monitor the prince.”

Received orders… he’s slyly shifting responsibility to his superior.

I tsked.

This man Volker was the epitome of a petty villain.

Better to ask more indirectly.

“While I was out, was there any talk of something special happening at the mansion?”

At my question, Volker rolled his eyes fervently.

I could clearly see him calculating in his head.

But considering his current situation, he’d have no choice but to open his mouth eventually.

“…If things went as planned, Lord Ebel Stroke, who was at the front lines between the Croa Kingdom and the Refilord United Forces, should have returned to the mansion. I heard he accepted Grand Prince Litton’s proposal and will observe the spar between Prince Aiden and Sir Bass.”

“Uncle Ebel?”

I was startled.

To even call in Ebel, the family’s great elder.

Litton was planning to make this a big stage.

If I lost the duel to Julio, rumors that the grand duke’s wastrel second son was beaten like a dog by a regular knight would spread beyond the duchy to neighboring countries.

“…What happens to us now?”

“Hmm. Let me think.”

I left the visibly anxious Volker and the spies behind and exited the rundown cabin.

Estriel, who had come out first, looked at me with eyes full of curiosity.

“Won’t you explain what’s going on?”

“…Alright.”

I took time to explain the circumstances to him.

After hearing the story, he showed a very interested reaction.

“So in 5 days, you have to fight a knight from your family? If you lose there, there’s a high chance you’ll be dragged to the front lines where the Croa Kingdom army and Refilord United Forces are facing off?”

“That’s right.”

“Aiden… you’ve got some guts? Accepting a bet duel with a body that can’t even properly use a heart method—if you hadn’t met me two weeks ago, what would you have done?”

Instead of answering, I smiled.

Meaning it was fine because meeting you wasn’t coincidence.

Whether he took that smile’s meaning, Estriel also chuckled.

“More than that, putting in this much effort just to disgrace a younger brother seems overly childish for the legitimate heir of the duchy. Is your fiancée Chesa that much of a beauty?”

“Eye contact alone makes words fail properly.”

Moreover, her talent as a mage is tremendous enough to overshadow that beautiful appearance.

Linia and I shared miscellaneous small talk with Estriel and left the cabin area.

On the way back to the training ground, he made me a proposal.

“It might be good to increase the intensity of training to prepare for the duel. What do you think?”

“Increase intensity? I’m already peeling apples all day to learn Resonance Shatter Art.”

“Not vibrational energy operation practice. I know a few techniques that can be decently useful in real combat even with short-term training. Special footwork or tricks.”

I thought for a moment.

Among the meridians Estriel has learned, excluding Alsigima’s secret arts, the most core technique is undoubtedly Silent Realm (A).

But that ultimate assassination footwork with the trinity of speed, precision, and stealth isn’t easy to acquire in a short time.

What he’s trying to teach me is probably just a downgrade, Spirit Step (B).

“Sure. Teach me anything.”

Of course, for me now, it’s an overwhelmingly excellent technique.

***

“The Alsigima Resonance Shatter Art has several forms. At your current level, you can only aim for the first one. But if you master just this properly, most guys won’t stand a chance.”

The first form of Alsigima Resonance Shatter Art, Vileshaker.

A technique that stimulates the opponent’s energy with strong vibration to shake their internals.

According to settings, at extreme mastery, it can explode the entire body in one hit.

I learned the knack of using Vileshaker from Estriel while simultaneously doing various trainings.

Apple peeling while maintaining breathing.

[Acquired Alsigima Resonance Shatter Art (A).]

[‘Initiation’ stage. Effects are minimal.]

[Sense has increased by 1.]

Footwork practice.

[Acquired Spirit Step (B).]

[‘Initiation’ stage. Effects are minimal.]

[Agility has increased by 1.]

And swordsmanship training.

[Northern Advanced Swordsmanship (C) has reached ‘Proficiency’ stage. Effects increased.]

[Strength increased.]

Estriel, who knows of the national treasure-level elixir Yin-Yang Herb, pushed me harder than Linfred.

If running in the training ground was just physically taxing, this time it came with high-level mental labor.

If my footwork form wavered even slightly, he would wrap Strong Wire without warning to forcibly correct my posture, and repeating that made my body remember the footwork form on its own.

In instructional spars, I was toyed with and beaten without even grazing Estriel’s collar, and even peeled apples while dozing off under the pretext that sleep time was a waste.

No need to explain further how harsh those days were.

Immersed in training like that, the day of the decisive battle dawned in the blink of an eye.

<Aiden Stroke>

[Level: 9/35]

[Stamina: 05] [Strength: 06] [Agility: 05]

[Mana: 10] [Mind: 05] [Sense: 08]

[Divinity: 00]

[Traits: Swordsmanship Genius (A), Reverse Veins (A), Magic Genius (B), Spirit Affinity·Weak (C)]

[Skills: Alsigima Resonance Shatter Art (A), Alsigima Heart Method (A), Spirit Step (B), Stroke Swordsmanship (B), Stroke Heart Method (B), Northern Advanced Swordsmanship (C), Brandish Harmony Heart Method (C+)]

[Description: 14 years old, human race. A notorious wastrel across the duchy, but rumors say he’s changed recently.]

The achievements I’d made weren’t small.

Though my level had reached 9, more important was the change in the skills section.

Though proficiency is still low, acquiring multiple high-grade techniques like Alsigima Style’s secret arts and Spirit Step was encouraging.

Estriel said to me.

“It was a short period, but you worked hard. Time to say goodbye soon.”

“Goodbye? That’s sudden.”

“I was away too long for personal business. Planning to leave the duchy today and return to work.”

In the original novel’s timeline, Estriel leaving the duchy at this time was natural.

But hearing it directly from him felt somewhat regrettable.

Seems I grew attached in just over 3 weeks.

“I need to confirm if you properly learned our school’s secret arts, so I’ll watch the duel. I’ll visit once after it ends.”

I nodded.

And left the forest, heading to the Stroke Mansion.

***

“Prince Aiden has returned to the mansion.”

“Hmph, he surprisingly didn’t run away.”

Litton snorted at his personal maid’s report.

The spies mobilized to monitor Aiden had sent only one report 3 days ago.

That the second prince was training swordsmanship alone in the forest.

The spy’s complexion during the report seemed off somehow, but it wasn’t something Litton needed to care about.

He looked at the knight sitting across from him with a confident expression.

“Julio.”

“Yes.”

“Today’s duel is a stage more important than any other. You must inflict the most miserable defeat possible on Aiden.”

“A simple matter.”

Julio answered expressionlessly but firmly.

With just hours until the duel, no sign of tension could be seen from him.

Since he can use Energy Armor, Aiden couldn’t inflict any damage on him.

That was the composure he could show.

“I’ll trust you.”

Litton, smiling satisfactorily, looked out the window.

Carriages from noble families that had come from various places at the invitation of the duchy’s heir were visible.

Among them was one bearing the Utland Family flag, which had the lady he admired.

“Then shall we head down to the training ground soon. As the legitimate heir of the grand duke, I must also greet our family pride, Uncle Ebel.”

“I will follow.”