Chapter 23: Ugly Moritz (3)

Clang!

At the center of the training ground, Moritz was wildly brandishing his sword.

Standing against him was Richard, using only basic sword techniques.

No one would believe he had been training for only three months.

“Master Moritz has lost his mind.”

Moritz had fallen for Richard’s provocation.

The match had long lost the semblance of a practice bout—it was as tense as a fight for life and death.

Swish—

One of the senior knights watching placed his hand on his sword hilt.

He was ready to intervene if things got too dangerous.

Richard was holding out for now, but that could change any moment.

One mistake, and the worst could happen.

“Just keep watching.”

“Hm?”

Someone spoke to the senior knight.

Turning his head, he saw it was Aaron, a mid-level knight of the 3rd Knight Order.

Aaron was still staring at Richard.

“Today, everyone will finally see the true Richard…!”

He murmured with meaning, his face lit with excitement.

‘Show them all…!’

Aaron’s heart pounded, imagining Richard shedding the label of “madman” and gaining recognition as a genius.

“Huff… Huff…”

The match began to slow.

Compared to the composed Richard, Moritz was breathing heavily.

He had been rampaging like a wild colt, but now he was clearly out of stamina.

Under the gazes of many onlookers, Richard focused solely on Moritz.

He had provoked him for this exact moment. Now it was time to counterattack.

As Moritz inhaled—

Whoosh—!

Richard kicked off the ground.

His first offensive move since the match began.

“Gah!”

Moritz’s breath caught in his throat.

The timing was flawless—he had struck between inhale and exhale.

Clang! Clang!

Sparks flew once again in the training ground.

But the flow of the match had completely reversed.

Moritz, who had been on the offensive, was now retreating constantly.

Richard’s sword hounded him relentlessly.

Moritz slashed back in desperation, but Richard had already memorized his techniques.

“Grahh!”

His sword path was blocked before he could even swing properly.

Richard’s practice sword cut through the air without pause, keeping pressure on his breathing.

‘Why?’

Moritz felt like his limbs were tied.

Why was he being pushed back so helplessly?

By that fool he always looked down on?

Why? Why me?

“This doesn’t make sense!”

Moritz’s eyes grew increasingly dangerous.

He knew exactly what would happen if he lost to Richard here.

The pressure scrambled his mind.

Fwooom—

A blue light began to glow from his body.

He had started to use mana.

In a duel with Richard—who was known to be mana-insensitive—this was an overstep.

Even if he won now, it wouldn’t count.

But Moritz didn’t care.

All he wanted was to beat Richard in front of him.

“N-No! Don’t do it, Master Moritz!”

Knights watching the duel shouted in panic.

Especially Hendrik, Moritz’s loyal retainer.

Losing the match was one thing—but hurting Richard with mana was an entirely different issue.

It might even bring trouble to Hendrik himself.

Hendrik was ready to intervene immediately.

But it was unnecessary.

“I knew you’d do that.”

The knights sensed something strange.

Why was Richard still so calm?

Even with a mana-wrapped sword coming right at him?

In that instant, light exploded.

CLANG!

A piercing metallic sound echoed in the training ground.

The two brothers stood locked, swords clashing.

Blue mana coursed through Moritz’s blade, while divine energy radiated from Richard’s.

After a brief power struggle, one side began to overpower the other.

CRUNCH—

With a harsh grinding noise, Moritz was forced back, dragging a deep line in the dirt.

Divine energy enhanced physical ability—and surpassed normal mana in many ways.

When divine energy surged through the mana route developed by Vallach, Richard felt a power surge within him.

“W-What the hell is this?!”

Moritz screamed in disbelief.

What was that white light?

How could Richard, a supposed mana-insensitive, wield such power?

He had no answers—his thoughts couldn’t keep up.

Then—BAM!

Richard’s fist slammed into Moritz’s face.

Thwack!

With a sickening thud, Moritz rolled across the ground like a kicked ball.

Silence fell upon the training ground.

Aaron looked around.

A silent field.

Knights standing like statues.

And in the center, Richard, breathing calmly, sword in hand.

“Did I just see that right?”

“Mana trait…! The rumors were true!”

The silence gave way to murmurs.

Some looked on in disbelief, others with admiration and respect.

‘Master…!’

Aaron was deeply moved.

Richard’s true nature was finally revealed.

No longer would he be called “madman.”

What joy it would bring if Gide saw this moment—he who often referred to Richard as his “troubled son” and worried deeply for him.

‘I will reach senior knight rank soon as well!’

Aaron vowed to himself.

“Unbelievable…”

A senior knight beside Aaron murmured, glancing at him, as if asking, “You knew all along, didn’t you?”

“Master Richard will only grow stronger from now on.”

“Haha! He really got us. Hiding those fangs all this time!”

As his deep voice rang out, the murmurs grew louder.

“Has his mana-insensitivity been cured?”

“Maybe he was acting all along to hide his traits. Think back to that display!”

“Unreal! A Bartenberg heir with a mana trait too?”

“More than the mana—his swordsmanship was incredible.”

Meanwhile, Richard shook his head at the buzzing noise around him.

They were acting more like gossips than knights.

Still, he didn’t mind.

[Trait – Basic Swordsmanship proficiency has increased.]

[Current Proficiency: A → S]

‘Farewell. You made a fine sacrifice.’

Richard silently offered a tribute to the collapsed Moritz.

Truthfully, he couldn’t match Moritz in swordsmanship alone.

What made the difference was cold judgment and focus.

Moritz lost his reason.

Richard stayed calm.

That was everything—and it was everything that mattered.

He relished the thrill of victory.

Clap, clap—

Suddenly, someone began clapping.

Turning toward the sound, Richard’s eyes widened.

And so did those of all the surrounding knights.

“Sir Leon?”

Commander of the 1st Knight Order of Bartenberg.

Ludwig’s right-hand man.

A war hero with countless achievements.

Such a powerful figure was applauding Richard.

His eyes shone with intense admiration.

Though called the Lord’s right-hand, Leon was naturally curious.

News of a spar between the Bartenberg heirs was irresistible.

Especially with Richard—who’d recently caught his attention—involved.

He delayed even his official duties to come watch.

“That was splendid, Master Richard.”

Clap, clap—

A satisfied smile spread across Leon’s face.

Who would have thought Richard would beat Moritz?

Wasn’t Moritz the cat, and Richard the mouse?

But now, it was clear—Richard wasn’t a mouse. He was a tiger.

“I had no idea you could use mana.”

Mana-insensitivity cured?

What was that white energy?

Leon’s curiosity burned.

He wanted to dig into Richard, to find out what secrets he held.

Suppressing his feelings, Leon composed himself.

This was always his flaw—his uncontainable curiosity.

Ludwig often scolded him for it.

As he composed himself, Richard looked at him with suspicion.

“What brings you here, Sir Leon?”

“To witness your duel, of course. And I was well rewarded.”

For someone of Leon’s stature to run over for a kids’ spar—he was a big deal.

Commander of the 1st Knight Order.

A man nearing the level of Swordmaster.

Someone all Bartenberg heirs wanted on their side.

That was Leon.

“I see.”

Richard glanced around the training ground.

The knights shifted nervously, trying to find an excuse to leave.

They had been coerced into attending by Moritz.

Now that Leon had arrived, they didn’t want to get caught up in anything more.

After all, this duel wasn’t officially sanctioned.

Perhaps understanding them, Richard spoke.

“How long do you all plan to stand around here? This is my personal training ground.”

He pointed to one side of the yard.

There lay the forgotten Moritz.

“If you leave him like that, he might get seriously hurt. Take him and go.”

At last, the knights scrambled to leave.

Moritz, his nose broken, was carried away on Hendrik’s back.

Soon, only Richard, Aaron, and Leon remained in the training ground.

Richard’s brow lifted as he looked at Leon.

As if to say, “Why are you still here?”

“Haha! Don’t give me that look!”

Aside from his obsessive curiosity, Leon was an easygoing, sly man.

He simply smiled, unfazed by Richard’s unwelcoming attitude.

Then he looked Richard over.

“You don’t seem badly hurt from earlier.”

“Not too much. Just a bit tired.”

“As expected! In that case… would you care for a duel with me?”