I had expected to run into her, but I had not thought I would see her like this.
She looked younger than she had in Last Savior, but she was not completely different.
Her gaze, her presence, even her mannerisms.
She carried the same atmosphere of a quintessential knight.
“Then I’ll be going first. I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow.”
“......?”
Johannes left first after saying goodbye, though he clearly seemed reluctant to go.
And perhaps Larissa Bahen had noticed my gaze, because she looked at me curiously, gave a slight nod, and left as well.
“Whew......”
When I turned around, Tarian had his head turned away as he let out a sigh.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing. A troublesome situation nearly arose just now.”
“Which one of them? Johannes Bahen?”
“Who knows.”
I was about to press him over the suspicious answer when everyone’s attention began shifting toward the center.
The head of the Bahen Grand Ducal House.
And a Sword Master, one who stood at the very peak even among knights.
“Grand Duke Luke Bahen will now give the opening address.”
Luke Bahen.
The man who had driven the barbarians out of the North, and a hero who had defeated several high-ranking Demons.
“Thank you all for coming.”
His deep voice, imbued with aura, spread throughout the hall.
Even with every eye focused on him, he continued without the slightest hesitation.
“The Subjugation Festival, an annual gathering for exchange and celebration, has come again this year. I look forward to the achievements of the young. Enjoy yourselves today.”
After finishing his brief speech, he raised his glass.
One by one, the others raised theirs as well.
‘Hmm. I can’t see any openings.’
I raised my glass too, but kept studying the Grand Duke’s body.
Knights were practically strategic forces unto themselves.
And Sword Masters stood at the very peak among them.
True to the title, merely watching him stand there made my skin prickle.
‘If I fought him with my current skill, I’d lose without question.’
Was that the level someone needed to reach in order to protect such a vast territory through his own strength?
How long would it take me to reach that realm?
By the time I finished considering it, the formalities were already over.
“It feels strange that it starts tomorrow.”
“At least it is fortunate that you have not yet undergone your Coming-of-Age Ceremony.”
“Right. The main Subjugation Festival would’ve been difficult.”
“Had you had a little more time, things might have been different, but for now, yes.”
There was no helping it.
The level of the main Subjugation Festival was simply that high.
The Subjugation Festival took place over several days.
I was participating in today’s social gathering and the Subjugation Festival held on the second day for those who had yet to undergo their Coming-of-Age Ceremony.
It was easiest to think of it as a stage for the rising talents of the younger generation.
‘The third day is when the main Subjugation Festival takes place.’
On the third day, nobles and knights who had already undergone their Coming-of-Age Ceremonies would participate.
The range was broad enough that even Larissa Bahen, whom I had just seen, or a knight on Tarian’s level could enter.
‘I want to grow faster.’
Maybe it was because I had eaten my fill, but my body was itching to train.
Besides, apart from the first day, there were not many opportunities for me to stand out here anyway.
‘I should enjoy a short break too.’
On the final day, they would tally the results of the Subjugation Festival, while everyone more or less continued enjoying the social gatherings.
The entire event had the atmosphere of a festival.
Though knowing that the Great Invasion was coming made me wonder whether this was really the time for it.
“I am looking forward to tomorrow.”
“As am I. Especially since the Grand Duke’s children will be participating this time.”
“With so many talents gathered together, the stars who will shine this year are practically decided already.”
“Ha ha, and Count Jikel’s......”
Since this was a gathering of nobles, all kinds of conversations loaded with hidden meanings passed back and forth.
None of it mattered when I thought about the future.
‘What a pain.’
Now that I had filled my stomach to some extent, I slipped out of the banquet hall.
Joining those conversations right now would neither earn me attention nor bring me any benefit.
‘I do need a certain amount of influence among the nobles.’
But that would have to come after I put on a convincing performance tomorrow.
Right now, I had shown them nothing.
No matter what I said, no one would listen.
“Is it all right to leave already?”
“They probably won’t even care. Besides, I’ve already gotten a rough look at the people worth watching tomorrow.”
“Would the family head not be disappointed?”
“I doubt it.”
I did not think what my brother wanted from me was to worry about what other nobles thought in the first place.
“Anyway, their attitudes will change tomorrow.”
“I suppose that is true.”
All the effort I had put in until now had not gone anywhere.
I could roughly estimate the level of the others, and seeing Johannes Bahen had confirmed it.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“So am I.”
I looked at Tarian in slight surprise at the unexpected response.
Lately, it felt as though he had been praising me more and more.
“Hah. I didn’t expect to hear that from you.”
“Because you are someone who may one day surpass me, Young Master. No, perhaps even beyond that......”
I listened to Tarian’s words, filled with anticipation, and was about to head toward the lodgings we had reserved when—
“Y-You are......!”
At the sudden voice, I glanced aside.
Johannes Bahen stood there with a flushed face, apparently slightly drunk.
He had one finger raised, pointing directly at Tarian.
I stared in confusion for a moment.
“I knew it! I thought your voice sounded familiar! Tarian—are you not Sir Tarian?!”
“Oh dear.”
“I wondered where you disappeared to. To think you were still in the North!”
As he hurried toward us, I glanced at Tarian.
“You know him?”
“Yes. I briefly instructed him in swordsmanship in the past.”
“Briefly instructed me? Did you not promise to become my sword?!”
Johannes said it with his face still flushed.
Tarian lightly pressed a hand to his forehead.
Come to think of it.
‘Right. He was that kind of guy.’
Johannes had a considerable appetite for talented people.
Still, to think he had become this attached to Tarian after receiving swordsmanship lessons from him.
‘Well, I guess he is a good teacher.’
“I will never forget the feeling of sparring with you, Sir Tarian, for the rest of my life. And yet, how could you be so heartless......”
I was about to agree with him when another thought occurred to me, making my words stop.
I glanced at Tarian and whispered.
“Don’t tell me you beat him too?”
Tarian nodded.
“And he still reacts like this?”
Tarian nodded again.
“He’s crazy too.”
Now I understood why Tarian had gone so far as to hide behind a mask.
“To be precise, Lord Johannes, I said I would decide after seeing your growth. And now, I have a lord whom I serve.”
“......”
“What?”
Johannes’s gaze changed in an instant.
Wait.
A lord he served?
You haven’t even made your decision yet.
I looked at Tarian with that question plainly in my eyes, but he merely smiled serenely.
It was obvious he was trying to escape the situation.
“Are you saying you have become his retainer?”
“I have not formally entered his service yet, but......”
“Then I should speak with him directly.”
Johannes cut Tarian off and looked straight at me.
“I will be direct. I would like you to hand Sir Tarian over to me.”
“Why should I?”
“......I will compensate you appropriately.”
His gaze was completely serious, but I had no intention of agreeing.
“I’m asking why I should.”
“He is too valuable a man to remain in an insignificant territory. His Grace the Grand Duke would surely entrust him with an important position as well. Would it not be better to let him go for the sake of the North?”
I fought back the laugh threatening to escape and pretended to think it over.
For an ordinary noble, perhaps his argument would have been correct.
Most would never even consider opposing the Bahen Grand Ducal House in the first place.
“That might not be entirely wrong.”
“So you do understand—”
“But I still don’t want to.”
Johannes’s expression stiffened slightly.
He did not look as though he would simply back down after my refusal.
‘He is the Grand Duke’s third son, after all.’
If I wanted him to give up, I needed a justification strong enough to satisfy him.
“How about we do this instead?”
“......?”
“We bet on the results of tomorrow’s Subjugation Festival.”
The word bet seemed to catch his interest.
Johannes looked at me as though telling me to continue.
I was enjoying the situation too much to help myself.
Without lowering the grin that had formed on my lips, I looked Johannes straight in the eye.
“Fine. I like it.”
“Then you mean......”
“If I lose, I’ll hand Tarian over.”
“That is welcome news.”
“But if you lose.”
Slowly, I met Johannes’s gaze.
“You’ll hand over your sword.”
Johannes’s sword.
Winterbane, one of the famed swords owned by the Bahen Grand Duke.
I did not exactly need it right away since I had Frost Fang, but I was curious about the Pact tied to that sword.
“My sword? Hah! Fine! If I’m going to earn the right to gain a new sword, I should wager at least that much!”
He hesitated for a moment, glanced at Tarian, then readily accepted.
I burst out laughing.
“I like how decisive you are. Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Sir Tarian, wait!”
Johannes left immediately after that.
I watched his back for a moment before turning toward Tarian.
“A lord you serve, huh.”
“......”
“Can I take that to mean you’ve made your decision?”
Tarian looked at me for a moment, then sighed and averted his gaze.
“That was my intention from the beginning. Still, that was too much.”
“Too much?”
“To think you would use me as the stake in a bet.”
“You think I’ll lose?”
Tarian looked at me for a moment.
“No.”
A crisp answer.
***
After the sudden wager, the day of the Subjugation Festival arrived.
The rules for today’s event were simple.
‘Kill more Monsters, and you win.’
Various types of Monsters had been placed within a restricted area, and each type was worth a predetermined number of points.
At first glance, it might have sounded excessively dangerous.
But this was the Bahen Grand Duchy.
High-level knights were stationed all around the area, so there was no concern regarding safety.
‘So I just have to deal with them.’
Enjoy the banquet in moderation.
Cheer when the monster materials came in.
It really did feel like a festival.
As I toyed with the hilt of my sword while looking forward to the event that would soon begin, I felt my brother’s gaze.
“Ian, are you truly going to be all right?”
“Come on, Brother. I’ve already been through a Dungeon.”
“That is true, but......”
“Besides, what danger could there be? Look at how many knights are here.”
I patted my brother on the shoulder as he continued looking worried.
“Judging by what I saw yesterday, it seems I’ll need to work fairly hard too.”
“......”
Perhaps he knew how the other nobles viewed me.
My brother’s expression hardened.
“Baron, there is no need to worry. I can vouch for the Young Master’s skill.”
“Sir Tarian.”
“Especially since my own future is at stake this time.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It was merely a foolish remark.”
Unlike yesterday, when he had hidden his face, Tarian was now walking around openly.
He had already run into the troublesome situation he wanted to avoid, so apparently he no longer saw any point in hiding.
“We just made a little bet.”
“A bet?”
“It’s nothing. More importantly......”
Feeling a sharp gaze on me, I turned my head slightly.
Johannes was staring holes through me from across the area.
“Is he really that obsessed with you?”
I asked on impulse.
Tarian hesitated for a moment.
“It is in the past, so I would rather not say.”
“If you say so.”
“Still, I believe I would prefer to remain with the Rashid Family. Being with you is rather enjoyable.”
“Don’t worry. Anyway......”
I was going to be the star of this Subjugation Festival.