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Floyd, who had been quietly watching Latias for a long time, couldn't hold back any longer and added a word.
"I knew it. I thought it was strange. It's only because the young lady and the head of the family took the initiative to roll up their sleeves that we followed, but you couldn't find the assassin with the method you mentioned in the first place. Even though you knew that fact, what was your reason for doing this?"
Whoosh, whoosh.
Latias's wind element magic resonance continued to echo in the tent-sealed room.
Davian spoke again.
"If I told the truth from the beginning, the spy might have run away. Now, I've taken off my armor top and the continent's top magical genius girl's wind element magic is aimed at him, so he can't think of running away recklessly, right?"
Floyd looked at Davian with a suspicious expression.
But he didn't say anything more, as if waiting for Davian's next words.
Jenny asked.
"So you set up this whole thing now because you were afraid the spy would just run away? To make him take off his armor and aim a magic attack at him?"
"Yes, that's right."
"So you're saying that Corbin, who Latias is glaring at now... is the spy?"
"Probably. The real evidence isn't on his arm, but on his left shoulder. I left a very small wound. A wound that's barely itchy, let alone painful."
"But what makes you so sure that Corbin is the spy? You said the real evidence is on his left shoulder. You haven't even checked it yet."
"The wound on his arm. It's already completely healed, so it's ambiguous to present it as evidence to many people, but I know it because I made the wound myself."
Corbin's eyes began to shake.
Davian looked at Count Thomas, the head of the family.
"Now, please confirm it yourself, head of the family. The real trace I left last night is a very small wound on his left shoulder. It's a wound that will disappear by tomorrow if left alone, so I wouldn't have sprayed any potions or anything on it. He might not even know he was wounded."
Thomas turned to Corbin.
"Is it true? Corbin."
"N-no way! Head of the family. This guy is mocking us and spouting nonsense because he thinks it won't work!"
Latias, who was aiming her wind element magic, said in a cold voice.
"I clearly guaranteed it with the honor of the Meridiem Dukedom. What he's saying isn't nonsense."
"S-shut up! Dukedom or whatever, how dare some kids who came from nowhere make fun of adults!"
"Oh? Can I take that statement as a challenge to the Meridiem Dukedom?"
Corbin hurriedly turned his head.
"Head of the family! I'm wronged. How can I be suspected by such transient kids after so many years of loyalty!"
Thomas slowly approached Corbin.
"I understand, Corbin. If their words are false, I will not let them go, no matter how much they are the daughters of the Duke. You are the leader of our Arond County's soldiers. However, since the situation is like this, let's just check it. That way, you can claim your innocence more confidently, can't you?"
"Kuh!"
Corbin, as if feeling wronged, gritted his teeth and reached for his waist.
Davian opened his mouth.
"If you draw that sword, you'll die right away. It's not too late to check the wound on your shoulder after killing you."
"Shut up! I, Corbin, swear on the honor of a knight to challenge you to a duel! After I kill you and restore my honor, it won't be too late to check the wound!"
Latias rounded her mouth and let out a small exclamation.
"Hoo."
This is obviously an overreaction.
It was the moment when all of Davian's words were coming true.
This time, Jenny stepped forward.
"Corbin. You just need to check your shoulder as the head of the family said. Then you can naturally protect your honor, so why are you talking about a duel with your honor on the line?"
"Isn't this too humiliating! You! Kid! Accept my duel request. We'll check the wound on my shoulder after that. Of course, since you've tarnished the honor of a knight, which is more precious than my life, checking my shoulder will be after you're dead."
Davian slowly nodded.
'If I find the spy, it naturally moves on to the next mini-quest like this.'
There's no reason to refuse a duel request.
After all, the content of the fourth mini-quest is 'Win the duel with the assassin'.
"I accept the duel request. Head of the family, please allow it. He says he wants to protect the honor of a knight so much."
Jenny grabbed Davian's shoulder.
"Are you crazy? Corbin is a leader of a thousand soldiers. Don't you know a leader of a thousand soldiers? A warrior who leads a thousand soldiers!"
Davian grabbed Jenny's arm that was holding his shoulder and pulled it down.
I've fought with a leader of a thousand soldiers belonging to the demon army, so a leader of a thousand soldiers in a frontier county's private army is nothing.
"It's okay. And I'm furious when I see the spies of the Marino Empire. I was going to fight him anyway."
Davian raised his finger towards Corbin.
"You, come out. Let's fight with the honor of a knight on the line. Don't even think about running away."
"Insolent guy! I don't know why you came here and are playing tricks, but you'll regret today's work with your death."
A duel request with the honor of a knight on the line.
Although it is a private army of a count's family rather than a knight who received a title from the king, the weight of the profession of 'knight' is by no means light.
If there is no honor and weight as a knight, it is no different from a thug wielding a sword, which is the common thought of those who are in the business of knight.
This concept, which has been passed down for over a thousand years, has made 'the honor of a knight' more and more weighty.
Unless the facts of the crime have been fully revealed, it is a somewhat ambiguous situation to unconditionally ignore Corbin's request for a duel while mentioning the honor of a knight.
This was not a treatment or belief in Corbin, but a courtesy to the profession of 'knight' itself.
In the meantime, Davian readily responded to the duel request, so the two's match was naturally concluded.
A vacant lot in front of the headquarters barracks.
Davian and Corbin are glaring at each other at a moderate distance.
Around the perimeter were not only the commanders who had been in the headquarters barracks until just now, but also a large number of soldiers who had gathered and surrounded the duel site in layers.
This is because a knight's duel is not a common sight.
Of course, one was a student in uniform, not a knight.
Davian opened his mouth.
"How is it? There are too many spectators, so it's even harder to run away now, right? You should have run away somehow earlier. You dug your own grave. A spy of the Marino Empire."
"Shut up! Insolent brat. My honor has fallen to the ground today because of you, so I will personally drop your neck to the ground."
"That's fierce. Come on in. You cowardly spy bastard."
Corbin raised his sword above his head and rushed in.
The speed and momentum were unusual.
Davian also raised his sword to prepare to meet Corbin's attack.
'More than a 5-star swordsman. Maybe near 6-star?'
Clang!
The two's swords met.
'He's quite good.'
Even though he didn't receive it head-on and let it flow to the side, the impact was enough to make his wrist tingle.
A completely different swordsmanship from when he fought as an assassin last night.
"Atone for the sin of tarnishing my honor with death!"
A continuous attack that was difficult to come to one's senses poured in.
'Still, he's a swordsman who's a leader of a thousand soldiers.'
Corbin's internal and external power far exceeded the academy level.
Swordsmanship is also of a high level.
Davian had no choice but to be pushed back helplessly by the powerful and sharp attacks.
Corbin's sword, drawn greatly diagonally from the upper left.
Davian attached the blade to Corbin's sword and pushed it to the side.
At that moment, Corbin's left shoulder was exposed defenselessly.
A perfect counterattack chance.
But Davian backed away.
"You, you deliberately showed your shoulder, didn't you? To leave a bigger wound on the traces I left."
Corbin's eyes shook for a moment.
"Nonsense!"
Clang!
Corbin swung his sword with even more fierce momentum.
Bang!
A strong shock and flames erupted on Corbin's side along with the sword held high.
It was a fireball that Davian fired at close range.
With the explosion of the fireball, Corbin was pushed far to the side.
"Kuh! What, what is this! Were you a mage?"
"Didn't you know?"
This time, Davian began to pour out attacks.
While freely grabbing the bastard sword with both hands and one hand and unfolding sharp attacks, he frequently fired fire element magic or wind element magic.
Corbin's defense rapidly crumbled in the face of a situation he had never experienced before.
Corbin, who pushed Davian's sword away fiercely, shouted.
"You're unfolding a miscellaneous attack!"
"Miscellaneous? It's unique."
Bang!
Flames reappeared in front of Corbin's eyes.
His clothes were already burned and torn in various places.
Davian didn't touch his left shoulder like a ghost.
Swish!
"Kuh!"
After Davian used magic together, the game was unilaterally tilted.
Corbin, who was close to a 6-star swordsman, had no way to cope with Davian, who freely unfolded magic and swordsmanship.
He was just barely blocking fatal blows with a surprised expression.
And it wasn't just Corbin who was surprised.
"What... what is it? I've never heard of anything like that."
"His swordsmanship is also top-notch, but he's as proficient in magic as if he's been using it since he was born?"
"I wonder how many swordsmen can withstand such an attack. It's really amazing...."
Jenny Arond also opened her mouth wide and watched Davian's martial arts.
"Latias, what is your friend's identity? How can he raise both swordsmanship and magic to such a high level?"
"A freak."
"What?"
"He's a complete freak. Davian is the only one who can do that in the entire continent."
"Amazing...."
Swish!
Davian's bastard sword completely cut off Corbin's right arm and passed by.
"Kuaaak!"
Corbin quickly grabbed the sword with his left hand and stood up.
Thud!
Davian's kick was planted in Corbin's abdomen.
"What to do, you can't protect your honor as a knight."
Crack.
Davian, who approached Corbin, who was lying down, pressed down on his left arm.
Davian's hand roughly pulled on Corbin's top.
Corbin's bare left shoulder was revealed through the torn clothes.
"Count Thomas. Come and check it out."
Ting.
=====
[Step-by-step quest in progress]
③Successfully exposing the assassin
-Reward: 7,000 Mana Points (x2)
④Successfully winning the duel with the assassin
-Reward: 8,000 Mana Points (x2)
=====
Everyone in the headquarters barracks gathered where Davian and Corbin were.
"It's really there."
"Is this the wound? The trace you said you left."
"Yes, that's right. This guy is one of the assassins who attacked Jenny last night."
"...It's really there."
Jenny Arond, who examined Corbin's shoulder, turned around and signaled to someone.
A fat man who had been mixed in with the crowd walked forward.
He had a leather belt that could only be seen in butcher shops wrapped around his big belly, and small knives, awls, and iron tongs were hanging from the belt.
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