Chapter 59: Conclusion

“That can’t be true!”

Karel shouts out loud. Actually, “it shouldn’t be”, so that’s expected.

“Karel, calm down.”

The Marquis spoke to Karel. Karel sits down reluctantly. Looking at the two people accompanying him, one is simply surprised, but the other looked bitter. It seems that he did not tell the exact details of the matter to the one who looked surprised. It can be said that he was fortunate in a sense. The man with the bitter expression is dressed like a noble. Considering that he’s a noble, if he doesn’t know how to hide his real feelings, he’ll surely be killed in no time if he goes to a place where conspiracy swirls.

“Then, what do you mean by “real” one?”

The Marquis asked Marius.

“Yes. Actually, I only found this out from the document left by my father. In reality, during private ceremonies, the Eimurl family prepares a “fake” to be used in public but there’s actually a “real” one. “If there is a serious affair in the Kingdom, the one who succeeds the family will take the real thing and help face the national crisis”, that’s what the document left by my father says so.”

Marius took out a paper (probably parchment) from his bosom and presented it to the Marquis. The Marquis receives it and reads it.

“Hmm, it’s definitely Count Eimurl’s handwriting.”

Hearing the Marquis’ words, Karel’s eyes opened wide. Well, to justify the story, it can’t be helped but to forge it cautiously. When it comes to fooling the eyes of an old friend, he must have asked a skillful guy and that must have been Camilo’s job. When I glanced at Camilo, he winked at me. An uncle winks at another middle-aged man…

Karel tried to say something but Marius stood up first.

“Big brother, when I found this document, you went somewhere else and I haven’t had the chance to meet you until today so I was late to tell you this. I’m very sorry.”

After saying that, he bows his head. Karel sat down again. Talking about being suspicious, it really is suspicious but, the consistency matches well.

“In tha-, that maybe so but, Karel-dono, do you have any objections? If none, I would like to report to His Majesty that there is no problem here.”

The Marquis unknowingly throws words that are equivalent to death penalty for Karel. Now, this matter was settled with “that vigor made you act recklessly but it was all for recovering the heirloom. That spirit is admirable.”

It may not be possible to take over the family, but I think that the best thing to do now is to just end it here. Then, while Marius is investigating the cause of his father and brother’s death, he can hide or do his business.

 “Well, after all, I can’t just believe that this is a “fake” and that is the “real” one.”

However, Karel wanted to settle it here. It’s what he hoped for. Even though it is clearly an act of placing his king in front of the piece placed by Marius.

“Understood. Let’s make a clear proof for that then.”

Marius said quite casually. It’s a proof of how much trust he has in my product but, there’s also this side of me that would like him to stop such acts too.

 “How will you do it?”

“It’s faster to test it out. May I borrow your garden?”

“I don’t mind. Is this okay for you, Karel-dono?”

“Yes”

Everyone stands up and move to the garden. Karel is no longer hiding his feeling and is openly glaring at Marius. Marius was able to pass it on.

Thus, the final confrontation was to take place in the courtyard of the Marquis’ House. They both held the “heirloom sword”, but this doesn’t mean they will fight each other.

The one I made is being stuck in the ground on the courtyard. Even though it’s my work, it gives off this feeling that you’ll become the king if you pull it out. Then, a young soldier with a spear in hand approaches there. He is the guard of this mansion –a private army of the Marquis. From now on, he will stab the edge of my sword. If that damages the sword, what I made is a “fake”. However, as I looked at it, with that tip, my sword can withstand 50 times, even if the material is just steel.

The soldier struck it about 20 times, but the tip of the spear just broke, and the sword I made had no scratches.

“That’s ridiculous……”

It was Karel who groaned in a low voice. That’s right. You can’t have something like this in just one or two days. It’s more than expected. The Marquis also praised the sword with admiration.

“As expected, it is a sword given by His Majesty. It has both beauty and strength.”

“That’s right. Isn’t it just right to call it the “real” one?”

Marius rides on. He had already shown the performance of my sword to begin with.

“Then, it’s Karel-dono’s sword’s turn.”

“Yes.”

Karel similarly stuck his sword into the ground. So the Marquis,

“Hey. Get another spear.”

ordered the soldier from before, but,

“No, that would not be necessary.”

As soon as Marius said that, he pulled out the “real” one that was stuck next to Karel’s. He then slashed at the “fake” sword. Without any metallic sound, the “fake” was just cut off from the middle. The upper half, which was cut off, particularly made a clang sound when it fell.

“This strength, this sharpness, with it having all these, there is no doubt that this is the “real” one, what do you think?”

With a broad grin, Marius declares victory towards the Marquis.

“Y-Yes. With such sharpness, if you enter the battlefield, you will be a match for a thousand. This is indeed the real thing.”

As expected, the Marquis too has not caught up with the events that happened before him. However, if he saw it, there is neither admission nor disapproval. Surprisingly though, he declared which one was the real thing.

“And with that, since there is no particular problem this time, the succession of the family will proceed as usual. I would like to report this to His Majesty. Is that fine with you, Marius-dono, Karel-dono?”

The Marquis declares after he somewhat recovers.

With this, it’s over. I want it to end now so I can go home quickly. As I’m thinking of that,

“Uwaaaaa!!!!”

Karel shouted as he dashed towards Marius. He had a knife in his hand. I was able to catch his movement thanks to the “cheat”, but I can’t make it from here. However, at that moment, I caught another move. It’s Marius.

Marius’ right hand, which was holding the sword, flipped up at a tremendous speed, the blade of the sword moved from Karel’s left hip to the right shoulder as if nothing was there. It was cut off without a sound. Karel’s upper body broke up before he even reached Marius and with a thud, it fell to the ground.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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