How to Survive as a Knight’s Son – Chapter 19

—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
—————————————————————–

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

 
“Why not?!”

Fiore shouted. I was dumbfounded. Was it because Andrei had spoiled her? Fiore acted as if the world revolved around her. Frankly, it was unbecoming of someone her age.

“Do you think sparring with you is more valuable than receiving instruction from Sir Andrei? So valuable that I should leave this place if I lose?”

“Ugh. Then you set a condition too!”

I had been waiting for those words. A bird in the hand was worth two in the bush. The more opportunities to gain experience points, the better.

“Then let’s make it a battle of attrition. The first one to give up loses.”

“Aha~ so you want to test your endurance? Hmph, you think it’ll be that easy? I won’t go easy on you like my father. I’ll keep going until you say ‘uncle.’ You’ll regret it!”

Fiore seemed confident in her victory. So was I.

There was no way I, who had wasted my talent and time on debauchery, could beat someone who had trained at the Swordsmanship Guild since childhood.

Even so, I adjusted my grip on my sword. This wasn’t about winning. I glanced down and checked the message that had appeared in the bottom right corner of my vision.

The message, which appeared the moment I pointed my sword at Fiore, confirmed that she was indeed the second strongest in the guild, after Andrei.

This was an opportunity to gain experience points. Even if I won, Fiore wouldn’t give up easily, so I might be able to consistently gain experience points from her.

“Hmph! Let’s see how long that confidence lasts!”

Fiore, misinterpreting my smile, suddenly thrust her sword. The blade, which had been pointed upwards at her waist, shot out like lightning. At that moment, time seemed to slow down.

‘Is this… Sir Andrei’s…?’

Fiore’s attack, now in slow motion, felt familiar. Memories flooded back. While Fiore’s sword was still moving slowly through the distorted time, my body moved before I could think.

I took a diagonal step forward and swung my sword with all my strength.

Clang!

Fiore’s sword was deflected before it reached my neck. Through the shower of sparks, I saw Fiore’s eyes widen.

If I had managed to counterattack, I would have perfectly replicated Andrei’s technique from yesterday. Though, this was impressive enough.

As the world returned to its normal speed, Fiore’s face crumpled like a piece of paper.

“You, bastard-! How dare you copy me?!”

I had been able to block Fiore’s attack because she had held back. I realized this as I saw her sword flash towards me again, this time at full speed.

I belatedly raised my sword to block, but Fiore’s blade had already struck my left forearm.

“Mmm…”

Thanks to the chainmail, the sword hadn’t cut through, but the force behind it penetrated the armor, causing a sharp pain. I would definitely have a bruise.

I didn’t have time to dwell on the pain. Fiore had already retrieved her sword and was attacking again.

Once again, her attack was faster than my reaction. This time, some of the chainmail links broke.

The impact was even stronger. I almost dropped my sword. I felt frustrated. I could have accepted it if I hadn’t seen the attack coming, but to be unable to block it despite knowing exactly where she was aiming? It felt like my body was a prison, trapping me.

“What? Feeling cocky again?”

Unlike me, Fiore was barely breathing hard, clearly not using her full strength.

I suppressed the pain and raised my sword. I angled my body to reduce the area Fiore could target and created some distance to give my slow body time to react.

Fiore’s brow twitched.

“You think that’ll stop me?!”

Fiore’s sword rained down on me relentlessly. My chainmail was quickly reduced to tatters. The blows that slipped through the gaps must have been bruising my body as well. Her attacks were still faster than my reactions.

“Give up! You’ll end up crippled if you continue!”

As she said, my body was screaming in protest. Even the sharp pain had dulled. That was even more frightening. If the spar continued, I might actually get seriously injured.

Even so, I raised my sword.

“This is nothing.”

I admitted it. I was a cripple. A scoundrel. So what? Was there a rule that cripples and scoundrels had to give up? Besides, I knew the painful consequences of giving up.

I loved my life as a scoundrel, and I would protect it at all costs. I needed strength. The strength to protect what was mine. The strength to take what I desired.

Even though I couldn’t see a way out, I could see the experience points accumulating in real time. Give up? I might be a cripple and a scoundrel, but I wasn’t a fool.

Fiore’s face contorted.

“You, really—”

“Why are you so agitated? Are you that angry that your respected father was put in a difficult position because of me?”

It was a matter that Father, Maxim Tolbatz, had already apologized and compensated for. An apology from a noble, who valued their reputation, was similar to an official statement from a nation, with an expression of regret being the most they would offer. Considering that, Father had done all he could.

“Or is there another reason?”

Fiore clenched her jaw.

“Shut up—!”

Fiore’s subsequent attacks were wild and aimed at my vital points, not just my arms and legs. However, I felt like I was finally getting the hang of it.

‘She’s slowing down.’

Her attacks were still fast and sharp. The speed itself hadn’t changed. However, my eyes, which had been following her sword from beginning to end, could clearly tell that she was slowing down. I soon realized why. Her movements were getting bigger as her emotions took over.

‘Efficiency is speed.’

Suddenly, the world slowed down even further, almost to a standstill. This was beyond just having good eyesight.

I observed myself, comparing my movements to Fiore’s. The difference was clear. Unnecessary movements, which only hindered me, clung to my body like parasites.

I consciously stripped them away, one by one. It was only possible because the world was frozen in time. The moment I shed all the unnecessary movements…

Clang!

Sparks flew again.

The sword aimed at my neck was deflected. It was the first time since our first exchange, where Fiore had held back significantly. My body, momentarily freed from the constant barrage of pain, rejoiced. I grinned at Fiore, who looked stunned.

“Is this how it’s done?”

Fiore’s gaze dropped to her lowered sword. Her eyes trembled. She looked disbelieving. Even I could hardly believe it, so it was no surprise that she felt the same way.

Her face turned red and blue.

“Fuck-! Now! Now of all times! I won’t accept this!!”

After a brief moment of silence, a greater storm arrived. Her attacks were even faster and wilder than before. Was this Fiore’s true strength?

I thought I might actually die. I gave up on blocking and focused on dodging her attacks, which were now aimed at my vital points.

Fiore’s sword struck me repeatedly. My chainmail was already in tatters. The attacks that slipped through the gaps tore through my padded jack, drawing blood.

This was clearly beyond a spar. Yet, no one tried to stop it. Jin, who had been watching from the sidelines, finally spoke up.

“This isn’t a spar! It’s just bullying!”

The trainees who had gathered around the training ground, just like yesterday, avoided Jin’s gaze. One of them said,

“Only Sir Andrei can stop Fiore.”

It meant that only Andrei, her father and the guild master, could control Fiore’s reckless behavior and her status as the master’s daughter. Jin wasn’t satisfied with that answer.

“Cowards.”

Jin’s hand held a dagger with a blade as long as her forearm. The startled trainees backed away, and as Jin stepped between Allen and Fiore, trying to stop the spar…

A long scabbard blocked her path.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

“Who…!”

Jin looked up at the owner of the scabbard and flinched. Andrei, the guild master and a vassal knight of Quaran, was standing next to her, his eyes still fixed on the spar between Allen and Fiore.

“Were you serious?”

Andrei recalled Allen’s words from the other day, when he had looked him in the eye and declared his desire to become stronger. Honestly, Andrei hadn’t believed him. The boy was a notorious scoundrel.

He suspected Allen had ulterior motives. That’s why he had postponed the sale of the fishing rights. However, Allen’s eyes, still focused and determined despite being relentlessly beaten, told him that Allen had truly changed.

“I should report this. But before that—”

Andrei sprang into action. Despite being in full armor, he moved like the wind, intervening just as Fiore’s sword was about to pierce Allen’s neck.

Clang!

Fiore’s sword was deflected by Andrei’s scabbard. Fiore, barely managing to retrieve her sword, shouted,

“Father! We’re in the middle of a spar!”

Andrei sheathed his sword and looked down at his daughter. His gaze was colder than anything Fiore had ever seen.

Fiore flinched and took a step back.

“Father…?”

“Fiore. Haven’t I told you countless times? Always keep a cool head, no matter the situation. Look closely.”

Andrei pointed his chin towards Allen. Fiore finally calmed down and looked at Allen, who was frozen in place, still in his fighting stance.

If Andrei hadn’t intervened, his neck would have been pierced, yet he stood there like a statue.

“…!”

Seeing his vacant, unfocused eyes, Fiore instinctively took a step back. Andrei clicked his tongue.

“He’s already lost consciousness.”

“Since when…?”

“You were the one sparring with him.”

It was a rebuke for Fiore, who hadn’t even noticed that her opponent had lost consciousness and continued to aim for his vital points.

“I’m sorry. I just…”

“Hmm.”

Andrei didn’t accept Fiore’s apology. This wasn’t something he could easily forgive. If that last attack had landed, he would have had to face Maxim Tolbatz in a duel far more dangerous than their previous one.

After all, Allen was the only heir to the Tolbatz family. The hot-headed knight wouldn’t let this go easily.

Fiore realized how angry her father was. Biting her lip, she glared at the unconscious Allen, then turned and walked away.

“I really hate you—”

Her discarded sword clattered to the ground. Jin, who had quietly approached Andrei, watched her leave and asked,

“Were they always this hostile?”

Andrei chuckled.

“Quite the opposite, actually. Fiore used to follow him around like a puppy. Well, it’s understandable. He was handsome and talented, unlike her. And he wasn’t a scoundrel back then.”

Back then, Fiore had been inseparable from Allen, almost like a blood relative.

“Then why…?”

“It’s like the saying, betrayal by someone you trust hurts the most. She hates him because she liked him.”

Love and hate. That was the best way to describe Fiore’s feelings for Allen.

“Don’t tell me she still has feelings for him?”

“I don’t know. A parent can’t understand everything about their child. I just hope she’s learned something from this.”

Andrei’s true concern was for Fiore. Jin’s expression turned somber as she was reminded of someone.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

“Fiore…?”

That’s when I regained consciousness.

“She left.”

“What about the spar?”

Jin shrugged.

“Then I win.”

I declared my victory. Fiore was the one who gave up first, so I was the rightful winner. Andrei bowed his head.

“I apologize. I didn’t expect Fiore to be so reckless. This is my fault.”

I shook my head.

“It takes two to tango. I’m also responsible for accepting the spar.”

“Hmm. Thank you for saying that. I’ll have someone else train you from tomorrow, instead of Fiore.”

“Is he stronger than Fiore?”

“He’ll be a better instructor.”

I shook my head again. I needed not only a good instructor but also a strong opponent. Perhaps because the spar had lasted longer, I had gained more experience points from sparring with Fiore than with Andrei.

“The match isn’t over yet.”

It meant that I wanted to continue the spar tomorrow. Andrei’s eyes widened, then curved into a smile.

“You’ve truly changed.”

“By the way, what about the matter we discussed?”

“I need more time. Rights like these can cause disputes later on.”

Rights like taxation and fishing rights, along with inheritance rights, could be used as justification for territorial wars.

Of course, that wasn’t his real concern. I was just the son of a knight who ruled a small territory, and a notorious scoundrel at that. He was probably just being cautious. I also needed time to gather the funds.

“Take your time.”

“Then I’ll have to teach you swordsmanship for free until then. I can’t do that. No, I can’t.”

“Speaking of which, could we spar now?”

“In your current state?”

Andrei’s eyes widened. As an experienced knight, he could tell my condition just by looking at me. Indeed, my body ached all over. However,

“You’ll go easy on me, won’t you, Sir Andrei?”

I couldn’t let go of an opponent who would give me more experience points than Fiore, especially since I didn’t know when I would have another opportunity.

“Haha. I don’t dislike those who are desperate. Prepare yourself.”

That day, I leveled up. Even though it was a low level, it was still an achievement, considering I had done it in a single day.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

So Allen finally could farm for experience to getting stronger, guess the bottom part too??😆