章 28: Challenged

When we arrived in the classroom, I noticed that there's not a single student in class. It's just the me's, Archie and Ofelia.

"Did our class have some sort of special holiday?"

"I don't remember. Rather, there's no such thing."

While we were talking with each other, we noticed that Ofelia's been looking outside the hallway.

"The students seem to be gathering."

Since Rose was standing beside her, I could see the students running in the hallway looking very excited.

When one passed by near us, I grabbed that guy's arm to stop ask him.

"H-hey!"

"Yo, dude. Where's everyone going?"

"Didn't you know? Miss Garaval and Sir Rigmun are having a duel!"

"Why is everyone so excited about it?"

"It's a duel between rivalling Houses, who would want to miss that!?"

After saying so, he shakes off my arm and runs with the crowd.

Since there was no student in class, our Advisor decided to suspend the morning class in honor of the Duel Etiquette.

The Duel Etiquette is allowing two knights have their duel uninterrupted and can only be stopped by their own terms. No one even the faculty members are allowed to stand in between two knights to stop them once it starts.

We decided to check up on them because the two are our teammates. If one of them gets incapacitated because of this duel, then we have no choice but to look for either a new leader or a new teammate.

The Arena is in the center of the academy. Because Charles and Delcie are from two big households, most of the students skipped their class just to watch their duel.

"I wonder how it progressed to this?"

We looked at Charles who was standing in the middle of the Arena with his sword pierced on the ground. I only feel concern for my two teammates who are about to duke it out.

Currently, Archie, Ofelia, and I are watching from the railings. We had no choice because all the seats have been taken.

"Do you have any idea why they are going to have a duel?"

"Well, Charles told me not to tell you anything, but since we're already here, I might as well say it."

What? Why did I get left out?

"Charles told me that he'll try to convince everyone to respect his leadership through force just like how you taught him."

"But I didn't..."

Wait, THAT MORON!

As I was about to yell out to Charles, Ofelia grabs Red's arm making me look at her way.

"It doesn't matter now. Besides, it seems to be working out well for him."

From behind her, Muller and the rest of our teammates show themselves with a few bandages on their body.

"Don't tell me..."

So this past few days, the reason why they were absent was because they fought against Charles. And by the looks of it, Charles hasn't lost a single match.

"Was it you who gave him the idea?"

Muller asked while pointing at Rose.

"Kind of? But cut me some slack! I didn't tell him to fight every one of you."

He looks like he was about to blow a fuse, but out of nowhere, he just lets out a sigh and scratches his head in frustration.

"You're just a commoner, but I'll let this one slide once."

Though they look really bitter about it, they don't seem to be hostile.

"I see, but what terms are they under to be in the Arena?"

Before answering, Muller leans on the railing beside me while looking at Delcie who is entering the Arena.

"If we lose, we'll accept him as leader. If he loses, he quits the team. But, if he loses to Delcie, she takes over the leader role."

"I see..."

I guess that's very much like him.

While we were waiting for their duel to start, I notice that not one of them is wearing a protection amulet.

"Are they seriously going to fight bare skinned?"

"The conditions for winning their duel is by Yielding or Incapacitation. The protection amulet would just prolong their fight."

"What the, do we have anyone that can do some healing magic?"

"The nurses are on standby right now if anything happens."

While I was worrying about them, Charles pulls out his sword from the ground and points the tip at Delcie.

"Once again, I'll announce the terms. If I lose, I quit the team and you'll be the team leader."

"And if I lose, I'll respect you as our leader."

It seems their voices are amplified by magic in the arena for everyone to hear. I could hear it like I was beside them.

That aside, I never noticed. Delcie's weapon was actually a Katana-Type sword. If I remember correctly, she was trained by a swordsman from an Eastern country beyond the continent. I've never seen their sword art so this will be a first time for me.

But that curiosity was immediately blown away by the first horn blow of the Arena referees.

When the resounding horn shook the arena, the whole student body was silenced and everyone's attention was at the two knights standing in front of them.

"With the sound of the second horn, the duel will commence. Knights, honor your opponent and treat them as equal. Do not taint the name of the Knights as you will also taint your own honor. So, I implore you knights to have a fair duel."

""For Honor and Glory!""

After replying to the referee, both of them make their own fighting stance. Charles lifts his sword and puts the hilt on his chest while Delcie puts on leg on the back with her hand on her sheath and sword handle.

And with a short loud blow of the horn, the duel starts.

But, to everyone's surprise. Not one of them is making a move.

The arena was dead silent. The two of them stared at each other as if they have stopped breathing.

And then, out of nowhere, a loud metallic explosion appears just behind Charles. But at the same time, his stance has changed. His sword was struck on the ground while Delcie on the other side blow out a lot of air.

"What just happened?"

"Delcie made the first attack."

Like Archie, we were confused as to what just happened. But it seems Ofelia saw what just happened there.

"It seems Miss Garaval has a technique that allows her to use magic with her Force Arte."

"Seriously?!"

"By using her wind magic, she extended her sword's reach as she pulled it out of the sheath. I've read about it in books from the eastern countries but I've never actually seen it in practice until today. I think the technique is called Sword Drawing. An attack that can barely be seen by the untrained eye."

"And Charles managed to deflect it..."

Honestly, I didn't expect Delcie to have something up her sleeves.

I can see it, she's better than me. She's at Charles' level.

I didn't expect that this duel would actually make me excited!

-End of Chapter-