Capítulo 39: Duel (1)
"I never thought that you'd walk in here so fearlessly," Gilbert talked down Sebastian.
"Am I supposed to cower behind your shadow all my life?" Sebastian scoffed.
The two of them faced off under the watchful eyes of the people from the major houses. It wasn't the time for the duel to happen, but the two of them saw each other and neither side could hold their animosity.
Although Sebastian had grown taller, Gilbert was still at least half a head taller than him.
They didn't have any other interactions after Sebastian returned but for some reason, the two of them hated each other even more than before.
"Sebastian, that's enough..."
Amy was trying to stop him. Even though he had the power, nobody except Jonathan knew he was capable of using energy. To the eyes of everyone else, he was just a normal human challenging an『Inheritor』, it was a foolish act. Amy's worry was understandable.
"Let's see what tricks you have up your sleeve, I'll break them all along with your bones," Gilbert spoke each word with increasing intensity.
"Really? Then let's see what you'll do when I shove an arrow up your nostrils," Sebastian snapped back.
Every person in the room was confused. From what they had heard of Sebastian, he wasn't the type to speak such words or retort to insults. But, not only had Sebastian retorted, he had even bit back with even more extreme insults.
The two of them had been insulting each other for a solid five minutes and the attention of the entire room was focused on them. It wasn't uncommon for 『Inheritors』 to fight amongst each other but this wasn't on the level of a quarrel anymore.
—Calm down, you can't let anger cloud your judgment. You'll need to focus on the battle.
Sebastian couldn't register Balanos' words and continued glaring at Gilbert. It wasn't until Amy walked forward to hold his hand did he come back to his senses.
When Sebastian turned away, Gilbert snorted and stormed off with his entourage.
—What has gotten into you?
"Sebastian, what happened to you?"
The two people he was accompanied by asked the same question at the same time. Other than Amy and his family, Balanos was the one who spent the most time with him. If neither of them understood Sebastian, then who would?
—I understand that boy's anger. Because of you, that girl has been using the authority given to her by her father to put pressure on the Walt House and he, who is the cause of it, has most likely been put under pressure as well.
A successor with and without authority in the house were on different levels. Amy could mobilize most of the house while Gilbert could only mobilize the ones under his influence.
—But I don't understand your anger.
Sebastian didn't respond to either of the two asking him and put on a fake smile to coax Amy.
"It's nothing."
It was obvious that she didn't believe him.
"You've been hiding more and more things from me lately."
She seemed displeased and turned her head away from him.
Sebastian awkwardly scratched his cheek. He couldn't tell her anything lest she'd be mistaken as his accomplice on the day his stigma is revealed.
For once, Sebastian didn't explain anything to her and kept his sights forward.
"..."
Amy peeked at Sebastian. Usually, he would be trying to coax her right now.
"So something IS wrong. Why can't you tell me anymore...?" She mumbled to herself.
Although she understood that Sebastian was keeping secrets for her, they've only been more distant, not closer, ever since three months ago. The only interaction they had that signified the increase in their relationship was their kiss a month ago. But, there weren't any signs of Sebastian doing the same again.
'No, I'm satisfied with this. I don't mind if he doesn't return my feelings any more than that. Even if he were to choose another woman... I won't leave him.'
She had already made an oath to herself, to devote herself to Sebastian. Her happiness isn't her priority.
While the two of their thoughts crossed paths but never met, the time for the duel slowly came nearer and nearer.
...
"...Please, don't overexert yourself."
Amy gripped Sebastian's hands tightly. He had already equipped his armor and there was already a stage for him and Gilbert outside.
To Amy's eyes, although he wore armor and equipped weapons, there was still no chance of him overtaking Gilbert whose physical body alone could be used to crush boulders and trees.
Sebastian's heart was filled with warmth as he gazed at the girl lovingly, "don't worry, I'll be fine."
He leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead but stopped himself. In the case that he lost, he wouldn't be able to do it anymore.
Sebastian did a final check on his gear before heading off. All of the representatives of the four major houses had already gathered outside.
"There he is..."
People were whispering as he passed them. To their eyes, he was a fool, an enigma.
Sebastian closed his eyes. There had never been any pressure on him as intense as today. But strangely, he felt calm.
"Am I strange?"
—You only just realize this now? Your personality has been all over the place and you haven't noticed. You were angry when you shouldn't be, calm when you should be pressured, and calculating in even the most difficult situations. Does that sound like you?
"...Who the heck are you talking about?"
—...If my real body were here, I'd have hit you.
Sebastian closed his mouth. If Balanos really were to hit him, then he wouldn't be able to survive, let alone laugh it off.
While engaged in banter with Balanos, he had unknowingly arrived at the stage prepared for them. Gilbert was already waiting for him. Contrary to Sebastian's thoughts, Gilbert was equipped from head to toe in armor, it didn't seem like something that even his black arrows could penetrate.
—I know what you're thinking, the black arrows can pierce that no problem. But, I don't recommend using it early, you need to save your trump cards for last.
Balanos had always given him small tips, today wasn't any different. Gilbert wasn't fighting just one person, he was fighting one person and an old—experienced hamadryad.
"Well, aren't you well-equipped?"
"I'm arrogant, but not an idiot. Even if you are the weakest person in the entire world, even an ant would have ways of hurting a person. But..."
Gilbert's eyes flashed with killing intent.
"...even if there were a hundred of those ants, it'd take just one simple movement to kill all of them. No matter how many ants there are, they will always be weak."
Sebastian was unperturbed by his provocations as he stretched his body. Contrary to Gilbert, Sebastian wore practically no armor. Other than his bone plates on the chest and hands, he wore lightweight metal armor on his forearms and part of his legs.
He was built for mobility. One would think that Gilbert wouldn't be able to move very fast with all of the heavy armor he was wearing but he was from the Walt House. Moving in heavy armor was as easy as walking in normal clothes to him.
"I don't want to listen to the words of a dog with all bark and no bite."
While the two finished their verbal bouts, Jonathan stood between them.
"I and the three other house heads who are present today will serve as witnesses. None of us will favor one side over the other. I will now speak about the wager that these two have agreed to beforehand,
Jonathan glanced at Amy who was holding her hands over her heart.
"If Sebastian Sol were to lose, then he would willingly sever ties with Amira Luna."
Amy's face drained of all color. She couldn't stop trembling.
Sebastian bit on his lower lip. He couldn't meet Amy's eyes. The guilt in his heart was unbearably heavy.
"And the same condition applies to Gilbert Walt. If he were to lose, then he'd willingly stop approaching Amira Luna."
When the people gathered heard the wagers, all of them had strange expressions on their faces. This was just a spat for a woman? Even the four house heads were supervising them.
"Both competitors have been given time to prepare and the victory conditions are either surrender or if one side is deemed unable to battle."
Jonathan looked at Sebastian with a deep gaze. The emotions in his eyes couldn't be read but he didn't let anyone except Sebastian notice them. He walked away from the stage and allowed the two competitors to face each other.
"Three!"
Sebastian gripped his bow tightly.
"Two!"
He took an arrow from his quiver and loaded it into the arrow.
"One!"
Gilbert charged out with an explosive stomp. The stage had even cracked.
Sebastian aimed his bow straight at Gilbert.
'Just like the Goblin Lord...'
But, there was something different from that time.
Sebastian released his arrow. As expected, it didn't pierce through his armor at all. Gilbert's helmet covered his head and sides, it only revealed his eyes, nose, and mouth. But, Sebastian didn't aim for that on purpose.
Instead of using his weapon, Gilbert used his body to charge at Sebastian. If he were as powerless as he thought, then this would end it. Even if he were to jump out of the way, Gilbert could just alter the trajectory.
Sebastian released the bow and let it hang loose on his body before taking out his spear. He switched weapons in less than two seconds.
"Sssss..."
Sebastian sharply inhaled and thrust out his spear.
Gilbert had confidence in his armor and didn't stop his advance in the least. The distance between them was enough for him to cross in just five seconds but to the two of them whose senses were enhanced, five seconds didn't seem like a lot.
"What the...?"
"His spear!"
Everyone looked at the scene in surprise. Amy, Jonathan, Markus, nobody was an exception.
"Gah..." Gilbert grimaced in pain.
Sebastian looked at him with a grin, "what's wrong?"
Gilbert looked down on his shoulder. Sebastian's spear pierced through his armor and although it didn't pierce through his bone, his shoulder was definitely hit.
"You...!"
"What did you say again? No matter how many ants there are, they'll always be weak and vulnerable. But, why does it seem like this ant just hurt you more than you expected?"
Gilbert's expression twisted in anger and through grit teeth, he cursed Sebastian.
"I'll crush you!"
"That's my line."
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