Theo’s expression went flat. He had come on business, but it felt like he was being misunderstood. Was this why the guards had left them alone?
Theo asked cautiously, “What are the winner’s rights?”
“… I’m sorry. Of course, Sir Theodore wouldn’t know the code of the Andras Empire.” Rebecca paused for a moment before explaining, “The empire doesn’t guarantee the loser’s life. Only the winner can spare the loser’s life, and the loser must hand something over in return. This is done regardless of the conditions of the duel, and rejection will bring severe punishment from your family.”
Theo couldn’t form any words in response. It truly wasn’t an exaggeration that this barbaric empire preferred to speak with swords rather than words. The winner was exalted, and the loser punished. It was a food chain that had no relationship with ethics or morality. A society with a system where the strong could do anything simply because they were strong wasn’t a society but a group of animals. Theo was astonished at how a nation with such a primitive system had grown to become an empire.
No, this might be what forced it to grow to that level.
The empire’s citizens had to survive that intense training during their childhood. That pressure didn’t cease once they joined their larger society, as it was reintroduced in the form of duels. This constant pressure would inevitably create seasoned killers. This was the open secret that had created the most powerful standing army in the northern continent and the Seven Swords. This custom of blood and tribute had created an empire that defied common sense.
Theo was shaken for a moment, but soon regained his equanimity. “This place isn’t Andras. Will you still listen to my request?”
“Yes, I am Andras’ knight.”
Theo frowned. “… It’s a little hard to understand. Where are the boundaries of the winner’s rights?”
Rebecca was silent for a moment. “It is possible to demand wealth, status, and even skills. Slavery doesn’t exist, so it is impossible to become a slave, but you can hire the other party for free one time. If the two parties have different genders, there might be a special request.”
Theo cocked his head. “Special request?”
“… A one night stand.” Rebecca flushed as she cast her eyes down and spoke quietly.
Theo was at a loss on how to respond. His eyes wandered down her lithe figure unconsciously as he cleared his throat uncomfortably. However, Rebecca couldn’t help noticing his eyes.
She lifted her head to stare at him coldly. “I’m sorry but I have no experience. My body is also in this state, so if you want me, you’ll have to take care of everything. My clothes are thick, so you’ll have to take them off yourself.”
Theo hurriedly waved his hands. “No, I have no intention of doing that!”
Rebecca looked away. “Is that so? I guess Sir Theodore can’t be satisfied with someone like me. I’m sorry.”
“… Ms Rebecca, please don’t tease me.” Theo finally realized she was poking fun at him, and sighed.
A mischievous smile spread across Rebecca’s face. “Ah, I’m sorry. You are more innocent than I thought.”
Theo had thought that Rebecce was a strict, disciplined knight, so he hadn’t expected her to tease him. As she smiled, he could see the resemblance to Randolph.
Theo recalled what he wanted to ask, “Rather, I wanted to ask Ms Rebecca something.”
“What?”
“Do you know a man called Randolph?”
The smile on her face faltered as she looked at him like he was a demon. It was more than enough proof that she knew the name 𝒆𝙣𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝙚𝙩
The blood drained from her face as she stammered, “T-That name, where did you hear it?”
“First of all, I want to know his relationship with you. I can’t disclose anything prior to knowing that.”
“… I see.” She was excited for a moment, but she quickly calmed down and her complexion returned to normal.
Her composure was similar to Theodore’s. This was the talented disciple who had been accepted as a sword master’s disciple.
Rebecca gazed at Theo silently before making up her mind. “Sir Theodore, can you prevent any sound from leaving this room?”
He quietly created a wall of silence.
***
The Andras Empire was a country where everything was determined through violence. The empire’s Seven Swords reigned at the apex and could be called the leaders of the people. In fact, they had the right to rule over everyone except the emperor. Assets like estates or property were meaningless. What value would that have to a sword master who was like a walking natural disaster? They had omnipotent power within the empire.
The clans which the Seven Swords came from could be called the heart of the Andras Empire.
“Our family, Clovis, was once very prestigious within the empire as we had produced one of the Seven Swords.”
Rebecca explained that the Clovis family had risen roughly a hundred and thirty years ago after raising a sword master. For the first time, their house had been filled with chandeliers and luxurious furnishings. They had believed it would lead to hundreds of years of trust.
However, that belief had been shattered.
“One day, His Majesty issued a decree. Track down the warlock disturbing the empire and cut off his head.”
The Seven Swords were absolutely obedient to the emperor. The sword master ancestor of the Clovis family received the order and crossed the border. However, he never returned.
The clan’s downfall had begun from that moment. The sword master hadn’t been able to fulfill his emperor’s order, causing the jackals to descend upon them, and the Clovis name had been dropped in an instant. Randolph and Rebecca had been born into that dying family.
“My father had his own skills. He didn’t have enough strength, but he searched for talented women and sowed his seed.”
“You mean…”
“Randolph and I are half siblings.” Her cold eyes stared into the distance, like she was gazing at someone who wasn’t here. “Most of the children he created were failures. Apart from Randolph and I, the others were sold to other families. However, the family needed to put all their strength into one person in order to raise a sword master.”
Magicians were born, but the empire had their own way of fostering aura users. Genius children were selected and strengthened with elixirs. Then they would be fostered by one of the Seven Swords, and there was a high probability they would become the next generation of sword masters.
Randolph and Rebecca had both met the criteria of a genius. However, Clovis hadn’t had the resources to strengthen both of them. It was a situation where the clan had to abandon one of the two children. At that time, there had been tests to find any difference in talent, so Randolph and Rebecca had been forced to be on opposite sides.
Then Randolph Clovis disappeared in the middle of the night. It had been for the sake of his sister.
“He left a letter saying he would see me again, but… I haven’t heard any news about him,” Rebecca looked at Theo quietly. Her green eyes were a little bit wet. Her story didn’t seem to be false. Additionally, she had no reason to lie. Why would she need to create a detailed soap opera for Theodore, who didn’t even know the climate of the Andras Empire?
So Theo spoke, “I met Randolph half a year ago.”
His voice filled the room surrounded by the Silence spell, and Rebecca’s face grew much brighter as she listened to his story. She was surprised to hear that Randolph had been searching for their ancestor’s double swords and delighted when she heard he’d found them in the Elder Lich’s dungeon. At that moment, she looked like a girl her age.
“I see. He is still my brother.”
Rebecca listened to her favorite parts again before lying back down with a satisfied look on her face. She seemed to have forgotten about the pain of the broken ribs. The conversation between the two people fell into a comfortable silence as the Silence spell slowly dissipated.
Ding!?
At 9 p.m., the bells rang through the royal palace, signaling the beginning of the night. It wasn’t an appropriate time for an adult male and female to stay in a room together. Theo hadn’t realized how much time passed and quickly got up from his seat. This encounter had been a pleasant time in many ways.
“Then I will be going. It is funny for me to say this to a person I wounded, but please be careful.”
“Ah, Sir Theodore—” Rebecca tried to call out to him, but her ribs hurt, so no voice emerged from her parted lips.
In the end, the door closed, leaving her alone. The room grew quiet as Rebecca carefully reached toward the door. She hadn’t paid the price of defeat yet.
“… Let’s promise to meet in the future, Sir Theodore.”
She vowed that she would repay this debt someday as she closed her eyes.
***
Theo left the room, nodding to the expressionless guard before making his way to his own room. As always, he fed two books to Gluttony and made a training schedule before falling asleep.
However, a rather unusual incident happened in the morning.
He was suddenly ambushed the next day. Theo had been planning to ask Veronica for some training when he suddenly found himself spinning through the air, courtesy of Sylvia and Blundell.
It was then that Theo realized that a rumor had spread, and he recalled Rebecca’s playful smile.
That annoying brother has an equally annoying sister!
He had never expected a blow from Randolph to return this way. Theo struggled to escape from Blundell’s clutches but eventually gave up.