Chapter 160 – EPISODE 160 – BANQUET OF SWORDS (3)
Terms used in this chapter:
One who has tied the knot must untie it – A saying that means whoever created the problem must be the one to solve it. An English equivalent would be ‘You’ve made your bed, now lie in it.’
Throwing technique – A Judo technique to unbalance one’s opponent and throw them to the floor.
One full point – Also known as ‘ippon,’ it is a score given in judo when one executes a skillful throwing technique which results in one contestant being thrown largely on the back with considerable force or speed. An ippon in judo is equivalent to a knockout punch in boxing.
Lucian Dior.
Born as the eldest son of Count Dior, he enjoyed all sorts of luxury and was the kind of man Jude had expected.
He was a man with a bad personality, but was quite clever and had a natural talent for swords.
But unlike those kind of b.a.s.t.a.r.ds who whiled away their time in alcohol and women, he walked the path of the sword quite seriously.
He devoted himself to training from early in the morning every day, and never stayed up all night even after drinking and playing games with his clique.
His fiancée, Lorraine, highly praised Lucian’s diligence which she found to be surprising, but there was actually one more reason why he was diligent.
‘Fear.’
If Lucian had to choose two things that left a deep impression in his life of more than 20 years, one was meeting his fiancée, Lorraine, and the other was his first meeting of ‘a person higher and stronger than his father’ when he was five years old.
‘Duke Wotan.’
Lucian was walking inside the mansion like always and happened to witness a conversation between his father and Duke Wotan, which greatly shocked him.
Duke Wotan wasn’t doing anything strange.
What completely surprised Lucian was his father, Count Dior.
‘Father?’
For the child Lucian, Count Dior was like a G.o.d.
He held absolute power within the family, and always wielded that power to its utmost.
Lucian had noticed that the maids, butlers, and even his mother always trembled in fear when they stood in front of such a father.
Lucian liked such a father.
He thought that someday, he would become like his father.
Count Dior.
His G.o.d-like father.
But not that day.
His father whose back was always straightened up, had bent it over like that of an old butler.
He bowed his head repeatedly in subservience, smiled like a secretary, and tried to please Duke Wotan.
And Lucian realized it that day.
The fact that his father was not a G.o.d, and that his son, Lucian himself, was also not a G.o.d.
The fact that there were stronger and greater people in the world.
That was why unlike other b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, Lucian looked at his opponents differently and cleverly used his head.
He knew it.
He knew so well that neither he nor his father were G.o.ds that could do whatever they wanted.
After witnessing that shocking sight, Lucian began to make an effort in his training.
Because he was very scared.
He had to be strong.
He must continue to stand in the position of the strong one.
In order to not be left behind by greater beings than him such as Duke Wotan, he must become someone skilled.
He must have the ability to reign over things that were equal or inferior to himself.
Lucian’s original personality didn’t change.
He still liked to bully the weak and used that to boost his ego. He constantly wanted to confirm that he was still strong.
‘The ten great swordmasters’ children.’
They weren’t just children of great swordmasters, but also children of those who occupied a place in the 12 northern families.
Lucian instinctively felt a sense of crisis.
So he thought like he usually did.
He had to beat them. He must hold the dominant position.
And…
And.
‘How nice would it feel?’
If he beat those people.
If he could instill to those people, who have lived thinking that they were strong, of the fact that they were actually weak.
But when he first saw Lucas, he couldn’t make any hasty moves.
Because Lucas Hræsvelgr wasn’t someone he could easily offend.
‘Margrave.’
He was the first child of Count Hræsvelgr who led the Jackdaws.
Even if Count Dior was favored by Duke Wotan, the Hræsvelgr family wasn’t a family he could thoughtlessly offend.
If that was the case, he had to win with his own abilities in the end, but that wasn’t easy either.
‘Lucas Hræsvelgr.’
A sword genius whose name was known even in the royal capital.
Lucas was still four years younger than him, but he didn’t think he would lose. But he didn’t think he could easily win either.
But new faces then appeared at the tea party.
Jude Bayer and Cordelia Chase.
There were rumors about them in the royal capital like Lucas, but the content of the rumors were completely different.
One was a sword genius.
The other was about two young people who were crazily in love and eloped.
But it wasn’t only that. Unlike Cordelia who was quite healthy, Jude had suffered from an illness that he couldn’t go out much until half a year ago.
‘Easy.’
He could beat Jude as much as he wanted to. So he immediately picked a fight with the other.
Even if Lucas had drawn his sword, Lucian was determined to goad Jude into a match through provocation.
‘I want to see it.’
To see that handsome face be wrecked into a mess.
When it came to their looks, Cordelia Chase was comparable to Lorraine – no, she was even better looking than his fiancée, and he wanted to see such Cordelia cry as she realize that her beloved was actually a weak idiot.
As he felt thrilled by his s.a.d.i.s.tic thoughts, Lucian provoked them even harder, and Lucas drew his sword as he expected.
But it went wrong after that.
‘c.o.c.ky b.a.s.t.a.r.d.’
Jude Bayer.
It was obvious that Jude didn’t know much about the world yet.
It was obvious that Jude was like him in his childhood, not knowing that there was a heaven above the sky.
Then he had to teach Jude.
How lowly his existence was.
The purpose of the Banquet of Swords was to broaden one’s horizons, so he would teach Jude once as his senior.
As he charged towards Jude, the word ‘defeat’ did not exist in Lucian’s mind.
He only dreamed of winning and scorning the weak like always.
And…
“Huh?”
At the moment he first swung his sword, Lucian unwittingly let out a word in surprise.
Because when he tried to immediately strike Jude with his sword, Jude evaded it, so nothing happened.
“Oops, I forgot one thing.”
Lucian’s eyes turned sharp when Jude retreated more than ten steps in an instant and slyly smiled before speaking.
Because it was the first time he had seen that considerable level of footwork technique.
“Lord Lucian, let’s make a promise.”
“Promise? What promise?”
“If Lord Lucian loses, he would kneel and apologize to Cordelia. Together with Lady Lorraine. With sincerity.”
“What?”
“To begin with, this match started because Lord Lucian arrogantly mocked and shamed Cordelia. As the saying goes, one who has tied the knot must untie it, so shouldn’t Lord Lucian be the one to put an end to it?”
“Crazy b*stard.”
Lucian cursed, and the prospects from the royal capital laughed out loud while the prospects from the south found the current situation to be interesting.
But the prospects from the north thought.
‘No, weren’t we insulted too?’
‘Weren’t we the first ones to be shamed?’
But that didn’t matter to Jude.
What mattered to Jude was Cordelia.
“Would you like to make a promise?”
“What if you lose then?”
“I will prostrate myself in front of Lord Lucian and Lady Lorraine. I’ll apologize for acting arrogant.”
“No, you alone is not enough. Your fiancée should be with you.”
“Crazy son of a b*tch, I thought I’d cut you some slack, but you must be desperate to die, huh?”
“W-what?”
“Anyway, let’s make a promise, okay?”
When Jude let out curses and then asked him with a smug smile, Lucian was taken aback before he laughed.
One could only laugh if they found something to be so ridiculous, and that was exactly what happened to him.
“Crazy son of a b*tch, I’ll beat you to a pulp.”
“If you can.”
At that moment, Lucian made up his mind.
He had thought of teaching Jude a lesson moderately, but that wasn’t enough now.
He should at least put a cut on Jude’s face.
“You brought it upon yourself.”
“Yes, you brought it upon yourself.”
Jude grinned again, and Lucian kicked the ground. And this time, Jude did not avoid it.
And right after that.
When Lucian’s lightning-fast sword lunged at Jude.
“Huh?”
Lucian let out a surprised voice again. But this time, it was different from before.
Lucian found himself flying in the air.
To be exact, he found his head falling downwards to the ground.
Throwing technique.
At the moment Lucian lunged at him, Jude narrowed the distance at once with Twenty-Four Gale Steps. He grabbed Lucian’s right hand that held the sword that thrust at him, and immediately did the throwing technique. He used his strength to flip Lucian over his head.
And right after that again.
When Lucian realized that the positions of the sky and ground had reversed.
Lucian didn’t fall to the ground headfirst.
Just before his head touched the ground, the sky and ground changed positions again. Something supported the back of his neck, so he only fell to the floor on his back.
“Ah.”
And he realized it.
What touched the back of his neck was the top of Jude’s foot.
Jude had brought his foot to the back of Lucian’s neck after the throwing technique to prevent Lucian’s head from falling headfirst to the ground.
“One full point.”
Jude smiled and said, prompting the voices of those who were watching at that moment.
Confusion, awe, and fear.
“What- what happened?”
“Did he throw Lucian behind his head?”
“No, he supported Lucian with his foot at the end, I think? So that Lucian wouldn’t fall headfirst? Is that even possible?”
They honestly didn’t see it properly.
Jude had moved closer to Lucian as he grabbed Lucian’s arm, and moved his foot after he turned over Lucian in an instant.
‘As expected of Mr. Jude.’
Lucas was the only one here who saw all of Jude’s movements, and he was impressed and amazed.
Because Jude’s physical abilities were truly superhuman.
‘It’s not just that.’
Lucian’s swordplay was real. His thrust was not something that Lucas himself could take lightly.
But Jude not only correctly read the attack but also used it.
‘It sends chills up my spine.’
It wasn’t just because he admired Jude’s superhuman abilities. There was another reason.
“Stand up, let’s keep going.”
Jude told Lucian, who was lying on the floor with a stunned expression.
Then Lucian started sweating buckets and quickly stood up, widening his distance from Jude as if he was running away.
And he realized it.
The reason why he was sweating buckets.
The reason why he was scared.
‘He could have kicked me with his feet.’
Jude could have just kicked him instead of supporting the back of Lucian’s head with his foot.
And if he had did that…if that really happened…
No, it was a vicious idea to try to kick your opponent’s head as it would kill them in the first place.
‘Duke Wotan.’
Jude was Duke Wotan.
Lucian himself was a strong man, but he was helpless against Jude.
Lucian had realized that, so he couldn’t move.
“Lord Lucian?”
“Lucian?”
Each of the prospects from the royal capital called out to him from behind his back.
Lorraine’s voice was included among them, but Lucian couldn’t respond to them.
He found it impossible to look away from Jude for a moment.
He was afraid.
Lucian himself was like a frog in front of a snake.
Jude slightly narrowed his eyes at Lucian’s reaction. And he decided to be a little generous to Lucian.
‘Because he’s my benefactor too.’
Jude touched his cheek once before speaking in a lowered voice to Lucian who had turned pale.
“Lord Lucian, don’t let me draw my sword.”
In truth, Jude would immediately become weaker if he drew his sword, but Cordelia was the only one who knew that.
Jude’s warning was very effective.
He was already very strong with his bare hands, so what would happen if he even drew his sword?
The prospects who were watching swallowed hard, and Lucian bowed his head.
“I lost. I-It’s my loss.”
When Lucian declared his defeat in low spirits, Jude turned to Lorraine instead of answering him.
He smiled as he looked at her flinching.
Fulfill your promise.
Apologize and regret mocking Cordelia with your c.o.c.ky mouths.
Jude’s gaze was firm, and Lorraine was unable to endure it. She couldn’t even bite her lips properly as she walked towards Lucian.
Because they had to kneel in front of Cordelia together.
It was an unexpected humiliation, but a promise was a promise.
‘How surprising, so they still know how to be courteous?’
Or do they want to save their faces that much?
Either way, Jude was satisfied.
‘Because the Banquet of Swords has just begun.’
Did you think this alone would forgive you for your sin of insulting Cordelia?
In addition, you spoke ill of Lucas.
Did you think I’ll only stop at an apology?
Jude brightly smiled and now turned to look at Cordelia whom he had deliberately avoided looking at earlier.
Since he was very curious on what kind of expression she would make.
‘They’re trembling a bit.’
But he didn’t think much about it.
Jude cleared his throat as he faced Cordelia before he unconsciously laughed.
Because Cordelia was just standing there blankly as her eyes blinked.
‘She’s lost in her thoughts.’
It was the expression Cordelia always made when she began to think deeply, or to be exact, when she fell into her senseless delusions alone.
‘What are you thinking?’
He was curious and wanted to know what she was thinking, but he was also a bit scared to know about it.
Unaware of Jude’s thoughts and emotions, Cordelia was still struggling in her delusions.
‘What? What, what, what was that?’
Cordelia, you yourself ki-ki-kissed him on the cheek, so it shouldn’t be a big deal.
The two over there had kissed, so we had to match them.
In other countries, kissing on the cheek was a way to greet close friends.
‘That’s right, that’s right. Jude and I are close.’
He’s also my fiancé, right? So this is acceptable. It’s nothing to worry about.
‘When I said do your best…that was just to cheer for him, right?’
Yes, yes, to cheer for him.
It’s natural to tell him to do his best since I was rooting for him.
She actually didn’t even think that Jude would lose, but she also knew of Jude and his opponent’s gap, so she honestly wondered if he really needed her cheering.
But she still had to cheer for him.
Because I don’t want to see Jude losing.
I want him to win.
Unnie keep showing me strange things, so my heart sometimes pound when I see Jude.
‘N-no, not this. Anyway!’
I just kissed him on the cheek generously and told him to do his best.
Her face didn’t turn red, and she was indifferent and cool about it, like those cool beauties she saw in movies.
But.
But.
‘What? What, what, what was that?’
Jude pressed his lips on her forehead.
It was only for a short moment, but she definitely felt it.
She felt like her forehead was on fire at that moment.
‘What was that? Does he really like me? Does he like me?’
But he did it on my forehead? What does it mean?
‘N-no. In the first place, I also kissed him on the cheek because of everyone’s gazes on me, right? It could be the same for Jude. No, it’s highly likely that it’s the reason he did that.’
That’s right, so relax.
Let’s relax, Cordelia.
You shouldn’t misunderstand and think otherwise for no reason.
So stop.
You don’t want to lose to Jude again, right?
The person who falls in love first loses!
‘What am I thinking now?’
This is so confusing me that I don’t know what I’m thinking about.
Isn’t it Jude’s job to think in the first place!
Anyway, Cordelia was struggling and lost in her thoughts, so it took her longer than expected to notice the scene happening in front of her eyes.
“Excuse me, Lady Cordelia?”
“Lady Cordelia!”
“Eh?!”
Cordelia unknowingly uttered a strange sound and faltered as she stepped back, and it was only then that she saw Lucian and Lorraine kneeling in front of her.
‘What, why are they doing this? What in the world did Jude do?’
Cordelia hurriedly looked for Jude as she turned her head, and she was able to find Jude who was doing his best to suppress his laughter.
‘I knew it, this crazy b*stard!’
Look, look at him laughing.
After he left these people feeling troubled!
And he’s trying to make me feel troubled this time too!
“Excuse me… Lady Cordelia?”
“Eh? Uh, yes.”
Cordelia quickly responded to Lucas’ call, and turned to Lucian and Lorraine again.
Something must have happened to make Lucian’s expression turn really pale.
It seemed to her that Jude had threatened him.
‘Whatever.’
Because they were vicious.
Cordelia clicked her tongue before she smiled again at Lucian and Lorraine, who apologized to her for their rudeness.
“Okay. I accept your apologies. You can stand up now.”
It was the difference between Jude and Cordelia.
Eventually, Lucian and Lorraine stood up from their kneeling position at the kind words of Cordelia, who felt like a real angel, and everyone who watched them, including the prospects from the royal road, had warm expressions.
“Whew.”
Cordelia exhaled a little and looked again towards Jude.
She was able to stop her delusions because of that disturbance, but her strange feelings still remained, so she unconsciously made a shy expression.
But Jude did not face such Cordelia.
He definitely wanted to see Cordelia’s reactions, but at the present moment, he had to look elsewhere.
‘He’s coming.’
It wasn’t just because of Cordelia that Jude did not beat Lucian halfway.
There was another reason why he showed his ability for a short moment instead of taking Lucian lightly.
That person had been watching them since the commotion had begun.
And that person had begun to approach them only after the commotion was over.
“The Sword Saint of Light.”
The man who was called the First Sword because he was the strongest at the Sword School.
Rhun Froud, a member of the ten great swordmasters.
With his long dark blue hair, he came towards them from the side.
He stared at Jude with an interested look, and Jude smiled at him.
‘Let’s begin.’
To change the story.
For a perfect happy ending.
Jude looked at Cordelia, and she turned to Rhun Froud after snorting at Jude.
Together with Jude, they greeted the Sword Saint of Light.