Episode 68

Though he absolutely hated the idea, Chris couldn’t help but grin mischievously.

“So, what you’re saying is you’re going to treat me like a little brother from now on?”

“Huh?”

“Nice to meet you, Sister Jupien. I’m so happy to have a cute sister like you.”

“!!”

Jupien’s face twisted as if she’d just heard a swarm of bugs whispering in her ear.

“Don’t you dare.”

“Why not? Don’t be shy. I know how you feel. You pretend to hate me, but deep down, you like having me as your little brother, don’t you?”

“That’s not true! Stop talking nonsense.”

With a flushed face, Jupien spun on her heel and stormed off.

Meanwhile, the onlookers watched the exchange with surprised expressions.

They didn’t know exactly what had been said, but the two didn’t seem to be on bad terms at all.

“Lady Jupien usually keeps to herself and avoids others.”

“Could it be that this incident made her accept that troublemaker?”

It was unexpected.

Third Prince Maysak approached Jupien with a slightly startled look.

“Jupien, talking to a lowlife like that? Don’t lower yourself.”

“…”

“I’m advising you for your own good. That guy’s different from us by birth. Even if he’s a prince, he’s just a distant branch.”

Maysak spoke with a tone of condescension, trying to sound authoritative.

“He’s nothing but a bug waiting to be crushed under our feet. Paying him any mind will only drag you down.”

But Jupien’s response caught him off guard.

“I never spoke to you.”

“…What?”

“Enough noise. Don’t open that filthy mouth near me. You smell like a sewer.”

Maysak froze for a moment.

He and Jupien had never been close—in fact, they often scowled and sneered at each other—but this was a whole new level.

“You… you’re siding with that guy?”

“Siding? No. I hate him.”

“Then?”

“I just can’t stand your stinking mouth. You’re always spouting disgusting nonsense.”

“…”

“Feels like my ears are rotting. Now get lost.”

With a cold glare, Jupien disappeared.

Maysak ground his teeth, finally coming to his senses.

“Damn that woman.”

But Jupien was not someone to be trifled with.

Her father was a war hero who sacrificed his life for the Dark Maga, earning him widespread respect.

Instead, Maysak’s anger turned elsewhere.

To Christian.

“Bug of a man. I won’t let you get away with this.”

Maysak took a deep breath, calming his expression before stepping toward Christian.

As Maysak approached, a chilling tension filled the banquet hall.

It felt like a disaster was about to erupt.

“Hey.”

Chris looked at Maysak blankly for a moment.

Maysak’s eyebrows twitched.

Still, he didn’t explode in anger right away.

He considered himself noble, and thought it beneath him to lose his temper with someone as insignificant as Christian.

“Didn’t I call you? Are you deaf or something?”

But Chris remained silent.

Not only that, he raised a glass of ginger ale to his lips, as if deliberately ignoring him.

“You…! How dare you…!!”

Maysak finally lost his temper.

Chris looked at him calmly.

“Did you call me?”

“…What?”

“You shouted at me like I was a subordinate, so I wasn’t sure if you were actually calling me.”

Chris smirked.

“I think you’re mistaken. I’m not your servant. Or are you so rude as to not know the proper respect owed to a fellow prince? If you’re truly of noble blood, then at least show the minimum courtesy.”

“!!”

Maysak’s face flushed bright red.

“Who would ever consider scum like you a prince…?”

“Then does that mean you’re dismissing the authority of His Excellency Marquis Langham, the acting head of the family who recognized me as a prince? No, the acting head’s decision is the same as the family head’s. Are you disrespecting Lord Nordian himself?”

Maysak’s mouth went dry.

One wrong word here would mean openly defying the family head’s authority.

“You… you…”

“It’s not ‘you,’ it’s Prince Christian.”

Chris spoke clearly and deliberately.

“You will address me as Prince Christian. Unless you intend to disrespect the family head’s authority.”

“…”

Maysak was rendered speechless, his face still burning red.

Chris chuckled softly.

“Come on. Do you really think I’m intimidated by some pampered noble like you?”

Maysak was a well-bred young master, but to Chris, he was just a perfectly set table.

“I’ll do my best to get under your skin.”

Chris’s goal was to push Maysak to lose his temper.

Why?

To force him into reckless moves.

Those mistakes would be Chris’s greatest opportunity.

A chance to win the hearts of the common Maga.

“Strange. For someone as noble as Prince Maysak to not know basic manners.”

Chris tilted his head, feigning innocence—and making himself twice as annoying.

Then, he whispered just loud enough for Maysak to hear.

“Perhaps Prince Maysak wasn’t properly educated by his parents?”

“!!”

Bingo.

Maysak’s temper snapped completely.

“You… you…”

A dark, ominous aura flared from him.

Black and red energy.

A destructive magic mixed with dark Maga.

Thanks to his mother’s direct lineage from the family head, Maysak had mastered destructive black magic at an extremely high level.

Even beyond dark Maga.

A solid four-star rank.

A power worthy of a prince’s name.

Without the Union’s support, Chris would have a hard time facing him.

But Maysak didn’t make a move.

Instead, he ground his teeth and said,

“Arrogant fool. All talk. Your so-called achievements during the relic expedition must have been some trick.”

“…”

“I refuse to acknowledge your accomplishments. Especially the idea that someone like you defeated a five-star Maga. Impossible.”

“So, what are you saying?”

Maysak smiled coldly.

“I’m saying you should prove here and now that you deserve to be a prince. Someone like Lord Usran would be a suitable opponent.”

“!!”

A commotion broke out.

Usran.

A five-star Maga.

Captain-level among the combat units.

“If you truly defeated a five-star Maga of the Extreme Poison Maga, then you should be able to face Lord Usran. Prove it here.”

An absurd demand.

Absolutely impossible.

A three-star defeating a four-star is rare but not unheard of.

The gap isn’t insurmountable; variables can cause upsets.

But five stars? No way.

Lower ranks cannot hope to stand against higher ones.

Besides, Chris isn’t even four-star yet—he only recently reached three-star.

“You must be mistaken. I defeated the five-star Maga of Extreme Poison with the help of several comrades. It wasn’t by my strength alone.”

“So you’re running away?”

“Not at all. It would be an honor to cross swords with someone as great as Lord Usran, regardless of the outcome. But—”

Chris shrugged.

“I’m reluctant to drag someone as important to the family as Lord Usran into this farce of a duel.”

“!!”

The word “farce” silenced the hall.

It was true.

This duel wasn’t a genuine contest of Maga skill.

It was a petty fight born from Maysak’s arrogant whim.

Though they had no choice but to comply, any proud Maga—especially a five-star—would be deeply displeased.

But Maysak was oblivious to this.

He was used to being pampered and treating the family’s Maga like servants.

“Enough talk. Are you afraid your pathetic nature will be exposed?”

Chris sighed lowly.

“Well then, I have no choice. But on one condition.”

“What is it?”

Chris glanced at Lord Usran, who was frowning quietly at the side of the hall.

Then he bowed politely.

“I request that this duel be a teaching match, with Lord Usran as my mentor. Lord Usran, please impart your wisdom.”

A respectful appeal that honored Usran’s reputation.

For a moment, a flicker of surprise crossed Usran’s eyes.

Thanks to Chris’s request, this duel was no longer a farce, but a proper mentorship match.

“Thank you,” Usran thought silently.

Maysak had forced him into humiliating situations like this before.

Though he complied, it was never pleasant.

Compared to Maysak, Chris naturally earned his favor.

And he wasn’t the only one.

“So that’s the troublemaker, huh? Not what I expected.”

“The rumors don’t do him justice.”

Maga honor transcended factions and power struggles.

Any Maga present couldn’t help but respect the stance Chris had just shown.

In one fell swoop, Chris had made a good impression on everyone gathered.

“This isn’t over yet.”

Chris stepped into the duel arena.

The banquet hall always had a duel ring prepared for such occasions.

“You have to make a lasting impression.”

In the end, what mattered most to the demonic beings was power.

They had to prove that they were worthy of being called a master.

No, they had to show they were superior to any other master.

“Winning is impossible.”

Lord Usran’s level was five stars.

At that time, he was even stronger than the masked woman from the Venomous Demon Clan.

As one’s rank increased, the gap between upper, middle, and lower tiers widened, so it would probably take two masked women to defeat Lord Usran.

“But winning isn’t absolutely necessary. I have a plan.”

That was right.

Chris had anticipated Maysak’s move.

He had thoroughly researched the combat styles of the high-ranking demons attending the banquet.

“Thank you for granting me this precious opportunity to learn,” Chris said politely before the duel.

Lord Usran’s voice softened as he replied, “I am grateful for your courtesy, Master. Since this is a formal duel, I will grant you a ten-second head start.”

“I won’t refuse.”

Whoosh!

Chris charged forward.

In his hand was not a holy sword, but an ordinary longsword.

Dark magic surged upward.

Clang!

Usran’s blade clashed against Chris’s.

“A clean strike. Impressive.”

“Thank you. I’ll keep going.”

Ten rapid attacks followed in quick succession.

Those watching were amazed.

“Master Christian’s movements are extraordinary. I heard he’s only a low three-star.”

“No, didn’t they say he only recently got his act together?”

The exceptional skill far exceeded expectations, and for a moment, everyone’s thoughts flickered with the same idea:

—If Christian had come to his senses just a little sooner…

‘He might have even surpassed Lord Eshed.’

Christian’s movements were that remarkable.

But at the same time, it also meant there were limits.