Episode 24: Proof (2)
“You must be exhausted. Take a good rest today. We’ll discuss the details tomorrow.”
With those words, the Duke instructed a servant to escort Damian to the guest room.
As expected from a family renowned for its wealth, Damian received an opulent welcome.
When he bathed, three or four servants attended to him.
The dinner was a feast prepared by top-tier chefs.
More than five servants were on standby around the clock, ready to fulfill Damian’s every command.
“I’ve never experienced such luxury in my life.”
It was a level of extravagance he had never known and might never know again.
“But this is nothing compared to what I have here.”
Sitting on the bed, Damian took out the Balance Elixir.
Inside the wooden box, five pills were neatly wrapped.
Upon closer inspection, he noticed golden letters inscribed on the lid.
Balance Elixir
Crafted by Azoth Arkelthusus of the Alchemy School in 197.
“Could it really be that Azoth Arkelthusus?”
Damian’s eyes widened as he repeatedly read the inscription.
Azoth Arkelthusus.
One of the few alchemists hailed as a Grand Alchemist, and the head of the Alchemy School.
“If this is truly an elixir made by Azoth, it must be incredibly valuable.”
Of course, compared to Azoth’s legendary elixirs, the Balance Elixir was lacking in many ways.
But even so, the Balance Elixir was still a remarkable potion.
“An elixir that enhances physical abilities just by consuming it.”
Damian had only heard rumors about it; this was his first time seeing it in person.
“It’s also said to be excellent for healing internal injuries.”
However, Damian had no intention of using the Balance Elixir for healing.
His current injuries were minor enough that he could heal them on his own.
He intended to use the elixir for its original purpose.
“I should combine its use with training.”
Typically, elixirs aren’t fully absorbed; about half of their potency is lost.
But Damian Haxen was confident he could absorb the elixir’s full power.
“I’ve found a treasure that’s just what I need.”
Damian was acutely aware of his current state.
His physical strength and magical power were still lacking.
The issue of insufficient magical power had been somewhat resolved with his energy cultivation technique.
But his body was still too weak, a consequence of having returned only a month ago.
“In my current state… I can’t defeat a High Class.”
Damian thought of Gaol Heimrich.
He could manage against Ernst Horwitz, but Gaol Heimrich was a different story.
In terms of skill and experience, Damian Haxen far surpassed Gaol Heimrich.
The problem was his physical strength and magical power. These were too lacking to defeat Gaol Heimrich.
There was a limit to how much skill could compensate for a lack of power.
“Since we’re on the topic, maybe I should start training right away.”
Just as Damian was about to take out a Balance Elixir, there was a knock at the door.
“Sir Damian Haxen, did you call?”
A servant’s voice came through the door.
“What is it?”
“The Duke requests your presence.”
As curious as he was about the elixir’s effects, he couldn’t refuse the Duke’s summons.
He closed the box and stepped outside.
Following the servant, he headed to the Duke’s study.
“Ah, you’re here.”
The Duke greeted Damian Haxen with a bright smile as he entered the study.
“Don’t just stand there, come and sit.”
The Duke personally guided Damian to a table.
He even poured tea for him from a pot that had been prepared in advance.
“Did you rest well last night? How are your injuries? Is there anywhere that still hurts?”
The Duke’s kindness was almost overwhelming.
It seemed Damian’s performance yesterday had left quite an impression.
“I’m sorry to call you so early. There are many things to discuss regarding the duel.”
The Duke continued as he poured tea into his own cup.
“A month from now, there’s a duel scheduled at Leaf Hill with the Marquis of Lionbloom.”
Damian searched his memory.
Leaf Hill was a piece of land on the border between the Duke’s and the Marquis’s territories.
Its flat terrain and solid ground made it an ideal dueling location.
“I’m not doubting your skills, but I’d like to hear how you plan to prepare for the duel in the remaining time.”
“Well, I don’t have any special plans. I intend to focus on training as I always have.”
Damian planned to use this opportunity to significantly boost his physical abilities with the Balance Elixir.
“Familiarity is best. But since you’re here, wouldn’t it be beneficial to undergo some special training?”
“What kind of special training?”
“If you wish, I can arrange for Sir Gaol Heimrich to mentor you.”
Any other knight would have been ecstatic.
Gaol Heimrich was one of only three High Class knights in the Apple Kingdom.
Being mentored by him was an opportunity worth its weight in gold.
“Oh, no thank you. I prefer training on my own.”
But Damian declined without hesitation.
“A High Class knight, huh.”
Even if a Master Class knight offered, he might not be interested. A High Class knight didn’t even register on his radar.
The Duke burst into laughter at Damian’s firm refusal.
“Hahaha, to refuse so decisively. Sir Gaol might take it as a blow to his pride.”
“If it makes you uneasy, I can accept Sir Gaol’s guidance.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ve learned that you reached this level without a mentor. It seems self-study suits you, so I won’t interfere further.”
Damian paused, teacup in hand, and studied the Duke.
He hadn’t been here a full day, yet the Duke seemed to know everything about him.
“Or perhaps they had already gathered information about me.”
Given Damian’s recent rise to fame, it wasn’t surprising that the Duke’s family had taken notice.
“I think I’ve kept you long enough. You may return to your duties.”
After a brief farewell, Damian left the study.
“To refuse guidance from a High Class knight.”
As soon as Damian left, the Duke smirked.
“Sir Gaol, it seems you were disappointed.”
From behind the large curtain in the study, someone emerged.
The old knight, Gaol Heimrich, replied with an indifferent expression.
“Not at all.”
“Really? You can be honest.”
“I mean it.”
The Duke chuckled.
Despite his words, Gaol’s eyes were filled with dissatisfaction.
“Sir Gaol, what do you think of that young man?”
At the Duke’s question, Gaol Heimrich pondered for a moment.
“He’s an extraordinary young man. Despite his youth, he’s honed his skills to the extreme. His ability to wield magic is flawless.”
It was the highest of praises.
Even after being refused, Gaol Heimrich assessed Damian Haxen without bias.
The Duke appreciated this quality in Gaol Heimrich.
Unlike Ernst Horwitz, he knew how to separate personal feelings from professional judgment.
“Isn’t it a shame you couldn’t take him as a student?”
“I told you, it’s not a shame at all.”
Gaol Heimrich replied immediately. The Duke laughed heartily.
“Then who do you think would win in a fight between him and Michael Lionbloom?”
Gaol Heimrich fell into deep thought. Much deeper than before.
“It’s hard to say.”
He finally spoke with a heavy expression.
“Didn’t Damian Haxen break through the Duke’s defenses and fend off the Mid Class attacks?”
“Michael Lionbloom could do that much as well.”
The Duke nodded unconsciously.
Michael Lionbloom was a monster of that caliber.
“When I first saw Michael Lionbloom, it was like witnessing a simmering volcano. Quiet now, but when it erupts, it could engulf the world.”
Reaching High Class meant Gaol Heimrich was a genius in his own right.
Even he couldn’t deny Michael Lionbloom’s extraordinary talent.
“And Damian Haxen?”
At the Duke’s question, Gaol Heimrich pondered again. This time, much longer.
“He’s so clear-cut that it’s almost unsettling.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“He’s clearly a top-tier Low Class, but that clarity feels out of place.”
If Gaol Heimrich had been ten years younger, he might not have noticed anything amiss.
But his experience was sounding an alarm. There was something about Damian Haxen.
“That’s why I can’t give a definitive answer.”
Gaol Heimrich bowed his head, feeling apologetic.
But the Duke didn’t blame him.
“You can’t predict the outcome either… how intriguing.”
The Duke murmured, his eyes gleaming.
“A chaotic market is a treasure trove for those who know how to seize the moment.”
Though things were calm now, the Duke of Goldpixie was once known as a natural gambler.
He had a knack for investing in uncharted territories and reaping great rewards.
“Damian Haxen, he’s a man worth investing in.”
“So Gaol Heimrich was there after all.”
Behind the door of the study, Damian Haxen mused to himself.
From the moment he entered, he had sensed Gaol Heimrich’s presence.
Curious about why Gaol Heimrich was hidden, he pretended to leave and then eavesdropped from behind the door.
“They were using Gaol Heimrich to gauge me.”
It was worth maintaining the facade of being a Low Class.
Though he hadn’t hidden it perfectly, Damian managed to deceive Gaol Heimlich’s discerning eye.
“Always trying to test me, aren’t you? What a tiresome man.”
For now, they were forced into a cooperative relationship, but Gaol was not the kind of person Damian wanted to keep close.
“Time to test the Balance Ring.”
With that thought, Damian left his office and headed to the training grounds.
The outdoor training area was already bustling with about ten knights, all deeply engrossed in their drills.
“Hey, look over there, isn’t that Damian Haxen?”
“The one the Duke chose as his representative?”
As soon as Damian appeared, the knights’ attention shifted to him. But Damian paid them no mind, too busy inspecting the training facilities.
“As expected of a ducal house. They’ve got some impressive equipment.”
There were all sorts of exercise machines to build strength, sparring golems, and magical devices like adjustable-weight bracelets.
“Some of these are things I used during my mercenary days.”
While Damian was examining the equipment, a group of knights approached him. One of them stepped forward.
“Are you Damian Haxen?”
Damian paused his inspection to look at the knight. He was quite short, almost boyish in stature.
“I’m Pavel Vermond.”
Despite his size, he seemed competent enough to speak on behalf of the knights.
“So, you’ve been chosen as the representative? After attacking the Duke’s house, you just accepted the position? Shameless.”
Damian glanced over Pavel and the other knights.
“You’re all new faces. Who are you?”
“Good question. We’re the duel knights participating in the upcoming match.”
Damian counted them—five in total, likely including alternates.
“Yesterday, we were all training outside, so you got lucky. If we’d been around, you wouldn’t have been able to act so freely.”
Damian looked at Pavel with a mix of disbelief and amusement. How could they look down on him after hearing about yesterday’s events?
“Come to think of it, I’ve met people like this in my past life.”
Back when Damian worked as a mercenary, his company had made a name for itself in a territorial war, earning the favor of a high-ranking noble. The noble’s eldest son, envious of their success, had once picked a fight with Damian. Naturally, Damian had settled the score on the battlefield.
“These young masters, with their talent and family backing, who’ve never tasted failure, are always like this. They can’t see reality.”
Their constant success had made them arrogant.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? If you don’t believe me, I’ll prove it right here.”
Pavel placed his hand on a practice sword.
“Get lost. You’re not worth my time.”
Damian decided they weren’t worth engaging with and resumed his inspection of the magical devices.
Pavel and the other knights stared at him, dumbfounded.
”…I was curious about what kind of person he was, given his reputation. Turns out he’s just a coward.”
“Pavel, there’s no need to bother with someone like him. Let’s go.”
With that, Pavel and the knights left, leaving Damian free to examine the training tools without interruption.
“Alright, who’s up first?”
“I’ll take the challenge today!”
“Good! Bring it on!”
Behind him, Pavel and the knights were shouting encouragements as they sparred. But something about the sound was off.
A skilled knight’s sword should make a distinct sound when swung. Yet, the noises coming from behind were weak and lackluster.
“How can they be so unskilled if they’re participating in a duel?”
Unable to contain his curiosity, Damian turned to watch the sparring.
Pavel and the knights were paired off, practicing on the training ground.
“What the…”
Damian was shocked by what he saw.
“Why are they so incompetent?”
Before coming to the Duke’s house, Damian had fought a knight named Garrick from the Marquis of Lionbloom’s household.
“That knight was strong, but he didn’t even make it to the duel, which means the Marquis has even stronger knights.”
The Duke’s knights were far inferior to Garrick.
“With knights like these, there’s no way we can win the duel.”
The duel required three participants, and the first to win two matches would be victorious. Even if Damian defeated Michael Lionbloom, losing the other two matches would mean overall defeat.
“So this is why the Lionbloom Marquisate could surpass the Duke’s house in the future.”
The skill level of knights directly reflected the strength of a household. The gap between the Marquisate and the Ducal house was evident, even at the lower levels.
“What to do…”
Damian pondered for a moment before reaching a conclusion.
“I guess I have no choice but to lend a hand.”
He called out to the knights.
“Hey, you five.”
Pavel and the others looked at him, puzzled.
“I’ve changed my mind. Let’s have a match right here.”
Pavel smirked.
“Not sure what changed your mind, but fine. I’ll show you my skills.”
Pavel approached, swinging his practice sword confidently.
Damian held up a hand.
“Hold on a second.”
“What? Changed your mind again? It’s too late to back out now!”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
Even if he had his own goals, he couldn’t just offer his help for free. Damian intended to train them while also training himself.
“Strength training is good, but sparring is the best.”
Sparring not only engaged the whole body but also focused on essential muscles. That’s why Damian preferred it whenever possible.
“Stay right there.”
Damian began strapping on the weight-adjustable bracelet he’d noted earlier. As the magical device activated, his entire body felt heavy, like he was carrying a waterlogged sponge.
He donned the weighted training armor, testing it with a bend of his arm. It felt as if iron rods were embedded in his muscles.
Finally, he picked up a practice magic sword, swinging it through the air. It felt heavy and slow, like cutting through water.
He swallowed the Balance Ring.
“Alright, come at me.”
Damian beckoned with a finger.
”…”
Pavel stared at him in silence. Having spent time in the Duke’s household, he knew Damian had just shackled himself with absurd weights.
To spar like that? It was an insult, a blatant underestimation.
“This bastard… How much does he look down on me?”
Enraged, Pavel charged at Damian, aiming a strike at his head.
Damian effortlessly parried Pavel’s sword, sending it flying from his grip.
”…What?”
Damian brought his sword down on Pavel’s neck, causing him to collapse with a yelp.
“Whew… This is quite the workout.”
Damian cracked his neck from side to side. Just a bit of movement had him breathing hard and his muscles aching.
“What are you waiting for? Come at me.”
He addressed the remaining knights.
“If you don’t, I’ll come to you.”