Episode 50
Chapter 19: The Banquet (5)
“Well, of course the Bigung faction wouldn’t have missed sending someone to the Runcandel banquet.”
It was a meeting Jin had somewhat expected.
He glanced at Siris for a few seconds before calmly pouring wine into her empty glass.
“You’re the daughter of the Bigung Lord. The honor is truly mine.”
Jin subtly gauged her reaction as he took a sip.
—How could someone like you ever repay a favor to someone as remarkable as me? Just think of it as a pleasant memory. If it crosses your mind, drop a greeting to the Bigung side now and then. That’s all. Goodbye!
That was what Siris had said back in Mamit.
At the time, she had been unusually kind to Jin. Not only had she immediately removed him from suspicion in the Moonlight Well incident, but she had even personally applied healing resin to his shin.
A far cry from the Siris he’d only heard about in rumors during his past life.
Still, there was nothing special about it.
“Just the whim of the strong,” Jin had told himself then. Of course, Siris wasn’t truly superior to him.
“You’re the same age as me at fifteen, yet you’ve achieved so much already. I envy you greatly. I can only admire the blessed body of Runcandel.”
Siris spoke with genuine admiration, but she was no ordinary person either. Already in the mid-range of 4-star rank, she was a prodigy growing at an astonishing pace.
“I consider it a blessing as well. But the Bigung bloodline is an incredible blessing too. I can only imagine how much the Bigung Lord cherishes you.”
“Yes, unlike you, I’m an only child, so I receive special affection. Ah, I hope that’s not rude to say?”
Siris’s gaze softened, her silver hair swaying naturally.
“Not at all. Everyone knows I’m the youngest. Honestly, I envy you, Siris. Having many siblings can be exhausting.”
“Oh my, you say that so casually. With so many eyes watching and ears listening, what will your siblings say when they question you later?”
“Whining is the privilege of the youngest, isn’t it? Haha. Anyway, I hope to visit Bigung someday. If I start building a friendship with you now, it might not be just a dream.”
“Haha, I never thought someone from the Sword Garden would be curious about Bigung… Very well, I’ll send you an invitation soon.”
Just as Jin was about to respond, Siris extended the wine bottle. His eyes followed the wine as it trickled down, and for a few moments, neither spoke.
—She must have recognized me. Maybe it’s time to talk about that incident.
No amount of soot on his face could hide him, and he hadn’t altered his voice. Jin was certain she knew who he was.
—If someone who’s supposed to be the heir of Bigung can’t recognize me, that would be disappointing.
Siris suddenly leaned in close.
“But, Jin Runcandel, there’s something I want to ask.”
“Yes, Siris, please.”
“How is your shin now? Has it healed?”
So it had come to this.
Jin smiled and shrugged.
“It’s fine. Thanks to someone truly remarkable who personally applied healing resin.”
Jin’s casual reply made Siris frown.
“You’re thicker-skinned than you look, Prince. Then you owe me an explanation for why you were at the Moonlight Well in Mamit.”
“Why should I explain?”
“At that time, my subordinate, Ryu of the Bigung Seven Swords, couldn’t find the magic terrorist. It bruised my pride. Later, I wondered if the boy I released might have been the culprit.”
Siris dragged her chair closer, narrowing the gap between them to barely a hand’s width.
“That’s one way to think about it. But magic? As you can see, I’m Runcandel. Do you think I’d be the culprit? I’ve never held a mage’s staff in my sword-wielding hands.”
“Of course, I don’t think so. But you were on a Runcandel mission in Mamit then, right? Maybe you hired another mage because the task was too much.”
Siris ground her teeth and continued.
“Besides, among those at the Moonlight Well, the only ones Runcandel would assassinate are Bigung members. As the captain of the Bigung Seven Swords, I can’t just let it go.”
Her tone was calm but laced with deadly intent.
The moment she saw Jin at the banquet, she was convinced he had been sent to assassinate Bigung members in Mamit.
And she had foolishly shown kindness to the very person who attacked her comrades.
—She’s mistaken, thinking I struck the Bigung members. I was trying to kill Alcaro, but almost harmed them too. So she’s half right.
Reading her thoughts, Jin feigned innocence.
“Hm, we were getting along so well just now. I don’t understand why you’re like this, Siris.”
“Hmph! Still playing dumb, huh? Fine, if that’s how it is, I have a plan.”
“May I hear your brilliant idea?”
“To drag you to the dueling ground, beat you like a dog, and spit on that arrogant face of yours. I challenge you to a duel, Jin Runcandel.”
“Good heavens…”
Jin quickly glanced around, worried someone might have overheard Siris’s sudden outburst.
Thanks to her whispering close to him, it seemed no one had.
“Should I say it louder? Let’s go. You need to pay for mocking me back then.”
At this point, the duel was inevitable.
—Siris is definitely the perfect opponent to test my swordsmanship.
Siris Endorma, only daughter of the Bigung Lord. A formidable talent for her age, no doubt. But Jin recalled his father’s words.
“Siris, I’m sorry, but I can’t accept your duel.”
“Are you saying you’re afraid?”
“Well, my father warned me firmly. Never fight someone who looks weaker than you.”
Snap!
The thin neck of the wine glass Siris held broke between her fingers. Her clenched fist trembled.
“What did you just say?”
“Don’t misunderstand. I want to spar with you, Siris. But I can’t disobey my father’s orders.”
“You bastard…!”
Siris glared at Jin with fiery eyes, then sighed. She seemed to regain her composure and carefully placed the broken glass on the table.
“You must find it amusing to tease me, Prince Jin. Then maybe I’ll tease you a little.”
Suddenly, Siris grabbed Jin’s hand and placed it on her thigh.
“If I scream, ‘Hey! What are you touching?’ and push you away…”
Jin chuckled, nodding as if resigned.
“If that’s what you want, I’ll go along. Let’s leave quietly.”
“You should’ve said that sooner.”
They both stood and began walking.
But a few onlookers watching them couldn’t help but misunderstand.
“This is the end of the world. Mary, the youngest just put his hand on her thigh… and it looked like they kissed. Do kids these days just do that when they catch each other’s eyes? Crazy. Where are they even going?”
Across the table, Dipus Runcandel, drinking wine with Mary, spoke. From where he sat, it looked like Jin had silenced Siris with a kiss.
“There are plenty of empty rooms. They’ll go somewhere. Don’t worry, brother. At fifteen, they’re grown up.”
“Oh my. You were like that at fifteen too?”
“What’s the point? Can you handle it?”
“Enough…”
“Just drink. Whether it’s the Bigung Lord’s daughter or our youngest, soon they won’t be able to date freely. Better to enjoy it while they can.”
The dueling ground was still quiet.
Fighters and spectators would flood in after midnight. Jin and Siris would be the first duel of this Runcandel banquet.
It was for the best. Defeating her in front of everyone would have been too harsh.
As they entered the arena, the guardian knights saluted.
“Youngest master, here to duel?”
“Yes. Only the medical staff remain; the rest of you, step outside. Bring me two decent swords.”
“Yes, we’ll lock down the dueling ground until your match ends.”
The perceptive knight’s words earned a satisfied nod from Jin.
“Thank you.”
The medical team retreated to the waiting room.
Only the two of them stood in the vast circular arena. Soon, a guardian knight brought the swords, and Jin let Siris choose first.
“Pick the one that fits your hand better, Siris.”
“Jin Runcandel, you’re still a mere ordinary 5-star, yet your arrogance reaches the skies.”
Without comparing, Siris grabbed the sword closest to her.
The moment she gripped the blade and adjusted her stance, she transformed completely. The anger blazing in her eyes cooled into icy calm, and the sword she pointed showed not even the slightest tremor.
—So this is the famed Bigung swordsmanship I’d only heard about in rumors.
Still, just an ordinary 5-star.
The reason Siris described Jin that way was clear: she knew he hadn’t yet mastered the various secret techniques and ultimate moves of Runkandel.
On the other hand, Siris, though only mid-level four-star, was the sole heir of the Secret Bow. There was a reason she openly looked down on Jin, who had clearly achieved more than her.
“Before we start, promise me one thing.”
“What is it?”
“If I win, you’ll tell me everything that happened back then in Mamit. Not a single detail left out.”
“Agreed. And if I win, then whatever happened that day when you happened to see me never happened. We’ll be strangers meeting for the first time today.”
“So you do have some reservations. Come on in!”
No sooner had she finished speaking than Jin closed the distance between them. Just as he was about to press his advantage with his superior physical prowess—
Clang!
Suddenly, Siris’s sword was enveloped in a strange chill and froze solid.
The source of the Secret Bow’s power, the symbol of the Endorma bloodline, and the reason it could stand tall in the middle of the Western Sea.
The ‘Frozen Blade.’