Chapter 146
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ED: LonelyMatter
Chapter 146 – First Time on the Big Stage
After that, Dill told Katima about the matter with Logas, got ready, and went to the White King.
The reason they went to the White King was because the White King was a very large ship, and there was a large open space where they could warm up.
They could have warmed up outside, but Sylvird wanted them to be there, so the preparatory exercises took place inside the White King.
Swinging a sword at the White King.
Even though it was a preparatory exercise with his father, Lloyd, there was no reason not to be nervous.
But the thought of fighting Logas gradually calmed Dill’s nerves, and he began to feel better prepared for the fight.
Dill’s growth over the past six months has been significant, and even Lloyd sometimes felt he could get a point if he went too easy on him.
The sword is so fluid that it has begun to carry the power that Lloyd has inherited, and even Lloyd is amazed at how much his son has grown.
…For Dill, the battle between Ain and Marco was so seared into his mind that he couldn’t get it out of his head.
“Father. I’ve had enough.”
Dill was out of breath, and sweat ran down his forehead.
He checked the condition of his body and his sword. And after a light mock battle with Lloyd, Dill was pleased to find that he was in good shape.
“You seem to be in good shape.”
“Yes. I’m fine, both physically and mentally.”
Dill then turned to Sylvird and Ain, who had been watching them prepare and bowed before opening his mouth.
“Your Majesty. Ain-sama. …As a knight of Ishtalika, I will fight in such a way that I do not bring shame to Ishtalika.”
Dill declared, showing his powerful eyes.
It was a look that not only Ain but also Sylvird found him to be reliable.
“It was a really good expression. Thinking back to the day you became Ain’s bodyguard, you have truly become a remarkable knight.”
Sylvird said, encouraging Dill, who was about to cross swords with Heim’s general.
“Your words are a waste to me… I am a novice, but I will fight for victory with all my might.”
“Dill. I’m rooting for you.”
Dill felt his body grow stronger after receiving these words of encouragement from a man he admired so much.
His opponent was Logas. He would surpass his father, Lloyd, and he would do it with the best of them.
“Thank you very much. I will surely bring home a victory for Ain-sama.”
…Dill was ready.
And then Sylvird and the others prepared to go to the place where the people of Heim were waiting for them.
＊＊＊
The square in front of the main conference room.
It was paved with cobblestones and arranged in a circle.
Of course, no chairs were provided, so the spectators had to stand and watch.
When Ain and his group arrived, Heim’s group was already there.
The first to notice them was Grint, who shot a glance at Dill.
Ralph, Tigre, and the others followed, and then Logas called out to the Ishtalika group.
“We are ready. What about your knight?”
Lloyd answered Logas’ voice.
He confidently informed them that his son, Dill, was also ready.
“Dill is also ready. If you are also ready, we can begin immediately.”
“Very well.”
Lloyd noticed that Logas was looking at him.
Looking at Lloyd, he didn’t seem to be in bad shape.
In fact, it was likely that Lloyd did not want to show what he was capable of. He predicted this based on his experience as a general for many years.
But what he did was the same. All Logas could think about was winning.
Logas replied that he understood and stepped into the middle of the cobblestone.
Seeing this, Dill also stepped slowly.
“If your hands and hips are on the ground and the sword hits your body… that will count as one strike. Is that okay with you?”
“Yes, it is fine. It’s just a mock fight, so I think that’s enough.”
Logas suggested this on the spot, realizing that they had not yet decided on the criteria for judging victory or defeat.
Dill accepted the suggestion because it was a general criterion.
“No attacks on dangerous areas like the eyes and throat. It’s a friendly match after all.”
“I agree with that.”
Dill was surprised by the unexpectedly gentlemanly suggestion.
At the same time, it made him think that Logas had a different way of thinking when it came to martial arts.
“I will give the signal! When both men are ready, both raise their hands to signal!”
Lloyd shouted from outside the cobblestone circle.
The stage they would use was about 15 meters in diameter and would not feel cramped.
Logas raised his hand as soon as he heard Lloyd’s voice.
Dill, on the other hand, took a few deep breaths.
“Hmph, he’s nervous, isn’t he? I’m sure that man will go down in a heartbeat in front of my father.”
Grint let the words slip out as if he wanted to spit them out.
His voice did not reach him, but Logas had a different impression.
——I see. That’s why Grint was toyed with.
The way he stood on the battlefield and the way he behaved there.
When he saw that, he realized that Dill was a strong man.
For Logas, he had never seen anyone more talented than Grint.
But he had changed his perception of him.
“——Begin!”
While Logas thought about it, Dill raised his hand.
A few breaths later, Lloyd gave the signal to begin.
“….Zeaaaah!”
The first answer was a victory for Logas.
Dill’s movements were a little stiff, perhaps because this was his first time on the big stage.
But that could be the difference in experience.
Logas took his first step before Dill and raised his sword.
This was the usual path to victory for the great general of Heim, Logas.
Once he got to that point, even if his opponent was able to defend himself, he would be out of position, and the second attack would stop his opponent.
…was what it would have been if it had been a normal opponent.
In the next instant, the cobblestones cracked, and Logas’ sword hit the ground.
“…Oh!”
As soon as Dill caught Logas’ sword, he threw it aside.
Since the momentum was still there, Dill’s body was also swept away, but his first move was completely ruled out.
“There aren’t many opponents who I couldn’t finish off with that first move.”
“That’s an honor. It seems that I was one of them.”
“The only other person in recent times is Ed-dono. To be as strong as he is at such a young age is nothing short of amazing.”
Outside, Tigre, Ralph, Grint, and the others watched in amazement.
To these Heim people, Logas was a symbol of strength.
It was impossible not to be surprised that his first move had been swept away.
“Let’s continue.”
“Yes, this time I will come to you as well…!”
This time, Dill took a step forward without hesitation.
The essence of Dill’s strength lay in his skill with the sword, which allowed him to fool his opponents.
The most striking feature was the flexibility of Dill’s wrists.
It was this flexibility that allowed Dill to master the sword differently than his father, Lloyd.
The combination of these two traits and Dill’s talent made him a great swordsman.
The combination of the two resulted in a rare swordsmanship that was unmatched by any other.
“Mmh…!”
Logas’ great sword was knocked out of position by Dill.
For a moment, Logas, who thought he was about to be drawn into a head-to-head duel, looked puzzled as Dill skillfully slid his sword over him.
That one moment was enough for Dill.
Dill dived into the gap just enough for him to feel that way.
“——Haaah!”
Dill then swung his sword from Logas’ blind spot.
His target was Logas’ shoulder… Dill’s sword reached straight for the target.
——But Logas did not collapse.
“Nngh… Haaaahhh!”
“Wha… Kuh! T-The sword…!”
All that was left was to smash the sword into his shoulder.
Then it should have been one for Dill, but Logas raised his sword forcibly towards the blind spot.
Even though he could not see, he brought his own sword down on Dill’s sword and then turned around with momentum and looked at Dill, who was about to lose his stance.
“I got you…!”
This time, they collided head-on.
As Dill was about to lose his position, there was no way he could withstand the power of Logas from the front…
“Phew… One, I guess.”
Logas’ blow from above.
Dill endured it with all his might, but little by little, he lowered his feet to the ground, and finally, his knees touched the ground.
Logas won the first round, and Logas returned to the place where the Heim people were waiting, ready for the second round.
“Damn it…!”
He was only one step away, but Logas’ strength took the first step away from him.
Dill shuddered in frustration.
He was still in the same place, but his eyes were not filled with joy as he lost the first point.
“I was saved, huh?”
The true meaning of Logas’ words was that he was saved by the point decision in this friendly match.
If Dill had gone for the neck or face instead of the shoulder, Logas would never have been able to attack him. It would have been difficult for Logas to defend against the attack.
The agreement not to attack the dangerous area led to a series of futile attempts, and the result was that Logas took the point and was saved in the end.
“Father! That’s just as we expected!”
“Fufu… Keep it up, Logas.”
Tigre and Grint both greeted him, adding a touch of color to Logas’ earlier victory.
However, perhaps due to the fact that he had been saved, Logas’ expression was not cheerful.
“Father…?”
Grint looked into his father’s face and let out a worried voice.
Even if it was not a clear victory, Logas’ task was only to win.
It was important to show his power to the people of Heim, who were waiting for his victory.
Therefore, it is not something to show dullness. Thinking this, Logas smiled falsely.
“Your Highness. I will go and get the second one as well.”
“Umu! I’m counting on you!”
Hearing his father’s words, Grint felt a sense of reliability.
The men of Ishtalika, on the other hand, greeted Dill, who had returned after the first battle.
“Dill. Welcome back.”
“Aim-sama… I am sorry.”
Dill was still frustrated that he lost the first round.
He apologized to Ain first and bowed deeply.
“No need to apologize. …Maybe if this was a real fight, Dill would have won.”
“Ain-sama is right. Dill, you certainly lost a point, but the flow of the fight was not bad at all. You won the fight until the halfway point.”
“Because without results, it’s just another loss.”
Both Ain and Lloyd noticed that Dill had the upper hand.
The arrangement slowed him down, but the content was not bad.
“That’s no mistake either. But you noticed one thing, didn’t you?”
Lloyd offers his advice as he hands Dill a towel.
After accepting the towel, Dill sits down on the floor, looking tired.
“Remember your experience with me. What was Logas-dono like, what was the difference between him and me?”
“The difference between father and him…?”
“Umu. It’s a simple thing, don’t you see?”
Dill, with his blood boiling hot and his earlier defeat still in the air, couldn’t think about it calmly.
Lloyd, seeing Dill’s appearance, told him the difference as if he had no choice.
“His sword is closer to a beast than mine. But that doesn’t mean you should be afraid of it, does it?”
“Afraid?”
Dill had no intention of being afraid of Logas’ sword.
But he listened to Lloyd to find out what he was afraid of.
“Yes. You were afraid of getting into a confrontation, weren’t you? You have the quality of your own sword, but if it were the usual you, you would have taken it a little more head-on.”
Perhaps because it was his first fight, he avoided a direct confrontation.
Dill did not want to be afraid of it, but too much caution was as good as fear, it seemed.
“Now that you mention it, you are absolutely right.”
“Logas-dono’s sword will be an unknown sword to you. You must be careful, but there is no need to be afraid. But Dill, you must have known about Logas-dono’s sword in the first battle. Then the rest is easy…”
Lloyd continued to talk arrogantly, and Dill felt his mind gradually calming down.
Ain, who stood beside him and watched, was impressed by Lloyd’s skill.
“Father. What is so easy about…?”
“You still don’t get it, do you? Whose sword are you always defending yourself against?”
“It’s Father’s sword, of course… I see, that’s what you mean…!”
Dill seemed to come to a point, and his expression brightened.
Then he stood up cheerfully and called to Ain.
“Ain-sama. I’ll get one for sure!”
Then Dill walked with light steps to the center of the circle.
“Uh, Lloyd-san? What does that mean?”
“Hahaha! It’s a long story, but it’s really quite simple.”
The two men looked at Dill as he walked away but continued their conversation.
“My sword is heavier and stronger than the blow of Logas-dono. …Dill, who is usually the target of my sword, does not have to dodge the exchange of blows.”
Lloyd spoke confidently and as if it were a matter of course, smiling at Ain.
“After all, Dill was more cautious than he should have been. If he avoids a confrontation, he can’t win.”
“Oh, I see. That means his personality has come out?”
“That is correct. I would add that this is what is called inexperience. It would be a good experience for Dill to experience it in a place where his life is not in danger.”
“By the way, Lloyd-san, if you were in that situation, how would you have won?”
“Hmm… Well, if it were me…”
Even though they are father and son, there is a big difference in the way they fight.
Therefore, Ain asked how Lloyd stood up to him.
“I will push back Logas-dono during the first close encounter and finish him off with a follow-up shot, right?”
“…I see.”
After all, it was Lloyd’s strength to be able to do that.
He had the guts to take him on and the skill to push him back.
The wall Dill had to overcome was obviously still high.
“Anyway, I don’t know about the third, but I think Dill will get the second.”
“Well, why don’t you know about the third?”
“Because, you see… He is still young, I think.”
Just like Dill, Ain was taught a lesson by Lloyd.
Ain began to wonder why he said that with such a confident look in his eyes.
“It’s about to begin.”
In the center of the circle, Dill and Logas stood together.
They looked at each other and raised their hands almost simultaneously.
Lloyd saw this and, as in the first run, gave the signal to begin.
“Begin!”
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