Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: The Noon Duel
Steve woke up and talked with Viscount Keard about the future.
"As for me, I cannot reach a conclusion without seeing Viscount Wall's cowhide too. However, since we both have things we want to say, I intend to meet at the border of our territories, bring our goods, and hear explanations from each other."
Viscount Keard wanted to click his tongue at not being able to reach a conclusion on his own, but he did not show such feelings before Steve and accepted Steve's opinion.
"Understood. If we line them up, it is obvious that my territory is superior. I hope Viscount Wall does not run away."
"I am relieved you understand. Then I will send a letter to Viscount Wall. I will have Emmanuel deliver it, but I would like to conduct business tomorrow or so. Any place at the border is fine, but preferably somewhere close."
"Then there is a road connecting here and there, let us meet there."
The road Viscount Keard spoke of was the road Steve and the others were guided through by Mitchell late at night.
The plan was to have everyone bring cowhide at that border line and give presentations. Immediately, Emmanuel went to Viscount Wall's territory with the letter and returned with the Viscount's consent.
The promise of 10 o'clock tomorrow was decided.
Steve and the others decided to stroll outside with Viscount Keard's permission for the meeting. The Viscount wanted to assign a guard, so when Mitchell was nominated by Steve, he happily agreed to take the guide role.
The main topic was discussed away from the Viscount's mansion.
"Well, tomorrow is finally the main event."
Against Steve who said that leisurely, Mitchell who was told it was a duel was not at ease.
"Is it really true I must duel with Your Excellency tomorrow?"
"Of course. Wasn't that something you brought up? It's not like one of us must definitely die, so you don't need to make a face like a protagonist told death by such a grim reaper."
Although told that by Steve, Mitchell had no energy to retort that the example was exactly right now. Even though it was momentum, he was now regretting having challenged the duel terribly.
"Is there no way to wrap it up well without tomorrow's duel?"
That was all he could ask.
"There might be, but I cannot think of it. Unless you have the resolve to throw your life away for a woman you love, you cannot erase the resentment of conflicts piled up over many years in this region. Or are you giving up on Lucy?"
"No, that is absolutely impossible."
"Then, you must make up your mind."
It was a conversation where it was unknown who was older. Eventually, Mitchell could not make Steve give up the duel, and was persuaded to challenge the duel when Steve gave the signal tomorrow.
And the next day, they went to the promised place at the promised time. Viscount Wall was already waiting there. Next to the Viscount was his daughter Lucy. Unlike last time, this time she was dressed in a perfect dress.
That dress was extremely unsuited to the pastoral scenery, and Steve lightly sighed.
"Delusional woman."
When Bella said that in a low voice, Christina and Aila nodded.
Viscount Keard took Steve's sigh as disappointment and danced inside his heart.
"Well, since time has come, I would like to see each cowhide. Which one first? I will not change the evaluation depending on the order, so whichever you like first or second."
When told that by Steve, Viscount Wall said he wanted to go first. Viscount Keard, watching Viscount Wall's move, intended to belittle that part, so he agreed to let Viscount Wall take the first attack.
The cowhide Viscount Wall brought was good quality, not inferior to Viscount Keard's. It was hard to distinguish, and it was enough to make Steve decide to purchase from both territories.
When the explanation of general cowhide quality ended, Viscount Wall presented additional conditions besides the amount.
"If you purchase only the cowhide of my territory, I will present my daughter Lucy to Your Excellency."
"Ho, that is an attractive deal. To be given the daughter of Lord Wall who makes even the blooming roses there blush, it was worth coming here."
Viscount Wall smiled at Steve's words. And conversely, Viscount Keard turned blue. Giving a daughter as a wife was something Viscount Keard, who only had male children, could not do. Because of Steve's age, he thought seduction was unnecessary, but if it became such a situation, he regretted that he should have looked for young unmarried women from all relatives.
And, due to Viscount Keard's agitation, he did not notice the signal Steve sent to Mitchell.
Receiving Steve's signal, Mitchell stepped forward before Steve.
"Y-Your Excellency, Dragon Wing, I challenge you to a duel betting on Lucy."
"Very well. I accept."
Here, Mitchell challenged Steve to a duel anew.
Everyone except those who knew that beforehand was shocked.
"Mitchell, what are you saying!"
Viscount Keard shouted at his son.
"Father, I absolutely want to marry that Lucy over there."
"Especially the daughter of Wall. How can you face your ancestors!"
"No, the chain of hatred should be cut off here."
Strong determination dwelt in Mitchell's eyes who said that. It was not only about Lucy, but also his true intention to end the dispute of the two territories.
Viscount Keard was pushed back by his son's strong determination and could not change the decision of the duel.
On the other hand, Viscount Wall was also caught off guard, and looked closely at his daughter's face.
But, from that expression, he could not read emotions well. So, he asked Lucy directly.
"Lucy, if Keard's son wins the duel, do you intend to marry him?"
"Yes. That is the custom of the duel. However, I do not think Your Excellency will lose."
In the direction of Lucy's gaze was Steve. Viscount Wall, told by his daughter, indeed could not think Steve who was bestowed the Dragon Wing Medal would lose to Mitchell. And, if Mitchell lost his life this way, Keard family would have no heir and die out, so a thought arose that it would become advantageous even for territory problems.
Steve, watching such exchanges between the two families, asked Mitchell.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes. Thank you for waiting, Your Excellency."
Mitchell held his sword and faced Steve. Steve also drew his sword accordingly.
"I will give you a handicap. You attack from there. I will take that as the signal to start."
"I appreciate your consideration."
Saying that, Mitchell attacked. That attack was not good even by polite terms, and Steve felt it was about equal to Abel.
He brushed away the straight thrust with his sword, and dealt a painful blow to the exposed flank.
"Gah!"
Mitchell fell shouting. Blood flowed from his body, dyeing the ground he fell on red.
Among everyone unable to move,
"Mitchell!"
Lucy ran to Mitchell shouting that. And, calling his name many times, Mitchell did not react at all.
When Lucy realized Mitchell was dead, she thrust a hidden knife to her own throat.
"Father, without my beloved Mitchell, I have no hope to live anymore. Please forgive my unfilial act of leaving first."
Saying that, she thrust her throat with the knife at once.
Both Viscounts who lost their children started moving here. Running to the children who stopped moving, they called names while shaking their bodies strongly.
"Mitchell!"
"Lucy!"
However, the children did not twitch at all.
Both could not accept the death of their children easily, and while they continued shouting, Steve approached.
"Well, Lord Keard, Lord Wall. If you two recognize your children's marriage, I will resurrect them once with my magic. Do you agree to discard each other's grudges, recognize marriage, and agree to trade cowhide half and half?"
The two Viscounts nodded at Steve's words.
Steve who confirmed that poured magic into the two unmoving Mitchell and Lucy, and color returned to their faces and they breathed again.
"With this, the matter is settled. Viscount Wall, if a grandson is born, you should adopt him and let him inherit the territory. There were such cases in the Kingdom of Cascade in the past. Since Your Majesty the King and Your Excellency the Margrave will not recognize making Viscount Keard family rule by combining two Viscount territories, that is the solution. If they become relatives, it will become a chance for no fighting."
Steve said that, and left the rest to Emmanuel.
Steve had consulted Aurora beforehand about the territory problem. When asking if two Viscount territories would join if Mitchell and Lucy married and inherited, the answer was that it would not be recognized because the power would become large.
And the solution plan taught as an alternative was to adopt a grandson and let him inherit the title and territory. That was the reason he adopted that plan and proposed it like this.
The Viscounts decided to accept it, as if they lost their children, they discarded past grudges, and light of solution shone on the heir problem.
Having solved the problem of Mitchell and Lucy's marriage and cowhide procurement, Steve and the others were on their way back.
Going back, while weaving Teleportation Magic, they went to visit the lord of the road they passed in a carriage. Along the way, in the carriage, Christina recalled the duel and stated her impression.
"Fighting a duel betting one's life for a beloved woman and falling defeated, and the woman cutting her own life following her lover. As a tragedy, it was the best ending, but it was a happy ending with a twist by Steve-sama's hand. I am relieved at the ending, but this is a scenario where complaints might come out wanting the excitement of following the lover back."
"Life is not theater. Better than a sublime tragedy, a cliché happy ending is better."
"Yes. Nevertheless, everyone there being able to see such a drama with Steve-sama's Illusion Magic. Without hearing it, one would absolutely not notice."
As Christina said, the duel with Mitchell was an illusion created by Illusion Magic. Even with Steve's healing magic, one cannot resurrect the dead.
So, he could not really kill them. However, thinking that if he told Mitchell beforehand, he could not act like deceiving the Viscounts, he did not tell him that.
As a result, the Viscounts were tricked properly. And, Christina and the others were also given the effect of Illusion Magic for watching the play. So, they know the illusion the Viscounts are seeing.
"Well, anyway, it was good that the cowhide procurement estimate was established. Now it's just about operating the factory well."
"It should be about time the migration finished."
Steve and the others were traveling by carriage, so about two weeks had passed since leaving the territory. It was enough time for migrants to come to Archibalt Territory in turns.
Actually, all migrants had arrived, and they were getting used to village life. The village currently has monetary economy as normal, and advance on wages is given to support living expenses for the time being. Since calculation is needed to shop, adults and children are being educated to learn simple calculations and how to read characters by taking George's classes.
Steve only visited the village frequently with Teleportation Magic, and gave such instructions to Nick and George.
Thus, Steve and the others enjoyed the carriage journey a little more.