92 - The Crown I Will Take From You
92
The clear line of his ribcage, sharp jawline, and the perfect smile on his beautiful lips were captivating enough to make people pause.
If not for the burn, that man would have made a name for himself across the continent, the people in the banquet hall thought anew.
Of course, he was already famous in another way.
‘Achares, was it?’
Jared immediately recognized the white mask.
The Facade mercenary who had annoyed him earlier by boasting about the Princess's Maid being strong.
‘Hmph, what’s the big deal? He doesn’t even look that strong, yet they’re making such a fuss.’
Due to the First Prince's scheme, he had fallen out of favor with the Emperor and was not allowed to participate in the continental war.
But this mercenary had been active, which stirred up a sense of rivalry for no reason.
Jared glared at the white-masked mercenary, his black eyes gleaming.
The 4th Princess was also taken aback.
Why was Facade suddenly interfering in the duel between Kazen and Baldina?
“Did you throw that by mistake? Facade, you have nothing to do with this.”
The Princess did not want Facade's intervention.
She looked at Gallo as if seeking an answer, but he had nothing to say either.
Gallo was just as frustrated.
‘Do I know? You have no idea how frustrating it is to serve a master who runs out there with a half-mask on and a curse hanging over him when there are so many Kazen people around, 4th Princess!’
But he couldn't say it out loud, so Gallo just shrugged his shoulders with a groan.
“He’s a mercenary who never listens to me, so I can’t help it if he insists.”
“That’s absurd!”
The 4th Princess shouted sharply. She had to win this duel at all costs.
“This is a matter between Baldina and Kazen. How dare a foreigner interfere!”
Hadn't the Maid said that the mercenary was terrifyingly strong? She couldn't leave any room for Jared to lose.
“Ahaha, Your Highness. Foreigner? We’re just weapon dealers without a country…”
As Gallo added, as if trying to turn the Princess inside out, Cesare chuckled.
His gaze was directed at Jared, not the 4th Princess.
“Is the Princess of Kazen afraid that the proxy she personally chose will lose to me?”
“You…!”
Jared's face twisted in response to the 4th Princess's reaction, unable to deny it.
Did the Princess really think he couldn't beat such an insignificant mercenary?
“A dying man is running his mouth.”
“You usually say that over a corpse.”
Even the rhythm of the rich voice flowing from under the white mask was felt.
“Ah, you wouldn’t know since you haven’t been to the battlefield?”
Jared's face turned as terrifying as a demon.
“If you step up for the Princess, your dog's death will not be compensated by anyone. Will you still fight me?”
Chuckle. The mercenary raised the corner of his lips again.
“You talk too much.”
This bastard-!
There was no need to say more. Jared charged.
“Come forward, Facade dog.”
Jared, provoked by Cesare, gestured with his hand.
“Jared!”
The 4th Princess reached out to stop him, but flinched at Jared's ferocious eyes.
“4th Princess, since this guy is fighting in Your Highness's place, you must let him decide who he fights.”
There was a threat that he would back out otherwise.
There was no one stronger than Jared in this delegation.
When Jared did not yield his stubbornness, the 4th Princess glared at him unpleasantly.
“You must win since you chose him.”
“I’ll even cut off an arm, so trust him.”
He had hated the mercenary ever since he heard that he had helped the First Prince, whom he despised, and had been active in the continental war.
Jared thought he would take this opportunity to slaughter him and show the high and mighty Facade a lesson.
The 4th Princess was relieved when he was confident.
After all, Jared was one of the top ten knights on the continent. His prowess was not a lie.
The 4th Princess, wearing a faint smile, murmured lowly.
“Not just an arm, kill him completely. You can use your secret technique.”
Jared paused, then grinned.
“Then I’ll have to change my weapon. But, can you handle it since the opponent is Facade?”
“I’ll have to handle that girl too, what’s the big deal.”
If the mercenary who stepped up for the Princess died, the relationship between Baldina and Facade would also be strained.
“Iason wants you. If you win today, I’ll take you under my wing.”
The Princess smiled cruelly.
“I’m better than a worn-out lifeline, aren’t I? I need to show you again, who has been forgotten from Father's mind.”
Jared chuckled.
He was very pleased with the situation where both the Princess and the Grand Duke wanted him.
All he had to do was get rid of that white mask. Cruel anticipation settled in Jared's eyes.
\ \ \
Before long, preparations for the rematch between the two warriors were complete.
One was a ten-star general of Kazen, and the other was the leader of Facade's mercenaries.
Both had high notoriety and prowess, so people could not easily predict the outcome.
Cesare, wearing armor, met the Princess's gaze as she looked at him.
Her green eyes were calm, as if she was not surprised by his sudden intervention. He was sure that he had disrupted the plan she had prepared.
He couldn't read her thoughts at all. It was like a calm surface of water that swallowed even the ripples.
‘Is it not enough to just deal with a mediocre ten-star?’
It was when he inadvertently thought that he wanted to see the surprised eyes that had looked up at him when he had once subdued the Hydra.
The Princess walked towards him.
Her footsteps stopped in front of Cesare.
“Achares.”
The name of the white half-mask was called from between her pale lips,
“Since you have stood in this place on my behalf, I suppose I can think of you as my knight for now.”
Her clear voice rang out.
The Princess personally tied a light green handkerchief to Cesare's right arm.
The symbol of Facade was covered, and the emblem of Baldina embroidered on the handkerchief was revealed.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
The Princess, who had tied the knot tightly, tapped his arm four times without people noticing.
As if asking what it meant, Cesare looked down at her, and she pressed the emblem embroidered on the handkerchief once more with her ring finger.
“……”
“Please be careful.”
As if she had finished her task, the Princess stepped back, and Cesare bowed.
“I will bring victory to the Princess.”
He kissed the knot of the handkerchief tied to his arm.
It was a kiss so reverent that it was hard to believe he was a mercenary who rolled around on the battlefield.
The sight of the two, reminiscent of a valiant knight and his pure lady praying for his good fortune, caused exclamations to erupt.
“Hmph. Generous treatment for a stray dog.”
Jared stared at the handkerchief tied to Cesare's arm as if to swallow it.
His blood boiled inside when he saw the Princess, whom he had been eyeing, treating a nobody from Facade so kindly.
Jared swept his sword.
The blade, which had been changed just before the duel according to the Princess's orders, was coated with a deadly poison.
This colorless and odorless elixir had eliminated his competitors and made Jared who he was today.
“You’ll regret touching me.”
He threw out a sinister provocation, but all that came back was a mocking upturn of the lips.
The rematch began.
\ \ \
Jared's skills were not a lie.
As if to show the power of a ten-star knight, a threatening preemptive strike raged. Grayish Aura surged.
But Cesare managed to parry the sword by a hair's breadth.
“Facade dog, take out your Aura if you don’t want your head cut off.”
“Not really.”
Cesare shrugged. He did not hide his intention that he had no problem facing Jared without Aura.
Jared, treated like an amateur, gritted his teeth in humiliation.
“Good, then I’ll match that too. Don’t make excuses later.”
He withdrew his gray Aura, but Jared's murderous intent became even more ferocious.
Scattered Sword aura pressured Cesare from all directions as if to strangle him.
The Golden eyes inside the mask scanned Jared as if he was amused. Just like Medeia had done earlier.
‘Why number 4?’
He was looking for the meaning of the signal the Princess had left earlier.
His skills, no, it couldn't be that she was only aiming to defeat Jared.
“What are you doing, Jared! Why don’t you finish it quickly!”
The impatient 4th Princess shouted.
The exchange that seemed to be cut off but was not. The precarious Sword aura seemed as if Jared was deliberately leaving a move behind.
‘Do you think I don’t want to?’
Jared panted with bloodshot eyes.
He was confident that he would slaughter that white mask in twenty exchanges, but not only was it not twenty exchanges, but even after twice that, Jared had not been able to cut even a piece of his opponent's clothing.
At that moment, the mercenary's blade exploded towards Jared.