After delivering a perfect victory in his duel with Rebecca, Theodore didn’t head toward the dinner venue. Instead, he headed to the infirmary of the royal palace.

While he had come down from the stage in a much better state than Rebecca, he hadn’t escaped unscathed. Rebecca’s aura blade storm had been sharp enough to cut through Battle Song’s defensive ability and cut through his forearm.

The healer clicked his tongue when he saw Theo’s bleeding forearm. “... How terrible. It isn’t easy to heal injuries caused by aura, but this is more than that. Simple treatment using potions or herbs would be more effective than magic.”

Mana that passed through a person’s body would often dye itself with the colors of a person’s inherent nature. In order to resonate with that nature, magicians minimized the degree of deterioration by forming an artificial circulation organ called Circles, but knights were different. They embraced their inherent nature. Since aura strengthened physical abilities, the closer it was to the user’s own nature, the greater the efficiency and power would be. However, this left behind traces which interfered with magical healing.

“So?”

“Yes. Knight Rebecca... the density of her aura has already exceeded the level of an elite knight. If you had suffered a serious injury, you might’ve been lying in bed for months.”

Theo frowned. “Then how long will it take for this wound to heal?”

“Please wait a moment.” The healer carefully examined the wounds on Theo’s forearm. His arm twinged in pain, but it wasn’t enough to make a fuss about it. Theo’s behavior was like that of a veteran soldier.

The healer used his magic power to heal the wound before lifting his head again. “Fortunately, the blade didn’t enter too deeply. I will use a healing spell, apply some medicine and then a bandage. The wound should be healed in three days.”

Theo’s brows relaxed. “Three days...”

“Oh, please avoid any heavy exercise or movements for a week since the wound might reopen.”

Theodore had no reason to refuse, so he nodded gently.

The healer proceeded to start the full-scale treatment. First, he removed the aura remaining in the wound with healing magic, then connected the muscles in the blood vessels which hadn’t healed yet. When the bleeding subsided, the healer performed a simple treatment with potions and herbs. The healer’s workmanship was truly worthy of a healer working in the royal palace. By the time he was done, a white bandage was wrapped around one of Theo’s arms, and the pain from the wound was gone.

Theo flexed the arm wrapped in the white bandage lightly and said, “It feels much better. Thank you very much.”

“... It’s nothing. Rather, I should be thanking you.” The healer checked the bandage’s knot meticulously and chuckled at Theo’s gratitude.

He had been employed as a royal healer for several decades. Once the war broke out, he had seen thousands of patients, and had seen Andras’ blades steal hundreds of lives.

“It was always a victory if we returned from the battlefield, and a defeat if we returned with the bodies of our colleagues. So, there were times when I regretted being a healer. I couldn’t fight, and sometimes I blamed myself for choosing who to leave behind.”

“......”

“But today, I knew what it felt like to win for the first time.”

It was too early to call him an old man, but Theo could see wrinkles on the hand which gripped his. Perhaps the healer had also been in the audience hall and heard the imperious and rude demands of the empire.

The healer bowed as he thanked Theo once again, “Meltor’s Hero, it is an honor to treat you with these hands.”

“... It was my pleasure.” Theo was forced to accept the fierce praise.

He felt burdened by the healer’s emotions and left the infirmary after a brief goodbye. Most of the crowd was at the dinner party, so the corridor was emptier than usual. As soon as the door closed behind him, he fell into a contemplative silence.

“Hoo, it is too burdensome.”

Whether it was positive or negative, it didn’t fit Theo’s nature to attract the attention of others. He had been able to keep a poker face thanks to Alfred’s experiences, but encountering such sincere praise made him feel itchy.

What should I do now?

He walked down the corridor, lost in thought. The soft sounds of his footsteps rang in the silence of the corridor. Veronica had encouraged Theo to go to the dinner party when he was available, but he didn’t want to go to such a burdensome place. He also didn’t think he could relax around the two sword masters.

It was much more attractive to use his injury as an excuse to return to the tower, as a political place would obviously be uncomfortable in many ways. Furthermore, he had just thought of another destination that may be more appropriate.

Theo walked for a few more steps before stopping. He looked at a shadow in a corner of the corridor and said, “Why don’t you come out now?”

The shadow was nearly invisible. Despite his senses being refined to the limit, Theo had only grasped the hiding place after a few minutes. As Theo’s voice rang through the corridor where nobody was present, ‘he’ naturally appeared. It was like he had been there from the beginning.

Lloyd Pollan, one of the empire’s Seven Swords, shrugged as he said, “Ah, this was just an accident.”

Theo replied, “... I thought you were attending the dinner party?”

Lloyd smiled diffidently, “I'm sorry, but Meltor’s food and alcohol don’t suit my tastes. So I decided to take a walk.”

It was nonsense, and Theo regretted that he couldn’t dismiss it. Theo stared at Lloyd with cold eyes. Although it was a separate building, a sword master wouldn’t be allowed to wander around the royal palace by himself. Besides, a walk? It was a pathetic excuse for following the winner of the duel.

“What did you come to me for, Sir Pollan?” Theo struggled to suppress his indignation. It was pointless to be rude here. Theo lacked the power or authority to be rude. Lloyd also knew that. If Veronica or Blundell were nearby, then he would’ve disappeared quietly.

A sly human.

Theo had accurately identified Lloyd’s nature.

Lloyd mused, “The purpose... I suppose it is an apology.”

Theo’s hackles were rising. “Apology?”

Lloyd smiled, but his eyes were as cold as ever. “As you already know, I made a mistake during your duel with Rebecca. I didn’t realize that your senses were developed enough to respond to the killing intent I accidentally let out. I admire that.”

Theo paled as he noticed the meaning of the words. Lloyd was saying that he didn’t mean to disturb the duel, but his killing intent had accidentally leaked. This sword master just admitted to wanting to kill Theodore Miller.

“Well, you don’t need to be tense." Lloyd smiled and continued, “I was scolded by Number 4 because he read my killing intent. At the very least, it is impossible to cut off your head here. It’s such a pity.”

Theo asked, “... Why?”

“Huh?”

Theo spoke the words he had been repressing, “Why do you want to kill me?”

This wasn’t an order from the Andras Empire or from Pan Helliones. He wondered why Lloyd Pollan was so eager to kill him. Murderers killed people for no reason, but a sword master was unlikely to give into impulsive behavior. Theo was more curious than afraid of the master.

Lloyd sincerely sighed at the bold question.

“Hoo, it really is a pity. Why wasn’t someone like you born in the empire?” He grumbled in a low voice before continuing, “This truce’s deadline is in ten years.”

The emotionless face started to speak terrible facts, “In the next ten years, you will become a powerful enemy of the empire. My senses have never been wrong even once.”

Theo prodded, “Your senses... You want to kill me for such an uncertain reason?”

“You... Did you use more than 30% of your power in that duel?” Theo could hear conviction in Lloyd’s voice, so he remained silent. “You have the potential to match the Seven Swords in the future, so I think I should kill you here, even if that causes a war.”

Theo unconsciously fell into a defensive stance “...”

He could feel an eerie killing intent pressing down on him. It was different from Pride, and felt like a sharp blade was being held against his neck. Still, the sword never came out. Lloyd just passed by, like he meant his words about not killing Theo here.

His voice gradually moved further away, “Ten years from now, I won’t let you live like today.”

Theo couldn’t move even after Lloyd had completely disappeared. The killing intent of a sword master was indeed terrifying. He would’ve fallen down if he hadn’t built up tolerance in the fight with Pride. In retrospect, it was fortunate that he hadn’t exposed Umbra and Magic Bullet. If he had, Lloyd would have assessed Theo as more dangerous and might’ve ignored the command given to him in order to kill Theo. Theo wouldn’t gone obediently into that good night, but there was no chance of winning.

“Ten years,” Theodore murmured in a low voice.

It was both a long and short period of time. He had been sentenced to death by a sword master. Anybody would feel fear, but Theo just laughed at the words. “I won’t be relaxing.”

He had gone from the loser of the academy to Meltor’s hero in one year. Things which would take magicians a month only took a few days for him. Ten years for Theo were like a hundred years for ordinary magicians? Common sense didn’t apply to the owners of grimoires.

A sword master was definitely a great existence…. But I don’t think that they’re an insurmountable wall.

Theo took a step forward as he left the place where he’d met Lloyd. It was yet to be decided as to who would be the one to fall ten years later.

***

Kkiiik. 

The doorknob turned with a small noise and Theo looked inside carefully. As soon as he entered, the smell of herbs and potions hit his nose. He removed the smell with simple wind magic and looked in the direction of the occupant.

With golden hair, green eyes, and vivid features, Rebecca, the duelist for the empire, looked at Theo from where she lay on the bed. Her ribs, which had been broken by the shockwave spell, were bandaged tightly, and Theo could see traces of herbs were visible on bruised skin. Her condition was completely different from that of Theodore, who was wandering around.

He was confused by the situation as he sat down in the chair beside Rebecca’s bed.

... No, what is going on?

Theodore had entered Rebecca’s room because he wanted to ask about Randolph. However, the guard standing in front of the room had let him in easily after his identity was proven.

Why did they just let me in?

Theodore was famous, but the Andras Empire and the Meltor Kingdom were still enemies. Why would they obediently let in a visitor from an enemy country? He just wanted to tell the guard to mention Randolph’s name to Rebecca and see if she responded to it. However, the empire’s delegation didn’t hesitate to let him in to see Rebecca.

He could feel the atmosphere getting awkward. Rebecca stared at Theo without blinking, which only made things more awkward. He didn’t know how to start. In the end, Theodore opened his mouth to say a simple greeting, but Rebecca spoke first.

Her voice was like a clear bell that resonated clearly, “Have you come to exercise the rights of the winner?”