Step step

People were walking.

Residents, merchants, even drunk people who didn’t know what was happening bowed their heads.

It was because Murray’s youngest son, Cora Murray was walking in front of them.

Murray, who is so strong that no lord would treat him rudely, and the favored son of such a man was passing by, no one could make eye contact with them.

At least, those who lived there couldn’t.

However, there were those who followed him with nonchalant faces.

The blue-haired young man next to Cora Murray and the blonde who was being followed by an Orc.

And the cat around the Orc’s shoulder with an innocent look.

So was Judith.

She thought as she walked next to Irene, or a step behind him.

‘This one, did he solve the homework the schoolmaster gave?’

At first she didn’t know, but then Judith came to know why Irene left Krono.

It was the result of tormenting Ian, who didn’t inform her at all, for three years.

However, there was a part she didn’t understand.

‘Finding his own sword, what is that?’

For her, a sword is a sword.

Her schoolmaster said, ‘because he has an unstable sword’ but she couldn’t understand what he meant.

And she didn’t want to know either.

Because she knew that the answer would be difficult.

However, she understood that it was an important issue for Irene, who is more problematic than Bratt.

‘Still… he looks better than before.’

Judith carefully looked at Irene.

Irene was two fingers taller than Bratt and his body was well balanced with calluses on his palms.

Then she looked at his face.

She wasn’t sure, but he felt more passionate than before?

Not bad.

‘It has to be fun, the first match in 5 years and 6 months.’

Judith, who had a mischievous grin on her face, opened her mouth to talk to Irene.

But right then, someone spoke to her.

“Hello?”

“… hello.”

“Glad to meet you. I’m Lulu. As said earlier, I’m Irene’s sorcery teacher.”

“… huh, right. I’m Judith. Irene’s friend.”

“Yes, I know! I heard about you before. But I just wanted to talk to you.”

As that was done, Judith smiled awkwardly as she looked at Lulu, who was smiling like a human.

It wasn’t her first time seeing a sorcerer.

Since Krono often had special guests such as magicians and sorcerers, she met a couple of them.

What concerned her was that the cat was black.

‘Black cat… an ominous sign!’

It reminded her of the stories she heard in her childhood, things she didn’t want to think about.

There were rumors that demons would be waiting if one followed a black cat which could speak human language, and that an epidemic spread in the town where a black cat appeared.

Of course, she knew that they were all groundless rumors, but… Judith was still a little bothered by it.

“I will give you this. A gift!”

But Lulu seemed different.

And Judith was beginning to like her, and the cat took out three golden mice from her subspace. Kuvar who saw them gulped, and one of Cora’s escorts who was watching that, went stiff.

With a mixture of surprise and joy, tension and anxiety, Judith said.

“I-Is this gold?”

“Yes! Don’t overthink. I have a lot!”

“A lot?”

“Do you want more?”

“No, not at all. No no, what do you mean more… uh?”

“…”

Seeing Judith confused by Lulu’s words, Irene smiled.

She looked different but she didn’t change too much. It was nice to see Judith still have her innocence as she matured.

Of course, the change wasn’t just in her behavior.

One glance was all that was needed. She was tall and had a great body.

Perhaps her sword had changed too.

‘I want to fight quickly!’

Sparks flashed in Irene’s eyes.

He wouldn’t have felt it before, but now he did.

Quickly, quickly. He continued his steps, hoping to get to Cora Murray’s manor.

Fortunately, as he thought that, Cora stopped walking.

A very spacious area.

Once entered, it was even more amazing.

Judith admired the hall, which had a stone floor.

“Woah, it’s huge.”

“… wait.”

“Huh? What? Can’t we start right away? I can’t wait.”

Irene didn’t say a word but looked at Cora Murray with excitement, making the others look at Cora as well.

Flustered by that, Cora sighed and opened his mouth.

“Anyway you people, you don’t believe my words, right?”

“Hmm?”

“Even if you show a poor sight and do not have a silver card, you will just dismiss everything that happened and weave your own stories to others.”

“So what do you plan on doing?”

“Bringing in a notary. He’s in the manor, so I’ll be back soon.”

“What? Isn’t he on your side? How do we trust…”

“Not on our side. Sir Brian Burns, a wandering knight, a wonderful man, skillful, and just.”

“Ah, Brian Burns.”

“Anyone you know?”

Judith asked Bratt who exclaimed.

“He was ordained as a knight in the Belson Kingdom. As that one said, he isn’t the kind to lie about such things. I accept it.”

“Nice.”

“I need to unwind.”

After talking to him, Judith stretched her body.

She swung her sword with a single movement and when the others saw it, they knew that she was skilled, but it wasn’t something Cora and his escorts accepted.

Instead, it was Irene who caused a commotion.

Shoo!

“Huk!”

“There was nothing. The sword…”

“Oh-oh, what is that? Is that…”

“Yes. Sorcery.

With a smile! Irene was wielding his greatsword.

Even the calm and cool-headed Bratt couldn’t help but be surprised.

Rather, Judith was quick to adjust.

“Yep, he definitely wasn’t playing around for five years.”

“We didn’t get to talk and it has been so long, but once the match is over, I’ll tell you. What happened in the past.”

“Great. Me and Bratt will listen and talk too. It might not be fun though.”

The two of them looked at each other and smiled bitterly.

A knight approached the hall and greeted Cora.

“I came here as I was asked to be the notary.”

“Yes. That red-haired girl over there and the blonde one. After watching the match between those two, if you think that they have the skills of a silver card mercenary or more, say yes or no.”

“Easy task. Understood.”

“You two have no complaints, right?”

“No.”

“No!”

“Are you agreeing to grant what the winning side wishes?”

“Sure.”

“Sure! I can’t hold back anymore! Let’s start!”

“Okay. Let’s watch.”

Brian Burns spoke in a hard tone.

Judith, who smiled, took her stance.

Irene, too, took his position facing her.

Eventually, the two geniuses of Krono headed towards each other.

‘Damn it. Do I have to do this again…’

A famous wandering knight from the Belson Kingdom, Brian Burns, was grunting to himself. Because he didn’t want to do such things.

But he couldn’t help it.

For his younger brother who was collapsing, he had no choice but to listen to the family of Murray.

That meant that he should do whatever the youngest son of the Lord requested.

‘Damn it! How come…’

He was thinking nasty thoughts but he couldn’t escape from the situation.

He had to act like Murray’s dog for at least half a year.

Brian Burns, who managed to calm himself, recalled the command.

‘So, whether the match results are out or not… I should just say if they are worthy of the silver card level or not?’

Great. This was easy.

It didn’t require effort, nor his life, and it didn’t take a lot of time.

He wondered if there was anything simpler than that.

… no, it wasn’t simple.

Even though he was a wandering knight, for him, who knew what honor meant, this wasn’t an easy task.

‘… but I’m glad.’

The swordsmen were both young.

And a silver card wasn’t something easy to acquire. It was a high level card which was given to those with excellent performance and skills.

Of course, even if one has the skills of a gold card, first timers are only given a silver card…

‘But it’s impossible at such a young age.’

Whether it’s achievement or skill, such young kids couldn’t have it.

Thinking so, Brian sighed. It was a relief that he didn’t have to deceive anyone by downgrading the kids.

And then, the Murray kid wouldn’t do something bad to those kids.

Brian Burns looked at the match with such a heart.

However, as soon as the two young people’s swords met, all thoughts in his mind disappeared.

Kang!

Kang!

Kang!

The red-haired woman and the blonde collided in the hall.

The two, who didn’t seem very strong, were fast in their moves and kept changing their stances.

Kwang!

Kwang!

Kang!

The two faced each other and then did three more attacks.

A standard slash which aimed for the upper body.

However, the sophistication and power contained in it was so strong that it was engraved in Brian’s eyes.

Clang!

The blonde swung his sword loudly.

The girl accepted it and then pushed the sword back. It was an intentional act.

The appearance of her stomping hard and fast to move and attack.

The blonde was carefully posed.

Wheik!

That was when it happened. Just before hitting the greatsword, the red-haired woman made an incomprehensible movement.

Stopping, ignoring the inertia, and then quickly returning the opponent’s attack.

And blow!

Kwang!

The loudest sound ever made in the hall.

The blonde man horizontally placed his sword and blocked the attack which came hammering down from above.

Kwak!

The floor cracked because of the impact.

Even Brian Burns’ body shuddered for an instant.

However the two who were in the match didn’t stop and continued to wield their swords.

Strike, strike, and another strike

Block, block and another block.

They did the same thing about 50 times then widened the distance.

Brian Burns could see the excitement in their eyes.

“…”

Cora Murray, the escorts, and others went stiff.

Even Brian Burns didn’t say anything.

Bratt Loyd who had been quiet, said.

“Look here, won’t you both get serious!”