Chapter 55: Oh, The Glory Of The Tournament! (15)

“Undefeated Knight?”

“That’s what everyone calls him, haven’t you heard?”

“Never heard of it.”

Keldric shook his head with a shudder. An undefeated knight, he knew nothing about.

“When you say undefeated knight, who are you referring to, by any chance, Sir Ortvin?”

“No, sir. It’s a title for Sir Keldric, not Sir Ortvin.”

“You mean …… me?”

“Yes.”

Keldric has won every tournament match he’s played so far, but he doesn’t feel like he’s shown anything in the immediate future.

In tournament play, showmanship requires flashy or eye-catching stunts, but Keldric doesn’t know any of that, so he just throws down.

The result was more attention and cheers. A look of disbelief crossed Keldric’s face.

“Why me?”

“That’s because you’ve won every match so far!”

Sir Henri, gulping down his wine like it was water, shouldered Keldric over.

The strong odor of alcohol stung Keldric’s nostrils.

“That won’t last more than a few games.”

“That’s a feat in itself. I’d expect to lose one in five matches, at the very least, but you’ve destroyed them all with your skill.”

“That’s…….”

Now that I think about it, Sir Alan’s words were quite a feat.

To win a tournament, a tournament as prestigious and as big as the Bogenberg Tournament, by knocking down five shots and winning with skill.

Hearing about it, even Keldric, who thought he’d just breezed through the field, was in awe.

“Sir Rupert has won six tournaments in a row in other tournaments,” he says, ”but that’s the final tournament, and even he lost a few games.”

To enter a large tournament and win it all, to win every match, was, until now, a feat few had ever accomplished.

It was the aspiration of every knight.

To stand tall against any opponent, to show courage, to win honorably and overwhelmingly, and to claim glory was the epitome of chivalry.

“Many other knights are eager to meet you, perhaps because they are impressed by your honorable actions.”

What’s more, Keldric had gone so far as to divide the rewards equitably after the previous match.

In a group combat match, it was customary to take a share of the knights you defeated. By the rules, Keldric should have gotten a share of the reward from the fifteen.

However, Keldric took only the share of Sir Rupert and Sir Richard, whom he was certain he had defeated, and gave all the rest to the knights of the Blue Guard.

Many of the knights were impressed. In fact, after the game, several knights approached Keldric to shake his hand.

Of course, Keldric had no intention of doing so.

He was just being a jerk, and he wasn’t being fair. Keldric had his reasons for dividing the reward.

“You have no conscience.

Keldric’s snide remark and shutting his mouth was in poor taste.

In a way, it was unintentionally taking away the other knights’ chances, since Keldric had swooped in and wiped them out before they could properly fight.

I don’t think any of the knights would have objected to Keldric taking all of the loot, but they would have been unhappy.

Besides, Keldric had already made enough money in dividends to last him a lifetime, so he didn’t need to be greedy; he was more concerned with showmanship and favor with other knights.

Connections and human favors were not easy to come by, especially the favors of knights who were often proud and foul-mouthed.

There were two ways to win their favor. Appease them with riches, or perform honorable deeds worthy of chivalry.

By not being greedy, Keldric managed to kill two birds with one stone.

“To be honest, if it weren’t for you, Joe the Blue Dragons would be at a bit of a disadvantage, because there’s Sir Rupert over there.”

“Ah, Sir Rupert.”

“Yes. He’s taking on two knights in the center, and he’s not going down easy.”

Sir Rupert’s skills were certainly impressive. Keldric had never been wounded in all his fights.

This time, however, was different. Keldric rubbed at his side, which throbbed slightly.

He had noticed a faint bruise on the inside of his chain mail and gambeson a moment ago.

It was a good thing he had dulled the blade of his tournament sword.

If it had been Sir Rupert’s real sword with a straight blade, Keldric would have had to take a different tactic.

“Does your side still hurt?”

Sir Henri raised an eyebrow at Keldric as he rubbed his side.

It didn’t really hurt, Keldric thought, just a little annoying.

“No. I’m fine.”

“Tell me if it hurts too much. Apparently, there’s a pretty famous barber in town who’s heard the rumors.”

“Uh, um…….”

During this time, barbers who cut hair and beards often took on some of the role of a physician, in that they performed surgical procedures.

If a bone broke or flesh was torn, it was proper to stitch it up or at least wrap it in clean cloth.

But barbers, who were considered professional surgeons, would dab a mixture of herbs and wine on the gaping wound.

To anyone else, they were quacks, but to Keldric, they were quacks.

Keldric would rather go back to the inn and poultice the wound himself.

Other than that, he didn’t know what else to do, and it was a minor wound.

“It’s fine.”

“It is. If you say so.”

Sir Henri had put his trust in Keldric.

Keldric was a good talker, a good shot, and when all that was left to prove was a demonstration of force, and Keldric excelled at that, he was a friend for life.

“You shouldn’t be in pain, and if you are, I’ll introduce you to a doctor I know very well. He’s from the Accademia.”

Sir Alan, too, was fatter than before.

But it wasn’t just because he admired Keldric’s ineptitude, it was also because he had won the match immediately following Keldric’s.

With the mood now jovial, Keldric looked toward the arena where the third game was being played.

“Lord Ortvin! Lord Ortvin!”

“The invincible white knight!”

Sir Ortvin was battling in the arena.

He was taking on three knights, and he was doing a pretty good job, Keldric thought, taking the occasional pounding but holding his ground and not missing a beat.

The stables were also much sturdier than expected, and Sir Ortvin, despite his reputation as a white knight, put up a good fight even without a horse.

“The winners of this match are the brave knights of the Blue Woodpecker Joe, and may God grant tolerance and love to the losers!”

“Waaaah!”

In the end, the winner was Sir Ortvin’s knights of the Woodpeckers.

Several of the knights of the Red Paulownia, who had been defeated by Keldric’s Blue Dragons, and then by Sir Ortwin himself, were furious.

Not that they didn’t deserve it, but losing twice while carrying Ser Rupert was something no one expected.

“Look at that. He’s really pissed off.”

“Is it because of …… or me?”

“Strictly speaking, not because of you, sir, but because of their lack of skill……………. tsk tsk.”

Sir Alan looked at the angry knights and spoke with cold venom.

As he said, Keldric had done nothing wrong. If he wanted to win, he would have to improve his skills.

“Sir Ortvin, Knight of the White Horse, and Sir Rupert, Shield of Lichtenbaum. I thought the fight between these two would be exciting, but now I see it’s a little different.”

“It certainly is. We have an undefeated knight on this side, don’t we?”

Sir Alan and Henri’s gazes focused on Keldric.

Keldric sighed heavily and scratched his head.

Regardless of how the nickname had gotten around, he had other things to worry about right now.

Keldric pulled out his mace, which was hanging loosely around his waist.

He couldn’t see where the mace’s head had gone, and he’d swung it so wildly that it had crumbled into rags in his grip.

The mace Keldric had kept as a spare was completely shredded after one match.

It hadn’t been expensive, but it wasn’t cheap if you didn’t use it as a weapon.

‘Damn. What a waste.’

One match at a time. No matter how cheaply he’d purchased his weapons, it was a waste to break them after every match.

Keldric looked at Mace with a hint of regret, then turned his attention elsewhere with a quick click of his tongue.

“Looks like game four is about to begin.”

Regardless of the broken weapon, Keldric fought one more match after that.

And his reputation is even higher than before.

Now, as he walked out of the arena, many people recognized him as the Undefeated Knight.

It was an embarrassing nickname for Keldric, but he accepted it with trepidation.

It was a good thing to have a title.

Knights who had done something remarkable or honorable usually made a name for themselves that way.

Of course, if Keldric didn’t win the tournament, he’d be forgotten as an undefeated knight, but if he did, the title of “Undefeated Knight” would help to promote his reputation.

As the tournament progressed, more and more knights were eliminated. One such knight was Red Paulownia, who lost twice today.

As he watched them leave the arena in dismay, Keldric steeled himself.

And so the third day of the Bogenberg Tournament came to an end.

☩    ☩    ☩    ☩    ☩    ☩    ☩

Why do people get so excited about knightly battles?

Perhaps it’s the vicarious satisfaction of releasing some of the primal violence pent up inside.

But even if you’re enthusiastic about something so stimulating, it can get tiresome after a few days of watching.

“No game today?”

“It’s the Duke of Bogenberg’s birthday. There’s a banquet at the castle.”

After three days of breathless play, the tournament was temporarily suspended.

The banquet at the castle was intended to provide a respite from the tense atmosphere of the tournament, to celebrate Count Bogenberg’s birthday, and to project power and authority.

and a show of power and authority.

“I look forward to the banquet food.”

“What would a foolish knight of Britas know? I hope he doesn’t drink wine and grumble like someone from some dog’s genealogical family. I’m sure he’d have some idea.

I’m sure he’s got some sense.”

“For God’s sake, just go for it, a duel on the spot!”

Of course, Sir Henri and Sir Alan didn’t know any better and were looking forward to the banquet.

Sir Henri had come to Bogenberg for one reason, a distant relative of his was attending the banquet, and he had arranged for his fiancé.

Sir Alan thought that good things were good things.

The thought of good food, good drink, and a lively banquet excited even the normally dour knight of Brittas.

“Ser Keldric. I apologize. I was a little……….”

Alyssa was the opposite.

Coming from a fallen noble family, she didn’t seem to mind a banquet full of nobles and knights.

But Keldric wanted her by his side.

Alyssa’s human dictionary would be a great help if he ever encountered a noble he didn’t recognize, or a banquet etiquette he wasn’t familiar with.

“I won’t stop you if you’re uncomfortable, but I’d like you to come with me.”

“…….”

“If anyone tries to make a scene, let me know. I’ll do my best to stop them.”

“Go, I’ll go……………”

Keldric didn’t need to prepare much.

Servicing his armor was part of his daily routine, and all he needed was a clean surcoat.

His usual surcoat was often spattered with blood and dirt.

Keldric washed and used it as much as he could, but it was still polite to dress formally for important occasions.

From among the items shoved into Boreas’s saddle pockets, Keldric pulled out a spare surcoat from his family’s collection.

A surcoat with a bear on its front paws against a pristine ultramarine blue background.

The family crest was essential at a banquet like this. It was one’s duty to proudly display one’s family crest in some way.

“I’m going to drink until my nose is crooked tonight.”

“You say that as if it hasn’t happened before. Are all Frankish knights drunkards like you?”

“If you want to be embarrassed at a banquet, keep saying that.”

Keldric mounted Boreas, looking cleaner than usual, and rode with his companions toward the castle, which towered above all others in Bogenberg.

‘A banquet…….’

Though he knows the basics of etiquette, Keldric has never attended a noble’s banquet before.

He was excited to experience the food and the atmosphere.

The idea of playing dice with his head doesn’t sit well with him.