The Sword Master’s Son-in-Law

– Misery Loves Company

A knighthood to protect the family.

A knighthood was, by definition, a group holding the title of knight.

Yes, in short, a force of arms.

Therefore, in a knighthood, the Commander and Vice-Commander had to be stronger than the rank and file.

‘Leaving aside the relationship between liege and knight, a difference in strength is vital if a knight is to respect his senior.’

A commonly held sentiment.

Skill was necessary to earn the respect of junior knights.

Thus, Commander-level were typically mid- to high-level Sword Experts, and in Imperial or Royal Knighthoods, some were even Aura Knights.

And Vice-Commanders were similarly low to high-level.

“Melung, Vice-Commander of the Pure Silver Knights.”

My first opponent was the Vice-Commander of the Pure Silver Knights, the same one I met with Asia.

“I look forward to it.”

“Yes, likewise.”

Melung of the Pure Silver Knights was a mid-level Sword Expert.

Like Asia, he had attained the rank of intermediate.

“Here I come!!!”

Melung rushed forward.

Closing in, he swung his sword.

Not random blows, but structured swordplay.

‘Too textbook.’

No tricks, drawing only honest sword paths.

The hallmark of someone with little practical experience.

‘It can’t be helped, I suppose.’

The Pure Silver Knights were created for the sake of Asia in the future.

The overall level was lower than the other two Knighthoods.

Dodging the sword by a hair’s breadth, I thrust my sword into a momentary gap.

“I yield.”

Melung, with my sword pointed at his throat, immediately surrendered.

.

.

.

I defeated the Vice-Commanders of the Pure Silver, Silver Wolf, and Silver Steel Knighthoods in succession.

Now all that remained were the Commanders.

The first to emerge from the captains was Captain Retid.

A reasonable choice, she thought.

‘Of the three, Captain Retid’s skill is the least refined.’

Retid was on the cusp of becoming an Expert, High-rank.

But the remaining two captains had already ascended beyond that level.

So, this order felt right.

*

Exhausted, Asia sat just outside the arena, watching Arthas’s sparring match.

Arthas’s first opponent was Melung.

‘Melung is strong. He’s reached a similar level to me, but he hasn’t spent any energy. That man won’t be able to beat him easily.’

Watching the spar, Asia soon realized she was wrong.

Arthas and Melung didn’t exchange a single blow.

It ended with Arthas merely dodging Melung’s sword and then holding his own blade to Melung’s throat.

An overwhelming, undeniable difference in skill.

‘…Such a vast difference… High-rank? No. There’s no way that man’s reached that level…’

Asia changed her mind.

‘He’s too young to be at that stage.’

Not quite High-rank, but close to it.

That was Asia’s assessment.

‘If that’s the case, he won’t be a match for the vice-captains.’

Just as Asia predicted, the vice-captains all suffered defeats similar to Melung’s.

Next to enter was Captain Retid.

‘Captain Retid is about to become High-rank. So, maybe, he might have a chance to win.’

Retid was a seasoned knight.

His greatest strength was his experience.

Because of that, even though their skill levels were similar, she believed Retid could potentially win.

But…

‘He’s strong…!’

She knew he was strong, but not this strong.

Asia couldn’t help but be impressed.

The technique Arthas displayed while fighting Retid was almost divine.

‘So, that’s possible…’

Unlike the other vice-captains, Arthas met Retid’s sword strikes head-on.

Yet, Arthas’s sword was not imbued with mana.

Therefore, it should have shattered against Retid’s mana-enhanced wooden sword.

Clang!

When they collided, neither sword broke.

Surely, the wooden sword that was devoid of mana should have shattered.

Asia understood it instantly.

The moment the swords met.

Only in that fleeting moment did Arthurs surround his wooden sword with mana.

Asia felt a prick of displeasure at the sight.

‘…Show-off.’

Asia figured Arthurs was flaunting his skill.

Dismissing his opponent, like he had done with her.

But the truth of the matter was different.

Arthurs was thinking, at that moment:

‘Ugh, why is it so hard to control my strength?’

He was pushing himself, struggling to avoid using too much mana, for fear the wooden sword would break.

*

Commander Retid was strong.

Not in the sense of high attainment, no.

But there was a strength that came from experience.

However–.

‘I can’t say my experience is lacking either.’

There might be a difference in the quantity of experience, but the quality was different.

My sparring partner was that old geezer known as the Sword Saint.

My experience, facing such a monster, was second to none.

“I will end this now!”

I had grasped the knack of injecting mana the instant the swords met.

I poured mana into Commander Retid’s swung sword.

Stronger than before, but not enough to break the wooden sword.

And as the swords collided, Commander Retid’s sword was knocked away.

At the same time, a clear opening presented itself.

I thrust my sword into that opening.

“I yield.”

“Thank you for your efforts.”

Commander Retid’s defeat.

Two commanders remained.

“Wait!!!”

Count Messiah’s sudden shout.

My gaze naturally turned towards Count Messiah.

“You look quite exhausted.”

My current state was anything but exhausted.

Even my breathing was regulated.

So, what Count Messiah wanted to say was…

‘He’s recognized my unique mana.’

He must have realized why I was putting on this strange performance.

Well, it was only natural.

In fact, it seemed that not only Count Messiah, but one of the remaining commanders had also noticed.

“I have a rather splendid proposal for you, I do.”

“A proposal, you say?”

“I shall permit a duel with real swords.”

A duel with real swords.

My gaze drifted to the sword at Asia’s hip.

The Baekhwa Sword.

The only blade I knew that could withstand my unique mana.

“I shall accept with utmost gratitude.”

“I, too, am curious. To see what sort of monster your father has wrought.”

I immediately turned to Asia.

“Lady Asia, would you permit me to borrow your sword?”

“Why is that?”

Asia’s eyes narrowed, sharp and accusing.

It seemed the anger from our previous bout had yet to dissipate entirely.

“Well… it’s just that, being of peculiar mana, I find ordinary weapons cannot withstand it.”

“…Pardon?”

“They shatter rather quickly, you see.”

“They shatter?”

“Indeed. And furthermore, my mana tends to inflict considerable harm upon any opponent it touches.”

“…”

“Of all the swords I know, only the Baekhwa Sword can perfectly endure my mana.”

“I understand.”

Had her anger softened, perhaps?

Asia readily offered me the Baekhwa Sword.

*‘Though it was I who brought the blade, how did it come to seem so distinctly hers?’*

I refrained from voicing this thought aloud.

“Do not break it, under any circumstances.”

“Fear not. Even the Sword Saint himself has wielded this blade without issue.”

In other words, it was hardly likely to break from the likes of me.

“Ahem!!!”

A cough echoed from afar.

Its origin, the Count Messiah.

He seemed rather displeased with my conversation with Asia.

“Well then, are you prepared?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Then let us proceed directly to the next duel. Commander Eunrang!”

“Yes, sir!”

The weaker of the two remaining Commanders stepped forward.

The only woman among the three Commanders.

Appearing to be in her early thirties.

A prodigy, she had risen to the rank of commander at a young age.

“I am Vertnia, Commander of the Silver Wolf Knights.”

“I look forward to learning from you.”

*

Sword Expert, Upper Tier.

The realm Vertnia had attained.

Vertnia observed the opponent she was about to face.

‘Handsome, I must admit.’

A handsome face coupled with exceptional swordsmanship.

And so young, to boot.

If he weren’t the Lady’s betrothed, she might have entertained the thought of making a play.

But Vertnia was intelligent.

A knight who steals her Master’s fiancé… her body and head would surely be separated.

Thus, she banished such idle thoughts, resolving to concentrate on the duel.

“I shall concede the first move.”

Having defeated Commander Retid, she couldn’t bring herself to seize the advantage.

Therefore, Vertnia yielded the initiative to Arthas.

Arthas did not refuse the offered concession.

“I will proceed!”

Arthas swung his sword from low to high towards Vertnia.

‘Skillful, but arrogant.’

To launch a first attack sweeping upwards from below.

It was advantageous simply to strike down and defend.

That the force of a downward blow surpassed that of an upward thrust was self-evident.

Vertnia brought her blade down directly upon Arthas’s ascending sword.

Vertnia considered the outcome of this exchange inevitable.

Unable to withstand the descending force, Arthas’s sword would plummet.

But…

‘Hmm…? Oh…!’

The instant Arthas’s sword made contact.

Vertnia instinctively attempted to retract her blade.

However,

Arthas wouldn’t simply stand by and watch.

*Crrrack!*

A sound like blades grinding against each other.

No, blades *were* grinding.

Not just the edge of the blade.

Vertnia’s entire sword cracked and shattered into pieces.

And so…

“I… I yield.”

Bertnia stared at her shattered magic sword, a look of utter desolation on her face.

‘Unfair, isn’t it?’

Not even a proper clash of blades, it ended simply with a disparity in mana.

That’s why Bertnia’s expression was so forlorn.

But then…

‘I understand the pain of a cherished sword breaking.’

Teddy, who had been watching the duel, deluded himself into thinking she felt the same as he did when his own precious weapon broke.

And so, he nodded, offering his sympathy towards Bertnia’s shattered sword.