The Hero Becomes the Duke’s Eldest Son

Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter 38

The Sacred Sword, Sedus.

As soon as these two keywords combined, he realized who his opponent was.

‘Taion Sedus.’

He was the son of the Border Count, Tiried Sedus, and was about two years older than Aden.

“Lord Taion. Nice to meet you.”

“Shut up! You thief who stole our family’s heirloom!”

“How dare you speak to Master Aden like that…!”

“Lowe, calm down.”

Just as Lowe was about to get angry at Lord Taion’s harsh words, Aden placed a hand on Lowe’s shoulder and shook his head.

Lord Taion’s furious shout caused a stir among the other nobles.

“Heirloom theft…?”

“Wait, look at the sword at Prince Remes’s waist!”

Some recognized the sword hanging from Aden’s waist and were astonished.

It was Baalzebul, known as one of the heirlooms of the Sedus family.

To shout so recklessly in front of everyone… Taion seemed to have inherited his father’s temperament.

“Everyone seems to be mistaken. I obtained this through a fair bet.”

“A fair bet? How ridiculous! You swindler!”

Lord Taion’s face was filled with anger and jealousy.

Originally, an heirloom was supposed to be possessed only by the head of the family.

In other words, Taion Sedus was supposed to be the next owner of Baalzebul.

From Taion’s perspective, it was an unacceptable situation.

“That’s not something a mere prince like you should possess! Hand it over now!”

Aden almost burst out laughing at Taion’s forceful demand.

‘How laughable.’

Aden found Lord Taion amusing.

He was a typical, authoritarian young master.

He oddly reminded Aden of his younger brother, Carl.

“No, I don’t think so.”

“What, what?”

Aden shrugged.

“What did I supposedly deceive you with to be called a swindler?”

“That… that artifact in the bet with my father…”

“The use of the artifact was acknowledged by him. Are you saying Count Tiried’s decision was wrong?”

“Sh-shut up!”

Lord Taion gritted his teeth.

Inside, he blamed his father, Tiried.

‘Father, why!’

His father, the Border Count Tiried, had gone to the southern border and lost the sacred sword there.

He had laughed heartily and said he lost it in a bet to a rogue.

From the son’s point of view, it was maddening that a father praised as a Sword Master had gambled away the heirloom to a rogue prince.

And the opponent was none other than the notorious rogue prince, Aden Remes!

It was an unbearable humiliation.

Although his father often caused trouble, this time it was particularly severe.

“You’re saying you won’t hand it over unless I ask nicely.”

Lord Taion exuded a fierce aura.

Aden could sense with his mana sensitivity that it was the aura of a high-level Sword Aura practitioner.

It was a level difficult to reach at the age of twenty.

He was indeed the son of a Sword Master.

Swoosh!

Lord Taion drew his sword and aimed it at Aden.

“Prince Aden Remes! I, Taion Sedus, challenge you to a duel! If you lose, hand over the 72-sword!”

Aden couldn’t help but sigh.

To draw a sword at the Crown Prince’s birthday celebration.

He was hot-tempered and reckless.

Aden was about to firmly refuse.

Clap, clap, clap.

A leisurely clapping sound was heard.

The large door opened, and someone appeared.

Clink, clink, clink!

Imperial knights, engraved with the royal emblem, entered.

They exuded the aura of strong warriors.

They were high-level Sword Aura practitioners.

Escorted by such knights, a man walked in.

He had golden eyes and blonde hair like the sun.

The steward urgently shouted.

“Announcing the arrival of the Imperial Sun! The next ruler of the Empire! Crown Prince Mars Immortalia has arrived!”

The Crown Prince Mars, his entrance surprised the nobles, who bowed their heads.

“C-Crown Prince!”

Taion, who had been shouting, froze in front of the Crown Prince.

With his appearance, Taion’s anger cooled, and he regained his senses.

Then he suddenly became scared.

Drawing a sword in the Imperial Palace’s banquet hall could be immediately punishable.

“We greet the Empire’s Sun, Your Highness.”

Aden and Lord Taion knelt simultaneously before the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince smiled and spoke to Taion.

“Haha, I heard an interesting story beyond the door. A duel…”

“S-sorry, Your Highness.”

“Aah, no need to apologize.”

Fortunately, the Crown Prince did not reprimand Taion.

“Lord Taion’s martial prowess is well known. And recently, I heard rumors of Prince Aden’s activities in his territory.”

He looked at Aden and Taion with a curious face.

His face had a mischievous smile that was quite meaningful.

“So, I would like to see both of your martial skills.”

Aden’s expression immediately twisted into dismay.

Crown Prince Mars Immortalia.

Although he was known to have the qualities of a wise king, he had one problem.

He had a peculiar obsession with combat spectacles.

He couldn’t get enough of knights’ duels, arena fights, and especially battles involving monsters.

He preferred fights to the death.

Although he had the ability suited for an emperor, Aden personally didn’t like him.

‘Of all times, why now.’

There was no way the battle-obsessed Crown Prince would miss the chance to watch a fight.

“So, what will you do?”

Although it was phrased as a suggestion, Aden and Taion had no choice.

If they refused, it would be seen as defying the royal family’s suggestion.

With the Crown Prince’s support, Taion’s voice became more assertive.

“I promise to have an honorable duel, Your Highness!”

The situation progressed rapidly, without a chance to stop it.

The people cleared the center of the hall, and Aden and Lord Taion faced each other.

The party atmosphere quickly turned into that of an arena.

It was a duel, and to prevent any fatal injuries, the use of Sword Aura was prohibited.

“Lowe, hold onto this for a moment.”

Artifacts were also prohibited, so Aden handed his ring to Lowe.

Aden and Lord Taion stood facing each other and bowed formally.

Having come this far, Aden decided to finish the duel quickly.

Taion glared at Aden and spoke.

“You’ll regret not listening to me.”

“Just come.”

Since they were about to cross swords, Aden decided to speak informally to Lord Taion.

“You’re arrogant!”

Taion took his stance and circulated mana within himself.

Thaat!

He kicked off the ground and aimed a high slash at Aden.

Swoosh!

Taion’s sword cut through the air swiftly.

It was a fast sword strike with the power of a high-level Sword Aura practitioner.

Clang!

Aden’s sword met Taion’s, blocking the attack.

Thanks to his training with the Phantom Dance and Gehenna’s Poison, Aden had gained mana and strength equivalent to a mid-level Sword Aura practitioner.

Because of that, he could block the sword of a high-level Sword Aura practitioner.

Clang, clang, claaang!

Lord Taion unleashed a barrage of attacks on Aden.

‘His swordsmanship is quite impressive.’

As expected of the son of the Border Count Tiried, his strength, speed, and skills were excellent.

His swordsmanship was infused with the wild energy characteristic of the northeastern region, which often faced monster floods.

‘But he’s immature.’

While it would have been an impressive skill for the knights of the Remes territory, it was lacking for Aden.

While Aden was thinking this, Taion was inwardly shocked.

‘He’s blocking everything?’

He mixed unorthodox strikes within his orthodox barrage.

But Aden was breaking through even those unorthodox strikes as if he had anticipated them.

It was natural.

It was so smooth and natural that it seemed to others as if they were fighting according to a prearranged script.

Taion had thought Aden was just a pretentious fool.

A fool who had won against his father by cheating with an artifact.

But contrary to his expectations, Aden was skillfully blocking all his attacks.

‘Surely, my mana level is higher. But his swordsmanship is superior!’

Being naturally talented, Taion quickly realized that Aden possessed skill and experience equal to or surpassing his own and was stunned.

At that moment.

Aden deflected Taion’s sword and quickly closed in on him.

His sword aimed for Taion’s throat.

‘I have to block it!’

Startled, Taion reflexively managed to block it.

Clang!

He successfully blocked an attack aimed at his weak spot, feeling a moment of relief.

Smack!

But then a dull impact struck his head, sending pain coursing through his skull.

“Ugh…!”

The impact jarred his brain, making his vision sway.

Why?

He had blocked the sword, hadn’t he?

Through his blurred vision, he saw something in Aden’s other hand.

‘A scabbard…?’

Aden had struck Taion’s head with the scabbard while he was distracted by the sudden attack.

Lord Taion staggered.

Aden did not miss the opportunity.

Thwack!

Aden’s enhanced fist struck Taion’s solar plexus with all his might.

“Ugh!”

Taion’s eyes widened as he spat out a breath.

Taion’s body bent like a shrimp and was sent flying.

-Why did I bet the sacred sword, you ask? Hahaha! You’ll understand once you face Aden!

Why did his father’s words come to mind at this moment?

Thud!

Taion’s body flew about two meters and fell.

He foamed at the mouth and convulsed.

Aden sheathed his sword and casually spoke to the unconscious Taion.

“Remember, the scabbard can be as good a weapon as the sword.”

Well, not that he could hear it.

It was one of the practical techniques of dual-wielding, known as ‘Dual Blade,’ using the scabbard.

It was often used by mercenaries but rarely by knights.

But it wasn’t against the rules.

It was a complete victory for Aden.

The once-excited banquet hall fell into a cold silence.

The nobles couldn’t believe what had just happened.

They were speechless.

‘What did I just see?’

‘Count Tiried’s son, Lord Taion, lost? To that rogue?’

And not just lost, he was lying foaming at the mouth, spread out on the ground.

A servant, who had been unable to stop Taion and was flustered, quickly carried him away.

In their common sense, Aden should have been the one lying there.

But reality was different.

The Crown Prince clapped his hands.

“What a splendid duel!”

The Crown Prince praised Aden highly.

It seemed he had quite enjoyed the spectacle.

“Everyone, congratulate Prince Aden Remes on his victory!”

At the Crown Prince’s command, the nobles’ children awkwardly began to clap, still in shock.

They all wore expressions of confusion and reluctance.

Only the Crown Prince and Lowe seemed pleased.

Clap, clap, clap!

Applause for Aden filled the banquet hall.

—

Thus, the brief commotion ended, and the banquet continued.

People talked to each other, albeit more awkwardly than before.

Among them, many began to approach Aden.

“Haha, do you remember me? Prince Aden. I am the second son of Count Arant.”

“Prince Remes, I am the eldest son of Viscount Besnio. Please remember me…”

“I am the eldest daughter of Viscount Castel…”

Some of these were the ones who had previously ignored Aden.

It seemed Aden’s victory over Taion had been quite shocking to them.

Aden gave perfunctory replies, ignoring their flattery and greetings.

Just as he was starting to feel bored, a voice called out.

“Are you Prince Aden Remes?”

When Aden looked up, a young man with a handsome appearance was standing there.

He had light gray hair and eyes with a bluish tint, and a gentle, handsome face.

He seemed to be around the same age as Aden.

Crack.

Aden clenched his fist in anger for a moment upon seeing him.

Then he immediately regained his composure.

‘He looks like him.’

The man resembled someone Aden knew, but he was a different person.

The man extended his hand to Aden for a handshake.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Dayer Sias, the second son of Grand Duke Sias.”

Dayer Sias.

He was the younger brother of Sylbeta Sias, one of Aden’s betrayers.

He was the second person Aden had been searching for.