33 - The Bookworm’s Second Life

The road to the royal capital might lead to an encounter with bandits! Or perhaps you might run into something similar! A classic story where someone rescues a damsel in distress and becomes a hero! If someone were to babble on about that kind of stuff, Zion thought he might smack them on the head. What madman would think bandits would dare to collect tolls in the middle of a highway leading to the royal palace? Mercantile groups have escorts akin to regular soldiers, and high-ranking figures are protected by their own private guards. If the country were in such dire straights that highway robberies were rampant, it wouldn’t rightfully even be called a kingdom. ‘I’m bored... I actually miss my phone for the first time.’ Carriage, city, carriage, some noble’s estate, carriage again, another city, and once more a carriage. It felt much like his military days, shuffling endlessly between storage facilities and supply depots. Zion glanced around inside the carriage. Lilith had long ago fallen asleep on his lap, while Lucia had been silently engrossed in mana training for over an hour. Rischida was riding outside on horseback, leaving the protagonist, Kim Yuhyeon... Clatter—. Clatter—. The sword was being drawn from its sheath and pushed back in, over and over again. There was no particular reason for it. It was simply an absent-minded habit of Kim Yuhyeon. “...” Clatter—. Clatter—. ‘What a troublesome guy. He’s scary enough even without adding more to it. I’m afraid he’ll show up in my nightmares.’ His vacant eyes made him look like a true madman. With a bit of blood on his face and that sword swinging, he'd be the perfect image of a fierce ghost. Or perhaps a sword-dancing serial killer? “Master.” Upon hearing the voice calling him, Zion opened the window of the carriage slightly. Rischida was right beside it, whispering in the smallest voice possible so as not to disturb the others inside. “We’ll be arriving at the capital by tomorrow morning. So, I was thinking maybe we should rest here for today.” “And?” “The other knights mentioned they’d rather avoid the city with that noble’s estate.” At those words, Zion tilted his head, roughly gauged the date and distance, and then let out a sound of realization. This must be ‘that guy’s’ place. ‘The Marquis of Redenen.’ A noble house known for producing many strong-willed warriors. The issue was that their members could range from being highly competent to completely inept, clearly distinguishing their best from their worst. In the middle of the novel, Kim Yuhyeon encounters an incorrigible fool there. “Rischida. Are there any other noble estates near the Marquis of Redenen’s land?” “None that we’ve heard of.” “It's rather awkward to sleep in the carriage again. Since Marquis Redenen knows my father a bit, let the knights know it’s better to pay him a visit.” “Yes, understood.” Fortunately, the current head of the Redenen family, Volko Redenen, was considered a reasonable person. An acquaintance of the Duke of Lichton. Not exactly close friends united in a bromantic friendship, but perhaps keen competitors keeping an eye on one another. The issue, though, was his son. ‘I remember because his name is quite striking. Ludwig Redenen, who claims to be the knight leading the kingdom's future.’ Make no mistake. He claims this himself, no one else does. He even introduces himself with this title to others, causing listeners to cringe with secondhand embarrassment, although he remains blissfully unaware. And it doesn't end there. Living in his self-aggrandizing delusion, he was profoundly skilled in looking down on and disregarding others. This was why things between him and Kim Yuhyeon were rocky right from the start, and when Hispania fell into crisis, they were too busy snarling at and checking each other. ‘Luckily, his incompetence led him to an early retirement, otherwise, I would’ve become Zion Claughsen, wielding mana.’ Such words would have greatly offended Ludwig, who already had a strained relationship with Kim Yuhyeon. But his relationship with Zion Claughsen was far worse, largely due to the fact that his first love, a lady from another noble house, fell for Zion, leading her to neglect Ludwig entirely. ‘An unnecessarily handsome guy. Perhaps the author did that on purpose...’ Zion Claughsen was described to be quite handsome, something that unexpectedly attracted women to him. Maybe the writer was suggesting an inverse relationship between mana sensitivity and appearance. Meanwhile, the carriage was approaching the Marquis of Redenen’s estate. Evidently, being one of the top ten prestigious families in the kingdom, the grandeur of the place was apparent right from the start. The saying goes that a wealthy family can endure for three years even after going broke, and indeed, this family managed to hold out to some extent despite the collapse of Hispania. Of course, later on, they ended up in complete ruin due to Sache, Trisha Faker. “Where are we?” “They say it's the Marquis of Redenen’s place where we’ll be staying for the night.” “Hmm. It seems there are quite a few impressive people here. I can sense a lot of strong mana presence.” Kim Yuhyeon, having snapped out of his earlier daze, was now looking outside the window with a keen gleam in his eyes. He seemed intrigued by the presence of competent knights around. Of course, to him and his companion, the knights were merely ‘delicious experience points’ to be had. “Alright, everyone. Focus. Focus.” “?” “I have two pieces of advice before we enter the Marquis of Redenen’s castle.” “What are they?” “Firstly, don’t be alarmed. Take it as genuine.” “Huh?” “Secondly. Don’t be surprised. It’s just who he is.” It was an ominous warning. Neither Lilith nor Lucia, Rischida who was riding beside, nor even Kim Yuhyeon could understand what it meant and could only tilt their heads in confusion. The reason became clear only after they entered the courtyard of the Marquis of Redenen’s estate. “Welcome, all of you, to the Marquis of Redenen’s house.” Ah, I am Ludwig Redenen, the perfect knight candidate to lead the future of Hispania. Ah, yes, that's right. The heir of this noble house.” “...” "Don't be alarmed. That's just how he is," Zion's earlier words echoed in the minds of his companions. What made the situation even more absurd was when Ludwig, after declaring himself the heir of the house and the perfect knight for the kingdom's future, smiled and confidently shushed everyone, as if that added a dignified weight to his words. In any other context, this might have been taken as a joke that guests encountered upon arrival. But for Ludwig, this was simply a regular part of life. A man who lived each day fueled by his own magnificence and self-importance! “But there seems to be an uninvited guest among you?” Gone was the oily confidence, replaced by Ludwig’s suddenly threatening presence. He approached Zion, standing with his arms crossed and looking at him with an air of superiority evident in his voice. “Are you now even trying to steal the credit from the Duke? I almost feel sorry for the Duke having such an incapable son.” “...?” The sudden confrontation and the insulting remarks were so unexpected that it could be mistaken for a banter among friends. But Zion’s reaction made it clear that wasn’t the case. “As the heir to the Marquis of Redenen, you should maintain some dignity, Ludwig.” “Hah! And you expect me to take that from someone who remains cloistered in his duchy, dreaming of seducing women? Dignity? Do you even deserve to speak of it?” Now everyone understood Zion’s cautioning words: "Don't be surprised, that's just how he is." Zion, having anticipated such a scenario, replied calmly. “I don’t.” “What?” “I don’t deserve to talk about dignity since I'm fully aware of what kind of person I am.” People say it takes two hands to clap, but by deflecting so smoothly, Zion made Ludwig’s attempts at provocation look foolish. Despite the maturity that Zion’s response exuded, it only served to further incense Ludwig. ‘This guy's got some nerve.’ Ludwig was taken aback. Zion Clausen was known for flying into a rage whenever provoked. Once he got the reaction he wanted, Ludwig would challenge Zion to prove himself through swordplay, at which point Zion would invariably silence himself. Every time, Ludwig called Zion a coward who feared dueling, giving him an insult he couldn’t rebut, and relished watching Zion shake with indignation. But now Zion’s demeanor was different; he seemed determined not to engage in Ludwig’s taunts. ‘What an absurd move!’ If Zion thought Ludwig would back down just like that, he was sorely mistaken. After all, Ludwig knew exactly how to sink Zion Clausen. When it came to swordplay, Zion, overwhelmed and frightened like a whipped puppy, would always back off. Ludwig believed this encounter would be no different. “The first son of the kingdom’s great defender, the Duke of Clausen, concedes so easily? If I were you, I would have grabbed a sword to settle what's right and wrong, Zion Clausen.” “...” “Such a pity. If only you enjoyed wielding a sword...” “I don't enjoy it. But I do know how to use it. Shall we test each other, then?” “What?” For a moment, Ludwig couldn’t believe his ears. Zion Clausen—known for his face but feared for his cowardice, especially regarding swords—was proposing a duel. This Zion Clausen was actually suggesting a swordfight to Ludwig Redenen, heir of the Marquessate, the knight entrusted with the kingdom's future? “...What’s your game here?” Ludwig, witnessing Zion’s sudden change, couldn’t help but feel suspicious. Could this mean Zion had made significant advancements in his skills? Perhaps his participation in the war had something to do with his newfound confidence? After all, rumor had it Zion had distinguished himself in battle against Nudia. Perhaps that experience had something to do with this boldness. “I just felt that being the war hero I am, I shouldn’t be underestimated too easily. Don’t you realize how much I suffered in the war against Nudia, Ludwig Redenen?” “...” Ludwig smirked inwardly. Zion Clausen, going into battle and fighting against Nudia? This was the same person who avoided simple sparring sessions out of fear. Understanding dawned upon Ludwig. Zion, who had been dragged to the battlefield by his father, must have fortuitously tasted victory and now believed he had achieved this through his own efforts. ‘Foolish guy. I was anxious for a moment thinking he might have changed after the war, but I was wrong.’ By anyone's standards, Ludwig saw himself as a prime candidate for knighthood, capable of taking on lower-ranking knights with ease. Today, Zion would meet his match. ‘I was already miffed at the news of Zion getting glorified as a war hero at the capital. Now’s the chance to drag his pride to the ground.' Determined, Ludwig allowed a moment of pretended indecision, before shrugging as if he was left with no choice. “Well, if you insist, I guess I have no choice. Follow me. I was planning a shower before heading to my room, so a bit of sweating first sounds fine." “I agree, Ludwig.” Ludwig anticipated the thrilling satisfaction, wondering who this 'Lady' Zion would impress after he was thoroughly humiliated in the impromptu duel. A woman with an intellectual aura, whose beauty was apparent beneath her seemingly cold exterior. Ludwig, gazing at Lucia, felt an overwhelming urge to completely crush Zion, to strip away every ounce of his unfounded confidence. “Shall we begin then?” The training grounds were not far, and soon Zion and Ludwig stood facing each other with wooden swords. Zion casually glanced at his companions. The first person he noticed was Lucia, who seemed to be the most anxious out of them all. In this world, lacking the ability to use mana often meant being at a disadvantage even in a simple sword duel. Her concern for him was understandable. Lilith’s expression was obscured by the hood of her cloak, but Zion imagined her reaction would be similar to Lucia’s. As for Kim Yuhyeon... ‘Don’t make that face. It’s unsettling. Seriously, it’s disturbing!’ Perhaps Kim Yuhyeon empathized with a man trying to maintain his pride despite his lack of strength. He bore a mildly uncomfortable expression. “So, let’s see a demonstration of that battlefield swordplay of yours.” Ludwig’s mocking tone only amused Zion inwardly. Ludwig boasted about his so-called "real combat skills," which to Zion sounded like an open invitation to use any means necessary. “The rules for victory are simple. It ends when a sword is pointed at the opponent’s neck. Any objections?” The statement was obvious; there was no room for objections. The moment those words were spoken, Ludwig had unwittingly handed Zion the win. [Author’s Note] Four chapters in progress. How about a recommendation?