Note: The Magic spell that are about to use are in their ancient words and couldn’t translate in normal tongue. And because this is the first time I’m writing a Fantasy Novel that I might make few or more errors.
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Its two years has passed.
A two youngster who had the identical faces and hair style were chatting while their out strolling across the village, the girl greets the people who pass by while troublingly dragged the boy around. Although the boy hasn’t said anything and wasn’t particularly annoyed by it still accompanies that girl.
“Ne~h… I heard that there’s a new family just moved into the mansion last month, let’s go greet them.”
The boy gave a sign and replied.
“It’s almost been three week since you heard the news, and you just made up your mind to greet them… Hah…”
Once again gave a bit heavy sign to the girl, but it got shrugged away easily.
“It’s because you’ve been busy for the last two weeks, and doesn’t had time to spare.”
“Then you should have told me beforehand so I could have accompanied you the day after.”
“’A-Accompanied’…!”
She began to fidget with her fingers and start mumbling to herself. Though the boy seems to have guessed that she misunderstood something and wanted correct her but didn’t do so after the girl came from her delusion.
“Ahem… if that’s the case it couldn’t be help… after all, Dear Brother was the one who’ve been doing father’s work since he left a year ago.”
“Well, it couldn’t be help… he had to meet someone he knew of at Alderblue Region.”
The Identity of the two youngsters, who had knowledge of a chant-less magics, was Zenlocke and Zyneste of the Rudlith Family. Behind next to them was Sybil wearing her casual clothing on her holiday off, though it is her holiday she insisted to accompany them on their walk time to times.
On the distance, they could see a young boy who’s wearing expensive silk clothing from top to bottom with a brown spot could be seen near the waist area.
“Do you know how expensive these cloths were?!”
At this distance, the shout of the young boy could be heard that filled with anger towards the two village-merchants, while prostrating with their head touching the ground. Even with them lowering their pride towards the young boy just to beg their forgiveness.
Later on the boy left the scene, with a furious look on his face, towards the direction they were heading to.
“Afflon, what happened? Who was that person just now?”
“Just a spoiled brat who just got dirt on his waist…”
“Calm now, Jasco… there is no use on fighting something small, his just a kid…”
“Even so…”
“Thanks you for worrying about us, Zyn…”
“Is that the boy who moved here with his family?”
“Yes… it seems that he is, this is the first time I saw him. You should be careful not to get a fight with him alright?”
“Yes, I‘ll be careful.”
The two merchants climbed back the cart and went straight to the village.
§ § §
I am Dinfar Nerus, First Son of Jizath Nerus and future to be heir of the household.
Being the first kid to have their magic to reach of an Advance level proves that I'm a person seen as a genius by everyone.
Even at school, my teachers and classmates flatter me of my brilliant achievements and I was the pride of my school.
I wasn't attached to my school after learning that we had to move to our new mansion. —actually I was happy to get away from that place.
Today we arrive at the remote-village with only few of our servant that came with us and those who went ahead to prepare for our arrival.
It wasn't the image of a mansion but more like a castle with a tall stone wall surrounding the house, perfect house for nobles.
Few villagers came one after another to greet our safety arrival, and some villagers came to be our acquaintance. People who want to take advantage for their business.
I bragged of my genius to our guests on being the Top of my school and being the first person to be able to use advance level magic for such a young age, but they were not completely amazed by it.
At first, I thought that it couldn't be help because few people knew of how difficult to learn Advance level magic, then one of our servant told me of a rumor of a young magician more skilled than me and capable of using High-Advance level magic.
Another rumor began to float right after, it said that he defeated a boar monster said to be a D-ranked. Not with magic, but with only two dagger single-handedly defeating it on a hastened manner. He thought that his rival was a magician but a swordsman as well.
"Hmph... I won't believe such an obviously lie, there is no way a kid same as me to defeat a monster single-handedly with only two dagger."
He begins to believe that this rumored person is a fictional that do not exist and the story that were spreading were just exaggerated nothing but a mere story. But his thoughts were overturned after hearing that this person is living at the far west of the village and this person called was Zenlocke Rudlith.
After learning where the rumored person lived, I began to go on a trip to meet this person and see it with my very own eyes whether this person’s ability were what they spoke of. But I had returned soon after a commoner dirtied my expensive cloths.
Soon after, I was told that we had guest waiting at the room downstairs and was told by my mother, Olivia Nerus, to come meet them as well.
“My name is Zyneste Rudlith, and next to me is my older twin brother, Zenlocke Rudlith.”
After learning the name of our guest, the person that I had to meet just came to me instead. He seems to be the same age as me but achieved greater than myself, there is no way I’ve lose to this person. So I gave him a warm welcome.
“I’ve heard about you, Zenlocke…”
“Nn? What sort of words did you hear?”
“They say that, your one with a skill of a high-caliber in both magic and swordsmanship.”
“…..”
“Defeating a D-Rank monster by a single person, using only two daggers is hardly believable. Even a smart kid like me would not believe such tale. That’s why…”
Stood on an intimidating pose with his chin raising high like looking down on someone, and then loudly gave a declaration in that instant.
“I, Dinfar Nerus, Oldest son of the Nerus Household, Challenge you to a one-on-one duel. To decide whether you deserve such praise!”
I’ll show you that I’m more powerful than you…
Zenlocke expression hasn’t changed after being looked down and still maintains his nonchalantly smile, he didn’t even flinched a slightest bit from what just happened and the only person who was surprised of what he said was Zyneste.
Olivia didn’t seem to care of him being rude to the guest and didn’t batter a word, completely remain her smile.
§ § §
Zenlocke gladly accepted the duel, now they’re at the garden readying for the duel. Both of them had distance between them by 10 meters apart, and the referee was Bein, the head butler.
“Allow me, Bein the Head Butler of the Nerus Household, to be the referee and judge the duel, and explain the rule for this duel.”
Spoiler :
-Both parties are allowed to use magic and their training sword to show off their skills and knowledge to submit your opponent to defeat.
-Fatal strike or attacks that cause irrecoverable damage to your opponents are strictly forbidden. This is also applies to magic.
-Stepping outside the Field, the garden, is immediately considered defeated, but anything inside the field could be used to obstruct your opponent.
-The Victory condition are when one party surrender or incapable of further combat.
-The time limit for the battle is 15 minutes, when the time meets it end and both parties are still capable of continuing, it’ll be decided by the referee to declare the duel a draw or not.
After Bein have explained the following rules, he put on a pose that to ready on his mark. Raising his right hand then gave a glance of his left, and to his right.
“I will show you who is stronger.”
“…..”
“START!”
As the match begins, Zenlocke quickly moved towards me as I begin to chant a magic to immobilize his movement any further.
Dinfar began to chant spell as he pointed his wand towards him, and shouted out, “[Electric Shock]”.
A small snake-like lightning came out from his hand and it went straight towards Zenlocke, but was easily evaded quickly and leaps further at the side. He chants his next attack after Zenlocke had evaded the first magic, “[Crystal Storm]”.
Around him was an ice crystal that was form from thin air and continuously flies towards Zenlocke’s direction, while he continue to evade the ice crystal Dinfar form a large Ice crystal and went flying towards him.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
When it was about to hit, it immediately got sliced into pieces in an instant. He was shock that the Ice crystal that he created and hardens was immediately destroyed, a puff of smoke suddenly appears when Zenlocke is.
Seeing the smoke appeared of nowhere, Dinfar quickly charge towards him to take advantage of this opportunity to fight him in close combat.
Putting his strength to strike Zenlocke inside of the smoke while he disabled his view but something came out of it, a small [Water Ball] had send flying towards him and quickly dodge the attack.
Even though it’s one of the basic magic, the speed of its velocity was fast to be caught by a normal person’s eye.
“Was that an Elementary-Water class? It’s more like an Intermediate-Water class or higher.”
Someone anonymously announced from the audience without even knowing who made its own remark of the battle.
Certainly this is a duel of both geniuses, furthermore neither of them were using their strongest for it may accidentally hurt the spectators, although Dinfar uses most of his strong magic that could make an adult knockout.
Once dodged, he looked at where the attack went through and it hit the vase.
The magic may seem to be a fatal attack but there weren’t any traces of broken pieces around the grass and the vase was somewhat holding into something slimy.
Judging from the slimy substance it came from the attack that were used against him, it wasn’t use to inflict damage but to capture and immobilized that target once contact. –The proper name for this magic was [Slime Ball].
The attack didn’t stop, once again Dinfar recited the [Crystal Storm] after gaining a bit distance from Zenlocke then barrage him with Ice Crystals.
The magic were continuously fire towards the smoke and moment his attack stop a glacier of ice were produce, but there weren’t any trace of living for it was thick ice that could see through clearly.
“….. Did I have him?”
I didn’t notice but I was already panting as I made a confirmation but none of them had given an answer. Zyneste and Olivia were silently watching over them while the other spectators where murmuring whether if he won or the fight is still on.
“Such frightening skill you had.”
“Wah—“
Zenlocke appeared standing behind him and he wasn’t particularly on an offensive or a defensive stance, his sword was resting on his shoulder while leaning at the tree besides him.
I couldn’t stand it that my attack that could easily corner any person has evaded effortlessly by this person, if I couldn’t beat him on a magic battle, how about a sword battle.
Quickly jumping back as he turns on mid-air to ready his strike once closed in, swinging the sword with the advantage of the momentum of when he turn.
Even if he evaded my magic attack, this swing won’t be block easily, is what Dinfar had thought. But he had realized that his staring not Zenlocke, his opponent, but the sky, lying on the ground.
“Wha—“
‘What just happened?’ is he wanted to say but he was too late to ask this question.
“The winner to this duel is none other than, Zenlocke Rudith!”
It happened so instantaneously that no one among the spectator nor do I know what had happen, and couldn’t even keep up with his movement. There he only stood without even breaking a sweat.
It’s been a day since I felt that humiliating defeat.
Even if I, myself, already knew that I had been defeated fair and square but my pride begs the differ. Though inside of me felt a strange tingling of excitement right after the battle and the sensation while dueling still lingers.
I couldn’t accept that someone younger than me by a year is more stronger from I had ever face so far, we did too had some mock battle back in my school and I had defeated those whose older than me by two years and was easily defeated by someone year younger.
I won’t accept this, I will surpass you Zenlocke. And when that happens, I’ll make sure to return the dept of humiliating me twofold.
§ § §
<
A week later, he was invited back to the Nerus mansion.
Two figures appeared in front of their house on their doorstep, on the right was a man in his mid-30s wearing a black suit of a servant and to his left was a woman of his youthfulness that look to be around of an age of 18 or 20. –A New face he had saw in a while.
“Is this the Rudlith residence?"
Without waiting for a reply to her confirmation had already handed over a letter, with a waxed emblem imprinted to it, gave it to the young lady besides me.
Seeing ‘that’ emblem I realized that this people were employed by the Nerus Household, although I wondered why it had to be delivered with an escort along with it.
“This Letter was written by the First Daughter of the Nerus Household, thank you for receiving it. If you may excuse us, please have a good day.”
Then they left once they’ve handed over the letter.
Although we haven’t had any word with either Olivia or Dinfar so far, and now we’ve received a letter from the First Daughter without even meeting her or even knowing of her existence.
I do know that Dinfar is the First Son of the Nerus household but it didn’t comes to me that his isn’t the only child of the house, I was merely surprised to know that he had an older or a younger sister and even had invited by her.
And that’s how I got invited back, it said in the letter that I should come alone but Sybil insisted to come along with me no matter what I said, she already had decided herself.
We aren’t waiting at the entertainment room but at the garden different from where I battled with Dinfar, it’s the garden where they used it exclusively for party or meetings with the nobles.
“Sorry to trouble you for waiting, I am the First Daughter, Ciallana Tressa Nerus. Older sister of Dinfar Nerus, and number one candidate for the succession of the Nerus family headship.”
The host has finally arrived but I never expect that the one who visited us at our house to hand over a letter and the sender of the letter were the same person. I found to see this person as a mischievous type different from how’d she looks like in person.
“Thank you for inviting us, I am Zenlocke Rudlith. This person here is one of our maids, Sybil.”
I gave her my greetings and still remain in my pose to continue forth.
“Although you had instructed me to come alone, I humbly ask of you to excuse her.”
“It’s alright, I expected that you might bring an escort. If it’s your twin sister, then it might be awkward to discuss it in front of her.”
“Then, I’m grateful towards your kindness.”
A maid later then brought us some teas and gave us a tea to drink, it seems that we’ll start the discussion after tea so I just waited for her to start.
Taking a sip of the tea, it does remind me of what I used to drink back in my past life, the taste of Earl Grey but had a different texture mixed into it. –Taste bit like bitter-sweet.
“I’ve heard from mother that you had a duel with Dinfar and won without receiving any scratch. Did you perhaps when easy on him?”
Immediately asked a trivial question, it seems this is just a warm up to this discussion. Before I answer her question, I took a sip of my tea then gave my reply.
“I did have a fight with your brother, though it’s not on the level of holding back. To be exact, I underestimated him.”
“Ho~h… Underestimated is it, how so?”
“At first I thought of fighting him without using magic. In pare of my sister, she’s far more superior as a magician and I’m only superior through physical techniques.”
“Although you too are a magician yourself but don’t even had the characteristic as a magician, correct?”
“More or less, yes that is correct.”
“I see… then why did you accept the duel easily, you had the right to decline but still accept it. Why?”
“Gaining only power without the wisdom would only blind the user.”
“It’s because he learned a powerful magic that he had forgot to look further around him.”
“Yes…”
“I see, so that what it is.”
She began to chuckle softly and suddenly looked at me as if she were saying ‘Jokes aside, for now’, her aura had changed into a more charismatic and intimidating feeling.
“Let get straight to the point. Zenlocke, I had arranged you a marriage engagement.”
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