The Reborn Swordmaster
Chapter 26
"What is the meaning of this, Haral?!"
"..."
Doren, who had belatedly heard about the commotion in the dining hall, was furious.
His anger was understandable. He had been enjoying a private gathering away from the fighters at Berka's invitation when the fight broke out.
To make matters worse, one of the people involved was Aries.
And now he'd heard that Aries had been injured in that all-important, handsome face of his and had gone to receive treatment.
This is driving me insane!
If his employer found out, Doren might not only lose his job but also be forced to pay an enormous amount in compensation.
Injuries suffered during training or combat were an unavoidable part of a fighter's profession.
But this had happened during a welcoming banquet.
And Doren hadn't even been present.
It would hardly be unreasonable for someone to accuse him of negligence.
From his perspective, he absolutely had to make the other side take responsibility.
Fortunately, there was one detail that gave him hope.
The opposing fighter had struck first.
Doren seized on that fact, his neck turning red as he pointed an accusing finger at Haral.
"Haral! Discipline at Rodus is a complete disgrace! You invite us here as guests, only to start a fight? What kind of behavior is that?!"
"Doren, calm down for a moment..."
"Calm down? Do I look like someone who can calm down when one of our fighters has been attacked?"
Doren pointed toward Riyan in the distance.
Riyan was sitting leisurely with one hand resting on the table and his chin propped against it.
His relaxed attitude only made Doren angrier.
And when Riyan's lips curled into a faint smile, Doren became even more furious.
Haral, who had been wincing as though his ears hurt, finally lost his patience.
"Goddamn it! Shut up and listen! Your side started the fight!"
"What?"
"I'm telling you Aries did something to deserve that slap! There are people who heard the whole thing."
Haral gestured, and several fighters who had been sitting near Riyan when the argument broke out approached them.
"We heard them raising their voices, so we looked over. Your fighter was the one who suddenly suggested a fight. Riyan refused at first, of course. But when Aries kept provoking him, Riyan threw down his glove and challenged him to a duel."
"He threw down his glove?"
"Yes."
Doren frowned at the mention of such an old-fashioned custom, the sort that only nobles would normally use.
"What does he think he is, a knight? Challenging someone to a duel by throwing down his glove? Regardless, I can't believe your account. You're a Rodus fighter, and you're a slave."
This time, Haral was the one who took offense.
"That's a rather serious accusation, Doren."
"...What?"
"You're saying Rodus is lying, aren't you? It's true that the man is a slave. I won't dispute that. But accusing us of lying is another matter entirely. That affects our reputation. Are you prepared to take responsibility for that?"
Doren flinched at Haral's sharp threat.
Only then did he look around.
Dozens of fighters from Rodus and Verso were watching him, waiting to hear what he would say.
Berka had also arrived and was observing the situation from a distance.
For the moment, he seemed content to let Haral handle the matter.
Doren clenched his teeth and replied.
"Even if that's true, using violence without authorization is still a violation of the rules. Surely you know what happens when a slave behaves violently."
"So now you're saying the customs and traditions of Imperial nobles are acts of violence, Doren."
"...Wh-What?"
"If you want to hold Riyan responsible for his actions, go ahead. Of course, for the sake of Rodus's reputation, I'll make sure the circumstances of the incident are thoroughly investigated. I'll explain that Verso considers challenging someone to a duel by throwing down a glove an act of violence, and that we cannot accept such an accusation. Since both our training centers are under Imperial authority, we'll simply wait for the Empire to deliver its judgment."
Doren suddenly felt as though cold water had been poured over his head.
Haral didn't miss the way Doren's eyes widened and his body went rigid.
He stepped closer and whispered.
"I wonder how the Empire will respond. In the worst case, we'll have to punish Riyan and compensate your training center. But what about you?"
"..."
"And from what I've heard, some of Aries's provocations involved disparaging the Empire itself. I wonder what they'll make of that."
"I-I..."
Doren faltered, unable to finish his sentence.
Just then, another voice interrupted.
"Instructor Doren, they're telling the truth."
It was Aries.
Having returned after receiving treatment to stop the bleeding, Aries apparently understood what was happening.
He spoke with an unpleasant expression.
"I was the one who suggested the fight and provoked him. He merely responded. Although I certainly didn't expect him to throw down his glove."
"..."
With the person involved admitting what had happened, Doren had nothing left to say.
In fact, he was almost grateful.
Aries had stepped in and given him a way to bring the incident to a clean conclusion.
"Is that so? Very well. Aries is an honorable fighter and the pride of Verso. Naturally, I'll believe his word."
"How convincing."
Haral sneered.
The dispute appeared to have been settled, but the atmosphere remained hostile.
The fighters from both training centers glared at one another, their eyes sharp with hostility.
The instructors on both sides weren't looking particularly friendly either.
As the heavy silence lingered...
Clap!
"Excellent. Just excellent."
Berka, who had been watching the situation, clapped his hands to attract everyone's attention and stepped forward.
"Yes. This is exactly what fighters should be like. Did anyone seriously think we'd invite a bunch of fighters to a welcoming banquet and have them sit around giggling and building friendships? What are we, a gathering of wet-behind-the-ears children? Isn't that right?"
Berka approached Doren with a hearty laugh, threw an arm around his shoulders, and grinned.
Doren managed an awkward smile in response.
"Th-That's right. They're full of youthful energy, after all. Put them together, and incidents like this are bound to happen."
"Exactly. In fact, I think this is an excellent opportunity, Doren."
"An opportunity?"
"We've already agreed to train together, haven't we? In the world of fighters, strength is everything. Naturally, there must be a hierarchy, and everyone should respect those who stand above them."
"Are you suggesting...?"
Berka pointed toward the Rodus and Verso fighters, who were still divided into two separate groups.
"Four or five handfuls of loose sand will never be able to break through a rock. You have to mix in some water and bind them together before they can even begin to strike it. And the rock we're facing is the Trident Training Center."
"..."
"So, since things have already come this far, why don't we decide who should be the leader? We can give the other training centers the same opportunity when they join us. Don't you think establishing a unified chain of command will produce better results?"
Berka's smile turned sly.
"Besides, when fighters settle things through a duel, someone might end up with a few scratches on his cheek. That shouldn't be a problem, should it? They're fighters, after all."
Doren's eyes widened.
Seeing his reaction, Berka turned toward the Verso fighters.
"And what about you? Are you happy to let this end with Verso's leading fighter getting slapped in the face? This could also be an excellent opportunity to put an end to those rumors that Verso focuses more on socializing than swordsmanship. Don't you agree?"
At Berka's words, one of the Verso fighters leaped to his feet and shouted.
"Those rumors are complete nonsense!"
"Instructor Doren! We can't just let this go! We need to teach that so-called White Wolf, or whatever that pale bastard calls himself, a lesson!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The Verso fighters began pounding their tables.
