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< Ring Gift >
‘this······.’
Galahad fiddled with the box.
The princess’s gift was a severed finger.
Galahad was not surprised to find a severed finger in the box. It was one of the better items the princess had given him.
The problem was who owned that finger.
The ring on his finger was the one the prince of the United Kingdoms had boasted to Galahad.
[The treasure of the kingdom filled with blessings.]
The prince was a pretty nice guy.
The reason I met the prince was because of a mission. It was a small operation to shake the growing alliance of kingdoms.
Galahad chose the smallest kingdom.
It wasn’t chosen simply because it was the worst.
That was a thorough calculation based on research.
He actually succeeded and was able to receive an imperial commission for his achievements.
That’s how I got involved with the princess.
Galahad tapped the box.
The princess’s gift was not a ring.
It was the finger underneath.
The dark, swollen fingers were a sign of poisoning.
However, the opponent was a prince whose mother died from poison.
That’s why the prince had a habit of asking someone else to do it for him before eating it to see how he reacted.
Galahad examined his fingers. There was a sharp thorn-like mark extending from the tip of the darkened part.
‘It’s the poison of the hornbeam plant.’
The hornbeam plant exists in the desert and is quite poisonous.
The hornbeam plant must be as hot as the desert heat to turn into poison.
Thanks to magic, the imperial family always maintained a pleasant coolness.
The body temperature was not enough to cause poisoning. In addition, the middle part of the finger was dark black.
‘The image is faint.’
It was clear that they had used fire at a temperature between that which could cause burns and poisoning.
‘Expert. Is that a handshake?’
It was rare to find a wizard who was skilled enough in fire magic to control temperature, or at least not around the princess.
‘The Third Prince.’
It was a meticulous move worthy of a third prince.
Since it was clear that the princess would be accused of being a suspect even if the prince died, the possibility of the third prince suffering any harm was significantly reduced.
There was no way the royal family would acknowledge it in the first place.
What mattered was motivation.
Why would they kill the prince of the union of kingdoms?
It was one of two things. Either the other strings of the Kingdom Union had reached the Third Prince, or he wanted to completely break off relations with the Kingdom Union.
The third prince was a man who enjoyed achieving great things through blood.
It would be the latter, since he was the one who gained the advantage on the battlefield.
‘It’s a shame I couldn’t kill him then.’
Galahad frowned.
“It’s what you wanted.”
The princess said with a bright smile on her lips.
It was a certainty, not a question.
Unfortunately, I could only nod.
There were a few things Galahad failed to do.
The 3rd Prince was one of them.
The finger the princess gave me was a sword that could stab the third prince.
The expression ‘gift’ was quite appropriate.
The purpose of this finger was not limited to that.
Since the princess gave the prince the missing finger herself, this was a leash that could hold the princess.
The princess handed over her leash to Galahad.
A very tight leash-.
‘Then the story changes.’
The princess’s chances have increased somewhat.
Plus, if you can cut out the 3rd prince-.
It certainly seemed plausible.
However, there was Adrianna.
Galahad, who was looking at Adrianna, clicked his tongue slightly.
Adrianna’s eyebrows were down. Her eyes were fixed on the gift box.
‘You said it was the treasure of the union of kingdoms.’
It was a very splendid ring, worthy of the kingdom’s treasure.
There was even a rumor that wearing it would grant one the blessing of not aging.
Galahad didn’t believe it, but looking at the princess’s shiny skin, it seemed to be working.
The princess’s eyes met and the corners of her lips rose pleasantly.
——————
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“Take me to the Grand Duke. Let’s finish this quickly and go back.”
“I won’t go back.”
“The cold one lasts a long time.”
“There’s nothing to see. Let’s go.”
“I want to hold your hand.”
“Please keep your mouth shut.”
Adrianna didn’t have a chance to speak because the two were constantly talking.
****
‘this-.’
Galahad stroked his rough neck.
The Archduke and the Princess sat facing each other on either side, with Galahad in the center.
The Archduke had a rather rough appearance. He had those terrible muscles showing, and he looked more like a monster than a man.
The princess was at ease against such a grand duke.
The princess moved her fork and knife to cut the meat and put it in her mouth.
“Undercooked.”
Galahad let out a sigh as the princess frowned and complained.
“It’s northern style.”
“How barbaric.”
The corners of the Archduke’s mouth went up fiercely.
“not delicious.”
The princess, who clicked her tongue, grabbed the glass placed next to her.
It was the same cup as the one in front of the Archduke and Galahad, but it was larger than the princess’s face.
The huge glass was filled with a strong drink that was so strong that just smelling it made you frown.
The princess lifted the glass lightly with one hand and brought it to her lips.
And I drank it all in one go.
Gulp- gulp-.
The princess’s slender neck was constantly shaking.
The princess emptied her glass without spilling a single drop.
‘Still the same.’
Galahad clicked his tongue inwardly.
“This is a good drink. Do you have any more?”
The Grand Duke laughed softly at the princess who asked while shaking her glass.
“What brings your noble family to the North?”
“I came to get what is mine back.”
“Mine?”
In response to the Archduke’s question, the princess pointed to Galahad.
Galahad smiled as harmlessly as he could.
“I belong to no one.”
“Galahad is mine.”
The princess spoke as if she couldn’t hear.
“That’s funny. He’s not the type of guy that would fall into anyone’s hands.”
The Archduke looked at Galahad and said:
“Your Highness, your words are accurate.”
“I am a noble royal family member.”
“If you are noble, do you not shed blood?”
The Archduke asked with a growl. The atmosphere was so fierce that it sent a chill down Galahad’s back, but the princess scoffed.
“You know the agreement, so don’t make such childish threats.”
‘······convention?’
Galahad frowned at the words coming out of the princess’s mouth.
“The agreement is only for the royal family. Didn’t that coward tell you?”
The coward is probably the Crown Prince. He came to see Adrianna before.
Then Galahad remembered what the Archduke had said.
The story goes that the crown prince rode a horse alone.
It was a threat to kill everyone except the princess, who was part of the royal family.
The Archduke’s threats were so fierce that even Galahad’s bones would shiver, but unfortunately, the person he was dealing with was the princess.
“It doesn’t matter if Galahad speaks well. No, it’ll be cozy.”
The princess nodded.
That was true. Even if you kill everyone you brought, the princess won’t even blink an eye.
“Oh, how about a bet? You and I, who can kill more? I’m pretty confident.”
The princess twirled the knife slightly, the corners of her lips rising.
It was clear that the princess genuinely thought the bet would be fun.
Ha! The Archduke laughed out loud.
Galahad was slightly surprised by the Archduke’s laughter.
“He’s better than the guy called Crown Prince who came before.”
The Archduke spoke softly. His voice was fierce, yet rough.
‘The crazy ones are communicating with each other.’
Galahad leaned back slightly in his chair.
“I will return if you give me Galahad. The match? You take it. I will pay you accordingly.”
Galahad suddenly became uneasy at the princess’s suggestion.
The Archduke did not like Galahad.
It was a natural story. Galahad’s marriage was arbitrarily arranged by the empire.
Although he had recently received recognition from the Grand Duke and had worked hard to achieve great things, he did not think that the Grand Duke would like him.
If you can clean it up, you will want to clean it up.
In fact, Adrianna had also mentioned canceling her wedding when she heard that the princess was coming.
There was a good chance that the Archduke would accept the offer.
“for a moment.”
As Galahad was about to open his mouth, the Archduke tapped the long table with his index finger.
Boom! There was a loud noise, as if someone had hit something with a club.
“There is only one way out of what is in my hands.”
The Archduke stared at Galahad.
Those eyes were too fierce.
The Archduke looked at Galahad with rough eyes that seemed to be filled with a typhoon.
Opened his mouth.
“When I die.”
Galahad swallowed dryly.
“It would be better to stay alive. This is awkward.”
The princess grumbled, rubbing her eyes.
The Archduke raised the corners of his mouth.
I felt like something was going to happen if I left it like this.
If the Grand Duke kills all the soldiers and knights the Princess brought with him, the Princess will laugh and storm the Grand Duke’s castle.
That was the worst option.
Galahad quickly figured out a solution.
It didn’t take long.
When Galahad raised his hand, the eyes of the Archduke and the Princess met at the same time.
Under that fierce gaze, Galahad slowly opened his mouth.
“It’s a duel for friendly purposes, but wouldn’t it be boring without a prize?”
Their eyes narrowed at the same time.
At that, Galahad raised the corners of his mouth.
“Let’s each give a prize for the duel.”
****
“Are you saying you’re going to challenge Captain Galahad to a duel right now?”
Adrianna spoke in a low voice. The subject, Theodore, looked embarrassed.
“Captain Galahad is not an object. How can you treat a person as a prize for a duel!”
Adrianna’s voice rose rarely. Theodore turned his head at that.
In that gaze was Galahad, leisurely smoking a cigarette.
Galahad clicked his tongue slightly at Theodore’s wink.
“Oh, I made that bet.”
“······yes?”
Adrianna’s eyebrows vibrated rapidly.
As if he didn’t understand, Galahad explained further.
“I’m talking about the product. I walked it myself. I thought it wouldn’t be real if I didn’t do it.”
“What are you talking about! Captain Galahad has no reason to be treated like an object! I will speak to His Highness the Grand Duke!”
“I said I walked, so why are you making a fuss?”
Adrianna’s mouth opened. She seemed to be choosing her words for a moment, then closed her mouth tightly.
At that moment, the inside of Adrianna’s eyebrows lowered and the ends rose.
It was the first time I had seen such an eyebrow shape.
‘Angry eyebrows?’
Galahad clicked his tongue slightly.
If left alone, it looked like something was going to happen.
“We’re going to win anyway.”
Adrianna’s gaze turned back to Galahad.
Galahad looked into those blue eyes and spoke with confidence in his voice.
“I trust you.”
Adrianna’s mouth opened slightly. Her eyebrows shot up.
Adrianna’s already big eyes grew even bigger.
Galahad was slightly surprised that human eyes could be this large.
“Let’s discuss my treatment after the match is over. I’m busy right now.”
“If you’re busy-.”
At Adrianna’s question, Galahad stared into her blue eyes.
There wasn’t even a speck of dust in those eyes.
The finger the princess gave me as a gift can be quite useful, but-.
In the end, it was just one of Galahad’s cards.
The black one that will one day stab the king of the demon tribe.
It was Adrianna.
“I will tell you how to defeat the princess.”
****
‘······?’
Adrianna squinted her eyes at Galahad in front of her.
Galahad was taking a stance, holding his rapier.
But the appearance was quite stable.
Like a skilled knight.
“Have you learned swordsmanship?”
“It used to be a hobby.”
Adrianna tilted her head at Galahad’s answer.
“Do you know the Imperial duel method?”
“Yes, I heard that the Auror ban is scored by body part.”
“That’s correct. The key is to ban Aura. Also, if you’ve already scored, any subsequent hits will be invalid.”
“okay.”
“That’s why I said you can’t win. They treat fencing matches like a game.”
Adrianna was a great knight, while Galahad was a magician.
It was quite funny to see a wizard talking about swords in front of a knight.
In fact, the 2nd Battalion Captain harshly rejected Galahad’s proposal, calling it an insult.
Adrianna, the greatest knight in the North, listened intently.
“First, let me show you.”
Galahad held out his sword. Adrianna took a stance to face him.
Galahad was a wizard. If he pushed himself too hard, he could get hurt.
Adrianna held the hilt of her sword more carefully than usual.
At that moment, Galahad kicked the ground. It was a strange footwork, almost like dancing.
The distance became short in an instant.
The knight usually looked at his opponent’s shoulder, not his sword.
It was because the shoulder moved before the sword.
I looked at his shoulder-.
“This is what makes duels difficult.”
Adrianna sighed softly as she watched the rapier brush past her gauntlet.
Galahad moved from his waist, not his shoulders.
It was a surprising move.
It’s not that I didn’t react.
No, rather, it was the over-reaction that was the problem.
Adrianna was one who sharpened her sword on the front lines against the demons.
On the front lines, even a slight delay in reaction would result in defeat by the demons.
That’s why the aura reacted before the body.
As Galahad attacked, the aura rose before he could even realize it.
Because I was suppressing the aura, time was wasted.
And Galahad’s sword was faster than Adrianna expected.
As a result, Galahad’s sword first grazed the back of Adrianna’s hand.
If it was a real fight, it wouldn’t have mattered. That level of damage could have been blocked with Aura.
However, in a duel, it was a score.
“Are you a knight?”
“Didn’t I tell you? It was a hobby.”
‘hobby-?’
This was not a movement or speed that could be achieved simply as a hobby.
A question rose to the tip of her tongue, but Adriana forced herself to swallow it.
If the other person did not want to talk, it was polite not to ask any more questions.
Everyone has a past they don’t want to talk about.
Adrianna knew that best.
“As we just saw, it’s easy to fool your opponent with a rapier. If you move from your waist instead of your shoulder when stabbing, you can increase your speed explosively at the end.”
Adrianna nodded.
“If you don’t know, these are techniques that can easily be used against you. Of course, if you cause an aura, even that will be responded to, but auras are prohibited in duels.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Galahad took up his position again.
It was a habit from practice. It was clear that it would take a lot of time to restrain that habitual aura.
Looking at Adrianna, Galahad kicked his foot again.
As before, Adrianna’s movements were slightly sluggish.
It was because my nerves were distracted from suppressing the aura.
Galahad tried to cut rather than stab.
Cutting with a rapier was useless, but in an imperial duel, it was also a point-scoring move.
At that moment, Adrianna’s sword moved.
This time it was a bit late, but it was faster than before.
Enough to cut off Galahad’s sword.
“Oh, I guess you can use it as a bet too. It definitely gives you points.”
Adrianna nodded seriously, looking at the lines engraved on her gauntlet.
‘You’re a genius.’
The corners of Galahad’s mouth went up.
“Do it again.”
“Yes, please.”
How many times did I repeat that?
When Galahad’s sword could not even reach Adrianna, Galahad put it down.
‘It’s a close call.’
Adrianna’s talent was beyond Galahad’s imagination.
It was a natural story since he was the youngest sword master, but it was different when I actually experienced it.
However, this was not enough.
“The princess’s sword will be faster than mine.”
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”
“Still, this is pretty good.”
“thank you-.”
Despite the praise from the wizard Galahad, Adrianna was genuinely delighted.
Of course, that wasn’t all I had prepared.
To defeat the princess, one more thing was needed.
“Can you please extend your hand?”
“Aren’t you going to the duel soon?”
“Oh, I won’t catch it.”
Adrianna cautiously extended her hand.
Adriana blinked at what was on her palm.
It was a very fancy ring.
The princess gave it to me-.
“Put it on and go. It’ll be effective.”
Adrianna’s usually expressionless face cracked for the first time.
< Ring Gift > End
Fantasy, Fusion,