TMKM 06

Chapter 6

“Your final opponent is Kanne.”

The man spoke in a blunt, curt voice, pointing with his chin toward the womanizer Kanne.

The man being pointed out smiled with his narrow, well-shaped eyes.

“So you mean I should fight and come back with that kind of attitude, right?”

Kanne folded his arms tightly and gave a mocking smile before leaning toward Lord Paroa’s ear as if to whisper.

“But first, I’ll have to beat Yarmuk.”

Kanne said it as though that was completely impossible, but Chyroneia boldly raised his fist toward the sky.

Then he finally kicked the horse’s side and set off.

“That cheeky bastard.”

Kanne muttered in disbelief, while Nick watched the small back of his departing subordinate.

Just come back without getting hurt.

That was what he honestly wanted.

“Ah, honestly, this is unbearably boring.”

Kanne complained with a bored expression, standing with his hands behind his back.

“This is no different from fighting in our own backyard. In the next match, and the one after that, I’m going to end up fighting people I already know.”

“That just means our young knights are that good, doesn’t it?”

One of the older knights said proudly.

Then someone began criticizing Xylus in a petty voice.

“Speaking of which, just look at that slick face. I’m sure that bastard spends more time polishing his own face than his armor.”

The older men, their rough appearances shaped by years of war, looked at Xylus, who was as delicate and beautiful as a white rose, with crooked eyes.

“Just because he wears armor as flashy as a clown’s and waves a blunt lance around doesn’t mean he knows anything about war.”

Xylus was an unfinished knight, shaped by peace.

He had no experience of war and no borders to defend.

Their only duty was to travel around the world under the excuse of protecting the daytime, enjoying the hospitality they received along the way.

“Protect the world after the moon has set? Why not just say they spend every night serving the Holy Mothers in their bedrooms?”

The subordinates snickered behind their lord, who remained silent.

Then someone, conscious of his devout presence, nudged the others in the ribs as if telling them to shut their foolish mouths.

“You know, among young knights these days, taking care of one’s appearance is also considered an important quality for the sake of ladies. So perhaps we shouldn’t… criticize him too harshly…”

Lord Paroa was more devout than he appeared, so it was better not to insult the moon and stars in his presence.

Everyone cautiously watched his reaction.

Yet the man himself remained silent inside his expressionless helmet, making it impossible to tell whether he was even listening.

Watching the situation, Kanne whistled and pushed his way out of the tent.

Jealousy really does look ugly on ugly men. If they’re so bitter about it, they should have devoted themselves to the Goddess, too.

He thought spending time sitting around with men was one of the biggest wastes of time in the world.

So he went looking for someone more pleasant to talk to.

He did not dare approach the area near the distinguished guests, so ordinary women were the easiest targets.

Before long, he spotted a beautiful woman who stood out among the spectators.

“Hello, pretty blonde.”

Kanne stole the woman’s attention away from Chyroneia.

She had been staring at Chyroneia with surprised eyes.

More precisely, she seemed to be curious about the horse he was riding.

“Have you never seen a mountain horse before?”

“A mountain horse?”

“Yeah, a mountain horse. Huge, right? It’s a native breed from Loudhill.”

Or had they improved the breed?

Kanne muttered uncertainly, leaning against the wooden barrier.

The woman Kanne had spoken to was Sera.

Lanram, who had overheard him from beside her, looked over Chyroneia’s horse again.

Just as the man had said, the horse was enormous and exceptionally well-built.

It was so large that the man sitting on its back looked relatively thin by comparison.

It seemed to be about one and a half times the size and height of an ordinary horse.

Sera answered in the somewhat slow, country-bumpkin manner typical of someone from a seaside village.

“I thought horses were supposed to run across plains.”

“That’s what makes these horses special. They can run through the high mountains without hesitation. Watching a mountain horse run down a slope is something else… It reminds you of a giant elk. Do you know what an elk is?”

Lanram did not know what an elk was, but she did know what an elephant was.

She felt the same overwhelming sensation she had experienced the first time she saw one.

The mountain horse had an extremely long and thick mane, with similar hair growing around its lower legs and hooves.

It almost looked as though it were wearing boots.

If you looked closely, it was even a little cute.

Lanram was quickly captivated by the magnificent horse.

“Have you ever been to Loudhill? No, I guess not. I’m from there.”

The man pointed at himself and smiled slyly.

He wanted to catch Sera’s attention, but Lanram paid more attention to him than Sera did.

The stranger was wearing a gray surcoat.

It was the same color and bore the same emblem as the Iron Horse knight participating in the tournament.

Embroidered on it was a large mountain horse rearing up on its hind legs.

The stranger gave the arena a bored glance, then brought the conversation back to himself.

“My name is Kanne. Did you see my match?”

“You participated, too? I don’t know. We just got here.”

“We?”

Only then did Kanne’s eyes reach Lanram.

He gave a knowing smile, as if realizing there was another woman standing there.

“Hello.”

“I’m Sera. This is Lanram.”

“Langlang?”

It was a strange pronunciation, but Lanram did not feel it was worth correcting him and turned her gaze away.

It was rare for anyone to understand her name correctly on the first try.

He’s really tall.

It was difficult not to notice such a tall, handsome man.

For some reason, even making eye contact with him made her feel shy and embarrassed, so she deliberately pretended to ignore him.

Kanne seemed even more interested in Lanram, the foreign woman who had turned her head away.

He leaned toward her and spoke.

“Then I suppose you haven’t heard that saying, either?”

Sera assumed he was speaking to her and answered.

“Heard what?”

“That men from Loudhill are also as big and sturdy there as the mountain horses.”

“There?”

“Your thighs.”

The man slapped his own armored thigh as he spoke.

When Lanram’s eyes met his, she became certain that he was not talking about those thighs.

It was an obvious and shameless joke, but he was handsome enough to get away with it.

The knight gave her a light smile, and Lanram decided she did not dislike the feeling it gave her.

While Kanne flirted with one woman after another, the Garding Knight and the Iron Horse knight raised their shields and lifted their lances.

Chyroneia, inside his armor, looked just as quiet and composed as his well-trained horse.

Meanwhile, the helmet covering Xylus’s handsome face shone so brilliantly white that it almost looked blue.

Both of them looked impressive.

Lanram found herself worrying over which one she should cheer for, even though it was a completely pointless dilemma.

Once everything was ready on the track, the announcer blew his trumpet.

The moment the signal was given, both riders spurred their horses forward.

They charged at each other at full speed.

Breaking the opponent’s lance earned one point, while knocking the opponent from his horse meant an immediate victory.

So both men had only one thought: strike their opponent with everything they had.

From the eastern and western ends of the arena, the two knights raced toward each other.

At last, they met in the center and struck each other almost simultaneously.

Chyroneia staggered for a moment, but that was all.

Neither rider fell.

Neither missed.

With a harsh cracking sound, the wood splintered.

Both men broke their lances cleanly without making a mistake, and the first round ended in a tie.

A complicated sigh spread through the crowd, filled with neither the joy of victory nor the disappointment of defeat.

“Wow.”

Kanne, on the other hand, gave a brief, utterly lifeless reaction.

“Ladies, who did you bet on?”

“We didn’t bet any money. We’re just watching.”

“Then how about making a bet with me? Which side would you choose?”

Neither woman answered immediately.

As they hesitated, the man simply chose the side he wanted for himself.

“Then I’ll bet on our guy. You ladies bet on the Garding Knight. If I win, how about one of you goes on a date with me?”

“What is that? That’s such a half-hearted way to ask someone out.”

Sera scoffed in disbelief.

“Or both of you at once? I’m fine with that, too.”

Kanne grinned lewdly as he made a suggestive gesture with both hands.

He was an extremely casual man.

He threw out whatever came to mind, as though he could simply laugh it off if things did not go his way.

The only reason anyone put up with hearing all his frivolous nonsense was probably his tall frame and handsome face.