Became The Son Of The Final Boss [EN]: Chapter 36

36.

The two knights introduced themselves as Baren and Soljar, respectively.

I smiled, watching the two men standing nervously in the training grounds.

“I heard you weren’t in good shape after being locked up in prison for so long, but you look fine.”

Baren, the taller of the two, replied briefly to my words.

“The potion you gave us was so good that I recovered quickly.”

Three days had passed since I told Ken that I would spar with them.

During that time, Baren and Soljar had been recovering and waiting in the Crown Prince’s Palace.

Of course, they were strictly forbidden from going outside or sending news to the Atran family or Ted.

With their lives in my hands, they didn’t take any unnecessary gambles.

And today, the sparring match with them was about to begin in the training grounds.

“You’ve heard the story, right?”

Baren and Soljar’s expressions changed subtly at my words.

“Why don’t you like my offer?”

“It was an unexpected offer… To be honest, I couldn’t believe it.”

Soljar didn’t seem to be much of a talker. Baren did all the talking, and I subtly provoked them.

“You were talking non-stop when you were insulting me, but now you’re keeping your mouth shut.”

Soljar flinched.

My smile deepened on its own.

“There’s no need to be nervous. The offer is not a lie. If either of you defeats me here today, I will not hold you accountable for the crime of insulting the Crown Prince.”

I wanted a complete real battle, so I added one thing.

“Even if I am injured or die in the sparring match, it’s the same.”

Ken and Soris stepped forward.

“Your Highness!”

I held out my hand to stop them and fixed my gaze on Baren and Soljar.

“You’ll have to do your best. If I win, you will receive the scheduled punishment.”

In other words, death.

‘Could it be that the medieval environment and the position of Crown Prince, this dangerous struggle for survival, have made me evil, or is this my true self?’

I was gambling with people’s lives to improve my skills.

I ordered the two men to be given swords, then turned my head slightly as I moved my steps.

‘It’s a way to survive. I can’t afford to be picky.’

If I win, I can show them mercy. I would have to give them appropriate punishment, but there was no reason to carry out the death penalty.

It would be good to set an example for insulting the Crown Prince, but there was no reason to get my hands dirty.

It was just that forcing them into an either-or situation was a good way to get them to do their best.

It seemed that my method worked, as Baren and Soljar’s expressions were determined as they grabbed their swords.

I also took a breath and suppressed my tension.

“You’re not going to attack me at the same time, are you?”

Only then did Baren step back.

“You go first.”

Soljar nodded and stood in front of me.

“Shall we begin then?”

“I trust that Your Highness the Crown Prince will not go back on his word.”

Soljar spoke bluntly, still with the same contempt for me. He had been quiet until now, but the one word he spat out was careless.

“How dare you doubt His Highness the Crown Prince!”

Ken stepped in for me.

Soljar didn’t even turn his gaze and stared at me silently.

Having accepted the offer, he seemed to be trying to take the lead by showing his determination to defeat me.

I didn’t avoid his gaze and answered his words.

“I am the Crown Prince of this empire. The weight of my words is never light.”

I said it quite nicely, but Soljar didn’t seem to be impressed and gripped his sword tightly.

Soon, an explosive force flowed from his body.

-Soljar (Lv37)

-Intermediate Sword Expert

The status window only told me Soljar’s level and current realm.

I couldn’t see the rest of the information because my level was much lower than Soljar’s.

Soljar was definitely a great knight, enough to escort Ted. He didn’t look old, but he was already an intermediate Sword Expert.

If he continued to train like this and surpassed the wall, he would be able to transcend the limits of humanity and become a Sword Master.

And I felt that it was very difficult for me to fight him now.

‘Level 20… and a low-level spiritist.’

I didn’t think the status window was absolute.

The gap between me and Soljar was real, but I had something different from other spiritists.

It was the sharing of consciousness with the spirits.

The greatest spiritists didn’t even have the talent of sharing consciousness with spirits, and the greatest advantage of this sharing of consciousness was the use of skills without gaps.

Unlike other spiritists, the spirit moved the moment I was conscious.

Just like now!

Salamander was already spreading a curtain of fire.

Soljar thought he was overwhelming me with momentum, but he seemed very surprised when the spirit suddenly popped out and immediately set up a curtain of fire around him.

I didn’t miss the gap.

“Sylph!”

I made a contract with one more Sylph, and chains of wind scattered in three directions, aiming at Soljar.

Soljar proved that he was indeed an excellent knight, swinging his sword greatly.

The curtain of fire split in half, and Soljar rushed towards me.

He didn’t ignore the Sylphs flying towards him and twisted his body to avoid them.

I immediately rode the wind.

The wind created by Sylph and the flow of earth swayed by Gnome secured the distance between me and Soljar.

I immediately used my skills once again.

‘Block it once and then attack.’

Undine was creating a huge shield where Soljar’s sword was headed.

* * *

“The Crown Prince is overdoing it.”

Silon agreed with Beregon’s words.

“Soljar’s talent is quite good. He’s not even thirty yet, but he’s already an intermediate expert. The Crown Prince has changed so much recently that it’s easy to get the illusion that he’s a different person, but… I have no idea why he’s sparring with them.”

The two men were sitting in the highest place in the Second Prince’s Palace, looking at the Crown Prince’s Palace training grounds.

Aroon and Soljar looked like distant dots, but the two men’s eyesight was already beyond human levels.

Beregon was a superhuman who had surpassed the limits of humanity and earned the title of Master, and Silon was also a person who had almost reached that level.

For them, this distance was not a big problem in observing the sparring match.

“Is the rumor that he summoned the highest-level fire spirit true?”

Silon nodded at Beregon’s question.

“Yes. There are so many people who have witnessed Ifrit [a powerful fire spirit]. There are survivors among the assassins… and there are people among the capital guards, residents living nearby, and nobles who have seen Ifrit directly.”

Beregon’s expression sank.

“Is he truly the son of Ron Carl Leo?”

His lord’s voice, tinged with a sense of lament, weighed heavily on Silon’s heart.

“I don’t think he has any talent for swords or magic. It’s because Ron Carl Leo is such a special human being.”

Beregon smiled.

“Can we really define him as human? I devoted my whole life to holding a sword and seeing its end. It wasn’t until I was over forty that I finally shed the shell of my old body and accepted a new mana hole.”

Silon thought that even being a Sword Master at the age of forty was excessively fast, but he didn’t bother to say it out loud.

“Ron Carl Leo became a Master at least fifteen years earlier than me. And now, he seems to be glimpsing the path of a true superhuman beyond Master.”

Silon was shocked at Beregon’s words.

“Could it be that the Emperor is a Grand Master…?”

“Not yet. But he seems to have found the path. It’s truly amazing.”

Beregon pointed to Aroon.

“And his son summoned the highest-level spirit at the age of seventeen. It’s clear that he’s not handling it skillfully or contracted with it… but the summoning itself is an amazing talent. Even Ron Carl Leo couldn’t do that. Even if that child has no talent for swords or magic, it doesn’t matter.”

Beregon bit his lip tightly.

Aroon’s spirits were digging into Soljar’s gaps.

“I can’t tolerate another Ron Carl Leo. Our family has been spending a humiliating time with just one Ron Carl Leo. Others say that we are the head of the four great families, the best family in the empire, but… you know it too, right?”

Silon bowed his head.

“As long as the empire exists, the best family is always the imperial family. Not the family of a subordinate noble. And… I want my family to be the best.”

Beregon got up.

“I can’t tolerate Ron Carl Leo’s bloodline following in his footsteps and growing up. I heard that the child’s subordinates are trying to tie our family up diligently?”

“That’s right.”

“Tell Ted to communicate closely with Chen.”

Silon trembled.

Ted Carl Leo also clearly felt that he was just Ron Carl Leo’s bloodline to his lord.

Beregon was now ordering him to use his grandson to eliminate Aroon.

“But Second Prince…”

“That child is a child who should be used appropriately like that. It’s Atran who will ascend to the throne, not Leo.”

Silon replied.

“Yes. I will carry it out immediately.”

“Ron Carl Leo is definitely an outstanding human being. No, he’s a strongman that I can’t believe is human. But he’s alone. Politics is not something you can do alone. Ron will soon realize that fact.”

Everyone was trembling in front of the Emperor, but it was different behind the scenes.

Many nobles were moving for their vested interests, and the Atran family was at the center of it.

The fact that Ted has been noted as the most suitable successor so far is due to his own abilities, but mostly thanks to the influence of the Atran family.

“Call Mitchell in the east. There is a justification for the Second Conquest War, so now it’s time to move him from the provinces to the center.”

Silon smiled deeply at Beregon’s order to call his eldest son.

“You’re finally bringing the young master back.”

“Yes. The imperial palace has begun to shake because of that one child. At times like this, you have to show your presence in the center.”

“I will carry it out immediately.”

As Silon left the terrace first, Beregon quietly watched the sparring match between Aroon and Soljar.

When Sylph finally pierced Soljar’s shoulder, Beregon clenched his fist tightly.

‘He’s different from a simple spiritist. He can’t even summon a mid-level spirit, but he’s winning against a mid-level Sword Expert… Did he properly inherit the blood of Iriel and Ron?’

Aroon was becoming the biggest variable in his plan.

* * *

“Take him and get him treated.”

I said, catching my breath.

The servants supported Soljar, but Soljar shook off their hands and bowed to me.

“Thank you for your mercy.”

“There’s no need to do that. Your defeat means I will hold you accountable for your sins.”

Soljar was stopping the bleeding on his shoulder, but the place where the wind chain had pierced through did not heal easily.

“Go and get treated. If you leave it alone, you won’t be able to hold a sword again.”

Soljar hesitated as if he had something to say, but soon I turned my gaze to Baren.

“I think it’s your turn.”

Baren’s level was lower than Soljar’s.

“I am less skilled than Soljar.”

I smiled.

“So you’re just going to accept your punishment and die? Without even struggling? It seems that your life is not as precious as I thought.”

Anger flashed in Baren’s eyes.

“Is that all you’re going to do to insult me? I feel sorry for Ted. To have someone like you as his escort knight. No, did he take you with him because you had no skills, but at least you had a silver tongue?”

“Your Highness!”

I wiggled my fingers at Baren’s words.

“I can’t stand the fact that the idiot you ignored is pitying your master? Then pick up your sword. A dog that only barks is not scary.”

My skill proficiency increased significantly with the duel with Soljar. As expected, there was nothing better than real combat for leveling up.

So I insulted Baren and even cursed Ted without hesitation.

‘Honestly, this is nothing compared to the insults I’ve suffered so far.’

In my memory, Soljar and Baren always insulted and ridiculed me.

And Ted pretended to gently dissuade them, but left them alone.

Now the situation has changed.

For my real combat experience and for a small revenge against them, a perfect victory was necessary.

“Soljar was just a warm-up. I hope your skills are as good as your words.”

Baren rushed towards me with a shout.