Became The Son Of The Final Boss [EN]: Chapter 50

50.

I didn’t recognize the name Riodehn.

That’s because he wasn’t a supporting character or even an extra I had personally named in my original, minimal outline.

In the first place, the content I wrote for this spring evaluation competition was barely a sentence or two.

But reality is a flow of time that can’t be captured in a single sentence.

“How much time do I have left?”

David answered my question.

“Not much time left, Your Highness.”

“Get me the data on Riodehn from the materials Soris has organized. I should still have time to take a look, right?”

David suggested an alternative.

“I can tell you about Riodehn.”

I figured it would be better to get direct advice from David in the current situation.

“Okay.”

As I readily agreed, David began to explain slowly.

“Riodehn isn’t someone who has mastered orthodox swordsmanship. He’s a master of practical swordsmanship, known to be a high-level Sword Expert, but probably somewhere between high and highest level.”

I inferred one key fact from David’s explanation.

“Since Riodehn is considered a favorite to win, being a high-level Sword Expert means he’s at championship-winning strength.”

“Yes, Your Highness. And Riodehn is stronger than he’s generally known to be.”

David was certain.

“He will probably reach the highest level soon. No one has ever reached Master through practical swordsmanship, but I think Riodehn might be able to do it.”

David finished his assessment of Riodehn and then offered advice regarding actual combat.

“One of the key differences between orthodox swordsmanship and practical swordsmanship is movement.”

“Movement?”

David nodded at my question.

“Yes. Orthodox swordsmanship has specific, prescribed movements for each action, starting from the basics. There are set movements for lower, middle, and upper-level swordsmanship, and all of that comes together to form a single, cohesive style.”

I was very interested in what David was saying.

David’s voice continued.

“Practical swordsmanship is simpler and faster than orthodox swordsmanship, but the main reason it can’t usually keep up with orthodox swordsmanship is in the use of movement and mana.”

This time, I added my own knowledge to the explanation.

“The mana breathing techniques used by prestigious families are also incorporated into each swordsmanship movement. On the other hand, practical swordsmanship relies solely on instinct to use mana.”

David smiled.

“You understand quickly, Your Highness. That’s right. However, even practical swordsmanship can exhibit movements comparable to orthodox swordsmanship when it reaches a certain level, and the same goes for using mana. Riodehn is a mercenary who has reached that level.”

David narrowed his eyes and added.

“But there probably aren’t any gaps in his technique. The fact that he hasn’t reached the highest level yet is proof of that. The highest level of Sword Expert is the stage right before Master, where all the mana in the body moves as naturally as one’s own limbs, and aura can be controlled freely.”

David also brought up the subject of my spirit magic.

“The biggest advantage of Your Highness’s spirit magic is that the spirits are faster than wielding a knight’s sword.”

“Faster?”

“Your Highness uses the spirits’ techniques immediately, without any delay. I have never seen or heard of a spirit mage like that.”

I laughed awkwardly at the sudden praise.

David was serious.

“If I *had* heard of such a spirit mage, I would have dismissed it as a ridiculous rumor. Magic usually has a casting process, and knights also have a process of coating their swords with aura and creating aura blades, but the spirit’s technique is implemented instantaneously.”

David shook his head.

“In conclusion, to defeat Riodehn, you must move without stopping and attack constantly with spirits. He will definitely show an opening eventually. End it with a single, decisive technique at that time.”

I nodded.

“I will take your advice into consideration. As you know, battles rarely go exactly as planned.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Soon, a servant came in and told me that my match was next.

The sun was already beginning to set.

As I left the detached palace, many eyes turned to me.

I realized once again that I had won the first match.

And I also sensed that my appearance in the first match was more shocking to others than any other appearance I had made so far.

‘Well, I, who was the epitome of incompetence, beat Chen, who is famous as Ted’s rival.’

It wasn’t just a simple win, either.

I calmly severed Chen’s arm on stage.

I didn’t hesitate, even though there was clearly an opportunity to stop.

The severed arm could be reattached with magic, but I predicted that it would be difficult.

‘In my memory, injuries caused by the power of spirits are set to be more difficult to heal than other injuries.’

At the time, that detail was designed to make my father, the final boss and a top-level spirit mage, seem stronger, but now it was like a setting specifically designed for me.

Archduke Austin is a great wizard, but Chen’s complete treatment will still be difficult.

That’s not a problem of the healers’ skill, such as magic level or divine power, but a result of one of the fundamental properties of spirits that has been passed down since the beginning.

‘There’s a high possibility that he’ll live without an arm.’

If you consider Chen’s pride, it might have been easier to simply kill him.

I smiled bitterly.

‘I’ve changed completely, too. I’m thinking about killing people without hesitation.’

As the surrounding buzz grew louder, I organized my thoughts.

“Arun Carl Leord.”

The Iron Blood Knight Commander called my name, and then called my opponent.

“Riodehn.”

* * *

Chen couldn’t believe it.

He roughly grabbed the chaplain by the collar, shaking his head.

“Do it again!”

The chaplain trembled at Chen’s murderous voice.

Soon, a sharp voice pierced Chen’s ear.

“Stop it!”

Chen turned his gaze irritably.

Archduke Austin was standing at the door with Chen’s mother.

“If you’re going to cry, get out. It’s not too late to hug and cry later.”

Chen’s mother couldn’t say a word in response to her cold father’s words, and just stared at Chen.

The son’s expression was a mixture of terrible anger and humiliation.

Soon, Chen’s mother, who had glanced at her father, the Duke, left the room.

Her official position was the Emperor’s wife and the mother of the Prince, but she had little influence.

She was even sadder at the sight of her son, who didn’t need her comfort, than at the reality that she couldn’t comfort her son who had lost an arm.

As she left without saying a word to Chen, Archduke Austin asked the chaplain.

“I heard roughly on the way here. What exactly is the problem?”

“Injuries caused by spirit magic are difficult to heal, even with divine power.”

Austin nodded at the chaplain’s answer.

“Get out.”

The chaplain hurried out.

Chen shouted at Austin.

“I can’t back down like this!”

“Be polite. I am a founding contributor and Duke of this country.”

Chen growled.

“I am the Prince of this country.”

“Yes. You are the Prince. You know that a mediocre prince can’t achieve anything and has to grow old lonely for the rest of his life, right? That’s if you’re lucky. Seeing your brother today, he would kill everyone the moment he celebrates his coming-of-age ceremony.”

Chen bit his lip tightly as he recalled the morning’s confrontation.

“Because of the words you blurted out on stage, not only you but also my family will be affected.”

Archduke Austin was not much different from Duke Beregon.

It’s good for their child’s son to sit on the throne, but what’s even better is for their family to become the imperial family.

Chen was just one of the cards needed at the point of bowing down to Ron Carl Leord, and he wasn’t a card that needed to be held onto.

But he couldn’t throw it away either.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t have an arm. What you did wrong was unnecessarily giving the Crown Prince confidence.”

“He’s going to die soon anyway.”

Chen was usually polite to Austin, but now he was extremely angry and showing his true colors.

Austin pointed out again.

“If you act like a wild colt one more time…”

The momentum created by the great wizard was not something Chen could handle.

Chen vomited blood.

“Calm your anger. If you inherited the blood of this Austin, you must be calm even in defeat. I heard you received materials from Ted? And you used the members of the Snake Venom Guild [an organization specializing in poisons] to make poison at will.”

Chen barely suppressed his groans.

As the murderous intent pierced his heart, his anger disappeared and reason slowly returned.

“Yes.”

Austin withdrew his momentum.

“I admit that your talent is outstanding. Unlike my sons, you have magical talent. That’s why I’m using my family’s power to put you on the Crown Prince’s seat.”

Austin sighed and continued.

“If you’re going to use poison, use it properly. If you’re swayed by Ted like that, you’ll ruin things.”

“I’m sorry, Duke.”

Chen became a docile sheep.

He had already been caught using Archduke Austin’s organization privately, and he had also been caught receiving materials from Ted.

“If it was really the poison of the Five-Colored Snake, Arun would have melted away on the spot today. It seems that the guy who learned it over his shoulder made it crudely and survived… If the poison of the Five-Colored Snake was real, that alone would have been enough.”

Austin sat down in his chair and pondered.

Chen asked cautiously.

“What should I do from now on…”

“Stay put for the time being. I heard that the eldest son of the Aetran family will be coming to the capital soon, so there will be several changes after the evaluation competition.”

Austin had expectations as much as he strictly controlled Chen.

That was what was different from Duke Beregon.

Austin Den Riverhill, he wished that his sons would follow even half of Chen’s talent.

He couldn’t even understand how they were wandering around in the 4th circle [a level of magical proficiency] for so long even though they inherited the blood of Riverhill.

On the other hand, Chen caught up with their level at the age of fifteen and was slowly breaking the wall recently.

‘Is it really the blood of Leord… But half of it is no different from my blood. My child gave birth to it.’

Austin hesitated for a moment, but then took out a book from his arms.

“It’s a 5th circle magic book.”

“Grandfather!”

Chen was surprised as he put the title of grandfather into his mouth after a long time.

“As I said before, don’t be discouraged just because you don’t have an arm. What’s important to a wizard is not an arm.”

What Austin gave him was not a simple 5th circle magic book.

It was a magic book that had been handed down exclusively to the Riverhill family.

Wizards, like knight families, had mana breathing techniques that had been passed down from generation to generation.

The Riverhill family’s mana breathing technique could only be learned after reaching the 4th circle, so those who did not reach the 4th circle could not become the head of the Riverhill family.

“Focus on learning magic for the time being. Arun is Arun, but what’s really scary is Ted. That child resembles his father in his talent for swordsmanship, and his maternal grandfather in his greed and politics.”

“Yes.”

Chen bowed his head.

“Forget about the Snake Venom Guild and the poison you used for the time being.”

Chen looked at Austin again and asked.

“Arun already knows everything…”

Austin smiled.

“It’s true that your brother was hiding a lot, and it’s also true that it’s amazing. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t surprised myself. But.”

Austin’s smile deepened.

“After all, he’s still a young child who hasn’t even had his coming-of-age ceremony. You’ll find out too. How I and Duke Beregon and other dukes became founding contributors.”

Austin didn’t bother to tell his grandson the rest of the story.

‘The years of enduring to overcome a superhuman who doesn’t feel like a human are not easy. Crown Prince, you were quite bold, but that’s it. Now that a competitor has been added, neither I nor Duke Beregon want it.’

Austin got up.

He was thinking of having a glass of wine with Duke Beregon for the first time in a long time.