He's My Real Brother, Duke

“No, I know. He’s famous.”

“Ah, of course!”

Jenny clasped her hands forward and cheered a little.

Looking around, most of them had the same atmosphere as Jenny.

From that point of view, it seems that Sir Mayer was certainly a great swordsman and a talented person.

‘He also appeared in the original, Sir Mayer.’

Sir Mayer was a man who conquered all competitions held throughout the Empire, including all the Duke’s swordsmanship competitions.

Everyone coveted him and wanted to bring him into their family. 

But unfortunately, in the original story, there was no righteous person to whom he could be loyal, so in the end he grew old as a solitary knight for the rest of his life.

“He’s going to select a lady for the swordsmanship competition this time, too.”

“If Sir Mayer wins, there won’t be a lady again this time, will there? Last time, he didn’t pick Lady either.”

At the winner’s party in honor of the winner after the swordsmanship competition, the winner takes a knight’s oath to the lady he would serve for life.

However, Sir Mayer, who has won several times, was also famous for making the party atmosphere cold by saying, ‘There’s no lady I want to dedicate my loyalty to.’

But the more flowers on the cliff, the more coveted he was.

Everyone pretended not to care but dreamed of becoming Lord Mayer’s lady.

“Ah… If you become Lord Mayer’s Lady, you’ll be famous throughout the North, right?”

At Sally’s words, Jenny scolded.

“What North? The whole Empire!”

While they were talking about Mayer, the light-brown-haired, innocent-looking dog beast, whom Jenny was supposed to be acquainted with, had just dropped out.

Jenny pursed her lips and muttered,

“Tsk, that idiot said he’d put a crown on me if he won. I’ll never be a lady for a swordsman in my life.”

I smiled awkwardly and patted Jenny.

Still, the sunlight illuminating the entire Colosseum was beautiful.

The sweaty duel continued for several hours, and before I knew it, the end was approaching the second part of the finals.

Lord Mayer.

A knight with a surprisingly expressionless face and a massive, muscular body like a rock sat down in the audience hall outside the venue.

Everyone was looking at him in awe, even the audience.

“He’s a really great person, no, he must be a beast.”

“That’s right. Isn’t that a lone wolf in the wilderness?”

After a chat, the finals of the swordsmanship competition finally ended.

After some break.

Just before the finals of Sir Meyer and an unknown knight who would become his scapegoat, a sword dance was scheduled to take place.

I was nervous, and my hands were sweating.

‘Now, Bazel’s coming.’

As soon as I thought of that, I saw the knights of the swordsmanship arena, including Bazel, gathered nearby, taking care of the successors.

‘Why didn’t I know until now? The hypocrisy is hidden behind that good-natured mask.’

I watched Bazel and several successors who had gathered around them.

On the surface, all the successors liked Bazel.

However, if you look closely, you could see that they follow him well and are afraid at the same time.

For example.

“Sir, sir.”

Their shoulders droop a little when they call Bazel.

“Please compliment me! Me! I did this!”

Too hungry for praise or an attitude close to a lack of affection.

It was at that time when I looked over Bazel and the successors who followed him with a serious gaze.

After watching the swordsmanship contest without being able to breathe next to me, Warret, who breathed only after it was time for a break, suddenly spoke to me.

“Oh… Thanks to Astel’s grace, my hair is growing, and I can watch the Duke’s swordsmanship competition so close! Miss Astel is truly the benefactor who saved me.”

“… Well, not to that extent.”

I looked at Warret with an awkward smile.

He’s been transformed from a bald raccoon thanks to the hair growth agent I’ve prepared.

Warret, whose hair was comparatively denser than before, was preparing a confession to his longtime crush, the chocolatier.

At the same time, I was going in and out of the Duke’s Castle under the guise of love counseling in many ways.

I sent him a letter saying that I wanted to repay his kindness, and I sent him a polite request to attend today’s swordsmanship contest as a spectator.

So, now, it means that the time has come to achieve the intended purpose of inviting the Warret.

“You know, Warret.”

“Ah yes.”

I whispered softly in his ear, “The medal is an artifact, right?”

“Medal? Oh, you’re talking about the medal of the sword master Bazel?”

“Yes.”

I nodded briefly at Warret.

Then Warret put down the teacup he was holding in his hand and got up.

“Let’s check it out.”

Warret, who was waddling, approached Bazel’s and shook hands with the knights he knew.

“Hey, has your hair grown quite a bit?”

“Haha! That’s right!”

“Are you going to confess?”

“Well, don’t say that.”

When I saw his confident appearance and proud expression more than when I first met him, my heart warmed even more.

Warret, who had been chatting for such a long time, glanced closer and closer to Bazel, pretending to be looking around, staring at his chest.

His gaze did not linger on Bazel for more than five seconds.

Eventually, he had a look on his face that said ‘Yes’.

Warret, who walked as if touring around and chatted with acquaintances, came back to his seat again.

“A medal on his chest is an artifact.”

“…”

“Is it for protection? Well, knights can carry artifacts.”

“Yes, it is.”

Listening to Warret, I observed Bazel.

As I planned, he’d be plotting to catch me by now.

Was it a coincidence?

Bazel turned his head toward the audience where I was, and our eyes met.

He looked at me and smiled brightly.

It was a confident young smile, as if he had prepared something for me.

The break was over.

Finally, it was time for the sword dance, which was prepared hard by the little successors, holding the sword with their bracken hands.

“If His Majesty the Duke had come, I would have worked even harder, wouldn’t I?”

“Still, all the heads of each family attended!”

The maids, who did not know why the Duke was away, happily chatted.

However, Lune was humming excitedly with his fist clenched.

During the finals, he was asleep the whole time, but now he seemed to be energized.

“Dada! It’s coming!”

Lune smiled, saying something mysterious.

“What’s Dada? Are you singing?”

However, Lune avoided her gaze and did not respond.

“I want to see mister cape. I miss Duke!”

… Lune seemed strangely fond of the Duke.

No wonder the Duke was uncomfortable with Lune and doesn’t like him, but why…

I simply nodded awkwardly, hugging Lune.

“… Yes, yes.”

Lune, dressed in colorful clothes, snuggled into my arms.

He had already worn several layers of protective gear, but this place was a little unsettling because the magical artifacts were nullified.

But I couldn’t leave this little kid alone in the room.

‘Baby, I’m sorry.’

I looked around while holding the Lune in my arms.

‘I shouldn’t risk the baby’s safety, right… ?’

But there was no pointed way.

‘Because it’s better than everyone dying together.’

Still, it was fortunate that Lune’s cheeks were plump after coming to the Duke’s Castle.

“Let’s get healthy, okay?”

Holding Lune like that, he grew up for sure, and as the start of the sword dance party drew near, Bell, who seemed very excited, waved his at me.

“A-s-tel—!”

I also happily raised my hand and greeted him.

I was worried about his timid personality. Bell looked very brave now.

“Look forward to the great sword dance!” shouted Bell.

Bell seemed to be very excited, as if he had drunk a lot of courageous potions.

… No, it’s not.

He looked happy, but he looked strangely new.

Before I thought it was strange and looked closely, Bell with a pale complexion climbed up the stage.

The sword dance of the successors was being held as splendidly as everyone expected.

The short children showed off a group dance they practiced by holding a long sword the size of their height and swinging it here and there.

‘It’s so cute.’

I lived without knowing that people could dance with a sword and that it was so beautiful.

Whistle!

As I followed the curve of the sword moving in the air as if it were cutting through the sky, it was as if I was possessed by magic.

Rather, it was lovely without a little threat, perhaps because it was a sword of small children.

‘So cute!’

It was that moment.

Bell, the silver fox, who was handling the sword gracefully in the midst of it, stopped tall and stumbled for a moment before falling to the floor.

And as soon as I saw Bell fall, my hazy mind brightened.