This Bastard is Too Competent

The feud between Adelas and Cesare was escalating to an extreme point, to the extent that a real fight could break out with just a little push.

At that moment, Ian stepped forward.

“What are you two doing in front of the great hall? Control yourselves!”

However, his intervention did not stop their fight.

Accusations, insults, and personal attacks filled the air as they shifted blame onto each other.

It had escalated to a point where they couldn’t simply stop, even if they wanted to.

So Ian made a suggestion.

“Marquis Adelas and Cardinal Cesare.”

“?”

“In this situation, wouldn’t it be better for the two of you to settle the matter through a fight?”

“What kind of nonsense are you suggesting?”

Everyone looked bewildered.

“Are you suggesting that we engage in a brutal fight against each other?”

“We are nobles. How can a noble and a cardinal like myself resort to such petty violence?”

“Yes, even if you are a prince, that was an outrageous remark. Please apologize.”

Despite their childish fight moments ago, they were now surprisingly rational.

But Ian replied nonchalantly, as if nothing were wrong.

“What’s wrong with that? Noble disputes often end in a duel if no conclusion can be reached. It’s a precedent.”

“But…”

The nobles looked at each other.

“A cardinal is a priest. The Marquis is a man who has achieved meritorious deeds on the battlefield…”

“Moreover, they are not evenly matched.”

Ian looked at the Marquis.

The Marquis had a look on his face that said he didn’t think he was going to lose.

Cesare, on the other hand, was flushing red at the absurdity of it all.

At that time, Jealousy whispered.

[That one. He doesn’t seem upset at all.]

‘I know.’

It had to be that way.

He was pretending to be angry at people, but his eyes were smiling.

It was like Cesare himself knew he was going to win.

So Ian tried to persuade them a little harder.

“Well, if you can fight using similar conditions, wouldn’t that work?”

“How so?”

“Perhaps the Marquis could make a small concession?”

“Well, I haven’t agreed to a duel yet.”

Naturally, the Marquis refused, claiming there was nothing to gain.

Ian gently pricked the Marquis’ pride.

“Surely… Are you, who achieved glory on the battlefield alongside the king, afraid of a cardinal?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“It seems like you’re avoiding this because you’re scared of the cardinal’s swordsmanship. Or… is it the priest that you’re truly afraid of?”

“…”

The Marquis raised his eyebrows at Ian’s words.

“You think this Adelas is afraid of a fight?”

“Then perhaps you would accept a duel?”

“I would need to hear the terms first.”

Despite feeling a slight sting to his pride, the Marquis didn’t immediately give in.

He refused to put himself at the slightest disadvantage.

Ian pointed his index finger at the Marquis.

One arm.

One leg.

A sword as the only weapon, without a shield.

“How about fighting under those conditions?”

Those were the terms for a fair fight between Adelas and Cesare.

Undeniably, the odds were somewhat tilted in Adelas’ favor.

However, the Marquis readily nodded.

“If that’s what it takes… very well.”

Unless he was blindfolded, victory was naturally his.

Jealousy couldn’t help but be shocked at those words.

[Isn’t this guy crazy? What? How can he fight?]

Just fighting as it is would be a defeat.

Tying up both hands so he couldn’t even hold a sword properly and binding his legs so he couldn’t move well?

Not to mention that the real deal used in this duel was a real sword.

It meant risking his life while being so confident.

But Ian thought his confidence was natural.

‘At first glance, Cardinal Cesare is an ordinary middle-aged man.’

He was a middle-aged man with loose-fitting clothes, without visible muscle.

His slightly protruding stomach made it seem like he had no training at all.

In contrast, Marquis Adelas had the physique of a trained knight.

‘It’s even more unreasonable to think he would lose.’

However, Ian kept his thoughts to himself and instead smiled at Cardinal Cesare.

“Isn’t this sufficient, Cardinal?”

“If the Marquis truly wishes to fight… then there’s nothing I can do.”

Cesare nodded in agreement, feeling compelled by the atmosphere.

The nobles around him were busy cheering, thinking that Cesare might win.

However, Jealousy and Ian’s gazes were sharp.

[Look at that guy. Acting like he’s going to win anyway.]

‘That’s right.’

Even if they just fought normally, Cesare could easily beat a high-ranking knight.

Despite achieving meritorious deeds on the battlefield, there was no way a gray-haired old man like him could win now.

Unable to even hold a shield with his hands and feet bound, Cesare would inevitably win one-sidedly.

So Ian whispered to Jealousy.

‘Get ready.’

[I understand, sheesh.]

It was to use the hidden power of Jealousy.

In order to make their fight more dramatic and push them to kill each other, Ian shouted towards the two men preparing for the duel.

“Fight! Only the words of the winner will be the truth.”

So the Marquis and Cesare began pointing their swords at each other.

***

A saintess has the ability to read fate.

When Nathan first heard those words from Ian, he found it hard to believe.

It seemed implausible.

‘Does that make sense? The idea that a person’s destiny is predetermined?’

To be honest, it was like that when he helped her onto the horse.

‘Not to touch her? Does that mean if I do, my destiny could be read and fixed?’

He was taken aback by the notion that even a future where he married the First Princess couldn’t be changed if it was read.

However, his decision to ride separately from the saintess and her horse wasn’t based on believing her words.

It was just because he felt uneasy for some reason.

He had a vague sense that a future with a negative outcome, like marrying the First Princess, might come true.

The same feeling persisted afterward.

‘I’ll just go along with the atmosphere.’

Even when she pretended to prophesy and trembled, he had planned to respond casually.

But now, Nathan’s expression wasn’t that of a skeptic.

‘There was no story like this.’

Naturally. Just a moment ago, it was because of what the saintess had said to him.

“Death is coming for my brother.”

It wasn’t a mere abstract prophecy.

The saintess provided him with detailed information along with those words.

“Jealousy. No one truly understands its terrifying nature. If things continue like this… not only my brother, but the royal palace will be engulfed in a sea of blood.”

The fact that Ian consumed a fragment of the Seven Sins, Jealousy, was known only to his knights.

It wasn’t something even the saintess of the Holy Empire could discern.

Moreover, she knew the detailed circumstances.

“Though it may be just a fragment, it is one of the Seven Sins. Its mere existence can corrupt everything around it, evoking feelings of jealousy.”

Those who are consumed by jealousy are often said to have a narrow view.

Moreover, jealousy is one of the strongest of the Seven Sins, driven by the desire to conquer and destroy others.

The problem arose when this mere fragment met another Seven Sins.

“Jealousy cannot exist alone. If it is drawn towards a corresponding Seven Sins, then…”

‘Will everyone around them lose their judgment and become monsters, driven to kill each other?’

But the issue lay with the target.

If Ian was the target of that jealousy…

‘Everyone might rush to kill the prince?’

Moreover, Ian doesn’t even have Galon with him now.

All he has by his side is the blue wolf. But that made it more dangerous.

‘I heard that everyone in the blue wolf cherishes and loves Lady Fionia. Among them, there may be someone who is jealous of the prince.’

In other words, it was as if Ian had been thrown into the midst of enemies.

This was the reason why Nathan had no choice but to rush out. And then…

“Sir Nathan!”

The saintess urgently called after him as he ran.

“Hurry! You must save my brother before someone loses their life.”

With another Seven Sins at play, someone’s death would trigger the emotion of Jealousy.

It was crucial to save Ian before bloodshed.

So Nathan took out an item from his pocket.

It was the necklace of the First Princess that Ian had entrusted to him.

‘Damn it. I didn’t want to use this.’

The necklace that bound the First Princess with her oath also served as a communication device.

Unlike other communication devices, it didn’t require an intermediary.

By simply infusing mana, one could directly communicate with the other party.

However, as Nathan, he wanted to avoid contact with the First Princess.

‘Damn. I wish I had two bodies.’

According to the saintess’s prophecy, Duke Lavaltor was also in danger.

No matter how fast Nathan was, he couldn’t rescue both places at the same time.

To save the saintess, Duke Lavaltor, and Ian, there was no other choice but this method. So Nathan…

Click.

He pressed the necklace and infused mana into it.

And then the other party responded.

[Who is it? You used something you shouldn’t have…]

[It’s me, Princess.]

[Sir… Nathan?]

Nathan could sense the trembling voice of the First Princess.

But he tightly bit his lips and spoke.

[I need your help, Lyn.]

The First Princess took a breath at his words.

***

A sudden duel with the Marquis of Adelas begins.

Despite his gentle smile, Cesare was very surprised.

There was no other reason.

‘Did I really agree to this absurd duel?’

He felt as if his own and others’ minds were clouded.

It was as if a surge of blood rushed to his head, narrowing his vision.

Naturally, his gaze turned towards Ian.

‘Every time he said something, I felt my blood rush. I felt like I had to do it.

It felt like he was jealous of him.

He had a feeling that he had to win, no matter what.

So Cesare narrowed his eyes coldly.

‘For now, I’ll win the duel. And then, I need to investigate that guy further.’

He was going to win the fight anyway.

That was obvious.

Despite his unimpressive appearance, he possessed a special power.

No matter how much the Marquis had made a name for himself on the battlefield, there was a clear difference in their abilities that he couldn’t overcome.

Just like now.

“Now, stop dodging already!”

Cesare skillfully avoided the Marquis’ sword as if it were about to strike him.

In truth, the Marquis’ sword hadn’t managed to touch Cesare even once.

“You’re really good at dodging like a loach.”

“Do you really have to go this far?”

“That’s amusing. Haven’t you heard that the words of the victor are the truth?”

Cesare chuckled at the Marquis’ words.

Even the usually composed Marquis seemed to have blood rushing to his head.

It seemed as if something had taken hold of him.

‘I guess I’ll have to stop acting here.’

Honestly, even Cesare found it difficult to suppress his boiling blood.

Unlike cold reason, his heated instincts seemed to be urging him to bring down his opponent.

“Is that so? Then there’s nothing I can do.”

Cesare deliberately stumbled, as if it were a mistake. But his sword precisely aimed at the Marquis’ leg.

Swish!

“This…bastard?”

The Marquis took a step back in surprise.

However, with his legs bound, his range of movement was limited.

Cesare closed in and targeted the other leg.

Slash!

The Marquis, injured in both legs, collapsed to the ground.

His face showed a bewildered expression, not understanding how it had happened.

“Y-you… How?”

“I was fortunate. It seems that the heavens smiled upon me.”

“Ridiculous… You were hiding your true strength.”

Now that the Marquis realized everything, it was already too late.

Cesare smiled in victory and slowly approached him.

“So, the words of the victor are true, you say? My apologies, but since I’ve won, that’s how it is.”

“I-I haven’t lost yet.”

“You will soon.”

Cesare couldn’t hide his amusement as he slightly raised the corners of his mouth, visible only to the Marquis.

Then, he raised his sword above his head.

“Okay, now it’s over.”

Cesare declared so while looking at Ian instead of the Marquis.

‘Whatever schemes you may have had, in the end, you will also kneel before me.’

With a wicked smile, he sent his gaze towards Ian.

And then, right at that moment…

Smirk.

Ian smiled as he looked at Cesare. Instinctively, Cesare felt that something was wrong.

‘He’s smiling?’

It wasn’t merely a feeling.

Ian was genuinely smiling, his finger pointing directly ahead of him—the Marquis of Adelas.

“Aaaaahhh!”

Despite his legs being injured and seemingly unable to stand, the Marquis rolled his eyes and rose from his position.

It was as if he had surrendered himself to something. He resembled the manifestation of Jealousy that had appeared at Bahara in the past.

The only difference was that instead of his entire body being tainted black, only his pupils were stained black.

Cesare recognized it immediately.

‘Could that be… Jealousy? The Seventh Prince handles that?’

He had heard that the Seventh Prince possessed ‘Patience.

That meant Ian could handle not only the Seven Virtues but also the Seven Sins.

‘Could it be that he is the adversary mentioned in the prophecy? Is it the Seventh Prince?’

It was clear.

It was none other than the one who appeared in the prophecy of the saintess.

He even spoke with the same mouth as that figure.

‘Well. How does it feel to be treated the way you used to do to others?’

But Cesare had no time to get angry.

Shunk!

Before he could react, Marquis Adelas closed the distance and thrust his sword into Cesare’s body.

“Marquis…Adelas!”

“I finally… caught you!”

In the brief moment when his mind was distracted, Marquis Adelas not only recovered from his injuries but also regained his prime condition and charged at Cesare.

It was the power of Jealousy that Ian had used.

But it was at that very moment.

“Ugh…”

Cesare collapsed, blood seeping from his wounds.

The red blood that flowed from his body emitted an ominous glow.