The annual Sword Tournament of the Duchy of Kanson is an event eagerly anticipated by nobles from all corners of the Kingdom of Nolan, during which the duchy transforms from a center of science and knowledge into an arena where sword blades shimmer beneath the sun.The chapter begins in the "Plaza of Light," a massive marble amphitheater located at the heart of the Duchy of Kanson, part of the Kingdom of Nolan.
The Duchy of Kanson, despite being the official host, does not participate in the martial competition. It is known as a "Duchy of Knowledge," not a duchy of chivalry; its nobles prefer studying the secrets of atoms and ancient chemistry over the clash of swords.
This year, four of the mightiest noble houses gathered to compete for the title of "Blade of the South":
The Duchy of Green: raising emerald banners embroidered with golden threads.
The Marquisate of Fellini: renowned for the elegance of its warriors and their slender swords.
The Marquisate of Jakro: whose fighters embody raw power and resilience.
The Duchy of Red: whose knights wear crimson armor resembling dragon flames.
The Royal Platform: The Majesty of the Lords
On an elevated platform covered with luxurious imported blue silk carpets, the five lords sat in a single row radiating sovereign grandeur. Behind each lord sat his wife, like royal shadows adding enchantment to the scene.
• The Duke of Kanson (Zen Kanson): seated at the center with calm authority. A man in his thirties, with jet-black hair and sharp blue eyes reflecting keen intelligence. He wore an elegant blue suit with refined white trims.
• Behind him sat his wife, (Valia Algaris): drawing attention with her long pink hair and vibrant yellow eyes, wearing a pink dress accented with green touches.
• The Lord of the Duchy of Green: a massive man with a trimmed beard, wearing a heavy green cloak. Behind him sat his wife, adorned with necklaces of green coral.Name: Green BanRace: HumanTitle: Duke of the Duchy of GreenLevel: Supreme Lord
• The Marquis of Fellini: slender-bodied with sharp features, dressed in silver attire. Behind him sat his wife, her face concealed behind a fan of white ostrich feathers.Name: Fellini BornanRace: HumanTitle: Marquis of the Marquisate of FelliniLevel: Supreme Lord
• The Marquis of Jakro: a man whose skin had been darkened by the sun, wearing leather armor inlaid with gemstones. Behind him sat his wife, famed for her stern desert beauty.Name: Jakro MikroRace: HumanTitle: Marquis of the Marquisate of JakroLevel: Supreme Lord
• The Duke of Red: wearing a long red scarf draped over his shoulders, his eyes never leaving the arena. Behind him sat his wife, wearing a crown of red rubies.Name: Red ZikRace: HumanTitle: Duke of the Duchy of RedLevel: Ancient Lord – One Star
The arena bustled with servants carrying silver trays filled with the finest sweets and delicate chicken soup. The tables were made from rare Zenzin wood imported from the eastern continent. The atmosphere was charged with the cheers of the crowd filling the stands.
While the noblewomen exchanged side conversations, Valia occasionally leaned toward her husband Zen to whisper a few words, prompting him to adjust his posture with dignified composure—a scene blending love with the sternness that defined their relationship.
In a corner of the palace, Lucia (Amana) observed quietly with her golden eyes, contemplating her upcoming journey to Atlas Academy, aware that this luxury was merely a veil for the political storms sweeping across the continent.
Amid an atmosphere saturated with the scent of rare flowers and the steam of exquisite dishes filling the Plaza of Light in the Duchy of Kanson, the ruling elite sat upon a platform reflecting the majesty of gold and marble.
The Lords' Boasting and Marriage Maneuvers
As the musical ensembles played gentle melodies, the Duke of Red leaned back, holding a goblet of fine wine, and declared proudly:"My son, Leon, spent the past winter in the northern mountains hunting Yug beasts. The icy cold tempered his sword until it became an extension of his soul. He is the product of years of relentless effort."
Marquis Fellini replied with a soft smile as he adjusted the cuff of his silver shirt:"Raw power is admirable, but my son, Alessandro, possesses flexibility that makes his sword dance like silk in the air. His instructor told me he has a rare insight in sensing the surrounding Sani."
Marquis Jakro, dark-skinned and shrewd, leaned toward Zen Kanson and whispered with undisguised political greed:"Duke Zen, your daughter Lucia possesses unmatched beauty, and her golden eyes radiate exceptional intellect. Her journey to Atlas Academy will be fraught with danger—don't you think she needs a noble 'protector' to accompany her? My son has the strength to be her shadow."
Other lords joined in with similar insinuations, each presenting his son as a future husband for the heiress destined to represent the kingdom at Atlas. Zen Kanson showed clear signs of discomfort; he wiped his forehead with a silk handkerchief and replied with a strained smile:"Haha… Lucia is still young, and she… she has a very strong will and prefers to rely on herself for now. We truly appreciate your sentiments, but—"
Behind him, Valia gripped her pink fan tightly, her sharp yellow eyes exchanging stern glances with the other noblewomen, as if erecting an invisible wall to shield her daughter from their ambitions.
Suddenly, a thunderous horn blast shattered the political murmurs, shaking the pillars of the platform. The referee stood at the center of the arena—a massive man clad in gleaming bronze armor—and roared with a thunderous voice that drew the attention of thousands in the stands:
"Nobles! Great people! The moment you have been waiting for has arrived!"
A heavy silence fell as he gestured toward the four heirs standing in the corners of the arena in their luxurious combat attire:"The rules of this year's tournament are strict and clear! The sons of the four duchies (Green and Red) and the two marquisates (Fellini and Jakro) shall face each other in a royal battle within this arena. Poison and killing blows are forbidden—but every Sani and every sword technique is yours to use!"
The referee raised his hand toward Duke Kanson and continued in a sharper tone:"And the final victor, the one who stands until the end, shall receive the grand prize: the right to request one unrejectable wish from the Duchy of Kanson! Whether it be a secret of science, financial support, or even a familial alliance!"
Cheers erupted from the stands, while Zen Kanson's tension intensified. He knew the victor's wish could become a chain—one the nobles would use to force Lucia into marriage or extract scientific secrets kept within the duchy for centuries.
Meanwhile, in a distant corner of the arena, Lucia (Amana) watched quietly, her golden eyes reflecting sunlight, as she felt a faint Sani pressure approaching the borders of the duchy—a familiar pressure she had not sensed in years.
At the heart of the Duchy of Kanson, amid decorations and noble cheers, Amana (Lucia) sat in a quiet corner of the royal platform, away from the clamor of hollow praise. Beside her sat her close friend, the noblewoman Konb Kron, idly fiddling with her ornate fan.
A Quiet Dialogue Behind the Veil of Splendor
Konb whispered as she leaned toward Amana:"Don't you feel dizzy from all these displays, Lucia? These knights think our hearts open to the clang of swords, while their minds fail to grasp that you're heading to Atlas Academy to reach beyond mere political marriage."
Amana smiled with composed dignity, her golden eyes watching the arena:"Knowledge is my true sword, Konb. These sons compete for a wish, unaware that destiny is not granted as a prize—it is seized through effort."
Konb interrupted with a soft laugh:"But look at your father, Zen—he's nearly choking on their hints about the 'strong protector' you supposedly need on your journey! It seems he'd rather face a Yug beast than choose a husband for you from among them."
The Fall of the Crimson Meteor
As spontaneous laughter passed between the two friends, the sky suddenly split open with a sound like tearing fine silk. This time, it was not a golden streak—but something dark and beautiful all at once.
A man fell from the heavens, shattering the marble arena at its center and unleashing a shockwave that forced the four knights to retreat in terror. As the dust cleared, a man stood revealed: silky white hair cascading over his shoulders, and crimson-red eyes glowing with predatory light. He wore royal white garments embroidered with red flowers resembling splashes of flowing blood.
At that moment, an overwhelming Sani pressure erupted from him, engulfing the entire arena. Servants and nobles alike were forced to their knees, their breaths choked by the cold grasp of death—exactly as if a top-tier predator had entered a livestock pen.
The Royal Confrontation
Duke Red stood, resisting the pressure with his own strength, and roared:"How dare you, filth, defile a noble tournament! Who are you, and who granted you the right to cause this chaos?"
The red-eyed man looked toward the platform with lethal indifference, completely ignoring Duke Red, and spoke in a deep, musical voice that filled the air:"I am the First Prince, Valerius von Fambra, of the Kingdom of the Crimson Tear.I crossed continents not for your petty duel, but because I was enchanted by the beauty of the Duke of Kanson's daughter—Lucia… Ah, my golden-eyed beauty, I have decided that you shall be mine. I will carry you to my throne, where blood never fades."
Name: Valerius von FambraRace: Royal VampireTitle: First Prince of the Kingdom of the Crimson TearLevel: King
The Wrath of Duke Kanson and the Blood Price
Zen Kanson leapt from his seat. Though he was merely a "novice" in physical power, his dignity as a father overcame his fear.He shouted with unprecedented fury:"Even if you are a prince of the cursed Kingdom of Fambra, how dare you trespass upon my land and look at my daughter with such filthy intent?! Lucia is no one's prize—and you will never set foot in my home as long as I live!"
Prince Valerius's expression did not change; instead, a mocking glint flashed in his crimson eyes. In a movement so swift that even the assembled Sword Lords could not track it, the prince vanished like a fleeting shadow.
"Your silence would have been more beautiful, my father-in-law," the prince whispered as he suddenly appeared behind Zen.
In a fraction of a second, blood sprayed through the air, staining Valia's pink dress. Zen Kanson's severed hand fell onto the marble floor as screams of horror erupted. Zen collapsed in agony, while Amana stood frozen in place—her golden eyes locked onto the scene in shock.
Deep within her soul, something began to boil with rage…the legacy of the General of the Sun.