The Money-Obssessed Archmage's Second Life As A Broke Duke-Chapter 64 - Fucking Trash

Chapter Sixty Four

"...How?"

Kaelen stood still, staring at the broken wooden handle left in his hand. Small splinters lay scattered on the ground between us. The clearing was completely quiet.

What? They’re already done gossiping? That Lil brat must be celebrating, huh.

"You lost, Kaelen."

I didn’t lower my shortsword. The blunt wooden tip rested firmly against his throat, right over his pulse.

"If this were a real fight," I said calmly, "you would already be dead."

"...Did—did His Grace just—"

"No way..."

"That was it? That’s how it ends?"

"Does that mean Zein won all our money!?"

"Damn it!"

Kaelen’s legs wobbled.

He didn’t fall outright. Knights are stubborn like that.

Instead, he leaned forward, like the weight of the sky had suddenly decided to rest on his shoulders. His breath hitched. His jaw trembled.

His eyes watered as he stared up at the sky.

"How can this be?" he said, his voice shaking. "All these years of training... all that effort. How could I lose to someone who doesn’t even fight properly? How can I lose to someone who’s been drinking his entire life while I’ve been practicing. It’s over. It’s over."

Haah... He complains even more than me. Did I really infect him or something?

A murmur rippled through the audience.

"...That’s—"

"Is he crying?"

"Sir Kaelen—"

"Don’t take it so hard," I said, rubbing my temple trying to ease the arising headache.

"I am a disgrace," Kaelen went on, letting the broken weapon fall from his hand as he fell to his knees in despair. He covered his face, his shoulders trembling. "I tried everything. I even tried to provoke you. And still, I lost. I lost to someone who fights without form or elegance. I’m useless. I’ve failed completely. I don’t deserve to be a knight."

Yep. He’s infected.

"That’s enough."

"...This is hard to watch."

"Should we stop His Liege from bullying Sir Kaelen?"

"Captain say something?"

"What can I say? I am watching with you all too."

CLANK!

I threw the wooden shortsword aside. It hit the table with a loud clatter.

Several helmets snapped fully into view from the bushes.

"H-He threw it away—"

"What’s His Grace doing?"

Kaelen looked up at me, startled, eyes red, opened wide like saucers.

"Get up," I said firmly, cracking my knuckles. "You’re not useless. But if you keep acting like this, you will be. You have great potential. Believe in your master, atleast."

"You already won, Master. What’s the point? It’s all-"

THWACK!

"...Master??"

The sound echoed.

Someone in the bushes yelped.

"Did—did His Grace just—"

"That was a punch, right?"

"Yes. Yes it was."

"Get up. I’m barehanded. You still have a chance."

On that note... Wasn’t previous task slapping? Could this one be punching or something?

System. Task Completion Update.

[Ping!]

[Task Completion Bar : 24%]

Haah... This System is so fucking trash.

[Ping!]

[Host is being too harsh.]

Oh? I am? And, who’s responsible for it?

...

I thought so. Just do your job. I have no interest in listening to your whines.

Kaelen scrambled to his feet, his face red, half from the punch and half from the shame. He threw his pride away and lunged at me like a man possessed.

"I’ll show you!" he roared, swinging a punch at me. "You never give your opponent a second chance in battlefield, Master."

I ducked, feeling the wind of his fist whistle over my hair.

The knightly duel was long over. This was a back alley brawl in the mud.

"You’re just too weak to do anything. All you do recently is just bark." I barked, jabbing him in the stomach.

System. Task Completion Update.

[Ping!]

[Task Completion Bar : 56%]

"Oof!" Kaelen wheezed. But, he didn’t give up. Instead, he tackled me around the waist, and we both went down into the dirt, rolling like two angry cats.

"THEY’RE FIGHTING—!"

"IS THIS STILL A DUEL?!"

"CAPTAIN WHAT DO WE DO?!"

"EVERYONE STAY CALM! THE DUEL ISN’T OVER!"

"CAN SIR KAELEN STILL WIN?"

I grinned into the dirt as Kaelen snarled above me.

Yeah. This is more like it.

THAWCK!

I hit him square in the face throwing him off of me as I got on top of him.

Haah... How many years have I missed fighting like this. System, Task Completion Update.

[Ping!]

[Task Completion Bar : 99%]

THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!

System, Task Completion Update.

[Ping!]

[Task Completion Bar : 99%]

What the—? Why is it not increasing? Is the task not punching? Does it want me to kick him? Do I have to bite him? This piece of trash system is definitely doing this on purpose.

Haah... At least I managed to let off some steam.

"Say," I panted, pinning his shoulders into the dirt. "Still wanna fight?"

"No," Kaelen wheezed, his eyes finally clearing of that annoying fog. A tired smile actually managed to break through the grime. "Master won. I... I can’t move my arms. I accept my defeat. Master is definitely stronger."

"Haah," I exhaled, wiping the grains of sand stuck to my cheek as I got off him offering my hand. "Then, don’t you want to be stronger too?"

Kaelen paused, his head tilting back against the ground as he looked at me. The sunlight catching the silver of his disheveled hair. "What do you mean, Master?"

"When the teacher and the teaching that you follow aren’t good enough," My voice dropped as a tired smile made it way to my face, "it’s better to abandon them. There is no single way of doing something after all."

"I don’t understand, Master."

"Get up, first," I said, giving his hand a sharp tug.

"Ugh. That hurt, Master," he groaned, his joints popping as I hauled him to his feet. He swayed for a moment, his knightly dignity now replaced by sand grains and a looming bruise on his jaw. "You purposely punched me on points that aren’t lethal but hurt like hell. Didn’t you?"

"Heh. That I did. You needed a good beating, after all." I let go of his hand and stretched my own aching back.

Damn. I feel so refreshed.

"Call Sir Eatassh and Garrow here. Dismiss the others. Or, is it that you can’t even walk?" I raised, my eyebrow at him.

"Of course, I can!"

"Then, hurry."

"You’ve really changed, Master."

[Ding!]

[Host Has Completed Daily Quest!]

[Host Can Claim His Reward at 00:00]

"Hey, Kaelen!"

"Yes, Master?"

"Your witty personality is better than that loser one you have. Keep that."

"Haha!"