The Returned Lord Is a Genius of Gun Law - Chapter 7
chapter 7
The Grand Duel
The Returning Lord is a Gun Law Genius, Episode 7
Episode 7
After sending the messenger from Primrose away, Eugene and the retainers of his territory gathered once more around the round table.
“A Great Warrior Duel is a duel fought by the Great Warriors representing each territory. In the Amir Continent, it’s a common procedure for resolving disputes between territories.”
“What if we refuse?”
In response to Eugene’s question, Butler Veruf calmly continued, “That rarely happens, but if we refuse, it will severely damage your lordship’s face and prestige. Not only will it make cooperation with other nobles difficult, but in the worst case, it could provide Primrose or nearby territories with an excuse to attack.”
“It seems you had no intention of vetoing from the start.”
Hearing the butler’s explanation, Eugene raised one corner of his mouth.
Even if the issue of developing the magic stone mine weren’t at stake, he would inevitably need to form alliances with other nobles to protect and advance the Baron of Crocus’s territory in the future. To avoid complications then, Eugene decided that accepting the duel was the right course of action.
“Alternatively, we could consider meeting their demands and asking them to withdraw the duel challenge,” Beruf suggested. “If we do that, they’ll be the ones to cancel the duel first, so it won’t harm your prestige or honor as the lord.”
“What are the terms?”
“The development rights to the magic stone mine, and compensation for injuring Primrose’s heir.”
The opponent’s demands were exactly what Eugene had expected. He already knew they coveted the magic stone mine in the Crocus territory, and compensation was always a standard condition in such conflicts.
However, there was something more important than confirming their terms.
Eugene’s gaze turned to Leon, the captain of the knights. “Captain, what are our chances of winning the duel?”
“Hmm, that’s…” Leon hesitated, unable to give a ready answer.
Eugene could easily guess why. “None, I take it?”
“…My apologies, Lord.”
At these words, Leon lowered his head in embarrassment and continued, “It’s a shameful thing to admit, but our chances of winning a full-scale duel against Primrose are slim.”
“Why is that?”
“Because we know for sure that Sir Manuel, their captain of the guard, will be participating in the duel.”
“Manuel?”
“He’s the knight who escorted Primrose’s heir in the Black Forest last time.”
At this, Eugene nodded silently.
I thought he was quite fierce… but he’s even more skilled than I imagined.
Thanks to his complacency, Eugene had failed to prevent the hostage situation. However, having fought knights in several missions, he could gauge their abilities to some extent.
Watching Eugene nod, Leon continued,
“As far as I know, his skill level is mid-tier Sword Expert… he’s a level above me. If we were to duel directly, I probably wouldn’t last long.”
Leon’s face was rigid, perhaps embarrassed to admit his shortcomings to the lord he served.
“My lord, proceeding with the duel as planned would be too dangerous.”
It was at that moment that Veruf, who had been listening to their conversation, spoke up.
“As the Knight Commander said, if we proceed with the duel, it’s clear as day that Primrose will win. Since defeat is all but certain, wouldn’t it be better to negotiate and concede a share of the magic stone mine they desire?”
“Master Butler, how could you say something like that!”
Leon’s face turned crimson with anger at Beruf’s suggestion of negotiating with their opponent.
Even though Leon himself had acknowledged his opponent’s superior skill, the butler’s words amounted to surrendering before the fight even began. For a proud knight like Leon, this was naturally infuriating.
Yet…
“Am I wrong, Sir Leon? If your defeat is certain, your death would be a far greater loss to Crocus than any concessions we might make!”
“That’s…”
Caught off guard by Beruf’s sharp retort, Leon was forced to remain silent.
“Enough.”
It was then that Yujin spoke.
His gaze fell upon the Knight Commander, whose face was flushed red. “What are the rules of the Grand Duel?”
“The duel takes place within a designated arena established by imperial observers. Victory can be achieved by forcing your opponent out of the arena, rendering them combat-incapacitated, or by making them surrender.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes, my lord.”
Yujin nodded, listening to Leon’s explanation, then stroked his chin thoughtfully. “So, we don’t necessarily have to use swords.”
“Of course not. The Grand Duel was originally designed to accommodate not just knights, but also mages. We can’t force mages to wield swords, can we? That’s why there are no restrictions on weaponry.”
“Hmm…”
After hearing Leon’s answer, Eugene stroked his chin as if deep in thought.
The three retainers gathered around the round table silently awaited their lord’s decision.
And then…
“I will fight.”
Eugene’s words were completely unexpected by all three.
“My Lord, that’s far too dangerous!”
The first to speak was Captain of the Guard, Sir Jeron, his face etched with shock.
“Our opponent is a mid-level Sword Expert knight. Even Sir Leon, the finest knight in the realm, cannot guarantee victory. If you, who can neither wield aura nor magic, step onto the battlefield, you’ll be gravely injured.”
He didn’t need to voice the worst-case scenario: death.
A Sword Expert was a warrior who, through rigorous training, not only possessed superhuman physical abilities but could also channel aura into their sword, dramatically increasing its cutting power.
While it was true that Eugene had a reasonably trained body, he was still a commoner who couldn’t wield aura or magic. Facing a knight who was practically superhuman was essentially impossible for him.
“Sir Geron is right, my Lord. It would be wiser to follow the butler’s advice. If anything were to happen to your safety, the survival of this territory could not be guaranteed.”
The knight commander, Leon, was equally startled by Eugene’s words.
If Eugene, the sole heir of the Baron of Crocus, were to die, the Barony of Crocus would undoubtedly vanish from history along with the demise of the Crocus family.
Perhaps it would be better to concede the duel immediately, even at a loss, and give them what they wanted.
“No, I will not accept this challenge.”
“My Lord…!”
It was only natural for them to try and dissuade their lord from stubbornly insisting on a duel that he was bound to lose.
“I will eliminate them and make it clear that I am the true master of this territory.”
Yet, not a trace of fear could be seen on Eugene’s face as he prepared to face the duel.
“Leave the scheduling to the steward.”
“…Yes, my Lord.”
The moment Beruf’s reply left his lips, Eugene rose and turned away.
Leaving the round table where his retainers stood gathered, he headed straight for his bedroom.
His gaze swept across the bedroom and landed on a long duffel bag lying in the corner. It was the large duffel bag Yujin had brought when he left Earth for the continent of Amir.
Zzzip!
Without hesitation, Yujin grabbed the zipper on the duffel bag and pulled it open. The contents spilled out.
“Hmm.”
He reached into the bag and pulled out an item.
Clack!
It was a rifle. More precisely, a dark, automatic rifle bearing the name HK416. It was the weapon Yujin knew best, the one that had accompanied him through countless battlefields.
“It’s been a while since I’ve handled my main weapon.”
As he looked down at the duffel bag and the gear spread beneath his beloved rifle, Yujin’s eyes grew cold and distant.
The grand duel between the two duchies took place three days after Primrose sent the herald. The location was the village of Crocus’s Baisin, situated on the border between the two duchies.
On a wide clearing outside the village, the retainers of the Primrose and Crocus families watched the three figures gathered in the center.
“By the authority of your lords…”
One of them, the duel arbiter sent by the imperial court, raised a long staff he held in his hand. As he began to murmur,
“…Manifest.”
Thud!
The arbiter, who had been murmuring for a considerable time without pause, slammed the tip of his staff onto the ground the moment he finished speaking.
Simultaneously,
Whoosh!
A translucent blue dome erupted from the ground, encircling the clearing.
The dueling arena had been established through a special spell, designed to prevent collateral damage during the duel.
To create something like this with just a few words… it’s truly remarkable.
Watching this, Eugene marveled.
Though he had experienced magic a few times during his mercenary days, as someone who had lived on Earth for far longer, magic still held a sense of wonder for him.
However, the official who had conjured the translucent dome was the one staring at Eugene with a look of astonishment.
“My Lord, are you certain you intend to fight in that attire?”
Polymer-based guards wrapped around the joints of his clothing—elbows and knees. Instead of his usual clothes, he wore combat gear: a bulletproof vest, a cartridge belt, and a long, dark rifle.
Yujin’s clothing and equipment were unlike anything commonly seen in Amir, so it was understandable that the attendant was curious.
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
“No, of course not. I’ve simply never seen such combat attire before.”
With that, the attendant nodded and stepped back.
This meant the duel would begin soon.
Yujin turned to face his opponent across the arena: Sir Manuel, the knight commander of the Primrose Baron’s guard.
“My Lord. I was careless last time, but this time will be different.”
Though he maintained a semblance of courtesy unlike before, the murderous intent in his eyes remained unmistakable.
He’ll come at me full force from the start.
Just by looking at his gaze, Yujin knew exactly how his opponent would act.
Likely, to cover for his previous mistake, he would try to end the duel as quickly as possible.
If it comes to close combat, I’ll be in trouble.
Unless he was a fool, my opponent would know perfectly well that firearms were ranged weapons.
Therefore, he would undoubtedly use his superhuman physical abilities to force close combat.
Though there was a considerable distance between us, closing that gap would only take a few seconds.
And…
Though it probably won’t matter in the end.
And I already knew how to handle knights who wielded aura.
So…
“From this moment on, the duel between Primrose and Crocus begins!”
The moment the second announced the start of the duel, my hands moved faster than ever before.
And then, a moment later…
Boom!
A deafening explosion filled the air as the clearing was bathed in blinding light.