Chapter 08
“…So, you must have more than one life to spare.”
“Does it look that way?”
The man’s hand tightened on his sword, patience clearly running out.
“Don’t do anything you’ll regret. Even if the Impera family is falling apart, a count’s son is still a noble. Kill me in a fit of anger and you’ll invite a world of trouble.”
“……”
For a brief moment, hesitation flickered across his face—
as if he were truly weighing whether or not to cut down this annoying young lord.
“Leave. Keep pestering me and I won’t hold back next time.”
Good. At least the worst outcome had been avoided.
Now came the hard part: persuading him.
“But I’m serious, you know? I really do know where the Knights’ relic is.”
That finally stopped him in his tracks.
“…What do you want?”
“Quick on the uptake. I like that.”
I couldn’t help but grin.
“A month from now, a duel trial will be held. I need you to stand in for me.
Do that, and I’ll tell you exactly where the relic is—marked on a map and everything.”
“Heh. And how am I supposed to trust you?”
Honestly, I had no proof.
If I told him, ‘Actually, I fell into the world of a novel, so I know everything, ha ha,’
he’d think I’d lost my mind.
So I simply said, with confidence, “Strictly speaking, I have no evidence.”
“……”
“But why would I lie? Same reason you just gave me that perfectly harmless ointment.”
Most lies are told for a reason—profit, or amusement.
He’d just handed me an ointment that eased my pain.
He could have given me poison instead, but he hadn’t.
Why? Because there was no reason to.
I was making the same point now:
Why would I lie to a man of the Eternal Knights?
A lie would only get me and my entire family beheaded.
“I’ve only got one life. If I lied to an Eternal Knight, I’d be dead in a heartbeat.”
“That’s true.”
“……”
His casual certainty that he could kill me so easily stung a little,
but pride wasn’t the priority here.
“…Just trust me for now. In one month, after you win the duel trial, I’ll tell you everything.
If you still doubt me, you can have my life.”
“Hmph. You think killing some count’s whelp in this backwater changes anything?”
“If that’s what you think, keep thinking it.”
“……”
He pressed his lips together, clearly debating.
It did sound absurd: a random count’s heir in a remote village claiming to know the relic’s location.
But he’d likely scoured the continent for years without a single clue.
And here was a sliver of one—if he waited just a month.
“Think it over carefully.”
I’d tossed out the bait. Whether the fish bit wasn’t up to me.
“Well?”
“…You said a duel trial?”
Got him.
You don’t ask questions if you’re not interested.
“Exactly…”
I quickly summarized the situation—
why the duel trial had been called,
and how the champion representing House Venere was a Rank-5 monster with a sword.
“…That’s how it is.”
“Hmm.”
He looked thoughtful.
“I figured you were crafty, but you’re even dumber than I expected.”
Fair enough.
All of this had started because Ian threw the first punch without thinking.
“Personal reasons,” I said with an awkward shrug, all the while studying his face.
And I learned something else:
he wasn’t the least bit worried about facing a Rank-5 swordsman.
Of course. He was from the Eternal Knights.
Maybe I was standing before someone far greater than I’d realized.
If only I knew his name… but he’s not about to tell me just because I ask.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
“…Fine.”
“Really? Ha! Good choice!”
“But remember this: if the duel ends and you break our deal…”
“I know. You can take my life.”
“No. I won’t stop at just you.
I’ll kill everyone connected to you first, and save you for last.”
“…Uh.”
Yikes. That wasn’t an idle threat.
Torture would be a given; he might even go after the entire Impera household.
A man who’d become a villain to reach his goal—
that was a wandering knight.
But I didn’t flinch.
I’d keep my word about the location of the relic.
“Then see you in a month.”
“What will you do until then?”
“I was planning to move on, but… looks like I’ll be staying nearby for a while.”
For a wandering knight, the Impera territory was perfect—
remote enough to escape the notice of the Allied Kingdoms.
“Fine. If plans change, can I find you here?”
He only nodded.
I cautiously held out my hand.
“Our first meeting wasn’t great, but I’ll count on you.
My name’s Ian Impera, heir to the Impera County.”
That should prompt him to share his name.
“……”
“What’s the matter? My arm’s getting tired.”
Reluctantly, he extended his own hand.
“Claude.”
Wait. Claude?
My hand froze mid-shake.
Had I just stepped from fox to tiger?
Claude? Did he say Claude?
I couldn’t believe my ears.
What was Claude doing here?
…Oh, hell.
I looked at him anew—
the messy black hair,
the rough cloak of a wandering knight.
I’d been a fool.
Black hair and membership in the Eternal Knights—
I should’ve realized.
But why would someone like Claude be in this tiny backwater?
That was the real reason I hadn’t guessed.
Claude was far too important a character to be hanging around here—
not some throwaway encounter for the protagonist’s experience grind.
Claude…
Claude the Swiftblade.
The rival who stands against the novel’s hero, Dia—
a persistent antagonist for years.
I’d thought he was just another nameless Eternal Knight chasing relics.
But this guy was Claude.
The story Ranked by Rank! splits into three main arcs:
-
The first at Zenith Knight Academy.
-
The second entangled with the vengeful spirits of the fallen Kazan Empire.
-
The final, where the empire’s resurrection is stopped after bloody sacrifices.
Claude the Swiftblade appears in the second arc—
a master swordsman whose lightning-fast yet heavy strikes cut enemies down in an instant.
Even when I read the novel, he’d been a captivating figure.
Claude sought to revive the Kazan Empire; Dia, to stop him.
Their rivalry had me sweating with suspense.
But in the end, Claude fell to a protagonist overflowing with plot armor.
He died by Dia’s hand—
not a mindless villain, but a man of fierce loyalty,
refusing meaningless slaughter,
embodying the knightly code.
Meeting him now, he just seemed like someone who hated getting dragged into trouble.
Still, his goal was the empire’s rebirth—
a dream that would drench the continent in blood.
Dia was a war orphan.
He knew too well the horrors of war.
A resurrected Kazan Empire meant another continental conflict,
more meaningless deaths,
and countless children like Dia growing up in hell.
That could never be allowed.
Dia tried not to kill when possible,
but their ideals could never align.
In the end, he slew Claude.
Why… why here, of all places…
I’d been careless.
There were plenty of former Eternal Knights.
I’d assumed he was just another seeking the relic.
“What’s wrong? Changing your mind?”
Claude still held out his hand.
I’d hesitated so long that his eyes narrowed dangerously.
No wonder he was irritated—
after all that effort to recruit him, I flinched at a simple name.
Great. Just great.
I couldn’t back out now.
Truthfully, I’d intended to do more than enlist him for the duel.
I’d hoped to coax him into becoming an ally with bits of insider knowledge.
A wandering knight with no ties would be easy to sway.
But that would make me an enemy of the protagonist—
the dumbest move possible in a world that follows a novel’s plot.
Ugh… and I already promised to tell him where the relic is…
Well, maybe it wasn’t so bad.
I’d only promised the location, not how to activate it.
“…No, I just got lost in thought.”
As long as I kept my distance beyond this, it’d be fine.
I’d give him the relic’s location and he’d fight in the duel—nothing more.
The Impera family was already teetering like a candle in the wind.
I couldn’t afford more risk.
With that resolution, I finally clasped Claude’s hand.
Just until the duel. No deeper ties.
“Hmph.”
Claude’s fierce expression eased, unaware of my thoughts.
“What, do you need a written contract?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
The immediate crisis was over.
For someone like Claude, defeating a Rank-5 champion would be trivial.
Now I understood his earlier calm.
“Then I’m off.”
“Right. Don’t be late for our appointment.”
“……”
Claude smirked faintly and disappeared into the woods.
“…Ah!”
Only then did I remember the meat he’d been roasting.
He’d taken the boar’s hide and left the rest.
Which meant…
“Flavor’s perfect.”
I’d worried a wild boar might taste gamey,
but one bite proved me wrong—delicious.
Maybe it was because the animal had fed mostly on fruit,
but the meat had a pleasant sweetness.
Even if it had been gamey, good meat is good meat.
And it helped that Claude had cooked it beautifully:
slow-roasted through, blushing pink,
then seared over high heat for a crisp finish.
“Guess all that wandering improved his cooking.”
My mouth watered.
How long had it been since I’d eaten proper meat?
Over a year, if you didn’t count the rancid monster flesh I’d choked down once.
Naturally, I went straight for the pork belly—
the perfect harmony of fat and lean.
“How could this not be amazing?”
The savory aroma hit me as soon as I bit in.
For a moment I wondered if the smell would draw wild animals,
but the horned boar must have scared them all off.
All I had to do was enjoy it.
Chomp, chomp.
Juice and flavor exploded in my mouth.
“…Ohhh!”
Tears pricked my eyes before I knew it.
Anyone watching would laugh—
a count’s heir crying over a bite of meat.
But who cares?
They say you can’t talk about life if you haven’t eaten bread soaked with tears.
Bread or meat, same difference.
“So damn good…”
I kept devouring piece after piece,
grease coating my hands and lips,
until the pile of perfect pork belly was gone.
Buuurp.
I patted my full belly in satisfaction.
And there was still a mountain of meat left.
“This is living.”
Which cut should I try next?
Half a day later, after gorging myself to bursting, I finally stopped.
“Whew!”
I’d carved away all the fat and innards, leaving heaps of rosy lean meat—enough to last a month.
Claude might fight for me in the duel, but that wasn’t my only problem.
Even if we win, Count Venere won’t give up.
He’ll keep scheming to destroy our family.
I can’t always rely on Claude. He probably wouldn’t keep helping anyway.
I need to get stronger.
But expensive elixirs or hiring a master are out of reach—
the Impera family is dirt-poor.
So I’ll start with the basics: building my body.
And for that, the most important thing is meat.
“Guess I’ve taken the first step.”
A noble celebrating over a haul of meat might sound ridiculous.
But who cares? Strength is all that matters.
“Alright… hah!”
I hadn’t expected the boar to be this huge.
If I’d known, I would’ve brought a cart.
With no choice, I carried as much as I could and headed back to the estate.
As for the rest… somehow, I’d make it work.
