The Next Prince, Chapter 9 pg1
The Next Prince, Chapter 9 pg1
Chapter 09: Dreams.
By: CEO. FT Ennice.
“Shall we have a duel together?” All sounds around were cut off. Charan narrowed his eyes as he considered his opponent's stance, facing Young Prince, a small prince from the Atsawathewathin family who had been sent without being able to prepare himself.
“...”
“If you win, you can have anything you want from me.” Khanin did not show any mercy at the moment when they were both sizing each other up.
Khanin's words tickled Charan's sense of curiosity, he squinted his eyes a little and carefully observed the conversation's tone. He tried to assess the young man's stance. Charan was not sure if Khanin knew the real tradition of Emmaly or not.
This sword battle, Khanin is the party holding the better hand because due to his royal bloodline, Charan must comply with all demands without reason or condition.
But if Khanin loses, they will not have the right to make any agreements or compromises because the other party is of royal blood, meaning they are above the laws of battle in the country. It is unknown if they are aware of these old laws or not...
If they are aware of the proper conduct, it is considered honorable and noble, but if they do not, they are considered to have equal starting points.
“What are the rules?” Charan asked in a cunning tone, hoping to gain some insight into the other party's true intentions if Khanin knows a lot about this battle.
The qualities of a good ruler are... if the people are aware that what they are fighting for and are doing it willingly it means they can no longer be oppressed, it can be said that the ruler is good.
“The rules are like any other competition, but if you win, you can't ask me to go back to Emmaly directly like that, it would be considered a request in vain.” The reply was partially explanatory, indicating that Khanin is not aware of the important rules of Emmaly.
It is quite... it will impress Charan.
This child is noble, but not to the point of being a cheat.
“What method will be used? International or Emmaly?”
“International.” Khanin gathered all the chips without fail to avoid being the losing party in every aspect. It is certain that Charan is aware of this. The other party is more skilled in international battle techniques than the practices of the Emmaly people.
“...”
“... anyone up for it, or not brave enough?” Khanin made a face as if he were trying to trick Charan with a small bait. They both knew that no matter what, Charan would not be able to reject this offer.
Because Charan is a person of Emmaly, he firmly adheres to proper conduct more than anyone else.
“Agreed.”
“Good, do you have any rules for cheating or not?”
“No.” Charan's answer made the young man, who was desperately trying to find a way out in his head, slightly less surprised. He thought Charan would be more playful than this.
Khanin thought that the other party might forbid him from directly asking to return to his country as a way of getting back at the doctor. If so, the second plan he had prepared as a backup might have a chance to be used.
If he won, which... of course, he would win 100 percent, Khanin would ask Charan to let go of this matter. This would not be a direct request to return to the country of Emmaly. Moreover, it would easily cut someone out of his life.
“The loser must not break the promise.” The sweet voice spoke while raising a pinky finger in front of them, signaling a physical gesture for making a promise together.
“The loser must not break the promise.” Charan hesitated a little before replying. He stared intently at the slender white finger for a moment before intertwining his own, drawing a smile from the slender person.
“Then let's start the competition.”
“Wait...”
“What?”
“I want to compete in a place without people. Wait for all of your friends to leave first.”
“Why?”
“No reason.” The short, unexplained answer led to confusion for the younger person. They exchanged glances, and after a deep breath, Khanin had to weigh the reasons in his heart to accept that sentence.
Upon reflection, it wasn't too hard to understand something...
“Are you afraid of losing in front of others? Fine, we'll wait until it's dark, and then we'll have our sword fight.”
The evening sky turned dark, and people in the club began to thin out as the clock struck half-past nine. In another thirty minutes, the club would close. Luckily, the situation was favorable for the last two members, who walked out of the door frame just in time for them to settle their victory and defeat.
“Do you have anything to say?” Khanin asked as he stood on the boat, holding his beloved saber, ready and in position, no different from Charan, who borrowed equipment and a racing suit from Paul.
The doctor understood that he wanted to find some sweet time to strengthen their relationship, and the sword fighting activity was just an excuse to cover up their true intentions.
Therefore, the person trying to act as a mediator and facilitator cooperated fully. Paul agreed to leave first, even leaving behind his sword fighting suit and equipment for Charan to borrow, as both were of similar height.
“No contest...” Charan calmly replied with a composed tone. The tall figure in a white suit looked so dignified that even Khanin couldn't help but admire him, albeit reluctantly.
The doctor looks too good.
But oh well, just because someone appears good doesn't mean they are; they could be all show and no substance.
“Alright, if you lose, don't cry.” said Khanin confidently, his sharp words revealing his trust in his own skills. For a moment, he thought he heard Charan chuckle before responding with a sentence that further fueled his irritation.
“We'll see... don't block the light.”
Without a referee to signal the start, their sword duel began as soon as they heard the alarm clock. Khanin and Charan stood still, their swords drawn, letting almost half a minute pass without either scoring a point.
They spent time sizing each other up, their gazes locked, until Khanin couldn't wait any longer and decided to initiate the attack.
Step, step, step.
The rhythm of his footwork synchronized with his newly learned sword technique, Khanin charged forward while Charan retreated, on the defensive.
The young man pressed on until his older opponent was about to cross the two-meter warning line. Khanin lunged forward, touching the middle of Charan's body with the tip of his sword, scoring the first point beautifully.
0:1.
Khanin took the lead, but he sensed something was off.
His slender legs carried him back to the starting line, his eyes hidden behind the mask, gazing at Charan. The doctor seemed thoughtful, not launching any attacks, only parrying and defending. Why?
Unable to find an answer, Khanin decided to change his strategy. He took a deep breath, calculating the time as the entire match unfolded in his mind.
A minute had passed, leaving almost five more. The winner would be the one to score five points first, according to international rules.
That meant in just a few more minutes, this whole crazy affair would come to an end.
He needed to finish the game quickly...
Khanin initiated another attack, seeking a second point. He continued to be the aggressor, but Charan's response remained unchanged from the first round. He refused to counterattack, focusing solely on defense and positioning, without seeking an opportunity to score.
Charan's actions caused the younger player to become flustered, unable to read Khanin's playing strategy despite some moments when it was time to score. But on the other side, they let it pass by nonchalantly.
Charan confused him until there was only one minute left in the competition... The demeanor of the other player changed.
The tall, dignified figure of Charan bent slightly, his long arms stretched out following the correct stance. Khanin responded to these moves with biting to counter the opponent's attacks. But this time, it wasn't as easy as he thought.
The position of the person who controlled the rhythm of the fight seemed to change as Charan found an opportunity to counterattack. The older player stepped forward rhythmically, forcing Khanin to become the retreating party with no other choice.
It's getting worse...
The person who used to be the attacker in the game switched back to being the defender. In just a split second, the sound of the electronic scoreboard rang continuously several times, surprisingly.
Surprisingly, none of those points came from Khanin's side. Not even a single score. At this time, the younger player was at a disadvantage.
Charan used a deceptive method to play with his opponent's familiarity with his movements, striking the lower part and then going for the upper part of Khanin immediately without giving him a chance to regain his stance.
The once-confident player's composure vanished, anxiety crept in, creating openings for the opponent to score and eventually equalize the match.
Khanin's game-reading instincts sensed danger. The young man gripped the saber handle tightly in his hand, trying his best to maintain the number one position in the fencing association without faltering. However, it was becoming increasingly difficult.
Comments
Post a Comment