Lord of Caldera - Chapter 192

Chapter 192: Chapter 192

He stopped it.

He hadn’t swung with his full strength, but it was far from a light blow. And yet Sylas had blocked it with just one hand, completely unfazed, even now as Ragnar strained against him.

Usually, when weapons or bodies clash with equal force, a vibration ensues. But here, there wasn’t the slightest tremor.

Is he overpowering me with strength alone? With such a small frame?

Ragnar felt a wave of exhaustion. Just how much had Sylas gained from obtaining the Dragon’s Heart?

Sylas gently pushed Ragnar’s fist away and spoke calmly.

“It’s you who’s overestimating yourself.”

“…”

“Did you think you were chosen by the gods? You might be a hero of this era, but that doesn’t make you the center of the world.”

So accept that there are those above you.

“For example, someone like me.”

Ragnar clenched his fists, his face flushed with anger. But unlike before, he didn’t feel the impulse to swing at Sylas again.

“Let’s assume you’re right, that you’re higher than me.”

“There’s no need to assume. I just am.”

“Could you be silent while I’m speaking?”

“Just being realistic.”

This infuriating bastard. Ragnar took a deep breath to calm himself before continuing.

“But if what you say is true, then you should withdraw from this trial.”

“Why?” Sylas asked.

“This is a place to select the king of the North,” Ragnar replied, pointing in the direction of the Empire’s capital. “If you intend to become emperor, then fight for that position in the Empire. Don’t use the North as your stepping stone. The king of the North exists for the northern people.”

“So, are you going to kneel to me and swear loyalty? If you do, I’ll focus only on the emperor’s throne.”

“…”

Ragnar was taken aback. The very idea filled him with distaste, if he were honest, immense distaste. Watching Ragnar fall silent, Sylas clicked his tongue.

“Where do you get off playing this game? You talk about doing this for the North, but in the end, you just want to be an unchallenged king.”

“Do not insult me!”

“Then be honest with yourself, you fool. Do you think this Council and the royal election were things you sacrificed for the North’s sake? In the end, don’t you have ambitions too?”

“…There’s no one else suited for the position besides me.”

“No, there is.”

“What?” Ragnar’s eyes widened. Someone else suited to be king, besides him and Sylas? It couldn’t be Karl; that fool was limited to being a local lord at best. And Loghain was out of the question too—he might lead a region, but he lacked the vision for a greater cause. That left only one possibility.

“Bjorn?”

“Yes.”

“How on earth is he fit to be king?”

“In my view, he’s more suited than you.”

Ragnar’s body shook with fury. This was an insult, even by his standards. Bjorn was a decent man, a solid warrior, strong-minded, and loyal. But to say he was Ragnar’s equal was absurd.

“Are you mocking me?”

“You’re a hero,” Sylas replied, his expression serious.

“But being a hero doesn’t make you a good king. A great warrior and a great king are two different things.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s simple. When you and Bjorn both lie in your graves, it’s a matter of who the people will miss more.”

And that person, Sylas thought, would be Bjorn. Leaving that unsaid, he turned away. Ragnar bit his lip, understanding all too well what Sylas implied.

The next day, Ragnar called a meeting and spoke.

“We’re changing the format of the duel.”

“What do you mean by that?” The nobles frowned. They had already decided everything yesterday. It seemed strange for Ragnar to suddenly change things.

“It’s to ensure fairness. If you think about it, a tournament-style duel lacks fairness.”

“But there’s no way around that,” one of the nobles replied.

The nobles were well aware of the issues with a tournament format. Bypasses could happen, and facing an unfavorable opponent could lead to a lower ranking than one’s skill deserved.

But it’s the fastest and simplest way.

And there’s no problem even if the duelists get injured.

It’s also easy for the commoners to follow.

As they murmured among themselves, Ragnar raised his voice.

“This is a duel to choose a king! How can you sacrifice fairness for convenience when the fate of the North could be decided with this single duel?”

Some nobles grumbled internally that he had agreed to it yesterday, but none dared voice it. Ragnar’s intensity was daunting.

Eventually, Viscount Torben stepped forward to address him.

“Then, Chieftain, what kind of duel format do you propose?”

“Simple. Each of the candidates fights everyone else once.”

“Hmm.”

It was an unusual approach. Certainly, if everyone dueled each other in turn, it would be a fairer measure of skill. And if someone won against everyone, there would be no room for dispute.

“It’s not a bad idea. But if someone gets injured, wouldn’t it be difficult to continue with multiple matches?”

“These are duels to the first blood, not to the death, so endurance is part of the skill. And use the potions as needed.”

Did he think potions were miracles? Even the best potion wasn’t limitless. Viscount Torben squinted slightly but agreed with the proposal itself.

“What does everyone else think?”

“I… I agree.”

“I don’t.”

The objection came from Marquess Serge, who had risen from his seat, his face red with anger. This format was the worst possible scenario for Karl, who was relatively weak in combat.

“This is dangerous! Even if it is to elect a king—”

“Karl, is it?” Ragnar interrupted. “Have him rest until the last match. He only needs to fight once.”

“What… what?” The marquess stammered.

“Let him fight just once against the final winner. That should be enough, don’t you think?”

In other words, Karl would only need to win one match to be crowned king. The nobles looked at Ragnar in astonishment at the excessive concession.

“Chieftain, what are you saying?”

“Does anyone object?” Ragnar asked, scanning the room.

“Well… it seems overly lenient, doesn’t it?”

“It’s fine. This is the least we can offer.”

Ragnar glanced at the marquess with a smirk.

“To be honest, he can’t defeat any of the other candidates. It’s better to lose once in a single fight than to lose four times in a row, isn’t it?”