Duke’s Son: Re

Chapter 15

“Isn’t that a real sword?”

“Hey! Baek Dojin! What are you doing, you crazy bastard?”

Startled by the sudden shouting, students turned their attention and were horrified.

It was shocking to see someone aiming a real sword at another student.

Even considering Baek Dojin’s nickname, it was an unbelievable sight.

“Damn it!”

Several of Dojin’s classmates reacted swiftly. They dashed between Dojin and the unfamiliar green-haired boy.

To prevent their peer of over a year from crossing a line, they pointed training weapons, known as 『Magic Engineering Weapons』, at Dojin.

“Baek Dojin! Calm down!”

“Get out of my way!!”

Dojin’s small frame seemed to blur and then vanished as if it was a lie.

『Shunpo』

It was the boy’s first skill.

Although it had a short movement range and couldn’t fix coordinates, it was a top-tier mobility skill that possessed the properties of spatial movement.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Dojin, who reappeared behind the students, bounced like a ball several times. Since the Shunpo’s coordinates were tilted drastically towards the ground, his face slammed into the earth first.

“Laureeeen!!”

Despite what would usually break several bones, Dojin sprang to his feet. His fiery eyes locked onto Lauren, and he swung his greatsword resolutely.

“Ah…!”

The students sighed in dismay.

That crazy bastard had crossed the point of no return.

The green-haired boy.

Judging by his unfamiliar face, he seemed to be a newcomer, but no matter what history lay between the two, the school would not take it into consideration.

Since Dojin had swung a real sword for personal reasons and could injure someone, he wouldn’t avoid punishment.

Boom!

Blood sprayed upward.

It wasn’t the green-haired boy who had been struck, but Dojin, who had already started to bleed from his nose when he fell.

Floating a round object in the air, Lauren easily blocked the massive greatsword. Its color and shape were distinctly different from those known as the 『Shield』, a magic-related skill.

“…bones?”

Incredibly, the defense resembling a circle was actually a mass of bones. Specifically, it seemed like a spine coiled circularly.

Seeing this, some students guessed at Lauren’s identity and examined his face closely.

And confirmed it.

The boy’s eyes shimmered with a golden hue.

“Bloodline skill!”

“Really, from Austria’s…!”

Whoosh!!

Amidst the cascade of astonishment, the spine unfurled like a whip and entangled Dojin’s greatsword.

“Dojin, you still are impatient. How do you swing a sword first at a long-time friend?”

“Shut up…! Just shut up, you bastard!!”

When the restrained sword refused to move, Dojin used the hilt as a pivot and leaped into the air. He thrust his knee up beneath Lauren’s chin.

The velocity of his judgment and execution.

This was the very reason Jaehyuk believed Dojin had tremendous potential.

However, Lauren also seemed keenly aware of Dojin’s strengths.

As soon as Dojin leaped, Lauren tugged on the greatsword.

When its handle abruptly moved, it disturbed Dojin’s center of gravity midair, and his knee was intercepted by Lauren’s elbow instead of hitting his chin.

“We should get along. Have you forgotten your parents’ request?”

“Ahhhhhhhhh!!”

The nature of Dojin’s scream differed from usual.

It was a cry filled with such deep-seated resentment and anger, even students unaware of the situation felt a chill run down their spines.

Thud, thud, thud!

Every punch Dojin threw was blocked by the bony shield.

“…”

A heavy silence descended on the training ground.

As the skin tore, Dojin’s punches only grew weaker over time. His fists, now noticeably swollen, likely indicated that his bones were fractured.

Thud, thud, thud…

Yet, Dojin did not stop punching.

Because he was angry and ashamed of his own weakness. The sight of the small boy sobbing in silence was pitiful.

Eventually, as Dojin’s punch finally halted.

“Have you finally cooled down? Let’s head over for treatment. Rest assured, I’ll take care of you.”

Lauren whispered, embracing Dojin. He retracted his skeletal formation, causing the golden hue in his eyes to disappear.

As the students buzzed with confusion over the inexplicable events, Lauren stopped abruptly while supporting Dojin.

Because of the boy who stood leaning casually at the entrance of the training ground. It was clear he intentionally blocked the entrance with his long legs.

“Why is a duke’s son from Austria here?”

“Lion’s Castle facilitated my exchange student stay. Move aside.”

“Exchange student? The director really overstepped, didn’t she? Accepting foreigners at a national institution.”

“Not a topic for a mere student to discuss.”

“Ah, well. Maybe some deal happened between high-ups.”

“Why do you continue blocking my way? Can’t you see the injuries of my exhausted friend? Stop it and move aside.”

“You speak Korean well, even with the weird phrasing. Did you grow up with Baek Dojin or something?”

“That’s correct. Dojin and I were childhood friends.”

“Baek Dojin never learned German, so you learned Korean instead. He seems smart but probably doesn’t have the head for studying.”

“This one is odd.”

As the obstruction persisted, a strange hostility emanated from Lauren towards Jaehyuk’s actions.

His golden eyes seemed to probe deeply, and the spine rising from the ground transformed into a hand form, trying to seize Jaehyuk’s ankle.

Jaehyuk pulled on his sword hilt with slightly quicker speed.

Thunk-!

The hand-shaped spine rapidly morphed into a shield to block the incoming attack.

“… Sword Draw Technique? From the Kang family…”

“Friend or not, Dojin says he dislikes you. Hand him over to me.”

“You say you are from Kang family, claiming to be Dojin’s friend?”

“Friend…? Doesn’t seem like it?”

“Then don’t interfere. Outsiders meddling in our relationship is unpleasant.”

“No, but he says he hates you. You’re a funny guy, aren’t you? Did you just learn how to speak but not how to listen while studying conversation?”

“How do you act like this even though you are not Dojin’s friend?”

“He’s on my team.”

When Jaehyuk first saw Dojin, he was captivated by his intense gaze.

Barely concealed anger, hatred, and malice simmered in his eyes, akin to staring into a mirror.

He was naturally drawn. Perhaps if they were together, they could understand and rely on one another, he thought with vague hope.

He had no idea what friends or anything like that really meant.

“I have to protect mine.”

“Truly noble. However, I am a noble as well. Dojin is mine first before yours.”

“Ah, you don’t listen at all. Do Austria’s nobles have blocked ears?”

“Seems like Korean nobles are vulgar.”

Sighing, Lauren gently laid Dojin down on the floor.

“Since you won’t step aside, I shall use my power. Considering your position, this matter won’t escalate into a diplomatic issue.”

Whoosh!

The spine, unfurled, transformed from a shield into a sword.

“Even when you draw your sword, your eyes don’t awaken. You lack talent and could not acquire a bloodline skill. Our disparity is evident, and it will never narrow. Withdraw now.”

The two youths seemed of a similar age.

But one had refined his bloodline skill to a high level, while the other had yet to awaken the golden eyes.

The gap in talent seemed like heaven and earth, known throughout the world to be irreconcilable.

Except for one person.

Jaehyuk thought differently.

“Watch your mouth. You might regret what you said today for the rest of your life.”