The Extra Wants To Live-Chapter 307: The Weight of Swords and Shadows

Meanwhile, Bester was also very anxious, because he had no confidence that he could persuade his father if not now that Catherine was there.

"Sister! I believe you will understand my feelings!"

Bester sent a desperate plea to Catherine for help with his eyes.

Bester was already of marriageable age. Considering that men from noble families typically married in their mid-teens, it was actually already too late.

However, because Kurtbal was vehemently opposed to bringing in an outsider in a situation like this, Bester couldn’t even bring up the topic of marriage.

Sister!

Bester’s earnest eyes pleaded.

If you’re a single woman who’s turning thirty in a day or two and hasn’t gotten married, you’ll definitely understand my feelings!

"..."

But Catherine turned her head away from her younger brother.

She really had no intention of getting married. And this situation was so uncomfortable.

Bester despaired at his sister’s neglect of him, and eventually succumbed to his father’s power, becoming frustrated and cornered.

"T-Tell me more, Your Highness the Grand Duke?"

Kurtbal asked Catherine with a forced smile, brushing back the hair that stuck to his forehead because of the cold sweat.

Catherine swallowed a sigh, reflecting on her position as the most cared-for member of the family.

"His Majesty, Carl, is training with Sir Billford. He knows your uncle is doing well, and he believes he will continue to do well, so you don’t have to worry."

Carl was not wasting any of his free time and was devoting himself to training.

Catherine was enjoying a reunion with her long-lost family, so Billford had to deal with the troll-like physique of Carl alone.

"That’s fortunate."

Kurtbal’s face suddenly cleared up. The anxiety and nervousness he had been feeling inside were relieved, and his body felt like it was going to relax.

"Isn’t your aunt coming?"

"...Oh, right. I can’t leave everyone behind."

Kurtbal smiled gently and spoke to Catherine, who was looking for Ines.

Moldga had immediately gained immense power by managing the silver mine, but the more he did so, the more cautious he became.

They strictly excluded outside intervention in the management of the silver mine.

It wasn’t simply a matter of not wanting to share the profits. On the contrary, it was about following Carl’s orders and using all the wealth from the mines for his benefit.

If someone else interfered with the management of the silver mine, they would have no choice but to share the pie. By dividing the pie like that, Mold could amass even greater influence than he currently had.

But the head of the household, a man of few words, and his wise wife, Ines, were very wary of the repercussions such actions would bring.

In the end, the few remaining members of the Mold family devoted all their energy to managing the silver mine.

There’s a limit to being old-fashioned—it’s so annoying.

But that was why Mold was able to maintain his position and grow despite Carl and Howell’s persistent surveillance.

"Then I guess I should go see my aunt."

"Is that okay?"

"Yes. I have permission from Carl. Rest well today and return by tomorrow morning."

"Yes, I’m glad Ines missed you so much too."

Kurtbal smiled and looked at Catherine, then, a little late, hugged her affectionately.

The two of them left the room, laughing like a true father and daughter.

"..."

Bester, who was huddled in the corner, lowered his head in sorrow.

His father loved his older sister more than his daughter.

So when could he get married?

---

A training ground for the Hilfin bloodline, located inside Hilfin Castle.

But now, there was not a single person of Hilfin’s bloodline there.

While Carl and Billford were training hard, there was another person there.

Knock! Bang!

Carl and Billford’s swords blocked each other’s attacks, and Billford slapped away Carl’s outstretched hand and stabbed him in the back.

Their crossguards were intertwined, and the sword was locked. Carl, making a quick decision, let go of his sword and pulled his arm tightly, thrusting it between him and Billford.

Thud! 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"Huh!"

But in the blink of an eye, Billford kicked the ground and turned sharply, getting away from Carl.

Carl’s strength was much greater than Billford’s, so it would be disadvantageous to move into wrestling in a one-on-one situation.

In addition, Billford, who had not let go of the sword with the crossguard attached, took the sword Carl had let go of, assuming a fight would move into wrestling.

Clang!

Billford, who had retreated, threw Carl’s sword behind him and rushed at Carl with his own sword in hand.

If it had been a sparring match, it would have been right to stop here, but Carl was a man who treated sparring as if it were a real fight. So it was right to secure a clear victory here, even if it meant beating him up unilaterally.

Carl was beaten one-sidedly for a long time, deflecting Billford’s sword with his armor.

It was so one-sided that it could have been considered a real assault rather than training or sparring.

But Billford was tense and wary of Carl’s movements.

Thud!

"Hmm!"

Crack!

The sword that was about to strike Carl’s helmet slipped away as if by magic and struck his shoulder.

Then, in an instant, Carl’s arm wrapped around Billford’s sword and caught it, while the dagger in his outstretched other hand aimed at Billford’s wrist.

Billford quickly dropped his sword without hesitation, stepped back, and picked up Carl’s sword that had fallen to the floor.

Although Billford always had the upper hand over Carl, if he let his guard down even for a moment, he would be caught off guard by Carl’s incredible physicality and precise movements.

In fact, Billford had beaten Carl vigorously with his sword but was unable to land a single effective blow.

From the moment he first picked up a sword, Carl had focused solely on self-defense. His martial arts were incredibly defensive.

Especially thanks to growing up while being simultaneously attacked by two outstanding knights, Catherine and Billford, Carl’s armor skills had already reached a level that neither of them could criticize.

If Carl were to wield his dual swords, it would take Catherine and Billford a month to take him down.

Carl succeeded in the unconventional act of receiving a Master’s sword head-on.

Even though he was weaker than Billford or Catherine in combat itself, if he focused solely on defense, even Billford would have to yield.

"Phew... Let’s take a break."

"Haak! Haak! Phew!"

At Carl’s words, Billford leaned on his sword, regulating his breathing, which he had been struggling to control.

He felt like he was going to die.

After exchanging swords with Billford, Carl stood upright and raised the visor of his helmet.

"What do you think, Sir Curtis? Would you like to try it too?"

Curtis, who had been watching the duel between Carl and Billford as if in a trance, was startled as if struck by lightning.

"Me, you say?"

"Okay. Kyung-i, come out."

Carl spoke calmly and looked straight at Curtis.

The sword, not sheathed, moved as if skimming the floor, naturally aiming downwards.

"Isn’t that what you came here for in the first place?"

"..."

At Carl’s words, Curtis lowered his head, as if his breath had stopped.

Carl saw through him completely.

Of course, since Carl had made Curtis like that.

He had made the Archduke and the country knight alike—despairing, frustrated, and yet hopeful.

"As you can see, I wouldn’t do anything dishonorable like have someone point a sword at me in a duel."

Carl spoke in a sly, smiling voice.

"Don’t worry. I won’t use any mana."

Because he couldn’t use mana.

"..."

Curtis felt something inside him stir violently, as if he had heard a hidden truth.

He approached Carl slowly with his mouth tightly shut and a sullen face.

Sreung...

Curtis, drawing his relatively narrow and thin southern-style sword, extended the blade straight out and aimed it at Carl’s face.

At that sight, Carl lowered his visor.

A leisurely smile.

"Since Kyung-eun isn’t wearing proper armor like me, let’s do this."

Clank!

The visor went down.

In the darkness within the helmet, only Carl’s green eyes shone clearly.

"If the sword touches, that’s considered victory."

"This...."

Curtis got angry for a moment and tried to say something, but then clenched his teeth.

Wearing armor greatly restricted movements.

So, armored swordsmanship was based on fighting by deflecting the enemy’s attacks with armor.

But Carl wanted to spar with a southern knight who practiced swordsmanship in plain clothes, while wearing uncomfortable armor, and with rules that declared victory if the sword merely touched?

There was a limit to ignoring people!

Curtis didn’t realize that his inferiority complex was turning into anger in the midst of the raging fire.

And he didn’t even realize that it was all futile, that his feelings weren’t entirely his own.

Am I really following Carl of my own free will?

Billford, who was watching the scene with a faint expression, had this thought.

Watching Carl completely destroy and manipulate a man like Curtis made him wonder.

Hmm... Yes. I am following my own will.

After a moment’s reflection, Billford concluded lightly.

It had been after fighting alongside Carl here in Hilfin two years ago that he truly began to follow him.

Carl had entrusted Billford with his cloak, asked him to be his eyes and ears, and even entrusted him with his life.

If there was someone who could do that—even if it was a lie—Billford could follow them with everything he had.

Having given himself a simple and clear answer, Billford stepped back a little and looked at Carl and Curtis.

Finally, he would see Curtis fight.

The talented genius, Billford, opened his eyes wide and focused on Curtis’s movements.

He would see clearly with his own two eyes.

Was Curtis really a knight?