I Became a Swordsmanship Instructor in a Romance Novel

“Hold it right there! Zeke Clayman! What in the world do you think you’re doing?!”

The Duke of Yohaiden had rushed over, thinking a commoner girl had been taken hostage by the enemy and was in danger.

However, the scene that unfolded before his eyes was Zeke Clayman holding a woman hostage and threatening her.

After observing the attire of the opposing party, Duke Yohaiden quickly realized they were from the Ira Clan, the ducal family of the North, and intervened.

Just because they didn’t involve themselves in the Empire’s affairs, it didn’t mean they were a powerless family.

They were like a lion quietly taking a nap.

Making an enemy of the Ira Clan was something that had to be avoided at all costs.

Even if Zeke Clayman possessed enough power to confront the entire ducal family alone, they were the Empire’s shield against the monsters marching south.

This was a matter directly connected to the Empire’s safety.

“Ah, Duke Yohaiden.”

“……Do you even realize who they are?”

“I hear they’re the Ira Clan, the ducal family of the North.”

Zeke’s tone remained calm despite the Duke’s intervention.

A rational yet worst-case scenario, one he desperately wished to avoid, crossed Duke Yohaiden’s mind.

“……Don’t tell me… the Ira Clan has… joined hands with Lost Hope…!”

Zeke shook his head at the Duke’s question.

“No, that’s not it.”

“……Then why?”

“Because I don’t want to fight.”

“Huh?”

It wasn’t just Duke Yohaiden who was baffled by his words.

The Black Wolf Knights, who had been kneeling with their weapons discarded after being taken hostage just moments ago, were even more astonished by his shamelessness.

What was this guy, who was just threatening the Princeess with a sword, talking about?!

“……E-Excuse me. Are you… Duke Yohaiden…?”

The knight captain, who had been kneeling in the front and enduring Zeke’s torment, turned his head and asked Duke Yohaiden.

“……Indeed, I am.”

“……Your Grace, do you happen to… know this man?”

Duke Yohaiden desperately wanted to pretend not to know Zeke.

It was obvious that the person committing evil deeds in real-time was none other than Yohaiden’s benefactor!

However, that was impossible.

No matter what, Yohaiden owed Zeke an irredeemable debt.

“……He is my benefactor.”

The Duke said in a small voice, barely audible.

“Preposterous! The dignity of the ducal family has fallen to the ground! In Yohaiden, do you call a scoundrel who takes a young lady hostage a benefactor!? Think carefully! What will happen if the Ira Clan finds out about this?!”

Having concluded that they could act boldly with Duke Yohaiden present, the knight captain shouted.

However, Zeke was not the kind of person to be swayed by such things.

“Oh? You mad? Were you all thinking that inside while bowing your heads to me?”

Swoosh—

Zeke once again pressed the sword against the Saintess’s neck.

Seeing this, the Ira Clan’s knight captain looked at Duke Yohaiden, as if urging him to do something.

‘Damn it, what in the world is going on? I need to grasp the situation first.’

Although he hadn’t known Zeke Clayman for long, the Duke had faith that Zeke must have had a reason for acting this way.

“Alright, hold on a moment. Zeke Clayman. First, explain what you meant by saying you don’t want to fight.”

“It’s exactly as I said.”

“?”

Duke Yohaiden furrowed his brow.

He was trying to understand how someone could possibly hold a hostage and threaten them while claiming they didn’t want to fight.

“Hey, you.”

Zeke, reading his expression, must have thought further explanation was needed, so he called out to the knight captain.

“……What? No, the sword! What is it?!”

“Answer me honestly. If I had said from the beginning that I didn’t have the slightest intention of harming this woman, would you have believed me?”

“Don’t lie!”

As if to prove a point, Zeke turned his head towards the Duke.

“You dared to lay your hands on her chest!”

The knight captain, enraged by Zeke’s expression, couldn’t contain his anger and shouted.

“Ha, you’re impossible to reason with.”

“You scoundrel!”

Zeke let out a sigh and explained the situation.

“This woman suddenly fainted in front of me, and I was merely checking if she was breathing when I touched her.”

“Then you should have said that from the start!!”

“Would you have believed me if I had explained it like that? Would you have been confident enough to not draw your swords? Huh?”

“……”

At that, the knight captain was speechless and closed his mouth.

“……I understand what you’re saying. However, taking a hostage only worsens the situation, doesn’t it?”

“I really didn’t want to fight. Soi is unconscious here as well, and with these guys ready to jump me no matter what I say, do you think I had time to think of another way?”

Duke Yohaiden discreetly addressed the knight captain.

“……Zeke claims he didn’t mean any harm. Um, if you release the hostage now, would you be willing to clear up the misunderstanding and let this go?”

“……We have already laid down our weapons and knelt before him after his threats…! Our honor has already been tarnished. I apologize, but we cannot engage in a duel with that shameless man!”

“Ha, these muscle-headed fools… Duke Yohaiden, why are you being so kind? There’s no need for that. Hey, you really want to see a scar on her neck? Hurry up and swear you won’t duel.”

Zeke’s image was that of a villain who knew how to use a hostage to his full advantage.

Duke Yohaiden felt a headache coming on.

Just then, he noticed the girl Zeke was holding.

She was a young girl who appeared to be around Selena’s age.

‘Blonde hair…?’

Duke Yohaiden’s expression turned serious.

Blonde hair was a symbol of the Imperial Family.

When a member of the Imperial Family wasn’t born with that rare hair color, it often meant they wouldn’t gain the qualification to be the emperor or the support of their subjects.

The reason the Second Prince commanded more followers than the Third Prince despite various controversies was solely because he was born with blonde hair…

‘But, wasn’t it said that only those with black hair are born into the Ira Clan…? No, could it be!? That’s why… the Ira Clan completely withdrew from politics…!’

Originally, the northern families didn’t involve themselves much in politics, but they weren’t as isolated as they were now.

Occasionally, northern nobles would visit the capital to attend banquets, and while not frequent, Imperial nobles would also travel north…

However, for the past 20 years, the Ira Clan of the North had completely cut off all political and social exchanges, as if they intended to sever all ties with the capital.

Thanks to that, Eustia and Yohaiden, which were relatively weaker compared to the Ira Clan, were able to grow by picking up the scraps they left behind.

There was even a time when it was debated whether the Ira Clan of the North was planning to secede from the Empire.

Duke Yohaiden couldn’t take the girl in Zeke’s grasp lightly.

‘Yes, if they had a daughter born with that hair color… And if she also had golden eyes…!’

And with that, a way to resolve the situation naturally came to mind.

“Ahem, Black Wolf Knights of the Ira Clan.”

Duke Yohaiden cleared his throat and called out to the knight captain.

“Please bear witness to the duel between this man and myself. And I request the release of the hostage. In return, Yohaiden will not hold you responsible for this incident.”

“No, what responsibility? Just swear you won’t duel? Uh? You really want a scar on your neck?”

Duke Yohaiden desperately tried to ignore Zeke and spoke.

“Well, if that’s what you want, then you should. Of course, I don’t think Zeke Clayman will lose to you… Hmm, but I have one question.”

Duke Yohaiden’s gaze shifted in an instant, taking on the shrewdness of a seasoned politician as he looked at the knight captain.

“The reason you’re all so desperate right now is because of the girl in Zeke Clayman’s hands.”

“……T-That’s!”

“Don’t tell me she’s a complete stranger. It’s embarrassing to even say this myself… but I too am one of the three pillars supporting the Empire. I understand the weight of you all laying down your swords and kneeling.”

The Duke then stroked his short beard.

“Blonde hair… Well, it’s not like there aren’t cases where children are born with it in commoner or other noble families, though extremely rare. In those cases, they usually enter the Imperial Family… and live their lives as maids or servants, unmarried, serving the Imperial Family. It’s as if they’re saying golden hair belongs only to the Imperial Family. Don’t you think?”

The Duke questioned the knight captain, but he only clenched his fists in response.

“Of course, that’s the case for ordinary nobles or commoners. What would happen if a child like that were to be born into a ducal family…? I can’t say for sure since there’s no precedent… but the Imperial Family would try their best to take the child away. Otherwise, just the fact that their symbol exists in the North would threaten their legitimacy…”

“Your Grace, what are you trying to say…?”

The Black Wolf Knights’ knight captain growled, baring his teeth.

“I see, so that’s what happened. You deliberately hid her.”

Duke Yohaiden nodded in understanding.

“…Are you… provoking us to a fight?”

The knight captain asked in a low voice, his eyes no longer showing any courtesy towards a higher-ranking noble.

“Hmm, I have no intention of spreading this information.”

“….?”

“However, if word were to get out, people might think it was a politician who leaked it. Let’s see… There are quite a few witnesses here, so I’ll do this. On Yohaiden’s honor, I swear I will not breathe a word of this to anyone. If this matter is leaked due to a mistake on our part, Yohaiden will offer the utmost apology and stand with the Ira Clan against the Imperial Family.”

“W-Wait a minute, what exactly is your intention in saying such a thing…?”

Duke Yohaiden smiled, a sly grin spreading across his face.

“So, do you still wish to fight Zeke Clayman?”