Hamon Azus, the lord of Silver Fall and the father of Malik Azus, was having tea with members of the Rascal family.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A knocking sound on the reception room door.
“come in.”
At Harmon’s command, the door opens and the servant and Malik’s attendant rush in.
The attendant, with a pale face and covered in sweat, took a deep breath and swallowed his saliva.
“Tsk, what does that look like?”
“S-sorry. But it’s so urgent… … .”
“What’s going on?”
“Malik is currently being held captive.”
“what?”
Harmon’s face crumples at the sudden situation.
The head of the Rascal family in front also looked at the servant with a surprised face.
“There was an argument in the restaurant, and the other party grabbed Mr. Malik and said that if he didn’t come directly to the lord, he would cut off Mr. Malik’s head.”
“what!!”
bang!!
Harmon’s face turns red as he slams the table hard and jumps up.
“You’re crazy, how dare you take Lord Hamon’s son and threaten him.”
The head of the Rascal family also laughs and mutters as if he is dumbfounded.
“dare… “How dare someone say something like that?”
“that is… … . “My name is Lord Ren Argen.”
“… … “Ren Argen?”
Harmon, embarrassed by such an unexpected name, slowly rolls his eyes.
Ren Argen is the person who has created an uproar on the continent right now. Isn’t this the knight who used divine power to save the Holy Kingdom from the devil and revive the knights of the empire?
‘Why on earth is Ren Argen here? And why with Malik… … ?’
My head, which was once heated, suddenly becomes cold.
“Isn’t Ren Argen a knight who has become famous recently?”
“you’re right.”
“I heard that you are young, but I guess it’s hard to tell because your reputation is growing. How dare you threaten the lord’s son with his life… … . Even though I’m crazy, I feel like I’m really crazy. “My lord.”
Harmon’s worries deepened at the words of the Rascal family head.
That is correct. No matter how famous you are, aren’t you a lord?
How dare he threaten his own son, the lord of the Great Baran Empire.
Moreover, wasn’t Ren Arjen the one who was kicked out of the Arjen family and wasn’t even treated as a child?
“That is correct. If you want to negotiate, have him bring Malik here.”
“But I’m going to cut off Mr. Malik’s head…” … .”
“hahahahaha! Do you think he would dare cut my son? “It’s just a child’s bravado.”
Harmon grew more and more confident. I’ve heard a lot of rumors about Ren Argen, but I’m alone.
There is no need to sit back and watch them run wild like wild bastards in the territory of an empire that is not even a castle.
“I heard that you will be participating as a judge for the academy graduation exam as a representative of the Three Swords Lords of the Empire. So, they said they would punish Mr. Malik for interfering with the schedule approved by His Majesty the Emperor.”
“What, what?”
“You are the representative of the 3rd Sword Lord… … .”
Harmon’s face distorted again. Since Ren Argen had even brought up His Majesty the Emperor, he couldn’t just sit around here.
“Tsk. Get ready to go out. “I will go myself.”
“We will follow too. Now that this has come to an end, how about having a battle of honorable knights?”
“big… Do you mean the end? But Ren Argen is a monster who has defeated even demons. I heard that he reached the level of master at that age… … .”
“I heard that rumor too, but everyone only talked about divine power. I think the level of swordsmanship also made him look like a master with the help of divine power.”
“… Is that so?”
“In my opinion, yes. What do you think, son?”
Aran Rascal, the eldest son of the Rascal family, who was sitting quietly next to him, nodded.
“I have never heard of a master at that age, except from the head of the Arzen family.”
“That’s right, even if Ren Arjen inherited Arjen’s blood, if he was as talented as Fletcher Arjen, he wouldn’t have been kicked out of the family in the first place.”
Harmon was persuaded by the two people’s words and shook his head.
“I am now an old man in the back room, but I think my son can be on par with Ren Argen.”
“Is that true?”
“I am confident. “My lord.”
Harmon was troubled.
Still, the Rescal family is a fairly prestigious family here in Silver Fall.
A prestigious family that has consistently produced outstanding knights. Moreover, it is said that Aran Rascal has recently risen to the level of an upper-middle knight.
I’m a bit old now to move up further, but mid-to-upper level knights are not common even in the empire.
“Since it is a battle of knights, wouldn’t it be okay if we decided not to use divine power?”
“good idea.”
When it seemed like Harmon had almost crossed over, the Rascal matriarch gave a shallow smile.
‘This is a great opportunity to add to Ren Argen’s reputation.’
No matter how much Ren Argen can use Pope-level divine power, his identity is that of a knight.
All the words of those who have been said to be master-level so far must have come from an illusion of divine power.
Even if his son were to compete head-to-head with Ren Argen, Aran Rascal’s name would quickly spread everywhere.
If he somehow defeats Ren Argen, Rascal’s name will be raised even higher than it is now.
‘And it doesn’t matter if I lose. Because the opponent is Ren Argen.’
The worst case scenario is not to lose in an ugly way. However, there is no way Ren Argen is really a master level, so that won’t happen.
“Let’s go. “Shouldn’t we give a stinging taste to the young knight who dared to touch Lord Silverfall’s son?”
“ha ha ha! “I feel reassured because I have the head of the Rascal family.”
* * *
A quiet restaurant. The suffocating air fills the interior.
Seeing Ren Argen sitting silently on a chair as if he was extremely feverish, even the members of the 3rd mercenary unit just stared at him, unable to open their mouths.
‘Leader! Do something! If this continues, isn’t Ren really going to cut off the lord’s head?’
‘Since you speak well, please tell me. ‘I can’t do it.’
Albino and Eric communicated by opening their mouths without making any voices.
Malik’s soldiers, who were trying to chase away the guests eating nearby, were stopped by Ren and retreated.
The customers and the restaurant owner were restless and stuck in a corner, just watching the situation unfold.
When Malik was kneeling on the floor, his body trembling with a humiliated look on his face.
I can feel the vibrations shaking the ground outside.
Harmon and Rascal, accompanied by a large number of knights from the territory, entered the restaurant.
“Malik!”
“Ah, father!”
Malik, who was about to stand up when he saw him, flinched under Ren’s gaze and fell to his knees again.
“What are you doing! “Get up!”
“uh… , that is… … .”
At that time, Ren, who had been sitting quietly in a chair with his eyes closed, got up and approached the lord.
“Are you the lord of this place?”
“That’s right. “I am the lord of Silver Fall of the Great Baran Empire.”
“You must have heard the story… … .”
Shhh!!
Ren, who immediately took the first step, placed his sword on Malik’s shoulder without even looking at him.
“Huh!!”
Malik, startled, trembles, glances at Chohon’s sharp blade, and swallows his saliva.
“What are you doing?!”
Harmon, whose eyes widen at the sight, shouts, but Ren’s sword does not waver at all.
“Originally, I was going to punish Malik by beheading him for trying to disrupt the Empire’s official schedule, but… … “There is merit to the lord in the empire, so if the lord apologizes in person, I will take a look at it.”
“no… , what is that… … .”
Harmon made eye contact with Ren.
Gray eyes that were sunken. The composure, confidence, and fierce living that sway within it.
gulp.
Harmon swallowed without realizing it and his eyes trembled.
‘How on earth do you get that kind of look in your eyes at that age?’
Just looking at it takes my breath away.
The look in the eyes of an old general who has been through several grueling battlefields that risked his life. Bluff? Lie? That didn’t even exist in the first place.
If he kept attacking like this, it was clear that Ren Argen would really cut off Malik’s head.
“… … I-.”
“Still, you are the lord’s son, you are speaking too harshly. “Ren Argen.”
At that time, the head of the Rascal family, who had been watching quietly, stepped forward.
‘No, if you step forward now…’ … !’
Harmon was embarrassed, and before he had time to stop him, Aran Rescal glared at him and made a suggestion.
“I would like to challenge you to a battle of honorable knights. “Lord Wren.”
“Do you want to compete with me?”
“If I win, please don’t blame Malik. However, if Lord Ren wins, I will also apologize along with the lord.”
The head of the Rascal family smiles with satisfaction at Aran’s suggestion.
‘… … ‘I feel like I’m feeling more uncomfortable?’
On the other hand, Harmon’s face, looking at Ren’s notice, shows even greater worry.
“Did your family teach you to think that anything with the word ‘honorable’ is honorable?”
Very annoying tone. The atmosphere of the space became cold, as if it had become a sheet of thin ice.
“what… Called… … Did you do it?”
The face of the Rascal family turned bright red.
“Why should I have an honorable fight with someone like you? “Is it honorable for me to beat you?”
“Are you insulting me now?!”
Unable to bear it anymore, Aran Rascal shouts. Ren snorts when he sees Aran’s reaction.
“If you feel like it’s an insult, don’t just apologize, but do something bigger. Cast that sword you are holding. “If I lose, I will hand over not only Malik’s sins but also my sword.”
“… … .”
The board grows bigger in an instant. The Rascal matriarch quickly searched her mind, but could not find an answer. Since it was like this, I had to win.
Otherwise, I would have to kneel down and apologize right here and there, but I couldn’t do that in a place with so many people watching.
“I’ll do it. Instead, since it is a battle of knights, I hope you do not use sacred power.”
Ren laughs and answers Aran’s suggestion.
“Sure.”
The members of Grealish’s 3rd mercenary unit behind him heard that sound and understood why Rascal had made such a foolish suggestion.
‘Those idiots must have thought that Lord Ren was strong, believing only in his divine power.’
‘Well, the impact of this Holy Kingdom was enormous. It is said that he showed divine power greater than that of the Pope.’
‘No matter what, you killed Tyrant before that, right?’
‘Is that even going to get into their heads? ‘It is the nature of knights to look down on anyone who is young.’
‘If you think about that, we look better. At least we don’t let down our guard even in front of a young guy, right?’
‘yes.’
When Albino and Eric were laughing and watching with interest. Aran drew his sword.
“I will put my sword on the line.”
“good. “I praise you for your confidence.”
In an instant, space is created for two people. The audience, who had retreated, pushed the tables and chairs aside to create a stage.
Aran swallowed dry saliva and fixed his gaze.
‘There’s really no way he could be a master at that age.’
Aran brainwashed himself, trying hard to suppress the anxiety that was blooming inside him.
“Come first.”
“Then I will go.”
Raise your energy and explore slowly. There is no need to push yourself too hard from the beginning. The opponent is not that strong.
“Ha!”
They gain peace of mind through repeated brainwashing and rush forward. A fast-firing sting. An attack simply for checking and exploration. It was a light throw.
Huh-.
At that moment, Ren’s gray eyes flash.
Along with the gray spirit blooming from his body, the eternal stone of the first soul glows red, and evil spirits engulf Aran’s body.
“Tsk… … !”
Intense pressure pressing down on your entire body. As if I had fallen into a swamp, something strange was holding me down.
Cheaeng!!
A stab that was blocked in vain. At the same time, his sword, which flew into the air, spun around and was sucked into Ren’s left hand.
A shallow sneer appeared on Ren’s lips.
The sword that was in Aran’s hand a moment ago changed direction and sharpened its blade, resting on the nape of his neck.
“I won. “I will take this sword.”