Elias stopped at the manor’s entrance and looked toward the iron gates, where three knights were waiting outside. The man standing in the center was burly and broad-shouldered, while the two knights on either side of him were considerably leaner, with haughty grins plastered across their faces.
’Their faces alone are enough to tell me that they have come to cause trouble,’ Elias remarked inwardly as he walked toward the gate, with Benjamin following a few steps behind him, wearing a nervous expression.
The moment Elias came within earshot, one of the lean knights glanced at him and said, "He is finally here."
Elias ignored the rude tone and looked toward the burly knight in the center.
"You have come to see me?" he asked.
"That is correct, Lord Crimson," the burly man replied, his tone considerably more humble and respectful than that of his companions.
"Do tell me why," Elias said.
The burly knight reached into the pouch hanging from his waist and pulled out a sealed letter before handing it to Elias.
"I am Marcus, the knight captain of the outer night watch," he said respectfully. "The new city lord has commanded us to send you an invitation for his inauguration tomorrow."
"New city lord?" Elias asked, his brows furrowing slightly as he accepted the letter.
He glanced at the seal for a moment before looking back at Marcus.
"Tell the city lord that I have received the invitation," Elias said.
Marcus nodded respectfully.
"I will remember to do so, my lord," he replied.
Just then, the lean knight standing to Marcus’s right rubbed his chin and said, "Ah, man, I was hoping to take a glimpse of the cursed flowers. They may be damned, but I’ve heard stories of their beauty."
The other lean knight chuckled beside him, while Marcus’s expression immediately darkened.
Elias slowly turned his gaze toward the knight.
"What did you say?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the bastard who had just disrespected his wives.
The lean knight smirked and answered in a deliberately humorous tone, "Haha. I was saying that their beauty is wasted on you. I mean, aren’t you the man they call the Trash of Crimson? I’m just worried about the ladies."
"Yeah," the other lean knight commented with a chuckle. "He is just worried about them."
Benjamin’s expression hardened as he stepped forward.
"Watch your tongue!" he hissed.
The two knights merely chuckled at his warning.
Elias’s jaw hardened as his hand slowly clenched into a fist. He took a deep breath before looking toward Marcus.
"Sir Marcus," Elias said calmly, "I wish to challenge your dog to a spar of real steel."
"Who are you calling a dog?!" the lean knight growled, his previous amusement disappearing.
Marcus looked at Elias with a troubled expression.
He knew exactly what Elias’s reputation was.
The young lord was considered a beginner swordsman despite having trained for years, while Trons, the knight standing beside him, had already reached the Intermediate realm.
Even so, Marcus couldn’t simply refuse a son of the Crimson Duke.
"Are you sure, Lord Crimson?" Marcus asked carefully.
"He is asking whether you really want to die or not!" the other lean knight interjected with a mocking grin.
Elias turned his gaze toward him.
"I want to fight him after I am done with that one," he said, pointing toward the second knight.
The smile on the knight’s face disappeared.
Marcus inwardly rubbed his forehead.
’What is this young lord thinking?’
He had expected Elias to simply accept the invitation and perhaps ignore the insults, but instead, the young man had challenged two Intermediate swordsmen in the span of a few breaths.
Marcus couldn’t help wondering whether Elias had finally lost his mind.
Still, refusing the challenge would only create unnecessary trouble, especially when the other party was a member of the Crimson Ducal Clan.
Marcus sighed inwardly before giving a respectful nod.
"If that’s what you wish, Lord Crimson," he said, "then I will allow the spar."
Elias nodded and turned around.
"Come in," he said.
The gates opened, and the three knights followed Elias and Benjamin into the estate.
As they walked toward the training grounds, Benjamin quickly closed the distance between himself and Elias. His expression remained nervous as he lowered his voice.
"My lord," he asked cautiously, "do you really want to fight two Intermediate swordsmen?"
Elias glanced at him.
There was no panic in his eyes, nor was there any hesitation.
"Prepare the training ground," he ordered firmly.
Benjamin stared at him for a moment before lowering his head.
"Yes, my lord."
Elias continued walking toward the training grounds, his expression calm.
A few minutes later, they stepped into the training ground. Elias entered the nearby changing room and soon emerged wearing a dark, form-fitting training outfit that allowed him to move freely without anything restricting his movements.
Trons was already waiting at the opposite end of the training area, his hand resting casually on the hilt of his sword.
Marcus stood beside him and leaned closer before whispering, "Make sure not to hurt him too much, or, if possible, finish this without hurting him at all."
Trons nodded obediently, but inwardly he scoffed.
’Don’t hurt him? Heh. When else would I get the chance to beat a duke’s son?’
Marcus stepped away from the arena, giving the two swordsmen enough room to begin.
At the same time, Elias walked into the training area and stopped several meters away from Trons.
Trons looked Elias up and down before drawing his sword with a faint metallic ring. He rested the blade against his shoulder and smirked.
"Have you even fought with real blades?" Trons asked mockingly.
Elias remained silent as he drew his own sword and settled into a proper stance.
His grip tightened around the hilt, and his eyes remained fixed on Trons.
After a moment, Elias looked at him calmly and said, "I prefer using my sword more than my mouth, though for you, it seems quite the opposite."