Rennie, seeing his uncle's sword at his brother's throat, stepped forward sharply.
— Uncle, there's no need…
But before he could say more, Reinhard cast him a glance—cold, detached, as if he felt nothing from the blade at his neck.
— Let's make a bet.
His voice was calm, steady, devoid of any fear.
— Me against any one of your knights, one-on-one. Only swords. If I lose, I will publicly apologize to all the knights and throw away this ring.
Reinhard raised his left hand, revealing a ring with a blood-red gem—the symbol of the Deira heir.
Silence.
Everyone knew what that meant.
Throwing away that ring would mean renouncing his title as heir, losing the respect of the entire duchy, and becoming a nobody.
Liam narrowed his eyes, a flicker of interest flashing within them.
— Ha-ha! You actually think you can win?
He tilted his head slightly, assessing his nephew, then let out a short chuckle.
— Alright. If you win, I will apologize to you right here, in front of everyone. Moreover, you can demand anything from me.
Reinhard smirked inwardly.
"Got you."
The training grounds came alive.
Knights, servants, soldiers—everyone nearby gathered around the sparring platform. Even those merely passing by slowed their steps, trying to get a glimpse of the unfolding event.
Before them stood a large platform of pale stone—25 by 25 meters, smooth, sturdy, covered in scratches and the marks of countless battles. Along the sides, weapon racks stood tall, filled with various swords, spears, battle axes, and war hammers.
Reinhard approached the racks, carefully examining the weapons.
At that moment, a translucent green window appeared before his eyes.
[System Notification]
[Attention: Due to current circumstances, an additional quest has been generated!]
[You cannot decline this quest!]
[Additional Quest: The Honor of the Knights of Deira Duchy]
[Progress: Defeat Knight-Assassin Salvini → 0/1]
[Reward: 0.5 AP, Title: Recognized by the Knights of Deira Duchy, +50 Rennie Affection]
[Failure Penalty: You will lose the right to inherit Deira Duchy. Title: Outcast of House Deira]
Reinhard let out a quiet chuckle.
"This simplifies things. If I complete this quest, Rennie's trust will exceed the required threshold. The only thing left will be raising Lennie's trust."
He swiped the window away, and it vanished.
Now, the only thing that mattered—winning.
Reinhard reached out, grabbing the largest sword he could find.
Its blade was long, heavy, nearly as tall as he was. Such a weapon required immense physical strength and skill, but it was perfect for overwhelming an opponent from the start.
Meanwhile, his opponent chose an ordinary sword.
The two stepped onto the platform.
A hushed silence fell over the training grounds…