Rian made a very serious expression. “You accepted the duel with Baron Carmine. For a mere 2500 gold.”
Ren Xiyang unbuttoned his coat and slouched on his usual sofa. “I accepted your challenge for zero gold.”
Rian narrowed his eyes. “Are you implying that my challenge was no better than Carmine’s?”
Ren Xiyang blinked. “Oh?”
Rian’s lips twitched. “Ha, ha,” he said drily. “Why didn’t I know you were this funny?” He sat down on the opposite sofa.
Ren Xiyang’s lips curled up faintly. “I contain multitudes.”
“Now that I’m here, I can extend the invitation for you to come and visit the Imperial Palace in person. My mother has been making advances in her communications with the Angio court. We’re expecting a delegation to arrive for the late summer social event.”
Ren Xiyang grimaced at the thought of socialising. “And if I decline?”
“It wouldn’t do to decline an invitation from a prince,” Rian said. He smiled, an invisible pressure in the air.
“Fine,” Ren Xiyang capitulated. “Tell me the details later.”
Rian’s smile became even more angelic. “Now, Earl Rosewood, are you prepared for tomorrow’s duel?”
“If I’m not, would you teach me some more magic spells?”
“Which you won’t use during the duel.”
“That’s right.”
Rian had no doubt that Earl Rosewood would win. The only question was how much suffering Ayden Rosewood would bring upon Baron Carmine. But he nonetheless gave a world-weary sigh. “If I must help ensure your victory tomorrow, then so be it. What kind of spells would you like to learn today?” He was taken aback when Ayden Rosewood went over to his desk and bought back a stack of papers with numerous spells listed upon it.
Rian’s lips twitched. “Do you want to get through all of this tonight before the duel tomorrow?”
“If I’m tired, I’ll be giving Baron Carmine a chance, aren’t I? I also prepared some midnight snacks,” Ren Xiyang added.
Rian straightened. “Very well. Let me see the first spell…”
The next day arrived with lots of energy. It was the day of the duel between challenger Baron Carmine and defender Earl Rosewood!
Baron Carmine had very quickly assigned the referee, shield caster, and healer within the day of the challenge. But he had graciously given the young Earl three days to prepare for the duel—three days whole days to spread the news.
A duel between two lords was an unusual thing. Earl Rosewood’s duel with Prince Rian was too sudden, but this duel with Baron Carmine had been announced ahead of time, so many people wanted to grab this chance to watch.
The front of the Rosewood summer manor was bustling with arrivals, some on foot, some on horse, and some by carriage. Local commoners came; merchants and richer citizens came to watch, and even a few nobles in the neighbouring fiefs came over. The four mages Rian had sent to the Rosewood fief also took a trip back to the Rosewood summer manor to watch the duel.
The Rosewood estate couldn’t possibly deny them. After all, the more people who came, the more money they could make.
Baron Carmine came early to show off. He was surprised to see the prepared paid seating and the servants selling food, but then derided Earl Rosewood in his heart. Who would even think of doing this, but a destitute Lord? He put on a smirk and went to greet his friends/allies who had come.
Kel watched the goings-on with a careful eye, making sure that everything was in order.
Fifteen minutes before the duel, Kel went to Earl Rosewood’s suite. To her surprise, a group of Royal Guards and the two Rosewood knights waited outside in the corridor, and the door to the earl’s suite was open.
Prince Rian, Prince Alexius, and Sir Gerlach Aegean were inside along with Earl Rosewood. And it seemed that Prince Alexius was earnestly teaching Earl Rosewood some ice spells.
Instead of wearing a plain tunic like for the duel with Prince Rian, Earl Rosewood had changed into a rich red and black ensemble that Prince Rian had bought for him previously with the Rosewood emblem embroidered on.
This meant that the earl wasn’t expecting to get his clothes messed up.
Kel felt satisfied in her heart. It was certainly an unusual problem to worry about Earl Rosewood not dressing finely enough. In fact, all the servants had talked about it and speculated about Earl Ayden Rosewood’s upbringing. The child clearly hadn’t had expensive clothes, hadn’t been treated like a noble, and so didn’t act like a noble should.
But now, in the clothes that Prince Rian bought him, Earl Rosewood looked like a proper little lord!
Prince Alexius stopped talking when he noticed the new person.
Kel bowed. “Your Highnesses, my lords. Earl Rosewood, Baron Carmine is now waiting at the duelling field.”
Prince Alexius was the most excited. “Let’s go, Earl Rosewood! Remember all those spells I just taught you!” Earl Rosewood was his friend-even-more, as earlier that morning, Earl Rosewood had done some fire magic demonstrations for him.
Earl Rosewood hummed.
With Kel leading, the group headed down to the front entrance.
“Make way for His Highnesses, Prince Rian and Prince Alexius!” a Royal Guard proclaimed. “Make way for Earl Rosewood!”
Heads turned their way, and the crowd parted.
Prince Rian and the others took a prime seating position in front of the field, while Earl Rosewood continued to where Baron Carmine and his entourage were waiting.
Voices swelled and then quieted down as the two lords met each other.
Baron Carmine strolled forward. “I greet Earl Rosewood.”
“Good morning, Baron Carmine,” Ren Xiyang said. He held out a hand. “Before I can step onto the duelling field, contract.”
Baron Carmine’s mouth twitched. “Give the Earl the contract,” he ordered his servant standing near him.
Ren Xiyang read over the contract, checking that the ‘2500 gold’ part of it was clearly written. He frowned slightly. While his losing condition would have him petition the King within two weeks, there was no such time limit on his winning condition.
“Amend this, payment should also be made within two weeks.”
Baron Carmine’s lips thinned. “Very well, Earl Rosewood,” he said generously. He personally amended the contract.
Only then did Ren Xiyang sign it, followed by Baron Carmine’s signature.
Ren Xiyang could almost feel the gold coins in his hands. In this rare moment, he smiled. “Baron Carmine, let’s begin.”
The silent spectator Prince Rian frowned. Earl Rosewood, smiling at someone else?
Baron Carmine straightened, towering over the little Earl. “Mage Jasper will cast the shields and Master Foster will be our referee,” he said, motioning to two people with the Carmine’s emblem on their clothes.
Ren Xiyang inclined his head in acceptance.
“Cast,” Baron Carmine said to Mage Jasper.
“Yes, my Lord.” Mage Jasper stretched out his hand and first cast a shield spell on Baron Carmine, and then another one of Earl Rosewood.
Ren Xiyang and Baron Carmine walked onto the duelling field. The duelling field’s protective shields, which had been prepared by Mage Jasper earlier, closed behind them. The two lords separated to either side, and then turned around to face each other.
Baron Carmine knew that Earl Rosewood and the Prince Rian were apparently ‘evenly matched’, but he also knew that little bookish Count Aegean had stopped the duel early. And all those big rumours about Earl Rosewood were spread by ignorant commoners, commoners who were dazzled with just a few sparks of light. Based on the little Prince’s subtle siding with Earl Rosewood, that duel was clearly for show!
Ayden Rosewood might be famous for being able to use nonverbal magic, but could he do so under the pressure a real battle? Baron Carmine could cast nonverbal magic too if he tried. Today, he’d show the crowd how a real warrior mage used magic!
The crowd hushed, munching slowly on their food and sipping their drinks while keeping their eyes fixed on the field.
Master Foster glanced at Baron Carmine. On signal, he raised his voice.
“We are gathered here to witness the duel between challenger Baron Carmine and defender Earl Rosewood! Let the duel begin!”
Baron Carmine’s concentration sharpened like a deadly blade. The moment the duel began, he lunged forward. The nonverbal spell he had been preparing completed. Dozens of little fire tornadoes sprung up around him and raced across the duelling field.
The crowd chattered excitedly. Baron Carmine looked every inch the noble warrior mage. Those little fire tornadoes flew faster than anyone could run!
Ren Xiyang was about to extinguish those flames directly but remembered just in time that he wanted to drag out the battle a little bit. And there were people snacking on the food the Rosewood staff sold to them. It was best if Ren Xiyang gave them a show.
So, he raised his hands, using his fire ability to divert the flames around him at the very last minute. In the next step, he produced half a dozen fire balls and threw them towards Baron Carmine.
Baron Carmine sneered seeing the plain fire balls. He nimbly dodged them, all the while rapidly gaining on Ayden Rosewood. He barked out a spell, producing a large blade of fire and swung it at Ayden Rosewood’s head!
The crowd gasped. That fire blade was as thick as the young Earl and twice as long!
Ren Xiyang looked at the fire sword with interest. He hadn’t thought of doing that before. Of course, it wasn’t that effective as a small, condensed fireball, and it would’ve been a total waste of energy during the zombie apocalypse, but this world wasn’t the same.
Just as the fire blade was about to hit him, he ducked, using a bit of fire at his feet to propel him safely away. At the same time, he twisted slightly to face Baron Carmine and created a dozen more fire balls.
Baron Carmine’s upper lip curled up in distaste. He swung his fire blade, blocking and capturing the little childish fireballs. A split second later, the blade was heading towards Ayden’s face once again.
—But once again, Ayden somehow jumped back fast enough to dodge!
The Rosewood servants cheered. “Earl Rosewood! Earl Rosewood!”
Rian smiled faintly. Ayden Rosewood was playing around. It made him a bit itchy, he wanted to play too.
Baron Carmine gritted his teeth. He swung again and again, but the fire blade swung uselessly through air and smashed uselessly on the ground as it kept missing Earl Rosewood.
Anger burned through Baron Carmine. How did this child dodge and block all his attacks? And those damn pesky little fire balls! No, no more playing around!
Baron Carmine sucked in a deep breath, gathering all the magical energy and fiery hot emotions in his body to fuel the biggest spell he knew. The fire blade expanded and grew into a giant whirlwind of fire that pressed up right against the ceiling of the duelling field’s shield spell. The fire crackled loudly, its glow so hot even the spectators felt the heat on their faces.
Baron Carmine advanced upon the earl. With a fire this big, the little earl won’t be able to dodge!
Ren Xiyang’s eyelids lowered. He immediately sunk his magic into the huge fire and started to steal its energy. This method of magical extraction was still safer than taking magic from an infected zombie crystal.
It took a moment for Baron Carmine to realise something was wrong. How was his fire getting smaller? He scrambled to think of a way to boost the spell up again, but he had expended so much magic already. At this rate—
In that moment of inattention, Ren Xiyang struck. A fire ball smashed into Baron Carmine’s face, shocking him. Baron Carmine lost control of the fire and a few moments later, it disappeared into nothing as Ren Xiyang stole all its magic. But that was the least of Baron Carmine’s problems because Ren Xiyang had raised a cage of fire around him!
The local town guards and the original servants at the manor found this highly familiar—it was the same spell their Lord had used on the assassins!
But wait, this time, it was different. The cage was contracting, and it was about to burn Baron Carmine in the next moment! The crowd gasped, eyes widening, half of them morbidly wondering if they would see a crispy baron soon?
Rian also found the fire cage very familiar. It was what Ayden Rosewood had used just before Count Aegean called off the match. He glanced at today’s referee, Master Foster. He looked like he had a bigger backbone than Count Aegean. Rian turned back to Ayden Rosewood with interest.
Spectators saw Baron Carmine panicking, chanting spells that ultimately amounted to nothing. Some of the nobility who were watching thought that Baron Carmine wasn’t as strong as he looked, that he breaking down under pressure, that he had so little magic. If they were the ones fighting Earl Rosewood, they wouldn’t be panicking like that.
What they didn’t realise was that Ren Xiyang had tight control of all the fire in the duelling field, and that the moment Baron Carmine cast, Ren Xiyang stole it away.
Baron Carmine did everything he could to stop, block, end the flames. But nothing! Worked! His voice climbed higher and higher in panic, spitting out fire-ending spells, but they dissipated into thin air. He then tried water spells, ice spells, earth spells. Those did something, but in the end, the fire was too strong, turning water and ice to vapour and flowing through the gaps in the earth to threaten him. The cage became solid fire and with the lack of oxygen, Baron Carmine could only fall unconscious with a heavy thud.
Baron Carmine: I’m SO going to win!
Rian: Why is the earl smiling at Baron Carmine? (≖_≖ )
Ren Xiyang: Bag of free money ┐(￣ヮ￣)┌
On the topic of money… thank you to Kiss-Kiss, mero, Sealunis, and jinzinc for the ink~! ( ≧▽≦)
Rian made a very serious expression. “You accepted the duel with Baron Carmine. For a mere 2500 gold.”
Ren Xiyang unbuttoned his coat and slouched on his usual sofa. “I accepted your challenge for zero gold.”
Rian narrowed his eyes. “Are you implying that my challenge was no better than Carmine’s?”
Ren Xiyang blinked. “Oh?”
Rian’s lips twitched. “Ha, ha,” he said drily. “Why didn’t I know you were this funny?” He sat down on the opposite sofa.
Ren Xiyang’s lips curled up faintly. “I contain multitudes.”
“Now that I’m here, I can extend the invitation for you to come and visit the Imperial Palace in person. My mother has been making advances in her communications with the Angio court. We’re expecting a delegation to arrive for the late summer social event.”
Ren Xiyang grimaced at the thought of socialising. “And if I decline?”
“It wouldn’t do to decline an invitation from a prince,” Rian said. He smiled, an invisible pressure in the air.
“Fine,” Ren Xiyang capitulated. “Tell me the details later.”
Rian’s smile became even more angelic. “Now, Earl Rosewood, are you prepared for tomorrow’s duel?”
“If I’m not, would you teach me some more magic spells?”
“Which you won’t use during the duel.”
“That’s right.”
Rian had no doubt that Earl Rosewood would win. The only question was how much suffering Ayden Rosewood would bring upon Baron Carmine. But he nonetheless gave a world-weary sigh. “If I must help ensure your victory tomorrow, then so be it. What kind of spells would you like to learn today?” He was taken aback when Ayden Rosewood went over to his desk and bought back a stack of papers with numerous spells listed upon it.
Rian’s lips twitched. “Do you want to get through all of this tonight before the duel tomorrow?”
“If I’m tired, I’ll be giving Baron Carmine a chance, aren’t I? I also prepared some midnight snacks,” Ren Xiyang added.
Rian straightened. “Very well. Let me see the first spell…”
The next day arrived with lots of energy. It was the day of the duel between challenger Baron Carmine and defender Earl Rosewood!
Baron Carmine had very quickly assigned the referee, shield caster, and healer within the day of the challenge. But he had graciously given the young Earl three days to prepare for the duel—three days whole days to spread the news.
A duel between two lords was an unusual thing. Earl Rosewood’s duel with Prince Rian was too sudden, but this duel with Baron Carmine had been announced ahead of time, so many people wanted to grab this chance to watch.
The front of the Rosewood summer manor was bustling with arrivals, some on foot, some on horse, and some by carriage. Local commoners came; merchants and richer citizens came to watch, and even a few nobles in the neighbouring fiefs came over. The four mages Rian had sent to the Rosewood fief also took a trip back to the Rosewood summer manor to watch the duel.
The Rosewood estate couldn’t possibly deny them. After all, the more people who came, the more money they could make.
Baron Carmine came early to show off. He was surprised to see the prepared paid seating and the servants selling food, but then derided Earl Rosewood in his heart. Who would even think of doing this, but a destitute Lord? He put on a smirk and went to greet his friends/allies who had come.
Kel watched the goings-on with a careful eye, making sure that everything was in order.
Fifteen minutes before the duel, Kel went to Earl Rosewood’s suite. To her surprise, a group of Royal Guards and the two Rosewood knights waited outside in the corridor, and the door to the earl’s suite was open.
Prince Rian, Prince Alexius, and Sir Gerlach Aegean were inside along with Earl Rosewood. And it seemed that Prince Alexius was earnestly teaching Earl Rosewood some ice spells.
Instead of wearing a plain tunic like for the duel with Prince Rian, Earl Rosewood had changed into a rich red and black ensemble that Prince Rian had bought for him previously with the Rosewood emblem embroidered on.
This meant that the earl wasn’t expecting to get his clothes messed up.
Kel felt satisfied in her heart. It was certainly an unusual problem to worry about Earl Rosewood not dressing finely enough. In fact, all the servants had talked about it and speculated about Earl Ayden Rosewood’s upbringing. The child clearly hadn’t had expensive clothes, hadn’t been treated like a noble, and so didn’t act like a noble should.
But now, in the clothes that Prince Rian bought him, Earl Rosewood looked like a proper little lord!
Prince Alexius stopped talking when he noticed the new person.
Kel bowed. “Your Highnesses, my lords. Earl Rosewood, Baron Carmine is now waiting at the duelling field.”
Prince Alexius was the most excited. “Let’s go, Earl Rosewood! Remember all those spells I just taught you!” Earl Rosewood was his friend-even-more, as earlier that morning, Earl Rosewood had done some fire magic demonstrations for him.
Earl Rosewood hummed.
With Kel leading, the group headed down to the front entrance.
“Make way for His Highnesses, Prince Rian and Prince Alexius!” a Royal Guard proclaimed. “Make way for Earl Rosewood!”
Heads turned their way, and the crowd parted.
Prince Rian and the others took a prime seating position in front of the field, while Earl Rosewood continued to where Baron Carmine and his entourage were waiting.
Voices swelled and then quieted down as the two lords met each other.
Baron Carmine strolled forward. “I greet Earl Rosewood.”
“Good morning, Baron Carmine,” Ren Xiyang said. He held out a hand. “Before I can step onto the duelling field, contract.”
Baron Carmine’s mouth twitched. “Give the Earl the contract,” he ordered his servant standing near him.
Ren Xiyang read over the contract, checking that the ‘2500 gold’ part of it was clearly written. He frowned slightly. While his losing condition would have him petition the King within two weeks, there was no such time limit on his winning condition.
“Amend this, payment should also be made within two weeks.”
Baron Carmine’s lips thinned. “Very well, Earl Rosewood,” he said generously. He personally amended the contract.
Only then did Ren Xiyang sign it, followed by Baron Carmine’s signature.
Ren Xiyang could almost feel the gold coins in his hands. In this rare moment, he smiled. “Baron Carmine, let’s begin.”
The silent spectator Prince Rian frowned. Earl Rosewood, smiling at someone else?
Baron Carmine straightened, towering over the little Earl. “Mage Jasper will cast the shields and Master Foster will be our referee,” he said, motioning to two people with the Carmine’s emblem on their clothes.
Ren Xiyang inclined his head in acceptance.
“Cast,” Baron Carmine said to Mage Jasper.
“Yes, my Lord.” Mage Jasper stretched out his hand and first cast a shield spell on Baron Carmine, and then another one of Earl Rosewood.
Ren Xiyang and Baron Carmine walked onto the duelling field. The duelling field’s protective shields, which had been prepared by Mage Jasper earlier, closed behind them. The two lords separated to either side, and then turned around to face each other.
Baron Carmine knew that Earl Rosewood and the Prince Rian were apparently ‘evenly matched’, but he also knew that little bookish Count Aegean had stopped the duel early. And all those big rumours about Earl Rosewood were spread by ignorant commoners, commoners who were dazzled with just a few sparks of light. Based on the little Prince’s subtle siding with Earl Rosewood, that duel was clearly for show!
Ayden Rosewood might be famous for being able to use nonverbal magic, but could he do so under the pressure a real battle? Baron Carmine could cast nonverbal magic too if he tried. Today, he’d show the crowd how a real warrior mage used magic!
The crowd hushed, munching slowly on their food and sipping their drinks while keeping their eyes fixed on the field.
Master Foster glanced at Baron Carmine. On signal, he raised his voice.
“We are gathered here to witness the duel between challenger Baron Carmine and defender Earl Rosewood! Let the duel begin!”
Baron Carmine’s concentration sharpened like a deadly blade. The moment the duel began, he lunged forward. The nonverbal spell he had been preparing completed. Dozens of little fire tornadoes sprung up around him and raced across the duelling field.
The crowd chattered excitedly. Baron Carmine looked every inch the noble warrior mage. Those little fire tornadoes flew faster than anyone could run!
Ren Xiyang was about to extinguish those flames directly but remembered just in time that he wanted to drag out the battle a little bit. And there were people snacking on the food the Rosewood staff sold to them. It was best if Ren Xiyang gave them a show.
So, he raised his hands, using his fire ability to divert the flames around him at the very last minute. In the next step, he produced half a dozen fire balls and threw them towards Baron Carmine.
Baron Carmine sneered seeing the plain fire balls. He nimbly dodged them, all the while rapidly gaining on Ayden Rosewood. He barked out a spell, producing a large blade of fire and swung it at Ayden Rosewood’s head!
The crowd gasped. That fire blade was as thick as the young Earl and twice as long!
Ren Xiyang looked at the fire sword with interest. He hadn’t thought of doing that before. Of course, it wasn’t that effective as a small, condensed fireball, and it would’ve been a total waste of energy during the zombie apocalypse, but this world wasn’t the same.
Just as the fire blade was about to hit him, he ducked, using a bit of fire at his feet to propel him safely away. At the same time, he twisted slightly to face Baron Carmine and created a dozen more fire balls.
Baron Carmine’s upper lip curled up in distaste. He swung his fire blade, blocking and capturing the little childish fireballs. A split second later, the blade was heading towards Ayden’s face once again.
—But once again, Ayden somehow jumped back fast enough to dodge!
The Rosewood servants cheered. “Earl Rosewood! Earl Rosewood!”
Rian smiled faintly. Ayden Rosewood was playing around. It made him a bit itchy, he wanted to play too.
Baron Carmine gritted his teeth. He swung again and again, but the fire blade swung uselessly through air and smashed uselessly on the ground as it kept missing Earl Rosewood.
Anger burned through Baron Carmine. How did this child dodge and block all his attacks? And those damn pesky little fire balls! No, no more playing around!
Baron Carmine sucked in a deep breath, gathering all the magical energy and fiery hot emotions in his body to fuel the biggest spell he knew. The fire blade expanded and grew into a giant whirlwind of fire that pressed up right against the ceiling of the duelling field’s shield spell. The fire crackled loudly, its glow so hot even the spectators felt the heat on their faces.
Baron Carmine advanced upon the earl. With a fire this big, the little earl won’t be able to dodge!
Ren Xiyang’s eyelids lowered. He immediately sunk his magic into the huge fire and started to steal its energy. This method of magical extraction was still safer than taking magic from an infected zombie crystal.
It took a moment for Baron Carmine to realise something was wrong. How was his fire getting smaller? He scrambled to think of a way to boost the spell up again, but he had expended so much magic already. At this rate—
In that moment of inattention, Ren Xiyang struck. A fire ball smashed into Baron Carmine’s face, shocking him. Baron Carmine lost control of the fire and a few moments later, it disappeared into nothing as Ren Xiyang stole all its magic. But that was the least of Baron Carmine’s problems because Ren Xiyang had raised a cage of fire around him!
The local town guards and the original servants at the manor found this highly familiar—it was the same spell their Lord had used on the assassins!
But wait, this time, it was different. The cage was contracting, and it was about to burn Baron Carmine in the next moment! The crowd gasped, eyes widening, half of them morbidly wondering if they would see a crispy baron soon?
Rian also found the fire cage very familiar. It was what Ayden Rosewood had used just before Count Aegean called off the match. He glanced at today’s referee, Master Foster. He looked like he had a bigger backbone than Count Aegean. Rian turned back to Ayden Rosewood with interest.
Spectators saw Baron Carmine panicking, chanting spells that ultimately amounted to nothing. Some of the nobility who were watching thought that Baron Carmine wasn’t as strong as he looked, that he breaking down under pressure, that he had so little magic. If they were the ones fighting Earl Rosewood, they wouldn’t be panicking like that.
What they didn’t realise was that Ren Xiyang had tight control of all the fire in the duelling field, and that the moment Baron Carmine cast, Ren Xiyang stole it away.
Baron Carmine did everything he could to stop, block, end the flames. But nothing! Worked! His voice climbed higher and higher in panic, spitting out fire-ending spells, but they dissipated into thin air. He then tried water spells, ice spells, earth spells. Those did something, but in the end, the fire was too strong, turning water and ice to vapour and flowing through the gaps in the earth to threaten him. The cage became solid fire and with the lack of oxygen, Baron Carmine could only fall unconscious with a heavy thud.
Baron Carmine: I’m SO going to win!
Rian: Why is the earl smiling at Baron Carmine? (≖_≖ )
Ren Xiyang: Bag of free money ┐(￣ヮ￣)┌
On the topic of money… thank you to Kiss-Kiss, mero, Sealunis, and jinzinc for the ink~! ( ≧▽≦)
