Hearing his name called, Yulian's mind fell into chaos.
'Why me?!'
He never expected this. Ghislain hadn't given him any prior notice.
Rio, equally flustered, glanced back and forth between Ghislain and Yulian.
As murmurs spread among the spectators upon hearing the unfamiliar name, Ghislain stepped forward and loudly introduced Yulian.
"Behold with your own eyes the one who shall become a legend! His name is Yulian! His sword will cleave heaven, and his bravery will shake even the stars in the sky! All the monsters and demons of this world shall cower in fear before him! Do not ever forget his name—the name of the hero who will save the world! Wherever he treads will be recorded in history!"
'Nooooooo!'
Yulian's face turned bright red at the overly grandiose introduction. He had never felt this embarrassed in his life.
Deneb bit her lip to suppress laughter, though her worried expression betrayed her concern.
"Puhahahahaha!"
Kyle and Dark clutched their sides as they roared with laughter.
However, the others looked at Yulian with eyes full of expectation. Even though they recognized the exaggeration, the grand introduction made them waver between doubt and belief.
Ghislain took it a step further, glaring fiercely as he pointed at Bendok.
"Those who stand before Yulian will realize their defeat before they can even draw their swords!"
'No!'
Yulian panicked, grabbing Ghislain to stop him. But Bendok's face had already twisted into a scowl.
Ghislain shouted even louder.
"You're as good as dead now! He'll separate your weak head from your fragile body!"
'Stop it! Don't provoke him!'
Yulian desperately tried to cover Ghislain's mouth, but Bendok's eyes were already burning with rage.
"Where do these no-name mercenaries get off...?"
To think they dared mock the best knight in the barony!
But the mood in the arena shifted dramatically. Breaking the tense silence, the crowd erupted into cheers.
"Wow! Amazing!"
"Are all mercenaries like this? The bravado is insane."
"Let's see if the braggarts can back it up!"
The spectators and nobles laughed heartily, clearly entertained.
Caught up in the festive atmosphere, Ghislain grinned from ear to ear.
For years, he had to maintain his dignity as a lord. But now? This reminded him of the days when he lived recklessly as a mercenary.
Actually, hadn't he already resumed his mercenary life? With no one to restrain him, he had become a completely unbridled wild horse.
Of course, Rio wasn't enjoying the situation at all.
Stammering, Rio asked, "O-Older brother? Aren't you supposed to fight yourself?"
"Come now, the captain should handle this personally."
Rio's uneasy expression made it clear he was not reassured. He hadn't seen Yulian's skills before, and frankly, he didn't need to.
'What do I do?'
Yulian himself was frozen stiff with anxiety.
But Ghislain remained calm and smiled confidently.
"Don't worry. The captain will do just fine."
And before anyone could stop him, Ghislain gave Yulian a firm push on the back.
Yulian stumbled forward a few awkward steps, his face pale as a sheet.
'I have to fight the best knight in the barony?'
He had never faced an opponent like this before.
Sure, he knew his skills weren't bad compared to his peers. After all, mana users were rare regardless of age—it would be foolish not to realize that.
But he had no idea how strong he really was. His only experience was dealing with a few bands of thieves.
He'd heard that there were former knights among the group, but he had no idea how skilled they were.
'This is too much pressure!'
The biggest problem was the overwhelming pressure. Yulian had never fought while carrying the hopes and expectations of others.
If he lost this duel, the Lacus family was finished. Everyone associated with the Lacus family would have their lives ruined.
And he was supposed to bear that responsibility?
Against the strongest knight in the barony, no less.
"Gh-Ghislain..."
Yulian looked at Ghislain with trembling eyes, ready to back out at any moment.
Deneb and Kyle also looked worriedly at Ghislain.
But Ghislain didn't even flinch.
"It's fine. You can do it."
Still, Yulian remained frozen, overwhelmed by the situation.
Seeing Yulian's hesitation, Bendok said, "What are you doing? Get into position already."
At least Bendok waited for his opponent to ready himself before attacking. Of course, as soon as the duel began, he planned to end it with a single strike.
Ghislain clicked his tongue internally. This wouldn't do. Yulian needed momentum, but the situation had become awkward.
He briefly pondered what to do.
'I can't scold him here.'
That would harm his reputation. Yulian needed to be seen as the centerpiece of this event, not as someone who needed training in public.
Instead, Ghislain opted for a different approach. Pointing at Bendok, he shouted again.
"Bendok! Are you so terrified by our captain's presence that you can't even move? If you don't want to die, just surrender!"
"You bastard!"
Bendok could no longer hold back and swung his sword at Yulian.
He was determined to kill both this so-called captain and the loud-mouthed deputy.
Whoosh!
Blue mana surged along Bendok's blade, ready to cleave anything in its path.
Clang!
"Huh?"
Bendok was shocked. Despite his poor stance, Yulian had blocked the attack.
Yulian, too, was momentarily surprised.
'Huh?'
His body had reacted instinctively, thanks to Ghislain's constant sparring sessions.
"Whoaaa!"
The crowd erupted in cheers as Yulian deflected the blow.
Even though his movement had been slightly awkward, the way he raised his sword naturally gave an impression of skill.
The earlier grand introduction now seemed somewhat believable.
Bendok's face turned crimson.
"Damn it... A mere mercenary..."
He had planned to overwhelm Yulian with a single strike, but now he had been blocked. What an embarrassment!
Watching from his seat, Baron Margell scowled.
He had expected to crush the Lacus family with an overwhelming display and assert his authority as lord.
Instead, these ragged mercenaries had stolen the spotlight.
"Bendok! Kill him already!"
Baron Margell's voice rang out, his displeasure obvious.
For Bendok, it was a public humiliation. Being rebuked during a duel by one's lord was an insult to any knight.
"Arghhhh!"
Furious, Bendok swung his sword wildly once more.
Clang!
Yulian stepped back, deflecting the strike.
Bendok didn't let up, his sword raining down blow after blow, like a charging bull.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Yulian focused entirely on defense, cautiously observing Bendok's movements. But as time passed, his eyes grew calmer.
'I can do this.'
At first, his thoughts had been jumbled.
The weight of carrying the Lacus family's fate had made his body stiff with fear.
Facing the barony's strongest knight had filled him with dread.
But as their swords clashed, his body and mind gradually loosened up.
Clang! Clang!
'He's weaker than Ghislain.'
Bendok's strikes were heavy and precise, befitting a knight. Far stronger than the bandits he had faced before.
Yet, strangely, he didn't find it difficult to handle. Compared to Ghislain's unpredictable staff techniques, Bendok's attacks were predictable.
Carefully, Yulian began to search for an opening.
'This duel decides the Lacus family's fate.'
He couldn't afford to make a mistake.
The weight of countless lives rested on his shoulders.
Clang! Clang!
As the clash intensified, Bendok grew increasingly desperate.
But Yulian blocked even that attack with ease. His retreating stance remained unchanged.
Bendok was seething. His opponent hadn't even attempted to counterattack, merely dodging and blocking.
'Is he mocking me?!'
It felt like he was being toyed with. His anger and frustration grew stronger.
In truth, Yulian was carefully searching for an opening.
This was the first time he had fought while carrying the expectations of others. The pressure was immense.
That's why he waited patiently for the perfect moment to strike.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Another series of exchanges unfolded. The spectators watched with bated breath, completely engrossed in the duel.
"The young mercenary is incredible! It wasn't just talk."
"He's holding his own against Lord Bendok, the strongest knight in the territory!"
"The Lacus Merchant Guild is amazing. Where did they find someone like that?"
"Keep going! Fight harder!"
The murmurs and cheers from the crowd grew louder.
Bendok ground his teeth. In just a short time, this rookie mercenary had risen to his level.
It was unacceptable. A nameless mercenary matching swords with the best knight in the barony? Unthinkable.
Bendok drew out all his mana, determined to end the match in one decisive strike.
His pride was already in tatters, so he had no intention of holding back.
"Die!"
Bendok swung his sword with all his might, his mana surging into the blade. The attack was powerful enough to justify his title as a knight.
But that was Bendok's mistake.
'Now!'
Yulian stepped forward at precisely the right moment.
He wasn't skilled enough to cut through Bendok's armor, so he aimed for the small gap at the neck.
Even that spot was protected by a guard, leaving only a minuscule opening at the junction of the chin and throat.
And as Bendok's sword sliced through the air—
Slash!
Yulian's blade struck first, faster and more precise.
"Guh..."
Bendok's eyes widened. He didn't even seem to realize what had just happened.
"Haa…"
Yulian exhaled heavily, stepping back.
Bendok looked at Yulian in disbelief as blood began to trickle down his neck.
"You... you..."
He opened and closed his mouth a few times, then his body wavered.
Finally, he dropped his sword and fell to his knees.
Thud!
"Waaaaaaaah!"
The crowd erupted in cheers. Rio, who had been anxiously pacing, threw his hands into the air and screamed with joy.
As the outcome became clear, the crowd exploded with noise.
"The captain of the Yulian mercenaries won!"
"He defeated the best knight in the barony!"
"Yulian! Yulian!"
The crowd chanted his name with excitement.
Bendok had been a knight who tormented and killed countless people. His defeat brought overwhelming satisfaction to the spectators.
Moreover, the tyrannical baron had just lost in a duel of honor. How could they not celebrate?
Even the noble observers expressed their admiration.
"My, my. The strongest knight of Baron Margell's territory has been defeated."
"I've never even heard of this mercenary, yet he's remarkable."
"He's so young. He has great potential. Too good to remain a mercenary."
Many nobles began pondering how they might recruit the Yulian mercenary corps.
"Haa… haa…"
Finally able to relax, Yulian panted heavily. The fight itself wasn't that difficult. It was the weight of responsibility that had made it so hard.
'Amazing.'
He wasn't praising himself. He was marveling at the swordsmanship and mana techniques he had learned from Ghislain.
Even just a few days of training had resulted in dramatic improvements.
Getting beaten by Ghislain had been painful, but it clearly worked wonders.
Looking toward Ghislain, Yulian couldn't help but feel awestruck.
"See? Not bad, right?"
Ghislain grinned confidently. Yulian unconsciously smiled back.
Deneb and Kyle were equally thrilled. They had been worried about the outcome, but Yulian had won decisively.
Rio was already thinking about the hefty reward they'd receive. It was a very satisfying first mission.
Only one person wasn't celebrating—Baron Margell.
The baron glared at Yulian with burning eyes.
"How dare these… lowly mercenaries…"
He wanted to summon his army immediately and slaughter them all.
But with so many witnesses present, he couldn't act recklessly. Losing an honorable duel meant he had to back down, for now.
The Lacus Merchant Guild was officially proven innocent.
"Let's go."
Grinding his teeth, Baron Margell stood up.
For the time being, he had no choice but to withdraw. However, he was already planning to find another pretext to crush them later.
At that moment, Ghislain stepped forward and called out.
"Please wait a moment!"
Baron Margell turned, scowling. The cheering crowd fell silent and looked at Ghislain.
Ghislain gave Rio a quick wink, causing Rio to look even more nervous.
'This isn't enough. I have a surprise gift for you.'
Baron Margell glared at Ghislain. He already despised this man who dared to take charge of the situation.
"What is it?"
Ghislain turned to address the crowd and shouted loudly.
"As the acting representative of the Lacus family head, Rio Lacus, and with full authority as the vice-captain of the Yulian mercenary corps, I hereby make an official declaration!"
Everyone focused on Ghislain, eager to hear what he would say.
Speaking with confidence, Ghislain continued.
"Though we have won, the dishonor caused by false accusations has not been completely restored!"
Rio, sensing trouble, nervously looked at Ghislain. He didn't care about restoring honor.
Suddenly, Ghislain pointed his staff at Baron Margell.
"Therefore, we formally challenge the baron to another duel of honor!"
The crowd gasped in shock. They had barely escaped danger—why provoke another fight?
Baron Margell's cheek twitched as he struggled between fury and amusement.
"Fine. What kind of duel? What do you want?"
Ghislain smirked.
"Everything in this territory."
"What?"
"The entirety of Baron Margell's lands. And we will wager everything the Lacus family owns."
Ghislain's "surprise gift" for Rio was Baron Margell's domain itself.
'He's going to be overjoyed!'
But…
The frail Rio was so stunned and terrified that he fainted on the spot.
[T/L: I need your support, dear readers. I will give discount to all those who will buy the rest of the chapters all together, so please support me the reader on my webnovel platform and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]