The sun stood high over the royal palace, casting harsh light on the grand courtyard where nobles, courtiers, and servants alike had gathered. Today, an unusual event was taking place: an intellectual duel between Kaelian, the king's illegitimate son and a reincarnated genius, and Lord Malric, a proud young noble famed throughout the court for his sharp wit and eloquence. The makeshift arena was set, surrounded by a buzzing crowd hungry for entertainment—and scandal.
Despite his youth and fragile status, Kaelian had caught many eyes with his brilliant performances in recent Academy exams. Yet, to most, he remained an outcast—a bastard the cunning Queen Virella had long sought to destroy. This duel was not just a test imposed by the court but a rare opportunity to gain real influence.
Tension in the Air
As Kaelian adjusted his simple yet neat attire, his keen eyes scanned the crowd. The cold gaze of Queen Virella from her high dais reminded him sharply of his precarious position. Nearby, Prince Théor smirked cruelly, eager to witness the public disgrace of his half-brother.
Lord Malric, wrapped in a richly embroidered cloak, radiated confidence. His noble status and reputation as a skilled rhetorician had earned him many victories. He acknowledged the crowd with a proud nod, then fixed Kaelian with a mix of disdain and challenge.
"A bastard dares to face a Malric?" whispered a highborn lady to her companion. "This will be a humiliation to remember."
Kaelian, silent and composed, refused to be shaken. He had endured worse. Here, every word and gesture could be either a decisive move or a fatal mistake.
The Duel Begins
The duel's arbiter, an aged scholar entrusted with impartiality, laid out the rules: a series of intellectual puzzles, philosophical debates, and strategic exercises. Each contestant would alternate presenting arguments and counterarguments.
The first topic was set: the nature of legitimate power. A question charged with political weight in this royal setting.
Lord Malric took the floor first, unleashing a volley of references to ancient laws, the divine right of kings, and the purity of noble bloodlines. His clear, commanding voice carried the authority of his caste. He declared that true legitimacy belonged only to noble-born, branding all bastards as usurpers by nature.
A hush fell over the crowd. Some nodded in agreement; others frowned. Kaelian, meanwhile, pondered rapidly. He knew refuting this point without seeming arrogant would be delicate, especially before such powerful witnesses.
The Bastard's Retort
"Legitimacy," Kaelian began calmly and measuredly, "does not reside solely in blood but in the ability to govern with justice and wisdom. Divine right is not confined to lineage; it is expressed through deeds and the will of the people."
The crowd murmured, intrigued. Kaelian went on to cite obscure philosophical texts forgotten by most, treatises on the nature of power that only he could recall from his previous life.
He illustrated how history was filled with rulers of illegitimate birth who united hearts and secured more stable reigns than those of purebloods.
"Do you not see," he said, locking eyes with Lord Malric, "that true power lies in intellect, strategy, and justice—not in a birthright etched at the moment of conception?"
The Intellectual Escalation
The debate intensified. Lord Malric tried to unsettle Kaelian by invoking subtler arguments: the necessity of established order, tradition as the bedrock of stability, the dangers of upheaval should such codes be broken.
But Kaelian, with the poise of a seasoned strategist, parried every attack. He highlighted contradictions in his opponent's reasoning, exposed the flaws of a system that dismissed merit in favor of birth, and cited concrete examples—tales of past intrigues and civil wars born of rigid lineage laws.
Gradually, the crowd shifted. Some nobles nodded in reluctant admiration, whispering that Kaelian was more than a mere bastard—that he was a prodigy.
A Strategic Surprise
For the final challenge, the arbiter presented a hypothetical crisis: a peasant revolt threatening to topple the throne. Kaelian and Lord Malric were to propose strategies to quell the uprising.
Lord Malric, loyal to his rank, advocated swift repression and iron-fisted rule, asserting fear as the best weapon against rebellion. A classic, predictable stance.
Kaelian, however, chose diplomacy and cunning. He sketched a multi-layered plan: discreet infiltration among rebel ranks, secret negotiations with dissident leaders, and gradual reforms addressing legitimate grievances. All the while, he envisioned political manipulations designed to divide the insurgents.
The audience was captivated. Many saw in this proposal the hallmark of a superior mind, capable of thinking several moves ahead.
The Court's Reaction
When the duel ended, the arbiter declared Kaelian the victor. Silence hung momentarily before the courtyard erupted in whispers. Some nobles now looked at him with newfound respect; others eyed him warily.
In the shadows, Queen Virella's brow furrowed. She knew this public defeat could not be ignored. Prince Théor, his pride stung, vowed revenge.
For Kaelian, this victory was but a beginning—a crucial step. He had proven that without noble birth, his genius and strategy could shake the very foundations of the court.
A Quiet Warning
Later, in the palace's dim corridors, Kaelian met Lyssa, his sole loyal friend. She congratulated him softly but warned, "You won this battle, but not the war. They will strike harder. The Queen will never allow a bastard to shine without retaliation."
Kaelian nodded. He understood that each triumph drew him deeper into the court's dark games, where betrayal and death lurked at every turn.
But for now, he savored the taste of recognition and the conviction that his intellect could carve out his destiny—even in a world where birth seemed everything.
Chapter Highlights
This chapter highlights Kaelian's rising influence in a hostile royal environment. The intellectual duel serves as both a political spectacle and a demonstration of his strategic genius. The moral ambiguity of the protagonist is clear—he wields truth, cunning, and charisma to navigate a treacherous game.
The tension with Queen Virella and Prince Théor is sharpened, and Lyssa's role as a strategic ally is reinforced. The chapter ends on a suspenseful note: victory achieved, but greater dangers looming.
_______________________