Not only Brunda, but also the warriors beside him twisted their faces strangely.
More than anger, it seemed they had never considered the possibility that Lucian would strike back.
“…Huh, shamelessness is also a trait of a true warrior.”
Brunda, who had been thinking for quite some time about how to retaliate, barely managed to say those words.
Perhaps because he had forced them too much, he couldn’t control his expression and his lips continued to tremble.
But it lasted only a moment. Regaining his composure, Brunda approached Lucian and extended his hand.
“Pleased to meet you, warrior. I’m Brunda, son of Ivar, the Red Axe. What is your name?”
“Lucian. Lucian Grimaldi Valdeck.”
Lucian replied with his name while extending his hand. As soon as their hands clasped, Brunda let out a loud laugh.
“Foreigners sure have long names! What a hassle to recite something like that every time!”
“In official events, I’m not the one who says them, a servant does. So it doesn’t bother me.”
“Ah, because you’re someone important? Sorry, I didn’t recognize you.”
“No need to apologize. I don’t plan to acknowledge your status either.”
“Hoh, now that’s a problem…”
Brunda left the sentence hanging while curling the corner of his lips. At the same time, he began to squeeze Lucian’s hand.
It wasn’t just physical strength. He was channeling his mana to maximize his muscles.
It wasn’t just a warning; he clearly intended to crush his hand.
“This is our land. Even if we don’t acknowledge you, you should acknowledge us. Don’t you think?”
“Who knows.”
Despite the terrifying pressure crushing his hand, Lucian’s face remained completely calm.
He had already predicted how the other would act the moment he offered his hand.
He even gave a slight smile and tilted his head.
“I don’t see it that way. Seems we don’t agree.”
“…!?”
Seeing Lucian’s expression unchanged, Brunda’s eyes widened.
But before he could say anything, this time Lucian began to apply force.
Brunda almost screamed. That small hand, barely half the size of his own, seemed capable of ripping everything beneath his thumb.
‘This bastard…!’
Terrified, Brunda resisted with all his strength. At first, he tried to hide it, but soon it became impossible, and he openly tried to pull away.
However, no matter how much he tried, his hand remained firmly trapped.
After watching him for a moment, Lucian lowered the hand with which he held him.
“Guh!”
Thud.
“W-Chief warrior?!”
As a scream escaped Brunda’s mouth, unable to endure the pain, the warriors behind him widened their eyes.
Only then did they seem to realize something was very wrong.
When they tried to intervene, Brunda, half-kneeling, shouted.
“Stop! Stand down!”
“But…!”
“I said stand down!”
Despite sweating from the pain, Brunda refused help. Seeing the hesitant warriors unable to act, Lucian let out a slight chuckle.
“You’d be better off accepting help.”
“Shut up!”
“A one-on-one duel also requires capability. If you don’t have it, the normal thing is to ask for help and stay alive—even if you lose face in the process.”
Lucian’s words made Brunda glare up at him in fury. He looked exhausted, but determination still burned in his eyes.
“I… can’t…!”
“Then you’ll die.”
“I’d rather… die…!”
“Oh.”
Lucian let out a sound of admiration. However, although his lips showed interest, his gaze was ice-cold.
“In that case, with pleasure.”
Crunch.
“Ghk!”
An unbearable pain forced Brunda to fall to his knees. The force crushing him was incomparably greater than before, pressing his bones without mercy.
Then Brunda understood Lucian’s intent.
‘It’s not just to cause pain… just like I tried before, he wants to leave my hand useless…’
Upon realizing that, he felt his heart sink. If he couldn’t use his hand, not only would he lose the right to compete for clan leader, he wouldn’t even be able to call himself a warrior.
He’d be beneath his other brothers—even beneath Gunstein.
When fear, arriving just after pride, took over his entire body—
“Stop!”
The tent suddenly burst open and someone entered.
The warrior, who seemed older than Brunda, stared straight at Lucian and spoke.
“That’s enough. Are you going to spill human blood before even tasting a bite at a banquet?”
“And who are you to say that?”
“Ainar. Brother of the idiot you’re holding. Same father, different mother.”
“Ghk…”
Brunda’s face turned red with shame. He looked mortified to have embarrassed himself in front of Ainar, his rival.
Lucian observed Ainar for a moment before replying.
“The one who wanted to see blood first was your brother.”
“The weak always act in haste. The strong, on the other hand, stay calm. What reason would a strong one have to act like the weak?”
“Oh.”
A second sound of admiration escaped Lucian’s lips. If the previous one had been almost a mimic, this one carried genuine surprise.
It was hard to believe someone who had never studied rhetoric could speak so eloquently.
“You’re a smooth talker.”
“I speak honestly.”
“Well then.”
Lucian let go of Brunda’s hand as if he had no choice. Only then was Brunda able to withdraw his fingers, already half cracked, clutching them with his other hand.
Ainar briefly clicked his tongue as he looked at his half-brother.
“Sit down.”
“…”
Brunda trembled with humiliation, but sat without saying a word. He understood that no matter how much he protested, all he would achieve was losing even more dignity.
Once the commotion died down, another group entered the tent, led by someone different.
Unlike Ainar, who had intervened as a brother, this one seemed to be looking to gain something from the situation.
The four heirs to the succession right were gathered in one place, and an awkward silence spread for a while.
“Looks like we’re all here.”
With a deep voice, the last attendee made his appearance.
Upon seeing the elderly warrior with half a severed left ear and only one eye, Lucian immediately knew who he was.
Gunstein’s father.
The chief of the Blue Dragon Clan.
Marius’s declared enemy.
And the man guarding the Dragon’s Heart that Lucian had to obtain.
‘Ivar of the Red Axe.’
Ivar walked firmly between the attendees and sat in the seat of honor.
At that moment, everyone except Lucian jumped to their feet and shouted in unison.
“The ignorant descendants of the dragon salute the great Blue Dragon!”
***
“…”
“…”
After the thunderous greeting, the banquet was shrouded in silence.
All eyes turned to Lucian, who remained seated in complete calm.
The pressure was clear—stand up and pay your respects too.
But Lucian, resting his chin in his hand with blatant indifference, said.
“How long do you plan to keep them standing? Their legs must be hurting. You could at least accept their greeting.”
“…!?”
The heirs to the succession were stunned by his attitude, as if none of it concerned him.
Even Ivar, who had remained impassive until then, slightly furrowed his brow.
Unable to bear it, Brunda explained the situation bluntly.
“Everyone’s waiting for you to pay homage to the chief.”
“Homage? Me, to the chief?”
Lucian let out a nasal laugh and tilted his head.
“How absurd. Why should I?”
“You bastard!”
A warrior jumped to his feet, furious. He was the same one who had watched from the sidelines when Lucian and Brunda clashed without intervening.
“You occupy this seat in Gunstein’s place! That means you must pay the homage that was due from him!”
“That logic is strange. I didn’t replace Gunstein. I only took the rights he possessed.”
“It’s the same thing!”
“No. Gunstein pays homage because he’s the chief’s son and a member of the clan. I am neither his son nor part of this clan, so I don’t see why I should.”
“…”
The warrior was left speechless, unable to reply.
Come to think of it, Lucian wasn’t wrong.
Whoever defeats a warrior inherits their status, not the personal obligations that warrior had before. No one could arbitrarily impose duties within the clan.
It was a self-evident truth, but no one had known how to process it in such an unusual situation.
“But even so…”
“That’s enough.”
Ivar’s voice, which had remained silent since he sat, rang out coldly. The warrior shut his mouth and sat back down.
After a brief pause, Ivar stared at Lucian.
“You’re right. It’s not obligatory to pay me homage.”
“I appreciate it.”
“But there’s something you should know.”
“I’ve tolerated many of your mistakes.”
“And if you don’t show even the slightest respect, even my patience has limits.”
“Mistakes? What mistake have I made?”
Lucian shrugged, genuinely confused.
Then Ivar pointed without hesitation behind Lucian.
“Among other things, the most ridiculous one is bringing a concubine to this place.”
At the word, Lucian’s group jumped and turned their heads.
Ivar’s finger was aimed directly at Felicia.
“I don’t know how libertine your homeland is, but here, only warriors may enter. If you’re not looking to insult us, get your concubine out immediately.”
“Then there’s no problem.”
“She’s not my concubine. She’s a warrior.”
“…What?”
Ivar repeated with a grotesque expression, unable to hide his confusion. The other heirs and warriors reacted the same way.
“Did I mishear?”
“A woman, a warrior?”
“You heard right. She’s a warrior and my guard.”
“Pfft!”
“What an excuse!”
“A woman as a bodyguard?!”
“Now I’ve seen everything!”
“Hahaha!”
Laughter erupted throughout the tent. No one seemed to take it seriously.
“So you let yourself be protected by a woman?”
“You give her a sword and ask her to guard you?”
“We fight together, so it’s not incorrect.”
“If I’m going to entrust my back to someone, it’ll be her.”
“This is a masterpiece. A true masterpiece.”
A thick smile spread across Ivar’s face. Inside, he mocked Lucian’s foolishness.
“Alright then.”
“How strong is this woman?”
“Is she stronger than you?”
“She’s stronger than you.”
“What?”
“Much stronger than you.”
“To be precise, she’s stronger than everyone here.”
The laughter stopped instantly.
The warriors’ faces twisted as if they’d just been handed an unbearable humiliation, and they reflexively reached for their waists.
If not for the banquet, they would’ve already drawn their weapons.
In the midst of the suffocating tension, Ivar fixed a killing glare on Lucian.
“Can you take responsibility for those words?”
Lucian responded without a second’s hesitation.
“If even one of the warriors here can withstand a single blow from her sword…”
“I’ll lay my head on the table.”
____
Join the discord!
https://dsc.gg/indra
