Kenley smirked subtly. Quite bold to provoke him like this. PvP? This guy must have a death wish.

  "Well? Do you dare accept? Or are you so scared of a duel that you'll wet your pants?" Rogue sneered.

  "Rogue is the most talented swordsman in recent years. Running into him—this guy must be out of luck."

  "Exactly. I haven't seen anyone with a better talent than Rogue lately. And yet, this fool dares to mock him? He's asking for death."

  "He doesn't look that old—probably can't even hold a sword properly. What kind of swordsmanship foundation could he possibly have? I bet he'll be down in two moves."

  The crowd erupted into jeers. In their eyes, Kenley was already a defeated opponent, not worth mentioning.

  "Apologies, but I refuse." Kenley crossed his arms and smiled slightly, as if he hadn't heard the jeering or Rogue's provocation at all.

  Everyone was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter.

  "Hahahaha! Did I hear that right? Admitting defeat before even fighting? As expected, trash is just trash!"

  "Forget it! A coward like him isn't even worthy of carrying my boots. I don't even want to waste a glance on him!"

  Rogue sheathed his sword with a look of disdain."Then get lost! Kenley, was it? Rest assured, by tomorrow, everyone will know what a pathetic coward you are."

  Roland, standing nearby, let out a small sigh of relief but couldn't help feeling a twinge of disappointment. She truly didn't want any conflicts on the sacred Blessing Day, yet hearing Kenley's outright refusal still left her somewhat let down.

  If Kenley had shown some backbone and accepted the duel, she could have found an opportunity to help him, ensuring he could walk away without too much trouble.

  But now, his outright rejection left her with no interest in defending him. Whatever happened after tomorrow was no longer her concern—after all, it was Kenley who had been rude first.

  Just as everyone assumed Kenley was nothing but a coward and continued laughing, he casually brushed off his shoulder and spoke, instantly silencing the crowd.

  "Do you know why I refused? Because I have no interest in sparring with an amateur who lacks proper training. If I were to win, people might question Lord Roland's teachings. In that case, it wouldn't just be your reputation on the line, but hers as well. And you? You're nothing but a minor character who wouldn't even survive the first chapter of a novel—unworthy of tainting Lord Roland's name."

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  "What did you say?!" Rogue's eyes widened in fury.

  "That bastard! He's too arrogant!"

  "Rogue! Teach that insolent fool a lesson!"

  The retainers' faces turned pale, then red with anger. None of them had expected Kenley to actually retaliate, let alone mock Lord Roland's swordsmanship in the process.

  Rogue gritted his teeth."So what you're saying is that Lord Roland's swordsmanship training isn't even enough to let a nobody like you win?"

  Roland, the one who had been the most curious, studied Kenley closely. At her level, few things could stir her emotions anymore, and even Kenley's words failed to provoke her anger.

  Instead, she was intrigued. Where did this young man find the confidence to speak such audacious words?

  "Do you dare have a proper duel with me? Like a real man!" Rogue stepped forward three paces, clearly enraged.

  Kenley took three steps forward as well.

  "Then allow me to witness just how refined your swordsmanship truly is," Rogue seethed, his eyes locked onto Kenley.

  "Wait." Just as the two were about to clash, Roland suddenly spoke.

  "This duel will be decided in a best-of-three format. You will stop at first blood—no lethal strikes. Victory goes to whoever first places their blade at their opponent's neck or disarms them."

  Rogue immediately bowed."I shall abide by Lord Roland's decision." He then shot a glance at Kenley.

  Kenley also bowed."I have no objections."

  "Then, begin."

  Roland led the retainers to the sidelines, leaving the stage open for Kenley and Rogue. However, the crowd was overwhelmingly in Rogue's favor, showering him with cheers while hurling jeers at Kenley.

  "Rogue! Teach that arrogant fool a lesson!"

  "Beat the crap out of him, Rogue! We've got your back!"

  Rogue smirked confidently and lifted his sword."After you."

  "No, after you," Kenley replied casually, standing in a relaxed stance, his sword held without any discernible form or intent.

  "A complete amateur who doesn't even know proper sword stances? I have no idea where you got the confidence to run your mouth." Rogue sneered.

  "I don't need a stance to deal with you."

  "You—!" Rogue inhaled sharply, his chest rising and falling violently. It was easy to see just how furious he was.

  "Take this!" Without another word, Rogue launched himself forward in a charging strike, swinging his sword with force.

  Hah, opening with a full-on charge? Who gave you the confidence to try that? Kenley remained unfazed, waiting to assess his opponent's technique.

  With a casual sweep of his sword, Kenley deflected Rogue's strike.

  "Hmph!" As soon as Rogue entered striking range, he raised his blade to parry. A sharp clang rang through the air as metal clashed, the impact sending tremors through Rogue's grip.

  Damn, he's got strength. Rogue was startled, though he showed no sign of backing down. To him, Kenley's casual stance was riddled with openings.

  Pivoting swiftly, Rogue spun in a full 360-degree motion, using the momentum to execute a returning strike.

  But Kenley was even faster—he simply took a sharp step backward, refusing to engage.

  "Huh?!" Rogue's sword slashed through empty air, leaving him momentarily stunned.

  "Rising Blade—Triple Strike!" Rogue's gaze sharpened, immediately chaining into a follow-up attack.

  Three sharp sword cries echoed through the air, the metallic hum slicing through the tension. With each step forward, Rogue delivered an upward slash with a reach of nearly three meters.

  "It's here! Rogue's signature three-step combo! No one who's seen it for the first time can avoid getting hit."

  "Go, Rogue! Teach that bastard a lesson!"

  Rogue exuded complete confidence. This technique, refined under Lord Roland's instruction, had been his trump card after a full year of training.