"You're pushing yourself too hard, Benedict. You can't keep doing this. You'll burn out at this rate." However, he pretended not to hear and pressed on. "Benedict, stop pretending! Talk to me!" Lorenzo lunged forward and caught his brother's sword easily.
"What else do you want me to do, brother?" Benedict shouted in frustration. "You know what our father is like!"
"You're talking about the agreement you made with our father? Even if you're frustrated and angry, this isn't the way to vent your feelings! You're doing nothing here except destroying your own body!"
Benedict sighed and lowered his wooden sword. "I know… But this is the only thing I know how to do."
"Come on, let's sit down. When was the last time you ate or drank anything?"
"I don't remember. Early in the morning, I suppose?"
"Morning?" Lorenzo frowned. "Have you looked outside? It's approaching dusk."
"Huh?" Startled, Benedict glanced out the window to see it was late afternoon. He managed to spend the entire day training without realizing it!
"You really know how to make someone worry, don't you?" Lorenzo said.
The two took a seat in a room next to the training hall. Lorenzo called for someone to bring them food. Within less than five minutes, the table was set with all sorts of luxurious meals. Lorenzo waited until Benedict had eaten enough before talking again.
"I know you're worried about our father," Lorenzo said slowly. "I will talk with him on your behalf."
Benedict hesitated. "I doubt it will work this time. What happened with Isabella is nothing compared to now."
Years ago, when Benedict was deployed in repelling the Xingyuu threat during the Teria Sea Campaign, he had fallen in love with Lady Isabella. Their relationship was sweet but slow, since there was little time to connect. The war was simply too hectic. Benedict could remember the butterflies in his stomach every time he saw her. Who would have thought that love would blossom in a place like that?
But it was destined for failure. Their statuses were too far apart! Benedict was a Grand Noble, while Isabella was a low noble. To call them different was a gross understatement. One was a member of the esteemed twenty-five Grand Nobility Households, the other was as common as ants in the forest. One could call the wind and rain, the other could barely keep afloat. Of course, Benedict was never one to mind such things. Compared to his fellow Grand Nobles, Benedict could be said to be quite queer.
However, it was not up to him to decide. Although he might not care, others would! In particular, Isabella was the most affected. As Benedict learned, she also reciprocated his feelings, but she was too afraid to say anything. Against a Grand Noble, could her lowly family stand? The Hawken Household could annihilate a thousand of her family without blinking an eye. They were an apex existence that she could only look up to. For her, to stand alongside Benedict… It was too farfetched a dream. So, Isabella bottled up those feelings until her final moments where she confessed everything, dying fulfilled.
As Benedict was distraught, the news spread to his father and the rest of the Grand Nobility. Needless to say, Sir Roland's face had turned red and blue a thousand times. His rage was frighteningly unending! That was understandable though. The Grand Nobility and especially the Hawken Household worried a lot about their image and reputation. They wanted to maintain their lofty standpoint, looking down over all others. They wanted to appear superior! But when the rumors of Isabella circulated, it lowered everyone's image of the Hawkens. They began to believe that the Hawkens were low enough to elope with a common family! How humiliated did Sir Roland feel, faced with the unending mockery from his peers?
And time repeated itself again with Elizabeth. With Elizabeth's rise as the new heir apparent, their scandalous escape from Algard was heard by everyone. Many began to believe that they were secretly lovers, that Benedict had kidnapped Elizabeth, or that he was a Xingyuu Empire spy… There was nothing good about anything they said! That criticism pointed towards Sir Roland and the Hawken Household in general. For a Grand Nobility Household, famous for protecting the Royal Family for generations, to be involved in a scandal such as this… It was far, far larger than the mess with Isabella!
Lorenzo was slightly speechless. "You didn't know she was the heir apparent before. What happened was a total accident. If you knew, you wouldn't have…"
"Father won't see it that way. Talking about what could have happened… The reality is that I screwed up."
"Benedict…"
"Excuse me, young master, but the master has called for your presence," a butler came and said.
"Is it my father?" Benedict asked quietly.
"Yes, he is awaiting you in the private study."
Lorenzo stood up and said, "I'll come along."
The butler smiled. "The master has specifically requested that you do not."
"Alright…" Benedict said unsteadily. "I'll go." He followed the butler, leaving behind his frowning brother.
In the main mansion, at the top floor, was Sir Roland's private study. Benedict walked in to find his father standing with his back turned, looking out towards the vast estate. Books lined the walls in neat rows. Hundreds to thousands of references to the sword were found here. From the northern styles to the southern and even the Xingyuu Empire's own… From newly developed to ancient forgotten styles… Nearly every swordsmanship style in the known world was compiled here. It was a shocking wealth of information! It was undoubtedly the Hawken Household's most prized possession.
Benedict was dazed, but not because of the books. His eyes had focused on an old family painting. It featured a very young Benedict alongside Lorenzo and his three half-sisters. His father was in the background with his mother. Everyone was smiling happily. The painting was about ten years old and a lot had changed since then. Everyone had their own responsibilities and the family rarely saw each other now. Most of the time, the Hawken estate was cold and empty with only the servants to tend to it. The last time Benedict talked to his father was when his father forced him to Fortress Fallinard to serve under Commander Christina. He was only allowed to return when he achieved the rank of High Knight! Yet, here he stood… Without the rank, but with rumors and criticisms…
Roland continued to stand there, not saying anything, but the intimidating aura he released gradually rose! Sweat dripped down Benedict's forehead and he started shaking. He found it harder to breath with every second. It was nothing like Lorenzo's aura at all! Roland was a genuine Perception Realm Expert with decades of experience and one of the strongest knights in the kingdom! When the man focused his aura, it was enough to bring Benedict to his knees. Benedict quivered in fear as he grew paralyzed. Bloodlust suddenly burst out of Roland's body! For a moment, glimpses of death enveloped Benedict!
It would be trivial if Roland wanted to kill Benedict. There would be no chance for resistance at all. Benedict closed his eyes in acceptance. Despite his morbid thoughts, Roland did not unsheathe his sword. The man did not attack. Instead, Benedict heard the clinking of a wooden sword as it fell in front of him.
"Pick it up," his father ordered.
Benedict hesitated, nervously grabbed it, and stood up. As soon as he did so, Roland disappeared. Without time to think, Benedict instinctively brought the wooden sword up to guard. Crash! His father slammed down on his guard with enormous force. Even though they were using wooden swords, the sheer pressure of Roland's strike made a small shockwave in the air. Benedict grimaced as his arms buckled. Even with two hands, he could not withstand his father's one-handed attack! The blade was brought closer and closer to his face. A very distinct fracturing noise sounded as Benedict's sword began cracking. With one strike, how scary was Sir Roland?
Roland's expression remained blank as he drew his sword back. Benedict only saw the brief glimmer of sword light as he was struck over a dozen times across his body. He was completely defenseless! The scene was like when he and Shirley fought against Emperor Lianghu together. Except… It was also far from the same. The emperor was old, and his body was out of shape. Although he was a Perception Realm too, the difference between him and Sir Roland was large. Before Benedict could react, he had already been struck over thirty times. Each with extraordinary precision and control, landing on every joint with just enough strength to inflict maximum pain without breaking bone.
Pain! Unimaginable pain! When his father finally stopped, Benedict was bruised and bleeding all over. His injuries were minor but extremely painful! Benedict could barely control his body from convulsing. His consciousness was hovering on the edge. If this were a real fight with real swords, he would have died instantly! The gap between them was that vast. And how much time had passed? From picking up the sword to Roland ending his assault, not even three seconds had gone by. Sir Roland's prowess was certainly not exaggerated…
"Again," his father said blandly.
Before Benedict could reply, another whirlwind of blows came flying in. This time, the strikes were directed at fresh locations, unnumbed from the previous attacks. Benedict did earnestly try to defend himself, but it was simply impossible. His father was too powerful. He could only take the beating one-sidedly. This repeated once more before Roland's wooden sword exploded under the strain. That displayed how much force he was putting behind it! Roland grunted, clearly dissatisfied, before tossing the splinters away. Benedict was already facedown on the ground and unconscious from the beating.
"You should be grateful I didn't cripple or kill you," Roland coldly said. The man fetched an exquisitely crafted sword from nearby and threw it at Benedict. "Consider this as a gift for protecting and saving the heir apparent. Butler, come and get my son out of my sight."