"One, two, three… ten!" The score continued and after the trained knight accepted defeat, there was no one who challenged her skills.
Everyone cheered her and started to place their bets on her and soon she ended up getting all the reward while I was only able to save my jewel. Sigh! She was adamant to attack me there. If I had not been flustered over it, I could have won."
Alex, who had just finished training, wiped his face from the towel and then turned towards them.
"So you mean, a rookie had defeated you and won gold and a few prizes just because he threatened to cut your thing down there." Though he was asking normally, the contempt in his voice could not be hidden.
The man felt wronged. He got cut on both of his legs and only he knew how much pressure he had felt when that lad had threatened him while the tip of his dagger had already started cutting his flesh.
"He may be a rookie but his skills were strong. He had defeated everyone present there young or old with only his daggers. I remember when you have first went there to test your skills, even you were defeated by a veteran.'' When he felt the intense pressure coming out of Alex, he waved his hands in the air, but then again, he was the strongest swordsman ever. I still felt that he died a few days ago in his own palace."
"Do not change the topic, I know you are thinking of bringing that lad here." Alex snorted as he walked towards the bench.
He could feel everyone's eyes on him as if he was the villain of their story. He knew that they wanted to hire more men since the new emperor of the neighboring empire had announced that he would visit them.
Running a hand in his hair, he sighed as he knew that they were not going to leave him alone, if he would not relent.
"Alright, send him a letter."
"Yes, thank you Alex." they all lunged towards him but he took a step back.
"Do you think I would hug all of you when you have not even taken a bath? You all are stinking like rotten animals." he held his nose tightly as he walked away under their stunned gaze which soon turned into a flaring one.
"Tsk! He and his love for hygiene." They all shook their heads as they continued their training.
—-------------
"What did you say?" it was not only the old man with a scar but everyone's eyes widened as they rubbed their eyes or ears.
"None of you have heard wrong. The lad had rejected our request!"
".........." the whole place filled with silence as they could not understand it.
The knight was wearing their official uniform and took a lot of effort in finding the home of that young lad and now they were rejected!
"How could that be, send the request again and this time send it with the name of the commander. Even i want to see him kneeling in front of us!" shouted the head with a frown as he could not believe that one had rejected his request."
......…..
"Why were they rejected again?" the knight who had gone twice with the letter was too terrified to. He had tried to explain but the boy had slammed the door on his face before he could even complete the sentence.
For the first time in his life, he felt like he was a scammer trying to rob the young couple looking at their hostile and suspicious eyes on him.
He cried without tears while standing at their door. And now that he had somehow returned, his mates were looking at him as if it was his mistake.
"How could it be? The boy must have been illiterate therefore he had not understood what was in the letter.
You could have explained to him that it was a royal seal on the letter and he was invited to meet the first order of royal knights that directly serve the palace." the old man with the scar frowned.
There was not a single day when they did not receive more than a thousand requests to test their skills and give them a chance to serve the empire.
Wherever they go, both men and women bow their heads and look at them with admiration. They were the legend, the living gods of the empire whom everyone wanted to meet.
How could there be a young boy who had rejected them twice.
"Yes, that must be it!" All of those who had the same thoughts that their boss could never be rejected nodded their heads and then glared at the young knight who had not done his work properly.
"Go again and tell him that the letter was from the royal knights. And if he would accept, he would get the chance to be one of them." explained the man with the scar as he knew how greedy the boy was.
He had seen how his eyes sparkled with joy when he saw his total reward.
Brining him was easy as long as reward was offered and the most generous pay was of theirs since they put their life in danger for the royal family.
"I.. I have told him that the letter of invitation was sent by the head of the royal knights." his voice was so low as if he was afraid that they would beat him.
"Then.. what did he say?" they exchanged glances as their voice ran in unison but soon they started looking at him again who flinched with their intense stare.
"He said.. He said.. So What!"
"hahahaahaha!!!!!???"