I found my brothers in the training area and approached them with a confident smile. "Hey, Julian, Tristan, are you ready for a little duel?" My words surprised them, because until now I had always stayed out of their fights.
Julian, the oldest brother, smiled in agreement. "Of course, Tim. It will be interesting to see how far you've come." Tristan, the younger brother, still showed skepticism, but I also noticed his curiosity.
We formed a circle and felt the charged tension in the air. My heart pounded with excitement as I faced Julian. I had studied his skills in depth and knew his moves by heart. To my relief, the fight went surprisingly smoothly. At first Julian seemed intent on not making it too difficult for me, but when he realized that I was superior to him, his expression darkened.
My sword made elegant and precise movements as I deftly slackened Julian's grip with my blade dance, and his sword fell to the ground with a loud clang. The surprise on Julian's face was unmistakable, and a sense of triumph flooded through me. Beside me stood Tristan, who watched the duel with increasing admiration.
His eyes were wide as he recognized the dexterity of my movements and the confirmation of my newly acquired skills. At that moment, I knew that I was no longer in the shadow of my siblings, but existed alongside them as an equal fighter.
Tristan cautiously took a step forward and looked at me with an appreciative nod. "Tim, I have to admit that I'm really impressed with your development. You've improved your skills tremendously," he said appreciatively.
A wide grin of gratitude and joy appeared on my face as I thanked my brothers for their support. But then Tristan surprised me with his next statement.
Tristan: "I think I'll pass on a duel."
Tristan took a step closer and lowered his voice slightly. "Tim, I have something else to tell you. Tomorrow is the annual noble banquet, a highly prestigious event where the noble families of the region come together to strengthen their ties and forge important alliances," he announced.
A feeling of excitement flowed through me, as I had already heard about the importance of this banquet. It was an opportunity for the nobles to showcase their prestige and power and play a role in political and social circles.
Tristan continued, "There will be important discussions about the future of our region, political alliances will be made, and business opportunities will be discussed. Our presence and participation are of great importance in establishing our family and our house in this network of power and influence."
I nodded in understanding, feeling the responsibility on my shoulders. The nobles' banquet would not only test my skills and demeanor as a noble, but it would also have a significant impact on the future of our family.