Neonidas turned to the man who had been mocking him and looked him up and down with a scrutinizing gaze. The man was dark-skinned, short, and had black hair. His thin yet thick mustache was noticeably sweaty, despite the weather not being particularly warm. Every time he spoke, flecks of saliva sprayed from his mouth.
"Dude... Who the hell are you?" Neonidas asked, his tone dripping with boredom. Normally, if he had been back in his old world, he would have already unleashed a torrent of insults directed at the man's state of origin. But now, the current setting wasn't conducive to such antics, so he reluctantly tried to maintain a semblance of politeness.
"What? You don't know who I am? What kind of disrespectful joke is this? I am Prince Alkahmar, the Shield of the South, and the rightful prince of the Hindonpon Kingdom!"
Neonidas squinted briefly, trying to recall from both the novel and the memories of the original Neonidas which kingdom the man was referring to.
"Oh yes, yes, I remember now! The Hindonpon Kingdom! The one whose population doesn't grow because their men are too busy mating with donkeys!"
The memory of Neonidas referenced was indeed true, although what he had just said was an extremely racist slur. Back in his modern world, a remark like this would have caused outrage, with SWJs and other groups crucifying him publicly. But in this medieval fantasy world, such expressions were quite common. Still, offending the prince of the nation in question could prove troublesome.
Prince Alkahmar's face turned red with fury at Neonidas' words. His breathing grew heavier, and his hands trembled as he opened his sweaty mouth to unleash a torrent of rage. Neonidas instinctively took a step back, because he foresaw that the man would soon spit spit out of his mouth.
"How dare you! Are you insulting my kingdom? You, a worthless duke, dare to curse my glorious nation? I will kill you!"
As Alkahmar descended into a frenzy, Neonidas prepared to use his power. But before he could react, royal guards appeared on either side of the enraged prince, grabbing his arms firmly.
"Prince Alkahmar! How dare you cause such a scene in my palace? You are no longer in your swamp kingdom!" Emperor Gredor's voice echoed sharply through the garden, drawing the attention of everyone present toward Neonidas' location.
While not as harsh as Neonidas' insult, the emperor had also made a veiled dig at the Hindonpon Kingdom. Yet, it seemed Prince Alkahmar didn't mind as much. This was the harsh reality of the world. The strong could say whatever they wanted without consequences, while the weak couldn't even open their mouths. And in this case, Neonidas was perceived as the weaker link.
"I apologize, Your Majesty, Emperor. I didn't mean to disrespect you. However, with your permission, I invoke my honor and challenge Duke Neonidas to a God Duel!"
Prince Alkahmar's declaration plunged the garden into silence. All eyes turned to Neonidas. A God Duel was a widespread tradition on the continent. As the name suggested, it was a formal duel challenge, but with a crucial distinction: refusing a God Duel was tantamount to publicly admitting defeat before the gods. Furthermore, such a challenge required genuine disrespect, witnessed by at least three people.
"Also, should I win, I demand that Duke Neonidas break off his engagement with Princess Allea!" Alkahmar added with a broad, smug grin.
Now, Alkahmar's true intention was clear. Like many other men, he desired Princess Allea.
Neonidas rose to his feet and gave the self-satisfied prince his brightest smile. After all, this duel was the perfect opportunity for him to prove himself. It would serve as his grand debut, showing the world that the weak, useless, and idiotic duke was no more.
"I accept your challenge, little prince."
Neonidas' acceptance caused murmurs and chuckles to spread across the garden. Emperor Gredor and Princess Allea, who had been observing the situation, remained silent. However, Empress Velriona turned to her husband.
"Are you really going to remain silent? Will you allow a duke of your empire to be humiliated like this?" she demanded.
Emperor Gredor looked at his wife with a calm yet firm expression. "As an emperor, wouldn't oppose a God dual bring even greater disgrace? This is what Neonidas chose," he replied.
Realizing she couldn't sway her husband, Velriona turned to her daughter. "What about you? Will you stand by and let your fiancé be disgraced?"
Allea turned to her mother, her gaze momentarily filled with pity before settling on Neonidas again. "He brought this on himself, Mother. Besides, I agree with Father. Intervening in a God dual is a grave offense."
The empress was stunned by her daughter's harsh words. Allea had once been kind, compassionate, and gentle—a young woman who, though not in love with Neonidas, had still cared for him. But as she matured, especially after the monstrous wars, she had changed drastically.
As the empress contemplated a way to save Neonidas, she noticed a woman on the sidelines trying to approach him, her expression filled with worry. However, the guards blocked her path. It was none other than Neonidas' sister, Zalira. Velriona was about to walk toward Zalira when Neonidas' voice rang out again, his tone playful and mocking.
"And If I win… In revenge for the Hindonpon donkeys, I demand that a donkey publicly fuck over Prince Alkahmar in the capital square. Puhahaha! It'll be quite the spectacle! I can't wait to see it! Hahaha!"
In the garden, as Neonidas' loud laughter echoed, the empress had just recovered from the initial shock and sighed deeply before sitting back down. There was no chance of saving Neonidas now. Meanwhile, Prince Alkahmar, furious, attempted to lunge forward, but he was powerless against the strength of the guards.
"I'll kill you! You filthy scoundrel!"
Prince Alkahmar's thrashing was futile as the guards held him down, creating an atmosphere of chaos in the garden. Neonidas, as though he hadn't just made a disgraceful demand, calmly straightened his back and surveyed the onlookers. He wanted to turn the situation in his favor and was willing to do whatever it took to avoid appearing weak in the eyes of the crowd.
Emperor Gredor returned to his throne-like seat and regained control of the situation. He raised his hands slightly, signaling for silence. The murmurs in the garden died down instantly.
"The duel will take place within the hour," Gredor announced, his gaze fixed on both Prince Alkahmar and Neonidas. "Both parties should prepare their witnesses and weapons. The victory of the just will decide this duel, in the presence of the gods only."
Neonidas took a deep breath and gave a small bow. "Your Majesty, you honor me," he said in a low, slightly mocking voice. He then glanced at Princess Allea for a moment. Her silence and emotionless expression It did not surprise him, but he didn't show it. "Don't worry, dear fiancée," he murmured inwardly, "I'll win this, not for you, but for my own entertainment."
Prince Alkahmar, completely enraged, shouted, "I'll tear you apart, you worthless scum!" as the guards dragged away from him. Once he was gone, the tense atmosphere in the garden gradually began to dissipate. People slowly returned to their places, discussing and mocking Neonidas' arrogant and demeaning attitude.
Neonidas, however, continued eating his meal as if nothing had happened. He didn't need a weapon, after all—he was a weapon in himself now. Meanwhile, Zalira had finally convinced the guards and was approaching Neonidas.
"What's going through your mind? Why do you want to ruin everything?" Zalira asked as she sat next to him.
Neonidas glanced at his sister, curling his lips into a mocking smile. "Ruin everything? No, dear sister. This is the perfect opportunity to fix everything. I'm tired of being remembered as a disgraceful, cowardly duke. Now, I'll show my power in front of everyone."
Zalira furrowed her brows and continued speaking in a whisper. "Neon, this isn't a game. Prince Alkahmar isn't just after your reputation; he wants your life too. And he's not as weak as you think. Do you really think he'll underestimate you?"
Neonidas, savoring the piece of meat on his plate, chuckled as he cut it with his knife. "Why don't you trust your brother just once? I told you before, I'm not the old Neonidas anymore. Sit back and enjoy the show I'm about to put on, Zalira"
Neonidas's mocking demeanor persisted in an atmosphere that made everyone around him tense. Zalira was concerned about her brother's indifference, but she knew very well the difference between him now and the old Neonidas. Her brother was no longer the fragile, cowardly man he once was. It was as if he had been reborn, but this time in a far more dangerous way.
Although Zalira tried to get used to her brother's rapidly changing personality, something deep inside her heart unsettled her. Prince Alkahmar's threats were not simple, and allowing everything to turn into a temporary game could end in catastrophe. Yet Neonidas continued with his strange confidence.
"You still need to be careful," Zalira warned, her eyes filled with worry as they focused on Neonidas. "Sometimes, being overconfident can be dangerous... But if you ever need help, please talk to me. I promise I will help you no matter what." She said, turning away sadly. After all, being in the same field as the nobles wasn't very well received for her.
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