Ragnariel swiftly charged toward the traitorous knights, slicing through the legs of the remaining ten with precision. "Mission accomplished, Your Grace," he declared.
Duke Kaelthorn smiled, pleased by Ragnariel's success in subduing his knights. "Well done. Please help my knights recover their mana, Ragna."
"As you wish, Your Grace," Ragnariel replied obediently.
The Duke then turned his sharp gaze toward Beros and spoke coldly, "I'll give you two choices. First, tell me everything, and I'll let you live. Or second, die along with your secrets. Choose wisely."
Trembling under the Duke's overwhelming pressure, Beros stammered, "I-I'll tell you everything!"
"Then start talking," Duke Kaelthorn commanded.
Beros began his explanation. "I was ordered by one of the high-ranking officials from Duke Dread's estate—"
Before he could finish, a knife pierced his skull, cutting his words short.
Ragnariel's eyes darted to the direction of the attack. Without hesitation, he hurled his sword at the assailant, managing only to graze their hand as they escaped into the shadows.
"Interesting," Ragnariel muttered to himself. "They managed to hide from me without being detected… It seems there are still some fascinating things in this world."
Duke Kaelthorn approached Ragnariel, his expression tense. "You didn't sense them, Ragna?"
"No, Your Grace," Ragnariel admitted. "It seems they're more skilled than the thirty others who have been following us. I'll stand guard near Lady Selene, just in case there's more than one of them."
The Duke nodded. "Very well. I'll leave her safety in your hands, Ragna."
"Rest assured, Your Grace. For now, deal with your knights and finish what you must," Ragnariel responded before walking over to Selene.
"Are you alright, Lady Selene?" Ragnariel asked softly.
Selene, unbothered, replied with a calm demeanor, "Yes. Situations like this are nothing new to me."
Ragnariel smiled faintly. "I see. You handle this so well—no surprise, being the Duke's daughter."
"Of course," Selene said flatly, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Ragnariel didn't know what else to say. He quietly turned his attention back to Duke Kaelthorn, who was now interrogating the remaining traitorous knights.
A while later, Duke Kaelthorn approached Ragnariel and Selene. Observing the two standing silently together, the Duke thought to himself, "It seems their journey is still a long one." Then, with a commanding voice, he said, "Alright, let's continue Selene's coming-of-age ceremony."
"As you wish, Your Grace," Ragnariel replied respectfully. His eyes then drifted toward the bound knights. "Will you be bringing them back with you, Your Grace?"
"Yes," Duke Kaelthorn confirmed firmly. "I'll make an example of them for the others to see."
"Understood, Your Grace," Ragnariel responded, acknowledging the Duke's decision.
Turning toward his knights, Duke Kaelthorn issued his next orders. "Selene, my ten knights, and I will enter the cave. And you…" He pointed to his vice-captain, Zegris. "Zegris, I hereby promote you to captain of my knights. The official ceremony will take place when we return to Kaelthorn Manor. For now, you and four other knights will stand guard at the cave entrance alongside Ragnariel until we return."
Zegris immediately saluted. "Understood, Your Grace. Thank you for this great honor."
Duke Kaelthorn gave a satisfied nod before turning to Ragnariel. "I'm leaving things here in your care, Ragna."
"Consider it done, Your Grace," Ragnariel assured him.
With that, Duke Kaelthorn, Selene, and the ten knights disappeared into the cave's depths.
Once they were gone, the five knights who remained with Ragnariel began to shower him with praise.
"Young Master, you truly are incredible!"
"Indeed! Who would've thought you could defeat that Two-Headed Hell Hound Mutant all by yourself, and in such a flawless, awe-inspiring manner? Isn't that right, Captain?" one knight said enthusiastically.
Zegris smiled and nodded. "You're absolutely right. Young Master, I must say… on behalf of all the knights, I offer my sincerest apologies for our past actions and words against you and your family. Please forgive us."
Zegris bowed deeply, followed by the other four knights, who spoke in unison. "We humbly apologize, Young Master."
Ragnariel smiled gently and said, "Raise your heads, noble knights. I hold no grudge against you. What's done is done; let the past stay in the past."
The knights raised their heads, their admiration for Ragnariel only deepening. "Incredible… Despite his overwhelming strength and youth, his humility knows no bounds," they thought in awe.
After a brief moment, Zegris spoke up, somewhat hesitant. "Um… Young Master, I've been curious about a few things. Would you mind chatting with me while we wait for the Duke and Lady Selene to return?"
"Of course, Sir Zegris," Ragnariel replied with a small smile.
And so, the group spent the waiting time in conversation, with Ragnariel and Zegris discussing various topics—particularly strategies and combat tactics.
Some time later, Duke Kaelthorn, Selene, and their knights emerged from the cave. Ragnariel, Zegris, and the other knights greeted them.
"Welcome back, Your Grace, Lady Selene," Ragnariel said politely.
Duke Kaelthorn responded with a low hum. "Hmmm. Did anything happen while we were gone?"
Zegris shook his head. "Nothing at all, Your Grace. Everything has been under control."
"Good. In that case, we'll camp here for the night and return to Caeltheris Manor tomorrow morning," Duke Kaelthorn announced.
"As you command," Zegris replied promptly.
Zegris then instructed the knights to set up tents and prepare their evening meal.
A short while later, the group had finished dinner and was preparing to rest. However, Duke Kaelthorn turned to Ragnariel and gestured toward his tent.
"Ragna, come. There's something I'd like to discuss with you," the Duke said.
"As you wish, Your Grace," Ragnariel replied calmly.
The two of them disappeared into Duke Kaelthorn's tent, leaving the other knights abuzz with curiosity.
"I wonder what the Duke wants to discuss with Young Master Ragna."
"Yeah, me too! Maybe the Duke will ask him to teach us some of his techniques, haha."
"Now that you mention it, I'd really hope so!"
Hearing the knights' chatter as she walked to her own tent, Selene muttered to herself, "I'm certain I know what Father's thinking. He always admires the strong, and with Ragna already serving under our house, it's only natural."
With that thought, Selene slipped into her tent.
Inside Duke Kaelthorn's Tent
"Now then, Ragnariel Caeltheris," Duke Kaelthorn began, his voice firm and commanding, "tell me what you desire as a reward for your accomplishments today."
Ragnariel's mind raced. "This is my chance to secure my family's protection until we can stand on equal footing with the Dukes. But I can't just ask for it outright—I need to make him offer it to me willingly. Let's see how this plays out."
Maintaining a calm demeanor, Ragnariel replied, "I ask for nothing, Your Grace. It is my duty as a member of a family loyal to House Kaelthorn."
For a moment, there was silence. Then Duke Kaelthorn burst into laughter, his voice booming through the tent.
"Hahaha! I don't know if it's because you're still a child or if this is all part of your strategy, but you've certainly caught my attention, boy." His expression softened, though his tone remained resolute. "Very well. I will keep the promise I made four years ago. I will support you and your family in all your future endeavors. From this day forward, the enemies of House Caeltheris are the enemies of House Kaelthorn.
"However," he added, "this is separate from the reward for your accomplishments today. You may hold on to that for another time."
"Perfect," Ragnariel thought, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips. "I haven't even started my plan yet, and I've already succeeded. I really am exceptional."
"Thank you very much, Your Grace," Ragnariel said with a respectful bow. "Your support will be invaluable to House Caeltheris as we move forward."
Duke Kaelthorn nodded, a small smile still lingering on his face. "Good. You may return to your tent now."
As Ragnariel turned to leave, a new thought formed in his mind. "Let's deepen this debt further. I'll use House Kaelthorn to its fullest."
Turning back toward the Duke, he said, "Your Grace, if I may, there's something I'd like to say. Would you be willing to hear me out?"
Duke Kaelthorn regarded Ragnariel with curiosity and interest. "Of course. Speak your mind, Ragna."
Ragnariel spoke, his tone calm but firm. "Your Grace, forgive me for saying this, but the quality of the knights you brought on this journey has been... quite disappointing."
Duke Kaelthorn raised an eyebrow, intrigue flashing in his eyes. "Explain what you mean by that."
Ragnariel began his assessment. "Very well, Your Grace. First, their fundamental abilities are weak. This was evident when they were gasping for breath after a short march. This is a critical flaw—if the enemy were to attack suddenly, they wouldn't have the stamina to react. Second, your knights are far too dependent on their mana. Their swordsmanship lacks a proper foundation. You witnessed it yourself—when they couldn't use mana, they panicked, unsure of what to do."
Duke Kaelthorn stroked his chin thoughtfully, his gaze sharp as he processed Ragnariel's words. "You're right. I've long been dissatisfied with the quality of my knights." He paused, then smirked faintly. "But tell me, are you merely here to criticize?"
"Of course not, Your Grace," Ragnariel replied smoothly. "Now, here comes the important part. You've seen the quality of the Caeltheris family's knights after just four months of training, haven't you?"
The Duke nodded, recalling the impressive performance. "Yes. The results were far beyond my expectations."
Ragnariel's eyes gleamed with confidence as he continued, "Precisely, Your Grace. I'd like to propose a trade. Are you willing to consider it?"
Duke Kaelthorn's lips curved into a sly smile. "A trade? You do realize I could take everything you own with the mere blink of an eye?"