After a brief moment, the door to a small house behind the main castle was suddenly kicked open with a loud bang.
Inside the small house, a brazier sat in the center, filled with burning charcoal, and two knights, along with five or six soldiers, were gathered around it to keep warm. As the door was kicked open, the cold wind rushed in, causing sparks to fly up from the brazier. The soldiers and knights quickly shifted, staring at the newcomer with wide eyes.
When they saw it was Richard and Tuku with their group, the soldiers immediately fell silent and stepped aside. One of the knights' eyes flickered, but he remained silent. Only one knight, with curly hair, stepped forward, narrowing his eyes at Richard and asking with a frown, "What's going on?"
"You're Torls, aren't you?" Richard didn't answer the knight's question directly. With the way the knight was acting, he had already guessed his identity and simply spoke out.
"That's me. What is it?" The knight responded, still frowning. "I know you're the second heir to the Baron, but what's this about?"
Tuku and the others were seething with anger, but seeing Richard's expression remain unchanged, they held back.
Richard studied the knight and slowly spoke. "I'm here to discuss the search of the castle. I've heard… you don't want to cooperate?"
"Hmph." Torls sneered and rolled his eyes. "Indeed, I don't want to cooperate! When Baron Leo appointed me, he promised that I'd only take orders from him! Now some big guy thinks he can command me? You're looking down on me!"
"Maybe the Baron promised you that only he could command you, but now that he's been assassinated and is injured, I'm acting as the temporary master of the castle. Therefore, my orders are his orders," Richard replied coldly.
"Tuku is executing my orders, which means he's commanding you on my behalf. Now, as the temporary master of the castle, I command you to cooperate with the search. Torls, are you going to listen?"
Torls hesitated for a moment, his gaze flickering as he weighed his options. Should he lose face and submit to Richard, or hold his ground?
After a moment's thought, Torls' expression hardened as he decided to hold out for a bit longer to test Richard's resolve. He then spoke, his tone tight: "Though you say that, you're still just the second heir to the Baron. You don't fully represent him. I don't want to defy your orders, but I also don't want to obey. You'd better stay out of my way."
"Ha..." Richard raised an eyebrow and paused for a moment before sharply replying, "So… you want to die?"
"What do you mean?" Torls' eyes widened in fury. "I just don't want you bossing me around, don't push me, or else..." As he spoke, Torls reached for the longsword hanging at his side, making a threatening gesture.
"Shut up!" Richard's voice was ice cold, his gaze sweeping over the longsword. He sneered. "You really want to fight me?"
"I..." Torls hesitated, torn. To be honest, he didn't want things to escalate, but Richard kept pushing him into a corner, leaving him no choice.
At that moment, another knight stepped closer to Torls and tried to calm him down. "Torls, don't be rash..."
Torls' expression relaxed a little, but just as he was about to use the opportunity to back down, Richard's voice again cut through the tension, cold and commanding. "You know, that sword at your side, I made it. I know it better than you do. If you want to fight, I can give you one round."
"You!" Torls' eyes flashed red with anger. He had pride, and being mocked by this "kid" was too much for him. His teeth clenched as he glared at Richard and spat out, " Think not that, just for that thy father is the Baron, thou mayest treat me thus! I am a knight, a titled knight, a noble, not a commoner. Shouldst thou insult me again, thou shalt deeply rue it!"
This was enough to push Tuku and the others over the edge. Weapons were immediately drawn as they prepared to kill Torls on the spot. The soldiers in the room huddled in fear, shrinking into the corners, while the other knight slowly retreated, clearly unwilling to get involved.
Richard glanced at the tense scene, raising a hand. "Put your weapons away."
"Hmm?"
"Put them away!" Richard's voice deepened with command.
Tuku and the others didn't dare disobey, immediately sheathing their weapons.
Torls sneered, his eyes flashing. " What aileth thee? Art thou afeard, lad? Afraid that I shall slay thy men?"
"No, I just think I won't need them. I can handle you myself. They should save their strength for the search," Richard replied, his tone laced with disdain.
He then added, "And if thou canst keep thy sword steady, feel free to make thine attack."
"Kah!" Torls' face drained of color as rage surged through him. At that moment, all his reason left him, and with a roar, he charged at Richard, swinging his sword.
Richard stood still, not even flinching, and stared coldly at Torls. His lips parted as though speaking, but no sound came out—just silent words.
Torls frowned, sensing something was off, but he had already committed. With his sword raised, he aimed at Richard, trying to strike him down—yet, just as his sword reached half a meter from Richard, he felt an invisible resistance, causing his blade to veer off course.
Richard slightly leaned forward, and the sword missed him by mere inches, hitting nothing but air.
"What's going on?!" Torls blinked in confusion, eyes wide, staring at Richard.
Richard moved his lips again in a silent rhythm, then, with a small push of his hand, he sent an invisible wall of force crashing into Torls.
Torls stumbled backward, pushed several meters away, struggling to keep his balance.
In that instant, Richard sprang into action. His unsheathed longsword flashed out with lightning speed, and in a single step, he was right in front of Torls, stabbing out with deadly precision.
Torls gasped, trying to raise his sword to block, but it was too late—Richard's blade sliced cleanly through Torls' own sword, breaking it in two with ease. The force of the thrust continued, driving Richard's sword through Torls' thick iron armor and straight into his heart.
Thud.
Torls' scream was cut short as blood poured from his mouth. The once-proud knight collapsed to the floor with a crash, motionless. Blood poured from his mouth, pooling around him in crimson streams.
"Glug… glug…" The blood continued to flow, the sounds of death echoing through the silent room.