"Stop!" The girl and Old Fulin shouted at the same time.
The three young knights couldn't help but look at Vick for further instructions.
Vick was horrified. He knew better than everyone else the power of middle-aged knight. He was an intermediate knight who had served their family for a long time. The knight was in top five hundred lists within the giant wall ranking. He was overwhelmed and defeated in a matter of seconds. Dudian's strength seemed to be much stronger than an intermediate knight's.
Vick was aware of the gap between knights and hunters as the young master of the Milan family. Hunters would fight monsters outside the giant wall. So their fighting skills were much more ruthless in comparison to knights. Even though both of them seemed to have same careers, but the paths they took were different. The knights took glory in their Knighthood codex and guarded aristocracy. Bands in their songs would praise them. However, hunters were existences that had to stay in the shadows. Even the ordinary civilians were not eligible to know the existence of hunters.
"He is not a primary hunter as he could quickly beat Uncle Mo!" Vick was horrified as he stared at Dudian. The hunters didn't have a commendable place in the eyes of the nobility. They would be labeled as 'crazy,' 'madmen' and 'tyrants' by the nobles. Aristocrats would prefer them for accumulating wealth, but these existences would be the source of fear in their hearts. That's why senior hunters would get extraordinary treatment by the consortium. Even the nobility would have to greet them with smiles.
The girl, Fulin and as well as the various nobles and their children were secretly scared. Most of them were stunned and speechless.
Most of these small nobles have never seen hunters in action. They have heard that how powerful and dangerous hunters are but all of it were words, they have heard from the mouths of others. In their eyes, the most powerful existence was undoubtedly knight. But they would never think that the teenager would defeat a knight so fast and neatly.
Old Fulin was scared, but he was most pleasantly surprised. He had heard from Dudian's mouth about his strength. But he wasn't fully convinced. After all, he knew that this teenager was considered a junior hunter by the Mellon consortium three years ago. Old Fulin knew that the kid was cunning and ferocious, but after all, he thought that Dudian's power wasn't up to silver level hunter's.
Moreover, the kid hasn't got 'blessings' in prison, only misery, torture and pain.
He used his cane to move to the front quickly. He looked at Dudian and lightly shouted.: "Stop acting rudely."
Dudian nodded in approval. Nevertheless, on the surface, he was hired as a hunter by the consortium. He had to behave and comply with Old Fulin's orders.
"It was an accidental injury." Old Fulin was the first to apologize to Vick: "Are you alright?"
Vick's chest was stifled because of anger, but there was no place to vent it out. He knew that Fulin wasn't apologizing, but giving them face. He stared at Dudian and waved.: "Let's go."
Presently, Vick was not planning to show false courtesy as everyone knew their aim very well.
The girl sighed and looked at Dudian: "I didn't expect to see so many unpleasant things tonight. It is between consortiums, and you are a hired hunter. Why did you have to intervene? Moreover, I was here to ask poem from you!" She shook her head in regret and disapproval.
Dudian's suddenly remember that the girl seemed a bit familiar. The girl was the 'birthday girl' from the party. He had met her all those years ago. She was Sarah Mel.
"You should have brought a hunter..." Dudian stared at her: "In your 'noble' eyes hunters are just a dog to make money. But you should not forget that the hunters risk their lives time and time again outside the wall to bring all the wealth. The lamp that you burn, the coat that you wear are more or fewer materials brought by hunters from the hunt."
"Yes," said Sarah, "but that's the job of the hunter. It is your choice. Moreover, you can make a fortune at the same time."
Dudian quietly looked at her beautiful face,: "Since it is a cooperative relationship, then there should be respect between the parties."
"You are right about that. The thing is I have never looked down on hunters. This is a matter between consortium and nobility. No one can force their worldview onto others." She continued: "By the way, there is something that I have to tell you. Jenny knew that you had been released, but her father didn't let you go out. I'm doing it for her sake. If you want to send her a message I can help you with it."
Dudian replied indifferently.: "If there is a determination to surround your heart with a giant wall, then no one can get in."
Sarah looked at him.: "You are still thinking about the things that led you to prison? It was not her fault."
"I know." Dudian looked at her quietly. "I was no one's fault. However, I would like to thank some people for waking me up. For letting me know what reality looks like."
"How does it look like?" Sarah frowned. "Is it full of hatred?"
Dudian glanced at her.: "You should go back."
Sarah snapped: "It is very impolite to dismiss a woman. "
"I'm not a nobleman," replied Dudian.
Sarah almost choked.: " I don't know how Jenny can chat with you. One sentence from you can lead to death!"
"Walk slowly."
"..."
Old Fulin took Dudian back to the hall after Sarah and Vick left. He said to the crowd. "Please sit down. Let's continue."
The nobles looked at Old Fulin first, then looked back at Dudian. Afterward, they looked at each other. Most of them wanted to withdraw early as they were worried about Mel and Milan family's revenge. But it seems that Old Fulin wasn't giving them any face. Moreover, Dudian had done some brutal things to the knight. The scene has caused a deep shock in everyone's heart. So for fear of causing displeasure to Dudian they stayed.
They had come so they would stay until the end of the banquet.
"Please continue." Old Fulin raised his hand to order the band leader to continue the music.
The musicians were hesitating a bit because of the previous scene. They took deep breaths to restore their state of mind.
Melodies reverberated in the hall. Old Fulin and Dudian who were sitting in the front listened and enjoyed the music with the smile.
Some nobles who were sitting behind them would look at Dudian once in a while. Many ideas were passing in their minds.
The sky darkened.
After the banquet had finished, the nobles sat back in their carriages, and went back to their homes.
Fulin and Dudian stood by the door and looked at the carriages that disappeared in the darkness of the night. Old Fulin looked at Dudian.: "Let's go upstairs."
Dudian nodded.
Fulin ordered the butler to change the oil lamps to the old ones and clean up the hall. Middle-aged maid held onto his arm as he helped him to get to study room on the second floor.
Old Fulin looked at Dudian after the maid left.: "Were you hurt?"
Dudian slightly shook his head.: "The Milan and Mel family didn't come to suppress the consortium. Especially Vick Milan's target seemed to be mean. Are they afraid that I would take revenge? Are they acting so early because of that?"
"It shouldn't be so." Old Fulin shook his head. "I 'marketed' you as a middle-level hunter, but after a little investigation, they would categorize you as a junior hunter. They shouldn't be worried about anyone less than a middle-level hunter."