That bastard!!!

Rage shot up through Gerard, the blood pounding in his skull.

This so-called Count Becker was insulting him to his face.

He'd parroted the boast back, the proud sword of House Lubeck, mocking it, and challenged him to a duel.

He couldn't just turn his back and ride home now.

The junior knights and the horsemen were watching, wide-eyed.

If he went back after swallowing an insult like this, he'd be mocked for the rest of his life.

But cold reason kept sending him warning signals.

Gerard had climbed to head knight more on cunning than on skill.

He saw that bastard lord of Becker Castle in a different light now.

Not long ago, the domain had been in an uproar.

An orc tribe had appeared out of nowhere, putting everyone on edge.

Whenever an orc horde showed up, the domain's villages were trampled flat, and precious fighting strength bled away. There was no helping it.

Unlike stray orcs, an orc tribe had at least a thousand fighters.

If it hit a small domain, it was a disaster.

And this lord had smashed a horde like that.

The man was oozing confidence.

"What's wrong, Sir Gerard~? Scared of me? You can come back another time, then. It'd be embarrassing if you wet your armor in fright~."

Lord Becker Jang rested his axe on the wall and sneered for all he was worth.

Grind!

Gerard ground his teeth.

His reason went numb, and his patience snapped.

He'd never been insulted like this in his life.

Count Becker Jang acted less like a lord than like cheap mercenary scum.

Gerard was only a baron's knight, but he came of good stock: he'd trained in a sword art handed down through his family for generations.

His mana was respectable, too, and Baron Lubeck had gladly given him an important post.

I'll take everything you have!

Gerard decided this was a stroke of luck.

The orcs' mana stones were worth good money too.

In a one-on-one fight, he had nothing to fear.

Reason slipped from Gerard's eyes, and greed took hold.

The…