Roland Easton accepts my duel challenge...it"s surprising. Well, at first I thought I was misheard. But for him dare to accept this challenge although he only has a slim chance to win and give me a chance to beat him into a pulp, I must thank him for that."I a.s.sumed that I do not hear it wrong when you said you accept my challenge, right?"
"That"s right! I"m not afraid of you and I accept your duel challenge. Don"t say you only bluffing thou"
Huff! Do you think I"m only bluffing when I challenge you? Don"t think yourself too highly Roland!
Before we continue our bickering, my father already rises from his seat and speaks loudly
"Since both sides agree with the duel, we shall continue to the training ground to hold the duel!"
Looks like my father also wants to see Roland get beaten by me as soon as possible.
Training ground is where our soldier doing their training every day. It"s a wide open field near soldier barrack with fences around the training ground and some seating on the training ground to watch the training season. With my father command, people in the dining hall move to the training ground to watches our duel.
"Young master Henry is going to have a duel with that sc.u.mbag Easton!"
"Rare shows! Young master Henry will fight that trash Roland Easton in a duel!"
That kind of news quickly spread among the residents of Harvard castle like a wildfire. Not take a long time before all people in the Harvard castle knows about the duel. Since most people in Harvard castle already irritated with Roland Easton behavior, they can"t wait to see how I will beat this b.a.s.t.a.r.d in the duel and heading to the training ground.
People already filled the spectator seat in the training field when I arrive there. It seems news about my duel against Roland Easton already spread within the castle in a very short time. oh well, our castle is on a peaceful condition for a certain time without anything like this duel before, so this kind of event obviously attract the whole castle resident to watch. Later on, I heard almost all personnel in Harvard castle leave their works just to see my duel with Roland Easton except those who can"t leave their post.
My father and Earl Stamfort sit the tribune, the best place in the training field to watch the entire arena and also had a roof so the sunlight will not directly fall upon the spectator. There"s also Sir Anthony, my sister, my fiancé, and my personal maids as well. The rest of the spectators are watching while standing in the sideline of the training ground. This training ground suddenly becomes lively because of my duel with Roland Easton.
I pick the leather armor and wooden sword that usually used for training while waiting for my opponent enters the arena. From what I see, Roland Easton is not a trained swordsman. He just a spoiled brat that always indulges in pleasure every day. It would be an easy fight for me.
But what makes me and all the audience surprised, the one who enters the arena is not Roland Easton but one of his guards. Moreover, it"s the biggest guard that he brings with him. He looks strong with muscles that protruding from his arms. With his height that almost reaches two meters, that guard almost looks like a little giant.
"Hey! Why not you come forward, Roland Easton? Are you a coward?"
"Roland Easton, where your guts? Did the cat eat your guts?"
"Easton"s third son! Do you call yourself a man?"
Booing sound comes from the spectator"s seats. But he just calmly reply from behind that guard
"Hey, I"m tired after riding the horse for hours. Is that what you can do? Fight against a tired person? Do you call this duel is a fair fight? Do you think I"m stupid?"
What a glib tongue he had!
But for me, whoever is the opponent, whether Roland himself or his guard, doesn"t matter to me. I have confidence I can win against him.
"Easton third son! You really shameless!"
Earl Stamfort is shouting from the tribune. His shout immediately followed by other spectators. What makes irritate is Roland Easton take that as a compliment. He looks proud with all that shouting from the spectators, he really has a thick skin on his face. The previous lesson seems did not make him humiliated enough.
"Anthony, since they dare to use replacement, you should help your future brother in law. Replace him against that giant. You can defeat him easily, right?"
"Calm down father. Look at Henry carefully…he"s not looks scared or frightened with that guard. He still cool as ice, and seems to have the confidence to win against him"
"Hmm…but if Henry looks can"t win against him, you must help him, okay?"
"Okay, now back to your seat and watch this duel, father"
Earl Stamfort back to his seat after Anthony suggests him to do so. Meanwhile, from the other side of the spectators near Earl Stamfort,
My father whispered at my uncle who sits beside him
"Brother, did Henry have a chance against that big guard?"
"Don"t worry, brother, Henry is not as fragile as he looks. Have confidence on your own son"
"How come you can be so sure like that?"
"Simple…I"ve sparred with him before and can"t win"
"Huh? Did I not heard wrong? You can"t win against Henry? Is your swordsmanship getting dull after these years?"
"Don"t mock me like that brother. I always train at least one hour every day until today"
"Then…how…how you can"t win against Henry? Ah, I know…you just want me to not worries about this duel, right?"
Uncle Jason only shrugged his shoulder, while his eyes staring at the arena.
"Henry! You don"t have to fight against that man. You just recover from the accident. I don"t want anything bad happens to you"
Celes seems worried about my safety and asks me not to fight that guard. I approach her to make her don"t have to shout when talking to me
"Don"t worry Celes, I won"t lose and I don"t want to let people who insult you just walk away easily. I will win, and must win for you"
"Be careful…if you can"t win just surrender. Your safety is most important for me"
"I will but I"m not going to surrender, I"m going to win"
I grab Celes" hand and pat her hand lightly to make her feel ease. After that, I speak to Roland that still stands behind his guard
"Isn"t that guard of yours also riding horse with you? Didn"t he feel tired too? If I defeat him, are you going to use that as the reason?"
"You? Defeat him? Dream on, Henry! Magnus is my strongest guard, he will send you to fly just with one blow. He will not feel tired just by short journey like this"
"Oh, really? So what will you do if I win?"
"I will kneel down and apologize to your fiancé, but that"s if you win… I doubt you can even stand against my guard in two moves, hahaha"
"Say it, mean it. Come! Let"s start the duel"