'What a strange man,' Aria thought, gazing at the foreigner. 'And a bold one too.' Right now, the man looked like a boat in the middle of a storm. Despite this, he looked relaxed, though there was something in his eyes that felt familiar, she couldn't pinpoint what it was.

Putting aside that, his demeanor and aura suggested he was a man of status back in his homeland, but Aria wondered what gave him the courage to be so bold in this unfamiliar land.

"Absurd!"

"Take his head off!"

"How dare this barbarian!"

Lords pointed and scowled at the foreigner. Some even bellowed, spitting flying through the air. For all their talk of being lords and nobles, being above the common people, Aria thought, they easily lose their elegance and turn into the very mess the hall is in now.

Aria glanced toward her grandfather. His eyes were fixed on the foreigner – that look she knew well, the one he reserved for assessing delicate and serious matters. Her gaze returned to the foreigner. His shoulders relaxed, his orange and seemingly glowing eyes watching the scene calmly as she wondered what was more in store for this foreigner.

"You see this!?" Lord June bellowed. "You see how he dares speak to us?!" He spread his hands wide, imploring. "By what right does a barbarian from a faraway land judge us?! Does he think he can so easily dismiss a lord of these lands?!"

"He has no respect!" Lord June added.

"Silence!" Lord Reede bellowed, and everyone clamped their mouths shut, regaining their composure.

Lord Reede now wore a frown. Aria could see a hint of irritation on her former father-in-law's face. Despite the easygoing nature the peaceful years had instilled in him, she knew the strict, stern, and stubborn lord still lurked beneath the surface.

Lord Reede pondered, tapping his fingers on the armrest. His gaze flicked to Aria and her grandfather.

Aria knew Lord Reede was struggling internally. Lord June had disrespected by bypassing him, and the arrival of this foreigner, an alive, foreigner, had possibly broken Lord June's attempt to gain favor with her grandfather. Lord Reede likely took some satisfaction in this turn of events. However, there was truth in the outburst of the Lords – the respect due to a lord's position needs to be maintained, or any commoner will disregard their authority.

In simpler terms, the foreigner have done something foolish. Lord Reede wasn't initially on his side, but he wasn't opposed to him either. There was friction between Lord Reede and Lord June, any man who spent in time in court should have seen them by now. Of course, in an unfamiliar court, the foreigner might not know so easily but still…

Now, the foreigner's actions have given Lord Reede a reason to potentially side against him.

The only thing preventing further escalation, or something worse happening to the foreigner, is her curiosity. At the very least, even if he utters even more daring words, he likely won't be killed. But he shouldn't be that foolish.

Seeing this man's actions, Aria wondered if he wasn't as smart as he appeared. If that were the case, his chances of survival would be slim.

After a few more heartbeats, Lord Reede spoke. "Lord June, while the extent of your household's contribution to the foreigner's health may be debatable, it is true that you did take something from an unconscious person, is it not?"

Lord June grumbled, wanting to retort, but the steely gaze of the great lord silenced him. "Yes," he muttered.

Lord Reede nodded and looked toward the foreigner. The friendly glint in his eyes had vanished.

"And you," he addressed the foreigner, "while your items were taken and you completed a task to retrieve them, it's also true that you were received in Castle June while unconscious. The resulting outcome was that your items were taken as compensation, is that not true?"

Keegan snorted, and Aria stifled a gasp, surprised by his audacity.

'Doesn't his homeland teach people restraint? Is he truly so hotheaded he can't control his temper?' Aria thought.

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Angry mutterings and mumblings filled the hall again, this time more restrained. Their eyes, though still filled with anger, also held amusement and relief as they watched the foreigner dig himself a pit.

Lord Reede did not take this well. "While we extend hospitality to guests from afar," he boomed, "we also value honor and must uphold our standing."

Lord Reede scanned the hall, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "I have reached a decision," he declared. He then fixed his gaze on Lord June. "You will compensate this foreigner with 400 primals for tasking him a task without proper recompense. And you," Lord Reede turned to Keegan, "will accept this settlement. Forget about the matter and your items, and we shall move past this incident."

Faint grumblings and mutterings erupted in the hall – some lords clearly dissatisfied with the decision. Lord June seemed about to speak again.

But Aria watched as the foreigner shook his head. "No," he uttered, his single word silencing the hall as if they couldn't believe their ears.

Aria's eyes widened. A palpable tension, along with a sense of pressure, now emanated from the man.

"When I left Castle June," the foreigner spoke, his voice even, yet it carried throughout the hall. Aria saw the closest lords to him visibly swallow. "I waited in a secluded location, not too far away, but isolated enough that if something happened to me, no one will know."

"What is this—" Lord Reede began to speak, but Keegan fixed him with a look, and Lord Reede immediately sat back down. No lord commented on this, their gaze fixed on the foreigner.

"I waited for any 'bandits' to come for my life..." Keagan said. Aria somehow had an idea what he was implying, what he waited for. She glanced at her grandfather, but his gaze remained fixed on the foreigner, a faint frown now etched on his face.

Keagan continued, "No one came. Three days later, on my journey here, I encountered two children," he said, the latter laced with a bitter smile.

The hall was silent now, as if everyone was holding their breath. Some exchanged glances, wondering what was unfolding.

"These two children were accompanied by a hidden scout," Keagan revealed. "He was following them but kept his distance. It was then that I learned their village had been burned and its people slaughtered."

Lord Reede's eyebrows twitched at this. Aria had heard reports of a village being burned this very morning, with no survivors. A full investigation hadn't begun yet, and their scouts wouldn't return for a few days.

The two children, that were with him, they were the only survivors? she thought, echoing the question in everyone's eyes. Where was this going?

Then suddenly, understanding dawned on Aria. Her eyes narrowed as she gazed at Lord June's expression. His expression remained impassive. Lord Reede seemed to have grasped the implication as well. His gaze darted across Lord June's face, searching for anything that gives him away. After all, the village the foreigner spoke of was within Lord Reede's territory. If what the foreigner's implying and suspicion were correct, and if it was really Lord Junes doing....

"I went to the village," Keagan continued. "The 'bandits' were there, waiting for me. They used poisoned arrows, traps, and moved with a disturbing discipline."

This time, a sense of understanding flickered through the room. Some lords appeared lost in thought, others fixed their gazes on Lord June, while some stole a glance at the Great Lord, whose face had hardened into a mask.

"I interrogated their leader," Keagan continued, "but even under threat of pain and death, he revealed nothing."

"What became of these 'bandits'?" Lord Reede inquired, his voice steely. Several nearby lords flinched at his tone.

"I killed them," Keagan stated simply. Lord Reede narrowed his eyes in response.

Keagan scanned the hall, his gaze lingering on Lord June.

"Are you-" Lord June said, his voice lacking its previous strength. "Are you accusing me of this matter!?"

The foreigner remained still for a few heartbeats, then a wry smile touched his lips. "Of course not," he replied with a chuckle, his tone dry. "But they do have the right idea."

This time, a buzz of mutters and mumbles returned to the hall, slowly regaining its previous energy.

The foreigner stepped forward towards Lord June, cracking his neck with a pop.

"I've heard rumors of how you are a fierce warrior, Lord June," the foreigner said, his expression unreadable. Aria glanced at her grandfather, wondering why he hadn't spoken yet.

Lord June faced the foreigner, shoulder set, he had come this far and he wasn't going back down now.

"I challenge you to a duel," Keagan declared, pausing slightly as he scanned the hall and continued, "And I stake my life on it."

As if on cue, his words ignited the hall, plunging it back into chaos. Lord June's expression contorted in disbelief. Aria, lost in the tension, just realized she had been gripping the armrest tight.

"What about it?" Keagan said, a smile playing on his lips. He spread his left arm in a gesture of invitation. "Kill me, and all your problems with me disappear. It will be as what you proclaimed, that I died and your house took my belongings as a result. And most importantly, you can wash the so-called stain on your house's 'honor.'"

Another round of mutters erupted, this time with all gazes fixed on Lord June. His face hardened, and he spoke, his voice devoid of its previous embellished tone. "And if you win?" he asked.

"I won't ask for your life, I know you won't stake it anyway nor will I ask for my items backs, it is out of your hands already," The foreigner said with a dry chuckle, Lord June's face looked insulted at that but before he could say anything, Keagan continued, "Instead, if I win, I'll accept the compensation Lord Reede proposed with an added 400 primals for a total of 800. Then, I'll consider 'our' matter settled." He said, emphasizing the last words.

Even from the side, Aria saw how the foreigner put on a smile and for some reason, it sent chills down her spine.

"What say you?"