“It is a shame that our time training you did not rid of the wickedness in your heart,” Sir James Greatwood said. “If we are done with this farce, let us step outside.”
“You really are suited to be in Aldishman lands,” Adam said, flashing a smirk towards his brother. “They pick a fight with us and then call us wicked for defending ourselves.”
“It is so,” Jurot replied.
“Careful now, young man,” the Commander of the fort called out. “All the soldiers here are Aldish. If you speak so carelessly, you might find yourself in trouble.”
“If you can’t control your men, that’s on you,” Adam replied, his eyes meeting the Commander’s. “Speaking of which, you seem like you’re pretty strong. Are you about as strong as the Grand Commander?”
“I’m a little too old, but he wouldn’t kill me so easily.”
“Hmmm,” Adam hummed, glancing between the Grand Commander and the Commander. “Jurot, you can have the Grand Commander, but if it comes to it, I want the Commander.”
“Okay.”
“Nice.”
“…” Arthur glanced towards the Grand Commander, who felt the gaze and met it, his own eyes full of confusion too.
“Do you have a crit prepared?” Jaygak asked.
“I don’t need it.”
“If it’s Blue Sword, you may,” Jaygak said.
“Well, we didn’t need any towers, so…” Adam stretched his neck. “I’m almost at full strength.”
“You will need it if you wish to face him.” Jaygak glanced across the group. ‘Since Laygak is watching…’ "It is unfair that you are facing both the Vice Commander and the Commander? I should face the Vice Commander.”
“The Commander isn’t fighting.”
“You know how Aldishmen are, he might want to come in when we beat them.”
“You’re right…”
“You can stay out of the fight until he steps in.”
“What if he doesn’t step in?”
“You might not know the treachery of the Aldishmen, but I’m a Gak.”
“…” Adam cleared his throat. “Right, since your family is an expert at knowing that sort of thing, I guess I should take it into consideration. Still, there’s a chance I won’t get to fight.”
“You can pick a fight with the Commander once the fighting is over.”
“I guess…” Adam let out a soft sigh. He had thought he’d be able to bring back a proper story. “I mean, I did beat up the…” Adam was surprised he had caught himself before letting slip his trash talk against one of the allies escorting him. “Hey, Marshal Black, do you want to claim the Commander from me, or is it okay if I fight him?”
“I would prefer that you do not pick a fight with the Commander,” the Marshal replied.
“Marshal Stone Sword?” Commander Arthur called out. “You must be the young man who the Duchess raised to marshalhood.”
“That is correct,” the Marshal replied, his voice stilted. ‘I’m not that young…’
Arthur let out a sigh, which the Marshal understood to mean the Commander understood his current position as a commoner turned high ranking official. “Would you ask the young man to step back from picking a fight with me?”
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“Executive Adam, would you not start a fight with the soldiers?”
“Marshal Black, you have to understand something…”
“What is it?”
“If I don’t fight someone strong, then Jaygak’s going to tease me in front of my children,” Adam said. “I need to beat someone strong, otherwise my brother’s going to bring back such a great story for our sister.”
“You are not an Iyrman.”
“My sister is.”
“…”
“Since you’ve spoken up, I’ll step back. However, you should warn the Commander, if he ends up stepping forward, I’m going to step forward too.”
“I am standing right here,” the Commander said.
“Yeah, but you won’t believe me if I say it, but if the Marshal says it, you might take him seriously. Hope Willow, could you please confirm?”
“Adam,” a familiar voice called, and Adam froze still. “Commander Arthur, Adam speaks the truth. If you step forward during the confrontation, he will step forward.”
“…” Arthur remained silent for a long moment. The young woman, who was no doubt less than thirty, was already a Mother, and not just a Mother, but a Ray. It was borderline unbelievable, almost as unbelievable as her tone.
It implied Adam could beat him.
“The children will remain safe, and so you do not need to step forward so eagerly,” Vonda said. “Lucy and Mara will not be killed.”
“Can we be so sure about that?”
Vonda remained silent for a long moment. When she was travelling with Adam earlier, her order’s name was not enough to sway the Marshal of the East. The Marshal of the East, just like the Grand Commander, were both great figures across the land. When she was a Sister, she was unable to stop the fight, but now she was no longer a Sister.
“If the Grand Commander wishes to insist…” Vonda thought carefully. She could allow Adam to fight the Grand Commander, but Jurot had already claimed him. However, if Jurot fought the Grand Commander, then could they risk both Lucy and Mara? Jurot’s greatest strength lay in the fact that the was tough, but against a Paragon? Fifth Gate spells were going to be hard for Jurot to deal with, even Adam would struggle against them.
The fight they had planned was a pretty decent idea, the only issue was that Lucy and Mara would fight too, and that was political suicide. She understood that Lucy and Mara had to deal with their own pride and authority, but in this land, such pride and authority would allow others to point their blades against them more eagerly, and towards the name of Life’s Rose, which was currently escorting them.
“I will fight too,” Vonda eventually said.
“…”
“With Manager Vonda by…” Adam began, before falling quiet. He felt a deep chill run through his body as the entire area fell eerily silent.
‘…’ Hope Willow held her breath. Now that Vonda had spoken the words, they couldn’t step back. ‘If a Ray is going to step forward to fight…’ She could already hear the talking to she was going to get once she returned back to the order.
“You will fight too?” the Grand Commander asked.
“I will.”
“For the likes of demons?”
“The Mother watches all, and while the Hope is here to escort the children to safety, the demons are my responsibility,” Ray Vonda said. “If I cannot complete the first task ensured to me as a Ray, I am not worthy of the title.”
Sir James Greatwood, Grand Commander of the Order of the Thousand Hunts, had already acquiesced to the demands of the King, a shame which still marked him to this day. However, if he drew his blade against a Ray, the damage not just to his reputation, but to his order, would be irreparable.
“Why must you step forward?”
“I have sworn my oaths too, Sir Greatwood.”
Commander Arthur finally cleared his throat. “It seems things have gone a little too far. What say the Grand Commander send a letter to the Mother Priest of Life’s Rose and inform her of his intentions to deal with the demons, and once such has been resolved, the Grand Commander can continue his hunt, irrespective of the response from the Mother Priest?”
“We have sworn our oaths to defend the land, and to rid of them of such evils,” the Grand Commander stated.
“You are not Sir Robin, Sir James Greatwood,” Commander Arthur said, smiling politely, finally stepping forward properly. “If you wish to continue to press the issue, I will sign a letter of reprimand of your behaviour.”
“Even if you write such a letter, it must be done.”
“It will count against your plea to the King for his assistance in establishing your order within his lands,” the Commander said, his smile fading, his eyes darkening. “You are fortunate enough I am showing you more respect I have ever shown your previous Grand Commander.”
“…” James glared at Arthur. He hadn’t expected the near meek Commander to stop so obviously on his authority. ‘Do you believe I will step back under your threat?’
‘Yes,’ the Commander’s eyes seemed to reply.
“The King has requested I assist you within the fort, I am merely doing as the King has requested.”
“Indeed. You, Grand Commander, are to assist me.”
“…” Adam glanced between the pair. ‘Stop fighting between each other and let me beat one of you up, damn it.’
Jaygak grabbed Adam’s arm. He glanced towards her, noting the look in her eyes.
‘What? Really? They’re that strong?’
Jaygak nodded her head.
Adam glanced between the two once more. He could still feel the pressure between them. ‘If Jaygak’s saying they’re that strong, maybe I shouldn’t be so eager to fight…’ Adam rubbed the side of his neck. ‘Right. The only reason I could fight the First Hope was because I had a crit in my back pocket. I probably shouldn’t pick fights with two guys who are about Paragon level…’