A storm seemed to gather in Joshua’s eyes as he confronted the Kendricks. “I once saved your life, Hamilton. It was you who proposed this betrothal, and I, respecting your wishes, agreed. Now, it is you again, who wish to end what you started. Do you take the Whitemores for a joke?”

“That’s not the case and you know it,” Hamilton said.

“Who are you bullshiting!” Joshua thundered.

“Father, there’s no need to let your blood boil over this matter,” Val interjected calmly, his demeanor as chilly as his words. “If a woman isn’t willing, I have no desire to force her to force her to become my wife. But let’s make this clear – it is the Whitemores who are ending this engagement, not the Kendricks. And the repercussions of this decision is also something only the Kendricks will bear.”

Joshua’s eyes flared with agreement as he responded, “Val is right. If the Kendricks wish to end this engagement, the repercussions will fall upon them.” He turned his gaze onto Lord Hamilton and Lady Adelina, and spoke in a firm voice, “This includes returning all that the Whitemores have bestowed upon your family as part of this union.”

The Kendrick daughter and father duo’s faces contorted with displeasure. They didn’t want to return the bridal price the Whitemores had given them. It was an amount that they had already grown accustomed to possessing.

Just then, out of the corner of his eye, Val noticed a sudden movement from a guest who had been sitting silently since the start of the verbal confrontation between the Kendricks and the Whitemores.

Seraphim, who had been relatively quiet up until this point, had swiftly removed one of his gloves. He coiled his arm and with a flick of his wrist, sent the glove slicing through the air towards Val. It happened in a blink; the distance between them vanished as the glove hurtled through the chamber at an astonishing speed.

Dodging, at this range and speed, was indeed out of the question. However, Val was far from defenseless. As if on its own accord, his hand shot out to intercept the flying glove, snatching it out of mid-air with a precision that left the room in a stunned silence. This was a result of the extraordinary reflexes that came with an impressive score of 20 points in that particular attribute. His body had moved before his mind had even registered the action, an instinctive reaction driven by heightened reflexes and agility that was superior to it. If his agility was less than his reflexes then he would have failed to grab the glove and it would have slapped his face!

Shock washed over Seraphim’s face as he stared at the glove now nestled in Val’s hand. At this sight, his eyes widened in disbelief and his confidence took a hit.

“Impossible!” he finally managed to stammer out, his voice trembling with disbelief. “You’re a normie. How could you react that swiftly?”

A laugh broke out, the sound flowing like a hurricane. All eyes swiveled towards the source and found Joshua, his face adorned with a knowing smile.

“You underestimate my son, son of Stroud,” he calmly addressed the baffled man, “He has always been physically exceptional since birth. He is capable of performing a thousand push-ups in one sitting. Catching a glove? That’s hardly a feat for him.” his words, although spoken lightly, held a certain weight, as he indirectly reprimanded Seraphim for his lack of knowledge about Val.

“Do you understand the implication of what you just did?” Seraphim asked Val.

Val shook his head. He was clueless about the traditions of the Inlanders.

“By grabbing the glove I hurled at you, you have just accepted my challenge,” Seraphim clarified.

“And why, exactly, should I fight you, just because you wish it?” Val retorted.

“It’s the law,” Seraphim shot back.

“Is that so?” Val countered, his voice full of skepticism.

The Queen’s guards confirmed, “It is, indeed, and defiance can lead to severe penalties. Since I am coincidentally here, I won’t sit idly by if the kingdom rules are dishonored.”

Joshua, sensing the gravity of the situation, advised his son. “Val, no matter how much you despise being forced into an unfavorable fight, you should play along.”

Val and Joshia both understood that the odds were stacked against Seraphim.

After all, he was a mere level 1 Bloodline User and still very young. His experience in battle was likely minimal.

In comparison, Val had single-handedly defeated four level 1 bloodline users, making Seraphim seem inconsequential. 𝑶𝐯𝑙xt.𝗇𝓔t

He was far stronger than Seraphim no matter how you look at it!

However, the people instigating the fight seemed oblivious to this fact, pushing for the duel without hesitation.

What puzzled Val the most was that Joshua was also secretly pushing for the fight. He was making hand gestures to tell Val that he must accept the fight at all costs.

Val knew Joshua well and was aware that he only ever made a move if it was profitable. His push for the duel suggested that there could be potential benefits from this confrontation.

Encouraged by this notion, he decided to participate in Joshua’s game.

Moreover, a certain arrogance about Seraphim had irked Val, and he found himself eager to strip him of that self-satisfied smirk. Even if he couldn’t fully understand Joshua’s motivation, he was more than willing to take on the young, inexperienced Seraphim.

“Why do you want to fight me?” Val asked.

Seraphim stood up from his seat, taking a step towards Val. “A lady’s dignity is her most valuable asset, and in the case of a lady like Adelina, it is even more precious. I can’t stand by and watch you tarnish it by being the one to break the engagement. It should be her decision, not yours. You are just a damned normie, a waste of space!” he said, his voice laced with mockery.

“So, you’re nothing more than a simp, then,” Val retorted with a taunting smirk. It was a jibe, crafted to undermine the motive behind Seraphim’s actions.

“What does that mean?” Seraphim demanded, taken aback by Val’s unfamiliar term.

The term was met with similar confusion from the others. It was evident that the term ‘simp’ hadn’t yet found its place in this world.

Seeing their confusion, Val simply shrugged. “You wouldn’t be able to grasp it. Hence, I won’t bother explaining. It would just be a waste of my precious time.”

Seraphim’s eyes flashed with a dangerous gleam, his pride stung by the clear mockery in Val’s words. Although the word ‘simp’ was unfamiliar, he understood it was no compliment.

“You… how dare you insult me? Do you even know who you’re talking to?!” Seraphim roared, losing his cool.

“Yes, I do. I am talking to a simp,” Val retorted with a straight face.

His answer ignited a ripple of laughter in the room.

Joshua and the Queen’s guards, forgetting all decorum, erupted into hearty laughter.

Even Adelina, though trying to maintain the picture of a perfect woman in Seraphim’s mind, couldn’t resist laughing. She hurriedly covered her mouth with her dainty gloved hand, but the telltale tremors in her shoulders gave away her suppressed chuckles.

And then, there was Lord Kendrick.

Poor Lord Kendrick!

Struggling valiantly to retain his noble dignity, his face transformed into an amusing spectacle. His cheeks puffed out, and his eyes watered as he strived to keep his laughter in check. He resembled a chipmunk hoarding nuts, battling constipation at the same time.

This all added up to make Seraphim feel embarrassed. Being made fun of by everyone in the room, he felt like he was going crazy.

+50 Mad Points!

The battle hadn’t started, but Val was already profiting!