Wizard starting from shoeing donkeys

Rein removed a small wooden cylinder, the thickness of a thumb, from the leg of the Blue Helmet pigeon, opened the stopper, and found a note from the Crowley family inside:

"Baron Norman has issued a bloody duel challenge to you today. It has been noted that he has also applied for the challenge with Count Habs at the same time. According to reliable information, the opponent has taken a secret potion and has returned to peak strength, possibly possessing the power to challenge a Great Knight (unconfirmed). Please consider carefully whether to return to Meister County anytime soon.—Jennifer"

After reading the letter from the lady, Rein's first reaction was a sigh of relief!

"Good, it's not that a family member or Jennifer herself had encountered any trouble."

"A bloody duel?" Rein mused thoughtfully.

He had come to understand this term after being knighted, commonly used to resolve certain irreconcilable conflicts among nobility, divided into ordinary duels and bloody duels.

Ordinary duels allow for surrender, but bloody duels, indicated by the very word "bloody," mean much more; there can be no surrender, and it ends only with one party's death!

If ordinary duels can still be seen from time to time, bloody duels are much rarer. In Meister County, not seeing a bloody duel once every year or two would be quite normal.

However, the next second, Rein was quite puzzled; where did this Baron Norman spring from?

He was familiar with the name, but couldn't for the life of him remember where he had heard it.

After pondering for several seconds, Rein's eyes lit up, and he remembered!

Months ago, when he was practicing the Giant Bear Sword Technique in the dense forest at the entrance to Flashgold Town, he had been attacked by a middle-aged man wielding a sword.

One of the man's statements had made a deep impression on him to this day.

Rein still remembered the man's exact words: "I am giving you a chance now. If you are willing to pledge allegiance to the Norman family, it will be the most correct decision of your life."

Yes, that was the phrase!

Moreover, when the man spoke those words, that lofty attitude—though his words were inviting, it clearly felt like charity. At that time, Rein had thought he was from some great nobility, but as it turned out...

It was from the very family where Dennis belonged!

So it goes without saying, this Baron Norman must be Dennis's father.

But did their grudge really reach such a level?

Rein was quite puzzled!

He and Cleya barely had some contact; was that enough to warrant a baron father stepping in to defend his son in a bloody duel with him?

Thinking about it, Rein found it utterly absurd!

"All my previous life, I've heard that overindulgence by a mother often leads to a child's failure, could this be a case of an overly indulgent father leading to failure?" Rein shook his head, quite speechless!

Wait a moment!

Suddenly, a spark of realization flashed through Rein's mind.

It was him!

He remembered.

Previously, after being attacked by the Level 3 Wizard Apprentice, Adams, a young clerk from Adams's shop had said:

"A middle-aged man came in not long before, and Adams dismissed him. So, the details of their discussion and the man's exact identity are unclear, but since that middle-aged man arrived, Adams disappeared without a trace."

Afterward, Night Watchman Captain Matteo, who was rather short in stature, even provided him with a portrait of the middle-aged man, drawn based on the young clerk's memory.

Rein pulled out the thin parchment from within his tunic.

As he examined it carefully, sure enough, the more he looked, the more familiar the middle-aged man in the drawing became—it was clearly very similar to that rascal Dennis.

"So it turns out this middle-aged man is Baron Norman, and it was he who hired or asked Adams to attempt to assassinate me!"

At the time, Rein always felt there was a faint familiarity about the middle-aged man's face, but he just couldn't quite place where that sense of familiarity came from.

Now, all has been revealed!

Having figured this out, Rein couldn't help but feel a flicker of anger rise in his heart!

"To come and try to assassinate me several times over some petty issue of his son's jealousy! Had I not been strong enough, I might well be six feet under by now!"

"And now a bloody duel again, has he become completely fixated on me?"

"However... Baron Norman's strength must be quite formidable! Although Jennifer is not entirely certain, if he does indeed have the strength to challenge a Great Knight, that would mean he has strength comparable to my own."

"This is interesting!"

Rein had no fear whatsoever!

One of the most important things he learned from his intensive training with Master Ganther was about belief. Explore more at empire

If a greatsword master holds an unshakeable belief that the sword in his hands can cut through anything, then Rein gradually came to understand that having a firm belief in one's own ability to defeat powerful adversaries is equally a formidable force!

"Do not worry. I will arrive in Meister on schedule in four days! While ensuring safety, gather information on Baron Norman. Also, look after the emotional well-being of my family.—Rein"

After thinking it over, Rein quickly wrote a reply, placed it inside the little cylinder, and tied it to the Blue Helmet pigeon.

With the flapping of wings, the Blue Helmet pigeon shot into the northern sky like an arrow released from a bow!

His thoughts returning, Rein started cutting the Scaly Whiskered Ironback Turtle's shell into large pieces and, after roasting them briefly over a bonfire, stacked them up. These naturally protruding, thick, hard, and heavy shells made excellent shield materials.

Even for Rein, cutting them open had required considerable effort.