Chapter -08.
Chapter - 8.
"So, what did you say? Will you repeat it again for everyone to hear?" Abraham, who was in the front row of the soldiers, enquired as he stepped forward.
He had assumed that, like every day, they would all tease Lucian today before focussing on practicing their sword skills. Since Lucian doesn't usually respond or give back, it was much more enjoyable to torment him.
However, was what he just heard right? Lucian never reacted that way, so perhaps he had some rubbish stuck in his ears.
"No, I brought this group here to make fun of Lucien. If I allow him to make joke of us all, the respect I have among the other people will erode. I have to show this wandering dog how to behave." Looking directly into Lucien's eyes, Abraham, who was now only a few centimetres away, considered teaching him his place.
However, Lucian did the exact opposite after quickly realising what the man in front of him desired. He muttered in a volume that was audible to everyone, "Sigh... It cant' be helped then, I was unaware that the group included a deaf dog.
Then, as though he were expressing sympathy for the deaf dog, he reiterates what he had said previously, which neither Abraham nor the group behind him had anticipated because everyone was looking surprised at this point.
"did he really said that again?"
"How can Lucian speak to a level 2 swordsman like that? It seems like he wants to be thrashed by Abraham."
Following Lucian's outburst, everyone behind Abraham began to murmur among themselves; they had only one objective left, and that was to give him a lesson and demonstrate that he was worthless. All that remained was to find an ideal candidate who could discipline Lucian so that everyone could enjoy a nice performance.
However, they didn't have to search far to find that someone since Abraham, who had been standing in front of Lucien, burst out laughing, saying, "Ha ha, it appears that Miss Effie's sweet-coated remarks have gotten to your head and you have begun to consider yourself a level 3 swordsman. Nevermind, I'm going to let you know your own place very soon. do you dare to engage in a duel with me?"
"Duel him if you really have the guts."
"Big talk? Anyone can do that; if you have the courage, fight Abraham."
Abraham usually merely utilised the method of deceiving others, so the other soldiers standing behind were temporarily perplexed when he stepped forward to teach the guy a lesson.
As, for some reason, this time, Abraham was prepared to come out and beat Lucian up.
But did they genuinely care, even though they had no idea why he was acting in this way? Not at all.
It wasn't like Abraham was going to lose to some fool like Lucian, who didn't even possess the fundamentals of swordsmanship in his heart, and anyway their only goal right now was to watch something humorous.
Lucian grinned inwardly as he saw the man in front of him finally get to the point, and then he asked, "Why should I? I am only a level 1 swordsman and lack even the most fundamental skills of swordsmanship, whereas you are a level 2 swordsman. Thus, how could a worthy deef dog like you can ask an undeserving man like me for a dual? isn't that a bit shamless."
There was a brief silence among the soldiers. "Is this really the same Lucian?" they asked themselves, at the same time wondering if he was lauding Abraham or attempting to denigrate him.
Having a duel here was obviously a good opportunity because training with a living person had its own advantages and disadvantages, and after two hours of training, Lucian felt a bit connected to the sword and even his hands started to follow the smooth flow of the sword. But in spite of everything, he wasn't foolish enough to just walk out and duel with everyone. If he came up against Abraham here, wouldn't he just beat him to death in the name of duel?
More significantly, hadn't he experienced something similar a few days prior?
"Fair enough, that was a mistake on my part; then how about dueling with someone of your level?" Abraham, who clearly did not realize that Lucian was trying to belittle him in front of everyone, fell into the trap set by Lucian, and asked while looking at the group of soldiers who had followed him to enjoy the show, and then stopping his gaze on a familiar figure he asked him to come out, "How about dueling with Dorian then, he recently joined us and is only a level 1 swordsman?"
Dorian, who had joined the group just to see where everyone was going at the same time, found himself in a tight spot.
At first, he had assumed that everyone might be heading to certain somewhere to watch a gifted swordsman from the Crowfield family, who were well-known for producing legendary swordsmen. However, when he found himself standing in front of the man who was waving his sword like a novice, subtly improvising with each wave, he realised what was happening.
It was definitely workplace bullying, the thing his older sister had warned him about when he expressed interest in joining the Crowfield family's sword brigade.
"Now what should I do? Shall I act as though I have a stomachache?" Dorian didn't want to be involved in this work place bullying, so he started to rummage through his mind in search of a good idea; as thanks to his older sister that if he turned down this lad named Abraham, the bullying might come back to him instead, and he didn't want that to happen to him.
"That is ideal. I'm prepared; let's get started." Looking at the silver-haired lad walking out the group, Lucian commented abruptly, although this lad appeared younger than he was, he was clearly going to be a strong swordsman based on Abraham's assured selection of him. And he desired that same thing for himself at the moment.
A candidate who was on the same level as him, but still someone who could make him understand what he was really lacking.
But the same could not be said of Dorian, who faltered as he heard Lucian say, 'Brother, shouldn't you reject it? Why are you accepting this bullying as if it is a delicacy?'