Robin thrusts his sword through his opponent's chest, securing victory in the gladiatorial match. Panting heavily, he looks at the corpse with lingering fear. Pike, the disgraced knight, was adept at wielding heavy weapons.
Clad in full armor, he wielded a battle axe in one hand and a war hamr in the other with impressive skill. Robin, on the other hand, used the agility of light armor to wear down and ultimately defeat his opponent. Had he chosen a knight’s armor and a heavy sword, he might have suffered greatly.
Yet, Robin doesn’t feel good in his heart, because of knowing it was Henwell's advice that gave him the edge in weaponry and gear. Surprisingly, Henwell doesn’t show any smugness after Robin's victory. Instead, seeing Robin's injured arm, Henwell turns to Bloodhorn, "Mr. Bancolo, is the Dr. Wine still around?"
Bloodhorn nods, "I'll send him over."
Monts later, an old man, slling of alcohol, cos to treat Robin's injury. Henwell rembers the rough bone-setting technique all too well, a painful yet remarkably effective experience. The old drunkard has an intimate knowledge of human anatomy, able to ticulously correct shattered bones and apply dicine to stabilize them. In no ti, the bones heal, with almost no impact on future movent.
Though Robin is often annoying, he's a tough guy, enduring the bone-setting without uttering a single cry. He sweats profusely, gritting his teeth until the treatnt concludes.
On the way back, Robin finally asks Henwell, "How did you know that dishonored knight used heavy weapons?"
Henwell replies, "You can tell from his stance, gait, and the condition of his arms and hands."
Robin takes a deep breath, "Thanks!"
Henwell waves off the gratitude, "It's all for Arius, and for the duchy. No need to thank !"
Robin probes further, "You seem quite familiar with this place. You even know which doctor is best at treating fractures. Did Bloodhorn tell you?"
As they pass a wall adorned with the crests of various star and champion gladiators, Henwell points to a mask with a peculiar symbol on it. "That's my mask. That symbol is the mark of my current domain."
Robin looks at Henwell in surprise, "You’re from here?"
Henwell shrugs, "If Uncle Jansen hadn't picked , I might have beco the youngest champion gladiator here!"
Robin pauses, taking in the wall full of gladiator masks, noticing that Henwell's is in the highest section. Having just experienced a brutal fight himself, he begins to truly realize that Henwell's journey to his current standing is no small feat.
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Upon returning to the VIP box, the crowd rises to applaud. Shazo announces, "Knight Robin has given us a thrilling battle and restored Daniel's honor. I propose we all raise our glasses to this brave knight from Vorry!"
Robin basks in the attention but remains mindful of his role. After thanking everyone, he approaches Arius, "My lord, mission accomplished!"
Arius pats his shoulder, "How's your arm?"
Assured that it's fine, Arius advises him to rest well. As a beneficiary of the bloody duel, Daniel generously rewards Robin with various gifts. anwhile, Maxi, having lost, storms off in a huff.
Later that evening, Daniel arranges for everyone to stay at the most luxurious hotel in Yinxin City, Dreamland, owned by one of the city's major forces, Fun House. The leaders of Fun House personally attend to these noble offspring, ensuring no detail is overlooked. With Prince Shazo and ladies like Karitan present, Fun House wisely refrains from offering any extravagant or inappropriate activities.
During the dinner, as everyone enjoys the sultry performances, Daniel wants to chat with Arius. However, Arius is engrossed in conversation with Karitan, leaving no room for interruptions. Thus, Henwell steps in to entertain the duke's second son.
Daniel, sowhat regretfully, says to Henwell, "It seems your lord isn't interested in forming ties with . You should persuade him. You know I can offer Arius substantial support in many areas."
Henwell leans back lazily in his plush seat, "Lord Daniel, there's sothing I've been pondering. Could you enlighten ?"
Daniel responds, "Ask away! We're friends, after all."
Henwell takes a sip of his drink, "Why do you keep pushing to make a move? Are you trying to test soone through ? Bancolo from Bloodhorn Arena? Or the forces behind him? Or are you probing Prince Shazo through ?"
Daniel's smile freezes, then he feigns confusion, "Henwell, I think there might be a misunderstanding. Today was indeed a bit tense, but as you saw, it wasn’t..."
He stops talking halfway through, and his expression gradually calms down.
Seeing Henwell's calm gaze, he realizes that no matter how he explains, he can't hide the truth from the young man before him.
With a sigh, Daniel admits, "Ah, are you really this difficult to deal with? I underestimated you!"
Henwell raises his wine glass, "Then let's drink to that! I'm not like the rest of you. You know I clawed my way up from this joyful hell to the world above. Though I’m a noble now, deep down, I'm still a gladiator fighting for survival. I've shifted from battling people to battling fate, all to keep living. So, I'm quite sensitive to sches and plots. After all, I do enjoy a good strategy myself and have so experience with it."
From the start, Daniel's invitation seed to be about networking for the fourth prince, but it was more about pushing Henwell to act. Yet Henwell still doesn't understand why Daniel targets him instead of Arius.
Daniel drains his glass and looks at Henwell, "It's not trying to test you. The fourth prince sees your potential and wants you on his side. Moreover, my father, Duke Rayr, has a fondness for talented young individuals."
Henwell studies Daniel for a mont.
As Daniel grows uncomfortable under his gaze, Henwell breaks the tension with a laugh, "Interesting! So you're not with the fourth prince! That's puzzling. Your father, Duke Rayr, supports the fourth prince. And Maxi, who played along with you today, his father, Duke Stephens, supports the second prince. Are you with the second prince? No, that can't be, you wouldn't align with Maxi's family. Let guess! You're with Princess Catherine! Today’s push was her idea, wasn't it?"
Judging by the wine glass Daniel drops, Henwell’s guess hits the mark.
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