A Fight to the Death

After beating the fat Baum into a cripple, Zhou Ming found that a large crowd had gathered outside his house.

When they saw Baum lying in Zhou Ming's home, beaten into the shape of a dead dog, one person let out a cry and quickly ran toward the residence of Steward Brunode.

As he ran, he shouted, "This is bad! Ryan has beaten Young Master Baum to death! Master Brunode, Ryan has killed Young Master Baum!"

Clearly, this person was a servant from Steward Brunode's household.

"This is bad! Alice, hurry and pack your things. We need to leave now!"

Zhou Ming decided to flee. His original plan had been to leave with Donny and Alice after Edward became lord, but with this sudden incident, they had no choice but to run early.

"Brother, are we really leaving?"

Alice hesitated. She had lived a fairly peaceful and happy life in Glan Territory, and she was not prepared to suddenly flee to a foreign land.

"We don't have much time. We're leaving now!"

Zhou Ming quickly packed a bundle, stuffing two changes of clothes and some savings he had accumulated over the years inside. Seeing Alice still slowly sorting through her things, he shouted at her, "Don't take all that miscellaneous junk! Just bring two outfits!"

After saying that, he stuffed two outfits Alice often wore into his bundle, took nothing else, grabbed Alice's hand, and dashed out the door.

On a weed-choked path a few miles outside Rose Town.

"Ryan, where do you and your sister think you're going?"

The utterly cold voice from behind made Zhou Ming's heart turn ice-cold.

It was over. Completely over.

Inside the castle's council hall.

Zhou Ming, his back marked by several bloody whip lashes, knelt at the feet of a young, noble-looking man alongside his sister Alice.

"Speak! Why did you beat Baum into this state?"

Edward pointed at Baum, who lay on a wooden board on the floor without the slightest trace of human shape left. This loyal servant who had devoted himself to serving Edward had been beaten into such a state, and Edward was furious enough to want to kill someone.

If not for the fact that this boy had once saved his father's life, Edward would have finished him off while pursuing him earlier.

"Young Master Edward, when I returned home, Baum was violating my sister. In a moment of rage, I beat him up," Zhou Ming explained quietly.

"What violation? It was clearly your lowly sister who wanted to climb the social ladder by clinging to my son Baum!"

Steward Brunode, still short and fat with half his hair silver, stepped forward and pointed at Alice as he cursed. Then he threw himself over his son Baum and wailed, "My poor son! He only wanted to find a docile maid for the esteemed Young Master Edward, but this lowly woman was unwilling to be merely a maid. She even tried to seduce Lord Baum, who would one day become a noble knight! She wanted to become a knight's wife!"

"You're slandering me!"

Alice's face reddened with anger. Pointing at Baum on the floor, she shouted, "He forcibly dragged me to the castle to be a maid! When I refused, he molested me!"

"You lowly woman, and you still dare to deny it! Do you know what an honor it is for countless women in Glan Territory to become Young Master Edward's maid? Yet you dare say you refused! Young Master Edward, this lowly woman is lying! Please inflict the harshest punishment upon this lying woman!" Steward Brunode said sharply.

"Enough! Stop talking!"

Edward, his face livid, cut Brunode off. He turned to the tall, burly knight beside him and asked, "Knight Harold, according to Territory Law, what punishment should these two receive?"

Knight Harold glanced at the two below and said blandly, "According to Territory Law, the crime of fleeing without permission and the crime of insubordination, taken together, warrant public hanging. Their corpses should be hung by the roadside as a warning to others."

"Then sentence them to hanging. Take them out and carry it out immediately."

Edward rubbed his throbbing head. He only wanted the two people kneeling below him to disappear from his sight as quickly and completely as possible.

"Young Master Edward, leave this matter to me. Carrying out hangings on criminals is what I do best..."

A tall, thin knight stepped forward, rubbing his hands with excitement. An intensely eager gleam shone in his lizard-like yellow-brown eyes.

"Stop! No one is allowed to hurt Ryan!"

Little Donny approached with a short sword in hand. Drawing it, he stood protectively in front of Zhou Ming and said, "As long as I, Donny, am here, no one may hurt them!"

"Dear Edward, spare this poor brother and sister. Besides, Ryan saved your father's life. Are you really going to hang your father's savior like this?" Madam Madeline, dressed in a flowing gown, walked over and earnestly persuaded Edward.

"My dear mother, my attendant Baum has been beaten into this state. What do you think I should do?" Edward shouted at Madam Madeline, his eyes red.

"Edward, don't you know what kind of person Baum is? Let this brother and sister go. Let them leave Glan Territory and make their way in the outside world. There are so many farmers in Glan Territory; it won't miss these two," Madam Madeline stepped forward and pleaded.

"Mother, let me go out into the world with them too! I couldn't stand staying in this castle any longer. I'm leaving with Ryan and the others!"

The more Little Donny thought about it, the angrier he became. Alice was the woman he liked, yet his brother Edward wanted to make Alice his maid. Even that fat attendant Baum had dared to bully and violate her. In this vast Glan Territory, was there not a single thing that belonged to him?

"Get out! All of you, get the hell out! Go far away! I never want to see any of you again!"

Edward waved his hand angrily, then left the council hall with one hand pressed against his sword.

Two days later.

Inside Little Donny's room on the fifth floor of the castle.

"Are you sure you really want to do this, Young Master Donny?" Zhou Ming asked as he watched Donny pack his luggage.

"Absolutely sure!"

Donny nodded and carefully placed a letter his mother had written into his bundle. Looking up at Zhou Ming, he said, "This is a letter my mother wrote to a countess in the Royal Capital. Mother and that countess are close cousins. With this letter, we won't have to worry about finding a place to stay after we reach the Royal Capital! Mother also said that, if there aren't any major problems, the countess will arrange for me to study at Royal Capital Academy, so that I can become a Grand Scholar someday!"

Donny's face was full of anticipation. At eighteen, he had barely ever left Glan Territory or seen much of the outside world. This time, he had finally fulfilled his wish.

"But once you leave Glan Territory, you might never be able to come back," Zhou Ming raised a weighty question.

"What does that matter? That day was bound to come sooner or later, wasn't it? It's only come a little earlier. Besides, don't I still have you as my good friend? And Alice too. From now on, I can be with her every day!" A rare maturity appeared on Donny's face, and when he mentioned Alice, he became especially excited.

"As long as you're happy..."

Zhou Ming did not share Donny's thoughts. There was no telling whether they would even be able to stay together in the future. He was not going to remain someone's servant forever. In any case, he had already left signals at the Secret Camp last night. At this time of year, those people would find him by following the signals in three to five days at most...

Once the last bundle had been packed, Donny lifted it with one hand and found it rather heavy. He had Zhou Ming carry it and put it in the carriage at the castle gates.

Little Donny himself still had to go upstairs to see his father one last time and bid farewell to Baron Connor.

At the castle gates.

After placing Donny's last bundle onto the carriage, Zhou Ming quietly leaned against the side of it, waiting for Little Donny to come down.

Outside the castle gates was a broad plaza where knights often trained. At that moment, three knights walking side by side spotted Zhou Ming beside the carriage. The three exchanged glances, and one of them whispered something to the other two. After reaching an agreement, they approached Zhou Ming with mocking grins.

"Honored knights, may I ask what you need?" Zhou Ming tried to avoid their teasing gazes as he spoke softly.

"Kid, I heard you're pretty good with a spear. I want to spar with you. Come with us to the Training Ground."

The tall, thin knight at the front rested a hand on the carriage and looked down at Zhou Ming.

"My lords, I still need to help Young Master Donny sort out his luggage. When I have time, I will certainly seek your guidance." Zhou Ming turned toward the carriage, pretending to arrange the luggage.

"Behave yourself, kid! Vincent, hold him down. Knight Harold, cover the brat's mouth. Don't let him cry out!"

"Please don't, my lords... Mmph..."

Like kidnappers, the three knights forcibly hauled Zhou Ming to the weapons Training Ground behind the castle.

Bang!

As the Training Ground's doors shut, only the three knights and Zhou Ming remained inside the enclosed courtyard.

With a clang, a crude spear landed at Zhou Ming's feet, and his heart instantly sank to the bottom.

Meanwhile, the three knights opposite him all donned heavy armor and drew heavy longswords.

"Vincent, Knight Harold, don't fight me for him. I'll be the first to have a go at this kid."

The tall, thin knight leading the trio spoke as he flourished his longsword.

"Henry, be careful. Don't underestimate him. This kid really does know his way around a spear," Knight Harold warned from the side.

"That drunk Fernandi deserved to die. I haven't had a drop to drink today."

Knight Henry turned and smiled, licking his somewhat dry lips. His yellow-brown pupils gleamed with savage coldness.

He stomped twice on the ground, making the plates of his armor rustle, then walked toward Zhou Ming while spinning his sword. "Kid, pick up that spear already. The noble Knight Henry is about to attack."

"Henry, take it easy. Don't kill the kid in one blow. I still want a turn with him afterward," Vincent called from the side.

"Don't worry. I know my limits." With that, Knight Henry slashed his sword at Zhou Ming.

Zhou Ming had no choice but to lower his head and pick up the spear. He dodged the attack, bent down, and tried to find an opening in the gaps of Knight Henry's armor.

"Ha!"

Zhou Ming shouted as he thrust his spear at Henry's eyes like a poisonous snake.

"Whoa! Not bad, not bad. That's a little interesting."

Henry tilted his head and easily evaded the attack, which had been as swift as lightning.

"Hah!" Zhou Ming let out another low roar and thrust again, only for it to be easily dodged once more.

More than a dozen exchanges passed. Henry allowed Zhou Ming to attack him over a dozen times, effortlessly dodging each one as if taking a leisurely stroll.

"Kid, tired already? My turn now."

After toying with Zhou Ming more than a dozen times and seeing his steps grow sluggish, Henry gave a sinister smile. He flourished his sword, then suddenly brought it down hard at Zhou Ming's head.

"Danger!"

Staring at the threatening flash of sword light, Zhou Ming rolled across the ground and barely escaped the attack. Just as he tried to dart to safety, his opponent's assault latched onto him like a maggot on bone.

Again and again, the moment Zhou Ming scrambled to his feet in disarray, the other man would bring his sword down at his head once more.

"Ha ha ha ha! Dodge! Go on, dodge! Let's see where else you can run..."

Like a cat playing with a mouse, Henry's longsword followed Zhou Ming wherever he fled, until he forced him into a corner with nowhere left to retreat.

When the longsword descended once again, Zhou Ming raised his spear to meet it. With a sharp crack, the wooden spear snapped in two. He tried to block again, but the remaining half of the shaft broke in half as well. Until he was unarmed, huddled in a dead-end corner with no escape, he could only close his eyes before the longsword and await death.

However...

The expected pain never came. Instead, a sharp longsword pressed against the right side of his chest.

"My lord knight, you won," Zhou Ming said as he looked at the sword against his chest.

"Did I? I won? Why don't I feel like I did?" Henry applied a little more pressure with his hand and muttered.

"Yes, my lord knight, you won. You won! Please let me go." Zhou Ming groaned, feeling the blade cut through his skin and press against his ribs. Blood poured from the sliced flesh.

"Let you go? Beg me. Hurry up and beg me. Maybe if this knight is pleased, I'll let you go."

Henry slapped the pommel with his palm, a mocking grin spread across his face as he drove the longsword even deeper.

"Ah! Ah! Please let me go! Sir Knight, let me go!!" Zhou Ming's clothes around his chest had already been dyed red. A searing pain tore through his chest, and breathing became difficult.

"Not enough, not enough. Beg some more! Louder—I can't hear you!"

Henry dug a finger into his ear, then began twisting the hilt in his hand, once to the left, then once to the right.

"Sir Knight! Let me go! Please, let me go!!"

Sweat covered Zhou Ming's face. The pain, like his heart being gouged out and his bones scraped clean, made him seize the sharp blade with his bare hand and pull outward with all his strength. Before long, blood seeped profusely from his sliced palm.

"That's enough, Henry. Stop torturing the kid. Either give him a quick death or let him go," Knight Vincent advised from the side.

"No, no, no..."

Henry shook his head and put more force into his hand! "A quick death would be letting him off too easily. I still need to have some fun... Kid! What were you saying just now? I didn't hear you clearly. Say it again. Go on, say it again."

"Let me go! Let me go now!!" Tears streamed down Zhou Ming's face as he screamed himself hoarse, but his right hand quietly moved behind his back.

"I didn't hear that! Say it again! Say it again!"

"I fucking said, let me go!!"

Zhou Ming roared. His left hand, gripping the blade, suddenly pushed in the opposite direction, driving the sword deep into his own body. His right hand abruptly drew a dagger from behind his back. The instant Henry lost his balance and fell toward him, Zhou Ming plunged the dagger hard into his eye socket.

"AAAH!!!"

Clutching his eye, Knight Henry rolled madly across the ground, letting out shrill, agonized screams.