Dox, as a bloodline wizard, had always thought highly of his own combat prowess. So when he saw the Wise Sovereign's questioning gaze, his self-esteem took a heavy blow.
"I have never feared battle, nor have I ever shirked from it. This time, there was a special reason!" Dox declared solemnly.
Wai, beside him, nodded as well. "That's right. He has always neither feared battle nor shirked from it."
Dox looked at Wai, moved. Sure enough, in times of hardship, a close friend was the best.
But Wai's next words made Dox feel as though an arrow had pierced his chest.
Wai said, "The reason he neither fears battle nor shirks from it lies in his intuition. His intuition is quite good—if he thinks he can win, he goes in; if he thinks he cannot, he never provokes anyone. So there really has never been an issue of fearing or shirking battle."
Dox said, "..."
Wai said, "As for why he changed his mind at the last moment this time, he was right about that too. His intuitive talent was damaged, so without foreseeing whether this battle should be fought, he made those bold boasts."
Wai had completely reconstructed Dox's inner thoughts. More importantly, the truth was eight or nine parts out of ten. As expected of Close Friends of many years.
With Wai's well-reasoned argument, Dox's attempt to retort was clearly lacking in force.
Dox glared furiously at Wai, his teeth grinding with creaks. He wished he could grind Wai's bones to dust right then and there. This guy only knew how to undermine him—he had no respect for his senior at all!
While Dox was trapped in embarrassment, Black Earl, who had never gotten along particularly well with him, instead spoke up for him.
"Dox's main bloodline is