The patrons coughed and choked, Kovar punched Maria on the head.
"I'm so sorry! My dim-witted apprentice speaks without thinking!"
Cold sweat dripped down Kovar's forehead. Didn't others know? Didn't he understand?
The Black Knight just demolished the Wine Report's office; many people are still lying in the hospital.
Gregor wanted to defend himself, but unable to speak, he turned his attention to the other party involved.
What do you want to say?
Under everyone's gaze, Jian nodded in the suffocating silence.
"I did extend a challenge (to a match) to him."
"Hiss--!!!" x N
An invitation! The Black Knight himself admitted it! Is it that kind of "invitation"?!
"It's just a pity..." A perfectly measured hint of regret lingered in Jian's voice.
"I was rejected."
Click.
Everyone felt as if their jaws had dropped to the floor.
I was rejected?!
The tavern instantly erupted in chaos, with gossip sizzling in everyone's eyes.
Faced with the increasingly chaotic scene, Gregor snatched the Ten Percent Off back.
"It's a fight; she wants to fight me."
"Huh? Just a battle...?" Maria's voice betrayed undisguised disappointment.
"After all, he's the Black Knight. It's not surprising." One of the patrons stroked his chin, looking as if he had expected it.
"Sigh, I thought it would be a more... uh, 'intense' kind of 'battle'."
Another person muttered something under their breath, which elicited a chorus of knowing coughs and snickers.
Ifrit, completely oblivious to the adults' double entendre, asked curiously:
"What exactly are you disappointed about?"
Another round of awkward coughs followed.
However, the craftsman Kovar's eyes lit up:
"A battle?! Is Lord Black Knight planning to participate in the next tournament and aim for an unprecedented four-peat?!"
This topic instantly ignited another kind of enthusiasm in the pub.
"Four consecutive championships?! My God, if it really happens..."
"A three-peat is already legendary! A four-peat... I wouldn't even dare to dream of it!"
"If it's true, I'll sell everything I own to go to the scene!"
All eyes were once again focused on the mace, filled with anticipation.
Jian placed the glass back on the bar with a crisp sound.
"Winning the first championship was to prove myself."
Winning the second championship was to hone my skills.
Winning my third championship is to wake up those who think they can control me.
"As for the fourth championship..."
His gaze, sharp as a sword, turned to Gregor, a flame of fighting spirit burning in his eyes:
"If you decide to participate, the Black Knight will never shy away from the fight."
After a brief silence, even more enthusiastic cheers and applause erupted.
For the people of Kazimierz, witnessing the continuation of the legend is far more exhilarating than ambiguous rumors.
I will not participate.
The cheers abruptly stopped. Everyone froze, staring at the source of the sound.
Jian raised an eyebrow, seemingly unsurprised:
"Reason?"
"I don't want to bully the other contestants."
The tavern was deathly silent.
The expressions on everyone's faces shifted from astonishment to disbelief. "That's... way too arrogant!"
Even if you knock Rust Copper away with one blow, Rust Copper's strength is still only so-so...
Just as someone was about to object, Jian nodded thoughtfully.
"Indeed."
She expressed her agreement, her tone even carrying a hint of understanding.
"The quality of the contestants is declining. Ten years ago, they might have been more interesting."
She looked at Gregor, her eyes as sharp as ever:
"So, would you like something more direct? No rules, no audience, just you and me, a serious match."
"You will die."
It wasn't an electronic voice; the earnest child's voice surprised everyone.
Ifrit looked at the mace and repeated it with a serious expression.
"You will die."
"Yeah."
Unexpectedly, Jian did not refute, but instead fell into deep thought.
"Then let's postpone this battle until I can truly become your opponent."
For her, recognizing the peaks ahead that she needs to look up to and strive to reach is far more meaningful than engaging in a doomed contest at an inappropriate time.
The crowd in the tavern cheered for the battle they couldn't witness, while Gregor sighed silently.
I didn't agree...
The tavern door was pushed open rather roughly, and a clear yet assertive female voice accompanied a figure as she burst in:
"Maria --!!!"
The newcomer was a young Kuranta woman with similarly radiant blonde hair to Maria. Her eyebrows were raised, and her gaze was precisely fixed on her niece in the crowd.
"Ah! Aunt! What brings you here?"
"Don't call me aunt... uh?"
The woman addressed as "aunt" Reflection tried to correct her form of address, but noticing the many gazes in the tavern, her imposing manner faltered.
After a brief silence, the tavern erupted in even louder laughter:
"It's Zofia! Is she here to kidnap Little Maria again?"
"Want to grab a drink to calm down?"
"Haha, Auntie has arrived--!"
Zofia glared at the loudest patron, then strode over to Maria and grabbed her wrist.
"Are you out of your mind? Have you forgotten what day it is?"
"What day is it?" Maria was pulled so hard she stumbled, blinking blankly.
Zofia paused, turning back to look at her in disbelief. "You... you really don't remember?"
"Uh..." Maria racked her brains and asked cautiously, "How about... Aunt, could you remind me?"
"I told you not to call me aunt!" Zofia sighed, rubbing her forehead, and lowered her voice.
Today is December 3rd.
"December 3rd..." Maria murmured, repeating it repeatedly. A few seconds later, her pupils suddenly contracted.
"W-Isn't that Uncle's birthday?!"
"You finally remembered..."
"It's all over! It's all over!" Maria panicked completely, spinning around in circles.
"Dinner! Cake! Gifts! I... I didn't prepare anything! How did time fly by? I thought there were still several days left!"
"Okay, okay, stop spinning me, I'm dizzy."
Seeing her completely disoriented state, Zofia pressed down hard on her shoulders to make her stop.
"Mlynar herself doesn't care about these things. I've already prepared the gift for you. Now you just need to come back with me for the dinner."
"Phew—" Maria breathed a long sigh of relief, as if she had survived a disaster, and immediately clasped her hands together.
"Thank you so much! Aunt... Sister Zofia!"
"I heard you!"
Zofia pretended to hit her on the head, Maria quickly shrank her neck.
Knowing that Maria was leaving to attend a family gathering, the regulars at the tavern all smiled and spoke up:
"Give my regards to Mlynar!"
Happy birthday to him! Although he probably won't care...
"Little Maria, be careful on the road!"
Martin, the owner, also came out from behind the bar, handing Maria a beautifully packaged bottle of fine wine.
"Here, please give this to him for me. As for the blessing... come back for a drink sometime."
Maria accepted the bottle with both hands and nodded solemnly:
Yes! Thank you everyone!
The tavern's atmosphere didn't diminish because of Maria's departure, but all good times must come to an end.
After Kovar said, "The car is fixed," it was time for everyone to say goodbye.
After Martin obtained the opportunity to display the slogan "Black Knight has been to our store," he generously waived the bill for several people.
However, Gregor still left a piece of Pure Gold in the corner of the bar.
The warmth and noise of the tavern were shut out as the engine started, and the taxi carrying a few people slowly merged into the neon river of the Grand Knight Territory.
Ifrit fell into a deep sleep, Centaurea slowed down the car.
Gregor leaned against the window, silently watching the light and shadows recede outside.
Those luxurious billboards, well-dressed pedestrians, and dark alleys where the light doesn't reach.
"Is something on your mind?"
The sound of a mace suddenly rang out. She looked out the window on her side, where the light and shadow of the streetlights flickered in her golden eyes.
Before Gregor could respond, she continued speaking to herself:
"It's easy to tell. Compared to when I first met you, your aura has become much heavier... Is it because of those Infected underground?"
"Perhaps..."
Gregor turned his gaze from the window to Mace, trying to find an answer from the other person:
What do you think of them? Those Infected.
"That little girl, Zalak, is quite nice." Jian's tone was flat.
"As for the rest, I have no opinion."
She adjusted her posture, resting her elbows on the edge of the car window, her palms supporting her cheek, and gazing at her reflection in the window.
"In Leithanien, Infected are captured and used as consumables; some sorcerers even deliberately infect ordinary people with Originium to increase their consumable supply."
"However, even Infected will be respected for their superior Originium Arts."
Gregor was silent for a few seconds, then looked out at the street again.
"But this isn't Leithanien, and they don't have that talent..."
Jian glanced at Gregor out of the corner of his eye.
"The Grand Knight Territory is never short of the pitiful. Ordinary people are ruined by unpayable debts, knights risk their lives for the outcome of an exhibition match, and the Infected are just a part of it."
There was no sympathy or contempt in her tone, only an almost cold-blooded clarity.
"Stop pitying them unnecessarily. They have their own path to walk and their own dignity to uphold—even if that dignity seems insignificant to others."
A brief silence fell over the car as Gregor processed her words.
Jian wasn't indifferent; he had simply seen too much, and therefore chose to view suffering directly.
While acknowledging its existence, we do not readily offer superficial sympathy, but rather value the strength and choices individuals demonstrate in the face of suffering.
But...
"I still can't stand it..."
Jian closed his eyes and let out a cold snort.
"Arrogant charity..."
The taxi turned a corner, and in the distance, the outline of their hotel came into view.
[You mean, the Black Iron Knight interfered with the operation again.]
"Yes."
[... Gregor, this Sarkaz who appeared out of nowhere, do you think he knows the Black Knight?]
"No, according to the report, the other party was already in Block Zero; this was an accident..."
[What an unexpected turn of events! An unexpected turn of events that even Darksteel couldn't handle.]
Old Darksteel Tie stood respectfully in front of the machine, even though he knew the person on the other end couldn't see him, he still maintained a respectful posture.
"I am no match for him, even if you include the rest of the Armorless Union."
[...]
There was a long silence on the other end of the call, so long that Darksteel wondered if the other party had already hung up.
You don't need to investigate anymore.
"That Black Knight?"
[Let's talk about this after we've dealt with the new problems.]
Darksteel's expression darkened, and he immediately tried to dissuade him.
"That guy is strong! If we try to resolve this by force..."
[You said he was already on Sector Zero before the Black Knight arrived, is that right?]
"Yes..."
[Hmph... We don't need your interference anymore, the Business Federation has a new idea.]
May I ask?
[It's nothing serious, just a way to make use of waste.]
On the other end of the communication line, the man at the desk quietly looked at the documents on the table.
The title above is--
<Trial Regulations for the Admission Mechanism for Infected Knights>