Chapter 19: A duel? No thanks.

As Eadric unsheathed his sword from his dimensional ring and aimed it toward Lloyd, the latter was instantly alerted. Despite feeling anxious, Lloyd had anticipated the possibility of a confrontation and was ready to respond if things took a turn for the worse.

'I'm not sure what his intentions are, but I'm ready to defend myself and fight if necessary,' Lloyd declared, determined to put up a fight to protect himself.

Despite being fully aware of his inferiority in strength compared to Eadric, Lloyd was settled to defend himself in case the situation deteriorated. He knew that he was no match for Eadric, but he was still determined to draw his sword and engage in combat if things turned awry. Lloyd was ready to fight, even though he realized that Eadric was much stronger than him.

By pointing his sword at him, Eadric declared, 'I, Eadric Hatzok, challenge you to a duel to reclaim my honor."

Eadric had a look of confidence and determination on his face, which reflected his seriousness about the duel.

'What! Why would he challenge cross swords out of nowhere? And what kind of honor does he want to reclaim by dueling with me? I don't remember humiliating him in either of my memories,'

Lloyd was filled with questions he couldn't answer, as he observed Eadric's unwavering seriousness for the duel. Despite feeling anxious and panicky inside, he managed to maintain his composure on the outside.

'I'm not sure what kind of person he is now, but if my memory serves me right, he values the qualities of a true warrior and aspires to be a true warrior. If my assumption is correct, I might be able to decline his request for a duel.'

Lloyd went to the character sheet he had created for Eadric from the novel in his mind, hoping to find a way out of the situation. As he scanned through the details, he recalled how Eadric was portrayed as a man who embodied the traits of a true warrior. Although declining the duel was a gamble, Lloyd decided to give it a try.

"I refuse," Lloyd spoke in a monotone, maintaining his composure.

"What! You can't do that!" Eadric exclaimed with anger.

"I have every right to refuse your challenge to the duel since you are the one who initiated it, and I have valid reasons for doing so," Lloyd replied with a cold and monotonous tone.

"As Edith mentioned, I am currently too weak to fight even against a rat due to the poison, and secondly, it has been over two years since I last wielded any weapon," he explained the reasoning behind his refusal to accept the duel. His logical explanation calmed him, and he resumed his seat.

'Phew, crisis averted. I don't know how long I would have lasted if he had attacked me. He's currently a three-star swordsman, while I'm just a one-star beginner. It was evident that I would have lost this battle,' Lloyd thought to himself, finally letting out a breath of relief and relaxing his body for a bit.

Although it was a gamble that he was too afraid to take but he took it, in his mind, he prayed to every god out there for it to work out. In the end, his prayers were answered, and he was successful in avoiding the situation.

"I hope you, as true warriors, understand that attacking someone significantly weaker than yourself will only harm your own pride and respect in the eyes of others," Lloyd added.

After listening to his explanation, Edith and Eadric both nodded in agreement. Lloyd had cunningly guilt-tripped Eadric while also boosting his ego and pride, ultimately avoiding any inconvenience.

"You're right, Lloyd. You're not currently in the best shape that you used to be in, anyone can see that just by looking at you," Edith spoke her thoughts on the matter.

'Nice one, Edith,'

Although they weren't communicating verbally, everything Edith said to them was also in favor of Lloyd. He silently thanked her and expressed gratitude to God in his mind for helping him.

"I understand already. You don't have to tell me again," Eadric said, feeling guilty for challenging someone so weak to a duel out of nowhere.

Alaya locked the door and took a seat across from Grait. The room was cramped, lit by a single light bulb. It resembled an interrogation room rather than a typical space, with its complete emptiness and confined atmosphere.

"Don't you think we should move to a more spacious location? This room feels suffocating, to be honest," Grait voiced his discomfort, clearly affected by the room's aesthetic.

"I didn't choose to come here either. This room gives off a confined, jail-like atmosphere," Alaya replied.

"But we can't afford to be lax when it comes to safety. You're not alone, after all," she added, concluding her words after a brief pause.

"You're right," Grait agreed, nodding.

"So, how many opponents should I expect?" Alaya inquired.

"About three times the number you have in mind," he replied, reclining in his chair and casually looking up at the ceiling.

"30? Most of them must be above the master level," Alaya remarked, touching her chin and arching her brows in deep thought.

"Indeed," Grait agreed.

"What is their intention? To annihilate us or ensure the safety of Eadric and Edith?" Alaya asked, her expression now serious and concerned.

"I'm not entirely sure, but as far as I know, they just want to ensure their safety," Grait replied, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Man, this is feeling like a real interrogation. Give me a break," Grait protested, feeling overwhelmed by the barrage of questions.

"This is not a joking matter, Grait," Alaya retorted, her voice rising as she lost her cool.

"I know, I know... Just calm down for a minute, will you?" Grait tried to soothe her.

"Well, I have a suggestion," Edith interjected.

"Why don't you participate in the Grand Selection competition? As you said, you're not prepared now, but if you join the competition next year, you'll have plenty of time to prepare."

*****

Oh my two chapters in a week I can't believe it.

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