Dayton felt Leon wouldn't dare attack him directly.
But what Leon could do was challenge Eden and Dayton wanted him to do just that.
That was the entire point.
The plan was simple: provoke Leon, tug at his pride, jab at the Kael name and use his emotion against him.
If Leon took the bait and challenged Eden, the rising star of the Feran family, two outcomes were guaranteed.
First, the Queens would see Leon as an unstable hothead, who was too impulsive to trust and too emotional to lead.
And secondly, when Eden inevitably crushed Leon in a public duel, the Feran family would shine, and the Kaels would be left with mud on their faces.
It was a perfect plan.
Eden had cleared the trial at a record-breaking pace. But Leon's time was a record too—for being the slowest Rank 1 noble to complete their first trial.
There was no contest. Eden would win. He had to.
All Dayton had to do… was make it happen.
And so, he stepped forward again, no longer hiding the venom in his voice.
"But unlike Eden's devotion to his family…" he said, drawing out the pause with deliberate malice, "a young master of another domain has proven to be nothing but a disappointment."
The hall fell still.
Nobles shifted uncomfortably.
Leon's parents narrowed their eyes, their expressions chilling. Even they hadn't expected the Ferans to be this brazen.
At the table of the Queens, the Matriarch remained silent her face unreadable.
And Elizabeth?
She clenched her fists beneath the table, whispering in her heart.
'Please, Leon… don't fall for it.'
But Dayton wasn't done.
He pressed forward, voice louder, slicing deeper.
"The only reason I can imagine for such poor performance…" he said, "...is that the family in question is just as useless as their so-called heir."
The words struck like lightning.
The banquet hall became deathly silent.
And then—
A wave of killing intent erupted.
It was massive. Dense. Suffocating.
Dayton flinched—visibly—shock blooming in his eyes as he stumbled half a step back.
'What… is this?!' he thought. 'Why is the intent so strong?!'
The source was unmistakable.
It was Leon.
He hadn't moved from his seat, but the air around him had frozen solid.
Every Rank 1 noble in the hall felt it—though Dayton had taken the full brunt of it. The weight of it crushed down on his chest like an iron anvil.
And then, a single cough cut through the tension.
It was Selena.
Out of respect for his mother Leon retracted his killing intent. As the room breathed again.
Then he stood.
His aura Cold and unyielding.
His gaze locked onto Dayton like a beast appraising its prey.
"I challenge the Feran heir to a Duel of Honor."
Gasps echoed around the room.
A Duel of Honor was not just a fight but a declaration and public reckoning.
The outcome would shape the reputations of both families for years. The winner would gain immense honor.
The loser? Shame and Disgrace.
A permanent blot on the family name.
Luke Feran and Dayton smiled.
'Got him.'
They had succeeded.
Luke leaned toward Eden, giving him the nod. The proud son of the Feran family rose, about to accept the challenge.
But then—
Leon's voice came again.
Cold, Clear and Merciless.
"I'm not challenging the piglet…"
He turned his head slowly toward Dayton.
"…but the pig who knows how to run his mouth."
The entire banquet hall froze.
Dayton blinked. Processing.
Then he straightened, face reddening in disbelief.
"…Do you mean me?"
****
A wave of murmurs rolled through the hall like ripples across a still lake.
"Are my ears deceiving me… or did he just challenge Dayton instead?" one noble whispered, eyes wide with disbelief.
"This is the impulsiveness of the Kael family's son," another scoffed, shaking his head. "There's a reason they call him 'the family lunatic.'"
"But Dayton is a D-rank!" a third voice hissed. "Leon only just finished his first trial. What makes him believe he can take on an established D-rank like Dayton? The gap is massive!"
A pause.
Then a tired sigh followed.
"And how do you expect me to know the answer to that?" someone replied dryly. "Whatever goes on in Leon Kael's mind is beyond my understanding. The best we can do is watch."
A low chuckle echoed behind them.
"You're right. But you know what would make this even more exciting?" the voice added with a grin, "A bucket of chicken to go with the entertainment."
Every noble near the source of the comment turned their heads slowly.
When they saw the obese noble, a man with a stain on his robe and drumsticks tucked into his sleeves, they collectively sighed and turned back without a word.
There was no saving that one.
Their focus returned to the center of the hall.
As Dayton was still staring at Leon, blinking in disbelief after the insult, the words "Do you mean me?" still hanging in the air.
But no answer came.
Just Leon's cold gaze, unblinking.
Dayton's expression shifted. His lips curled slightly. "Are you sure about this?" he asked again, louder this time. "It would be wiser to challenge my brother instead."
But Leon didn't waver. His presence, like a steel blade wrapped in frost, stood unmoving.
It wasn't Eden who had insulted the Kael family.
It was Dayton.
And Leon would make sure he paid dearly for that.
If not for the restrictions of Dayton being A rank 1 noble as well, Leon would've already attacked without restraint. The only thing he could rely on to fight Dayton was the system of honor duels.
Dayton stared, incredulous.
'Is he brain-dead or something?' he thought. 'This will only make him look worse in front of the Queens.'
Everything was going better than expected.
He turned to his father, eyes silently pleading for permission.
Luke Feran, watching with a calculating glint in his eye, gave the faintest nod as he granted his son Permission.
Leon would lose—that was inevitable.
Whether he challenged Eden or Dayton, the result would be the same: a public defeat, followed by public shame, and finally… the severing of ties by the Queens.
The only difference?
With Dayton, it would be faster.
Luke's eyes slid over to the Kael parents, a condescending smirk on his lips.
'You raised a fool for a son,' he thought.
Dayton smiled back at his father before turning to Leon, voice smug with triumph.
"Since you wish to challenge me, I will honor your request… and accept."
But in his heart, venom brewed.
'I'll make you regret ever looking down on me.'
Without waiting for further ceremony, Dayton turned and began walking toward the training grounds of the Feran estate, his steps heavy with confidence.
Leon followed in silence, his gaze locked, his intent burning just beneath the surface.
Behind them, the Rank 1 nobles rose and followed behind. A moment later, the Rank 2 nobles followed, intrigued by the unfolding spectacle.
Leon's parents hadn't stopped him.
Because they knew how strong their son was.
And very soon—
Everyone else would too.
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A/N: Thank you for reading
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