Chapter 72: An Honourable Duel Against the Prince.

A brief silence fell over the banquet hall before it erupted into countless whispers.

"Has he gone crazy?"

"How could a first-year student challenge a second-year student?"

"Well, people did say that the scumbag son of the Ruinbringers was ridiculously arrogant."

"I can’t believe he’s Rodrick’s younger brother."

My gaze swept across the crowd calmly.

Most of the students had already arrived.

I spotted Seles and Hope standing some distance away.

Seles had her usual mask of concern visible on face, convincing enough to fool anyone who didn’t know her real self while Hope didn’t even bother pretending to care, her icy golden eyes holding nothing but indifference.

Besides them, a group of commoner students were gathered around Lily, who was simply looking at me in amusement.

A little farther away was Asher.

I had already told him to keep his distance from me in public for the time being but even so, he looked in my direction, silently signaling as if asking if he should interfere.

I gave a subtle shake of my head as he immediately backed down.

"Very well."

Ruvian muttered, his voice mocking.

"If this is how you want to show your sincerity, then I will accept your honorable duel as well and in accordance with the academy’s rules, I agree to not hold any grudge against you or seek any retaliation about this matter ever again, regardless of the outcome."

Despite the bloodlust I had unleashed on him just a few minutes ago, he still accepted the duel but then again, it would have been stranger if he didn’t.

Backing out from my challenge would not only have branded him as a coward who feared a first-year student despite being a second-year student but it would also have turned his proud image as a prince into nothing more than the academy’s laughingstock.

And there was also the fact that my bloodlust had barely even affected him.

Unlike the countless novels from my previous world, bloodlust in this world didn’t simply intimidate people through aura or mana.

Instead it manifested the weight of one’s karma into the real world but only those with sufficiently powerful souls, heightened senses or sharp instincts could truly even feel it.

Naturally, this incompetent bastard for a prince didn’t have anything of those. So, at most, all he would have felt back then was slight unease or maybe prickle at the back of his mind.

"When would you like this duel to take place?"

Ruvian’s confident voice snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts as a grin appeared across my face.

"Right now."

"...Excuse me?"

"I said, right now."

I looked back toward the crowded banquet hall.

"We already have an audience."

My gaze shifted toward the student council president.

"And with the Student Council President here to oversee it, there won’t be any problems afterward." I looked back at Ruvian, my smile widening."So let’s settle this here and now."

"What are you doing, Zen? Please think this through and let me handle it." Amyra pulled me aside, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Prince Ruvian is a second-year student. He is stronger, so please... let me deal with this. I am sure it’s still not too late to back out."

She pleaded, her grip around my arm tightening.

Looking at her like this, I once again felt guilty for making her worry for my life. Despite changing her fate so drastically, I still couldn’t change the fact that she worried about me.

I looked into her clear blue eyes as I smiled.

"Trust me, Sis and it’s not like anything will happen to me while you are here. More importantly, the Student Council President will step in the moment things become dangerous."

"But..."

She still hesitated as I gently patted her head.

"No buts." I smiled reassuringly. "I promise... I won’t get hurt. So, just trust me, will you?"

With those words, I slowly loosened her grip on my arm.

She looked like she wanted to say something but ultimately she remained silent.

From the back of my eye, I could see Aurelion still standing a short distance behind me. Ever since stopping me from crushing Ruvian’s wrist earlier, he didn’t say a single word and simply watched with a conflicted expression.

I ignored him and turned back towards Ruvian but before I could say anything, a towering figure stepped forward.

It was the Student Council President, the Prince of Giants, Silas Granum.

His messy brown hair swayed slightly as his green eyes looked down at me with visible amusement. He looked even more massive up close.

"Are you sure you want to fight Ruvian? And do you even know the rules of an Honorable Duel?"

His deep voice echoed throughout the banquet hall as I raised my eyes to meet his.

"Yes."

I smiled politely.

"It seems I have made Prince Ruvian upset with my little joke. So, to make amends, I am ready to settle the matter through an honorable duel."

Silas nodded before turning to Ruvian.

"Ruvian, do you also wish to duel him?"

Ruvian returned the nod with a mocking smile.

"Yes. I would gladly take this opportunity to guide my junior as his responsible senior."

Silas nodded once more before signaling to the members of the Student Council stationed around the hall.

Among them, I spotted Rodrick as well. A smug smile was present on his face as he walked forward with the other council members.

A few of my other half-siblings also shot looks of undisguised disgust at me as if I cared about those nobodies.

Within minutes, the Student Council members had cleared the center of the vast banquet hall, moving the tables aside and arranging them into a neat barricade that separated the spectators from the arena.

Once everything was ready, Silas guided both Ruvian and me to the center of the open space.

"Since both of you have agreed to this duel, I shall oversee it in my capacity as the Student Council President and make sure that it is conducted honorably."

Hearing those words, the smile on my face widened.

Honorably, huh? Let’s see how that goes.