Chapter 10: DEAL

Leon's Pov

I woke up at 8:30 in the morning, finding my parents already up.

"Goodmorning Mother and father." I inquired.

""I'm thinking of going to the library later this afternoon. I'll take Leann and Dion with me," I stated.

"Go on, just be careful." My mother inquired and father just nodded.

After a quick exchange, I stepped outside to see Dion and Leann playing.

"ALERT: YOU ONLY HAVE 9 DAYS TO GO. MONSTERS WAVE WILL BE ATTACKING THE LAND."

The system's warning about the impending Monsters War weighed heavy on my mind.

As I sat on a wooden chair, contemplating, rustling bushes foretold the arrival of ten knights at our home. Dion and Leann sought safety behind me.

The captain, whom I had encountered before, greeted me. I maintained a stoic demeanor, asking their purpose without flinching.

"Where are your father and mother, i need to talk with them."

The knights inquired about my parents, and I questioned their intentions.

"You brat! Respect the captain! A commoner like don't have right to disrespect a Lord." One knight inquired with it's eye brow like an angry bird that i always watched when i was 7 years in my previous world.

Their demand for respect irked me, highlighting the class divide.

Father's deference to the knights bothered me. I reluctantly bowed, wondering about the necessity of such displays.

"Why should I bow?" I muttered, testing their reactions. A smirk played on my lips as a knight's blade threatened, halted only by the captain's intervention.

"What a brave young commoner," the captain knight remarked, his tone dripping with arrogance. The other knights smirked, reveling in their superiority.

"If I hadn't intervened, that sword would have ended your life. Understand?" the captain taunted.

Suppressing a laugh, I couldn't help but scoff internally. Obviously, surviving being killed is the norm. How dense can they be?

Before I could stop myself, I muttered under my breath. The captain caught wind of my words, pressing the blade against my neck with a smirk.

"You're arrogant, brat. Perhaps it's time for you to meet your end. What do you say?" the captain threatened.

My father intervened, kneeling before them in a plea for mercy.

"Please, spare him. He's just a child, My Lord," my father begged.

"Then kneel down. If you want me to spare your child." he inquired, smirking because of his superiority.

Pathetic. Who is he to force my father to kneel?

DION'S POV

After Father knelt down, I rushed inside the house to find Mother preparing food. She hurried out and witnessed Father's submissive posture before the knight.

Upon seeing the captain, Mother too knelt down, pleading, "My Lord, I'm Reann Cranve. Please forgive us for my son's and husband's actions."

As Mother bowed, I observed brother Leon, his expression chillingly cold and filled with anger. His agitation was palpable, his nerves on edge.

"Why are you bowing and kneeling, Father and Mother? Stand up," Brother Leon demanded, his face contorted with fury.

Father exchanged a glance with Leon, both seething with anger. Leann clung to me, trembling with fear and on the verge of tears.

"I said, stand up, Mother, Father," Brother Leon reiterated, his expression still dark and intense.

"Son, please, bow down," Father implored, attempting to persuade Leon.

Unexpectedly, Leon burst into laughter, a chilling sound that left the knights bewildered, unsure of his intentions. His laughter carried an ominous weight, hinting at something sinister.

"Hey, you're a captain, right? Are those deadly asses under you?" Leon smirked, referencing the knights he had dispatched six days prior.

The captain, sword still poised at Leon's neck, acknowledged, "Yes, they were under my command."

"I killed them. Do you want to know why?" Leon declared boldly, unfazed by the captain's intimidation.

"Are you an assassin? Who do you work for?" the captain inquired, his tone laced with threat.

"I'm not an assassin. But first, would you like to know how I killed them?" Leon's smirk never faltered.

The captain swallowed nervously, observing Leon's unwavering demeanor, devoid of fear, akin to a psychopath.

"Simple, just like this." In a swift movement, Leon snapped the neck of a knight behind him, demonstrating his lethal prowess.

"Like this," Leon stated calmly, sending a shiver down everyone's spine.

Witnessing Leon's deadly efficiency, I felt a mix of fear and admiration. His strength and skill, honed through battles with monstrous foes, left me in awe. I vowed to protect him and my newfound family.

'after being adopted by cranve family, i'm so happy that i can have family, i have someone to greet every morning, can have mother and father i can call evertime i feel alone and i'm happy also having a pretty younger sister, and a strong older brother.'

"Brother Leon is terrifying," Leann trembled in my embrace.

"But Brother Leon is incredible," I reassured her, promising to stand by his side.

"Brother Leon will keep us safe, okay?" I affirmed, comforting Leann as she clung to me.

"That speed, how did you do that?" the captain inquired, bewildered by Leon's swift and lethal move.

Leon simply smirked in response. "Why would I explain that to an enemy?" he retorted, his tone cryptic.

"You killed Dale!" one of the knights accused, his anger palpable at the loss of his comrade.

"So what? You come here with arrogance, yet you seem so weak. Are you truly knights, or mere fodder for any adversary?" Leon's words teetered between jest and provocation, testing the knights' resolve.

"I'll offer you a chance. Join me, serve under my command. You possess strength; be a knight under my leadership, lad," the captain proposed, sheathing his sword.

Leon chuckled, disbelief evident in his expression. "Me? Serve under you? No chance. After being betrayed by my former best friend, you think I'd willingly follow you? Not a chance," Leon's refusal was firm, hinting at past betrayals that fueled his anger.

I watched in awe and confusion, realizing there was more to Leon's past than met the eye. His reluctance to bend to authority spoke volumes about his resolve and sense of betrayal.

"Lad, do you believe you're untouchable? Killing a knight makes you a criminal. You're a commoner, and your family could face consequences. It's a rule of the king," the captain warned.

"Then perhaps I should end you, ensuring no one discovers what transpired here. The king and the count need not know of my act of treason," Leon countered, his tone unwavering.

"I'm already a swordmaster. Do you think your speed alone can best me?" the captain challenged.

"Let's strike a deal," Leon proposed.

"A deal, you say? What terms?" the captain inquired.

"Offer me 100 gold. If I defeat you, rest assured, I won't take your life. After all, how could I claim your money if you're dead? I'm not foolish," Leon explained, his wit sharp and calculated.

"Then if i defeat you, you'll have to be a knight under me. " The captain stated having his confidence showing on his face.