Chapter 48: Spar

In the expansive estate of Tepno, beneath the luxurious glow of thirty-two magic crystal chandeliers, a modest banquet was underway.

Chicken breasts, beef fillets, salmon, and fresh lake prawns adorned porcelain plates. Buttered bread, cheese, and lemon cakes were piled high. There were sausages, vegetable stew, and various delicacies filling the air with savory aromas.

Sean and Stella quietly slurped their soup, trying to cover their mouths with food to avoid making any noise. 

What did it feel like for an adventurer of the Baharuth Empire to suddenly find himself seated next to the esteemed Golden Princess of the Re-Estize Kingdom? Sean and Stella chose not to answer this potentially life-threatening question.

Though Baharuth Empire and Re-Estize Kingdom had avoided war in recent years, a century-old feud lingered, maintaining an uneasy facade of hostility between the two nations.

EeDeChi had insisted Sean and Stella join the banquet. Initially, they thought it was merely a noble's customary dinner invitation, an effort to foster goodwill between adventurers and their employer. Little did they expect the hostess to be none other than Princess Reneer herself.

Now, they sat, quietly devouring their meal, afraid to utter a word, lest their Baharuth origins be revealed by their accents.

Kuuderika and Ureirika, the twin sisters, sat beside Stella. Stella couldn't bear to leave them alone at the inn, so she brought them along. Her face flushed with anxiety, occasionally leaned forward to pick at some delicate desserts from the plates and share them with the twin sisters, urging them to be quieter and more well-behaved.

If Princess Reneer were to notice the twins and inquire about their background, it would undoubtedly lead to a lengthy and troublesome tale.

The banquet was sparsely attended, featuring only Princess Reneer, Climb, and the six-member "The Last Defender of the Way" adventurer team. Princess Reneer sat at the head of the long table, with Climb on her left and EeDeChi on her right, while the others were seated around them.

Fortunately, Sean and Stella don't have to worry about Princess Reneer asking them questions, as there's a brazen character at the banquet now who is the center of attention.

EeDeChi patted Princess Reneer's shoulder and poured wine into her tall glass until it overflowed. She raised her own glass, her face lit with an encouraging smile. "Young lady, I have high hopes for you! Here's to you!" 

Princess Reneer smiled reluctantly, delicately lifting her glass to lightly clink with EeDeChi's, taking a small sip. EeDeChi downed her drink in one go and then served Princess Reneer a fresh prawn, urging, "Eat more, grow stronger, stay healthy to handle state affairs better."

Barrett, with a white silk napkin draped across his lap, stared in astonishment. He watched EeDeChi's actions, forgetting to chew on the sausage on his fork. 

This wasn't the respectful attitude of an orichalcum-level adventurer towards a kingdom's princess—it was more like a middle-aged lady coaxing her relative's young girl to drink! EeDeChi showed no hint of respect towards royalty or the princess, as relaxed as if she were among her own adventurer team.

Climb, seated at Princess Reneer's left, furrowed his golden brows, his face flushed with anger. If Princess Reneer had shown any displeasure, he would have promptly asked this rude adventurer to leave the banquet. Whether EeDeChi had saved his life or not, if she upset Princess Reneer, she became his enemy.

As the toasts and conversations continued, several dishes were served. After the serving maids withdrew, with a creak, the side door next to the dining hall opened, revealing a tall, blue-haired swordsman.

Adorning the swordsman's waist was a uniquely styled long blade, slender and concealed in its sheath. Unlike straight longswords, this blade curved slightly, its design reminiscent of the curved blades of nomadic tribes in the southern plains, yet less pronounced.

Upon seeing the swordsman, Princess Reneer visibly relaxed. She stood and introduced the swordsman to everyone, explaining why she had invited these adventurers to dinner.

After hearing Princess Reneer's brief introduction, Barrett was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected this competent blue-haired swordsman to be the renowned Brain Unglaus.

Brain Unglaus, a genius swordsman on par with the former Kingdom's Warrior Captain Gazef, possessed exceptional martial skills and mastery of the sword. He had fought Gazef to a draw in the Kingdom's royal martial arts tournament and later sought thrills and the feeling of life-and-death combat by working as an adventurer and even joining mercenary groups.

Brain nodded politely to everyone and cast a curious glance at EeDeChi, who Princess Reneer mentioned had "single-handedly caught an enchanted arrow to save Climb."

He mentioned he hadn't eaten dinner yet and, upon Princess Reneer's consent, pulled out a chair beside Barrett and sat down. A servant promptly set utensils before him.

Barrett shifted aside to make room for Brain, who thanked him quietly. Barrett was somewhat astonished; this talented swordsman's demeanor was unexpectedly friendly, far from the arrogant and haughty description in rumors.

With another person added to the table, the banquet continued.

EeDeChi's behavior remained unchanged; she completely disregarded Princess Reneer's "princess" status. She drank and ate heartily, chatting with Reneer about how Count Kurar, with his fat pig physique, bullied the poor and beggars. Upon seeing Princess Reneer, he acted panicked and fled in a hurry.

Speaking of joy, she even went so far as to slap Princess Renner's back with the force one might use with a pair of good buddies. Princess Reneer's slender body shook slightly under the impact, causing her wine glass to tremble.

Barrett signaled heavily to his captain, indicating she should rein it in a bit, but EeDeChi just looked at Barrett, blinked in confusion, and completely failed to grasp his meaning.

"My goodness, what a fool, why does the captain always manage to stir up so much trouble," sighed Barrett inwardly.

The newly seated Brain looked displeased. He couldn't stand EeDeChi's brazen and disrespectful demeanor towards the princess. Though he also worked under the princess, he was more akin to a guest invited by her, similar in status to the other adventurers invited to the feast.

After glaring at EeDeChi to no effect, Brain stood up abruptly, facing her with a stern tone:

"Ms. orichalcum-level adventurer, show some respect to the princess. If you're unaware of royal banquet etiquette, I suggest you return to the Adventurer's Guild tavern, consult with the receptionist, and then consider returning to this table."

"Oh?" EeDeChi set down her wine glass. "So, should I speak politely and perform some three-kneel-nine-kowtow ceremony?"

Princess Reneer, who had been smiling, fell silent. She cut a slice of cake with a silver knife and chewed slowly. As the host of the banquet, she showed no intention of intervening in the argument.

Brain shook his head. "You're too arrogant. Despite being orichalcum-level, I've encountered the three adamantite-level adventurers of our kingdom, none of whom are as self-important as you."

"Hmph." EeDeChi snorted dismissively.

Barrett, Sean, and Stella, as well as the usually lively Kuuderika and Ureirika, all stopped chewing. They sensed the tension simmering beneath the surface, akin to a powder keg ready to ignite.

Brain locked eyes with EeDeChi. "I've met three top-tier experts who I truly admire, possessing outstanding strength yet far more humility than you, an orichalcum-level adventurer."

"Is that so? Perhaps you've encountered too few true experts," EeDeChi shook his head.

"Heh, you know what? Back in my hometown, there's an old saying: 'A pig-man thinks his own face skin is the thickest armor in the world until he's pierced by a spear!'" Brain also shook his head and smiled, mimicking EeDeChi.

EeDeChi stood up, her gaze dark and intense. The atmosphere at the banquet became tense in an instant.

"What, you want to spar?" she challenged.

"Are you suggesting a duel?" Brain smiled faintly. "That suits me just fine. While I may not be considered a true strongman, showing you the threshold of strength will be quite satisfying."

EeDeChi said no more. Both participants pushed back their chairs, each grabbing their weapons, and moved to the open space beside the long table in the dining hall.