Chapter 11

Androw's taunting words further infuriated the knight with the broken nose, who stepped forward, brandishing his sword, and angrily called Androw a "bastard." Unfazed, Androw stood his ground, his face devoid of any emotion. The knight lunged at him with his sword, but Androw swiftly sidestepped the attack, evading the blade's trajectory.

As the knight attempted a diagonal slash, Androw countered with his right-hand sword, blocking the attack, while he pointed the tip of his left-hand sword just an inch away from the knight's eyes. With a swift, unforeseen movement, Androw elbowed the knight's already injured nose once more, decisively defeating him. Looking at the other knights who had witnessed the duel, Androw commented, "It's quite pathetic for a knight to be defeated by a mere fool. I wonder who knighted them in the first place."

The new castle commander interjected, cautioning Androw against tarnishing the king's name with his disrespectful words. Androw turned to the commander and, while pointing a sword at him, firmly stated, "You shall address me as Lord Androw. I am not your dog to be addressed casually." These words further fueled the anger of the remaining knights, who had remained neutral, and infuriated the commander.

The commander, overcome by anger, drew his sword and moved toward Androw, as Androw had anticipated. They circled each other, seeking the right moment to strike with their swords. Androw advanced, launching an attack with his left sword. Although the commander skillfully evaded the strike, he did not foresee that it was a diversion. Androw seized the opportunity, closing the distance between them, and struck the commander's stomach with the pommel of his right hand sword. He then delivered a powerful kick to the commander's head using the joint of his right leg. The commander staggered backward from the impact, while Androw stood unfazed in his position.

It was at that moment that Rhaena arrived at the training ground, descending from the sky atop her dragon, Dreamfyre. The dragon's roar resonated through the area, causing the knights to retreat in fear. Rhaena's gaze fixed firmly on Androw, who stood there with two swords in hand. Androw met her stare, his face still void of any emotion. Rhaena ordered her knights without displaying any emotion herself, "Take him down.".

Rhaena's words had visibly angered Androw, his grip on his sword tightening. As a knight cautiously approached him, Androw raised his sword, a warning that he had no desire to further injure his pride. He wanted them to understand that he was no longer the same person they thought he was.

Rhaena was about to speak to Androw from her perch atop Dreamfyre when a defiant roar suddenly echoed through the area. Every eye, including Rhaena's, turned in the direction of the sound. Androw felt a surge of anger from Baal, an emotion he had come to recognize as an ally in this world that had been so alien to him. It filled him with a sense of camaraderie, and he no longer felt alone.

A dragon, born from green flame, emerged and let out a mighty roar as it landed near Androw, seemingly declaring, "Your enemy is my enemy." Androw's gaze shifted to Rhaena, a challenging expression on his face as he taunted her with the presence of his dragon. Rhaena, her eyes fixed on the dragon that was considered untamed and unapproachable, was left with complex emotions.

She had never truly believed Aerea's claim that Androw had tamed a dragon, especially one that ranked second only to Balerion in power. Baal growled at Dreamfyre, causing the latter to take a step back. In that moment, it became clear that a single word from Androw could unleash Baal to tear apart Rhaena, her dragon, and her men. Baal locked eyes with Androw, seeking his command.