Chapter2-Got Magic-Banned

"William! You still have the nerve to call yourself the heir, hiding in the shadows like some filthy rat?" Alan's gaze cut through the crowd, his sword pointing straight at William. "If you're so confident, let's settle this in a one-on-one duel!"

William looked Alan over and sneered. "Fine! A duel to the death, no holding back!" 

"But not now—the patriarch is currently in seclusion. When he emerges in a month, we'll settle this once and for all."

"Deal!" Alan agreed without hesitation. After casting a glance at the wrecked Virtue Pavilion, he turned and left with Isabella.

As they left, the seneschal turned to William. "Alan has been fighting bloody battles for nearly a decade. He's no pushover in combat. Are you truly prepared for a death duel?"

A duel to the death, witnessed by the entire family, meant no quarter. This was the most severe method for noble houses to resolve irreconcilable disputes, one even the seneschal couldn't interfere with.