Knight Commander

The Valmont household was unlike other noble families when it came to military forces. While many great houses prided themselves on long-standing knightly traditions—raising and training warriors from noble bloodlines—Edric Valmont had no interest in such things. He was a businessman first and foremost, a man who saw the world in terms of profit and opportunity.

Rather than wasting resources on maintaining an expensive standing army, Edric built his forces through wealth and strategy. He hired his knights instead of raising them, gathering a force not just of noble-born warriors but also of former adventurers, mercenaries, and dungeon explorers—men and women hardened by real battles and survival in the harshest conditions. These weren't knights bound by honor and tradition but fighters who understood the value of strength and skill. They had no need for the idealistic chivalry of the royal court; what mattered was their ability to fight, defend, and win.

The Marquis' forces weren't just protectors of the household; they were a vital part of Valmont's wealth and success. Many of them had experience in dungeon raids, monster hunting, and artifact retrieval, making them perfect for guarding trade routes, escorting merchants, and securing valuable resources. They weren't just soldiers—they were investments. And Edric, being the businessman he was, knew exactly how to make those investments flourish.

To ensure discipline among such a diverse and unruly group, Edric appointed a leader—Gareth Godfrey, a former knight veteran as a commander. Though retired, Gareth was a man of sharp instincts and iron discipline, with experience in countless battles and wars. He was the perfect choice to keep Valmont's fighters in line. Under his leadership, the Valmont forces became more than just a collection of hired swords; they became an organized, well-equipped, and highly skilled army capable of holding their own against any noble force, should the need arise.

But Edric didn't just rely on his own forces. He forged strong ties with local guilds, investing in blacksmiths, miners, mages, and artisans to ensure his knights had access to the best weapons, armor, and magical artifacts. He even sponsored adventurers, offering them work and pay in exchange for their expertise. His wealth fueled the guilds, and in return, the guilds fueled his power.

.....

In the grand mansion of House Valmont, in the main training grounds were abuzz with anticipation. The usual drills had been halted, and the knights and guards who had been training now stood at the sidelines, watching with keen interest.

A duel was about to take place—between the second young master of the house, Eren Valmont, and the knight of House d'Armand.

News had traveled fast. When Eren and the others arrived at the training grounds this morning, accompanied by Head Butler Oswald, word spread like wildfire. The butler had formally requested the use of the grounds for the duel, making it an official matter.

Coincidentally, Gareth Godfrey, the knight-commander of House Valmont, had been present there, overseeing the training of new recruits cadets. When Oswald informed him of the situation, he immediately ordered the training area to be cleared, ensuring that nothing would obstruct the match. Now, all eyes were on Eren and Bolder as they walked toward the center of the field.

The hushed murmurs of the gathered knights and trainees cadets filled the air.

"Hey, who do you think will win?" one of the newly recruited cadets whispered to his comrade.

"Obviously is the knight. Who else do you think?" his friend replied without hesitation.

"Really? You sound so sure about that," another knight cadet chimed in, his tone skeptical.

"Why? Do you think the second young master has a chance?" the first cadet asked with a scoff.

"It's not that," the skeptical knight cadet replied, lowering his voice. "I just mean… this is the second young master we're talking about."

The other two fell silent, realization dawning on them.

Eren Valmont—the most favored son of the Marquis and Marchioness. The boy who had never needed to lift a finger for anything in his life because of his situation illness. Would he really allow a commoner knight to defeat him in a duel?

"Now that you mention it… you might be right," one of them muttered, shifting his gaze toward Eren.

The young master was casually swinging a wooden training sword in his hand, inspecting it with mild curiosity. His stance, the way he held the weapon—it was clear to everyone that he wasn't accustomed to handling a sword. He looked like someone experiencing it for the first time.

"Tch. Lucky rich brat," the second cadet knight muttered under his breath.

"Hey, lower your voice," his comrade warned. "The commander might hear you."

"Why? You think I'm afraid to badmouth him? Everyone talks behind his back—I'm not the only one—"

The young knight-in-training spoke boldly, but before he could continue, he suddenly felt an intense chill running down his spine. A heavy presence loomed over him from his left, forcing him to instinctively freeze mid-sentence.

A senior knight stood there, his sharp blue eyes locked onto him with an ice-cold glare. His arms were crossed over his broad chest, his entire demeanor exuding authority. That look alone was enough to silence not just him, but also the others standing nearby.

This knight was no ordinary soldier.

He was Leon—one of the strongest among the full knights ranks, a prodigy known for his exceptional swordsmanship. His light blue hair, combined with his piercing gaze, gave him a striking appearance, made even more imposing by the faded scar on his left cheek—a reminder of the battles he had fought and won. He was already close to being promoted to an elite knight, possibly even a captain.

"I advise you to keep your negative thoughts to yourself while you're in the Marquis' mansion," Leon said, his voice as cold as his gaze.

The knight cadet stiffened under the pressure. "Y-Yes, I'll keep that in mind, haha…" He laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head in an attempt to play it off.

His two companions—also felt the suffocating weight of Leon's gaze. Both of them wisely chose to keep their mouths shut, unwilling to risk drawing his attention.

Leon gaze shifted back the the center, he wasn't defending Eren because he respected him. In fact, he personally despised the second young master just as much as some people. Like many others, he saw Eren as nothing more than a spoiled noble who had never earned anything through his own efforts. To Leon, people like that were pathetic—hiding behind their family's influence instead of sharpening their own strength. He had no respect for them.

That being said, even if he disliked Eren, it didn't mean he approved of how the other knights behaved. They were supposed to be knights-in-training, yet here they were gossiping and acting like people in a tavern. If they wanted to badmouth a noble, they should outside.

Still, he already knew what had led to this upcoming duel. The entire household was buzzing with rumors—everyone from the servants to the knights had heard about it. Supposedly, the second young master and the young lady of House d'Armand had an intense argument, and Eren had ended up saying something that humiliated Lady Mereoleona. In response, her personal knight, Bolder, had challenged Eren to a duel to defend her honor. There was even gossip about the knight pointing his sword at the young master.

Leon didn't believe everything the rumors said, but one thing was certain—this duel was a terrible and stupid idea.

Challenging a noble's son, especially a weak one like Eren who had a dangerous condition because of his illness, which is something everyone in the mansion knows, is a reckless. Because even if Bolder won, he would never escape the consequences of humiliating the Marquis' son. Nobles weren't the type to let insults slide. No matter how strong a knight was, they were still servants in the eyes of the aristocracy.

And then, there was the matter of who would be overseeing the duel. Commander Gareth, a high-ranking knight commander would be acting as the referee. That alone ensured that nothing too serious would happen to Eren. On top of that, the ever-watchful head butler, Oswald, who is a level 5 Awakener was also present.

There was simply no way they would allow a lowly knight to disgrace the Marquis' household.

Leon's sharp eyes scanned the area, observing the key figures present. Gareth, standing tall with his arms behind his back, was watching the situation unfold with an unreadable expression. Next to him, he was talk with Oswald who stood with his usual calm, his aged yet sharp gaze never missing a detail.

Finally, Leon's gaze landed on Lady Mereoleona who as a little farther from them. Unlike the others present, she had a complicated expression on her face—her brows furrowed, arms crossed as if she was deep in thought.

.....

Some Minutes Ago

After Eren's unexpected declaration of accepting the Knight's duel—despite the knight has never request it in the first place—Mereoleona had immediately grabbed his wrist and pulled him away, leading him back to the guest room before anyone could stop them, just as everyone left the room.

As soon as they entered, she shut the door behind them with a loud thud, leaving the others outside in confusion, before turning around to face him.

Her amber eyes were filled with frustration as she glared at him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Eren simply tilted his head, smiling lazily.

"Didn't I just tell you? I'm giving your knight a chance to save his own head from separating from his shoulders."

"Don't lie to me," she snapped. "I can tell you're planning something. Maybe even humiliate him and even me and my family"

Eren rolled his eyes in annoyance but didn't argue. "Think what you want. I only plan to humiliate him, personally. Your reputation doesn't concern me, so don't worry."

Her expression remained skeptical, her gaze scrutinizing every inch of his face, searching for any signs of deception.

"And what makes you think I'd trust anything you say?"

Eren let out an exaggerated sigh, waving a hand dismissively.

"Bruh, girl. I might be lazy and irresponsible, but I don't lie about serious things."

Mereoleona scoffed. "You just lied about the duel."

Eren blinked, as if just remembering. He raised an eyebrow.

"…That was a white lie. I said it to save your boyfriend." He said stoically as he pushed the door to open.

Mereoleona's entire body stiffened. "Wha—?! He is NOT my boyfriend!" she shouted, her face turning bright red.

But before she could take back her words, Eren had already opened the door.

The hallway fell into a heavy silence.

The butler, the maids, the knights —everyone who had been waiting outside in the hall way had heard her outburst. Among them, Bolder, the very knight in question, stood frozen, his eyes wide in absolute shock.

Mereoleona froze. Realizing what she had just blurted out in front of everyone, her face turned bright red in embarrassment.

With her head lowered, she marched out of the room in silence, refusing to meet anyone's gaze as they all made their way to the training grounds.

...