Our Family Has Fallen

The Baron surveyed the scene. The battlefield had gradually quieted. All the Knights of Bastia had fallen; only wails and moans echoed in his ears.

The soldiers were the ones still standing. They hadn’t calmed down from the recent combat, their faces still alight with frenzy, their fiery eyes fixed in his direction.

Reynard alone could match him blow for blow. If these soldiers were to attack, a single volley would be enough to kill him.

But the Baron didn’t care. His gaze lingered on Alvin, who lay on the ground, unmoving, and he couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh.

Defeated…

Who would have thought that their fully armed Knights of Bastia would lose to the soldiers of a declining Lord?

It was simply a joke, and a tremendous disgrace.

Before the battle, they had spoken boldly, but then they were beaten into incoherence. What sort of magic did this land possess?

”This isn’t your fight! Hurry up and tend to the wounded, clean up the battlefield! Do I really need to instruct you on this?” Reynard’s voice passed through his helmet. He was unwilling to let the soldiers interfere in their battle.

That was a Knight’s respect for another Knight.

The Baron also came back to his senses. I haven’t lost yet!

Because my fight isn’t over.

The Baron turned his focus back to Reynard, sensing the other’s attitude. Though they hadn’t communicated directly, they understood each other’s intentions. Their only connection had been this battle.

Sometimes, the feelings between men can be quite simple.

Just now, he had indeed been distracted by Alvin and the unfolding battle. But now, he could finally set aside all that and engage in a true fight between Knights.

”I am Baron Lawrence.” The Baron, not rushing to fight, assumed a noble’s pose, Longsword held before him. ”It is an honor to cross swords with you.”

”Hmph! Words are useless. Hamlet welcomes no invaders.”

Reynard should, in theory, as a Knight, have responded with his own name and then engaged in a knightly duel.

However, Reynard did not show him a friendly face. It wasn’t because he was ignorant of such courtesies, but because respect did not equate to politeness.

Additionally, having followed his Lord, he increasingly disregarded these token gestures of ’face’.

Anyone who dared covet Hamlet was his enemy. Not to mention these fiends who dared target My Lord—they deserved death!

Lawrence could only offer a wry smile at Reynard’s attitude. Indeed, he was the invader, now brought so low.

Feeling his body recover from the earlier battle, his sword-holding fingers involuntarily relaxed, then instantly tightened as he charged forward.

”For the honor of Knights!”

Lawrence, all burdens cast aside, unleashed unprecedented strength. Holding nothing back, his Longsword became a blur of ferocious attacks.

”Hamlet Must Win!” Reynard roared, equally unyielding, as he swung his Longsword, and the two clashed once again.

Duel!

Kill!

The battle that erupted between them was even more intense than before. In a short time, Reynard was struck twice by the Longsword. Fortunately, his armor was of good quality and deflected the blows.

But the Baron was not faring well either. He too had been struck several times by Reynard, dents appearing on his armor.

Yet both seemed unaffected and continued to hack away. The fight was like two tin cans clashing. It would only end when one combatant was exhausted, or one’s armor was pried open; otherwise, the battle would not cease.

This was why Reynard didn’t want ordinary soldiers involved. Not only could they not keep up, but they might also disrupt his rhythm. Furthermore, for anyone without full armor to step in would surely mean losing limbs.

If they were to fire, their unstable trajectories could easily endanger him as well.

As they exchanged another flurry of blows, Reynard did not take the chance to pull away. Instead, he grabbed the Sword Blade with his hand, aiming to thrust the sword tip through a seam in the Baron’s helmet.

This move was very effective against heavily armored enemies, aiming for gaps such as the armpits, neck, or visor. A successful penetration could cause serious damage and grant a decisive advantage.

Many Knights, therefore, wore a Robe over their armor to cover these gaps. Reynard himself had previously worn one emblazoned with the Church’s large cross, but he no longer did.

However, the Baron was no novice. How could he not know how to open a ’tin can’?

He hastily raised his sword to block and simultaneously kicked out, attempting to force Reynard back.

But the situation wasn’t so simple. At that moment, Reynard surprisingly released his grip on the hilt. Gripping the blade with both hands as if swinging a baseball bat, he flipped the sword around.

The protruding sword guard struck the helmet heavily, denting it, and the Baron’s head was violently knocked aside.

Yes, it was a feint to deceive his opponent into making a move! This technique used the sword’s guard like the tip of a war hammer, but it required considerable skill. Most wouldn’t dare use it so casually, as the Sword Blade could easily slash their own palms.

But at the same instant, the Baron’s kick landed. Reynard’s abdomen suffered a heavy blow, forcing him to retreat and denying the Baron a chance to press the attack.

The series of explosive exchanges and the intense life-and-death struggle had worn both combatants down. After disengaging, they both took a moment to catch their breath.

Reynard grasped the sword hilt once again, his heavy breathing audible through his helmet.

The impact to his abdomen slowly subsided. His other hand instinctively felt the dent in his armor.