Uninvited Guest 2
Shoulder-length wavy light brown hair. Thick, distinct features and sharp eyes gave him a refreshingly straightforward impression. He was a bit taller than Licht, and the muscles visible over his clothes suggested a well-trained knight. Dressed lightly in leather armor rather than silver plate, the Barbalte family crest etched on his chest drew the eye.
Bail Crane. A knight of the Barbalte family and the exclusive knight of the current eldest young master.
"Your face is so bright—it's hard to believe you're facing a duel with the eldest young master, Second Young Master."
He flashed a playful smile, not forgetting his polite address. His bright, unburdened laugh seemed to erase yesterday's events entirely.
No.
He's pretending.
The eyes were windows to the soul. They couldn't fool Licht's gaze.
Bail glanced around once before speaking. "So this is the annex? Took quite a bit of effort to find it. First time walking here myself, but with these overgrown weeds and the state of the exterior... how do you even sleep in a ruined place like this with no sign of life?"
Bail knew full well. This annex had been built personally by the family head, Abel, for Licht's mother, Lily. It might look like a dilapidated mansion to others, but to Licht, it was a place filled with precious memories. The reason for saying such things despite knowing that was obvious.
His intent was transparent.
Kicking lightly at a weed, Bail continued. "Still, it has its own charm. No people around, just bushes and trees. Feels like another world. So quiet—perfect for training, I'd think. How's the progress?"
"Progress?"
"The eldest young master has been quite busy lately. Yet here you are, lounging around right before the duel. Makes me curious. Got some hidden card up your sleeve?"
He stared directly into Licht's eyes.
Licht replied in a flat tone. "Sir Bail, we're not close enough to discuss such things privately. If there's nothing else, please leave."
"In a hurry, are we?"
Bail chuckled softly. Testing him, perhaps. His gaze scanned Licht from head to toe, like someone searching for something. But he couldn't know that Licht had just linked his two circles. Their levels were worlds apart.
Too much chit-chat.
Knights were proud creatures. Especially one who'd reached Sword Expert.
No way he'd washed away yesterday's grudge so cleanly. The way he was rambling—out of character for him—proved it.
"You seem a bit different... Am I imagining it?"
"Probably your imagination. More importantly, you said you had a message."
"Nothing major. Just a minor word from the lady of the house. But it's not ideal to say it here... Mind if I ask for a tour? Curious about the inside too."
Bail turned his head. His gaze fell on the mansion, its outer walls overgrown with vines. Sebrik and Lena were probably cleaning right now.
Licht rose slowly. "I have nothing special to offer. If that's alright."
"Don't worry about it. Not here for tea."
Licht headed inside with quick steps. Following behind, Bail muttered softly. "You have changed. Can tell just from your walk."
"Cut the nonsense."
"Heh... whatever you say. Everyone's got a secret or two."
Bail smirked ambiguously. Licht, leading the way, didn't see it.
They entered the mansion and climbed the stairs to the second floor in silence, arriving at their destination.
***
"This is...?"
"My room. This way."
A table by the bed. Licht sat first, and Bail followed.
From the moment he entered, Bail had been eyeing every corner of the room. With a puzzled look, he asked, "Why bring me here instead of the parlor?"
"It's not in good shape for guests. My apologies."
"No guests? Wasn't there someone here just recently? Are you playing dumb on purpose?"
"From my position, she wasn't a guest."
"Not a guest... You talk like she's some uninvited intruder."
Bail replied incredulously. No need to explain who that "guest" was.
I figured they'd make a move.
Even after linking her fifth circle, Aila had kept visiting the annex. Leaving the main house every morning—it would be weirder if no one noticed by now. Rumors must be spreading wildly: the Pavria family's second lady visiting the discarded second son, ignoring her fiancé Evan.
Sending a Sword Expert knight like Bail made it obvious. A blatant warning. The "message" was surely to cut ties with Aila.
But that's not all.
A brief silence fell.
Licht turned toward the door. As Bail followed his gaze, an elderly butler entered.
"Young master, I've brought the tea you requested."
"Good work."
"Tea...?"
Sebrik prepared it with practiced hands. Two cups were placed between Licht and Bail, filled with deeply brewed tea.
"What's this?"
"Monet flower petals. It has a distinct flavor—you'll like it, Sir Bail."
Bail lifted his cup and swirled it lightly. Ripples formed on the surface. Licht added sugar from a separate bowl.
"Even so, I couldn't just give a visitor water. It's my favorite."
"......"
"Give it a try. Or are you wary it might be poisoned?"
Stung by Licht's words, Bail's brow furrowed. After a moment's suspicion, he brought the cup to his lips.
"...Better than expected. Surprising. Never imagined it."
His expression softened. "Surprising" meant he hadn't thought a bastard son cast out by the family would enjoy tea.
Deliberately prodding.
Licht had infused the tea with mana—subtle enough to barely detect. Frost formed on the surface, tiny ice chunks floating lazily.
Amateur.
He hadn't noticed. Bail sipped silently. Even a top-tier Sword Expert would have caught it.
I've won.
Differences among Experts were vast. One freshly advanced and a peak Expert eyeing Swordmaster were as far apart as a Sword Runner and an entry-level Expert.
Bail wasn't a beginner Expert, but only slightly better. Far from seasoned, let alone peak. His position as Evan's exclusive knight came from reaching Expert at a young age of thirty and being the eldest son of the Crane family, loyal servants to the Barbaltes for generations.
Licht said, "Time to get to the point."
"......?"
"You said you had a message. From Lady Amella."
"Ah."
Perhaps enjoying the unexpectedly good tea, Bail realized belatedly and spoke. "As I said, nothing big. Just... the lady was displeased seeing you with the lady."
"Displeased?"
"She said don't meet the lady alone anymore. Very 'displeased'... Can't blame her. The lady is Pavria's second daughter and the eldest young master's fiancée. Worried about cheap rumors, it seems."
"Displeased that the rootless bastard is playing around with her."
"...You get it. After all, you're the son of a woman who barely qualifies as a concubine."
Sebrik's eyes widened in an instant. His clenched fist trembled. Lily was Licht's mother, but first and foremost, Sebrik's former lady. Hearing such vile insults spoken calmly in front of him must have been unbearable.
Bail glanced at Sebrik slyly and chuckled softly. Seeing that, Licht was certain.
He's deliberately picking a fight.
If it was just a message, he could've sent a servant. Sending an Expert knight meant...
They're after an excuse.
The shallow scheme was plain. Prod until he crosses the line, then seize the pretext for a duel. Yesterday's "mercy" was just luck—not a fair fight. Against an Expert knight like Bail, he'd have no chance. That woman was surely thinking the same, to prevent any chance of her son Evan losing.
Finishing his thoughts, Licht asked flatly, "Nothing else?"
His unexpected reaction twisted Bail's face slightly.
"No other words?"
"...None."
"Really?"
"What are you getting at?"
"I'm asking what that woman specifically ordered you to do, you mongrel."
The words spilled without hesitation. The atmosphere shifted in an instant. Bail's face fully contorted.
Licht ignored it. "I told you last time, didn't I? Too many mutts wagging their tails for scraps of power. Are you one of them?"
"...Second Young Master. You dare speak her name?"
"Your tone's changed. Wondered when you'd drop that flimsy mask. Must've itched to drop it."
A twisted sneer curled Licht's lips. Sebrik, caught off guard, panicked. His young master bantering crudely with Evan's exclusive knight—without knowing the full context, it was shocking.
"Walking around fine means it wasn't a big deal. Family reputation holding up? Losing to trash like me should've drawn dirty looks, but you strut around shamelessly. Guess I worried for nothing."
Now Bail's face flushed red with rage. Gnashing his teeth, he spat, "I don't know what trick you pulled, but a whore's spawn barely awakening aura at seventeen... Don't you know your place? Parading around with that pathetic aura is laughable."
"Pathetic aura? Something a mongrel like you could never catch up to in your life."
"You really think you can beat me?"
"They say a knight stripped of honor and pride might as well be dead. To me, you've been dead from the start."
"You bastard!"
Clatter!
He shot up violently, chair toppling backward. Face ready to explode. A knight through and through—insulted to his face about honor, he was primed to draw steel.
"Sir Bail!"
"Shut your mouth! A mere servant daring to yell at me? A mongrel's lackey?"
"......"
"Second Young Master! For insulting me, for slandering Lady Amella, you'll pay."
"Pay?"
"A duel. I, Bail Crane, challenge Licht Barbalte to a duel."
His hand emerged from his pocket, hurling a gauntlet onto Licht's shoulder.
Sebrik paled. Bail's hand brushed his sword belt.
"Afraid of my blade?"
"......"
"Cat got your tongue? Acted tough without knowing your place, now scared? Too late. Even if you're just trash from a whore's belly..."
"Bail Crane."
Licht cut him off. His small voice rang clear. An inexplicable aura of authority silenced Bail momentarily.
"I don't know what orders that woman gave a wretch like you."
Sebrik's worried gaze and Bail's furious one poured in. Setting down his empty teacup, Licht continued.
"Step outside. I'll show you the difference in our levels."