Capítulo 14: The Duel Initiator

"Not a chance!" Lilith snapped fiercely.

She reached out and pushed Leo away.

Leo raised his hands, smiled, turned around, and said, "Don't worry, I won't peek. After all, I've already seen what there is to see!"

Lilith, rummaging through her clothes, felt her eyes moisten with a deeper sense of humiliation.

She bit her lip, refusing to let the tears fall.

As she cursed Leo in her mind, she changed into her own clothes.

…

Leo chose not to venture deeper into the territory.

Despite there being ten pieces of hellstone left in the Infernal Marsh, delving further meant facing greater dangers.

Leo was not a man of greed; he planned to return when he was fully prepared to master the remaining hell magic.

Together with Lilith, he retraced their path and left the Infernal Marsh.

It took them two days to traverse the Sunset Forest, and soon, Leo's domain was in sight.

Seeing the familiar small town, even Leo felt as though he was awakening from a dream, a sense of post-disaster survival washing over him.

"My lord!" Spotting Leo, the steward immediately came out with a group of people to greet him.

"Oh! My dear friends, how I have missed this place! Never have I longed for you more than at this moment!" Leo exclaimed, raising his hands and expressing his emotions.

He gave his steward a hearty hug before striding towards his manor. Lilith followed behind Leo.

Unlike the warm reception Leo received, she attracted little attention.

However, she didn't mind these matters.

She was still absorbed in the hell magic she had acquired.

A mix of excitement, anxiety, and fear tangled in her heart.

With these complex emotions, she accompanied Leo back to the manor.

"Frett, has anything notable happened in town recently?" Leo asked, shrugging off his coat, and addressing his steward.

"Nothing at all, my lord. Everyone has been quite joyful lately, as we've acquired substantial assets," the steward replied with a smile.

"That's good to hear," Leo nodded.

He pulled out his purse and tossed a gold coin to Frett.

Generosity was not foreign to him, especially towards loyal servants.

"Praise be to the lord!" The steward caught the gold coin, his face lighting up with a radiant smile.

"Prepare a warm bath for me, and ask Lilith to join," Leo instructed.

"Right away, my lord," Frett responded promptly, nodding.

A smile crept onto Leo's face. He slowly rose and made his way to his bedroom.

Stripping off his clothes, he could smell the wild scent clinging to his skin, a scent that only the warmest pool water and the softest touch could cleanse.

Turning around, he saw the bathtub already filled with warm water.

Leo settled into the water, lifting his head to gaze at a silhouette behind the gauze curtain, "Why don't you come over?"

Behind the curtain, Lilith, now dressed as a maid, had a cold expression on her face.

After a moment's hesitation, she lifted the curtain and stood before Leo.

His gaze traveled from her head to toe, scrutinizing her body.

It was undeniable that since embarking on the path of a knight, Lilith's physique had improved, her legs becoming more toned and strong.

The Rose Knight magic had left its mark on her, rendering her skin even more porcelain-like, her allure more pronounced.

Her golden hair shimmered like sunlight, and her deep blue eyes were intoxicating.

"Does it have to be today?" Lilith frowned slightly, a sense of disgust evident in her tone.

Leo raised his hand, invoking the power of the elements, causing Lilith to involuntarily plunge into the pool.

He swiftly wrapped his arms around her waist, ignoring her struggles and kissed her fiercely.

A muffled groan escaped Lilith, her hands gripping Leo's back tightly.

Leo noticed the tears at the corner of her eyes, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"Get on top," he commanded in a hoarse voice, his gaze fixed on her.

Humiliation and even hatred filled Lilith's eyes.

She glared at Leo venomously and said, "Are you really not afraid that one day I might kill you?"

"Just do it," Leo insisted with an undeniable tone.

Tears slid down the corner of Lilith's eyes, and then she closed them.

Leo's lips curled slightly, holding her tender waist, savoring the softness of the moment.

Steam rose in the bath, the water rippling and undulating.

...

"My lord!" Suddenly, the steward's voice came from outside the door.

"What is it?" Leo frowned slightly, his impatience evident.

It was a critical moment, and Frett should not have disturbed him.

"Sir Lionel has arrived and presented a blood letter to you," the steward said with some unease.

At the mention of this, Leo froze.

He knew this Lionel, the son of a duke.

However, there was no known feud between them.

Why would he send a blood letter?

A blood letter, in the context of the continent's nobility, was a contract for a duel, drafted by the challenger and written in their own blood to signify their resolve.

If the challenged party deemed the reasons in the blood letter valid, a duel could proceed.

After the duel, regardless of life or death, neither party bore any responsibility.

As a prince of Lionara, theoretically, only heirs of a duke or higher rank could challenge Leo.

"You seem to be in trouble, my lord," Lilith said, sitting atop Leo, a cold smile on her face.

Leo looked at Lilith and smiled faintly: "I think I'll deal with you first."

With those words, he flipped over, pinning Lilith beneath him.

Frett, standing outside the door, couldn't help but blush despite being a middle-aged man of forty, overhearing the sounds from the room.

About ten minutes later, Leo finally emerged from the room.

He was dressed in a red velvet robe, his hair still damp, not at all appearing like someone about to face a challenge.

Lilith also stepped out, donning a somewhat loose men's long shirt, her cheeks slightly flushed and delicate, causing Frett to almost lose his composure.

"Where is he? Lead me to him," Leo nodded.

"Yes, my lord," Frett replied, leading the way.

As they walked, he cautioned Leo, "My lord, it seems he's specifically here to cause trouble. It would be unwise to accept this challenge."

"I think I'd like to meet him first," Leo said, a hint of a smile on his lips.

Soon, they arrived at the manor's front courtyard, where the challenger awaited.

Lionel stood there, clad in armor, his handsome face set with determination.

Upon seeing Leo, a look of undisguised disdain crossed his features.

Nonetheless, he bowed slightly, greeting, "Your Highness."

"You wish to challenge me to a duel?" Leo asked directly.

"Yes, I challenge you in my capacity as a duke's son! If I lose, you may take my life, but if you lose, I only ask that you relinquish your domain," Lionel declared, his tone righteous.

"And why is that?" Leo asked, shrugging, seemingly puzzled.

"Everyone in Lionara knows that the king's youngest prince is a scoundrel, guilty of countless misdeeds! Therefore, I believe you're unworthy of owning a domain," Lionel proclaimed loudly.

"I think it would be better for our country if you were to leave Lionara," he added.

Leo narrowed his eyes, observing Lionel with interest.

He didn't believe the reasons Lionel had given.

To take away his only domain and even drive him out of Lionara?

It seemed the challenger intended to utterly destroy him.

"Is it because of Rain? Horn? Or perhaps…" Leo began, smiling slightly.

Leo quickly noticed a fleeting evasion in Lionel's gaze, which only broadened the smile on his face. "Horn!" he swiftly concluded the real instigator.

Unexpectedly, his revered elder brother still hadn't given up on him.

This must be another test. Only, this time, it was more blatant, a straightforward and open stratagem.

Refusing Lionel's challenge would subject Leo to more disdain and belittlement.

His father certainly wouldn't defend him, leading to a complete loss of influence and an increasing number of people seeking to trouble him.

If he accepted the challenge, he would be playing into their hands, revealing some of his strengths at the very least.

"I do indeed admire Prince Horn for his service in defending our nation's borders, a truly great general! However, my challenge is not because of Prince Horn; I simply do not recognize your worthiness!" Lionel immediately shook his head in response.