章節 120: Start the trainning
"You don't have to be afraid. He won't attack you," Maxis said quickly after seeing Rafael's frantic reaction.
"You motherfucker! You lied to me!" Rafael's voice trembled with anger, his body tense like a cornered animal.
"Calm down, Mr. Rafael. I mean no harm to you. I'm loyal—"
"Fuck you!" Without hesitation, Rafael grabbed a knife from the table and pulled Ella toward the window, his grip tight on her hand.
"As I was saying," the man continued, unfazed, "I am loyal only to Sir Maxis." He pointed to the man still seated calmly, observing the scene as if it were just another meal.
"Rafael, stop! What are you doing?" Ella's voice was shaking, more from confusion than fear. She couldn't understand why he felt so threatened by this man. Does he really think he's in danger?
"Listen to him! He's not here to kill you!" Her words pierced through Rafael's panic, pulling him back from the edge. He looked at the man, who was now pulling out a chair and sitting down, as if this were nothing more than a casual meeting.
"I'll answer any questions you have. If it makes you feel safer, you can sit at the other end of the table," Eleanor said calmly, keeping his hands in plain sight.
After a few tense seconds, Ella gently guided Rafael back to the table, her hand still trembling slightly from the earlier scare.
"I'm glad you've recovered well, and I must also apologize for hurting you. But it was necessary," Eleanor said.
"Fuck you! What is this? Are you two mocking me?" Rafael slammed his fist onto the table, making the cutlery clatter.
"I assure you, Mr. Rafael, we are not mocking you. Eleanor is my right hand, and I called him here so you could meet your savior."
"Savior, my ass! You tried to kill me!" Rafael's anger was raw, his knuckles white from clenching his fists.
"No. Quite the contrary. I was the one who saved you—twice—from being chopped to bits by those soldiers."
"It was you who took me to the prison!" Rafael's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with suspicion.
"Yes, it was. But I had no choice. Count Edwin gave me a direct order, and I couldn't disobey him. Even if you ended up in the jail, you would've been rescued that same night."
Silence filled the room. Rafael's mind flashed back to the events of two days ago, and dammit, it made sense. He recalled how Eleanor had ordered the soldiers not to use their weapons and had pulled him back just before he would've been cut down. No... no, this... this can't be right.
"And I may have blown my cover when I shouted at the soldier who struck you. Even if I manage to talk my way out of it, suspicion will still linger."
Rafael recalled hearing that shout during the fight. I didn't think much of it at the time... but now...
"Do you understand now? If you have any questions, feel free to ask." Eleanor sat with his hands flat on the table, making no sudden movements.
"If you were going to help me, why the fuck didn't you tell me?! Now everyone is hunting me like an animal!" Rafael's frustration boiled over. He felt cornered, wronged, even if part of him knew it was a stupid question.
"It was impossible. Guards were everywhere. If they had seen us whispering, they'd have killed you on the spot."
"Thank you."
Everyone turned to look at Ella. Rafael couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Thank you for saving my husband," Ella said, her voice steady and filled with sincerity. "It's hard to find trustworthy people in these times. Sir Eleanor, Maxis—on behalf of Rafael, I want to thank you both for saving his life and protecting him from an entire city. We will repay this debt."
"Please, Miss Ella, there's no need to repay me. Friends help each other when they can," Eleanor replied humbly.
"Now," Maxis interjected, "we can either continue our conversation, or we can enjoy this delicious banquet before it cools down."
The meal was eaten in silence, tension thick in the air. Rafael kept his eyes darting between Eleanor and the door, his mind still running through possible escape routes, just in case. At one point, the silence was broken.
"Mr. Rafael... may I refer to you by just your name?" Eleanor asked. Rafael shot him a wary look but nodded.
"You seem to be slightly shorter and definitely skinnier than me, but during our fight, you hit me with kicks and punches that don't match your size. How are you so strong?"
Rafael gave him a hard, silent stare.
You think I'll tell you? You wouldn't even understand.
"It took me years of training to get to where I am. Even a knight doesn't train as hard as we do. We're the elite soldiers tasked with protecting the most important figures in the kingdom, so we must be the best. And still, you seem stronger than me."
"And since you're stronger and lighter, you're also faster—faster than me or any other warrior in the kingdom." Eleanor spoke with a tone of clear respect.
"But then," Eleanor leaned forward, "if you're stronger and faster, why did you lose to me and those soldiers?"
The question hung in the air, pulling Rafael out of his paranoid thoughts. Yeah... why did I lose? I remember him dodging and blocking my attacks before I even threw them.
"The answer is simple: training and technique. I dodged and blocked your strikes because, despite your strength, you have no fighting training. You lack technique."
Eleanor's words hit Rafael harder than any blow in their fight.
"Sir Maxis is interested in your intelligence, your genius," Eleanor continued. "But I'm interested in your potential as the strongest soldier alive—though you don't know it yet."
He paused for effect, letting the weight of his offer sink in.
"I'm willing to train you, to refine your raw talent and make you an unmatched fighter, not just in this kingdom but in the entire world. That, I can promise."
As the servants began to clear the table, all eyes were on Rafael. He had dropped the knife at some point, unnoticed by everyone but Ella, who watched him closely. She was scared for him, thankful for the man who saved him, and now proud after hearing Eleanor's praise.
But Rafael sat in silence, his mind churning with conflicting thoughts.
When they all assumed his silence meant refusal, Rafael finally spoke.
"Fine. I accept."
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票