Claude threw his head back and laughed, his voice booming through the grand hall, echoing against the towering walls.
He hadn't expected Ezra's idea of "reclaiming his dignity" to mean exacting brutal vengeance upon his enemies.
But now that he had, Claude found himself thoroughly entertained.
"From this moment forward," Claude announced, his grin sharp, "House Algrin will return to the court."
The declaration sent a visible shockwave through the room.
Llyold, standing to Claude's right, stiffened. Meanwhile, William—who had been silent until now—snapped his head toward Claude, his mouth slightly open in disbelief.
"Your Majesty!" William hissed under his breath, leaning in. "Not now! This will cause an uproar!"
Claude merely shrugged, completely unfazed.
And as expected, the uproar came.
Eldrich, shaking with rage, rushed to Ezra's side and pointed an accusing finger at Claude, his voice a furious snarl.
"What do you mean by this, Your Majesty?! Is this what you've been planning all along? To use House Algrin to eliminate mine?!"
His glare then snapped toward Ezra, eyes burning with hatred. "And you, you treacherous scum! What is the meaning of this?! How dare you murder my kin?!"
Ezra turned his head to Eldrich, his violet eyes utterly devoid of warmth. His expression was a far cry from the weary, defeated man Claude had first met.
Now, his gaze was that of a man who had crawled back from the depths of disgrace, reforged in blood and vengeance.
"Why do you ask the obvious?" Ezra's voice was calm—too calm, calculated, cutting.
"Have you already forgotten who developed the medicine that my house funded?"
Eldrich flinched but quickly clenched his jaw.
Ezra continued, stepping forward, closing the distance between them. "There were three families involved."
"And I come here only after ensuring that each of them has paid for the atrocities they inflicted upon my House and the common folk."
"You!" Eldrich's voice was raw, his throat nearly hoarse from the force of his fury.
"That's nothing but a baseless accusation! The medicine failed because of your incompetence—because you refused to provide premium materials!"
Ezra didn't flinch. "The materials," he said smoothly, "were tampered with. Corrupted by the heads of the three families."
Eldrich opened his mouth, but no words came.
His mind whirled, grasping for a defense. He wanted to deny it, to call it slander, but deep down, the truth gnawed at him. He knew.
Yet knowing didn't matter.
His blood, his pride—they had been slaughtered in the most cruel and unjust way. Their dignity had been crushed, trampled underfoot like filth.
And Eldrich would not let that stand.
"Your Majesty!" Eldrich bellowed, his voice trembling with both rage and desperation.
"As a king, you must be fair and just! Punish this atrocity! The murder of noble house heads is no different from killing the house itself!"
His words echoed through the throne room, but before anyone could react, Ezra's voice cut through the air like a blade.
"He's right, Your Majesty."
The room fell into silence. All eyes turned toward Ezra as he straightened his posture and met Claude's gaze without hesitation.
"I stand for the Game of Honor."
A stunned gasp rippled through the court.
"What?!" Eldrich's face twisted in shock.
Claude shifted his attention to Llyold, arching a brow.
Llyold let out a slow breath before explaining, "The Game of Honor is a trial by combat exclusive to Honorable Houses and their branch families."
"If a perpetrator refuses a formal court trial, they may challenge a representative from the victim's house—the strongest member or knight—to a duel."
"This requires the approval of both Houses involved," William added, adjusting his glasses with a sharp glint in his eyes, "and, most importantly, the King's consent."
Claude barely needed a second to think.
"Hah, of course, I approve it."
He leaned back in his throne, resting his chin against his knuckles, a smirk curling his lips.
He wasn't interested in justice. He didn't care for fairness. But seeing two people try to kill each other in a brutal, bloody battle? Now that was entertaining.
The endless stacks of documents, the suffocating bureaucracy—this was the perfect way to break the monotony.
Eldrich, however, was far from amused.
"Your Majesty! This isn't fair!" He stepped forward, his voice rising in protest.
"Please reconsider! This is a grave crime and a stain upon the Honorable Houses and our kingdom!"
Claude tilted his head, his crimson eyes gleaming with mischief. "And?"
"Wouldn't this be the perfect opportunity for you, Eldrich? The honor of killing the man who disgraced your family, right in front of the entire kingdom? Or…" His smirk widened. "Are you afraid?"
"Of course not, Your Majesty!"
Eldrich shot back without hesitation, but the tension in his clenched jaw betrayed his true feelings.
Ezra was a three-star evolution—almost at four. He was leagues stronger.
Claude's smirk deepened. "Then why refuse? Your House is still standing. It is still recognized as an Honorable House, while Algrin has already fallen. You have the resources. You have the advantage, don't you?"
Eldrich's mouth snapped shut.
He couldn't deny it. He was being backed into a corner, forced to accept this fight whether he wanted to or not.
Just as he was about to speak, a firm hand gripped his shoulder.
"Father," a strong voice declared, "do not worry. I will be the one to avenge our family—to avenge my uncles. I will not allow anyone to trample on our honor!"
Eldrich turned his head to see his eldest son, Wren Olvon, standing tall with unshakable determination.
His eyes burned with pride, with fury, with the unrelenting belief that their House would emerge victorious.
Wren stepped forward and placed a hand over his chest. "Your Majesty, I am Wren Olvon. I will represent my House and avenge my family." His voice rang with conviction.
"May the calamity grant fairness to this battle, even if blood must be spilled to determine the true victor!"
Claude slowly rose from his throne, his smirk stretching into a wicked grin.
"Good," he said, his deep voice dripping with amusement.
"This is exactly what I expect from my loyal vassals—fearless warriors who stand with nothing but unshakable belief."
He turned to the court, raising his voice for all to hear.
"The Game of Honor will be held tomorrow in the Colosseum, for all to witness the power of the Honorable Houses!" His golden eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Let the strongest win. And may justice be served."