The King's delight was palpable as he slumped back on his throne.
"You call for the Rite of Challenge, do you perhaps not know what you have just said, Young Jun?" He asked with an amused tone in his voice.
Well, it was expected; after all, the Rite of Challenge wasn't used much in society because of the unfairness of the odds.
Raph knew this, and he still chose to do it for mostly one reason.
'I already have a challenger within the King's throne room, and quite frankly, I can't wait to sink my sword in his ugly face'. He thought when he glanced at Dugu Jafar, only to find the man glaring at him.
To others, it might seem like Raph was just trying to prolong the inevitable, but for people like Dugu Jafar, who despised the uncertainties that may occur with time, it was rather annoying.
Knowing this, Raph's lips vividly curled into a smirk as he looked away, and this caused a fire-burning rage to grow in intensity within the heart of Dugu.
Other than Dugu, his sisters were staring at him, and their worry was palpable, but he couldn't mind it now; it was only right they worried.
The Rite of Challenge was an old custom where a Knight, apprentice Knight, or a member of a Knight household called for, when they felt unjustly accused or justly accused but wanted to find a way out of it.
It was rather simple, the King chooses his Champion, and a duel to the death begins. Whoever wins gets three of their wishes granted, and it is a rule that still stands to date.
The King tapped his chin for a few seconds, his sons slowly turning up to him at the same time.
"Your Highness, I ask that you leave this to me. I have a much spectacular Champion" Julian said, with a grin on his face.
'Like father like son,' Raph thought, but Thylan spoke up next.
"I'm against it. That man has not become a knight yet. Let me use my champion, Father. A swift death shall be guaranteed". Thylan said, but alas, both failed to realize what their Father was troubled by.
It wasn't like he didn't have his Champions. What mattered at the end of the day was that it was a duel to the death. Meaning if Raph were to lose, and he would most likely will, according to the King, then he would die regardless.
Did he really want that? The same boy that he needed alive to serve him, and then his son?
"Hah, you've made this particularly difficult, Young Jun," The King said, but his smirk never left his face. 'Better dead than against the throne' He thought.
"The princes shall not speak unless spoken to," He said, and his two sons flinched as they turned away from the King's gaze.
He rose from his throne, and with him, the nobles as well.
Their bodies tensed as they did so, and a palpable excitement brewed in the air.
"I shall call forth my champion," The King said, but Raph already knew his champion. Why? Because he would offer himself up.
"Your Highness!" Dugu Jafar screamed as he turned towards the King and knelt, bowing his head until he broke through the ceramic stairs. "Let me, Your Highness!" He said, determination in his voice and a burning will in his eyes.
The King was taken aback by his reaction. 'Oh, is this the first time he's asking for something selfish?'. He thought, his amusement palpable.
There was nothing to fear. Dugu Jafar was a level 100 Dragon Knight and although elderly in age, his will for battle was never put off.
"Alright. I hereby pronounce the Rite of Challenge between the Challenger, Raffaelo Jun, and the Challenged, Dugu Jafar!".
He turned around, causing his regal red cape to swirl in the air as he walked away, his footsteps heavy.
The princes followed immediately as Dugu Jafar slowly stood up, his eyes burning with intent as he turned toward Raph.
"You have called for death, boy. I only hope you dance to his tune".
He walked away, and with him, the nobles as well. Those who wished to watch the match themselves.
As they left, Raph withdrew his sword and slowly turned around to face his sisters.
'Hah….shit, they look pissed'.
He thought, scratching the back of his head.
After what seemed like an eternity, which was just about five seconds or less, Gloria spoke up first with a heavy sigh.
"You do things without even letting us in, Raph. We are your family for Damn sake" She rubbed her temples as Fiona turned towards her side and summoned a portal.
"It's not too late, let's flee like Morganna said," She said to her sisters, and they all turned towards her, nodding their heads in agreement.
Raph stood, his eyes widened, and his heart full.
"You guys…." He said, a smile forming, as they turned towards him.
"We don't have to do that Raph. You think we'll let you walk into death or something?" Thalia asked, walking towards him and grabbing him by the ear. "Your sisters will take care of the rest; you must flee now."
Raph found this rather amusing, as he slowly held her hand, and it was then that he felt it, the fear that they hid so perfectly well.
'Her arms are shaking'. He thought, his eyes widening even more.
Even in his past life, his sisters loved him. They cherished him so much that they didn't care how much they spoiled him, or how badly he ended up.
They never blamed him for his wrong actions, or his weak nature, No. They genuinely loved him, and they continued to do so in any alternative life.
"You girls" Raph laughed out loud, unable to hold his emotions from surfacing as a smile formed, and his moon orb eyes shimmered.
"I'll be fine. He's just a level 100, there isn't anything he can do to win against me".
His sisters stared at him, their worry palpable.
"Why didn't you let us know you were going to call for it?" Fiona asked.
"No, No, that's not it. Why didn't you entrust something to your sisters?!" Rebecca asked, her worry most palpable.
"The King is trying to take over our family. Do you think he would let you win?" Morganna asked, her expression blank, but her gaze couldn't hide the worry from within.
"You can not continue to face challenges on your own, Raph. That is why we are here. We are your sisters. We are family. You let us know beforehand if you're going to do something dangerous" Gloria said, her tone shaky from the series of events.
"Sisters…." Raph sighed. "Can you imagine a mage stronger than Fiona, Rebecca, or Gloria? What about Morganna and Thalia? I'm sorry, girls, but if one of you had done so, then it's either the King calls forth the Rite to Supremacy and annuls it, or he calls a champion strong enough to kill either of them".
His sisters winced at his logic, but they could not deny it. Gloria, Rebecca, and Fiona were currently the strongest of the Jun household, and the King would never accept a challenge from people he thought he would lose to, while Rebecca and Thalia, their weakest, would most likely get killed in the most brutal way possible.
Raph was right not to tell them, and call for it himself.
He turned around towards the Courtyard.
"Do not fear, sisters, I am a Jun. I may be a Master of the 8th star, but not even Grandmasters like Gloria and Fiona can touch my air without losing a hand or two".
His gaze turned to his sisters as his smile widened.