Chapter 17: Challenge to a Duel
Clame had a wide, bright smile on her face, her eyes practically sparkling as if she had been anticipating this exact encounter all afternoon.
She stood with a posture of effortless authority, watching the young man in front of her with genuine interest.
Terrence, on the other hand, stood completely still. His mind raced as he tried to process her sudden appearance in front of the Contribution Agency.
His heart hammered against his ribs in surprise, but beneath the shock, a sharp realization took root.
Clara.
It had to be connected to her recent purchase. Given the Lady Commander’s immense reputation, status, and deep pockets, there was only one reason a high-ranking figure like her would personally seek out a discarded commoner.
Clara also promised she wanted the rest of his A-Rank Guard Slimes.
Just thinking about the sheer amount of money he could make by selling all his remaining inventory made his soul practically leap out of his body. The financial freedom, the resources, the sheer security—it was all right within his reach. He pressed his lips together, forcing his face to remain a mask of calm composure.
Clame took a slow step forward, her sharp gaze sweeping over his posture, taking in every detail of his presence. She tilted her head slightly, her voice dropping into a conversational tone.
"I heard rumors that you didn’t awaken," Clame said, her eyes narrowing with playful curiosity. "But right now, I just saw you about to enter the Agency. Tell me... did you awaken?"
Terrence met her gaze directly, refusing to look away or show any sign of weakness. He took a steady breath, keeping his voice firm despite the adrenaline surging through his veins.
"Yes, that’s true, my lady. I have."
Clame’s smile didn’t flicker, nor did her expression shift into shock.
To someone of her stature, the reveal made total sense. In this world, it was practically unheard of for a human to never awaken at all. There were occasional cases of delayed awakenings—some late bloomers awakened a month or two after their sixteenth birthday—but no one in recorded history had ever lived an entire lifespan completely unawakened.
That underlying truth gave Clame all the assurance she needed. Late bloomer or not, it didn’t matter. The fact that he possessed the ability to supply or summon such absurdly powerful slimes meant his potential was real. He was a valuable asset—one that could fit perfectly into her grander plans.
"Do not believe him!" a sharp, bitter voice barked, cutting through the heavy air.
Lucas stepped forcefully between them, his face pale with sudden rage. He stood with his chest heaving, his eyes glaring daggers at Terrence as if his very existence was an insult.
The intrusion instantly killed the pleasant atmosphere. Clame’s smile vanished. Her posture stiffened, and her calm, clear eyes shifted slowly toward the intruder.
She didn’t throw a fit or shout, but the air surrounding her grew noticeably colder, dropping the temperature of the street in a fraction of a second.
"Would you mind?" Clame said softly. Her tone was smooth, perfectly polite on the surface, yet it carried a suffocating weight that pressed down on the pavement.
"I am having a conversation with Terrence here."
Lucas swallowed hard, a dry lump forming in his throat. The sheer, crushing pressure radiating from the Lady Commander hit him like a physical blow. His skin prickled with cold sweat, and his instincts screamed at him to shut his mouth, drop his head, and back away immediately.
He was out of his depth, and he knew it. But the sheer humilation of being ignored—coupled with the overwhelming fear that Terrence was somehow climbing above him—pushed his mind over the edge.
Driven by a surge of desperate, foolish pride, Lucas blurted out the first thought that entered his chaotic mind.
"I want to challenge you in a duel!" Lucas yelled, his voice echoing off the surrounding buildings.
Terrence froze. He blinked once, then twice, looking at his brother as if Lucas had suddenly lost his sanity.
The sudden demand was so out of left field that Terrence couldn’t even process the words at first. A duel?
A duel was a tradition of close combat between tamers without the direct use of their beasts. Instead, they fought using Skill Share. In contrast, a beast duel was one where the beasts themselves fought.
By simply saying ’duel,’ it was obvious the former was implied.
"And why should I accept this duel?" Terrence asked, his brows furrowing as genuine confusion turned into sheer irritation. He crossed his arms over his chest, unimpressed.
Lucas tightened his bloodless fists at his sides, stepping forward to close the distance between them. He forced a look of absolute conviction onto his face, leaning heavily into his self-righteous stance.
"Let’s say... I will respect you and never bother you again if you win," Lucas said, his voice trembling slightly with intense emotion. "But if I win—and prove that you haven’t actually awakened—you will stop lying to people. You will pack your things and leave to live a quiet life."
Lucas stared at Terrence with fierce intensity. In his mind, there was no doubt. He was completely, utterly sure of his victory.
He had trained under the family’s finest tutors, awakened a high affinity, and stepped into the ranks of true combatants.
Terrence was still just the weak, helpless outcast who had been thrown away.
Assuming Lucas believed that Terrence had awaken, the amount of experience would be vast as plain. It was like fighting a sword with a knife.
Terrence stared back at him, the silence between them stretching long and heavy. He could see the desperation in Lucas’s eyes, the pathetic need to validate himself by dragging his brother back into the dirt.
Beside them, Clame didn’t say a word to interrupt. She simply folded her arms across her chest, her keen eyes darting between the two brothers.
A faint, amused light flickered in her gaze as she watched the bitter family drama unfold before her, silently waiting to see how Terrence would respond to the sudden challenge.