Chapter 120: Dinner Before the Beating
Nessa led Arthur through the wide corridors of the main house to a comfortable room in the guest wing.
She placed his travel bag near the heavy oak wardrobe and pointed out the attached washroom. "Dinner will be served in the main dining room after you have had time to clean up, Mr. Vance."
Arthur walked toward the window. The room overlooked one of the smaller training yards within the compound. Despite the fading evening light, several younger martial artists were still actively practicing forms on the open mats below.
Nessa noticed him watching. "The main dojo becomes far more active whenever a competition approaches."
"Does Emily’s father personally train everyone down there?" Arthur asked.
"Master Thorne no longer handles every student," Nessa answered, smoothing her apron. "But he still appears in the yards whenever someone interesting enters the compound."
Arthur looked at her. "That sounded aimed at me."
Nessa maintained a perfectly professional expression. "I could not say, Mr. Vance."
She bowed her head slightly and left the room.
Arthur washed away the dust of the long journey, changed into the better clothes he had packed, and headed downstairs when a household servant arrived to call him for dinner.
Dinner was served in a comfortable, brightly lit room rather than a cavernous formal dining hall. The table was set for six: Gareth and Seraphina at the ends, with Emily and Arthur sitting across from Adrian and Kael.
The table was quiet for the first few moments as the meal began.
Then Kael abruptly set his fork down and looked across the table.
"So, Arthur. Do you still have that hobby?"
Arthur paused, his glass halfway to his mouth. "What hobby?"
"Stalking girls."
Arthur choked, coughing sharply into his napkin.
Seraphina gave Kael a sharp look. "Mind your manners."
"Emily told us he used to follow girls around the academy instead of training," Kael said, completely unrepentant.
"I did not describe it that way," Emily denied immediately.
"The meaning was obvious," Kael argued.
Arthur cleared his throat, recovering his breath. He looked across the table. "Do you always welcome guests like this?"
"You are the first man Emily has brought home," Kael pointed out. "I am still developing a method."
Emily kicked him sharply beneath the table. Kael flinched, his knee hitting the underside of the wood.
Seraphina did not raise her voice, but her tone cut through the noise instantly. "Stop it."
Adrian hid a smile behind his glass, while Gareth kept eating with the calm of a man who had clearly witnessed this exact argument many times before.
Once Arthur had recovered, Adrian looked up from his plate.
"From what we heard, you were weak and nearly useless at the beginning of the term," Adrian said, studying Arthur. "Now you clearly are not. What changed?"
Arthur gave the short, honest answer.
"I got tired of being pathetic."
Gareth paused, studied Arthur for a moment, and gave him a small nod.
Kael leaned forward again. "Did you stop chasing girls as well?"
"I stopped chasing the ones who were not interested," Arthur answered casually.
This time, Emily kicked Arthur beneath the table.
Seraphina set her glass down. "The next person who kicks someone will change seats."
For a moment, everyone returned to their food.
Kael looked interested. "Then the Death Knight story was true?"
"Mostly," Emily said. "The Crypts were supposed to be F-rank. The sealing ward broke, the dungeon rose to B-rank, and the Recall Bracelets failed. We ended up trapped with the Death Knight."
She took another bite before adding, "I broke its armour. Arthur killed it."
Gareth looked at his daughter. "Why did you listen to someone you disliked?"
"Because he knew what he was doing," Emily answered.
Gareth turned toward Arthur. "Did you expect to fight something that strong?"
"No. Things went wrong. We dealt with it."
Gareth gave a small nod and returned to his meal.
"And Grayroot?" Seraphina asked.
"That proved the Death Knight was not luck," Emily said. "The mission went wrong, and he was still the one who kept thinking."
Seraphina looked at Arthur. "Emily mentioned a Thorne freight seal on the contaminated crates. Why did you not suspect us?"
"Because the shipments did not match your operations," Arthur answered. "Someone was using the seal farther down the chain."
"I appreciate that you checked before accusing us," Seraphina said.
Gareth looked at Arthur. "Plans are useful. What happens when someone gets close enough to ruin them?"
"I fight," Arthur answered.
Gareth smiled. "Good. We will see that tomorrow."
Arthur glanced at Emily. She continued eating as though the conversation had nothing to do with her.
"You can test him tomorrow," Seraphina said. "For now, let our guest finish his dinner."
Emily reached for one of the serving dishes. "Good. That is enough discussion about the academy. Since all of you decided to hide the competition from me, you can at least tell me something useful."
She looked toward Adrian.
"Which outside competitors are actually worth taking seriously?"
"Corwin Vale," Adrian answered.
Corwin belonged to another wealthy merchant-martial clan. The Vales and the Thornes had competed for influence and tournament rankings for years, maintaining a steady rivalry rather than a bitter enmity.
"I will defeat Corwin this time," Kael stated with absolute confidence.
"Corwin defeated you twice," Adrian reminded him.
"One of those defeats should not count," Kael argued, gesturing with his fork. "The referee called the match too early."
"You only say that because you lost badly," Emily pointed out.
She let the familiar sibling argument fade before asking the more important question. "Why has the event attracted so much attention this year?"
Adrian took a folded competition notice from his jacket and passed it to Emily.
"The open-combat champion receives an Ironblood Refinement Elixir."
Emily read the prize section, then handed the notice to Arthur. He read it twice.
Arthur read the prize description twice. The elixir strengthened the body itself—muscles, bones, stamina, and recovery. His speed and reactions had improved far faster than his physical foundation.
It was exactly the kind of reward he needed.
"When does registration close?" Arthur asked.
"Tomorrow evening," Adrian answered. "But every entrant needs recognised sponsorship to compete."
"Kael and I are already registered through the main dojo," Adrian said. "Emily can still enter under it. You would need its approval."
Gareth looked at Arthur across the table.
"Impress me tomorrow, and I will sponsor you," Gareth offered.
Arthur didn’t hesitate. "I accept."
Seraphina looked at Arthur to clarify. "You do not need to defeat him, Arthur. He only needs to decide that you belong in the competition."
"Bring your normal equipment tomorrow," Gareth told him. "We will use practice versions where needed, but I want to see your actual fighting style."
"Can I watch?" Kael asked.
"You were clearly going to watch regardless," Gareth said dryly.
Kael accepted the accusation without shame, already looking far too excited about the beating scheduled for the next morning for anyone remotely sane.
Kael grinned. "I want to know whether he survives."
"He survived a Death Knight," Emily said.
"That creature was trying to kill him. Father will be trying to educate him."
Gareth looked pleased with that description.
Arthur picked up his glass. "I understand now why Emily warned me about this family."
"You have only met the polite version," Adrian said.
After dinner, Emily walked Arthur back toward the guest wing.
"Stalking girls," Arthur said as they walked down the quiet corridor. "That is what you told your family?"
"Your reputation was hardly a secret," Emily pointed out, unbothered.
She didn’t let the teasing linger. Her expression turned serious as they approached his door.
"My father is much faster than he looks," Emily warned him. "And he has years of military experience. You might surprise him once, but he adapts quickly."
"Any advice?" Arthur asked.
"Do not let him grab you."
"What happens if he does?"
"You hit the ground," Emily said flatly.
"And then?"
"He picks you up and does it again."
They reached Arthur’s door. He opened it and leaned against the frame.
Emily stepped back. "Rest."
"Are you worried?" Arthur asked.
"I am worried he will break something before the competition begins."
Arthur smiled. "So you care."
Emily rolled her brown eyes, told him to sleep, and walked away down the corridor.
Arthur entered his room and closed the door. He was still holding the competition notice Adrian had given him at the table.
He walked over to the window and read the prize section again.
Ironblood Refinement Elixir.
A sudden, heavy impact echoed from the distant main training hall, loud enough to make Arthur’s window tremble slightly in its frame.
Arthur paused. He opened his door, leaned out into the corridor, and called after Emily, who had just reached the stairs.
"Was that your father?" Arthur asked.
Emily looked back. "Yes."
Arthur stepped back into his room and closed the door. He looked down at the words Ironblood Refinement Elixir printed on the notice.
The prize was worth getting hit for.
Probably.