Chapter 146: Leaving
The vast square fell into an eerie silence, with only Duane’s words echoing in the night wind.
Hitting the bullseye with all six arrows was rare, but not unheard of.
But to fire six arrows in under ten seconds—and the last three in the scant three seconds between leaping up and landing—was something else entirely.
At least, none of them had ever seen or heard of anyone capable of such a feat.
The feat seemed so incredible that the guests who had witnessed the entire thing were left completely stunned.
Natalia raised a hand to cover her mouth, but a soft gasp escaped nonetheless.
It had all happened so fast, and it was so incredibly cool.
Duane had given her far too many surprises and shocks tonight.
It was hard to imagine that all the rumors about such an exceptional man could be negative.
"Let’s go, Natalia."
Duane called out to her. Now that it had come to this, there was no need for him to remain.
"Oh, right!"
Natalia snapped out of her surprise and trotted to Duane’s side. Together, they prepared to leave the manor.
Only then did Elwin, still on the stage, tear his stunned gaze away from the target and fix it on Duane.
The memory of Duane’s words, his condescending tone, and his dismissive attitude instantly incinerated the positive image Elwin had worked so hard to maintain.
Elwin could no longer conceal his fury. "Duane! You think you can just walk away after offending me?"
He snatched the Longsword from the stage, and his surging Fighting Qi condensed into an immense Fighting Qi Longsword, which he then slashed out with ferocious power.
The Combat Technique stirred up a violent gale, causing the faces of those nearby to pale. This was no longer a spar or a friendly duel.
Duane grunted, his face cold. He was about to neutralize the attack himself, but Natalia beat him to it.
Instead of using Magic, she pulled out a Scroll and quickly unfurled it.
Amidst a violent surge of Magic Power, red sigils flared to life on the Scroll, and a massive fireball, two meters in diameter, shot forth with a roar.
Standing so close, Duane felt the fireball’s immense heat; for a moment, it was as if he were suspended over molten lava.
WHOOSH—BOOM!
The fireball and the Sword Aura collided violently, and the very ground shook!
Chaotic Extraordinary Energy erupted, and a massive shockwave blasted out from the epicenter, its raw force knocking over and blowing away the guests who couldn’t react in time.
"Young Master, watch out!"
Several guards darted in front of Elwin to shield him, bracing against the shockwave.
Duane, meanwhile, shielded Natalia from the gale.
When the chaos subsided, the once-tidy and lively courtyard was a complete wreck. Many guests lay moaning on the ground, and some of the elegantly dressed noblewomen were now disheveled and utterly wretched.
Just then, the Kennedy Clan’s Guard, who had been stationed outside the courtyard, rushed in and surrounded Natalia.
Michele and Benur stood nervously by Duane’s side.
’Wasn’t this supposed to be a party? How did a fight break out?’
"My lady, are you all right?"
Eleanor asked anxiously.
Natalia shook her head to show she was unharmed, then turned a cold gaze upon the instigator on the stage.
"Elwin, don’t you forget that Duane is not only my friend, but also a Baron of the Kingdom."
"He came to your birthday party at my invitation and with your consent. Now you try to kill your own guest? Is this how the Calvin Clan conducts itself?"
Her tone was ice-cold, yet brimming with confidence.
"Let me tell you, your actions have violated the laws of the Kingdom. Duane and I can, right now, file an accusation against you and the Calvin Clan with the Grant Province’s Noble Court!"
Elwin’s face paled. "Natalia, you..."
He wanted to curse her out, but could only grit his teeth and swallow his anger.
She was right. His actions had been completely out of line.
If this actually went before the Noble Court, it would be extremely disadvantageous for him.
After all, the highest authority presiding over the Grant Province’s Noble Court was none other than Natalia’s father, Count Kais.
"Young Master, this cannot be allowed to continue."
His Guard Knight whispered at his side, "Otherwise, Lord Viscount himself will have to step in and clean this up."
Elwin’s fists clenched and unclenched, then clenched again. Finally, with a cold expression, he said, "Then please forgive me for not insisting you stay!"
And so, escorted by the Kennedy Clan’s Guard, Duane and Natalia left the manor, boarded their carriage, and set off toward Silver Scale Port under the cover of night.
They had originally planned to stay the night, but who could have expected such an incident?
"I’m sorry, Duane. I’ve caused you trouble."
Natalia was riding in the same carriage as Duane, chaperoned by Eleanor.
Her eyes were full of apology. "I shouldn’t have invited you."
"There’s no need to apologize. This wasn’t your fault."
Duane smiled, signaling for her not to feel guilty. "Elwin started all of this."
Natalia’s expression darkened. "Because he’s the only son of the Calvin Family, he’s been valued and spoiled by everyone. As a result, he appears humble and courteous on the surface, but in reality, he’s narrow-minded and a show-off."
Understanding dawned on Duane.
’Stealing his thunder with the painting must have been part of it,’ he thought.
Natalia voiced her concerns.
Although Duane was incredibly capable for his age, offending Elwin was the same as offending the entire Calvin Clan.
If the Calvin Clan decided to target him, he would likely face major trouble in the future.
Duane, however, wasn’t too worried. If they wanted to threaten his life, they would need to send two whole regiments to Black Forest Island.
But obviously, they would never do so openly.
As far as Duane was concerned, as long as his life wasn’t on the line, everything else was manageable.
Worst-case scenario, he could just hole up on Black Forest Island and re-emerge once he was strong enough.
"The Calvin Clan..."
Duane murmured the name softly.
He could tell from Natalia’s attitude that the Kennedy and Calvin Clans were not on good terms.
The Calvin Clan’s entire foundation rested on the Fire Source Beast Bone Soup produced in their Secret Realm.
If Duane were to reveal the recipe for an improved version of the Fire Source Beast Bone Soup to Count Kais, the Count would likely be more than happy to undermine the Calvin Clan’s market.
After all, the improved recipe wasn’t limited by the number of Fire Source Beasts, meaning its market potential was far greater.
"Don’t worry about me. Get some rest, Natalia."
Duane smiled and gave a small bow before leaving the carriage.
Although he wasn’t alone with Natalia thanks to Eleanor’s presence, it was still improper for him to remain with her for too long.
After all, unmarried noblewomen were very particular about such matters, especially one of Natalia’s unique standing.
Haaaah...
Natalia seemed exhausted. She sighed and leaned back against the soft cushions.
"My lady, what on earth just happened?" Eleanor finally asked.
Natalia gave her a brief account, her mood clearly soured.
Eleanor analyzed the situation. "Elwin not only had someone provoke Duane, but he even stepped in himself. I suspect it wasn’t just because Duane stole his spotlight, but also because you and the Baron have grown closer."
Natalia hummed in acknowledgment. Of course, she knew that was part of it.
That Elwin still had designs on her, yet she couldn’t reject him outright.
She knew that if her family were to ever face a calamity, she would have a duty to step up.
Such was the fate of a nobleman’s daughter, even a genius Mage.
However...
She slowly unrolled the painted scroll. In the portrait, she was smiling happily, as if without a single care in the world.
"It’s beautiful!"
Eleanor was stunned. "I never imagined the Baron was such an exceptional artist!"
"He is!"
Natalia caressed her own image in the painting. ’Though the party ended on a sour note, it was still an unforgettable experience,’ she thought.