Chapter 23: How Could I Have Broken the Law?

A bull... a bull...
It’s actually a minotaur!!!
The young man vaguely remembered the night before. The landlady had dressed to the nines, hiding shyly in her room, all to wait for an older bachelor named Evans. Back then, Ron could see two parts expectation, three parts worry, and five parts sweetness in her eyes. Regrettably, Mr. Evans never showed up, which led Ron to feel pessimistic about the romance. However, pessimism aside, the landlady and Mr. Evans were clearly fond of each other. Ron could even imagine the two lonely, middle-aged souls gazing at the twin moons, longing for one another in the quiet of the night.

But now, all of that had been ruined by this minotaur. In this moment, Ron, a true-love warrior, felt he had suffered severe psychological trauma. Damn it, all minotaurs deserve to die!

"You disgusting creature, Ms. Caroline is thirty years your senior! Take your filthy hands off her!"

Ron lunged from the crowd. With a flick of his wrist, he swept his longsword toward the hand the minotaur knight was using to grip the landlady. Although his opponent might be two ranks higher than him, a true-love warrior could not just stand by and watch. The blond knight was slightly startled, pulling his right hand back instantly as the chilling blade whistled past. He stepped back quickly, his smug expression turning into one of pure rage. After all, not everyone is brave enough to have their fetishes exposed.

"Enemy attack! Form ranks!"

In an instant, the dozen or so knights surrounding the apartment drew their silver longswords. They quickly widened the distance from Ron, pointing their blades directly at the youth. Faced with this tense, sword-drawn atmosphere, Ron merely shielded the landlady behind him, leaving only a resolute back exposed to the foe. He performed a flourish with his sword, pointed it at the accursed minotaur, and declared first:

"I challenge you to a duel!"

As the youth’s solemn words rang out, Morning Mist Alley fell into total silence. The landlady tugged repeatedly at Ron’s shoulder, signaling him not to be so reckless. A duel was a tradition passed down in the Kingdom of Oran, beloved by nobles and knights a thousand years ago. They believed it was one of the best ways to display personal valor and defend one's honor. As the Temple Knight Legion, which had existed for nearly a millennium, they naturally preserved this ancient tradition.

Hearing Ron’s words, the minotaur knight was taken aback. He had intended to label Ron a rebel and have him hacked to death by his men. He hadn't expected Ron to be so quick with his tongue. While he could choose not to honor the duel and have his men mince Ron into meat paste, that would mean his career as a Temple Knight would be over!

"Are you certain?" the blond knight asked in a low, dark voice.

"I am certain!"

"Because I cannot stand by and watch you do evil!"

Ron bit his lip, his handsome face full of determination. Seeing this, the blond knight felt a shiver, and he couldn't help but scoff aloud. How naive! How childish! Was that even something an adult should say?

"Once I accept this duel, you will die!" He bared his white, jagged teeth, his voice seemingly filled with boundless chill, hoping to scare Ron off. After all, what he loved most was seeing those who dared to provoke him tuck their tails and flee in shame.

However, the blond knight’s plan failed against a youth who frequently performed good deeds. Ron simply shook his head, his blue eyes lowered as if struggling, before his expression turned resolute once more.

"Death comes to us all; it may be as light as a feather or as heavy as Mount Tai."

"This is my home. I cannot let you trample upon it at will."

As he spoke, Ron held his sword upright, as if he had already prepared himself to face death.

*As light as a feather or as heavy as Mount Tai?* Wait, where is Mount Tai?

Ron’s composed speech completely stunned the entire crowd. Even the vile minotaur knight found his gaze growing dull. In that moment, he no longer thought Ron was naive or childish. The youth’s home was right behind him, and yet, facing the threat of death, he could stand his ground without changing his expression and utter such words of martyrdom. What noble knightly spirit!

At this moment, even though they were enemies, the minotaur knight could not help but feel a shred of admiration. Looking at the handsome youth’s resolute and courageous posture, he was suddenly reminded of the legends in the kingdom’s tales, where knights would cherish a mutual respect for their opponents. Faintly, the blond knight’s expression turned serious, his blood seemed to boil, and a fiery passion reignited within him.

"Very well, I, Fernando Upton, acknowledge you!" he shouted solemnly to Ron.

Fernando immediately waved his arm, signaling his subordinates to clear a space, then drew his own silver longsword and stepped toward Ron, one pace at a time.

"State your name, knight!"

He tapped his sword tip against Ron’s, signaling that the duel had been accepted. The golden-haired youth showed no fear, his tone calm:

"You may call me 'Gandalf'."

"Very well, Gandalf!"

"Though you shall die, I promise that your tale will be sung forever!"

Fernando struck his breastplate with a thud. What a sacred, fair, and blood-pumping duel this was! Suppressing his excitement, Fernando stopped three paces from Ron. He did not intend to ambush him. Instead, he generously warned Ron:

"The duel begins!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth, and just as he was about to raise his sword for a charge, he saw Ron stick his sword into the ground, press his right hand to his left chest, and bow 90 degrees in a standard salute.

This sight made Fernando feel even more agitated. Unable to contain his excitement, he also plunged his silver longsword into the ground and returned the exact same salute.

The next moment, while Fernando was still bent over, he saw a menacing, thick gun barrel pressed firmly against his forehead.

"..."

Cold sweat rolled down his head. He gritted his teeth, looking at Ron in disbelief. *You beast!*

"Despicable! Shameless!"

"You have insulted the honor of the duel!"

The scene before them left the once-fired-up knights stunned; they hadn't expected the seemingly harmless Ron to be so underhanded and rotten to the core. They shouted in anger, condemning the youth on moral grounds.

However, Ron did not intend to address these misunderstandings. After all, if not for the duel, he had no confidence in defeating a third-rank Temple Knight in broad daylight while outnumbered. But the knights showed no sign of stopping, and some even went so far as to threaten him:

"Hijacking a Temple Knight Captain in the middle of the street—you have some nerve!"

"Do you have any idea that this is illegal?"

Illegal?

Hearing this, Ron’s face darkened. He kept the gun barrel pressed against Fernando’s forehead, swept his gaze over the questioning knights, and asked shamelessly:

"Illegal? How am I breaking the law?"

"Is it illegal to duel?"

"Is it illegal to win?"

"Is it illegal to spare your captain’s life?"