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nIn the midst of battle, Anna fought valiantly at the rear.

nWith her shield, she deflected an enemy soldier’s slashing attack, then, following up with a forceful shield bash, she destabilized the soldier’s balance.

nSeizing the opportunity, she swiftly ended his life with her single-handed sword.

nMargaret, on the battlefield, seemed to perform a dance of death.

nHer movements were ghostly, her presence spectral as she reaped the lives of enemy soldiers like a phantom of doom.

nResarite, caught in the thrill of battle, raised his sword and bellowed with exhilaration, “Forward! Charge, all of you!”

nSpotting an opportunity, an enemy soldier lunged at Resarite, only to be intercepted by Bosiden, who deflected the blade.

nResarite then quickly dispatched his would-be assailant.

nVettel and Alonso, too, were not to be outdone.

nThey engaged fiercely with the enemy soldiers, matching their ferocity and determination.

nPatch, witnessing the rapid collapse of his battle line, let out a heart-wrenching roar of fury, “Howard, you treacherous cur!”

nHoward, mounted on his horse and wielding a lance, called out to Patch, who was also on horseback at a moderate distance, “Let us duel, Patch. The loser shall submit to the victor’s will. What say you?”

nPatch, pondering Howard’s prowess in combat, hesitated in fear and retorted, “You sly rogue, you’ll just have someone shoot me with a cold arrow!”

nHoward, poised and confident, guided his steed to a nearby hillock.

nPulling the reins tightly, his horse reared up, its forelegs kicking the air, letting out a majestic neigh.

nPointing his lance towards Patch, Howard declared, “I would never resort to such tactics. Look at the state of the battle, Patch. Consider the disparity in our forces. Do you really have a choice? If you’re not a coward, come forth!”

nGritting his teeth, Patch steered his horse to the top of the hillock, facing Howard in a tense standoff.

nPatch and Howard engaged in a one-on-one martial display, their battle a dance of skill and bravery.

nThey locked eyes, gripping the reins tightly, their steeds gradually picking up speed.

nAlong the edge of the hillock, the horses quickened, moving swiftly to the left in what seemed like a mutual circling, but with each turn, the peril escalated.

nAs they drew closer, Patch, with his right hand, thrust his lance to the left, missing Howard by a hair’s breadth.

nHoward, with deft control, maneuvered his mount, narrowly evading Patch’s strike.

nHe then rapidly turned his horse to the left, lunging with his lance towards Patch.

nPatch raised his shield just in time, blocking Howard’s fierce jab.

nHoward then pulled back, creating some distance between them, evaluating the gap.

nFeeling the distance right, he urged his horse into a sprint – a knight’s charge!

nPatch’s eyes sparkled with determination as he, too, launched into a charge, his horse galloping towards Howard.

nA daunting knightly charge unfolded, the kind that could strike fear into the hearts of the bravest.

nThe victor would undoubtedly be the more superior combatant.

nDuring the charge, Patch’s gaze was fixed on Howard’s eyes, noticing the calmness within, a serenity that seemed out of place on the battlefield.

nHoward, on the other hand, kept his focus on Patch, his horse galloping forward, his lance gripped tightly, poised for a thunderous strike.

nPatch, sensing the adequate distance but not seeing Howard make a move, grew increasingly nervous and fearful.

nHe couldn’t decipher Howard’s strategy, finding him utterly inscrutable.

nStill, Howard did not strike.

nEventually, Patch could bear it no longer.

nThe psychological torment was unbearable.

nHe made his move, letting out a loud cry as he thrust his lance towards Howard.

nA sly curve formed at the corner of Howard’s mouth as he awaited Patch’s hasty strike.

nWith a swift pull of the reins, his horse came to an abrupt halt, causing Patch’s intended lance thrust to miss its mark.

nHoward then let out a fierce yell, his lance striking with precision, unseating Patch from his horse.

nIn the warfare of nobility, it was rare for a noble to be killed, primarily due to the thick and sturdy armor they adorned.

nThese armors were impervious to swords, spears, and lances, resulting in battles where enemy nobles were often captured or fled, but rarely did a noble die in combat.

nHoward, pointing his lance at Patch, proclaimed, “Patch, you have lost!”

nHoward’s soldiers triumphed over Patch’s army.

nAnna and Margaret, reaching the top of the hill, restrained Patch by placing their weapons against his neck.

nThus, Howard emerged victorious from the battle, seizing Knight Patch’s Kenfa Village.

nPatch, who had only Kenfa Village to his name, now found himself without a land, effectively stripped of his noble status.

nMargaret approached Howard, inquiring, “Lord Howard, what shall we do with Patch? He has lost his lands and is no longer a noble. No one would object if we were to execute him.”

nHoward, smiling, rode into Kenfa Village.

nRaising his hand, he casually remarked, “We shall decide on that matter later.”

nBosiden approached Margaret, signaling to take Patch to the prison, leaving his fate to be decided by Lord Howard at a later time.

nMargaret personally escorted Patch to the dungeon of Kenfa Village.

nTurning to Bosiden, she remarked, “Chancellor Bosiden, though you are not of noble birth, I still hold you in high regard. You instructed to imprison Patch here, and so I have. But this is the dungeon of Kenfa Village, Patch’s own dominion. Won’t the villagers possibly release him?” 𝑖.𝑐ℴ𝑚

nBosiden, with a smile, assured Margaret, “I appreciate your respect, Lady Margaret. Rest assured, the villagers will not free Patch. He has been brutal to them, and they would rather see him dead than liberated.”

nSatisfied, Margaret left to meet with Howard.

nIn the lord’s hall of Kenfa Village, Howard hosted a modest banquet.

nBeer and cheese graced the table, as those who had proven their mettle in battle gathered to revel in their victory.

nAnna, holding a cup of beer, took a delicate sip, only to be teased by Howard who had just arrived, “Anna, do you even know how to drink beer? This isn’t wine. Who sips beer like that?”

nFlustered and blushing, Anna stomped her foot, retorting, “What’s wrong with that? I like to savor it, none of your business!”

nShe quickly scurried away before Howard could reply.

nVettel approached Howard, proudly declaring, “My lord, I slew two enemies on the battlefield earlier!”

nHoward encouraged him, “Well done, keep up the good work.”

nAlonso then came forward, saying, “My lord, I too made an effort.

nI killed two enemies myself, staining my clothes red with their blood.” .

nHoward, with a smile, responded, “Ah, excellent, you too have shown great bravery.”

nResarite, with a laugh, addressed Howard, “My lord, with the addition of Kenfa Village, we now possess four villages. Under Baron Fernsouth, we are the most powerful vassals!”

nHoward praised Resarite, “I’m delighted, Resarite. You are brave and wise. When I become a baron, I will knight you and grant you fertile land as a reward.”

nThe crowd erupted in cheers.

nThe smile on Resarite’s face deepened as he proposed to Howard, “My lord, we should capitalize on this victory and continue to expand our territory by challenging other vassals.”

nHoward responded, “Good, I look forward to your continued excellence.”

nMargaret entered the banquet hall, and Howard beckoned her to join the crowd, lavishly praising her valiant performance on the battlefield.

n“Some of you might not have witnessed it,” Howard announced, “but my squire Margaret was truly formidable in battle.”

nThe crowd gave Margaret a resounding round of applause, causing her to blush with embarrassment.

nHolding her cup of wine, she glanced shyly at the ground, her shoulders gently swaying, the very picture of a bashful woman.

nAs the banquet stretched into the night, many lay inebriated.

nHoward instructed the maids to take good care of them before he made his way to the dungeon to see Patch.

nPatch, both hungry and furious, lunged at the sight of Howard, desperately reaching through the bars, trying to clutch at Howard’s throat.

nHoward’s eyes turned icy at this display.

nHe had intended to have a proper conversation with Patch, but seeing Patch’s demeanor, he now felt less inclined to engage.

nPatch, seething with anger, hissed at Howard, “I wish I could tear your flesh and skin you alive!”

nHoward replied calmly, “The battle is over, and the news has already spread throughout Baron Fernsouth’s territory. No one will recognize you as a noble anymore.”

nThis only increased Patch’s agitation, his hands stretching out desperately, trying to grasp Howard’s throat.

nHoward, revealing his sword, spoke without a trace of personal emotion, “Patch, if you wish to die, I can grant that right now. But if you wish to live, you will have to listen to me.”

nPatch, recalling their duel on the battlefield, collapsed to the ground, his eyes vacant and despairing, and murmured, “What do you want me to do?”

nHoward smiled slightly, “That’s more like it. Listen closely.”

nThe next day, while others were still asleep, Patch stealthily left Kenfa Village alone, his path leading towards Knight Zoron’s village.

nOn the fourth day, Knight Zoron, puzzled, received Patch.

n“Why are you here, Patch? And weren’t you defeated and imprisoned? How did you end up here?” he inquired.

nPatch responded, “Howard let me go, on the condition that I persuade you to submit to him. But he’s a fool! Not only will I not urge you to submit to Howard, but I also advise you to declare war against him!”

n𝘪𝑎.𝘤𝑜𝑚

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