Chapter 468: Ronin's Opinion

Rhonin had originally intended to sit back and quietly enjoy the spectacle, waiting to see what conclusion the debate would finally yield, but he had not expected Bruno to shift the focus entirely onto him.

As for this matter, what opinion could Rhonin possibly have?

His stance was, without a doubt, to secure the title of Duke; this would not only allow him to complete two achievement quests back-to-back, but it would also multiply his sign-in rewards to five times their initial value!

As for the territory of Moonlight Valley, it mattered very little whether he received a bit more or a bit less.

"Since Your Majesty is asking, I shall speak plainly."

Rhonin did not bother to hide what he desired. "Duke Ference opposes this for no other reason than the belief that I am relatively young and have not yet amassed sufficient merits for the kingdom. Truth be told, given my Blazing Sun level strength, a grand war with the Kingdom of Tricia will soon be upon us, and earning merit will not be a difficult task for me at all."

He still possessed at least this much confidence.

"Baron Rhonin certainly possesses boundless confidence!"

Andrea spoke with a smile. "We have all heard rumors of your Blazing Sun level strength, yet none of us have ever witnessed it. Since we have this perfect opportunity today, why not demonstrate it before us?"

Rhonin bared his teeth in a sharp smile. "What is this? Does Duke Andrea wish to issue a challenge?"

If he could blunt Andrea’s arrogance right here and now, it would serve as an excellent way to vent some of the resentment on Rulance's behalf.

"Haha, I am but a mere Silver Moon Knight. I hardly possess the courage to challenge the might of a Blazing Sun Knight."

His tone shifted. "However, I did happen to hear that back in Moonlight Valley, you defeated the Crown Prince and several of his Meteor-level retainers with a single strike. If possible, I would very much like to witness that spectacular technique for myself."

Garrett's expression turned rather unsightly; he had not expected that particular past experience to be dragged out into the open.

"I think Duke Andrea is welcome to experience it," Garrett said with a faint, mocking smile. "Uncle Ference, if you are interested, you could join Andrea as well."

Rhonin was somewhat surprised. What had gotten into the Crown Prince that he was suddenly speaking on his behalf?

In this, Rhonin had misunderstood; Garrett disliked Andrea and Ference just as much.

"Very well!"

Ference stood up. "To witness the power of a Blazing Sun Knight is a rare opportunity indeed."

He looked toward Garrett. "Crown Prince, join us as well. You failed last time, but with the three of us joining forces now, we should be able to contend with him, shouldn't we?"

Garrett merely chuckled coldly and ignored the bait.

"What? Is the Crown Prince afraid that even with the three of us combined, we still won't be able to withstand a single strike?"

Garrett's face darkened. Snorting coldly, he took the lead down the steps and walked outside. "Come then, Rhonin. It was far too rushed last time. This time, let me experience it in full detail."

Ference followed him out with a smile.

Andrea shrugged helplessly. "Let us go, Rhonin."

Only then did Bruno call out a reminder, "This is a contest of a single exchange. Ensure that no one harms one another."

Rhonin frowned slightly, not anticipating that the situation would evolve in this manner.

He had only agreed to trade blows with Andrea just a moment ago. How had it instantly turned into a three-on-one?

Clearly, the opposition wanted to test the depth of his waters.

"Rhonin, if it is too much, you can refuse," Rulance warned in a low voice.

"Rest assured, it is fine."

Rhonin strode forward to follow them. In a clash of absolute power, even if he proved no match for the combined trio, he would not suffer injury because of it.

Beyond the Hall of Auduin lay a vast, sprawling plaza.

Rhonin and Garrett's trio walked to the center of the plaza, dividing themselves into opposing sides, while Bruno and the others stood afar upon the steps, watching the scene with bated breath.

"Begin!"

Ference shouted aloud, and immediately, an imposing aura erupted from his body. Without question, he was no novice Silver Moon Knight.

Simultaneously, Garrett and Andrea unleashed their techniques at once.

In an instant, the three elemental battle qi attributes of wind, lightning, and fire dyed the plaza into a brilliant, multicolored spectacle.

"Let me see just how powerful the Blazing Sun level truly is."

Bruno's eyes were filled with anticipation, a sentiment shared by most of the onlookers.

Likely, out of everyone present, only Rulance harbored any concern for his grandson's safety.

"Heavenly Fire Ravages the Wilderness!"

Rhonin swung the Flowing Flame Sword that had leapt into his hand, channeling the full measure of his power into the strike. Instantly, the crimson brilliance of his technique completely overwhelmed the combined assault of the three opposing men.

Boom!

The all-consuming heavenly fire finally collided with the trio's ultimate arts. In an instant, the stone pavers of the ground were violently uprooted, and massive fissures webbed outward as a tempestuous shockwave rippled into the surroundings.

Broll, Vargis, and Rulance acted in quick succession to neutralize the oncoming storm, their eyes fixed anxiously on the center of the grounds.

In this head-on clash of combat arts, it was actually Rhonin who held the upper hand!

The momentum of the heavenly fire dispelled the gale, shattered the lightning, and devoured the flames, before sweeping toward the opponents with its residual might.

Garrett and his companions hastily manifested their battle qi armor. Though propelled backward a dozen meters by the sheer impact, they managed to come to a steady halt.

Ference and Andrea exchanged a glance, both reading the shock in the other's eyes, yet a hidden meaning lingered—a Blazing Sun Knight was not so overwhelmingly powerful as to be utterly invincible.

Only Garrett could feel that Rhonin's strike just now was stronger than it had been last time.

"Did he spare my life back then?"

A cold sneer rose in his heart. "Damn it, to think I was granted charity!"

At that moment, Bruno's applause echoed from above. "Splendid, truly magnificent! A Blazing Sun Knight is indeed terrifyingly powerful!"

The other nobles joined in the applause. Standing alone against three Silver Moon Knights, Rhonin's status as a Blazing Sun Knight was now indisputably solidified.

Yet many could also see that a Blazing Sun Knight alone was not yet enough to utterly dictate the fate of a kingdom or a duchy.

They simply did not know that, in addition to being a Blazing Sun Knight, Rhonin was also a Great Archmage.

His hidden trump cards were far from exhausted.

After a round of compliments, the crowd returned to the grand hall, and the debate surrounding Rhonin's noble title commenced once more.

The stance of Ference and Andrea had not shifted merely because they had lost ground in the recent exchange; on the contrary, the two suggested that Rhonin be temporarily made an Earl, and that his title could be elevated later once he had established proper military merits.

Bruno appeared somewhat swayed. After all, he still relied on the two duchies to wage his wars and expand his realm; he could not completely disregard their demands.

Ultimately, after several rounds of deliberation, Bruno finally struck the gavel and made his decision:

Bestow upon Rhonin the title of Guardian Knight of the Kingdom, invest him as a Marquis, and grant him the entirety of Moonlight Valley as his fief.

Furthermore, to appease Ference and Vargis, Bruno granted them the neighboring territories of Billow Castle and Darktide City respectively.

The official investiture ceremony would take place after Jesus's funeral.

Regrettably, Vargis repeatedly stood firm and politely declined the fief of Darktide City.

He could see clearly that this region was highly likely to harbor chaos in the future.

His Gistana family was already depleted in numbers, and he had no desire to involve his house further in these perilous games.

The meeting lasted for a very long time before finally drawing to a successful conclusion.

Rulans and Ronin walked side by side along the grand avenue of the palace.

"Congratulations, Ronin. As your father Vigins said, our Wushan family now has two marquises."

For Ronin, though it was regrettable not to become a duke outright, becoming a marquis was quite satisfactory.

"Grandfather, why do I feel that the king's true intention was to grant the title of marquis and never really meant to bestow the title of duke?"

"That's natural."

Rulans’ smile faded from his face. "The title of earl holds little appeal for you. To show favor, he could only offer either duke or marquis. Mentioning duke initially was to leave room for stepping back later."

"Moreover, through this maneuver, he both honored the wishes of Ferens and others, bestowed glory upon you, and shifted the conflict of your inability to become a duke onto Ferensburg and the Verra Duchy."

Ronin nodded slightly, fully agreeing with Rulans' reasoning.

"And lastly, granting Wavebreak Castle to Duke Ferens surely holds deeper implications."

Rulans smiled. "You may not know this, as you haven't studied the map of Moonlight Valley closely. The great Artai River, near Shore City, flows through Moonlight Valley, and upstream lies Wavebreak Castle."

Ronin suddenly understood.

"So, Moonlight Valley's crops depend on irrigation from the Artai River. If Wavebreak Castle later constructs waterworks affecting the water flow to Moonlight Valley, it could impact the grain yield of the territory."

"Exactly!"

Ronin’s quick grasp of this point pleased him greatly.

"The king’s method of division is quite intriguing," Ronin remarked thoughtfully.

Bruno nodded. "Compared to his father, King Klinsmann, and his son Garrett, our current king is remarkably clear-minded."

Ronin shared the same sentiment.

Garrett, too impulsive, fell far short compared to Bruno.

However, Ronin was not worried.

The Artai River was no small stream. Even if Ferens attempted to build waterworks upstream to control Moonlight Valley's water source, it would not be accomplished in just a few years.

Time would provide Ronin ample room for adjustment.