Chapter 303: Chapter 300: The Birth of the Fake-Smiling Knight

Ever since Ronin arrived at the Mysterious Valley, he had been thinking about building a port.

But it had remained just a concept, with no concrete plans for its implementation.

Although his idea today to cooperate with Sharp Horn City was somewhat on the spur of the moment, it was still a reasonably sound plan.

After all, across the entire Wushan Territory, only Sharp Horn City had experienced craftsmen, captains, sailors, and port officials.

However, the matter was quite involved and not a project that could be completed quickly. So even though Viscount Vitorino was tempted by the proposal, he only said he would consider it seriously, not agreeing to it outright.

He did, however, agree to let Baron Hamet take experienced craftsmen from Dennis Port to Wubei Territory to survey the terrain and find a suitable place to build the port.

As for whether to cooperate and how, they could discuss it further after giving it more thought.

Ronin wasn’t in a hurry. The other party had already taken the first step; the second couldn’t be far behind.

After leaving the study, he stayed up to write a letter for Hammett to take to Elron at Swamp Castle.

In the letter, he instructed Elron and Chahar to give the distinguished guests a warm reception and arrange a party to ensure the surveyors’ safety. He also told Elron to protect Carlos’s house.

The instruction was worded cryptically. Even if someone were to intercept and read the letter, they wouldn’t know who Carlos was.

Meanwhile, Vitorino was still in his study, lost in thought.

When Hammett had returned from the battlefield, he had lavished praise on Ronin’s wisdom.

He had initially thought Hammett was exaggerating, but meeting Ronin today had been an eye-opener. He now felt Hammett’s praise had been an understatement.

While their conversation had mostly been about collaborating on the port, Vitorino had seen the young Count’s clear-headed thinking and considerable ambition.

Although it would take a long time to realize the blueprint Ronin had laid out, it was worth a try. Besides, the Dennis Clan had enough time to wait.

They hadn’t been oppressed for just a year or two; they could afford to wait another decade.

KNOCK KNOCK.

There was a knock on the door, and Reis pushed it open to enter.

“Father, you were looking for me.”

Vitorino hummed in acknowledgment, a faint smile on his face.

Now in his fifties, he wasn’t sure if he would ever break through to become a Golden Knight in his lifetime. His greatest ambition was simply to maintain the honor of the Dennis Clan.

But his son, Reis, would absolutely become the first Golden Knight in the Dennis Clan—perhaps even something greater.

For this reason, he had placed great hope in his eldest son.

“I met with Ronin in private. He is even more exceptional than the rumors suggest.”

Vitorino offered high praise. “The Marquis has certainly taken a liking to Ronin. The way I see it, Ronin will likely remain the master of the Wushan Territory for the foreseeable future.”

He looked at his son. Reis was excellent in every way, but he wasn’t skilled at socializing and lacked the shrewdness expected of a nobleman.

Conversely, his second son, Jamie, had a knack for such things, but his actual strength was lacking.

“While you’re escorting Ronin to Golden Feather City, you should get to know him better. Increasing your mutual understanding might be beneficial for you.”

Reis grunted in acknowledgment, seeming not very interested.

Vitorino added, “Also, I’ve already given Ronin a heads-up. If you want to spar with him, you can bring it up, and he’ll agree.”

Reis’s eyes lit up. “I understand, Father.”

He clearly preferred martial engagement to polite conversation.

Vitorino shook his head with a wry smile. “Reis, you need to learn how to interact with others like a nobleman.”

But Reis was unconvinced.

“Father, a nobleman might maintain stability through social connections, but he can’t ensure his family’s lasting prosperity that way. However, if one has enough power, it can be done.”

“An isolated powerhouse cannot stand against the siege of an Alliance Army,” Vitorino reminded him.

“That’s because he isn’t powerful enough.”

Reis said very seriously, “If it were a Proud Sun Knight, I believe they could escape even if besieged by ten thousand men.”

“Proud Sun…”

Vitorino gave a bitter smile. He was a Viscount, after all, and Sharp Horn City had plenty of contact with the outside world, yet he had never heard a single confirmed report of anyone becoming a Proud Sun Knight.

Reis’s goal was admirable, but far too difficult to achieve.

He waved his hand, ending the conversation. “Alright, go get some rest. You have to set sail tomorrow.”

Reis bowed and took his leave.

But he didn’t go back to rest. Instead, he went straight to Ronin’s courtyard.

Tom knocked on the door and reported the news.

Ever since being harshly criticized by Ronin for letting Betty in without permission at Giant Stone Castle, his attendants now announced any visitor wishing to see Ronin, regardless of who they were.

’What’s he doing here?’

Ronin was currently soaking in a hot bath. “Have him wait in the living room. I’ll be there shortly.”

“Yes, My Lord!”

Ronin got up, dried his body, changed into a loose robe, and walked out. He saw the other party sitting upright on the living room sofa, his Longsword placed to one side.

“Reis Knight, what brings you here so late?”

“Count Ronin, I’ve already arranged for the ship. We can depart tomorrow morning after breakfast.”

Perhaps it was because of what Vitorino had said, or perhaps because it would have been too impolite to state his intentions directly, but Reis first brought up an unrelated matter before standing up, his eyes fixed intensely on Ronin.

“Your Excellency, could we have a sparring match?”

Ronin had been about to thank him after his first sentence, but the words caught in his throat before he could speak.

“Now?”

’It must be almost midnight,’ Ronin estimated. ’Who spars this late at night?’

“Yes, now!”

Reis said with great anticipation, “Lately I’ve been hearing that you killed a Meteor Knight, so I’ve been wanting to experience your strength for myself. My father just told me you’ve already agreed to spar with me, so I came!”

Ronin sighed. ’I did agree,’ he thought, ’but I didn’t say it had to be in the middle of the night.’

“David, have the servants prepare another hot bath for me.”

As Ronin spoke, he turned and went into the room, changed his clothes again, and came out holding the Flame Stream Sword.

“How shall we do this?”

Reis smiled for the first time. “Let’s just compete in Swordsmanship. How about it?”

“Fine!”

Ronin walked out. “However, if I win, you have to promise me you’ll smile every time you see me.”

The smile on Reis’s face stiffened.

In a duel, a victor could make many demands, but they were usually limited to money, women, or servitude. A demand to smile was a first.

Reis didn’t like to smile, but for the sake of a spar, he steeled himself and nodded. “Fine, I promise!”

’If it’s just Swordsmanship, without Fighting Qi or Combat Skills, I won’t necessarily lose.’

The two walked into the courtyard, one after the other.

“Let’s begin,” Ronin said.

“Alright!”

With great decisiveness, Reis drew his Longsword. He closed the distance of several meters in a single step, thrusting viciously at Ronin’s face.

His movements were swift and his sword tip precise—this was clearly no empty posturing.

But Ronin reacted quickly and dodged the attack. Then, with a backhand strike, he thrust forward, forcing Reis to retreat and switch from offense to defense.

From the first exchange, both could tell their opponent’s Body Technique and Swordsmanship were of a high caliber, and their expressions grew serious.

As the duel progressed, Ronin gained a better understanding of Reis’s overall skill.

Reis was truly a certified Knight who had studied for several years at the Royal Academy. His Longsword techniques were seamless, and he switched between offense, defense, and retreat with fluid ease. Combined with his nimble Body Technique, he was a pressuring opponent.

Ronin had only been learning the sword for a little over a year.

Although he had learned from Ridder and Macken and was beginning to integrate their respective strengths, he had been training for only a short time. In terms of pure Swordsmanship, Reis seemed to have a slight edge.

However, Ronin’s advantage lay in his Power. He used it to compensate for his technical shortcomings, giving him the upper hand.

In the midnight courtyard, sparks flew as the two swords clashed. The sound of metal striking metal rang out continuously, and the battle grew more intense.

Reis’s expression grew heavier the longer he fought. Ronin’s power far exceeded his estimations.

After being suppressed for so long, his breathing grew labored. His arm began to tremble faintly from the repeated impacts.

Finally, after an unknown number of rounds, another heavy chop from Ronin sent his opponent’s Longsword flying from his hand.

“You’ve lost.”

Ronin took a deep breath, accepted the towel David handed him, and wiped the sweat from his face.

“Come on, Reis Knight, give me a smile.”

Reis panted heavily, still unable to believe he had lost.

He looked at Ronin, unwilling to accept the result. “My Swordsmanship is no worse than yours! You only won because your Power is greater.”

“Power is a component of Swordsmanship. I shouldn’t have to remind you of that, should I, Reis Knight?”

Ronin handed the towel to David. “Regardless of your Swordsmanship, since you’ve already lost, as a Knight and the eldest son of the Dennis Clan, you wouldn’t go back on your word, would you?”

Reis’s chest heaved. He took two deep breaths to compose himself, then tugged at the corners of his mouth to produce a smile that looked worse than a grimace.

“Excellent! You truly are a man of your word!”

Ronin said admiringly, “Remember to keep smiling every time you see me, until the day you defeat me.”

The forced smile on Reis’s face grew even more strained.

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