Disclaimer:

I do not own the Re: Zero series or anything else relating to it. It is all owned by Tappei Nagatsuki. Any OC found within this story is of my own creation.

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"On guard!"

Carol's booming voice had cued the start of this bout. And still, neither of us dared to move an inch from our positions. Heinkel's cold, piercing stare was the only image I had to focus on. With a wooden sword in my hands, I gripped it firmly. Though skeptical and struck with sudden uneasiness, I cleared my mind from it all.

I was not afraid.

Deciding to tread my way forward I had to do so cautiously. The Deputy Commander followed this, albeit much slower as he began to circle me. Not wanting him to gain control so early I mirrored this action. His lack of aggression towards me was a clear indication that he heeded my warning about not underestimating my skills.

Unfortunately, pacing would lead us nowhere. Steeling my nerves, I quickly extended my sword to engage him, but Heinkel saw this and tapped my weapon away swiftly. The force of his deflection provided some insight to me. Like me, he too was trying to gauge what I was capable of.

The redheaded knight then rapidly closed in on me as I slapped his blade, narrowly missing my face. We repeated this dance several times, feeling each other out the more our swords clashed. Going in for another strike of my own, he intercepted it without fail. Instantly, a binding ensued.

Heinkel attempted to overpower me with his strength alone, but I instantly pushed him back. Before I could press him further, he swiftly shifted his sword to its flat side. With mine on its edge, I mistakenly slid along his blade and lost my footing. Exposed, I hurriedly rolled away and returned my sights onto Heinkel who was standing only a few paces away. He stood upright and brandished his sword with a mischievous smirk.

He was toying with me.

"What's the matter, brat? Too scared to fight? I've trained rookies with far better nerves than you," Heinkel quipped.

"You had the chance to hit me. Quit screwing around!" I shouted.

"Now where's the fun in that?" He pointed his blade at me. "We're just getting started. I'll have many more chances to embarrass you even further. Now, get off your ass and fight." Turning around, he returned to his original spot. I scowled and repositioned myself.

The moderator gave another verbal cue to get the fight underway. Having crossed our blades already, we marched forward to carry on where we'd left off. Suddenly, the Deputy Commander blitzed before me with a vertical slash. Bringing my blade up to block his strike, his wild grin spelled trouble. I then gasped when Heinkel altered his attack for a direct thrust.

A feint.

I subconsciously maneuvered myself out the line of his attack, but it was too late. His blade struck my wrist with such reverberating force. I fell to my knees and winced from the stinging pain.

"One point for Lord Heinkel," Carol loudly stated.

"Huh?! Auntie," Felt said, tugging on the older woman's sleeve irritably "you can't count that! Big Bro was well out of his way." Hearing her plea, the head maid simply brushed her hand away. This infuriated the blond teen until she saw the distant gaze Carol had.

She wanted to confront the older woman again but was interrupted. Rom sighed as he went to his granddaughter's side and pulled her away. "Quit it. Y're causing a ruckus. From what I saw that was a clean hit. The lad just wasn't fast enough."

"But—"

"Sadly," Reinhard uttered, closing his eyes, "Rom is correct. My father landed a direct blow on Lord Sean. There was nothing wrong in what he did."

"Agreed," Grimm added.

"..." Kalifa hesitantly nodded with Ilya in her arms.

Felt stared wide-eyed at those around her. She couldn't accept such a notion. I hopelessly watched as her lips then began to quiver.

"Enough with the interruptions, everyone! I'm trying to teach an arrogant brat a lesson," barked Heinkel.

As quickly as her grief came it left soon after. Felt's face flushed with boiling rage as she readied a snarky insult of her own. Thankfully, the old giant next to her covered her mouth as her muffled curses went unheard. The Astrea patriarch was my fight, not theirs.

Evidently, Heinkel's last move dealt some damage as I continued to rub my aching wrist vigorously. It started to swell, gradually limiting my movement. All of that at the cost of obtaining a better understanding of my opponent's skill.

"Lord Sean, are you able to continue?" Carol asked, concerned.

"Yeah. I'm quite alright," I grunted.

Truth be told, I was far from it. They all waited patiently for me to stand once again. This fight was far from over.

With a new round underway, I tightened my hold of the sword's hilt with both hands and held it near my body. Entering Heinkel's proximity was far too risky. However, staying out of range from him did little for me as well. Unfortunately, the Deputy Commander possessed full control of this duel.

Heinkel clenched his jaw. "If you won't come to me, then I'll come to you!"

His shout snapped me out of my racing mind. In a flash, he closed the distance effortlessly. From a mere glance I knew blocking or parrying such an intense swing was a terrible idea.

Instead, I opted to dash back. He didn't give chase and only held his sword at a downcast angle above his head: a high guard stance. Reading his next move was my only option.

Glancing at his menacing eyes, he gave no indication of where he'd strike. His expression was blank. Gone was the Astrea patriarch and in his place was a determined warrior.

His sword then moved with such impressive speed. On impulse, I delivered a strike of my own to counter him, but this only diverted him for a moment. Heinkel took advantage of this opening to twirl his weapon back around, carrying the same force I had used to stop him as he aimed it straight for my exposed head.

"Shit!"

I desperately crouched to avoid being struck by him. In turn, I swept one of my legs directly at him. Only for it to miss as he dodged and vaulted over me. Not wanting to be outdone, I charged a low vertical slash to catch him off guard. This amused him as he parried my calculated strike with ease. He took his chance and swung his sword down with such ferocious strength. The only thing I was capable of doing was to block it head-on.

"Tck, I just missed you. Although I'm surprised you've lasted this long, I'll make sure it'll be over soon."

"Argh! In your dreams, bastard!"

"Now that's the spirit!"

I struggled under the might of my towering foe. Both our wooden swords creaked from the intensity of our clash. As though either of our blades would snap at any given moment.

In a last-ditch attempt, I withdrew my sword. I triumphantly smirked as he fell forward, but it quickly disappeared as Heinkel placed his blade before him to stab me. Anticipating this, I kicked both my feet at him. However, my attack never landed as he avoided it and retreated. I stood up in a rush before he could push me to the ground once more.

Only for the redhead to nearly blindside in that instant. He unleashed more of his raw power with each of his strikes. Evade, block, parry, I used all the methods of defense I could to hold him off, yet his unrelenting assault proved too great. Before I knew it, he had staggered me to the point my arms numbed. Heinkel swung his blade one last time right for my ribs.

"Ghkkkk!" I crashed onto the terrain below with a resounding thud. The pain was excruciating and clutching at my damaged side alleviated it somewhat. Consequently, Heinkel struck me in the worst place possible.

"Another point for Lord Heinkel. The score is now two to zero." Carol's stoic appearance conveyed that she was alright, but her feelings betrayed her as she gripped the fabric of her uniform.

"Well brat, finally realized the mess you got yourself into? Why not put an end to this charade and concede already? You'd be doing us all a favor." Heinkel loomed over me with a twisted grin. He eventually descended to my level and whispered into my ear. "Hurts a lot, doesn't it? Good. You're nowhere near strong enough to fight me. A foolish weakling like yourself doesn't possess the resolve required to be a ruler."

He snickered and left me to suffer. Loath as I was to admit it, his words had some truth to them. I was weak. I was never meant to win against a foe of his caliber. Everything I'd done was for nothing. My resolve wasn't enough to topple the insurmountable odds before me.

"Lord Sean," Carol said, making her way to me, "are you able to continue? If not, then do you wish to concede?"

"..." Yet, I hesitated to tell her the truth.

"If you continue then you will be putting yourself in danger. No one here will think any less of you. I don't think I can bear the sight of you being hurt any further..." she admitted. Her muffled tone only worried me.

I bit my lip drawing blood. "I…I yie—"

"Get up! Get up right now!" It was Felt. I couldn't see what face she was making, but she sounded overly distressed and frustrated. The volume of her shouting only grew, "I know you're better than this! Don't let this sonofabitch win!"

"Hmph. It's hopeless, squirt. He's not getting up any time soon," Heinkel sneered. The blond teen aimed a harsh glare at him.

Felt collected herself and spoke again, "Do you remember what you said to me and Old Man Rom, right? You told us that you'd win this fight no problem. That there wasn't anything to worry about. But…that's not what I'm angry about…"

Right, I did say such a thing. I ensured the two that I had the matter under control. Maybe it was just a blatant lie on my part.

"No-" she balled her gloved hands into fists and shook her head-"that's not it at all. You promised that you'd help! That you'd find a way to fix the Slums! That we'd show those scumbag nobles who they're messing with! Don't tell me you're just gonna give up now and turn your back on us?! Is that it, huh?! Answer me dammit!" Felt frustratedly cried out.

I painfully chuckled to myself. My hands traced the uneven shape of the ground I laid on, till I ripped many strands of grass from it. What was I thinking?

"Easy now. What did I say about—" Rom tried to stop the fuming blond by holding her down, but she persisted.

"Like hell I will! Big Bro needs to hear this!" Felt squirmed ferociously under his hold.

"Quiet down…please," drawled Grimm. He looked at the troubled teen sternly, silencing her. If the still butler had to speak, then he was serious.

"I understand how you feel, Felt," Reinhard stated. He adjusted his collar and sighed. "Nonetheless, it's imperative that we don't intervene any further and respect their duel."

Felt rocked her fist disapprovingly but eventually nodded. Sulking to herself, she flinched when a petite hand patted her head. She realized it belonged to Kalifa who was attempting to soothe her uneasiness away. Ilya squealed at her which made the teen crack a smile.

"I'm fine now," Felt assured. She then redirected her attention back to me. "Listen up, Big Bro! I know you can do this! If you're gonna help us then you gotta get off your ass! Don't let some drunk bastard hold you back from what really matters!"

I smirked. 'Thanks, Felt. I needed to hear that.'

Letting out a groan I sluggishly tried to pick myself up. The maid next to me offered assistance without a second thought. Carol frowned at first until it morphed into a soft smile, "So that is your answer?"

"Definitely. I can't just disappoint my friends now can I?" I grinned.

As she went back to overlook the next round, I glanced at the ones who believed in me from the very start. An image I wanted to burn into my memories. Although, my eyes lingered mostly on the girl who had knocked some sense back into me. She caught my stare and showcased her toothy grin with a wave.

But one person was not so pleased with my decision.

"Tck. Do you ever listen?" Heinkel rolled his eyes and palmed his face. "Here you are delaying the inevitable as if you have something to prove. Surrendering now is your best option. For all our sakes," the Deputy Commander scoffed.

"Why don't you make me?" I goaded, hearing him grunt at my riling attempt.

Waiting for us to settle down, Carol resumed her role of moderating the duel, "Lord Heinkel is in the lead with two points. Should he win this round, that will be the conclusion of this match. Are both fighters ready?" We both nodded. "On guard!"

Like a bullet, Heinkel crossed the distance between us before I blinked. I raised my guard and countered his strikes. Having not claimed a point myself, I still smirked deviously, "Is this all you can do?! It's no wonder you don't possess the title 'van' in your name. You're a complete disgrace of an Astrea!"

Heinkel fumed and became livid at my remark.

"Shut your mouth! How dare you mock me?!" he hissed. Our blades then interlocked as we stared each other down.

"It's true, isn't it? That's why your son was able to best you when he was five."

Heinkel's eyes glowed. "You—you little shit!"

His face looked nearly identical to the color of his hair. I then yanked myself out of the enraged man's reach. Heinkel laughed as he believed the path to victory presented itself.

Or so he thought.

The knight's wooden blade arched over me by mere inches; however, it never hit its mark as I easily evaded his strike with a sidestep. It was then that I drove my sword right into his exposed chest.

"Lord Sean has earned a point. The score is now two to one."

Carol's surprising confirmation then caused the others to erupt into a cheer. Well, for the ones that could speak that is.

Finally, I'd managed to land a blow. I wanted to be ecstatic but the clear gap in skills was still miles long. The path to victory was truly unknown to me. Acting recklessly would no doubt result in me groveling at the Deputy Commander's feet.

The man brushed his padded chest and aimed a menacing glare at me.

"What's that look for? It's almost like you're ashamed of being hit," I quipped. Instead of responding, he spat at his feet.

With one point under my belt, I gripped my sword eagerly as the signal had been given. Strangely enough, Heinkel remained in place. Whether it was a fluke or not, he wouldn't risk getting hit by me again.

Nearing him I then slowed my pace down. Like in the beginning, we found ourselves in another standoff. Seeing his stone face was certainly nerve-wracking. The time to go on the offensive had come.

One strike after another, we kept up our game of sword pattycake. Still, there was no opening in sight. Heinkel had yet to swing his sword in retaliation and instead maintained a solid defense. Whether I liked it or not he was waiting for something, but what exactly?

I noted his clear increase in strength and speed. Heinkel's display of sheer force from prior rounds had weakened my arms. Allowing this duel to prolong any further was unwise. Of course, if this is what my opponent was aiming for.

Suddenly, a solution to that thought came to me. My mouth at times certainly had gotten me into troublesome situations. Why not use it to my advantage? A shameful but marvelous idea indeed.

"Come on you drunkard, where did all that bravado go? Surely I haven't scared you?"

A swift strike then missed me by a hair. Childish taunting proved ineffective. Perhaps diving into the more "sensitive" realm was the answer.

"Honestly, I shouldn't have been so worried. If this is all you can do then maybe your old man was right in leaving you. He probably realized what a failure you are."

At the mention of the Sword Demon, I soon came to understand what a mistake that had been. I blocked a swing, one filled with an immense amount of force, only to be knocked onto the soft grass. I rolled back and recovered with little to no trouble. Even so, it seemed I triggered something within the Astrea patriarch.

The man let out a frightening roar and bared his teeth like a rabid dog, a malicious aura flowing out of him as he snarled. I stepped back involuntarily at the state of the redhead knight.

"Sean, you'll pay for what you've done." That was no mere threat.

Heinkel instantly burst forth and rounded up his next attack. I dodged, afraid that I may have bitten off more than I could chew. I could only pray I'd luck out from his assault.

Cornered as I was, there had to be a way to gain the upper hand. The once confident knight had already thrown caution to the wind. What was there to do?

"Hold still! I've had enough of your games!"

"So you *Huff* can hit me? *Huff* Not a chance!"

Fatigue was starting to settle in. I had to do something lest I lose to him. Then, I started to notice something peculiar: a pattern in his attacks. Indeed they were still swift and precise, but his stance had grown sloppy due to his anger.

Narrowly avoiding another of his onslaught of attacks, I rolled and dug my hand into the earth. With one of my hands tucked behind me, I beckoned him with my blade mockingly. Mistakenly, Heinkel dashed towards me intending to finish me off.

As he drew close, I hurled the ball of dirt at his shocked face.

"Gah! Fucking brat!" The blinded knight swung his blade wildly in all directions. He tried to wipe off the debris clouding his vision, but he ended up smearing it even further.

"Now's your chance!" Felt yelled.

Not wanting such an opportunity to be wasted, I timed my strike to intercept his own. The parry couldn't have been more perfect as it completely stunned him. I unleashed my fury and swung with all my might right at his ribs.

"Argh!" The Deputy Commander cried out. He fell onto a single knee and clutched his side.

"Another point for Lord Sean! Both participants are now tied," said Carol with the tiniest of smiles.

My mind was elsewhere to realize the feat I had done. I glanced at my friends and saw their mouths, moving and saying something, but my ears could not decipher their meaning. The only audible sound I could perceive was my heavy breathing.

By some miracle, I had tied with the Deputy Commander. The final round would determine it all. On who would become the victor of this duel.

But which one of us desired it more?

Annoying. Arrogant. Insignificant. Rude. Foolish.

These words described the very being that he had come to despise. Fighting him was supposed to be nothing short of a cakewalk. Oh, how wrong he'd been.

Now, reluctantly, he was being made a fool. It deeply irked him that the Royal Candidate showed some fighting prowess. He wasn't a complete novice, but nowhere skilled enough to take on the likes of himself.

Not in a million years.

The Astrea patriarch enjoyed the first two rounds. Chipping away at the smug young man's confidence was like music to his ears. He relished in abusing the boy with ease. Seeing him slowly realize how powerless he was...that's what he wanted. A candidate for the throne or not, Sean Wang would never amount to anything.

And yet, the brat kept resisting. He defied him and ignored every opportunity to surrender. Why?! What was he hoping to accomplish?!

Admittedly, he toyed with Sean. Whether he knew it or not, his opponent was outmatched. That was clearly made aware when he delivered a ruthless smack to his vulnerable ribs. A dirty but effective tactic. It almost seemed like it was enough to make the young man surrender. Sean instead defied him and made an unexpected comeback.

But something far worse came to be. Sean had the nerve to speak on the woes surrounding his family. What utter blasphemy. He had no right to speak on such things!

Even more vexing were his supporters. The blonde slum-dweller cheered for the boy to continue whenever she could. The servants of the manor, though busy with their duties, watched on from the windows with interest. Even Carol and Grimm, people he'd known and respected his whole life, had what looked to be pleased smiles.

Why were they all so fixated on him?! Why?! It didn't make any sense.

However, one person stuck out from the rest. His son, the one he'd harshly mistreated up to this point, smiled so radiantly. This gnawed at him but he couldn't fathom why.

Reinhard indeed had some physical traits that came from himself, but he had his mother's face. He was the result of their undying love. How would she feel seeing her beloved son having such a smile?

Happiness. Yes, that was certain.

Still, the damage had been done. There was nothing left to do. As a knight himself he had to fulfill the challenge he had issued. For him…and his beloved.

The time for sulking would have to wait.

The Sword Saint spectated the entire duel with bated breath. He watched on with remorse as two people he cared for fought one another with utter resolve. All for their conflicting ideals.

His father spared no expense to strike down his lord and friend. He felt powerless because of this. It pained him that he couldn't intervene and save his friend. If he did, he'd disgrace the customs of a duel, despite his father, and throw away all of Sean's effort. That was a list of things he wished not to do.

Fortunately, Sean Wang seemed to defy fate yet again, albeit, in a crude and unorthodox manner. He shared some sensitive information about his family but did so to pressure his father. They now were even as only one of them would come out triumphantly.

Yet, much as he loved his father, Reinhard couldn't help wanting his friend to win. It was his mission to find the last remaining Dragon Priestess and he had done so. All that was left was to report to the Sage Council of his findings. It only hurt that his father cared not for his assignment. And certainly not the safety of the others.

He'd only hope that Sean continued to fight on.

My breath had finally steadied. Although, I was completely drained and badly bruised. Whether it was by my strong urge to win or by the grace of luck, I was glad I made it to this point. The entire ordeal, while agonizing enough, was far from over. Our livelihoods were at stake.

Heinkel and I knew this for a fact. He simply narrowed his eyes at me. Though compared to me, the risks lay mostly with the Deputy Commander. Even so, viewing such a thing so carelessly was idiotic. From both of our perspectives, we were men only wanting to secure our success for the future.

A future I desperately wanted to see for myself.

"Sean, I'm not holding back. This round I'm going to give it my all."

"Why tell me this? Wouldn't you want me to be oblivious of your intentions?"

Heinkel shut his eyelids and rubbed his chin."True. I could have done that, but telling you won't help you in the slightest."

"Oh, I'm now a threat? I think I might blush," I chuckled. This aggravated the already infuriated knight.

"Take it as you wish. Other than being a nuisance, you're just another stepping stone I have to walk on."

There was nothing left to be said as Heinkel took up his signature stance once more. By that alone, I knew he fully intended to make do with his warning. To make my defeat by his doing a reality.

"This is the final round. Are both participants ready? On guard!"

But not today.

"Rarhhh!"

"Arrghh!"

The Deputy Commander controlled his speed very effectively compared to me. He slid to a complete stop and winded up a horizontal slash. Sensing the incoming danger I reacted and dashed underneath it. He foresaw this and brought down a blow carrying much of his momentum from before. I managed to put my guard up in time before my entire body skidded roughly along the ground.

Laying dazed on the turf, a fast-approaching knight saw his chance. Heinkel resumed his advancement on me to keep the pressure up. He leaped high and opted to try stabbing me with his blade. I tossed my whole frame against the grass, deflecting several strikes that damn near made their mark.

My heart raced uncontrollably from the continuous blasts delivered courteously by the redhead. I tried to anticipate where his sword would go next, but the intensity was outright suffocating. Heinkel wanted me to be close. My choices were running out fast and he knew this.

Except for one last thing.

To entice him beyond his breaking point. Despite that, is saying such a thing to him worth it? No…but it had to be done.

"You've been at my neck this whole time!" I said, retreating as he chased me down, "And I think I know the reason why. We don't have to keep doing this."

"What would you know?! I've already had enough of your criticism about me and my family!" Heinkel chided.

"It's about Louanna, right?"

He visibly flinched and then stood motionless with his blade held over his head. "She's been in a coma for many years now. Your love for her has been the one thing keeping you intact. That's why you've been trying to do anything to treat her. Going as far as to become a man she'd mostly be disgusted by. Because the only thing that matters to you is that she regains consciousness. And in order for that to happen, you'd go as far as to get rid of me to not jeopardize your efforts. By stripping away my title, my new life, my friends — solely because you think it's justified. Nothing is off limits if it means you can save your wife."

Staring at the silent Heinkel, I tensed when he moved the weapon in his hands. The loud clenching of his gloves was enough to crack the wooden frame and nearly snap it in two. His face slowly came into view as faint streaks ran down his scuffed cheeks.

"You—you have no right to say her name! I'll kill you for this!" He swung at me in a frenzied manner with each swing carrying his deep anguish and sorrow.

I scowled and kept dodging his strikes. "Do you think Louanna would be relieved about you of all people?! You who manipulated others for his personal gain?! Who abused his position of authority?! The same man who treated her baby boy with nothing but disdain and cruelty?! I really wonder if she'd actually forgive you for becoming such a horrible, vile person. Heinkel, I know your wife would hate to see the man you've become."

"Why you! Just shut up!"

The immensely distraught man screamed directly at me. Wrath was the only emotion driving him. Heinkel pressed forth and pushed his sword in an attempt to repair his broken pride, but I prevented him from doing so. Our weapons crashed with tremendous force as our faces were mere inches apart.

"Deep down I know you feel the same. You can't bear the thought of losing her due to the sins and atrocities you've committed. She'd be ashamed, which I know you are too. But throwing away your sense of morality isn't right! Just admit it: You're afraid she'll never wake up again!"

"Arghhhh!"

"Even if you defeat me here and now, it won't change a thing. How do you expect to help Louanna when you can't even help yourself?" His grip wavered momentarily from hearing my words. It's what I needed to finish the faltering knight, "That's why beating you is the only way to do that!"

Grappling him with all my might, I hoisted him off his feet in one fell swoop. Heinkel, unexpectedly, crashed onto a small bed of flowers. His violent landing launched many petals into the air until they were scattered. For a brief moment, the only picture one could see was that of flying colors. My vision soon cleared up and I saw the person I vowed to defeat beneath me.

My blade's tip had hit the nape of his neck. The victory was mine. Despite that, I felt a strange pressure near my chest. I learned why as his arm was extended. Heinkel's sword was pressed against me. We then eyed the moderator, wondering what she'd announce. Carol coughed away her mild shock and raised both her arms.

"Given that we cannot determine who struck first, I will commence this duel as an official draw!"

Well, it certainly wasn't a win nor a loss.

Heinkel's face was devoid of all emotion, right until our eyes met. Gazing into those azure orbs the anger swirling within him was clear as day. Continuous huffs escaped my lips as I tried to formulate the words necessary to reach out to him. Yet my mind drew blank…

There was no honor in what I'd done. Righting my wrongs was the correct course of action. I accepted my shame and extended a hand to him. I waited for him in hopes that there was some form of mutual respect between us. Instead, he growled and harshly slapped it away.

The Astrea patriarch rose to his feet. He coldly stared at me one last time and walked away. His head servants rushed to his side to console him, but he quickly waved them off. His abrupt departure left everyone speechless.

I wanted to smile proudly knowing I defended my friends, but emotionally troubling Heinkel left a bad taste in my mouth. However, my plans for a successful campaign were intact. My camp, while relatively small, was bound to prosper in the months to come.

But at what cost?

Heinkel Astrea, vile as his character had become, was still a decent and tolerable man. But having since tarnished his family's name, he likely wanted nothing to do with me. Ultimately, an apology wouldn't suffice to erase the disrespect I had brought upon House Astrea.

"Whadda think you're doing looking so gloomy?" Felt said, being followed closely by the others. A mix of emotions on several of their faces. Mostly on those who knew Heinkel personally.

"Not hard to tell, is it?" I pressed my lips into a straight line. "From the very beginning, I was destined to lose to him. The odds were all in his favor, but I somehow managed the impossible. If this was a match to the death I would have died ages ago. Overall, I'm not too keen on how I handled things. I should've done better," I lamented.

Rom hemmed and crossed his arms. "Y're missing the point. He wanted this fight from the start. In my eyes, ya did what any man would. That's something that should be commended."

"I suppose that's one way to look at it…"

Felt darted her eyes at me and Reinhard, aiming a knowing thumb at him. "Is it because you literally trashed his asshole-of-a dad? Is that it?"

I clicked my tongue and shook my head.

"Then let's hear how Red feels about all this," said Felt. I then turned to face Reinhard, unable to hold my sight on him.

"Lord Sean," Reinhard cleared his throat nervously.

"Yes?"

"Do not feel as though what you said or did today changes my views of you. I believe I am also speaking for Carol and Grimm on this matter." The elderly couple confirmed this by nodding. Then, Reinhard stepped forward with a genuine smile. "So worry not. What you did is nothing short of extraordinary. I knew in some way you would pose a worthy opponent for my father. I am glad that everything ended as it did." The redhead finished and I saw the others agreeing with his statement.

Indeed, Reinhard's kindness was out of this world. It was then the elderly couple next to him came forth also. Carol, with her eyes closed, sighed softly. "As Lord Reinhard stated: Our views of you have not changed. The Astrea family has faced its fair share of misfortunes as the years have passed. However, we've done our best to loyally serve them regardless of what has transpired. And in some strange way, you did something none of us has ever done."

I raised a lone brow. "And that would be?"

"To speak on the hardships this family has faced." Her shoulders slumped as she brought her hands together. "Lady Theresia, Lord Wilhelm, and Lady Louanna are people we care for dearly. Both Lord Heinkel and Lord Reinhard have been allowing themselves to suffer in silence. The same can be said for both of us. Nothing…has been the same ever since. Until you came along that is." Carol opened her eyes to reveal the grief she'd hidden. "You've done more than any of us ever could. The words you shared may have sounded harsh, but they needed to be said. Not just for the sake of Lord Heinkel but for all of us as well. So from the bottom of our hearts — we thank you."

The couple deeply bowed. I was left shaken by their gratitude towards me that I buried my face in my hands. Why was this happening?

"Lord Sean, raise…your head." Grimm's hoarse voice caught me off guard. He cleared his throat and smiled. "My wife has said…everything already. You are indeed an exceptional…young man. Continue being…the person that you…are. Henceforth, we shall serv—" The composed butler then erupted into a coughing fit. His wife immediately helped him by rubbing his back. Grimm motioned to her that he was fine soon after.

"What my dear husband meant to say is: That we'd be proud to serve you as well, Lord Sean. We entrust you to lead us into a prosperous future," Carol said, as Grimm agreed.

"Are you…sure of this? Even with what I've said and done?" They all nodded without hesitation. I clenched my hands into a fist. "Fine then. If that's what you wish. I'll do my very best to make all of you proud. This I swear." Their bright smiles, full of joy and sincerity, were enough to make me want to shed a tear.

"About time! I don't really like seeing you depressed, Big Bro," Felt grinned. She then delivered a light jab to my gut.

Rom hummed in approval and gave me an enormous thumbs up. Reinhard saluted as the head servants next to him bowed again. Kalifa clapped in excitement with Ilya who cooed to her heart's content. I had to remain strong — for them.

I would have said more, but the last of my strength left me. It wasn't too long ago that I nearly got my ass kicked. What I needed was a damn rest!

"Now then," Clapping loudly, Carol gathered our attention. "Grimm and I will need to tend to Lord Heinkel. Meanwhile, Kalifa will ensure the same is done for Lord Sean. The other servants are likely making lunch as we speak. All the while Lord Reinhard can keep Miss Felt and Mister Rom occupied until then. Does this sound acceptable?" I nodded but the blond teen next to me groaned irritably which made her old guardian laugh. Poor Reinhard could only stand there awkwardly knowing the teen wanted nothing to do with him.

"Sounds good. Go rest, everyone," I said.

They listened and then departed without another word. Kalifa rushed to my aid and supported me with her free hand to my room. With the sun climbing further up in the sky I knew the day was far from over. Treating my ruffed-up body was the first pressing matter on my list.

Then, to make amends.

AN: End of Arc Two, Chapter Three! I know it took a lot of time, but I was dealing with some stuff. Nothing too drastic, I assure you. Sometimes in life you get lost and you need to get back on track.

What were your thoughts on the duel? Did many of you expect it to end this way? Please let me know since your reviews truly do help me. This was more of a hassle because of the fighting scene. I wanted to make sure I did a good job. Anything half-assed is unacceptable to me.

Anyway, get ready for the next chapter to see the aftermath of their duel. How will Sean and Heinkel coexist from here are out? Keep an eye out! (I'm already halfway done haha)

Welp, that's all I have for now! Until next time :)

PS: Many thanks to Politician Seal and Speedcar. Such great humans for having to read my garbage writing lmao.