Chapter 12: Conflict
Xing Ye spent five days leisurely idling away in the duke’s manor. Every day was spent enjoying the finest dishes and even his room would be cleaned by servants. The past few days could easily be called the most comfortable ones he had since entering this world.
There would always be knights coming to swap pointers with Xing Ye daily and he also took the opportunity to learn more about this world’s swordsmanship- knowing more’s never hurt anybody. This game was very malicious; there would inevitably be a day when the new skills he learned would come to use.
Although Claire's body made him a little shorter by five centimeters, Xing Ye still couldn’t be considered short, standing at over 180 cm. However, the duke’s knights were all built strongly. This made Xing Ye, who was originally asain, seem very thin and weak among the knights.
It looks fine if he was standing next to the maids but with the knights serving as contrast, Xing Ye looked rather out of place.
Duke Garcia stood by the window and watched Xing Ye, a slight frown on his face.
”Lawrence is an outstanding knight,” The butler noticed the Duke’s gaze and praised, “He’s already become the core of the knight’s group. Congratulations to the duke for obtaining another great warrior.”
However, Duke Garcia didn’t seem very happy as he shook his head: “He’s a bit too outstanding.”
”Tomorrow’s the queen’s birthday. How are the preparations?” Duke Garcia changed the topic.
”May the Grand Duke be at ease. The presents have been rewrapped and the knights have also been given new uniforms. Rest assured that we absolutely will not let the Lord lose face.” The butler said.
”Perfect.” Duke Garcia nodded and glanced at Xing Ye again, “Tomorrow, call Lawrence and Knight Walter to guard me.”
”As the Duke commands.”
-
The next morning, Xing Ye changed into the new knights uniform the maids sent. The outer coat had a high collar with an elegant gold trim, making his body look even more slender. The boots even had an inner heel, making Xing Ye another few centimeters taller.
The outfit was finished with a black belt that highlighted Xing Ye’s trim waist. He finished buttoning up the suit and found this seemingly restrictive uniform was actually quite comfortable to move in.
Mirror: Going to the palace is like walking right into their trap. You should refuse.
”If I was a manipulator, I would definitely divide the group into two. One person would stay in the palace while the other one would take advantage of Duke Garcia and the knight captain’s absence to force a body search on the remaining guards. As long as they find me and the mirror in Duke Garcia’s manor, the whole matter about offending nobles can be pardoned. If I really stay in the mansion without the Duke of Garcia, I’d be finished." Xing Ye explained to the mirror patiently.
Mirror: But the Imperial Palace is their home ground.
”Yeah,” Xing Ye said nonchalantly, “So as the host, it’s even harder to do something offensive. In the Imperial Palace, the most important thing isn’t the two manipulators, but the queen and Duke Garcia.”
He asked the mirror: “Magic mirror, magic mirror, can the queen use magic to sense you?”
The system took over the mirror: “No. Right now, her heart is too wicked. Without a single strand of light, she has no way to sense my existence.”
After Xing Ye confirmed the queen could only use physical means like body searches to find the mirror, he hid the mirror in the pocket, straightened his collar, and left his room.
When the maid outside saw Xing Ye, her faces flushed red as she lowered her head and handed Xing Ye a handkerchief. This was an essential item for knights.
Xing Ye politely thanked the maid before tucking it in his bosom pocket and going to the front of the manor to meet with everyone else.
The knights’ eyes lit up one by one when they saw Xing Ye. Knight Captain Walter, who had a considerably closer relationship with Xing Ye, ran up and said: “This uniform really suits you. The difference between you and us is like comparing a swan to ugly ducklings!”
Xing Ye said indifferently: “Uniforms aren’t meant to emphasize a certain person but for the group to seem like a whole. We’re all one team."
”That’s right.” Duke Garcia applauded, “Everyone is very handsome. As we go to the imperial palace, let’s make everyone awed by the imposing manner of my, Duke Garcia’s, knights.”
”We are ready to serve you!” The twenty white clothed knights echoed in chorus.
There was no way to deny that the ostentatiously decked out knights really were an amazing sight. The squad of twenty knights, each mounted on a grand white horse, attracted everyone’s attention as they passed.
When they arrived at the Imperial Palace, the queen called Duke Garcia and the other nobles for a round of tea. The knights would be taken to another room for refreshments as they waited for their masters.
Knights from different nobles had a competitive relationship, comparing appearance, clothing, and oftentimes even swordsmanship. As Knight Walter and the rest fought with words, Xing Ye just quietly sat to the side, drinking his tea.
Sure enough, after a while, the queen’s imperial guards entered the room. After being defeated by Knight Walter a few days ago, the imperial guard captain was more solemn than before and even brought a hundred guards with him to surround Duke Garcia’s knights.
The imperial guard captain said: “Everybody who entered the city was body searched except for Duke Garcia’s knights due to an unexpected incident. May sir knights please step forward and agree to be searched.”
This time, he took out the queen’s signed document and had people bring them over to another room, giving each knight proper respect. Now there was no way for anybody to refuse, even if they knew the imperial guard captain was defeated by Knight Walter.
However, Xing Ye just tugged his collar and stared at the imperial guard captain icily: “I refuse.”
This was the first time the guard captain saw such an executor that kept on breaking every plan that they’d set. He clenched his teeth: “Excuse me, Sir Knight, but you don’t have the right to refuse.”
Xing Ye was composed: “Duke Garcia promised me that nobody can offend me. Even if the queen really ordered me to be searched, the Duke’s permission must be obtained first.”
”This is the queen’s order.” The imperial guard captain grabbed Xing Ye’s hand and almost directly tore the clothes apart.
The mirror has to be on him. If he can find the mirror, the queen will definitely execute him and they’d win!
Xing Ye looked at the guard captain who practically had the word ‘stupid’ written all over his face and spoke calmly: “I believe my request is very reasonable. Furthermore, Duke Garcia’s just in the room right over so it shouldn’t take very long to make an inquiry. I have something I really don’t understand- why are you insisting on only checking us knights from Duke Garcia? Could it be that you doubt our Grand Duke’s loyalty to the queen? You are suspecting us? All along, were you trying to incite conflict between our Grand Duke and the queen?”
After being framed with three questions in a row, Duke Garcia’s knights who were originally scared by the queen’s edict immediately started to fight back. Walter pushed the imperial guard captain away and protected Xing Ye behind him: “We need the grand duke’s orders.”
The imperial guard captain glared at Xing Ye, who was right in front of his eyes yet he couldn’t do anything, and basically seeked death by directly ordering: “I see that the whole time, Knight Lawrence has been avoiding my gaze. He must be suspicious, seize him!”
”Who dares?” Suddenly, Duke Garcia’s voice boomed from the door.
He walked in and stood in front of Xing Ye, looking at the imperial guard captain like he would at a dead person: “These knights that have vowed their loyalty to me have never done anything beyond their positions in the imperial palace. They are only protecting their honor as knights. What right do you have to be seizing my people?”