The noble who delivered the documents came in haste, left two sets of papers, and was never seen again.
High Priest Auguslatin also did not appear during the following three days.
Charlot spent these days leaving early and returning late, tirelessly practicing various martial arts at Old Flor’s shop. On the day of the duel, he brought Dolores, Anastasia, Belisa, eighteen warriors from the Redback Bear Tribe, and a slew of attendants to the banks of the Sevintes River.
Thanks to the publicity efforts by the noble circles of the Ingrima Empire over the past few days, the banks of the Sevintes River were packed with dense crowds. The duel had drawn an uncountable number of spectators.
Two days earlier, Charlot learned that many nobles of Britain had placed bets on his duel with Ban Lamorak. He simply withdrew 2,000 gold écus and entrusted Julian Arsilo to wager on his behalf. If he won, it would be a joyous outcome; if he lost, the money, which was stolen anyway, would return to where it belonged.
The Sevintes River, the largest river on the island of Britain, flowed through more than a dozen cities before emptying into the sea at Britain. It featured over two hundred bridges, six or seven of which were located in Britain alone. The most famous among them was the Britain Bridge, named after the city itself. This bridge connected both banks of the Sevintes River: one end was in the Dragon Fort District, leading directly to Red Dragon Palace, while the other end reached Mount Galvin, home to the Guillaume family’s Summer Palace of Quiet Springs.
Britain Bridge had two levels. The lower level was open to the general populace of Britain, while the upper level housed a unique palace-like structure. Most of the time, the upper level was also accessible to commoners. However, on significant holidays or special occasions, it became an exclusive venue and was closed to the public.
Such was the case now. Members of the Guillaume royal family, including Emperor Alfred Guillaume himself, along with a host of high-ranking officials, were present in the palace on the upper level of Britain Bridge to witness the spectacle.
When Charlot arrived at the riverside, he initially intended to head straight into the ring. However, he was stopped and informed about the sequence of events for the duel. There were to be three preliminary exhibition matches before the main event between him and Ban Lamorak, followed by a grand finale performance.
The veins on Charlot's forehead nearly popped from annoyance upon hearing this, but he ultimately said nothing and waited patiently for his moment.
He couldn’t spot Ban Lamorak but assumed that his opponent was with his father on Britain Bridge.
The duel, overseen by the royal family, had considerate arrangements. Charlot and his entourage were provided with a platform by the riverbank, complete with pre-arranged seating, food, champagne, and ale to ensure they could await the duel in comfort.
Charlot picked up a glass of ale and took a sip, just as a long whistle pierced the air. A Saint-rank individual ascended into the sky, eliciting an exclamation of admiration from Charlot. The scale of the event was indeed grand—there was even a Saint participating.
Hovering in mid-air, the Saint announced the names of the first pair of participants and their backgrounds in Ingrima. Two young knights leapt onto a small boat prepared for them and began a duel atop the river.
Charlot had assumed everyone would fight using techniques to walk on water, but it turned out this format was entirely different.
The duel between the two young knights ended when one of them was knocked into the Sevintes River. The victor, demonstrating knightly grace, extended his lance to pull the defeated opponent back onto the boat.
Next, the Saint introduced the second pair of duelists. These two were significantly stronger, leaping from opposite riverbanks and using combat energy to generate surging mists around their bodies.
As a maritime nation, the Ingrima Empire had many knights who specialized in oceanic combat energy. James Cook and Francis Drake, two naval captains, were also adept in this school of combat energy.
Charlot watched as the two contestants dashed across the Sevintes River with combat energy underfoot, their knight lances twisting and striking like dragons. The match was far more entertaining and superior in skill compared to the first.
This duel lasted over an hour before one side was defeated. The losing knight swam back to shore, soaked and dejected, speaking to no one. The victor sprinted across the river and received an invitation from the Emperor to join him on Britain Bridge to watch the subsequent matches.
When the third duel was announced, Charlot perked up. The Saint hovering above declared this to be a life-and-death struggle.
The challenger, whose fiancée had been “dishonored” by the opponent, was unwilling to fight directly and sent his younger brother in his stead.
As Charlot watched the two young men board the small boat, he predicted that their martial skills might be mediocre, but the intensity of their fight would undoubtedly surpass the previous two.
Ten minutes later, Charlot observed the two combatants perish together, their abdomens pierced by the opposing knight’s lance. His mood grew somber.
He couldn’t comprehend the point of such duels. The true culprit remained unscathed, while the two who died in the ring were entirely innocent.
When the Saint in the sky finally announced Charlot’s name, he grabbed the Knight’s Lance, Shanlens’ Spear, in preparation. However, as he hesitated briefly to consider switching to another weapon, a sound like tearing silk erupted from the opposite side. A figure leapt into the air, rapidly approaching.
A clear voice echoed over the Sevintes River: “Charlot Mecklenburg! If you’re willing to abandon Miss Aurora Soumet and forfeit, I’m prepared to postpone this duel.”
Charlot remained silent, activating Swiftstep Technique and Spider Technique to leap into the air. He acknowledged that his own voice couldn’t carry across the river like his opponent’s—this was clearly the effect of a unique ability rather than sheer technique. Opting for action over words, he refused to respond verbally.
Both moved with incredible speed. When their Knight’s Lances clashed over the Sevintes River, they emitted a strange, sharp resonance. The Wings of the Young Dragon technique Charlot had been practicing recently, though progressing slowly, was executed with astonishing precision in this moment. Matching speed with speed, he managed to avoid falling behind in their first exchange.
After a mutual thrust and separation, the two repositioned themselves. Charlot used Swiftstep Technique and Spider Technique to stand miraculously on the river’s surface, his Knight’s Lance poised and his aura steadily intensifying.
Ban Lamorak, by contrast, stood on a piece of ice the size of a round table. The youngest lion of Britain, he stood as steady as a mountain on the floating ice.
His Knight’s Lance also pointed at Charlot. Surprised by Charlot’s performance, he shouted, “Despicable Farsian! You dared steal Aurora’s heart while I was away from Britain. I will not let you leave the Sevintes River unscathed!”
Charlot was about to retort, “What kind of unscathed?” when Ban Lamorak, stepping onto the river’s surface, launched his second assault. Each step he took froze the water beneath him into ice—a hallmark of the Lamorak family’s secret Frost Dragon Combat Energy, radiating frigid power and unparalleled might.