“Many young people, especially the ones with talent, often felt themselves invincible, that they were the top of the world. Usually, it was only when reality caught up to them that they realized their folly. Of course, not every one of them survived that tumble from atop the metaphorical peak.” - Adama Oweni, Scholar from Posuin, circa 501 VA.

“So that one getting armored up’s the one that challenged Ery I take it?” asked Reinhardt when he reached the central square of Levain – along with Elfriede, Rhiannon, and most of the group from the training ground, including the councilors – a while later. They were still early to the time agreed upon for the duel, and as far as he could tell, Erycea was just warming up on her side, while her opponent was in the process of being helped into his armor.

Because of course the rich fucker had the means to get himself a full suit of masterwork full plate armor that covered him from head to toe.

Normally Reinhardt would be a bit worried, as plate armor of that sort was something that rendered many weapons nearly useless, but in Erycea’s case, the weapons she used as well as her fighting style happened to be uniquely suited for facing people in that sort of armor. In fact, she often referred to them with the derogatory term of “tin cans” most of the time.

As it was, he was curious on how long the noble boy would last against Erycea.

“That’s the one, Boss man,” replied Aurora with a nod. Erycea had been in town with her friends when the challenge happened, so the rest of them kept her company when she went to the city square to answer it to show solidarity. “Would’ve loved to smash his face in myself, but fucker called for the lil’ boss, so I guess I ain’t getting that chance. Doubt lil’ boss would leave much of him for us to hit.”

“That is Adrian de Kars, eldest son to Vincenzo de Kars,” explained Bernd Adenauer who was also present in the square, as he had been showing Erycea and her friends around town when the challenge happened. Naturally he felt somewhat responsible for not being able to prevent the incident from happening in the first place. “He was studying in Caroma last I knew, so he must have returned after getting news about his brother.”

“Which one was his brother, anyway?” asked Reinhardt with some curiosity. To his knowledge, Erycea had only killed two people that could possibly be related to that noble family, but he had no idea which was which.

“That would be the young knight who led de Kars’s team back in the first duel, Captain,” replied the councilor, which jogged Reinhardt’s memory of the fight back when they had just arrived in Levain. It was an extremely one-sided fight where Erycea and her people slaughtered the opposition except for one lucky man who managed to surrender fast enough.

“Oh, the one that Ery punted the head off of?” he replied. “That one didn’t seem all that competent.”

“He was not considered anywhere as talented as his elder brother, yes, though de Kars still knighted him and gave him a high position since he was his nephew anyway,” said the councilor with a shake of his head.

“See, that’s just folly. Like, I don’t mind someone employing their own kids or nephews and the likes, as long as they got what it takes to do the job, but doing so when they were clearly incompetent was just cruelty to whoever was unfortunate enough to be under them,” complained Reinhardt as he shook his head. “I have my daughters working as part of the company as well, but they’ve proven that they were suitable for it, and I gave them the position because of that, not because they’re my kids.”

“An understandable meritocratic view, one I wish more people would adopt rather than just trying to cram in as many family and friends in high position as was the norm,” admitted the former nobleman as he shook his head in disappointment. “Anyway, from the way you’re acting, I must presume that you foresee little to no chance of your daughter losing this duel.”

“The day Ery loses to a human tin can is the day hell freezes over,” stated Reinhardt confidently. “Now, if that rich snob there was a dwarf or an orc and had armor tailored to them, she might have some difficulty getting through that, though they’re just as unlikely to catch her. A human wouldn’t be able to use armor that’s thick enough to give her that sort of difficulty unless they’re a blood mage though, so she’ll likely have him beat before long.”

Shortly after he said those words, the young nobleman on the other side finished wearing his armor and stood up, picking up a large greatsword that his father proffered to him, and stepped into the center of the square, which had been left vacant on purpose for their duel. The young noble was clad from head to toe in his plate armor, with only a narrow slit for vision and holes for breathing once he lowered his helmet’s visor into place.

Across the square from him, Erycea also stood up lightly. She wore notably lighter armor compared to her opponent, a thin gambeson on which a surprisingly flexible brigandine was anchored. The armor mostly covered her torso, and while she also wore bracers and shin guards, she had skipped out on gauntlets or greaves, which was not uncommon amongst therians as they often found it hard to fight well while wearing those.

Her own pair of truncheons were in her hands as she relaxedly walked into the square and looked her armored opponent in the eye while they waited for the signal to start to be given. That wait proved to be a short one, as before long, the sun set on the horizon and one of the councilors who had followed along signaled the start of the duel for them.