The moment Raylo spoke, the Andre Envoy, whose face had remained stern and proper, could no longer maintain his composure. An utterly bizarre expression flickered across his features.

He had probably never imagined that someone’s train of thought could stretch this far.

’Inviting a Duchy Commander-in-Chief, or a Marquis with real power in a Duchy, to fight a duel below the Domain Level?’

He opened his mouth, but it took him several seconds to speak, his words coming with some difficulty.

"In theory... the rules do not forbid it."

He paused, then added a crucial point.

"However, Lord Earl. The rules are reciprocal. If you invite a powerful proxy, then His Highness... can naturally do the same."

A brief silence fell over the reception hall.

Raylo leaned back in his chair, suddenly feeling the urge to laugh.

He finally understood completely.

’What bullsh*t ancient tradition? What damn "witnessed by the gods"? It’s all just a front.’

’This so-called "sacred duel," once you tear away the fancy wrapping paper, has a core that is incredibly simple and crude.’

’It’s just a contest of whose fist is harder, whose backer is stronger.’

’This isn’t a duel at all. It’s a proxy war, one that can be laid out in the open for the entire Kingdom’s nobility to watch.’

Eliot had the Queen and her family behind him, so they could certainly invite one of the Kingdom’s top experts.

As for his side, while his connections seemed vast, both Gaius Duke and Marshal Luke were too busy to spare the time, and it was impossible for them to personally step into the ring for something like this.

The game was unfair from the very beginning.

"I understand."

Raylo’s voice returned to its usual calm.

"Please reply to the Duke. I have indeed been low on energy lately and need some time to rest and prepare. As for the specific date of the duel, once I am ready, I will send an envoy to the National Capital to meet with the Duke."

"I will convey your wishes exactly as stated."

The Andre Envoy stood up and bowed once more.

"In that case, I will not impose any longer, Lord Earl."

Raylo nodded, signaling for Ed to see the guest out.

When he was alone in the reception hall, Raylo picked up the long-cold tea from the table and drank it all in one gulp.

The cold liquid slid down his throat, clearing his chaotic thoughts.

Stall.

It was his only option at the moment, and also his best one.

Eliot wanted to use a duel to turn the tables, to use so-called honor to corner him.

Well, he would not give him the satisfaction.

He needed time. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

More importantly, he himself needed time.

And time was on his side.

Raylo walked to the window and pushed open the heavy casement.

He gazed out at the vast territory bathed in the morning light.

’Let His Highness wait slowly in his dungeon cell.’

Black Stone Castle was waking in the dawn, with cooking smoke curling into the air. In the distance, the fields were a patchwork of crisscrossing paths, full of life.

Everything here, he had built with his own hands.

Just then, a clear, high-pitched dragon’s roar pierced down from above the clouds.

Raylo raised his head, his gaze penetrating the thin veil of clouds.

A golden figure circled wantonly in the sky.

It was Sun. His enormous, one-hundred-meter-long body flowed with the luster of molten gold under the sunlight, and every flap of his giant wings stirred up visible waves of air.

Behind him, six azure figures struggled to maintain formation, following closely.

They were the six Sky Dragons brought back from the Fiery Sun Kingdom.

Once, they were mere hatchlings, but now they had already entered their Growth Stage.

Their bodies stretched to a full five meters, their azure scales were fine and tough, and their flight was swift and agile, like six Jade Daggers slicing through the vast sky.

Although they looked like a few inconspicuous kingfishers in front of the hundred-meter-long Sun, their fierce aura as High Tier Magical Beasts was undeniable.

The corners of Raylo’s mouth curled up involuntarily.

He had once promised to establish an exclusive Knight Order for Sun.

However, the ideal was grand, but reality was harsh.

Black Stone Territory was rebuilding from scratch, and its most elite Knights had already been assigned to various core units. All that could be spared for the "Golden Dragon Knight Order" for now was a skeleton crew consisting of a ten-man Knight squad and a hundred Knight’s Attendants.

For a proud Golden Dragon dead-set on taking revenge against the Black Dragon, the new overlord of the Black Stone Mountain Range, this was clearly not enough.

The situation only improved when Raylo assigned these six Sky Dragons—which had just matured and gained true combat capability—to Sun, to serve as his direct Personal Guard.

Upon receiving his own exclusive "Dragon Descendant" force, Sun immediately tossed the pitiful roster of Human Knights to the back of his mind. He was as excited as a King who had just received a whole new set of toys, and recently, whenever he had a spare moment, he would take his six little brothers into the sky to conduct all sorts of "high-difficulty" combat training.

As if sensing Raylo’s gaze, Sun executed a magnificent tail whip, his massive body carving a powerful arc through the air. He led the six Sky Dragons down to a lower altitude, hovering above the castle.

"My Lord!"

Sun’s booming voice rang directly in Raylo’s mind, filled with unconcealed pride.

"Please inspect your aerial blade, my ’Celestial Vault’s Fang’! After three days and nights of my rigorous training, they have already grasped the rudimentary form of the ’Sky Curtain Assault’ tactic!"

The six Sky Dragons were clearly not yet accustomed to this sudden "inspection" from their boss. They flew crookedly, and one of them nearly crashed into another’s wing, earning a dissatisfied growl from Sun.

Raylo watched the flustered Flying Dragons, suppressing a laugh.

He found it hard to imagine what the so-called "Sky Curtain Assault" would actually look like.

"They look... very energetic."

Raylo replied.

"Energetic? No, my Lord, this is a demonstration of discipline and Power!"

Sun corrected him, simultaneously "spurring" the few Flying Dragons with his Dragon Mighty, forcing them to form a crooked, wavering line.

"Give them time, and they will become the most terrifying shadow of death looming over Black Stone Territory! Any enemy who dares to offend your majesty will be reduced to cinders beneath their dive!"

Listening to Sun’s resonant declaration, the last trace of gloom in Raylo’s heart dissipated.

"Sun."

Raylo looked up and spoke to the Golden Dragon in the sky.

"Increase the training intensity. I need them to become a fighting force as soon as possible."

"As you command, my Lord!"

Sun’s reply echoed through the clouds, filled with unparalleled excitement and fighting spirit.

With that, he let out a long cry and led his "Celestial Vault’s Fang" toward the higher, more distant sky, beginning a new round of "drills."

Raylo straightened up, leaning against the railing and letting the gentle breeze stir the tips of his hair.

Raylo already had a new plan in mind for the development of the Sun Knight Order.

He would forge the Sun Knight Order into a purely aerial Flying Knight Order.

The first batch of one hundred Pegasi received from Karachi as a "ransom" would be assigned to the Sun Knight Order as their first mounts, while at least one hundred Knights would be selected from Black Stone Territory.

These one hundred Pegasus Knights would form the backbone of the Sun Knight Order.