Dragon King: Throne of Demons and Gods-Chapter 17 - 50% Man of Steel, 50% Beast of Veil

Bel was sitting in the courtyard, his legs crossed, his hands resting on his knees. His breath was steady, his body still, but inside, frustration boiled.

His brow furrowed, and then...

He flinched. His jaw clenched as his fingers twitched against his knees. A sharp grimace twisted his face before he let out a low groan.

How is this supposed to work?

He had been sitting here for over an hour, trying to feel the flow of mana, trying to push it outside his body... but nothing. He exhaled harshly, running a hand through his hair.

Bel briefly recalled the knight's reaction when he had asked for training in magic earlier that morning. The man had been taken aback, not by the request itself, but by what he had seen when he examined Bel's mana.

His mana pool was enormous, too large for someone without talent, let alone someone who had never used magic before. That had been a moment of intrigue, even admiration, but now? Now, he was just sitting here feeling like an idiot.

"Tch. This is pointless," he muttered under his breath.

"I dunno, looks like you aren't trying hard."

A familiar voice cut through his frustration.

Bel turned his head slightly, catching sight of Will and Sienna approaching him. Will smirked, arms crossed, while Sienna walked beside him with an amused expression.

"You know, you could at least pretend you're not struggling," Will continued, his smirk widening. "It'd make this whole thing more impressive."

Bel sighed, too annoyed with his failed attempt at meditation to entertain the teasing.

Sienna shot him a glare, then turned to Bel with pure conviction.

"Don't listen to him! I'm sure you're just warming up! Right?"

Bel exhaled through his nose, rubbing his temple.

"Why are you here?"

Sienna huffed, shaking her hands in a calming gesture toward Bel.

"Don't listen to him, he's an idiot. You're obviously training for something important!" Her expression softened as she looked at Bel. "So, what are you working on?"

Bel rolled his eyes, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Trying to learn magic. Now, seriously. What do you want?"

Will snorted.

"Magic, huh? So, when do we get to see you set something on fire?"

Will grinned.

"Oh, nothing much. Just checking what our favorite training addict was up to."

Sienna let out a small laugh, brushing back a strand of hair.

"You're always training, Bel. Don't you ever get tired of it?"

Bel barely spared her a glance.

"No."

Sienna pouted slightly but didn't let his indifference deter her.

"Come on, you can't train all the time. You should at least talk to people. You're Dusteria's knight, we're basically besties."

Bel exhaled through his nose, uninterested. He had no patience for small talk, he had things to do.

It wasn't that they annoyed him, but something in him had changed with the increase of his stats, like his strength, but not visually.

This new Bel started realizing that he had escaped the prison of a stable for a prison of nobility, making him reluctant to talk to anyone.

Will, however, wasn't as willing to let it go.

"You know, you're really not much fun to be around," he said, smirking. "I get that you like to act all serious, but you don't even train like a real knight."

Bel remained silent, refusing to give him the reaction he wanted.

Will leaned forward slightly, pushing further.

"I mean, Dusteria's your lady, right? Shouldn't you be training with her, under an actual knight's instruction? Instead, you just do... whatever it is you do alone. No structure, no discipline. No wonder you're not fit to be her knight."

Bel finally let out a deep sigh.

"... Ah, dammit."

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Will blinked, slightly surprised at the reaction. He crossed his arms, tilting his head.

"Look, I'm just saying, every knight goes through proper training, under the guidance of a superior. It's tradition, it's how you actually learn. Not just running around in the woods picking fights with monsters..."

As Will spoke, Bel's mind started drifting. He rolled his eyes at the lecture but didn't bother to interrupt.

Why am I even listening to this?

He turned his thoughts inward.

Wasn't I supposed to be learning magic?

He scratched his chin. Maybe meditating outside wasn't the best idea. Wouldn't it be more efficient to study in the library? At least there, he could find actual instructions.

Then, his thoughts took a different turn.

Why am I even doing all of this? What am I trying to achieve? I'm a dragon... And I'm getting stronger... Why? Just because it feels good?... Oh, yeah... That woman... she looked dangerous. I have to be strong because of her. Wait, why did she spare us? Was that even mentioned?

His expression darkened slightly, his gaze sharpening as he considered the question. But before he could reach an answer...

"Hey! Are you even listening?" Will's voice cut through his thoughts.

Bel blinked, snapping back to reality. He looked at Will lazily.

"Hm? What do you want? Who are you again?"

Will scowled, while Sienna burst into laughter.

"Pfft...! Oh wow, Bel, that's cold."

Will clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed.

"You don't really act like a knight, you know? No respect, no discipline. If anything, I'd probably do a better job in your place. I'm stronger and more disciplined, and I'm still a beginner."

Bel narrowed his eyes slightly, finally paying closer attention. Will wasn't just mocking him now, he was actually challenging him.

It was at least how he took it.

Sienna frowned, sensing where this was going.

"Will, don't start."

Will ignored her, stepping forward with confidence.

"Tell you what, since you love 'testing your strength' so much, how about we test it? A duel. If I win, I take your place as Dusteria's knight."

Bel blinked, tilting his head slightly.

"...You want to what?"

Will crossed his arms.

"I mean, it's only fair. She is my friend, and we're a team of four people. She deserves a knight who actually does his job. Not someone who barely acknowledges her existence."

Bel exhaled through his nose, considering the idea. He had no interest in the position, and he could easily just walk away from this nonsense.

But then... a slow smirk tugged at his lips. This could be a good test.

He had spent days training, but he had yet to measure himself properly against a human. Will shouldn't be weak, he was well-trained after all. This could be useful.

"Fine," Bel said, standing up. "I'll play with you."

Sienna threw up her hands.

"Oh, come on! You're really going along with this?"

Bel stretched his neck, ignoring her.

"You wanted me to take a break, right? Let's play. Your sword, against my claws. Let's see which breaks first."

Will grinned, clearly pleased, then frowned slightly.

"Wait... what do you mean 'claws'?"

By now, a few knights nearby had started to take interest, pausing their own training to watch the brewing fight. The murmurs spread quickly, a duel between Bel and Will.

From his office, the Duke observed the scene, arm crossed near the grand window.

A cluster of knights had begun to gather in the courtyard, the growing murmur of excitement reaching his ears. His brows furrowed slightly.

Crest stood beside him, his brows furrowing as he took in the scene below. His eyes widened slightly as realization struck.

He recognized the tension in the air, the way the knights were shifting, and more than anything, the troublemaker Will was.

He frowned.

"That's bad."

The Duke's attention switched to him.

"What's bad? It looks like a sparring match."

Crest turned to him quickly.

"It's not just a match. Will's temper... this won't end well. I have to stop them."

He moved toward the door with urgency, but before he could leave, the Duke's calm voice halted him.

"Wait."

Crest hesitated, turning back.

"Father? There's no time... we can't just let this happen."

The Duke met his son's eyes with an unwavering gaze.

"We can. This is a perfect opportunity to see what he can do."

Crest stared at him, stunned. He opened his mouth as if to argue, but the coldness in the Duke's eyes made him pause.

Outside, the tension in the courtyard only grew, the knights now fully engrossed in what was about to unfold.

It seemed like nothing was going to stop this now.