Storm of Gods

Chapter 181 Let's duel!

The following morning, a large crowd gathered in the square in front of the Upper House. The cabinet's decision from the previous night would be published in the Kingdom's official "Daily Chronicle" today. Neither the Hexbird News nor the Heldan Daily were rumors; the Daily Chronicle was the only official and accurate information.

Early in the morning, a large crowd gathered at the entrance to the Upper House Square. At nine o'clock, a chubby man in a white half-blouse, revealing half of his fair shoulders, swaggered out. Ignoring the stares of the crowd, he stopped in front of a sign in the square, then raised his head, cleared his throat, and said, "Yesterday, the great and just King Aura XVIII of Montcarette and his loyal and wise cabinet members discussed and appointed His Highness Acles and the Undertaker to thoroughly investigate the case of Viscount Anthony. Boom! Let us praise His Majesty the Great and Just King! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The fat man sang out a passionate, operatic shout, and then, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he walked away with his head held high.

A murmur rippled through the crowd. His Majesty the King had no intention of handling the case discreetly or burying it; instead, he was launching a formal investigation. This was going to be quite a spectacle.

Once a formal investigation is launched, there will certainly be a public trial, which involves the king's authority and whether Viscount Anthony used the "ransom" law.

The ransom law is an unwritten rule with a long history, but with the rise of Hextech and the School of Heavenly Principle, public resentment has been extremely high in the last five or six years. The public has become deeply disgusted with this "evil law," especially when it comes to heinous crimes where the perpetrators can still go unpunished. The conflict between the two sides is irreconcilable, and Anthony just happens to be at the center of the storm.

Whether Viscount Anthony was framed or was the real culprit behind the internal organ demon, two conflicting theories arose, putting pressure on the Undertaker.

At the Saint Zeal Academy's training base, everyone was training enthusiastically, and inevitably, they were also discussing Anthony's affairs. It was part of the boomerang-like discussion. Back when Anthony was still at the Knight Academy, he was known for looking down on the Academy, not only belittling it in various ways but also frequently causing trouble there, believing that the Academy had tarnished the spirit of chivalry. At the height of the conflict between the Knight faction and the Academy faction, students were seriously injured or even killed in duels every day. Later, the situation escalated, and the King intervened to quell the conflict, but the mutual contempt that existed in their hearts never ceased.

Anthony's actions clearly aroused great indignation among the students of the Church of Christ and ignited the conflict within the buried community. Ordinary people lacked the ability and channels to express their opinions, but the students of the Church of Christ were different. They had the knowledge, ability, and power to unite and put pressure on the funeral procession, determined not to let any murderer go unpunished.

Individual cases are easy to deal with, but when it involves a large number of students in the Order of the Church, especially those trained by the Church, public opinion is fierce, and the Undertaker dares not take it lightly. The Undertaker headquarters has gathered elite forces to investigate the case, and Anthony has been transferred to a more secure location.

Previously, punishments were forbidden for nobles. Now, under these circumstances, while there are no overt punishments, the funeral procession still has to resort to some methods.

"He deserved it, he got what he got, Anthony is no good!"

“He committed many evil deeds in the Knight Academy and had many lives on his hands, but he got away with it. He even went to the front lines and his name was wiped clean and he was promoted. Where can we go to seek justice?”

“This time is different. His Majesty the King has ordered the Second Prince to take charge. Prince Akris has returned from the Holy Temple, and no matter what hidden power he has, it cannot escape his notice. He will definitely bring this guy to justice!”

Everyone was talking about it. The incident at the Divine Knight Academy gave many other academies a sense of relief, especially the students of the Holy Zeal Academy. Although they seemed to be at odds, they actually had an innate class conflict.

Simmons and Celia didn't join the discussion. They could see more clearly, and they didn't understand why their grandfather would involve the family in such matters. One wrong move and they could be utterly destroyed. The Zheng family was watching them like hawks, and this had also offended an old family like the Nasser. Even the George family at its peak wasn't in that situation, let alone the current George family. There had been a fierce argument at home yesterday, with their father and uncles making a scene for a long time, but the old man had them all driven away.

Simmons and Celia felt a bit of danger, but for the sake of justice, they felt it was worth being brave. Besides, His Majesty the King supported them. Could they just keep backing down? Sooner or later, they would be wiped out by their rivals.

Although the two are young, they probably have a clearer understanding of things because they have had more contact with the old count. Moreover, because they are young, they are not afraid of many things. If they are afraid of this and that, can they be called young people? Besides, they are on the side of justice.

Just then, the base door was kicked open, and the flying door flew directly towards Simmons and Celia. Simmons quickly stood up and delivered a sweeping kick, and with a loud bang, the door exploded.

A group of students from the Divine Knight Academy rushed in, led by none other than Lord Raydya Nasser, one of the most famous of the younger generation of the Eight Dukes in Montaletta, Anthony's younger brother, with flaxen hair, a rugged build, and exuding powerful strength.

The people of Saint Ze rushed over, and tensions immediately rose. Didia, completely disregarding these insignificant figures, walked towards Simmons. The members of the Divine Knight Academy beside him immediately shoved aside the Saint Ze members, and anyone who dared to obstruct him was punched and kicked. In an instant, the base descended into chaos. Simmons looked at the murderous Didia, his gaze grave, and said in a deep voice, "Didia, do you know what you're doing?"

"Stop!" A thunderous roar shook the entire building. Didia stared intently at Simmons. "Simmons, compared to what you've done, what I've done is nothing. I used to think that even though you've entered the Council of the Church, you were someone of importance, someone with courage and skill. But now I see you're nothing but a despicable and treacherous person!"

Celia was about to retort when Simmons pulled her back, taking two steps forward. "Didia, I don't want to explain anything. The truth will out, and the lie will not become the truth. His Majesty the King will definitely seek justice for the victims and will not let any murderer go unpunished."

“My elder brother is a hero, a true knight. You will pay the price for defiling a knight!” Didia said in a deep voice.

Simmons smiled and shook his head slightly. "Didia, you're quite special among that group, but you're not very bright. I don't know who instigated you to come. I only know that Anthony was caught red-handed, caught red-handed, you understand? Whether there are any hidden circumstances or not, we'll have to wait for the Undertaker's investigation to find out. As for the report in the Hexbird Gazette, every citizen of Heldan has the right to know. A true knight is not afraid of the truth."

Didia stared intently at Simmons. "No wonder everyone says you're eloquent. You're a true member of the George family. I can't argue with you, but you've insulted the Nasser name and my dignity. Only blood can wash it away. Let's duel."

Nobles rarely engage in duels, and this was no joke, but this time Didia was truly enraged.

“Didia, His Majesty has said that pointless duels between the Church and the Knights Academy are not permitted.”

Didia laughed. "Simmons, this is not a pointless duel. This is a battle for the honor of our two families. Don't tell me that you don't care about the dignity and honor of a knight just because you didn't get into the Knight Academy. If you don't dare to accept the challenge, then admit to slandering my elder brother in the Hexbird Gazette!"

Where there are people, there are disputes; where there are disputes, there are judgments. But often, some things are unclear and unacceptable in judgment, so duels are the best way for knights to resolve conflicts.

Simmons looked at Didia, and the people on both sides around them also looked at the two of them. The atmosphere suddenly froze, and Simmons swallowed hard.

"I accept your challenge."

"Very well, you do have some courage. Time and place." According to the rules of duels between knights, the challenged party decides the time and place.

Once a duel is agreed to, either side that hesitates will never be able to hold their head high again in a city like Heldan.

“Next Monday, Saint Zeal Council,” Simmons said in a deep voice.

"Alright, I'll let you live a few more days, then we're off!" Didia waved and led the group of students from the Divine Knight Academy away.

Didia's face was icy. It wasn't that he was brainless, but given the current situation, he had to take action, otherwise he wouldn't even be able to leave the house. Everyone, even those in the Divine Blessing Academy, were looking at him with suspicion and mockery. As a proud knight who took pride in being a knight, he absolutely could not tolerate this. Moreover, he simply couldn't believe that his elder brother would do such a cruel thing—rape a defenseless woman and rip out her heart. It was utterly ridiculous. It would be strange if there wasn't a conspiracy involved.

The George family, despicable fence-sitters, have always been adept at using intrigue. When Prince Oliver was still the heir to the throne, they followed the prince, but after the prince lost power, they immediately switched sides to support the king. Such fence-sitters have absolutely no chivalry. Simmons is an outlier in the George family, daring to venture into the secret castle, and he is a decent person. However, this matter involves two families, and since he is the heir of the George family, he must bear the responsibility.

Once the duel is decided, all that remains is to settle it with one's life.

(End of this chapter)