Lord: I can see loyalty.

The door opened; with a swift pull, the iron gate creaked open inwards.

Vance's prepared pleasantries got stuck in his throat.

The person who opened the door was a young man who looked like a nobleman.

He was really very young, looking to be only in his early twenties, much younger than Vance had imagined for the "fallen nobleman Sir Rison".

He wore a dark gray belted coat with a small silver brooch at the collar, dressed appropriately, neither ostentatious nor shabby.

He was thin and slender, with narrow shoulders and a small waist, making him appear somewhat frail when he stood there.

Her features were delicate, her eyebrows and eyes were soft, and her skin was so white that it looked like she had a disease, which made her dark brown hair appear even thicker.

Vance was stunned for a moment, and so were the two "underlings" behind him.

This person... doesn't look like a knight at all.

Forget about being a knight, you could easily mistake him for a short-haired noblewoman raised in seclusion, if it weren't for his prominent Adam's apple and less feminine voice.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Vance Gilbert?"

The young man's voice was surprisingly calm and unhurried, with a composure beyond his years. He turned slightly to the side and gestured for him to come in, his manners impeccable.

"Sir Leeson is waiting; please follow me."

Vance suppressed his doubts, stepped across the threshold, and his two henchmen followed behind, their eyes unable to help but sweep over the young man a few more times.

The courtyard was even more exquisite than it appeared from the outside, with the lawns on both sides of the stone path trimmed like bird and animal feathers.

I don't know the names of those low-lying flowers and plants, but they don't look like ordinary stuff.

As they walked to the main building entrance, the young man pushed open a heavy oak door and stepped aside to make way for them.

Inside the door was a short corridor with dark wooden floors that were polished to a shine, reflecting people's images.

Every few steps, a wall lamp hangs on the wall, casting a soft and non-glaring light. At the end of the corridor is a half-open door, through which a warm orange-yellow light shines.

The young man walked up to the door, knocked gently, and then pushed it open.

"Sir Leeson, Mr. Gilbert has arrived."

He stepped aside, and Vance finally saw the people inside the room.

That was a man sitting behind a desk as well.

They both have delicate features, wear understated dark clothing, and are both young, looking to be in their early twenties.

But unlike the young man who opened the door, this person had a distinct...sense of power.

He wasn't exaggeratedly burly or bulky; he wore similar loungewear to the young man, but the fabric revealed full, smooth lines in his shoulders and arms—the kind of muscles that only come from years of sword-wielding.

When he sat, his back was ramrod straight, his neck was long and slender, and his posture was poised to strike.

This is the real Killian Leeson, the true knight.

"Sir Leeson." Vance gave a proper bow.

Killian Leeson had already stood up and walked around the desk to greet him.

His steps were light and steady. When he got closer, he placed his right hand on his chest and bowed slightly. His manners were impeccable, but unlike the young man who opened the door, his manners had an added... worldly composure.

"Mr. Gilbert, you must be tired from your journey." His voice was slightly lower than the young man's, but equally steady. "Please have a seat."

Vance sat down in the armchair opposite the desk, with his two underlings still standing behind him.

The young man who opened the door silently stepped aside, standing in the shadows by the wall, looking like a dutiful servant.

Sir Leeson's gaze swept over Vance, then over his two henchmen behind him, and he smiled slightly.

"Are all three of you on our side?"

Vance's heart skipped a beat, but he remained outwardly calm. He picked up the teacup that had just been served, took a sip, and spoke in a casual, aristocratic tone: "Sir Lisson, how have you been? The capital is much more lively than our place; my eyes are dazzled by all the sights I've seen on my journey..."

"Mr. Gilbert."

Sir Leeson interrupted him, his tone still gentle, but his eyes sharpened.

"There are no outsiders here, so we can skip the formalities."

Vance paused, holding his teacup, and looked up to meet Sir Rison's gaze.

Those eyes were clear and beautiful, without a trace of probing or beating around the bush; his meaning was quite obvious.

A moment later, Vance smiled.

He put the teacup back on the table, relaxed completely, and even his posture became more casual.

No longer needing to play the role of a baron's son who had to maintain a certain air, I can finally get down to business.

"Sir Leeson is very straightforward." He nodded. "Then let's get straight to the point."

The two brothers behind him also breathed a sigh of relief, their tense shoulders drooping slightly.

Sir Leeson nodded slightly, waiting for him to speak.

"What does our Earl desire this time? Lord Cohen probably hasn't had a chance to explain in detail yet, has he?" Vance asked.

"That's right." Sir Leeson leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped in front of him. "Mr. Cohen just said, 'Our opportunity to work together has come,' and asked me to fully cooperate. He said you would tell me the details in person."

Vance paused for a moment, organizing his thoughts.

The Earl of Vio's letter clearly stated what should and should not be said. Since Sir Rison was personally introduced by Cohen, basic trust should not be an issue.

"Our Earl," Vance lowered his voice, "needs an advanced method for the Knight's Breathing Technique."

Sir Leeson's expression shifted slightly, but it wasn't one of suspicion or wariness; rather, it was one of shock.

"Advanced breathing technique?" He repeated the word, a subtle complexity in his voice. "Count Vio of the Southern Territory...I'm said to be quite young, isn't he?"

"The Earl is indeed young," Vance nodded.

Sir Leeson was silent for a moment. He lowered his eyes and looked at a certain spot on the desk, a fleeting look of daze crossing his face.

There was envy, bitterness, and a hint of emotion in his eyes that Vance couldn't quite discern.

"Younger than me, as someone who was once..." he began softly, then stopped mid-sentence, a self-deprecating smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

He didn't finish speaking, but everyone present understood his meaning. After all, according to intelligence, the other party was once a member of a prominent family in the capital, but now he had fallen to the point where he didn't even know knightly swordsmanship.

Vance was a little embarrassed and opened his mouth as if to say something.

Offering comfort? That's obviously inappropriate; they're not that close yet. Changing the subject? That would seem too abrupt.

Fortunately, Sir Leeson quickly regained his composure. He raised his head, and his expression returned to its previous calm, even showing a hint of seriousness.

"If it's just a matter of advanced methods," he said slowly, "it's not difficult to figure out."

Vance was overjoyed, but before he could speak, Sir Leeson continued.

"After all, the Knights' Party is specifically designed for this purpose: to exchange and practice experiences."

"The only problem is how to get them to share their insights with us who don't know breathing techniques." He paused, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "On the contrary, it's harder for someone like me who wants a complete set of knightly sword techniques."

Vance understood the implication in his words and seized the opportunity to ask the question that concerned him most:

"Sir Leeson, does that mean that knightly breathing techniques and swordsmanship will really be revealed at this knightly ball?"

He paused, then added, "Our Earl's idea is that if we could also obtain a complete breathing technique or sword technique, that would be even better, but right now the most important thing is to find a way to advance."

Sir Leeson did not answer immediately.

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the sparse woodland outside the window, which was beginning to be shrouded in twilight, as if he were carefully choosing his words.

"There are indeed such rumors," he said slowly, "but to be honest, I'm not sure if they're true or false."

He gave a wry smile.

"I'm preparing for this too... If the rumors are true, those things could really leak out, and I have to seize this opportunity."

Vance nodded, feeling a pang of sadness. A descendant of a once-powerful family now had to rely on such "rumors" to try his luck. Only the person involved truly knew what this fall from grace felt like.

"And the reason why such news has recently surfaced," Sir Leeson changed the subject, his gaze returning to Vance's face, "is actually quite simple."

He paused, then uttered two words:

"Internal strife."

Vance was taken aback and exchanged a bewildered look with his two underlings behind him.

"Internal strife?" he asked tentatively. "You mean...?"

"There's internal strife in the capital," Sir Leeson interrupted him, leaning forward slightly and placing his hands on the desk. "This must be your first time in the capital, right?"

Vance and the others nodded.

"That's not surprising," Sir Leeson sighed. "You probably don't fully understand the current situation in the capital."

He looked at Vance, his gaze becoming serious.

"Let me ask you something first: did you never receive reinforcements from the kingdom when you previously faced banditry in the south?"

Vance's heart skipped a beat, and he nodded.

"You might think that the capital has 'abandoned' this desolate land in the south, right?" Sir Leeson's lips curled into a smile. "But that's not the case at all."

He took a deep breath and began to speak.

"The reason why the capital did not send troops to reinforce the southern border for so long was not because it did not want to help, but because the entire kingdom was almost destroyed during that period."

The three of them were all startled and couldn't help but exchange glances.

"It took me only a while to gradually figure everything out," Sir Leeson said in a deep, steady voice, as if telling a story. "It's not just the internal strife in the capital; there are dangers all over the kingdom that could destroy an entire region."

"It's true that there are bandits in the South, but what about the wealthy West? The pirates along the West's coast are colluding with some of the local nobles."

"Those people are entrenched in several important ports along the western coast. The kingdom has sent troops to wipe them out three times, but they still haven't been able to take them down completely."

Vance's Adam's apple bobbed, but he remained silent.

"The East is certainly not peaceful either," Sir Leeson continued.

"Across the border, several neighboring countries are constantly probing, and there are also some mercenary groups that have appeared out of nowhere, harassing border villages every few days under the guise of 'employment.' The major noble families in the eastern border region, which are far from the border, are all too busy taking care of themselves to have any energy to deal with other matters."

"As for the North..." He paused, his gaze drifting to the window, where the sparse woodland grew even darker in the twilight. "A large-scale civil war has broken out in the North, where our capital is located."

"Internal strife?" Vance repeated the word again.

"Our new king, His Majesty Albert," Sir Leeson lowered his voice even further, "has only recently ascended the throne, and his support among the people is insufficient, making it difficult to control some old nobles with dissenting intentions."

"During that period, not only the capital, but the entire northern region was in chaos. Today this family was attacked by bandits, tomorrow that family was besieged, and the day after tomorrow a new force would emerge..." He shook his head.

"It's already quite an achievement that His Majesty has managed to stabilize the current situation."

Vance remained silent for a moment, digesting this information he had never heard before.

"The situation is slightly better now, but the foundation is still very unstable." Sir Leeson looked at Vance, a deeper meaning in his eyes. "Getting back to the point, why are there so many rumors circulating about events like the Knights' Ball lately?"

He paused for a moment, leaving the question unanswered among the crowd.

"Because the kingdom is in chaos."

"Not to mention the powerful nobles in the capital, even many nobles in the border regions who have some strength are now living in fear."

"A family that is still glorious today may fall apart tomorrow; what is a treasured possession today may be used to exchange for a chance to survive tomorrow."

He leaned forward slightly, his clear eyes reflecting the light from the wall lamp.

"Only under such chaos will those things that have been solidified begin to flow."

Vance looked into his eyes and read a complex mix of emotions in them: worry and tension, but more than anything, a subtle, restrained excitement.

Killian Leeson slowly leaned back in his chair, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Perhaps, for our group, this is actually a...good era."