CHAPTER 100: KNIGHTS [9] - PUNISHMENT

Alex’s words were heartless, but what he was saying perfectly matched the opinions of most people in the room.

Thus, not only did no one step forward and interrupt him, but they instead nodded their heads to show their support.

Many of them felt that Eleanor was being rash and reckless by even bringing up this matter. Secretly, the faint admiration they had just felt toward her instantly vanished, feeling that just like her brother, she was also not suitable to lead a powerful family.

Standing at the center of the room, Eleanor noticed the changes in everyone the moment they occurred.

However, though she was disappointed in their distrust, it was not beyond her expectations.

Staring at the proud Alex, who looked at her respectfully but whose eyes seemed to taunt her, she memorized his name before speaking up:

"Indeed, everyone’s worries are valid...", she began her speech, making everyone feel that she was about to compromise.

But her next words immediately cut that notion off.

"However, it’s not true that there’s no True Knight in the Earldom.", Eleanor said as her gaze shifted toward Liora, slightly lowering her head in the process.

"Lady Liora, I implore you to help our family once again. Although it’s presumptuous of us to request this, I hope that you will not let the late Earl’s name be tarnished by the Baron."

Her words immediately jolted everyone awake, reminding them that there was one person in the room who had not spoken since the beginning—Liora.

Due to the previous events and their grief and exhaustion, they had completely forgotten about her existence.

Hearing her own name mentioned, Liora stopped playing with her Life Force and turned to look at Eleanor.

Though she had been occupied with other things, she had never stopped paying attention to what was taking place around her.

She understood what was going on.

Eleanor was using her power to establish her authority over the many voices of opposition within the family, or at the very least, show that she had obtained Liora’s backing.

Although she frowned slightly, Liora didn’t refuse.

The agreement the two had made while on the way appeared in her mind, as she nodded her head and agreed to Eleanor’s words.

"Indeed. Although Baron Bloodshield is a True Knight, this doesn’t mean that he can do as he wants. Kidnapping people is truly a deplorable act. If the late Earl were to know, he would surely turn in his grave."

Though she didn’t explicitly state it, it was obvious that Liora meant that she was going to assist the Black Tulip family in dealing with the Baron.

Instantly, the atmosphere in the hall changed once more.

"That’s right! How could a mere Baron make our family bow down? If he is indeed responsible for the disappearance of the citizens, I will never forgive him!"

Many people who had previously remained silent suddenly spoke up, as if they had found their pillar of support and gained the courage to speak against the injustice.

Sensing the atmosphere change so abruptly and feeling the momentum he had previously raised collapse in an instant, Alex couldn’t help but feel a heart-wrenching pain, feeling that all his previous efforts had been for nothing.

However, glancing at Liora and noticing her staring at him, he could only swallow the words that were about to come out of his mouth. He understood that although he was a Knight Apprentice, he could never be a match for her.

At least, not until he became a True Knight.

With the support of Liora and the main opposition voices quieting down, Eleanor no longer faced any issues with deploying the family members.

Immediately, she selected a team of Knights and ordered them to get ready to set out for an investigation.

Of course, although she called it as such, it was obvious to everyone in the hall what she truly meant—she was ready to target Baron Bloodshield.

Before long, all of Eleanor’s orders had been passed down, and the meeting came to an end.

After they said a few more words, the family members began to exit the hall one by one, leaving Liora, Eleanor, and the young Earl behind.

Perhaps knowing the relationship between the two women, the young Earl coughed timidly and soon excused himself, leaving the two of them alone.

The moment he left, Liora lifted her head and stared silently at Eleanor.

But Eleanor seemed embarrassed to reciprocate her actions.

Her head was lowered while her hands played with the corners of her blue dress, making her look like a child who had done something wrong and was now facing their parents.

Of course, Liora would not be fooled by her appearance. Rising to her feet, she approached her slowly.

"We previously agreed that I would help you deal with the Baron, provided that the spoils of the battle would belong to me."

"But I don’t think that we agreed that I would help you and your brother take control of the family.", she whispered, as if she were talking to Eleanor but also herself.

Eleanor didn’t dare to speak. Her head tilted even more as her gaze was practically cast upon the floor.

Seeing this, Liora stopped a few centimeters away from her and reached out, placing her right hand on Eleanor’s smooth chin and slowly raising her head.

In just a moment, Eleanor’s blue eyes were staring straight into Liora’s, causing her cheeks to turn red from embarrassment.

"It’s good to want to survive, but you should make sure not to offend those stronger than you.", Liora gently patted her flushed cheek and gave a piece of advice, prompting Eleanor to nod her head in agreement.

"That’s good.", Liora whispered as she took her hand back.

Just when Eleanor felt that her ploy had worked and she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, though, Liora’s palm struck directly at her abdomen.

A sharp pain assaulted Eleanor’s mind as she felt the Life Force within her body surge, while her body flew backwards, hitting the wall behind her and embedding into it.

A mouthful of blood flew out of her mouth and dripped onto her lips, while her face turned pale and twisted into a grimace of pain.

Dust and broken bricks enveloped her figure, making it difficult to see her current state.

Standing not far away, Liora didn’t wait for the dust to settle. She didn’t step forward to check on Eleanor’s injuries, but turned around and left without looking back.

In fact, she had long noticed that although Eleanor seemed weak and fragile, she was actually a Knight Apprentice, a Knight Apprentice whose strength was not any weaker than Alex’s.

As such, Liora was not worried that her strike would fatally injure her.

She had already held her strength back, and taking Eleanor’s condition into account, it would take her less than a day to fully recover.

Of course, the reason Liora attacked Eleanor was not that she had lost control of her emotions. It was because she wanted to teach her a lesson.

The scene in the hall was not the sole reason for her outburst, but simply the final boiling point.

Since the very first moment she had descended into this world, Eleanor had obviously been testing the limits of her patience, trying to find the limit of what she could do without offending her.

"Although we had indeed made an agreement earlier, and her plan is beneficial to me too, it’s always bad to learn that you’ve been plotted. The previous strike should serve as both a warning and a punishment.", Liora thought as she made her way out of the room.