"You can't fight him!" Portia hurried over, grabbed Anser's sleeve with both hands, and tugged hard.
Liam planted the tip of his sheathed sword against the floor with a heavy thud.
"He's already agreed. I'll report this to the Noble Court immediately."
"What's the Noble Court got to do with this?" Anser patted the back of Portia's hand, signaling her to calm down.
A worried look spread across Portia's face as she hurriedly explained: "Honor duels in Waterdeep aren't like they are elsewhere..."
Anser listened quietly and soon understood where Liam's confidence came from. Even knowing that Anser possessed several legendary items, he wasn't the least bit intimidated.
Waterdeep prided itself on being a city ruled by law. Private fights and killings of any kind were strictly forbidden. Even honor duels—the traditional ritual by which nobles defended their dignity—were tightly regulated.
The core purpose was fairness and justice. Many so-called honor duels were nothing more than bullying the weak, coercing the unwilling, or twisting logic until one side had no choice but to accept the challenge.
Quite a few minor noble families had been wiped out that way.
For that reason, the old custom of throwing down a white glove and fighting to the death in the street was not permitted.
Waterdeep had established a formal set of rules governing honor duels, applying equally to nobles, adventurers, and commoners alike.
Before an honor duel could take place, it first had to be reported to the Noble Court. A magistrate would investigate the origin of the dispute, the point of contention, each party's family background, their relative strength, and other relevant factors. If anyone had broken the law, the Code Legal would take precedence.
Even if the case qualified for a duel, mediation would be attempted first. Only if mediation failed would the three parties meet to determine the duel's rules, time, location, victory conditions, and other details. After that, a formal agreement would be signed, submitted to the council for approval, and the duel would be officially supervised.
The exact rules varied from duel to duel, but every effort was made to ensure both sides competed on equal footing. Death was generally not allowed.
Anser found it rather surprising, but after thinking it over, it also seemed perfectly reasonable.
It was... very Waterdeep.
The scene fell quiet.
Many of the onlookers wore excited expressions. They could already tell this would be a clash between a local powerhouse and a formidable outsider.
And if the duel were held publicly, they'd have quite the spectacle to watch.
Leaning on his longsword, Liam's gaze remained steady.
His earlier behavior had seemed rash, but in reality it had been a calculated move. By using Waterdeep's rules, he could keep his opponent from leaving while investigating his true background and identity.
And even if it came to a fight, he had every confidence in his chances.
Among nobles, honor duels were contests of family resources. Legendary items could be borrowed. Powerful griffon companions could be brought into the arena as well...
The rules had always favored the side with the greater resources.
That was an eternal truth.
"Those rules are just there to protect cowards, aren't they? No wonder someone's acting so fearless. Turns out he knows he can't die." Stoll couldn't help sneering after hearing the explanation.
He had been to Waterdeep before, but this was the first time he'd learned about these rules. Instantly, the whole thing lost its appeal.
Liam's expression darkened. Keeping a stern face, he said, "Do you have any idea what you're saying? Standing before you is the fourth heir of House Belabranta, Deputy Commander of the Griffon Cavalry, the Sky Spear—"
"You just listed a whole bunch of titles. Do you have anything that's actually yours?" Stoll cut him off without hesitation, his voice dripping with contempt. "Do you live entirely off your status? Strip away your family's name, and how different are you from a monkey?"
The crowd burst into laughter.
Laughter was contagious, and it quickly spread through the surrounding onlookers.
Liam's face turned ashen, and the hand gripping his sword trembled ever so slightly.
The corners of Anser's mouth lifted.
He hadn't expected Stoll to be so good at insulting people. As expected of a seasoned adventurer—this was practically a professional skill.
"Stoll."
He raised a hand slightly. There was no point in exchanging insults, and he had no desire to let things escalate further.
Liam hadn't actually done anything wrong.
He was simply dealing with the situation using the methods he had always relied on.
"My name is Anser Holrewen. I won't be leaving Waterdeep for the time being, so go ahead and report this to the Noble Court. If you win, the shield is yours. If you lose, the shield is still yours—you'll just have to compensate me with one card from the Deck of Many Things."
Whatever the outcome, he had to maintain his composure and preserve his image.
Liam froze for a moment, his expression shifting repeatedly.
"Fine."
With that, he turned and headed downstairs, soon disappearing into the crowd.
The surrounding onlookers quickly dispersed as well, but discussion of the incident did not die down. Instead, it only grew more intense.
Portia led the two of them into the rear courtyard. This was the halflings' private living area, so it offered a little more privacy.
"You don't need to worry too much either. House Belabranta can't interfere with the Noble Court. A magistrate should come by shortly. Just tell him what you want..." Portia said, though the worry on her face remained impossible to hide.
Stoll paced back and forth, feeling increasingly uncertain. He had never lived in Waterdeep, but he had met more nobles than he could count and knew their character all too well.
"How about... we leave?" he suggested. "They're definitely going to pull something underhanded. Even if they lose, they won't admit it."
"Hey, hey, hey. We haven't seen each other in years, and you're still this arrogant?" Portia planted her hands on her hips and kicked him sharply in the shin. "He's the Deputy Commander of the Griffon Cavalry, one of the most prominent figures in all of Waterdeep."
"Every magic item he carries is better than the last, and he has a griffon companion known as the king of beasts. What makes you think you can just declare you'll win?"
"If you'd ever asked around about me—"
"Why would I ask around about you?"
"I..." Stoll choked on his words. His mouth opened, but nothing else came out.
Anser smiled faintly and silently sent Iris a Message, telling her he would not be returning today.
This matter definitely needed a proper resolution. Otherwise, House Belabranta would never let it go.
Waterdeep was actually quite interesting. He had heard there was a night market as well, so going out for a stroll that evening sounded good. It would not interfere with his visit to House Wyndrivver tomorrow either.
More than an hour passed.
Three people dressed in black uniforms arrived together, two men and one woman. The leader was a middle-aged man with a square face and stern, imposing features.
Portia welcomed them inside, shut the door securely, and began preparing tea.
"Mr. Holrewen, my name is Tansen. I'd like to ask you a few questions." Tansen wore little in the way of a smile, but his manner was very courteous.
"Waterdeep truly is unusual. Anywhere else, they'd have sent someone to summon me," Anser said with a smile.
"A noble should be afforded the dignity befitting a noble," Tansen replied, signaling for the clerk beside him to begin recording.
Anser understood. This treatment was reserved for nobles. Ordinary people would not receive it.
"Magistrate Tansen, have you heard of me?"
"I did some research before coming here. I believe there may be a misunderstanding. If necessary, I can mediate between the two sides." Tansen lowered his head slightly as he recalled the information he had just received, privately finding the situation troublesome.
Waterdeep's laws applied only within Waterdeep and had no authority over foreign nobles. But the stolen item belonged to a local noble, so the city could hardly ignore the matter.
Yet the man before him was even more formidable. If everyone communicated properly, things might still be manageable. But Liam had already mishandled the situation, and matters were beginning to slip out of control.
"I'm willing to resolve the problem, but the decision isn't mine to make." Anser shrugged.
If he were the head of House Belabranta, he could not simply let the matter drop without damaging the family's reputation, even if the opponent looked dangerous.
An honor duel was actually an excellent way to resolve things. It was a gesture. Victory or defeat did not matter. What mattered was settling the issue once and for all.
"I'll speak privately with Lord Belabranta..."
Tansen proceeded to ask the usual questions. Once he had obtained and recorded all the relevant information, he had Anser sign the statement, then left in a hurry.
"House Belabranta is famous for breeding and training griffons. They're just like griffons themselves—grudge-bearing and fiercely vindictive." Portia closed the door behind them and let out a long, weary sigh.
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