The travel wasn't that long, it only took them an hour before getting to the mansion where Richard will be working.
After getting off the carriage, he was led directly to the training ground.
Other knights having the same uniform as the two who picked him up we re already there.
They were in line and is listening attentively to the one who looks like their captain.
This person has orange short hair and golden eyes.
He turned when he noticed them arriving.
"We have picked him up, captain Bethelbert."
Richard was silently grateful he was alone, if Luna, Spencer or Aaron were to hear the way they said those words, those three would surely picked up a fight against these people.
Picked up...
It was as if he was an abandoned puppy being picked up to get taken care of in this place.
Instead of giving attention to them, Richard focused on the person they called captain.
"State your name," Captain Bethelbert asked him with a look of dislike.
"Richard."
Not continuing meant that he has no family name.
"You are lucky. You should have received a punishment for hurting prince Gabriel but the work given to you was actually a reward instead of a punishment."
"..."
Captain Bethelbert furrowed slightly when he remained silent.
"I am Ezekiel Bethelbert, captain of the Wolf Knights. The order of knighthood under Longhurst Dukedom."
"..."
Ezekiel's face darkened when he still heard no response from Richard.
"We were informed that you are to be brought here yesterday. We sent these two to pick you up, why did you only arrive now?"
"He did not meet with us yesterday," one responded.
Ezekiel's face darkened even more, "You are here for punishment and not as a guest."
Richard could tell not one person here is neutral. All of them think that he shouldn't be here.
Well, he himself thinks that he shouldn't be here as well.
He was simply here because of how events turned.
'Enjoy the sudden turn of events,' he thought of Luna's favorite words.
He then tilted his head to the side, how will he do that here?
"Are you listening to me!!!" Ezekiel roared when Richard continued not saying anything.Richard looked at him.
His face was indifferent and his eyes showed no signs of fearing him or even being intimidated by him.
"I will give you your first punishment-"
"What is going on here?"
Before he could finish his sentence, someone else spoke.
Ezekiel and the rest of the knights stood straight.
"We greet the duke, Duke Reuben Longhurst."
Richard proceeded to give a bow of greeting but he tried remembering where he have seen someone who looks identical to this person.
Reuben has purple colored short hair and blue eyes.
He slightly frowned when a face appeared in his mind.
'Ah.'
He finally remembered where they heard the Longhurst name and why the duke looked like someone he had already met.
"I repeat what is going on here?" Reuben asked.
"Sir, sir Richard has arrived."
Reuben looked at Richard.
His midnight blue hair swayed with the wind while his violet eyes seemed like a deep sea the surface being calm but no one knows just what is hiding deep within it.
"I see."
"But he was supposed to arrive yesterday and the ones who picked him up said that he did not meet up with them. While asking him, he did not even answer me. I was going to give him some punishment for the disrespect he is showing us before you arrive."
Reuben looked back at Richard but Richard simply continued looking back at him.
He furrowed his brows and some knights lowered their heads, the others looked away.
Sweat even started appearing on their backs, Reuben was actually applying pressure at this moment.
The only ones not being affected is Ezekiel and Richard.
The rest of the knights thought that Richard will be put in his place just because he dug his own grave, that is until Reuben opened his mouth to speak.
"Meet with them?"
"Yes, sir."
Ezekiel looked at the two.
"We went to pick him up but sir Richard dared not meet with us. He may be trying to disobey the order of the king, his majesty."
Reuben shifted his eyes to these two knights.
"The king's order was for you to pick him up. Did you wait for him in the plaza?"
"Yes, si-"
The pressure increased.
Even Richard started feeling it.
He simply gritted his teeth in silence while the other knights started kneeling down at the heaviness of the pressure on them.
"I told you to pick him up not to let him meet you. The king has not told him where he will be going. He was only informed that someone will pick him up to be here. How will he meet you? Answer me!!!"
The two knights felt the pressure increase.
They did not expect that their words would be what caused them to be found out.
They planned on blaming him for arriving late but they miscalculated their words. They also did not know that Richard did not know where he will be going.
"Sir Bethelbert, I suppose you already know what to do."
Ezekiel, who was the only one unaffected by the pressure that Reuben released, bowed his head.
"Yes, sir."
"As for you, follow me for the time being," Reuben then said to Richard.
Richard silently followed him not even lancing at the knights who were on the ground after experiencing the pressure that Reuben released.
Ezekiel slight furrowed his brows while watching Richard follow Reuben.
Thet pressure even brought the wolf knighthood on their knees but he remained standing.
This person is not someone whom they should look down on just because he was a commoner.
In the first place, they were informed that he was from the adventurer group Astral.
Astral became well-known for the past two years. Despite not many from Antlia Kingdom knows of their faces. The group name was widely known.
He turned to the two knights who picked Richard up.
"You were tasked to pick him up. Why did you come back such shamelessly?"
"Captain," they both said at the same time.
"Wolf Knights aren't knights who bullies others just because of their background. Even if we are to dislike the person, to actually make use of such underhanded method to pull him down. You are the shame of this knighthood."
"We apologize for the momentary blindness from our principle," they regretted it instantly after hearing Ezekiel's words.
"You do understand why the duke was mad, am I right?"
"Yes, sir!!"
"Now go and run around the training ground for a thousand lap. And swing your sword a thousand times. You cannot eat until you are done with that."
"Yes, sir!!"
"Now, go"
The two started running as he was tasked.
Ezekiel started giving them orders of what to do before dismissing the whole lot of them.
"That man..."
He turned to see the vice captain of wolf knight, Helene Dosett.
With thigh length blue hair and deep blue eyes.
"He is young but I can tell he is strong," she commented looking at the path Reuben and Richard took.
"Indeed," Ezekiel replied.
"But why do I smell jealousy in the air?" she teased.
Ezekiel raised an eyebrow towards her.
"Because of his punishment, you are on edge," she laughed.
Ezekiel shook his head and turned to leave, there is no point speaking with this person when she starts with her teasing.
"Come on tell me. You are jealous aren't you?" Helene followed him while continuously asking him.
Ezekiel ignored her and went on his way, even though she did not stop in pestering him.
Reuben went straight to his office. While Richard silently followed him.
He sat down on his chair and finally looked up at Richard only to be stunned.
Blood just dripped down Richard's nose.
"Your nose..." he pointed.
Richard raised his hand and touched his nose.
He did not notice that blood has come out.
Looking at his clothes, he knew it must have just come out now.
Realization hit Reuben just as a servant give Richard a napkin to wipe his nose. He in turn nodded at this person as thanks.
"Could it be the pressure a while ago?" Reuben asked Richard.
"I suppose that is the reason, sir."
Richard did not bother sugarcoating his words.
It was because of the pressure, that's just it.
"I guess that is my fault. Are you hurt anywhere else?"
Richard slightly frowned before shaking his head.
"No, sir."
From Julian to this person, Richard was not used with nobles and royalties admitting their mistake or treating their group with some respect.
"I heard that you have an injured core."
"Yes, sir," Richard answered keeping the napkin after making sure that the blood is wiped clean.
Reuben sighed, this person did not budge or flinch when he re;eased the pressure a while ago.
When he heard that they have an injured core, he thought that they would show weakness but this person did not show any of it.
The pain he expected to see was not showing on Richard's face.
"You... are eighteen years old, am I right?"
Though bewildered, Richard nodded his head, "Yes, sir."