Chapter 210: Bad News, and Worse News (4)
“Bad news... and worse news: which do you want first?”
It was a remark meant purely to provoke—the kind of insult that could justify a duel if the other side demanded one. Veiga fully intended it that way, as he wanted to see Keter irritated, or even dejected. But Keter’s reaction was entirely unexpected.
“If I hear the worse news first, then the bad news ends up sounding like good news. So I’ll just take the bad news first.”
Keter sounded like he was excited for the bad news, like a child eager to open a gift. Veiga’s face twisted.
Are all the people of Sefira insane?
There was no fun in teasing Keter; he was unlike any other noble Veiga had dealt with. Plenty of nobles pretended to stay calm, like Hissop, but it was always just an act. Their anger was plain to see behind their composure. However, Keter was different. He twisted words laced with malice into something palatable, taking them however he pleased.
But, Keter, can you really stay that calm after hearing this one?
The bad news Veiga had prepared was special. It was chilling enough that even he himself, as the messenger, felt uneasy. Originally, he had intended to scare him first for dramatic effect, but with Keter reacting so unexpectedly, he went straight to the point.
“The bad news is that the third son of the Browning Duchy, the master family of the north, will be attending your party.”
The prestige of the Browning family was known not only in the north but throughout the entire kingdom, and it wasn’t just because they ruled the largest territory in the region. They were acknowledged as the strongest Masters of Swordsmanship and represented the Lilian Kingdom itself.
That reputation was owed in part to the harsh environment of the north: the temperature stayed below freezing all year, and snow piled up to the chest in a single fall. On top of that, the north was closest to the Demon Capital. The Browning Duchy stood as its foremost frontline, and the territory was also connected by land routes to other kingdoms, making it a key military stronghold. They were the shield at the kingdom’s most vulnerable point, so they had to be powerful.
The current duke was said to be the strongest in the family’s history, personally granted the title of archduke by Lillian herself. As the apple did not fall far from the tree, his children were all born with rare strength and extraordinary talent.