But the glowing pupils were still stuck to her face. The man looked down at her with a look of confusion, anger, and strange heat, and muttered to himself.
"What are you... for?"
"Don't you know when you look at it?"
Thalia raised her chin and said sneeringly.
"I'm the 'illegitimate child and evil woman' you used to talk about."
The man's face turned red. It seemed that the situation was finally perfectly organized in his head, and his eyes, which had been blurred with shock, became clear.
The man let out a hot snort and spat out a heated voice.
"No matter what, what kind of behavior is this! I am a knight and a nobleman! Where in the world is there a way to treat nobles like this..."
"Is there any law in the world that openly insults the imperial family?"
Thalia cut off the man's waist and twisted the corners of her mouth.
"If you insult the Princess of the empire in public and inflict a punishment on the next monarch, wouldn't you have nothing to say even if your throat was blown off? You should be grateful that it was like a baptism of wine."
"I just speak frankly from the heart!"
"Dogs bark only for dogs."
Her eyes lit up fiercely and drove the man into a fierce shot.
"Loyal? Blunt? Do you know what that means? Don't be funny, you're just barking at your grievances."
As if overwhelmed by the mlasma, she exhaled, the man flinched and took a step back.
Thalia, who was looking at him with a smile, spat out the sullen voice she used to make every time she deliberately scratched a person's Insides.
"If Ayla is so sad, you should run to comfort her. Who knows? The perfect Princess whom the whole empire admires will bestow grace upon you."
Then she swept the man's head to toe and let out a frivolous laugh.
"No, you can't. My sister looks at me surprisingly a lot."
The man's face was now almost burning.
Barcas watched quietly as the heat in his eyes turned into Intense hostility.
Fascination is quickly replaced by enmity, and desire is quickly replaced by anger. Men who came into contact with Thalia usually reacted like that. The man leaned towards her as if he was about to rush at her, with his blood in his veins on the whites.
At this point, he had endured for a long time.
Barcas put a hood over her head, then wrapped his arms around the back of her head and pulled her close to his chest. Thalia let out a surprised breath and rubbed her arms together.
He firmly grasped the fact that she was trying to get away from him and carefully examined the man's expression. Despite his contempt, he was anxious as if he wanted to somehow snatch the woman out of his arms.
The man, who was grinding his teeth with his eyes wide open, shouted loudly.
"Get her here right now! You can't just get insulted like this and just move on!"
"What if I just don't move on? Are you going to have a fight with me? Or what..."
Thalia, who had been pushing his hand away and shouting at the man, suddenly closed her mouth. It seemed that she finally sensed the gloomy air surrounding her.
Barcas carefully covered the face of the woman who was watching him with a hood and observed the reaction of the left.
Most of them had dumbfounded expressions, but there were also many who gave them a mixture of interest and curiosity. Of course, many people showed outright hostility.
The plan to gradually gain the obedience of his vassals and lay a solid foundation seemed to have already gone wrong.
He swallowed his sigh and turned his gaze back to the giant man.
"I have to repeat the question my wife asked. What if I just move on?"
"I need to get an apology for insulting me!"
Barcas stroked his chin, pretending to be concerned about the company's needs.
Alec Gutban was a powerful figure with considerable influence in the southeastern region. Among the Khan warriors who revere martial arts, there are probably many who blindly follow this man.
As he led a cavalry unit of hundreds of powerful warriors and had built a solid foundation as a local eunuch, he must have been confident that he could handle a fledgling man in his early twenties as he pleased.
If he comes to him as soon as he returns and makes such a fuss, it will be an attempt to subdue the steamer.
Barcas twisted the corners of his mouth.
"Do you really have to get an apology?"
"Yes! Please politely apologize for insulting and ridiculing me in front of everyone else?"
"What do you think?"
Barcas lowered his gaze and asked Thalia a question.
"Are you willing to grant that request?"
Immediately, a sense of betrayal flew into his eyes. The chandelier light flickered over the deep blue iris that always scratched his cheek.
"I don't want it. I'd rather bite my tongue!"
"That's right."
When he cast a dry glance at the man again, he saw an insidious malice blooming in his bloodshot eyes.
The man said as if chewing on it.
"If so, please apologize on behalf of your wife. No matter what, you will pay for the insult I have suffered."
Barcas could hear the sound of heavy breathing everywhere. Even those who tried to test him seemed to be embarrassed by the excessive demands of the man.
Barcas paused for a moment and then slowly spoke. At that time, an urgent hand stopped him.
Barcas lowered his gaze, checked her bloody face, and furrowed his eyebrows. Thalia clasped his arm tightly, and she shouted urgently in a cracked voice.
"Don't do it. If you apologize, I won't let you go!"
His stomach rumbled again. Previously, the sensation was considered close to unpleasant. However, the thought that it might not be like that crossed his mind.
He took her hand away and slowly walked in front of the man. Then he gently spat it out on his face, which smelled of wine.
"We're the Eastern man, aren't we? If you want something, you have to win it by force..."
What does that mean...
A dark light of suspicion appeared on the man's face. Barcas added calmly.
"Let's solve it traditionally. If you win a duel, I will politely apologize in front of everyone."
A violent roar swept through the banquet hall.
Contrary to the expectation that he would rush to his proposal right away, the man gave him a searching look while withholding his answer. He thought that about half of this man's radical words and actions might be the head of the family.
The man, who had been watching him with cunning eyes, finally opened his mouth.
"Do you know the meaning of duel? The duels in this eastern part are different in quality from the childish games that take place in the Imperial Palace. For us, a duel means a desperate confrontation at the cost of one's life."
Thalia, who took a heavy breath, tugged at his coat. He ignored it and replied in a sullen tone.
"So, are you scared?"
A thick band of blood rose on the man's wide forehead. The man who had been blatantly skimming him immediately burst into laughter.
"At least one spirit is like an eastern man."
"What is the answer?"
"Good. I will respond to the duel."
Before the man's answer fell, a buzzing sound erupted from all over the place.
Barcas nodded at Darren, who was looking dazed as if he was taken aback by the sudden situation.
"Prepare my horse and armor."
"The sun has already set. Wait until tomorrow dawns..."
"What do you need to drag on until then?"
Barcas, who had cut off Darren's words, looked up at the man as if provoked.
"The Khan people learn how to fight on horseback before they even take a step. Is it a problem for us that the sun is setting?"
"It's not a problem."
The man responded with a growl.
"Hey! Prepare my armor and weapons right away!"
"Sir Gutban, calm down for now and talk to me again tomorrow..."
When the young man, who seemed to be an aide, urgently tried to dissuade him, the man struck him in the face with his fist.
"Don't let me say it twice!"
The young man, who blocked his nose from gushing blood, hurriedly ran out of the banquet hall.
Now, the hall began to be filled with excitement. The company was also in a state of excitement. He said as if chewing on each letter.
"The duel will be fought in front of everyone. If I win, please put your head on the ground right there and apologize. Shouldn't that amount of compensation be followed by victory or defeat at the risk of one's life?"
"Barcas!"
Thalia, who was frozen in the uncontrollable situation, stood in his way.
He finally turned his attention to her. Thalia muttered in a creeping voice.
"Well, I'll just apologize... I'm going to apologize... Don't do anything for nothing."
A watery voice scraped down his stomach mercilessly. He pulled the robe and covered her face more carefully, then looked up at the man with his expressionless eyes.
"Yes. I'll do whatever I want."
The smile of man deepened. It was a face that was confident of his victory.
Alec Gutban asked the question again with a taste like a bear about to be prey.
"What will you ask of the Lord when you win?"
Just in time, the attendants jumped into the hall with their armor. Barcas, who had received the gauntlet from the agile boy, shook his head. The answer that came out sounded dry to his ears.
"I don't want anything from you."
Barcas added slowly, pushing his hand into his iron gloves.
"If I win, you will never speak again."
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