The resemblance between the two was unmistakable; they could only be father and son. Both had jet-black hair and striking blue eyes. Their noses were broad, and their lips were thin.
Yeongju approached them cautiously. The older man was the first to speak.
“Sorry for dropping by unannounced.”
“Oh, no need to apologize! It’s an honor to have you here.”
“That’s a relief.”
Despite his words, the man’s expression was one of sheer arrogance. It seemed his apology was nothing more than a polite formality.
“Are those the guests from the Apple Kingdom?” he asked, glancing over at Damian and his companions seated in the banquet hall. Yeongju nodded.
“Would you introduce me to them?”
“Of course!”
Yeongju beamed, as if this were the greatest honor imaginable.
“Everyone, please allow me to introduce you! This gentleman is the pillar of the Duflin Kingdom, the idol of knights, the brightest shining sword…”
After a string of grandiose titles, the man’s name was finally revealed.
“Sir Javier Silva, a master of the highest order!”
Damian didn’t know every master by name. He only remembered those who had left a strong impression on him. But Javier Silva was different. Even without having met him, Damian knew who he was.
“Never thought I’d see the traitor of humanity here.”
During the Cataclysmic War, some masters betrayed their duty to protect their nations and sided with Dorogo. This betrayal inflicted severe damage on the Empire and the Human Alliance, leading to the downfall of several kingdoms.
Javier Silva was one of those traitors. But to call him just another traitor would be an understatement.
“It was because of him that the Eastern Alliance fell.”
During the war, the eastern nations of the continent, including the Apple Kingdom, had formed an alliance to fight alongside the Empire. The Empire had sent numerous knights and masters to support them. But due to Javier Silva’s betrayal, the Eastern Alliance crumbled before they could even put up a proper fight.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Sir Javier,” Liam Bluegreen said, rising from his seat to offer a handshake.
Javier Silva, however, did not take his hand. He merely looked down at Liam with disdain.
“Speaking so informally upon first meeting… I didn’t realize you had the right.”
Liam’s face flushed with embarrassment. As a marquis of the Apple Kingdom, he wasn’t accustomed to addressing foreign nobility with such deference. Javier Silva’s remark was a pointed jab at Liam’s status.
“Forgive my rudeness.”
“See that you don’t forget it.”
Liam’s face turned an even deeper shade of red. Yet he couldn’t protest. After all, he was standing before a master-class knight.
“I came as soon as I heard you were here,” Javier Silva said, pulling the young man beside him closer. “This is my son. He’s competing as a high-class participant in the Helian Tournament.”
Javier Silva’s expression was one of smug satisfaction. “We were planning to head to the Empire ourselves, so let’s travel together.”