Duke Robert turned around and saw his daughter as well, he smiled at her. Riven felt that she had a better family compared to what Mia was going through now, but when he saw her face change the mont her mother looked at her, he understood.
Liana froze, her normal face replaced by that of a trained lady. She bowed, head down and with all respect. Her mother looked at her closely, then walked to her and helped her up.
Her mother held her face lightly and looked at her with a soft caring gaze, but it was one that held a lot of danger.
"You are looking well, Liana," she said and let go of her face. Liana stood there, not moving, the story beca tense.
Both groups of parents turned their eyes to Riven. Duke Peter looked him in the eye and spoke.
"Riven Grave, you really are sothing else, the son of a baron becoming a rank one. I see what my father saw in you," he said, his eyes shining with a sinister glint, "but it takes more than that to even begin to start dating my daughter." He said, and Riven gave a soft smile.
"Your standards aren’t really my goals," he said. His words reached their ears, and everyone was stunned. Had he just spoken to a Duke like that?
Liana and Mia were already panicking, but Riven stood there unfazed. He waved his hands and continued.
"My goals far beyond whatever your standards might be, so I don’t plan to limit myself, I plan to go beyond." He spoke confidently to the Duke.
The Duke grinded his teeth. He looked at Riven. "So my daughter is not a good enough goal for you? How greedy can one person be, because you have gathered so attention," Duke Peter said.
"Oh no no, don’t be confused, Duke Peter. I would never be dumb enough to say that your daughter isn’t good enough, that’s downright stupid," Riven said.
"Then what are you saying?" the Duke asked.
"Well, I have plans that definitely go beyond marriage. It’s not that I wouldn’t want to one day reach your standards, it’s simply that your standards will be limiting ," Riven explained. The smile remained on his face as he spoke.
"Ohh, the boy has so guts, Peter," Duke Robert said. He walked forward. "But I should warn you, every goal that he set, he crushed it. The first ti I t him, my wife and I questioned the quality of the kid.
His prospects definitely looked low, and so there was an agreent: if he made it to the academy and actually did well, we would consider him for our daughter.
Not only did he do well, he beca the best and also saved the academy. You can’t make such stuff up. The kid is genuinely a monster, so you should be careful before you place your bet," Duke Robert said.
"Hmm," Duke Peter looked at him, "from what I heard, you are skilled with the sword. My family specializes in swords, we also have a trial called the Blade of the Leviathan." As soon as he said that, Mia’s eyes shot wide open.
"Father, you can’t seriously expect him to survive that trial," she said. Duke Peter looked at her. "If he wants to prove himself, he must complete the trial, in one go," he added. Mia was stunned, she wanted to speak, but her mother gave her a stern look and she shut up.
"Duke Peter, you seriously want the kid to survive that?" Duke Robert said.
"It seems the kid grows fast, so he was able to complete your test, but the trial doesn’t only test strength, it hamrs in your will and resilience.
If he wants to prove himself, the trial is the best opportunity," he added. He turned to look at Riven.
"Are you willing to take the trial?" he asked Riven.
Riven had no context of the trial, he didn’t know what it was, but he figured from the reaction of Duke Robert and Mia that it was sothing very difficult.
But would he back away from it? Hell no. This was an opportunity for him to grow stronger, and it ca straight to his lap. Of course, he would jump on it.
There was no reward without risk, so he was going to do it. He looked at Duke Peter and with a confident smile, he responded.
"Yes, I’ll take it no matter what it is," he said.
"Good," the Duke responded and walked away. Liana’s parents left as well, but not before her father gave him a smile and her mother gave him a cold stare.
As soon as they were all gone, Mia rushed to him, she grabbed his hands and turned him to face her, and without a word, she punched him right in the guts.
"Ahhhh!" He let out a sound in pain and held his stomach. "What was that for?" he asked.
"Do you know what the trial is?" she asked.
Liana walked from behind. "Every Duke House and even so high nobles know about that trial and it’s terrifying," Liana stated.
Riven stood up straight. "Is it really that bad?" he asked.
"Since I was five, I have done the trial seven tis to date, one every year, and I have failed every single ti," Mia said.
"You failed? Tell more about it," he said.
"Sigh." She ran her hand over her face. "The trial is aid to create soone that will inherit many of the sword techniques said to be hidden by a divine being, the Leviathan.
A few people from the family have managed over the years to actually get a sword style, but in the history of the trial, only one person passed well enough to gain the Leviathan sword technique.
That sword technique is what defined the power of our family, and despite the fact that it could not be passed on, many smaller sword styles were created from it in the family," she explained.
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