The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

Chapter 574: The Knights’ Standoff

Bigusler Residence, Reception Hall.

Rockto sat on the sofa, looking at the person opposite him. His usually stoic face, rarely showing any emotion, was now filled with gloom and a hint of anger.

“Father…”

A voice filled with anger, yet also carrying a trace of unease, came from beside Rockto, making him turn his gaze.

There, a woman in light armor, a sword at her waist, with a heroic appearance, sat beside Rockto, looking at him. The humiliation in her eyes was evident to everyone.

Rockto had reason to believe that his eyes must have shown the same humiliation.

The situation they were facing was no different from an insult.

“Have you made up your mind, Lord Rockto?”

A sneering voice rang out from across Rockto.

A middle-aged man, slightly younger than Rockto but also in his forties, sat there.

The middle-aged man was very similar to Rockto, both almost fully armed in armor and carrying a large sword. The sword was held by a young knight in his twenties or thirties standing behind him, his presence very prominent in this environment.

It was as if he was trying to intimidate or threaten them, making the young knight holding the sword look smug, like a villain relying on another’s power, causing the heroic woman’s face to be filled with disgust.

Besides this sword-bearing young knight, there were several other older knights behind the middle-aged man.

The auras of these knights were considerable, each exuding an extraordinary presence, proving their strength.

But facing the middle-aged man, these knights only showed respect.

This wasn’t just because of the middle-aged man’s position, but also because of his strength, something they could only look up to.

The middle-aged man, along with these knights, confronted Rockto.

Even though this was the Bigusler residence, and they were the guests, they were the ones suppressing Rockto, no wonder Rockto and the heroic woman beside him felt angry and humiliated.

Of course, this wasn’t the main issue.

The main issue was that these people were here to bully them.

The middle-aged man spoke.

“Now, the Empire no longer trusts you. If you know what’s good for you, step down voluntarily and hand over the position of Knight Commander, and things won’t get too ugly.” The middle-aged man said calmly, “If you don’t, once you’re convicted of treason, not only will you lose your position as Knight Commander, but the Bigusler family will also be ruined.”

Hearing this, Rockto laughed in anger.

“Stop twisting the facts, Saliro.” Rockto said coldly, “I’ve said it many times, I’m not a traitor, and I have no reason to resign voluntarily.”

The heroic woman beside him also spoke.

“As the head of the Renitra family, the Vice-Commander of the Imperial Knight Order, and a renowned Legendary-level expert, are you willing to resort to such underhanded tactics to seize the position of Knight Commander?” The heroic woman said indignantly, “Where is your conscience as a knight, Lord Saliro Renitra!?”

The heroic woman’s question didn’t elicit a response from the middle-aged man named Saliro, but instead prompted the sword-bearing knight of similar age to speak.

“That’s slander!” The young knight rebuked smugly, “Watch your attitude, Tilly. Don’t forget, you’re also a member of the Imperial Knight Order. Being so disrespectful to the Vice-Commander is insubordination!”

The young knight’s words didn’t sound imposing, but rather like he was relying on another’s power.

The disgust on the heroic woman, Tilly’s, face deepened.

Saliro, on the other hand, didn’t even change his expression.

“You shouldn’t be disrespectful either, Geno.” Saliro waved his hand and said, “After all, we’re in front of the Commander. You have no right to speak here.”

These words, seemingly a reprimand towards the young knight named Geno, were actually a veiled criticism of Tilly’s lack of manners.

“You…!”

Tilly was so provoked that she almost stood up.

Rockto reached out and pressed Tilly’s shoulder, stopping her.

“What do you want?”

Rockto stared directly at Saliro, his gaze as sharp as a blade, making one’s skin tingle.

The knights behind Saliro changed their expressions, and Geno’s face turned pale, almost collapsing.

The aura of a Legendary-level expert at level ninety-seven wasn’t something they could withstand.

Only Saliro not only withstood Rockto’s gaze but also straightened his back, as if confronting Rockto, his eyes becoming cruel.

“You know very well what I want, Rockto.” Saliro no longer concealed his desire, saying with a sneer, “I’ve had enough of you lording over me.”

He was here to force Rockto to abdicate.

To force Rockto to relinquish his position as Knight Commander, and to force the Bigusler family to give up the title of the Empire’s foremost knight family.

“You’ve been sitting in the Commander’s seat for twenty years, and I’ve been Vice-Commander for twenty years.”

“Your Bigusler family is even more ruthless, monopolizing the title of the Empire’s foremost knight family for hundreds of years, while our Renitra family has been second for hundreds of years.”

“Whenever someone mentions the Empire’s knights, the Empire’s knight families, it’s always you, always your Bigusler family, that’s mentioned.”

“What about us?”

“Just because we’re in second place, we’re always ignored!”

A powerful aura emanated from Saliro.

“This has taught us a lesson, that only the strongest will be remembered.”

“Only the first place is the true victor; the rest are just losers.”

“Even if you’re in second place, you won’t be noticed.”

“So, our Renitra family has been striving for the first place, for the strongest, for hundreds of years, and finally, today, we have a chance.”

“Tell me, now that the opportunity has come, how could I possibly give up?”

Saliro stared directly at Rockto, saying each word deliberately.

“Im-poss-ible!”

Therefore, seizing this opportunity, Saliro displayed his most domineering attitude, and the Renitra family made their most aggressive move.

Their goal was to force Rockto to step down, to force the Biguslers down, and to replace them, becoming the strongest in the Empire.

Rockto naturally knew how deep the other party’s hostility towards him and the Bigusler family was.

The Biguslers and the Renitras had been rivals for hundreds of years, never ceasing. It wasn’t surprising that the situation had become like this.

But Rockto still wanted to say…

“I said, I did not commit treason.”

Rockto said in a deep voice.

Unfortunately…

“Really?” Saliro scoffed, “Does that matter?”

Rockto’s breath hitched.

Yeah.

Did that matter?

For Rockto, it should be very important, right?

But for Saliro, it wasn’t.

He didn’t care whether Rockto had committed treason or not. As long as he was suspected, it was enough.

With suspicion, there was an opportunity to exploit the situation.

This was exactly what Saliro needed.

Tilly couldn’t help but speak up.

“I think you’re the ones who spread the rumors about my father committing treason, aren’t you?” Tilly said furiously, “You deliberately spread these rumors to force my father to step down from his position as Commander, to replace our Bigusler family’s position!”

Tilly’s words were irrational.

At least, in the eyes of the Renitra family, it was pure slander.

“Watch your words, little girl of the Bigusler family.”

Saliro stared coldly at Tilly, making her heart clench.

“This is slandering our Renitra family!”

Geno also shouted as if seizing the opportunity.

The knights brought by Saliro all frowned, their gazes towards Tilly becoming extremely hostile.

This made Tilly feel suffocated.

Among everyone present, except for Geno, everyone else was stronger than her.

Even though Tilly was a highly regarded knight of the new generation, she was still just part of the new generation. She was considered outstanding among her peers, but compared to these older, experienced knights who had been training in the Empire for many years, she was still far behind.

If she acted too recklessly, these Renitra knights wouldn’t hesitate to teach her a lesson.

She wasn’t afraid, and even wanted to cause a scene, to teach these bullies a lesson.

But recently, too many things had happened in the past half month, weakening the Bigusler family’s power and influence. Their manpower had been taken away, leaving the once great foremost knight family with only her and her father to face the Renitra family’s challenge.

This made Tilly feel both sad and furious.

Especially Geno, this trash who couldn’t even raise his head in front of her in the past, now dared to act arrogantly before her, looking smug, as if he had her in his grasp, truly infuriating Tilly.

Actually, wasn’t it the same for Rockto?

He had fought Saliro for decades, but this was the first time he had been suppressed to this extent.

But he wasn’t a pushover either.

“I’ll say it again.” Rockto said impassively, “I did not commit treason, and I’m not a traitor.”

Saliro could understand the meaning behind these words.

As expected…

“So, you’re not willing to compromise?”

Saliro’s tone finally carried a hint of anger.

Rockto’s face was cold.

“Since I’m innocent, why should I resign under false accusations?”

These words clearly expressed Rockto and the Bigusler family’s attitude.

The atmosphere in the reception hall instantly became extremely dangerous.