The Golem Mage

Brandon's Turn

"Even though the Banquet is a serious event, I have no interest in working for someone like Alec who doesn't take it seriously,"

Agnes blurted out angrily, her pointing finger directed at Arthur.

Arthur didn’t back down, retaliating with his outburst.

"Ah, so the true colors of this unworthy person finally show; you claim you want to lead the Gordons Clan, but when pushed forward, you cower in fear and attack us instead; nothing but excuses, pathetic!"

Agnes clenched her teeth, at a loss for words on responding to Arthur's criticism without escalating the situation.

Overhearing their argument, someone from the Fridall clan leaned toward a companion, pointing discreetly at Alec, who appeared to be sleeping peacefully in the back seat, as Bryan Lanzt silently left the stage.

It was evident that the one being talked to was the younger generation leader of the Fridall Clan.

"That's him, Bree," the person whispered.

"That guy sleeping like he has no care in the world is the one the Blaze enforcer wants dead. He even mentioned taking full responsibility for the person who manages to kill him, promising hefty rewards instead of punishment."

Although killing was f*******n in the Banquet, the fact that someone from the capital desired Alec's death meant the rules could be bent.

After all, the Fridall Clan served as a vassal family and branch for the Ancient Blaze Clan in the capital, making them duty-bound to carry out any mission efficiently.

Bree expressed his annoyance, concerned about the potential losses the patriarch might face.

"I worry that the patriarch will suffer even more."

The companion scoffed, responding with a smirk.

"You needn't worry too much. The patriarch has been promised benefits that could aid his advancement to the Tier 7 mage realm if we successfully eliminate Alec; it's all Alec's fault for being too impressive."

Bree's curiosity was piqued.

"I wonder why I've never heard of this guy before?" he pondered aloud.

"Well, you know you've always been planning to achieve the next rank to match the other guy in the next city, which made you go into seclusion."

" That's why you're not aware of him; after all, he just rose to fame recently in a zombie test that we never took part in; instead, that glory could have been ours for the taking," the Fridall guy explained to Bree.

"Remind me why we were not involved again,"

Bree asked, prompting the guy next to him to blush in embarrassment.

"We were scared to participate in that assessment since you were still in seclusion. So most of the clan members decided not to participate, and that's how the opportunity was given to them,"

The guy said, twisting his words towards the end to make it seem like the Gordons stole their achievements when it was they who were too scared to fight zombies.

"Well, let's just hope this Alec guy is not a letdown," Bree sighed.

--

"I will fight!"

"Hmm!"

Arthur exclaimed upon noticing that Brandon, who was usually quiet, had volunteered to fight.

Even Agnes was surprised by his boldness.

"Don't even think of disgracing the Gordons Clan's name on the stage!" Agnes snorted.

"You don't have any right to scold me, you scaredy-cat. It would be you if anyone is accused of disgracing the Gordons Clan name."

" You claim you want to rival Alec but don't even dare to fight. Please, don't make me laugh,"

Brandon retaliated, surprising Agnes with his unexpected response. After all, he was the one who rarely spoke.

Arthur pumped his fist excitedly upon hearing that Brandon had decided to fight.

He knew Brandon used to be more of a lone wolf, but everything changed when he started training with Alec.

It had transformed him, giving his tongue a sharp edge every time he spoke.

Agnes snorted as she walked down from the stage, not wanting to cause more trouble since she wasn't participating in the matches.

Instead, she helped a knight up and poured a healing elixir into his mouth to help speed up his recovery.

Brandon slowly rose from his chair, each step he took filled with purpose and intentional slowness, causing the onlookers to grow increasingly anxious.

Eventually, he reached the stage and gazed at the audience, each family in designated seating.

"I welcome any challenger who dares to face Alec; if you can defeat me, you will earn the right to fight Arthur, Alec's second general,"

Brandon declared, going along with Arthur's playful remarks.

Alec initially voiced these remarks during a drunken escapade, where he considered both Arthur and himself generals, with Agnes being a commander at best.

Alec had also mentioned that he reserved the captain position for Knight, stating they had a chance at a promotion if they became more robust.

Arthur decided to bring these playful words into the banquet, and Brandon chose to play along.

After all, he promised to follow Alec, who was not only the next patriarch but also incredibly powerful, and he treated them as brothers.

During his few days with Alec, Brandon developed a sense of closure, making it easier for him to stand up for Alec whenever necessary.

"Are there any cowards among you who are scared to come forward and face Alec?" Brandon questioned with an icy tone, dropping his massive great sword onto the stage.

The sword slammed into the floor with a thunderous thud, shocking everyone with its weight.

Brandon had been carrying the sword on his back for quite some time, and they couldn't believe he had been enduring such a heavy burden.

"Go and test him,"

Bree remarked to the person beside him, prompting him to leap onto the stage.

"Who is that guy? He's got some incredible moves," someone from the Lanzt family area inquired of no one.

"Of course, he has moved," another nearby person said.

"He's from the Fridall clan, known for their fiery temperaments due to their innate element being fire; I believe he is Felix, the Violent Flame brother."

Felix gracefully landed on the stage, making Brandon's grand entrance seem insignificant.

He bowed his head and introduced himself.

"My name is Felix from the Fridall Clan, and I wish to challenge you."

"Challenge accepted!"

Brandon responded without hesitation. However, Felix hesitated, waiting for Brandon to pick up his sword before proceeding.

"Oh, that? I won't need it to deal with you," Brandon sneered, dismissing the importance of his weapon.

"You... That's it! You're dead for underestimating a member of the Fridall Clan!" Felix exclaimed angrily, unable to accept that someone from the Gordon family looked down on him.

--

- Author's Note -

When I started writing Golem Mage, it was purely for fun. I'm not sure if any of the old readers from the previous platform followed me here, but grammar has never been my strong point. I made a lot of mistakes, and people read without complaining because it was free. I'm sure they read over the first hundred chapters for free back then.

I am not the same author I was when I started. I have developed and evolved. My writing style has changed, and my errors have reduced. I promise to give the book the quality it deserves.

This message is only directed to the true fans of my books, not those who criticized it while also secretly reading the same book they claim they can't read. Thank you for your understanding and continuous support.