Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

"Since that is the case, then work for free. Why are you even asking for the pay!" she retorted, making the knight dumbfounded.

"My lady seems to be fighting for me. I am honored to get your attention." Evan stopped midway as the words died in her mouth. She looked around, all the knights were looking at her only.

The competition had long finished and the cheers and loud noises had died down too. 

All the eyes were staring at her and she felt heavy suddenly getting all the attention.

But when her gaze met the man, her heart relaxed. The man's eyes were like spring. He had bright green eyes that were full of life and the smile on his face was warm and friendly. 

He was just the opposite to the cold blizzard personality of Leo, whose aura is like a wall that kept others a few feet away from him. 

"Umm, thank you. But I was only saying what was right!" her face turned red though he was looking at her pleasantly.

"It is our honour that you cared so much about our well being. But the master had always supported us and tried his best for our welfare, my lady.

He is not that bad usually." said another knight as he walked closer to her.

'Why did she feel that there was something wrong in his words? Did she say that Leo was a bad person! Or did they think that she was blaming Leo for their conditions!?' she frowned as she looked at the man with confusion. 

But her confused face only made them feel that she did not agree to them.

"Of course, my lady. Look at Raymond!" they pointed back at the man with golden hair and bright green eyes, "master had personally paid his amount and charges so that he could be announced as a knight!" They tried their best to improve the image of their master in case the lady felt resentment towards Leo.

"But it is not enough. If he deserves a better post then he should get an equal chance." Evan rumbled as sne remembered how she had lost her home just because she was a woman. But everyone thought that she was against their master while the gaze of Raymond flickered.

He looked at the girl with dark eyes. His eyes flashed a spark but it died even before anyone could notice.

"You do not need to worry so much about us, my lady. We have been treated fairly well." his voice was softer like spring that all the female knights looked at him with starry eyes.

"What is happening here?" they all stiffened when they heard the cold voice of their master. 

All of the heads turned to look at him. Only then did Evan turn to look at him.

"My lord!"

"Master" they all bowed their heads and stood in two parallel lines leaving space for him to come in. 

He had finished work so hastily as he was worried that she would be worried or lonely. All the time he thought that she would be waiting for him.

But the first thing he saw was, she was standing in front of the knights and they all were trying to convince him that he was not a bad person.. What did this mean?

And the eyes, when he met the eyes of Raymond that were looking at her with dark eyes made his face dark.

Raymond was very tall and his body had completely hovered over Evan, while he was looking at her with the same gaze he looked at her a few times.

"What is happening here?" He looked at everyone with a chilly aura that they all shivered.

"We.. The competition has finished, my lord. Sir Raymond had won again!" replied a knight who was trying to convince Evan that Leo was a good man.

"Oh!" was all he replied in his indifferent voice while his eyes continued to stare at Raymond but there was no appreciation in his voice

The situation had turned into a standstill! Everyone is looking at each other awkwardly.

"My lord." Raymond was not at all affected by the gloomy face of Leo as he looked at him with high spirits. 

"My lord, I won again." though the words were simple and it had always brought a proud smile on Leo's face, today it only made him even gloomy.

He was looking like Raymond had owed him a large amount of money. 

"Is that so?" asked Leo as he tilted his head then looked at the other knights who had lost the chance of winning.

They all bowed their heads in embarrassment when his sharp glare fell on them.

"Since you are so perfect. Why don't we have a competition. It has been a long time since I have participated in any competition.`` Though his face was still calm, his eyes were like a swirling whirlpool which was ready to suck the soul of everyone around them.

"Oh, does the master want to beat me in the target competition! It would be my honor to learn a few things from you!" The man did not mind the cold gaze of Leo at all but still took the point appreciatively.

While Evan felt something was amiss. Didn't Leo say that Olivia was going to come so he would find all the knights who are needy and he had a lot of other things to work on too.

Then why was he suddenly talking about a competition of target practice and why was his face looking like everyone here owed him a lot of gold! 

Leo shook his head as he looked at the sword in his hands and then at Raymond as if he was his mortal enemy that even confused Raymond for a while.

"No, since you have just had a competition of target practice, why don't we try sword wielding or close combat? Or are you afraid that I will break your bones?"