Livos City is no small pce; with a popution in the hundreds of thousands, its towering walls remain unbreached to this day.

  Rumor has it that during certain special times, it even served as the capital of the Duchy of Lumir.

  Waiting outside the city to greet Henwell is Viscount Danpo of the Dienbos family, cousin to Count Lierul.

  Danpo is over sixty, nearing the handover of his title. He’s low-key and steady in his dealings.

  To outsiders, he might seem a bit old-fashioned.

  But Henwell’s intelligence reports reveal him to be cunning and experienced.

  Danpo’s attitude toward Henwell is somewhat cool, he shows proper respect but offers no special treatment.

  Had Henwell not been cd in Padin armor, he might not have received a welcome at all.

  Whether it’s the Groias Empire or the Holy Spirit Church, their respective hunting squads active across the continent enjoy high status.

  They’re treated like dukes in the various nations, though these elite hunters aren’t in it for comfort—only for operational convenience.

  Lumir Duchy has only one grand duke, with three marquises beneath him.

  These marquises control the coastal regions, while innd power is mostly held by counts.

  Among the counts, the Dienbos family stands strongest.

  This is rgely thanks to their ties with the Ika Kingdom’s eldest princess. After all, the Dienbos are her maternal uncles and raised her for many years.

  After the War of the Six Kings ended and Baleqi secured the Ika throne, it was good news for the Dienbos family.

  Over the past decade, they’ve grown rapidly.

  Rumor has it they might soon become the duchy’s fourth reigning marquis family.

  Livos City buzzes with activity, not because of Henwell’s arrival, but due to a grand event taking pce.

  It’s one of the most prestigious festivals in the Duchy of Lumir—the Champion Knight tournament.

  Henwell nearly jumps in surprise when he first hears the name!

  Knights follow two extraordinary paths: one focused on personal combat, the other on leading armies.

  The Battle Knight path needs no introduction, and Henwell is also familiar with the ranks along the commander route.

  Knight Commander, Knight Domain, Heroic Knight—each step up leads to a rank comparable to Glory Knight.

  And that rank’s title? Champion Knight.

  Henwell almost thinks the duchy is celebrating the birth of a new Champion Knight.

  But after asking around, he learns that “Champion Knight” is just a title.

  More precisely, it’s “Knight Champion”, a title earned through a tournament, where outstanding knights compete.

  Every three years, Lumir holds this grand knightly contest.

  Top fighters from all over gather to fight for glory and a prosperous future.

  The ultimate Knight Champion receives a direct fief from the Grand Duke of Lumir.

  Even the lowest winners become knight lords, and the truly exceptional might be granted baronies.

  Don’t think noble titles come easily without family backing, Henwell’s own hard journey proves that.

  Originally, the Knight Champion tournament was designed as a path upward for commoners or those from humble origins.

  It was also meant to boost the duchy’s martial spirit.

  But over time, the tournament’s original purpose has shifted.

  For over a century, what was once a gateway for lower csses has become a tool for noble families to expand their influence.

  Every family wants to grow stronger, produce more talent, and increase their noble ranks.

  Without having to divide their own nds, these families naturally set their sights on the Knight Champion tournament.

  Brains are cheap, muscle is expensive!

  Knighthood is one of the more affordable extraordinary professions, but it still demands extraordinary resources.

  Once noble families get involved, they can easily render the years of hard training by commoners ughable.

  With systematic training from youth and ample extraordinary resources,

  these young nobles crush genuine challengers striving to change their social standing.

  Years ago, the Lumir leadership realized that completely shutting off upward mobility was clearly unwise.

  But when profit is king, change isn’t achieved by determination alone.

  So, across the duchy, various cities began hosting their own Knight Champion tournaments.

  Unlike the grand contest held every three years by the duchy itself, these city-level tournaments usually happen annually.

  Their dates aren’t uniform, Livos City’s event kicks off just before the Midsummer Festival.

  Because of the differing schedules, many competitors can participate in multiple Knight Champion tournaments within a single year.

  Of course, only a handful hold real influence.

  Smaller or mid-tier families’ events often offer meager rewards; earning a knight title there is considered a win.

  Some only provide monetary prizes, with entrants mostly seeking fame.

  The Dienbos family’s event, for example, is among the more prestigious.

  The ultimate Knight Champion there becomes a knight lord.

  Though their fief might be small and they’re not duchy-recognized knight lords but family-appointed ones without hereditary rights,

  it still marks a formal entry into the noble css, a complete social leap.

  So, truly capable and ambitious individuals flock to these authoritative events.

  Additionally, since the end of the War of the Six Kings, many Knight Champion tournaments in Lumir have undergone changes.

  The requirement to participate as a knight rank remains unchanged.

  But a new track has been added: the Knight Squire competition.

  Livos City’s event features two tracks, one for knight ranks, where the winner becomes a knight lord, and another for those below knight rank.

  Though called the Knight Squire track, anyone beneath knight rank can join.

  Winners of the Squire track receive substantial extraordinary resources and formal training.

  For those gifted individuals without any knightly body training, this is undoubtedly great news.

  It’s also a way for noble families to cultivate more loyal knights from the ground up.

  With this new track, the event’s excitement level instantly jumps.

  Most spectators aren’t professionals; to them, knightly duels can be a bit dull, far less intense than ordinary brawls.

  That’s why audiences love watching the Knight Squire track battles.

  After settling into his residence, Henwell receives an invitation.

  He’s invited as a distinguished guest to attend tomorrow’s Knight Champion tournament opening ceremony.