Winnie’s mood was exceptionally high today, so much so that his tolerance towards others had significantly increased.

As long as others didn’t interfere with him, their actions were none of his concern.

But this was a different world, one based on a yuri game, and he was the notorious villain in it, with a reputation no better than a rat in a sewer.

Naturally, he was often targeted by others.

Staring at the young knight blocking his path, whom he couldn’t seem to avoid no matter how he tried, Winnie fell silent.

Are you guys from the Wrathful Dragon Knights all like nut walls? Why not just rename yourselves the Nut Wall Knights?

He didn’t understand.

The passive ability of automatically being targeted on the street was supposed to be the protagonist’s.

How did it end up on him?

Without the protagonist’s fate, he got the protagonist’s debuff.

Did he really have the capability for this?

“Master Winnie, long time no see. How have you been lately?” The two young knights greeted Winnie with smiles, as if they were genuinely there to chat.

“I see you just came out of the Royal Soul Art Collection Hall. After carefully selecting all afternoon, you finally got your own soul, huh?” Glancing at the crystal bottle Winnie was holding, the young man’s expression was cheerful, but the mockery in his tone was evident.

“Picked from the Royal Soul Art Collection Hall, and after a whole afternoon of selection, it must be some incredibly powerful soul, right?” The provocation in the knight’s words was unmistakable.

“Paying such close attention to a man all afternoon, I can’t help but question your mental state and sexual orientation,” Winnie retorted with a smirk, turning the tables on them.

“Master Winnie, you can only play with words for now.”

“If there’s no issue with your sexual orientation, please step aside. I’m very busy,” Winnie said, his smile fading.

“Busy? In such a hurry to go back and absorb your precious soul?” One of the knights glanced at the dull, grayish-white soul in Winnie’s hand, a hint of disdain in his eyes.

As members of the Wrathful Dragon Knights, they had absorbed the four-star soul [Dragon’s Eye], derived from the Camella royal family. Three-star souls were like dirt to them, let alone this measly one-star soul, which they completely looked down upon.

“If you know, why ask? I’m starting to doubt your intelligence,” Winnie tilted his head.

“Winnie, don’t push your luck!…” The impulsive young Wrathful Dragon Knight was about to lose his temper but was held back by his companion.

This was the royal palace, and even if the other party was Winnie, they couldn’t start a fight here.

Push my luck? Did you offer me any luck to begin with??

Winnie rolled his eyes inwardly.

“Master Winnie, holding it so tightly? Do you care that much about your one-star soul? Well, I suppose it suits you,” the other knight chimed in with sarcasm.

“What? Look down on one-star souls?” Winnie smiled.

“Let me just say, don’t be too quick to judge. You might just get proven wrong.”

“Maybe one day in the future, you, and the person behind you, might just get beaten by the one-star soul you so despise.”

“Hah, big talk. If I ever get beaten by you, I might as well eat horse dung,” the hot-headed Wrathful Dragon Knight scoffed.

“And what do you mean by ‘the person behind us’?”

“Exactly what it sounds like,” Winnie examined the two before him, a smirk playing on his lips.

“You knew I was coming to the Royal Soul Art Collection Hall, waited outside all afternoon, just to ambush me. Don’t you Wrathful Dragon Knights have anything better to do?”

“Let me guess, it was Charon who sent you, right?” Winnie’s smile remained, but his tone turned cold.

“He doesn’t even have the guts to bully someone himself, afraid of tarnishing his image in front of his beloved.”

“I thought he was somewhat of a figure, but it seems he lacks the courage to be a villain, choosing instead to be a petty man over a true antagonist,” Winnie shook his head.

“Master Winnie, we have no idea what you’re talking about,” the young knight replied, his expression unchanged.

“You keep throwing around words like ‘villain’ and ‘petty man,’ but where does your own morality stand? You’re notorious for your debauchery and despicable behavior, and your misdeeds are well-known throughout the capital.”

“Yes, I admit I’m a villain,” Winnie raised his head, looking at the two, or perhaps somewhere beyond them.

“But does he dare to step forward and admit he’s a petty man?”

The two knights were momentarily stunned.

They had never expected Winnie to be so bold.

Wasn’t he usually just a cowardly pushover, someone who would flee with a harsh word after a little intimidation?

“Master Winnie, your words are nonsensical, but I can’t ignore what you just said,” the other knight spoke up after a moment.

“You just said you’d use your one-star soul to beat us all up, didn’t you?”

“I must say, you’re quite good at taking things out of context,” Winnie raised an eyebrow.

“Alright then, Master Winnie, we’ll give you a chance. One-on-one, how about that?”

“Sounds interesting. So, one of you will fight me? A beginner who just absorbed a soul?” Winnie chuckled.

“What are you thinking? Of course not. Fighting you would be beneath us,” the two knights laughed.

“Even if you posted a notice in the capital challenging someone from the Wrathful Dragon Knights to a duel, no one would accept. It’s too humiliating.”

“The one we’ll have to fight you is also a beginner like you, and not a knight apprentice, but a squire apprentice.”

“A squire?” Winnie frowned.

Every knight order had squires.

Squires were those whose talents weren’t sufficient to become full-fledged knights and could only serve as assistants.

They trained alongside the knights but, lacking the magical aptitude to absorb [Dragon’s Eye], they could only become squires.

After all, four-star magical aptitude was a rare talent, one in a thousand, and not something everyone possessed.

Unlike the uniform [Dragon’s Eye] soul arts of the regular Wrathful Dragon Knights, the soul art absorbed by squires were more varied, but they were still better than a one-star soul.

“So, do you accept it?”

“No,” Winnie refused without hesitation.

“Oh? You were so bold just a moment ago, and now you want to hide like a turtle?” the knight continued, trying to provoke Winnie.

Normally, someone with Winnie’s temperament would be easily provoked.

However, the Winnie before them simply smiled. “If you want me to duel your man, fine. But pay up.”

“Huh? What?”

“What do you mean ‘what’? Don’t I deserve a fee for my time? You’re asking me to waste my time and energy on your childish little game. Don’t you think I should be compensated for my effort?” Winnie looked at them with a puzzled expression.

“……How much do you want?” The two knights’ expressions shifted uncertainly.

“Twenty gold coins. Non-negotiable.”

Twenty gold coins?!

The two knights’ eyes widened.

Why don’t you just rob us?

One of the knights hesitantly glanced behind him, as if seeking someone’s approval.

“If we pay, you’ll agree to come?”

“Of course, and I’ll show up openly and honorably,” Winnie declared proudly.

“Fine. Don’t forget what you said today.”

“Great, it’s settled. Now pay up,” Winnie said, extending his hand.

“Don’t try to pull a fast one. The duel hasn’t even started yet. What if you take the money and don’t show up?”

“I’m just asking for a deposit. Five gold coins, thank you very much,” Winnie held up five fingers.

“No, we need to change the terms. This is too easy for you,” one of the knights said with a smirk.

“Change the terms? Then I bid you farewell,” Winnie said, turning to leave.

“Don’t be in such a hurry. How about this? If you lose, you don’t have to pay anything. If you win, we’ll double it and give you forty gold coins. How’s that?”

“Are you serious?” Winnie stopped in his tracks, his eyes lighting up.

“Of course, absolutely serious. We, the Wrathful Dragon Knights, always keep our word. But, well, it depends on whether you have what it takes to earn that money,” the two knights laughed, clearly thinking it was an empty promise.

They could say whatever they wanted since they were confident Winnie stood no chance.

A good-for-nothing playboy like Winnie beating a squire apprentice? What a joke.