Raised in Dungeon

"Miss Lavinia, so you're still alive."

When Allen said that, Lavinia shuddered, she stopped moving her spoon, then lowered her head. She didn't answer Allen's question, it seemed that she already knew about Allen living in this house, and for some reason, she was currently staying in the Boldenville residence.

-HUP

Rachel suddenly grabbed Allen's head and forced him to lower his head.

"For now, don't talk too much, Allen. I won't let you create more trouble for Lady Felicia," Rachel whispered to Allen.

Then Rachel raised her head and looked at Reynold.

"Forgive me, my lord. As reported, this child has no manners, he has not been taught about that at the Wolverlope residence. Please tolerate all his behavior for now," Rachel said.

"I understand."

Rachel removed her hand from Allen's head.

Wulfgeat, sitting on the right near Reynold, snorted about Allen's behavior.

"How impolite, you uncultured peasant. You are talking straight when there's a nobleman in front of you. You should address people of higher status than you first! Don't you have any respect?"

Regardless of Wulfgeat's treatment of Allen, Reynold immediately asked Allen to sit down.

"Allen, sit down," he said as he ate.

Because of Rachel's order, Allen decided to follow the rules of the house. He immediately sat in the closest place, in the chair at the end of the table opposite Reynold.

The moment he sat down, people immediately put on shocked faces. They had just realized that they had underestimated Allen's common sense.

"How dare you sit in the guest of honor's seat! You're just a commoner and a former slave! Get out of there!" shouted Wulfgeat while brandishing his sword.

"Stop Wulfgeat! We're at the dinner table!" snapped Reynold.

In a noble house, table manners must be followed, one of which is seating. The seat opposite the head of the family is a special seat for guests who come to the noble residence, usually given to people of equal or higher status.

Since Allen knew nothing about this, Reynold closed his eyes specifically for that moment.

After Wulfgeat sheathed his sword, Reynold asked Allen.

"You called out this priestess's name earlier. After healing the prince's wounds, she is currently serving in my territory as a fire priestess, a direct envoy of the Bishop. I invited her to stay in my house because she would greatly assist us in exploring our region's dungeon. Did you already know Miss Lavinia?" asked Reynold.

"Yes, a little," replied Allen briefly.

"Uh, really?!" said Felicia in surprise.

'If I'm not mistaken, Allen came in caged after being picked up from the dungeon, right? Does that mean he knew Miss Lavinia inside the dungeon?' Felicia thought.

Reynold then looked at Lavinia, who was just eating while bowing her head. It seemed like she hadn't heard their conversation at all.

"Miss Lavinia?"

When Reynold called her name, she responded in surprise.

"Y-yes, sir?!"

"Where have you met Allen?"

"Sa-I met him when I visited the Barkaley region."

"Ooh... during Prince Leofric's raid?"

"yes, sir."

"Since we are currently eating, I won't ask further. Please tell me more in-depth in my office later,"

"O-okay, sir."

Reynold then took a bite of his food. As he did so, he immediately realized that Allen had not been given food either.

"Eat up," Reynold continued.

One of the maids uncovered the plate. Inside, there was meat and grass (?) slathered in red sauce.

Again, Allen's behavior surprised others. Allen ravenously ate all the food on the plate with both hands. Because the water was too far away, he stood up, stepped on his chair, and climbed onto the table to get his kettle.

-SWUNG

A knife flew towards Allen's face.

-GRAB

Allen picked up the knife with his left hand. Then he put it on the table. Allen had more or less figured out who threw the knife. But when he looked forward, Wulfgeat was sitting with a shocked face.

The only one standing was Reynold. He was the one who threw the knife at Allen.

"I lost my appetite," Reynold said.

Reynold sat down again. Then two waiters appeared from the gate behind him, taking his plate and spoon.

"Felicia, I was originally very disappointed when I heard you chose a slave to be your knight, but I was wrong. I'm very very very overly disappointed in you now; I didn't expect you to give our family symbol to a fool who doesn't know manners."

"His behavior is one of the reasons he can be friends with me, father. He doesn't care about social status, and I still want him to keep it that way."

"You're really starting to become a rebel."

"I'm tired of being your puppet, father; from now on, I'll do the things I like. Don't worry, father, I won't bring shame to the family name. I'll make Allen understand basic things. After all, I told you not to bring Allen to eat here in the first place, but you still forced Rachel to call him."

"I have to see my daughter's future personal knight before my eyes. You can see almost all of that person's personality at the dinner table. There's no mistaking it; you're playing with family symbols. But I also can't forbid you, after you give that knife to him, this peasant should be your personal knight. I hope he can die soon, after which I will choose a new, better knight for you."

"Take it easy, father. Allen is strong; he won't die that easily," Felicia said confidently.

Felicia then peered at Allen, who had been watching her from the moment she spoke. Therefore, Felicia realized that she had praised Allen too much, making her look like she was interested in him in front of her family.

"B-but he's not very strong, just ordinary, but he has quite a lot of potential," Felicia said with a flushed face.

Seeing Felicia talk like that, Wulfgeat laughed.

"Hahaha... Geez, what's so special about this kid that you should choose him to be your knight, lady Felicia? You shouldn't choose him solely on the basis of your emotions or because he's your type."

"Ha-HAAAH?! Who would be interested in this guy anyway?! I made him my knight because of his abilities!" said Felicia with an even redder face.

But when Felicia saw everyone's faces, she realized they didn't believe her, so she continued...

"At the very least, Allen is millions better than you, Wulfgeat. I'm sure in five minutes you'll lose against Allen."

"Hmph! Very funny, Lady. You just said something you shouldn't have said. There's no way a peasant boy like him is better than a nobleman like me. You've never seen my abilities. I was once the vice chair of Division 5 and also a former palladium-ranked dungeon explorer."

"Vice chairman, huh? Since you're now an Earl's knight, they expelled you for incompetence, right?"

"Felicia! That's enough!" snapped Reynold.

The atmosphere at the dinner table became unpleasant. Felicia's face looked very upset, as did Reynold, who couldn't stand Felicia's attitude. Meanwhile, Ayde and Lavinia couldn't say anything. Lavinia continued eating as if nothing had happened; Ayde shuffled her plate.

Wulfgeat looked very upset; he glared at Allen with an angry, red, and annoyed face.

"I can't accept this, Lord Boldenville. Saying that a seedy peasant like this boy is stronger than I hurts my pride as a noble and your knight. Please allow me to discipline him."

"Discipline?"

"How about we prove the boy's strength? If he is strong enough to be Lady Felicia's knight, he deserves it."

Wulfgeat then stood up, took out his sword, and pointed it at Allen.

"Allen, I will challenge you to a duel. If you're not as strong as Lady Felicia says, you need to get out of this house!"

Allen just sat down; after all, he didn't know what to do in response. Rachel had also asked him not to talk much.

But because of the silence when Wulfgeat challenged him, he felt he had to respond.

"Then, if I win? What will I get?"

"That's not likely to happen."

"Then I don't want to do it."

"Of course, you must! This is a noble order! A peasant like you has no right to refuse what a noble says!"

Allen then looked at Reynold.

"What's wrong?" asked Reynold.

"If I win, can I get five times more food than now?"

Hearing that, Felicia laughed,

"Allen, you're not full at all?"

"Totally, compared to what Isabelle gave me, it's scant. Does this family spend all of their money on those shiny things?"

"Pfft" a chuckle now sounded from Ayde. Since everyone was looking at her, she tried to hold it in and put on a poker face.

"Sorry," she said as she took a bite of the food on her plate.

"You peasant! You have no right to give orders to a noble like that! I'll kill you!" snapped Wulfgeat as he shook his sword at Allen.

"Wulfgeat, stop," Reynold said.

Wulfgeat then sheathed his sword and sat down.

As for Reynold, he picked up the rag next to his plate and wiped his mouth and hands.

"Alright, if you can defeat Wulfgeat in 5 minutes, I'll give you ten times more food than now."

"Huh?! Wait, dad?! 5 minutes? Why is there a time limit?" said Felicia, surprised.

"First, he disrespected our family by saying that Wolverlope's family is much better, so think of this as a punishment for him. Second, you, yourself, told Wulfgeat that Allen could beat him in five minutes."

"But! Only five minutes?! I didn't really mean it at the time-" Felicia hadn't finished speaking when Allen cut her off.

"3 minutes," Allen said.

"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?! DID YOU JUST UNDERESTIMATE ME?! YOU THINK YOU CAN BEAT ME IN THREE MINUTES?!" shouted Wulfgeat.

'This guy, I can tell from his physique, he's not stronger than Theobauld and Ottar'

"Of course I am. I'm getting ten times as much anyway; it's not fair if it's only 5 minutes."

"YOU PEASANT B*STARD!"