Ad aspera

As the first opponent, a squire named Jean stepped forward – a determined-looking warrior, firmly gripping a sword and shield in his hands. His attacks were swift, and overall, he moved more agilely. A flurry of attacks rained down on Ruven, and his shield strikes frequently aimed to disrupt Ruven's rhythm. However, Ruven didn't lose his composure and managed to strike the squire successfully several times. After that, Jean became more cautious, skillfully parrying the spear aimed at his face, and timely raising his shield for the next blow. But whether it was the movements that disrupted his concentration, or Ruven's natural agility awakened, his sword only whistled through the air. An excellent opportunity for an attack presented itself. And then Jean lay on the ground, struck down by a precise spear thrust. He was given assistance, and Ruven lowered his weapon and struggled to catch his breath. Despite the victory, the squire had managed to wear him down considerably. Count du Sartori stood nearby, grumbling and expressing his thoughts on the duel.

-- Not bad, -- as first aid is being administered to Jean lying on the ground, the count, who has been observing the fight the whole time, reprimands the fighters. -- Actually, it was terrible, there was no defense at all, on either side, they just fought until they could barely stand, and then they started trying to block and dodge somehow, but overall, they were quite even, the blows were strong and precise. I see, Ruven, you weren't lying about him being a "formidable fighter."

— It was a tough fight, it was close... We'll work on the defense, I guess. Ruven caught his breath and waited to see what would happen next. Will they restore my health, or do I need to eat some provisions to recover?