BOOM!
A massive explosion tore through the training grounds, sending shockwaves rippling through the air.
A young man was hurled backward by the force, his sword raised defensively in front of him. His hands trembled under the shock, his aura flickering erratically between shades of white and blue as he struggled to stabilize his mana flow.
Despite the nearly point-blank impact of the blast, he landed gracefully, his boots skidding slightly against the ground before coming to a halt.
"HAHA~"
A playful, mocking laugh echoed through the open training grounds.
Standing a few ters away was a young woman, her expression full of mischief. She observed him with a smirk, her arms crossed as if she had all the ti in the world.
"Impressive, Senior-" Flam's voice was laced with amusent, her silver-gray eyes twinkling under the sunlight. "Even though I told my spirit to hold back, that was still an attack from a mid-grade spirit. Your aura efficiency is truly remarkable."
The west side of the imperial palace was ho to a massive, open training field enclosed by tall stone walls.
Today, this serene space had beco the site of a high-stakes duel.
Riley, the young man at the center of it all, adjusted his stance.
His gaze was unwavering, his senses heightened to the extre as he focused on his surroundings.
His breathing was calm, yet there was a fierce intensity behind his hazy eyes.
He shifted into a martial stance, one inspired by the fad hidden blade technique, his sword held low and ready for a precise, lethal strike.
This was uncharted territory for him-facing an opponent who was both invisible and devoid of any noticeable presence. It felt like he was fighting a ghost.
Flam's playful tone cut through the air again.
"Should I let them manifest, Senior?" she teased, leaning slightly forward as if to gauge his reaction. "Though I'll warn you, they'll be a bit stronger this ti. Hehe~"
Riley, ignoring Flam's taunts, remained calm and steady, his focus sharpening like a blade.
He enhanced his mana senses, every fiber of his being tuned to detect even the slightest disturbance in the air.
-SWIIFF!-
His instincts kicked in.
A subtle shift on his right caught his attention-an imperceptible ripple in the air that most would have missed.
Without hesitation, his body moved instinctively, ducking just in ti to avoid a surprise attack from Flam's wind spirit.
Flam's expression flickered with surprise.
She had been confident that her wind spirit's sudden strike would catch Riley off guard.
She started to issue a command to her spirit, hoping to reestablish the attack.
But it was already too late.
Riley's feet slid into position, his stance fluid yet precise.
His blade, still sheathed, pulsed faintly with a vibrant glow as his mana surged, enhancing both his weapon and his movents.
-Boom!-
In an instant, Riley unleashed his skills in a seamless combo.
[Dashing Sprint] → Activated!
[Blink Step] → Activated!
[Aura] → Activated!
[Monarch's Will] → Activated!
His body blurred, moving with lightning speed.
The ground beneath him cracked as he launched forward, the sheer force of his movent leaving a faint blue trail in his wake.
-SWOOSH!-
Riley ca to a halt, the wind pressure trailing behind him roaring like a thunderclap.
The sound barrier broke just as his sword stopped, its gleaming blade hovering a re inch from Flam's neck.
Flam froze. Her wide eyes mirrored disbelief, unable to process the sheer speed and precision of his counterattack.
Yet, just before Riley's blade could reach her, a massive claw appeared out of thin air-a manifestation of her invisible water familiar.
The claw intercepted the strike, stopping it at the last possible mont.
"...I-I lost?" Flam stamred, her voice a mixture of shock and disbelief.
Riley exhaled deeply, lowering his blade as the faint glow of his aura dissipated. He sheathed his sword with a calm, asured motion, his breathing steady despite the exertion.
"Looks like it..."
Slightly annoyed at the result, Flam glared at Riley with a mix of frustration and
begrudging respect before letting out a soft, exaggerated sigh.
"Tsk~ Maybe I shouldn't have held back," she muttered under her breath.
Despite her annoyance, Flam couldn't deny Riley's unexpected skill.
While she had initially categorized him in her mind as soone decent but not particularly
strong, his performance had proven otherwise.
He wasn't just fast-he was clever, adaptable, and full of surprises.
However, one thing gnawed at her curiosity.
That mont during the duel-a fleeting second where she felt her strength and mana drain inexplicably-kept replaying in her mind.
Riley's speed and technique alone shouldn't have been enough to bypass her mid-grade
spirits.
If it weren't for that strange disruption, she was confident her spirits could've intercepted
him.
Flam's gaze lingered on Riley as she pondered the possibilities.
Did he do sothing? she wondered.
But even if he had, she reasoned it was better not to pry too deeply.
After all, secrets were always more intriguing when left as mysteries.
Riley, anwhile, had already begun making his way to the edge of the training area.
His movents were calm and asured, as if the intense duel hadn't fazed him at all.
He accepted a canteen of water from a brown-haired maid dressed in a neat, simple uniform. Her attentive deanor suggested she was familiar with his routine.
Taking a sip, Riley turned slightly and glanced back at Flam, his expression neutral but
polite.
"Thanks for the hard work, Junior," he said, offering her another canteen.
Flam blinked in mild surprise before accepting it. "Thanks~"
She took a sip herself, still trying to shake off the lingering irritation of her loss. Finally, she
looked at him, her curiosity shifting gears. "Anyways, why did you suddenly ask to train so
early in the morning, Senior?"
Riley paused, considering her question. "It's rare to get the opportunity to spar with an elentalist," he admitted, brushing a few stray strands of hair away from his face. "And I needed a warm-up before today's journey."
"Hmm~ I see," Flam replied, tilting her head thoughtfully. Her tone beca more teasing as she added, "Well, I guess dulling your senses could cost you your life in the trial-"
Flam already knew Riley was about to embark on the Trails of Light, a journey most
wouldn't dare to attempt without thorough preparation.
She understood his reasoning for wanting to sharpen his senses, but the idea of being used as
a training tool irked her more than a little.
And most of all... "Couldn't you have just trained with Snow instead?" she asked, crossing her arms and
shooting him an annoyed glare. "She's going with you today, right? You could've even asked
her to join us."
Riley shook his head lightly, his expression calm but resolute. "Ah, Snow won't be joining
today."
"What?" Flam blinked, clearly surprised. "But she insisted on coming with you, didn't she? Even the Emperor approved it in the end."
"It took so ti, but I managed to talk her out of it," Riley replied. His voice softened slightly, as though he were mulling over the mory. "For better or worse, tackling the trial
is too much for Snow right now."
Flam raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Heh~ And it's okay for you?" she teased,
leaning in slightly. "Don't get wrong, Senior, you're strong, but I don't think Snow would
lose to you in a fight."
Riley gave her a sidelong glance, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Is that what
you thought when you fought today as well?"
"Wha—" Flam froze for a mont, caught off guard, before her cheeks flushed in irritation. "I only lost because I held back a lot, if anything it was a tie at best, you didn't
manage to reach as well"
"Sure..." Riley replied, his tone dripping with playful disbelief.
"Grr...!" Flam clenched her fists, her temper flaring.
Riley's nonchalant attitude always seed to poke at her pride in the worst way.
Ignoring her dog-like growl of frustration, Riley adjusted his scabbard and turned toward the exit, his steps unhurried. "I'm heading out now, Junior," he said without looking back. Pausing briefly at the doorway, he glanced over his shoulder and added, "Make sure not to
cause Miss Filo any trouble, okay? If I manage to co out safe and sound, I'll talk to the Emperor about lessening your punishnt. So, don't get too lonely while I'm gone." With a small wave of his hand, Riley walked out, leaving Flam behind, her mouth slightly
agape as she processed his parting words.
"...What's that supposed to an?" she muttered under her breath, her irritation now laced
with faint confusion.
Flam wanted nothing more than to grab Riley by the collar and teach him a lesson for
being such a cheeky senior.
However, she held herself back, knowing she couldn't afford to act impulsively.
After all, she was already being punished-a whole week confined to the training area, all alone except for a few servants to keep her company.
She let out a frustrated sigh, muttering to herself, "He really just ca here to bother for a
bit, didn't he? If he was planning to work up a sweat, he could've just trained with the knights
instead..."
"Fufu~"
The soft chuckle of the brown-haired maid, Filo, broke the silence, resonating throughout the room. Flam turned toward her, visibly annoyed.
Filo, the maid assigned to serve her during this week of confinent, had a quiet, frail
deanor.
But Flam knew better-Filo was an elite mber of the Shadow Knights, her delicate appearance hiding her dangerous capabilities.
"What's so funny?" Flam snapped, crossing her arms in irritation.
Filo shook her head, her serene smile never faltering. "Oh, nothing at all, Lady Flam."
"Then what's up with that loud chuckle just now?" Flam demanded, narrowing her eyes. "Fufu~" Filo's soft laughter returned, though she quickly composed herself. "It's just that... this is the first ti I've seen you look so genuinely happy around soone, Lady Flam."
"Happy?" Flam raised an eyebrow, scoffing. "Of course, I'd be happy! It's not every day I get to spend ti with soone so amusing, right?" She huffed, trying to downplay her feelings, though her cheeks betrayed a faint hint of color.
"I'm sure you'll co to understand what I an soday, Lady Flam," Filo said
cryptically, her gaze softening as if she saw sothing in Flam she couldn't yet recognize
herself.
"Huh?" Flam blinked in confusion, but before she could press further, Filo clapped her hands together with a resolute energy.
"Now, now~ Enough about that," Filo said cheerfully. "Let's begin today's lecture, shall
we?"
Flam's irritation quickly shifted to dread as Filo reached for a thick, leather-bound book sitting on a nearby table.
The gilded letters on the spine glead ominously, and Flam instinctively gulped. Ordered by the Emperor to instill "proper morals" into Flam during her punishnt, Filo
adjusted her round glasses with a calm but determined look. "Please listen carefully, Lady Flam," she said, flipping the book open to a densely packed page. "I'll make sure you beco a proper lady by the ti your punishnt is over." Flam stared at the book as if it were her mortal enemy.
At the heart of the imperial palace stood a vast, open garden, its lush greenery extending in all
directions.
dium-height walls of ticulously trimd hedges frad the area, while flowers of every color and variety blood vibrantly, their petals stretching toward the sunlight. The scene was like a painting brought to life, a perfect blend of nature's beauty and human
craftsmanship.
The air was crisp with the freshness of winter, tinged with the subtle aromatic sweetness of the garden's blossoms, a scent that deepened with every breath.
A soft breeze danced through the garden, rustling leaves and carrying with it the faint sound
of chirping
birds.
At the center of this serene oasis was a dium-sized white table, simple in color but
exuding an air of opulence.
The intricate carvings along its edges and the flawless polish of its surface hinted at craftsmanship so fine that its value was imasurable.
Two equally elegant chairs flanked the table, their designs as regal as the setting itself.
Tuck.
The gentle sound of a teacup being set down on its saucer echoed softly, breaking the tranquil silence. The gesture was mirrored by another figure, both seated at the table.
Two pairs of eyes t-one a striking crimson red, the other a deep, contemplative blue.
Their gazes locked, the air between them heavy with unspoken tension. Though their surroundings were peaceful, the atmosphere around the table was anything but.
"Your Highness," the Duke spoke, his voice asured but laced with a rising edge of
incredulity. "Could you repeat what you just said?"
"... Riley and I are dating."
Crack!
The sound of porcelain shattering rang out as the teacup in the Duke's hand crumbled into a
thousand fragnts.
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