Prince William stared up at the intricate, faded murals on the vaulted ceiling, his vision swimming.
“He even convinced to fra my own sister for Mother’s death... and now, he’s gone.” His eyes burned with a desperate, localized fury as he gripped the fabric of the sofa. “You will see, Eugene. You will see how wrong you were to abandon . I will be the one to save this world, just you wait and see. I’ll show you all what a true Emperor looks like.”
Lord’s Castle, Kim City, Kim Island, Kim Dukedom, Ancorna Empire
“I still find it hard to believe that this territory is under your rule, Little Raven,” Faldeus remarked, leaning back in a plush armchair in the drawing room while sipping his tea. He looked out the large glass windows at the bustling skyline. “The advancents and the structure of society here seem far more developed than even the most prestigious cities in the Western Continent.”
“What? Did you honestly think I would be a poor leader?” Ravenna shot him a sharp glare, though her pride was evident. “I was always destined to be the Empress, after all!”
“Yes, yes, of course you were,” Faldeus replied with a dismissive, airy sigh. He took another sip of tea before turning his attention to Marie. “And I still can’t get over it, I have the Saintess herself as my god-grandchild!” He reached out, affectionately patting Marie’s hair while she offered him a shy, beaming smile.
Just then, Alice walked into the room with little Mina cradled in her arms. “What’s this? Are you suggesting you aren't going to be Mina’s god-grandfather as well?”
“W-what? Who said that?!” Faldeus sputtered, nearly dropping his teacup. He stood up imdiately, delicately taking the infant into his large, calloused hands. “How could I not be a grandfather to this adorable little thing?”
Mina let out a tiny, lodic laugh as Faldeus made silly faces, trying with all his might to coax her into calling him 'Grandpa' amidst a flurry of giggles and baby babbles.
Alice, standing beside Ravenna, leaned in and whispered, “No one would believe you if you told them this was the forr Khan of the Great Simbala Plains.”
Marie walked up to the group, her eyes sparkling with a mix of curiosity and lingering hesitation. “M-mother...” She paused, the word still feeling a bit heavy and awkward on her tongue, but she pushed through. “Is Grandpa really your forr Master?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Ravenna replied, giving Faldeus a pointed side-eye. “He spent most of my training doing nothing but flaunting his own skills instead of actually teaching .”
“Isn’t that exactly what you do, Mother?” Marie thought silently to herself, keeping her expression neutral.
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Faldeus let out a hearty laugh. “Don't listen to her, Marie. Your mother was the biggest crybaby I’ve ever had the misfortune of training! One scratch and the waterworks would start.”
“Do you really have to bring that up?!” Ravenna’s eyes flared with a competitive fire. She stepped forward, trying to physically block Faldeus from Marie as if she could hide her past through sheer willpower.
“Oh, I can tell her plenty more stories—” Faldeus chuckled, doting on Mina one last ti before gently placing her down. The toddler wobbled over to Alice as Faldeus turned back to Ravenna, his eyes glinting with a familiar, dangerous spark.
He reached out and patted Ravenna’s head, a gesture of both affection and provocation. “Let’s have a go at it, then! I want to see if you’ve actually been keeping up with your forms during our ti apart.”
Faldeus smoothly drew two ornate daggers from his belt and began walking toward the corridor.
Ravenna scoffed, her hand already drifting toward the hilt of her own weapons in hidden garter on her thigh as she followed him. “Get ready to be wrecked, old man! I’m not that little girl anymore!”
Newly Built Attached Training Grounds to the New Castle, Kim City, Kim Island, Kim Dukedom, Ancorna Empire
The training grounds were a marvel of modern military architecture. Unlike the dusty, dirt-packed pits of the old tradition, these were paved with reinforced, shock-absorbent stone and surrounded by tiered cent benches. High-power magic lamps hung from iron pillars, ensuring the area remained lit even under the shadow of the castle walls.
News of the duel had traveled through the castle like a lightning strike. By the ti the pair arrived, the stands were already overflowing. Servants, maids in uniforms, and armored knights stood shoulder-to-shoulder, their voices rising in a rhythmic, deafening chant:
“RA-VEN-NA! RA-VEN-NA! RA-VEN-NA!”
“This beca a much larger affair than I expected,” Ravenna muttered, scanning the crowd.
Faldeus, however, was clearly in his elent. He stood at the center of the chalk-drawn ring, basking in the attention. He played the villain perfectly, crossing his arms and offering a mocking, theatrical bow to the spectators.
“I think I’ll have to thoroughly beat you up, Little Raven,” he called out, his voice carrying over the cheers. “Just to show these people how far behind you’ve fallen!”
“As if I’d let you, Master,” Ravenna smirked, stepping into the circle.
Rexford walked onto the field, adjusted his gloves, and offered a bright, thin smile. “It’s good to see you all fired up for once, Your Highness,” he said, before raising his hand to silence the crowd.
“The duel will consist of three rounds, each lasting thirty minutes,” Rexford announced, his voice amplified by a Jasmine flower magic tool. “The rules are simple: If a participant is forced out of the ring or is disard of their weapon, the opposing party gains a point. Whoever secures the most points first wins.”
Faldeus chuckled, testing the weight of his daggers. “So, the duel isn’t about how fast you can kill your opponent? You really did tailor the rules in as not favorable as possible huh.., didn’t you? After all, Simbala’s dagger style was designed to end a life in a single breath.”
“Rules are rules, Master,” Ravenna retorted with a sharp grin. “Besides, it’s only fair that I have the ho-turf advantage on my own island.”
Rexford raised his hand high, the crowd falling into a breathless hush.
“Three!” Rexford shouted.
“TWO!” the crowd roared in unison.
“ONE!”
“DUEL COMNCE!”
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