The second son of the Monsel family, a knight affiliated with Queen 1st's faction, had been closely observing the scene as Lucy Allen and Freya Kent loosened up.
He had never planned to step away from his position as a knight, yet the reason for his appearance here was tied to this very place, so he had no choice but to take an interest.
A few months ago, after the academy's end-of-term party, Queen 1st made a direct move during a eting of her faction, expressing her desire to draw the Allen family into her fold.
The content itself wasn’t surprising.
It was completely reasonable for Queen 1st’s faction to want to bring the Allen family on board, considering how much more powerful and influential they had beco after the war with the Empire. In fact, it would have been strange if they hadn’t made such an attempt. The mont Benedict Allen, the powerful figure, declared his support, the potential threat from Queen 2nd's faction would disappear. Why wouldn’t they seek his help?
After hearing Queen 1st’s words, her faction beca excited and began discussing various ways to win Benedict Allen's favor.
But Queen 1st, after watching their conversation with a sowhat disapproving expression, let out a quiet sigh.
"Everyone, I’m not talking about Benedict Allen. How could we convince the man who stepped down from his glorious position to play the role of Duke of the Borderlands?"
At Queen 1st's words, her faction was taken aback.
She wasn’t referring to Benedict Allen? Then, was she talking about soone from the collateral branch of the family?
Was there anyone from the collateral branches of the Allen family worth ntioning?
Aside from Viscount Fossel, all the others were sowhat flawed, weren’t they?
As her faction debated, Queen 1st smiled slightly and revealed her true intentions.
"What I was referring to is the young lady of the Allen family. I’m sure everyone here knows who she is."
As Queen 1st spoke, there was no one in the room who didn’t know Lucy Allen.
In the past, she had earned a notorious reputation for her bad behavior, but now, she was known as the greatest talent in the Kingdom of Patran. How could they not know her?
Anyone who didn’t pay attention to such news couldn’t have even stood in this room. Those present were already sowhat familiar with Lucy Allen, including her father’s deep affection for her.
Benedict Allen would throw away his life for his daughter, and if she were to join any faction, it was certain that her father would follow her there.
Until now, the threat had been considered too great, so no one had dared to move, but it seed Queen 1st had a different perspective.
Her faction, sensing her intentions, waited for her to continue.
"I believe it would be better to focus on the people around Lucy Allen, rather than directly courting her. So..."
After that eting, many from Queen 1st's faction were appointed as professors at the academy.
No one objected.
Those who followed Queen 1st believed in her ability to make the kingdom greater in place of the incompetent king.
Gavora Monsel, too, was one of those who ardently supported Queen 1st.
He had fought alongside her on the front lines in the past, and despite being born into noble blood, he rembered vividly the way she charged ahead at the very front of the battlefield.
Rembering that, he trusted Queen 1st’s judgnt on drawing Lucy Allen into their ranks.
Put simply, he didn’t trust other things Queen 1st had ntioned.
For instance, the rumor that Lucy Allen was the greatest talent on the continent.
No matter how prestigious the Allen family was, how could a reckless, useless girl suddenly beco the greatest talent in just one year?
Rumors often get exaggerated, and Gavora thought that while Lucy Allen might be talented, it wasn’t as exaggerated as the rumors made it seem.
In fact, many of the professors appointed from Queen 1st’s faction shared a similar opinion.
After all, the known facts about Lucy Allen's past were far too disastrous.
Her poor physical stamina, struggling to climb a single flight of stairs.
The ti she fell while trying to wield a sword, unable to bear its weight, and cried.
Or the ti she got so angry that she collapsed from exhaustion.
These facts about her were well-known, and given that, how could they easily believe in Lucy Allen’s strength?
Gavora, among those who doubted, watched with great interest to see what Lucy Allen would show in the face of Freya Kent’s overwhelming talent.
"When are you going to stop just watching? Foolish knight. Even if you attack with your eyes, it’s just laughable."
"Do I have to go first again?"
"Hmph ♡ Afraid to charge in? Looks like your manners have been engraved on you after so many beatings ♡."
"...Tch!"
Gavora’s eyes widened as he observed the aura surrounding Freya’s sword.
It wasn’t just any aura—it had color! Was a second-year student really wielding that much control over it?
Had he not seen it with his own eyes, he would have dismissed it as impossible, but seeing it for himself, Gavora hesitated for a mont, stunned by what was happening.
No matter how great Lucy Allen’s talent was, what Freya Kent displayed was not sothing a student of their age could handle.
How could a re student respond to a true, serious attack from soone working in the field?
Convinced an accident would occur, Gavora rushed forward to intervene, but he was stopped by the senior professor, Anton.
"Is he out of his mind?! He’s not trying to stop them, but he’s stopping from stepping in?!"
Because of Anton’s interference, Gavora missed the opportunity to prevent a potential disaster, and all he could do was watch the clash between the two with growing anxiety.
Freya increased her speed.
She aid for the opponent’s neck with a lightning-fast strike.
Before her sharp blade, even steel would split like a leaf, but Lucy Allen remained unnervingly calm.
Her eyes, focused on the blade wrapped in aura, were not the eyes of a student, but those of a seasoned knight.
How could such a young girl possess that kind of gaze?
As Gavora marveled at Lucy Allen’s expression, she suddenly raised her pure white shield.
There was sothing captivating in the way she moved her thin limbs, sothing that drew the eye like an actor on a stage.
Even Gavora, who had been worried about Lucy, found himself srized by her movents.
So beautiful. So noble.
But sothing felt off.
Like an actor who forgot a move.
CLANG!
It was only when Lucy Allen’s shield collided with Freya’s sword that Gavora snapped out of his daze.
To his astonishnt—though perhaps to so, it was not surprising—Lucy Allen had effortlessly blocked Freya’s blade.
"...How?"
Freya’s sword, wrapped in aura, didn’t even budge Lucy’s shield, bouncing off ineffectively.
"It’s always been like this."
Anton responded to Gavora’s astonishnt.
"Always... You an?"
"In duels between Allen Young Lady and Kent Young Lady, the sword almost never pierced the shield."
Hearing Anton’s words, Gavora quickly shifted his gaze away from the ongoing battle and turned toward the students.
He understood now.
Anton’s words were true.
While the new students watched in shock, the academy’s older students observed the duel with a more scholarly gaze, studying it.
Such duels were routine? This fierce exchange, which would be rare even between knight orders?
"Lucy, is this all you’ve got? Can’t you do better?"
"Pffhahaha ♡ You’re all talk, but too scared to even touch ♡ How many tis have you been beaten into shape? ♡."
Despite the fierce combat, both Lucy and Freya showed no sign of losing their composure, and Gavora couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.
They were all mistaken.
Lucy Allen was not overrated.
In fact, she was underrated.
Born into the Allen family bloodline, daughter of the monster Benedict Allen, she was truly one of the heroes who would lead the kingdom!
He cursed himself for treating her as rely a ans to bring Benedict Allen into the fold.
The others who had agreed with him were just as pathetic.
Didn’t Queen 1st show such great interest in her for a reason?
As Gavora lanted his ignorance, he noticed Freya Kent frowning and blinked.
"Anton, is that attack also considered routine?"
"...Huh? Huh?"
Anton stuttered in confusion as Freya’s smile curved upward.
"Alright. I’ll give it a try."
Seeing Freya’s aura intensify, Lucy Allen infused her shield with holy energy.
As the holy magic enveloped her shield, Freya’s aura-wrapped sword ca crashing toward her.
The forceful, intimidating attack, disregarding anyone around them, was so powerful that it could have hard soone just by the shockwave.
Had they made a mistake, what was ant to be a class demonstration could have turned into a scene of disaster. But luckily, the aftermath of the attack didn’t threaten anyone else.
Lucy Allen’s holy magic perfectly blocked Freya’s strike.
"Now you’re actually trying? Guess you’re having fun now?"
Freya, who had been laughing freely, her focus not on the consequences of her actions, soon stopped smiling.
"Hey ♡ Pathetic knight ♡."
As the impact of the attack faded, Lucy Allen’s face appeared, her wild eyes reminiscent of a beast's.
"Yeah ♡ It was fun, just like you said ♡ I knew you were stupid, but I didn’t know you were worse than a goldfish ♡."
Her light tone carried an oppressive aura that made it hard for anyone to breathe.
"So I’ll make it more fun for you ♡ Until the pathetic knight starts making so noise ♡."
In the midst of this fierce battle, Lucy Allen proved her worth with a mace in hand, resembling the knights of the Allen family who had once filled battlefields with fear.
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