Ireya easily secured a victory and even acquired a valuable warhorse from a Foreign Country.
On the other hand, Ferdinand ran into big trouble. His luck at this Duel Arena wasn’t very good; the opponents he faced before were tough nuts to crack. Although Ferdinand won each ti, the cost of battle was not insignificant each ti.
And this ti, the opponent he drew was the Earth Bear, the contestant with the highest calls to win the competition.
After the results were announced, the face of the Batoris Family Head turned very grave, and Miss Rabbit could not help but feel indignant for Ferdinand.
"Soone definitely rigged this!" the young lady said angrily.
"I’ve heard so rumors before. They say that the matchups in this competition could be arranged in advance with money. Otherwise, with so many people, it makes no sense that you were the one to draw the Earth Bear."
"Just look at the opponents the Earth Bear faced the last few matches; they were all commoners and nobles of minor families. Not a single contender from a major family had to face him. I don’t believe that’s just a coincidence.
"And that Dawn Sword I encountered earlier; he was so well-prepared, haha, it seems he knew long ago he’d be fighting . No, I must report this to His Majesty!"
As the person concerned, Ferdinand had been silent ever since the grouping results ca out, until he saw the Lady intending to seek an audience with the Emperor to complain. He then spoke up.
"I want to give it a try."
"Hm?"
"I know my strength doesn’t match up to the Earth Bear, but since I’ve signed up for this Duel Arena, aiming for the championship ans not avoiding any opponent."
"Don’t be foolish, Ferdinand. That’s the Earth Bear we’re talking about. You’ve seen his performance these past days too. How about I lend you the Double Rest Sect’s Holy Artifact, the Hand of Judgnt, for now?"
"But I’m not a disciple of Saturday."
"Hmm, then you’ll have to find a way to have Prophet rlin make an exception for you. Saturday is magnanimous; he won’t mind these details."
"Thank you, Ireya." Yet, a determined look shone from the small eyes of the Batoris Family Head.
"But I want to confront the Earth Bear using my own strength. Only by doing so can I know where my limits lie.
"The Duel Arena is not only a place to gain honor and land but also a rare opportunity to cross swords with the Empire’s best warriors," Ferdinand said. "I feel the things I’ve learned these past two days are more useful than months of hard practice."
"Hmm, I can’t understand. What’s the point in continuing a battle you know you’ll lose?"
"Because you’re not a warrior, and don’t get wrong, I’m not mocking you, Ireya. You’re very skilled too. If I had to choose among all the competitors who is most likely to defeat the Earth Bear, I’d unhesitantly na you.
"And we’ve fought side by side; I know your courage is second to none. But you’re not a warrior, so it’s difficult for you to understand the persistence of one."
"Alright, you’re right, I’m not a warrior. I don’t know what you n think about all day long."
Miss Rabbit didn’t argue, "But the Earth Bear must know about your relationship with . Did you consider that this could put you in danger? Given the chance, the Earth Bear will surely kill you."
"I’m aware, but I’ll find a way to protect myself. I’m still young and have no desire to die so early. If the situation turns too dangerous, I will surrender," Ferdinand said.
"According to the rules of the Duel Arena, once one side admits defeat, the other cannot launch any more attacks."
Despite his words, the young lady was still not at ease, but Ferdinand was not her vassal, and as the head of the Arias family, she had no say in the affairs of the Batoris family.
Since Ferdinand insisted on proceeding with the duel, she could no longer persuade him otherwise, and rely stepped aside.
Last of all, Ferdinand adjusted his armor and checked his weapons, then proceeded to the Duel Arena with his Squire Knight.
anwhile, the Lady ca back to Li Yu’s side and brought him a dish of creamy apples still warm from the Imperial Chef’s care.
The first ti the duel took place, Miss Rabbit ended up overeating these and feeling stuffed as a result.
She had only wanted to taste one to see what it was like, but it was so delicious that she devoured it without thinking.
At that ti, the Lady thought about secretly taking two more and hiding them in her armor to bring back for Li Yu.
But there was still so ti before Li Yu’s next appearance, and the current temperature in the Royal Capital was still quite high, so this pastry made of apples and cream couldn’t be kept for very long.
Eventually, she found Emperor Edward II and expressed how much she liked the dish, asking His Majesty if she could have it again in the future.
Upon hearing this, Edward II laughed heartily and summoned the chef, instructing him to prepare a few extra creamy apples for Ireya every ti als were made.
And so, Miss Rabbit was now able to share them with her Prophet.
With expectant eyes on him, Li Yu took a bite, hmm, the taste was just so-so.
It couldn’t compare to the desserts from chain bakeries, but its novelty was a plus, and it was okay for an occasional treat.
But to avoid disappointing the Lady, Li Yu ate it all.
By that ti, the referee had already checked both contestants’ weapons, and Ferdinand had mounted his horse.
As for Earth Bear, his towering physique combined with a full suit of armor made it hard for regular war horses to carry him, so he simply decided to stand his ground without one.
Ireya started to worry about Ferdinand again, even though he promised he’d surrender if he found himself in a dangerous situation.
But the closer the combatants are in skill, the battle often cos down to a split second, and by then, surrendering might be too late.
Moreover, once a duel starts, outsiders are not allowed to intervene according to the rules, and the Hand of Judgnt makes a lot of noise. If the Lady were to shoot, she would almost certainly be found out.
The punishnt awaiting her would be the loss of honor, or even life.
In fact, all competitors are protected by the rules; apart from each other, no one has the right to harm them, not even the Emperor.
This ancient covenant was originally established to protect the contestants from Foreign Countries.
While Ireya was still trying to figure out how to help Ferdinand, the duel had already begun.
The Family Head of the Batoris Family, aside from his family heirloom, the River’s Spear, also carried a spear. With the referee’s command, he raised his spear and spurred his war horse into a charge.
The target was none other than Earth Bear on the opposite side!
And this ti, Earth Bear wasn’t empty-handed either, he carried a great sword as his weapon. The sword was heavy, probably weighing around fifty pounds, broad and hamr-like in appearance.
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