CREEK-!

The door to the Flove family's mansion opened.

Through which members of Gerdinger family entered.

Those who came to meet them at the gate of the Flove family swallowed their dry saliva.

They felt an overwhelming sense of intimidation worthy of a Hero family that competed for continental hegemony.

FLUTTER- FLUTTER-

The Gerdinger family flag embroidered with blazing flames fluttered.

The wagon led by Griffon at the front came to a halt.

Jess and Celia stepped out as the door opened.

'Why does uncle want everyone to stay here?'

In fact, Celia did not like it when she heard that they would be staying in an aristocratic family.

Celia wasn't satisfied by simply entering the Lumeln academy.

The goal was to reach the top.

That was why until the entrance exam she wanted to focus only on the training.

However, there were many troublesome things when it comes to an aristocratic family.

Especially the families in small kingdoms.

It was clear that they would be frantic to somehow make a connection with their Gerdinger family.

So she wanted to rent an entire luxury hotel.

She did not openly express her displeasure because the decision was made by her uncle Jess, but she didn't like it.

SWOOSH-

Celia straightened her waist and flipped her black hair behind her ears.

Dissatisfied or not, she was the daughter of the family head.

It was crucial to maintain her image.

As a member of the family, it was necessary to show courtesy to the owner of the mansion.

Celia, who thought so, was momentarily stunned at what she saw.

"uh?"

Not just her.

The other members of the Gerdinger family were also muffled.

At the entrance of the mansion, there was only a man and a woman standing to welcome them.

It was Dade Flove and Reina Flove.

To be exact, it was Reina’s appearance that surprised them.

'She resembles my father and uncle.'

And she herself resembles Reina.

“Celia, give your greetings. This is the Marquis of Flove.”

“My name is Celia Gerdinger. I thank you for your hospitality.”

"Welcome. Consider it your home and make yourself at ease."

Dade plainly greeted them.

There was no attempt to appear good in front of a Hero family.

“And this is my wife, Reina.”

"Hello, I've heard a lot about you."

Reina greeted Celia with a gentle smile.

Celia looked at Reina with confused eyes.

“Uncle, who is this?”

“Reina Flove. It’s your aunt.”

Celia's eyes widened in disbelief.

⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ 

The Gerdinger family unpacked their luggage at the mansion.

Meanwhile, Jess was talking to the Floves in the main room.

“I am glad to see you in good health.”

"There's no reason why I shouldn't be healthy."

CLAK

Reina elegantly raised her teacup.

“You seem to have matured a lot, sister.”

"Huhuhu. You, too, have grown a lot? Jess.”

Jess shook his head as he noticed veins spurting on his sister's forehead.

'Her personality is still the same.'

His older sister, who was once called the [Flame Witch].

The title of [witch], which was irrelevant to a knight, was attached to her for no apparent reason.

It was purely because of her personality.

Jess laughed as he recalled the past.

“Leo is very bold.”

“What did my son do?”

Dade's question made Jess laugh.

"Before coming here, we visited the Delan Royal School. All the students gathered, except Leo who left first saying that he was uninterested in the Gerdingers."

“If you feel bad, I apologize on behalf of my son.”

"C’mon dear, Jess isn't the kind of person who would be offended by just that."

"Yes. It was a very refreshing experience.”

As Gerdinger family, they always draw attention, so he felt Leo’s attitude was refreshing.

“So what kind of child is Leo?”

"I'm not saying this because he's my son, but he's exceptionally gifted."

“For even my sister to say that, I'm looking forward to meeting him. However...”

The calm atmosphere around Jess suddenly changed.

“Getting permission to use the family's Aura method is a different matter.”

The atmosphere turned cold in contradiction to his title [Flame Blade].

Jess slowly raised his head.

“Does sister really believe that Leo Flove is qualified to inherit the flame of Gerdinger?”

An oppressive pressure leaked from his body.

It wasn't a special power.

It was a natural one, forged through numerous battles.

“I really think he deserves it.”

Reina said as her lips curled.

“You will naturally know when you meet. The value of my blood.”

⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ 

“Sir Whiton. Do you know anything about my aunt?”

Celia asked Whiton, who had been a devoted knight of the family long before she was born.

"Miss Reina was the previous owner of the [Flame Storm], which you currently possess, milady."

Flame Storm.

It was one of the heirlooms that had the power to maximize Gerdinger's symbolic 'Flame Aura'.

The mere fact of being the owner of this Flame Storm was enough to infer what kind of person she was.

“How could someone like that abandon her family name and end up in such a remote kingdom?”

"Miss Reina lost the flame aura in an accident. After that, she left the family, abandoning Gerdinger's name, saying she wanted to live a normal life."

The moment someone discards the family's name, regardless of the reason, the records of them will also disappear from the family.

"I never expected to see Miss Reina here again."

'She must have been an amazing person for Sir Whiton to be emotional like this. Will she be willing to give some pointers on my swordsmanship later on?'

As she wondered about learning from Reina, she arrived at the Flove family’s training ground.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

"Huh?"

She heard the swinging of a wooden sword.

Someone was swinging a sword on the training ground.

Familiar red eyes with unfamiliar gray hair.

“Are you Leo Flove?”

Leo looked at Celia with curious eyes.

"Who are you?”

“Ahem.”

Celia cleared her throat, straightened her back, and introduced herself.

“My name is Celia Gerdinger. Your cousin.”

Celia thought Leo would be surprised.

A beautiful girl who was mentioned as the chief entrant of Lumeln academy, where the world's best talents gather.

Celia was a renowned celebrity.

Especially among her peers, she was an object of envy and admiration, literally an idol.

"Really? Nice meeting you."

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

However, Leo's reaction was dry.

He didn't even stop swinging his sword.

Celia squinted at his apparent lack of interest.

When she tried to speak again, Leo's sword came to a halt.

“Whoo.”

Celia asked Leo, who was catching his breath while wiping away his sweat.

"How old are you?"

"15."

"You are the same age as me. It's fate that we met this way, so I'll make an exception and instruct you in swordsmanship. What do you think?"

Celia suggested with a kind smile.

'If I am nice to this guy, maybe aunt might give me some special guidance.'

Even though it was a selfish proposal, Leo was not interested.

'What? What’s wrong with this kid?'

Instructing him in swordsmanship?

Even though she has great talent, she was looking at the wrong person if she wishes to instruct.

Leo ignored Celia’s suggestion and started swinging his sword again.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

This time, Celia carefully observed the movement of his sword.

And she exclaimed

'How?'

There was no unnecessary movement in his sword.

She could tell that each of his sword slashes was quite powerful.

'I guess the Gerdinger blood in him didn’t go to waste. It seems his skills are better than I thought.'

Squeak. Squeak. Squeak. Squeak.

'But what is that bracelet?'

Every time he swung his sword, his bracelet too made an intrusive sound.

After a while, Celia retrieved her sword.

“Now, try moving properly. I think you have potential.”

Celia said with a little bit of anticipation.

However, after wiping his sweat, Leo left the training ground.

“Hey, where are you going?”

“I finished my training today.”

"Didn't I say I'd instruct you?"

“I will decline.”

"why?"

“I don’t want to be guided by someone who’s less skilled than me.”

"What?"

Celia's face hardened.

"Do you mean that you're stronger than me?"

“You must be stronger for now. Since I can’t use Aura.”

He really can't beat Celia during a fight to the death.

"But, if it were to be a sword fight, the one to win will be me."

Seeing Leo brimming with confidence, Celia's lips twitched.

“Are you really that confident?”

Her red eyes narrowed.

“You seem to wield a sword. Are you the strongest one at your school?”

In Delan Royal School, students who wish to be Great knights should be proficient in using Aura.

But Leo was much stronger than them.

Aside from Aura, his basic foundation was too strong.

'Is it possible that this guy didn't learn Aura because of aunt's intention to make him learn Gerdingers' high-level Aura method?'

High-level Aura method, the Aura method which can only be learned by those who possed Gerdinger main family's bloodline.

'So what? I'm stronger for now. Does that mean that he thinks if he learns the aura method, he will be stronger than me? You arrogant basta*d!'

In the Gerdinger family, the competition between children starts at an early age.

Even the children of the family head were not exempt from the competition.

And Celia was always the victor.

The root of her pride was her confidence in herself, not in 'Gerdinger'.

"Great. If you're so sure about your skills, duel me."

“Duel?”

"Yes. If I win, you'll be my servant while I'm in the Flove household."

“What if I win? Will you be my maid then?”

"Of course. It would be fair to spar under the same conditions. And your fantasies are not going to happen, though.”

Celia laughed as she shook her head.

“Ah, milady.”

Whiton, who was watching the situation, hurriedly dissuaded her.

“Don't worry, Sir Whiton. I will win anyway.”

Celia, with a confident expression on her face, turned to Leo and said,

"I'll let you realize you're nothing but a frog in the well.”

The two stood in the middle of the training ground.

Holding the wooden sword, Leo said to Celia.

"Oh, by the way, you are free to use aura."

"What?"

'Arrogant till the end!'

"Hmph! Then I'll give you two attacks. You’re free to attack anywhere.”

[Armor].

Celia's skin turned red.



 

A technique for condensing aura around the body in the form of armor.

"Really? Then I will not decline.”

"Whenever you are ready."

Celia raised her eyebrows.

She was certain that Leo's attacks, without aura, would not work on her.

Holding the sword with both hands, Leo took a deep breath.

“Huu-!”

Veins sprouted in the forearm holding the sword.

Leo's red eyes flashed.

BANG-!

The wooden sword struck Celia’s temple with precision.

Her head bent sharply along with a loud sound from the impact.

Stiffness and pain came from her neck.

Celia's face turned white at the power beyond her comprehension.

“It’s hard.”

Leo was impressed.

“Heh, heh! Did you think your attack could pierce my armor?”

'Arrogant basta*d, he is powerful and ruthless!'

She forced a smile as her thoughts went against her words.

It was such a powerful blow that the wooden sword enchanted with strengthening magic would have torn apart.

'Still, this is not enough to bring me down.'

Leo removed the bracelets from both wrists and threw them down when he noticed Celia exaggerating her composure and smiling.

THUD-!

“…… !”

“I guess I should swing properly then.”

Leo relaxed his shoulders and smiled, resembling a demon.

A heavyweight enchanted bracelet

It was an ignorant training method that would have been ridiculed as old-fashioned.

But Celia couldn't laugh like others.

It was because the sight in front of her was crazy beyond ignorance, it was to a level of madness.

"There is one more free attack, right?"

“......”

“Now, how about going to sleep… … !”

BAANG-!

A sound that could not be compared to the one before rang out.

A distinct shock hit her head.

Celia watched Leo throwing away the smashed wooden sword, and as her consciousness faded, she thought.

'Crazy basta*d?'

 

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