Chapter: 417
The second son of the Monsel family, belonging to the First Queen’s faction, had proven some achievements as a knight.
Gabora watched closely as Lucy Allen and Frey Kent stretched their bodies.
He had no intention of leaving his status as a knight, and the reason he came here had to do with that place, so he had to be interested.
A few months ago, after the Academy’s closing party, at a meeting among the First Queen’s faction, the First Queen directly expressed her desire to draw in the Allen family.
The content itself was not surprising.
It was perfectly normal for the historically and traditionally significant Allen family, which had risen further after the war with the Empire, to want to attract them.
If you think about it, it was strange that they had not actively sought to attract them until now. The moment a big shot like Benedict Allen spoke in support of them, the chances of the Second Queen’s faction would vanish, so why wouldn’t they ask for his help?
Excited by the First Queen’s words, they discussed various methods to win Benedict Allen’s favor.
However, the First Queen watched their conversation with disinterest and let out a small sigh.
“Everyone, what I’m talking about isn’t about Lord Benedict. How could we persuade someone who has stepped down from countless glories to fulfill the role of a duke?”
Her faction expressed confusion at her words.
Not trying to attract Benedict Allen? Then was he someone from the collateral branch?
Was there anyone useful among the current collateral members of the Allen family?
Excluding Possell, they were probably all flawed in some way.
Watching the chaos of her faction, the Queen smiled slyly and revealed her intention.
“What I meant was about the Young Lady of the Allen family. I believe everyone knows about her.”
As the First Queen said, there was no one present who didn’t know about Lucy Allen.
In the past, she was notorious for her mischief. Now, she was celebrated as the greatest talent of Partlan Kingdom. How could anyone not know about Lucy Allen?
Even those who weren’t paying attention would have heard of her. They all knew about the fatherly love that Benedict Allen possessed.
For his daughter, he would risk his life, so if she entered a faction, naturally, her father would follow.
Until now, everyone had deemed her too risky to touch, but it seemed the Queen thought otherwise.
The faction of the First Queen, while guessing her thoughts, waited for her to continue speaking.
“I think, to draw in the Young Lady of the Allen family, it would be better to touch those around her than her directly, you know? So…”
After that meeting, many from the First Queen’s faction were appointed as professors at the Academy.
No one held any complaints.
Those who followed the First Queen believed she would make the kingdom greater in place of the inept king.
Gabora Monsel was one of those who enthusiastically followed the First Queen.
He had fought alongside her in the past on the frontline, and he still remembered the scene of her rampaging at the forefront despite her noble lineage.
Recalling it, he believed in her judgment that they needed to draw in Lucy Allen.
In other words, he didn’t trust much of what the Queen hadn’t explicitly stated.
For example, the rumor that Lucy Allen’s talent was the best on the continent.
No matter how excellent the Allen bloodline was, how could a boy with a mere year of experience become the greatest talent on the continent?
Rumors easily become exaggerated, so even if Lucy Allen’s talent was remarkable, Gabora thought it wouldn’t be as much as the rumors suggested.
In fact, many among those recruited as professors shared similar thoughts.
Trusting all the rumors circulating in the kingdom felt misguided given the overwhelmingly disastrous facts known about Lucy Allen in the past.
Like her shameful stamina that made it hard to climb a single flight of stairs.
Or the time she swung a sword only to fall and cry from its weight.
Or the time she fainted after getting exhausted from her temper tantrums.
With such histories widely known, how could anyone easily accept Lucy Allen’s strength?
Among those who harbored doubts, Gabora was particularly interested in what Lucy Allen would show in front of the overwhelmingly talented Frey Kent.
“When are you going to just stand around? Silly swordsman. Trying to attack with just your gaze is laughable, you know?”
“Do I really have to go first again?”
“Hmm♡ Scared to charge in, huh?♡ I guess you’ve been beaten up so much that it’s become second nature for you♡”
“…Tch!”
Gabora’s eyes widened as he saw the aura being etched on Frey’s sword.
Not just ordinary aura, but colored aura! Could a student just now entering their second year control it so freely?
If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he would have dismissed it as nonsensical rumors. Reality shocked him for a moment, but Gabora felt bewildered watching Frey charge in without hesitation.
No matter how impressive Lucy Allen’s talent was, that was something a student of the same age couldn’t withstand.
How could an academy student respond to an attack that even professionals had to put their all into?
Convinced that an accident would occur, Gabora hurried to step in between them, but senior professor Anton stopped him.
“Are you out of your mind?! You can’t just intervene; you shouldn’t even get close!?”
Because of Professor Anton, Gabora missed the timing and could only watch their clash while imagining the worst possible scenario.
Frey sped up even more.
She was aiming for the opponent’s neck with the swiftest strike.
Before the sharpness capable of slicing through iron like leaves, Lucy Allen remained unbelievably calm.
Her gaze, watching the sword wrapped in aura, was closer to that of a seasoned knight than a student.
How can such a young girl have such eyes?
Just as Gabora found himself admiring Lucy, she raised her pure white shield.
Her thin arms moving had something captivating about it, like a performer on stage.
Even Gabora, worried about Lucy, found himself mesmerized by her movements.
Beautiful and noble, yet somehow awkward.
Like an actor who forgot a move.
Chaeng!
Gabora snapped back to attention when Lucy Allen’s shield clashed with Frey’s sword.
Astoundingly, or rather, as expected by some, what Gabora had predicted did not unfold.
Lucy Allen effortlessly blocked Frey’s sword as if it were only natural.
“…How…?”
Frey’s aura-infused sword didn’t even budge Lucy’s shield, bouncing off uselessly.
“That’s always been how it is.”
In response to Gabora’s bewilderment, Anton explained.
“Always… you say?”
“It means, in duels between the Young Lady Allen and the Young Lady Kent, the sword has rarely pierced the shield.”
Listening to Anton’s words, Gabora subtly shifted his gaze away from the ongoing clash toward the students.
Then he understood.
Anton was right.
While the new students were in shock watching their duel, the current students were observing it as if studying.
Such duels were routine? This fierce combat was something not easily seen even among knights?
“Lucy. Are you going to do this again? Can’t you fight properly?”
“Puhahaha♡ You can’t even touch me, and yet you boast?♡ So~ Sloppy♡ Instead of talking, how about swinging your arms around?♡”
In the midst of the intense duel, the two’s nonchalance made Gabora chuckle.
They all had been mistaken.
Lucy Allen wasn’t overestimated.
In fact, she had been underrated.
Born of the Allen bloodline and the daughter of the monster called Benedict Allen, this girl was truly one of the heroes meant to lead the kingdom!
Hah. To think I treated such talent merely as a means to attract Benedict Allen.
He felt bitter towards himself, and those who had agreed with him felt utterly pathetic.
The First Queen surely didn’t take an interest in that girl for no reason.
As he lamented his own foolishness, he blinked in surprise at Frey Kent’s frown.
“Professor Anton, is that attack normal?”
“…Uh. Uh?”
At Gabora’s question, Anton’s voice was laced with confusion the moment Frey lifted the corners of her mouth.
“Got it. I’ll give it a swing.”
As Lucy Allen saw the aura intensifying, she infused the sanctity into her shield.
The moment the divine magic shone on the pure white shield, Frey’s sword, now imbued with aura, was unleashed.
An overwhelming attack that disregarded the presence of anyone around, and with the force behind it, someone could potentially get hurt—it was like a maniac’s strike.
Had something gone wrong, the practice exercise could have turned into a scene of catastrophe. Fortunately, the shockwave from the attack didn’t threaten anyone.
It was because Lucy Allen’s divine magic perfectly blocked Frey’s assault.
“Now you’re really stepping things up? Looks like you’re having fun!”
Frey, laughing without a care for the aftermath of her actions, couldn’t maintain her playful grin for long.
“Hey♡ Sloppy swordsman♡”
As the aftermath of the attack faded, Lucy Allen’s face came into view. With wild eyes reminiscent of monsters, and a fierce gaze akin to that of a beast.
“Yeah♡ I had a lot of fun like you said♡ I knew the sloppy swordsman was foolish, but I didn’t expect you to be less than a goldfish♡”
With a light tone and an intimidating presence that made it hard for anyone else to breathe.
“So I’ll make sure to have fun too♡ Until the sloppy swordsman makes a fun sound, that is♡”
In the midst of a battle, there was no sign of the girl proving her beauty.
With more strength in her grip around the mace, Lucy Allen resembled a knight from the Allen family, once spreading fear on the battlefield.
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