Chapter 38

Around this time, Duke Astra ascended the platform.

At the duke's appearance, all the blood relatives stood up.

The children in the beginner classroom and those who had come to watch the combat training also bowed their heads.

The duke took his seat.

Only then did the second-year students take their seats, and the third-year students lifted their heads.

Baron Debussy, who had come to observe with the duke, spoke.

"Begin the match."

Ding— Ding—

The bell rang twice, and the teacher acting as the referee took his place in the center of the training ground.

The match had begun.

* * *

The training ground had been transformed into a small forest by magical devices.

We were to hold the match in this forest.

Adults could watch us through the magical devices placed around the forest.

The rules were simple.

'It’s another treasure hunt.'

The teachers here must really love treasure hunts.

It was inevitable, though.

There are limited matches that children from the age of three to eleven can participate in without getting hurt.

The teacher acting as the referee unfolded a piece of paper with the victory conditions and read it aloud.

"The side that finds the amethyst and holds it until the end of the match wins."

The children chattered excitedly.

"So, we just need to find the amethyst? We're lucky to have someone with a good sense of smell in our group."

"Do gems have a scent?"

The children hurriedly ran off to find the amethyst.

Joffrey's group also started to move.

Lianthe and Dione looked at Joffrey's group with anxious faces.

"What should we do? Joffrey's group has someone who can control insects. If they release insects into the forest, they'll find it quickly."

Dione spoke hesitantly, furrowing her brows, and Lianthe said,

"I have a special blessing too!"

Then, what was Lianthe's blessing?

It hadn't been mentioned even in *The Black Hand*.

"What kind of blessing?"

"Me!"

Lianthe shouted and waved her hand.

Several lines of light, like cracks, wrapped around her wrist.

"…Is that it?"

"Yes! What should I do now?"

"…Just wait."

Lianthe pouted.

"Shouldn't we quickly find the amethyst…?"

"No."

"Huh?"

The victory condition is [holding the amethyst until the end of the match].

Even if you find it, you can't win if you don't hold it.

'They want us to fight while holding the amethyst.'

I took Dione and Lianthe deeper into the forest.

Dione, being a well-behaved child, followed me obediently.

And Lianthe…

'She's being so quiet?'

She probably thinks I'm higher in the hierarchy since I'm inside it.

We went deep into the undergrowth and crouched down side by side.

"What are we doing here?"

"Yes, I'm curious too…"

"We're resting here."

Dione and Lianthe looked puzzled.

* * *

The adults watching the match through the magical mirrors frowned.

The three girls had gone deep into the forest and showed no signs of coming out.

"What are those girls doing over there?"

"They must be scared of the match."

Laughter erupted from the platform.

During the practical training, some children had been so scared that they couldn't move.

A five-year-old boy from another group had started crying as soon as the match began, and the referee had made him leave.

In contrast, Joffrey was flying around.

[Did you find the location? Hurry up!]

[Oh, it seems to be on that tree…]

[Fabio, you climb the tree.]

[What?!]

[You're the tallest.]

"Joffrey is quite skilled at commanding."

In fact, it was more like coercion, but it was a flattering way to describe it to flatter Joffrey's father, Valdric.

Valdric laughed heartily.

"Since I've taken him to various places since he was young, he seems to have learned on his own."

"He's very clever, just like his uncle."

"Everyone says they're all very similar."

Valdric glanced at Duke Astra with a subtle look.

Then he raised his voice demonstratively.

"He scored very well in today's test. The professor praised him so much that he was embarrassed."

Decon, Lianthe's father, frowned.

'That brat…!'

Lianthe had been studying hard all the time.

"Take it easy."

"This time, I will definitely make it into the hierarchy. Don't interfere, Dad!"

Despite her efforts…

Decon huffed and shifted in his seat, and his wife quickly grabbed his arm and whispered,

"Dear."

"But, my lady, look at what that brat is saying…"

"I know. I'm upset too. But there's no other way right now."

Though she spoke calmly, her ladyship was tightly gripping her skirt.

Decon lowered his head with a gloomy expression.

[Found—]

[Give it here!]

Joffrey quickly snatched the amethyst that one of his group members had found.

"Joffrey, that kid, already found it. Hahaha!"

Valdric was in high spirits.

When he was young, he had been overshadowed by his older brother Grime and his younger brother Diamond.

But what about now?

His older brother Grime had no children and was not recognized.

Diamond's daughter was just playing in a corner.

In contrast, his son was the first to get the amethyst, stirring up the match.

Of course, other groups of children were also after the amethyst.

[There, it's the amethyst!]

[Let's take it! Attack!]

A melee began with the attacks from other groups of children.

But being children, they couldn't use their blessings very powerfully.

The biggest achievement was subduing one of Joffrey's group members with a rope that extended from someone's hand.

[These guys are being annoying!]

Joffrey's blessing was called <Beast Jaw>.

Beast Jaw is a blessing that can transform the lower jaw into the teeth of animals like wolves or crocodiles.

However, Joffrey hadn't developed his blessing beyond a certain level and could only transform it into a dog's teeth.

[Beast Jaw. Grr!]

[You damn dog. Damn it!]

But even that was enough to intimidate the children.

Ten minutes into the melee.

The other groups of children were trembling and backing away.

Valdric smiled in satisfaction.

He glanced at Diamond, who was watching the magical mirror with a blank face.

"Brother, what do you think? Isn't Joffrey better than your twins?"

"The match isn't over yet."

Joffrey's group was better than the others in terms of the level of the members.

They were the oldest among the children in the match and had blessings that would be useful.

So, it was natural for them to take the lead.

"Let me give you a point. Your daughter isn't doing anything, though."

"Valdric."

"I understand. What can a child with a blessing to read ancient languages do in a practical situation?"

"You."

"Yes, yes, hiding like that might be the wiser choice. Joffrey would cry just from seeing her."

Valdric burst into laughter.

[Hey, you!]

Erylot, who had been watching in the forest, finally stepped forward in front of Joffrey.

People watching the magical mirror were startled by Erylot's sudden appearance in front of Joffrey.

'Now?'

There was less than ten minutes left in the match.

What could she possibly do by coming forward now?

"Is it just the recklessness of a child?"

"But isn't it dangerous? How can Erylot, who has a blessing to read ancient languages, do anything to Joffrey, who has an offensive blessing…?"

At that moment,

[Dione!]

Dione, who had shouted, kicked the ground hard and closed the distance with Joffrey in one go.

Then,

Bang—!

She threw a punch.

Dione's blessing is <Super Strength>.

The punch, which missed Joffrey, hit a tree, and with a creak, the tree fell.

[You crow! Are you crazy?!]

As Joffrey shouted, Dione flinched.

[If you give me the amethyst… I'll just leave…]

[Where do you think you're going! Fabio!]

Fabio, a member of Joffrey's group with a <Barrier> blessing, quickly stepped forward.

Fabio created a barrier in front of Joffrey, but…

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Dione's punches shattered the barrier like breaking glass.

[Wh-What?!]

Dione's blessing was quite strong, but not enough to break Fabio's barrier.

"Has Dione's blessing become stronger?"

"There was no such talk before! How…?"

One of the second-year students stood up.

"Joffrey's group can no longer maintain their blessings!"

Young children can maintain their blessings for only about ten minutes.

Joffrey's group had exceeded ten minutes while dealing with other groups.

'Wait, then…'

[What are we doing here?]

[Yes, I'm curious too…]

[We're resting here.]

They were resting here.

…Until Joffrey's group could no longer use their blessings.

People who noticed Erylot's strategy took a deep breath.

"No way. Is this the command of a three-year-old?"

"Can't be. It must be a coincidence!"

[You damn girls—!]

Joffrey pushed away the unhelpful group members and lunged forward.

Crunch—!

As he shouted and tried to bite Dione,

[Lianthe!]

Erylot shouted again, and Lianthe, closing her eyes, rushed forward.

Suddenly, her wrist glowed.

[Ahh!]

As the light poured out in front of her, Joffrey quickly retreated.

Losing his balance, Joffrey stumbled and fell on his butt.

"Using Lianthe's blessing with perfect timing."

"Unbelievable. It's not a coincidence; she's really commanding them."

The attention of the people on the platform suddenly focused on Diamond.

At that moment, Erylot in the magical mirror lunged at Joffrey.

Diamond's hand, which had been watching the magical mirror, tightened.

'Yes, now.'

Erylot, clenching her fist, hit Joffrey's head.

[You—brat.]

Joffrey, who had been hit solidly, his mouth returned to its normal shape.

And.

[Ahhhh! Dad—!!]

Valdric's expression twisted.

'That idiot…!'

He hurriedly looked at Duke Astra.

The duke was frozen, staring at the magical mirror.

"Is this possible?"

To his question, Baron Debussy laughed bitterly.

"Who knows? I've never heard or seen anything like it. But one thing is clear."

"…."

"There was a genius in this duchy that we didn't know about."

Valdric, listening to their conversation, gritted his teeth.

Diamond, seeing Valdric, twisted his lips.

"What a shame. The one crying isn't my daughter."

"…!"

Valdric's face turned red.

* * *

The match was over.

When Erylot handed the amethyst she had been holding to the referee, the training ground, which had been transformed by the magical device, returned to its original state.

Lianthe was the first to run out.

"Mom! Dad!"

Decon and his wife, who were on the platform, hurried down the stairs.

"Did you see? I knocked Joffrey down!"

"That's right. You did a great job!"

"You were amazing."

Lianthe was smiling widely between her parents when,

"Miss—!"

"Miss—!!"

The soldiers from Enzo and Diamond's territories shouted loudly and rushed over, surrounding Erylot as if to carry her away.

Diamond's territory was unmatched in the abilities of individual soldiers.

They were renowned as strong warriors who could easily handle a small country.

However, they were not well recognized within Astra.

They were overshadowed by the capital of other territories and the number of soldiers.

In the end, Diamond's territory was mocked as a bright but useless plum.

But this small girl had suppressed the children of other large territories and won the match in one go.

It was incredibly satisfying to see the slick soldiers of other territories unable to say a word.

"Smart and clever!"

"Wise and intelligent!"

"Such a proud child!"

"Ugh… It's uncomfortable…"

Erylot was struggling in the midst of the soldiers who were surrounding her as if to burst.

An arm slipped through the gap and scooped her up.

"Ah, my child."

"Excellent."

Held in her father's arms, Erylot raised her arms and shouted.

"Yay!"

Soon, the twins, who had been watching from outside the platform, ran over.

"Baby, we saw you hit Joffrey's head! We saw it!"

"Me too. It was awesome, Erylot."

The twins were also excited by their sister's performance.

"Me too, I want to be held!"

"Valzak is clumsy and might drop you. Give her to me."

"She's my daughter."

While the people of Diamond's territory were in a festive mood,

"Ah, Father!"

Joffrey hurriedly ran to his father, Valdric.

"Here. So, what happened…!"

"Be quiet."

"That's not it. I mean, I couldn't… concentrate!"

Joffrey shouted.

Only then did Valdric look at his son.

"What are you saying?"

Joffrey, rolling his eyes, thought of a good excuse.

'Right, that was it.'

The fountain pen hidden in the unlucky girl's room.

"The fountain pen you gave me! It was gone, so I couldn't concentrate on the match!"

"Fountain pen?"

"Yes. Someone must have stolen it. I saw it during the morning class. One of the children in the beginner classroom."

"What?!"

"Probably one of the latecomers? Lianthe and Dione were wearing clothes without pockets. Erylot was carrying a bag."

Joffrey pointed at Erylot and shouted loudly.

The training ground became noisy again.

Joffrey smirked.

"Lianthe and Dione were wearing clothes without pockets. Erylot was carrying a bag."

"…."

"A bag that can hold a fountain pen."