Squeak-!
The doors of the Plov mansion swung open.
Members of the Zerdingher family made their entrance.
The accommodating Plov servants concealed their nervousness.
An overwhelming presence, fitting for a family that discussed control over the continent, pervaded the room.
Flutter- Flutter-
The family banner adorned with blazing flames billowed in the breeze.
At the forefront, a griffon-led carriage came to a halt.
The door opened, and Zis and Selia disembarked.
‘Why are we staying here with Uncle?’
Selia was less than thrilled about the prospect of lodging with a noble family.
Her aspirations extended beyond mere acceptance into Lumeren.
Her goal was to become the valedictorian.
Consequently, her intention was to dedicate herself entirely to the exams preceding the entrance assessment.
However, residing with a noble family came with its fair share of inconveniences.
Particularly, a noble family from a minor kingdom.
They would undoubtedly be eager to establish a connection with the Zerdingher family.
Selia would have preferred renting an upscale hotel in its entirety.
She didn’t voice her dissatisfaction openly, given that the decision was made by Zis, but her discontent was palpable.
Swish-
With her long, waist-length black hair swept behind her ears, Selia stood tall.
Irrespective of her contentment, she held the position of the family’s heir.
Maintaining an outward appearance was crucial.
As the family’s representative, she needed to exhibit politeness to the hosts of the household.
While contemplating this, Selia was momentarily puzzled.
“Huh?”
She wasn’t alone in her confusion.
Other Zerdingher members also appeared uneasy.
Two individuals, a man and a woman, stood at the mansion’s entrance.
Dade and Reina.
Selia was particularly taken aback by Reina’s appearance.
‘Father, she resembles Uncle.’
And she bore a striking resemblance to herself as well.
“Extend your greetings, Selia. This is Count Plov.”
“I am Selia Zerdingher. We will be residing here for a week.”
“Welcome. Please make yourselves comfortable.”
Dade greeted her without any ostentation.
There was no desire to flaunt their heroic lineage.
“And this is Countess Plov.”
“Hehe, I’ve heard quite a bit about you.”
Reina offered a soft, welcoming smile.
Selia regarded Reina with bewildered eyes.
“Uncle, who is she?”
“Reina Plov. She’s your aunt.”
Selia’s eyes widened in disbelief.
***
The Zerdingher entourage began to unpack their belongings within the mansion.
Meanwhile, Zis engaged in conversation with the Plov couple in the reception room.
“It’s good to see you’re doing well.”
“I can’t complain.”
Clink-
With grace, Reina took a sip of her tea.
“You’ve become quite charming, dear sister.”
“Hehehe. You’ve grown as well, Zis.”
Observing his sister, whose forehead veins were visibly pulsing, Zis shook his head.
‘She hasn’t changed one bit.’
His sister, once known as the ‘Witch of Flames.’
The ‘witch’ label, unusual for a knight, was purely a result of her personality.
Reminiscing about the past, Zis remarked,
“Leo is quite bold.”
“What did my son do?”
Dade inquired, and Zis grinned.
“Before arriving at the Plov residence, we visited the Delan Royal Academy for a tour. All the students had gathered, but Leo stated he had no interest in Zerdingher and departed early.”
“If that caused you any discomfort, I apologize on my son’s behalf.”
“Zis isn’t the type to be bothered by such things, Dade.”
“Yes, it was rather refreshing.”
As always, the Zerdinghers garnered considerable attention, making Leo’s response all the more refreshing.
“So, what kind of child is Leo?”
“He’s genuinely talented, and I’m not saying that just because he’s my son.”
“I look forward to meeting him, given your high praise. However.”
Zis’s previously genial demeanor took a sudden shift.
“Obtaining permission for our family’s Aura technique is a different matter.”
A cold atmosphere, quite unlike his title of Flame Blade.
Zis raised his head.
“Do you genuinely believe Leo Plov is deserving of inheriting the Zerdingher flame?”
An aura of intimidation emanated from him.
It wasn’t due to some unique power but rather a natural charisma that enveloped him.
“I believe he is more than qualified.”
Reina, her lips curling into a smile, replied.
“You’ll come to see when you meet him. The value of that child.”
***
“Sir Hwiton, do you have any information about my aunt?” Selia inquired of Hwiton, a loyal knight who had served the family long before her birth.
“Reina was the previous possessor of the ‘Flame Storm’ that you now have,” Hwiton replied.
Flame Storm.
One of the family heirlooms endowed with the ability to amplify the Zerdinghers’ distinctive ‘Flame Aura.’
Merely being the owner of this Flame Storm hinted at her extraordinary nature.
“So, how did someone of her caliber forsake the family name and end up in this remote kingdom?”
“Reina lost her flame in an unjust accident. She desired a normal life and departed from the family, forsaking the Zerdingher name.”
The moment one renounced the family name, for any reason, they were expunged from the family’s records.
“I never imagined I’d encounter Reina here again.”
‘Given the way Sir Hwiton speaks, she must have been quite remarkable. Perhaps I can receive swordsmanship lessons from her later?’
While Selia contemplated the prospect of experiencing Reina’s swordsmanship, they had already arrived at the Plov family’s training grounds.
Whoom! Whoom!
“Huh?”
The sound of a wooden sword cutting through the air filled the air.
Someone was vigorously practicing swordplay in the training area.
Unfamiliar white hair but unmistakable red eyes.
“You’re Leo Plov?”
Leo gazed at Selia with a quizzical expression.
“And you are?”
“Ahem.”
Selia cleared her throat, stood tall, and introduced herself.
“I am Selia Zerdingher. I am your distant cousin.”
Selia anticipated Leo’s astonishment.
She was a striking young woman, renowned as the top freshman at Lumeren, where the world’s brightest talents congregated.
Selia was a globally recognized figure, an idol among her peers.
“Is that so? Nice to meet you.”
Whoom! Whoom!
However, Leo’s response was lukewarm.
He didn’t even pause his swordplay.
Clearly unimpressed, Selia furrowed her brow.
As she attempted to speak again, Leo halted his sword.
“Whew.”
Taking a deep breath and wiping away sweat, Selia inquired of Leo.
“How old are you?”
“Fifteen.”
“We’re the same age? Since we’ve met like this, I’d be happy to provide you with special swordsmanship training. What do you say?”
Selia extended the offer with a friendly smile, thinking, “If I treat him well, maybe Aunt will give me special instruction.”
Her offer concealed ulterior motives, yet Leo displayed no interest.
‘What’s with this kid?’
Specialized swordsmanship instruction?
He acknowledged her exceptional talents, but she had severely misjudged her audience.
Leo lost interest in Selia and resumed his swordplay.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
This time, Selia scrutinized the sword’s movements carefully.
And she was impressed.
‘Quite good, isn’t he?’
The sword moved with perfect precision.
There was considerable power behind his swordsmanship.
‘It’s in our family’s blood, isn’t it? He’s better than I expected.’
Creak, creak—
‘But what’s that bracelet?’
A distracting noise accompanied every swing of the sword.
A moment later, Leo sheathed his sword.
“Now, show me what you’ve got. You seem to have potential.”
Selia felt a twinge of anticipation.
But Leo wiped his sweat away and departed from the training grounds.
“Hey, where are you going?”
“I’m finished with today’s training.”
“Didn’t I offer to assist you?”
“I’d rather not.”
“Why not?”
“I’m not particularly interested in learning from someone less skilled than me.”
“What?”
Selia’s expression hardened.
“Are you suggesting you’re stronger than me?”
“Right now, you probably are. I can’t use Aura.”
In a life-or-death confrontation, he wouldn’t stand a chance against Selia.
“But in a sword duel, I’d likely emerge victorious.”
Listening to Leo’s composed tone, the corners of Selia’s mouth twitched.
“You certainly have confidence, don’t you?” Her crimson eyes narrowed.
Watching him wield that sword, she could tell he was exceptional.
“You. You’re the strongest at your school, aren’t you?”
All aspiring knights at the Delan Royal Academy could harness Aura, but Leo’s prowess went beyond that. His fundamental skills were on another level.
‘Perhaps the reason he hasn’t learned Aura yet is because Aunt intends to teach him advanced Aura techniques,’ Selia thought.
Advanced Aura techniques, reserved for members of the Zerdingher family.
‘But what’s this about being stronger now? Does he mean he’ll surpass me once he masters Aura? What arrogance!’
Competition among the Zerdingher family’s children started at a young age and extended even to the family head’s offspring. Selia had always been the best, and her pride stemmed not just from the Zerdingher name but from her unshakable self-assuredness.
“Very well. If you’re so sure of your abilities, let’s have a duel,” she declared.
“A duel?”
“Yes. If I win, you’ll be my servant during my stay with the Plov family.”
“And if I win? Will you become my maidservant?”
“Of course. We’ll ensure the conditions are fair, though that’s unlikely to happen.”
Selia tossed her hair back, sporting a smirk as if she found the situation entertaining.
“Ah, Miss,” Hwiton, who had been observing, interjected hastily.
“Don’t worry, Sir Hwiton. I’m going to win anyway,” Selia replied confidently, her gaze fixed on Leo.
“I’ll show you that you’re just a frog in a well.”
The two stood at the center of the training grounds. Leo addressed Selia, who gripped a wooden sword.
“Oh, by the way, you can use Aura if you want.”
“What?”
‘Is this for real?’
“Hmph! Then I’ll give you two free strikes. Go ahead, attack me as much as you want.”
A reddish aura enveloped Selia’s body—Aura Armor, a technique that covered the entire body with aura like armor.
“Really? Then I won’t decline.”
“Go ahead.”
Selia’s lips curved into a smile. She was convinced that Leo’s attacks, without the use of aura, wouldn’t pose a threat.
Holding his sword with both hands, Leo took a deep breath.
“Whoo—!”
Veins bulged on his forearm as he brandished the wooden sword.
Leo’s red eyes gleamed.
Crash—!
The wooden sword struck Selia’s temple with pinpoint precision. Her head snapped sharply, and the bone resonated with the impact. A sensation of stiffness and pain radiated from her neck. Overwhelmed by an unimaginable force, Selia’s face turned ghostly pale.
“That’s quite resilient,” Leo remarked.
“Huh, ha! Do you think your attack can breach my aura armor?”
‘What kind of colossal power is this?’
Though she feigned composure and wore a smile, it was a close call—she almost met her end. The enchanted wooden sword had frayed due to the force of the blow.
‘But I can still handle this.’
Seeing Selia exaggerate her composure and smile, Leo unclasped the weighted bracelets on his wrists and tossed them aside.
Thud-!
“……!”
“Shall we have a proper go now?” Leo’s smiling countenance, as he relaxed his shoulders, appeared almost demonic to Selia.
Weighted bracelets, normally considered an outdated and unwise training method, were now anything but laughable.
What Selia witnessed before her eyes transcended ignorance; it was sheer madness.
“One more round.”
“Wait, wait…!”
Kwaang-!
A sound that dwarfed the previous strikes echoed.
A distant shock struck her head.
As consciousness began to slip away, Selia watched Leo discard the shattered enchanted wooden sword and thought,
‘What on earth…’
Selia’s eyes rolled back.
‘Is everyone here just insane?’
Cliche Novel 