"How… How did you do that?" Lorenzo asked. "You moved and attacked faster than I could react, and I'm a Half-Perception Realm. Was that the power of Martial Energy?"
"That's right. I used Martial Energy to execute the Cloud Sea Style's Moon Flash. It can accelerate me to a high speed with almost no buildup."
"Martial Energy… I see. I can believe that you're the Sword King's disciple now." He sheathed his sword and sighed emotionally. "I never imagined I would be defeated in an instant. You've grown strong, Benedict."
He shook his head. "No, I still have a lot to learn."
"It's good that you're modest, but being too modest is a bad thing. You worked hard, so you should be proud. You achieved something very few people could!" Lorenzo patted his brother on the shoulder like he always used to do. Somehow, before he knew it, his timid weak little brother had grown into a splendid and strong swordsman. Even Benedict's shoulders, which used to feel frail, felt bigger. He could tell his brother must have gone through a lot.
Benedict's eyes started to water, and his nose clogged up. He could not speak, and his emotions were a mess. It was hard to describe how he felt. For the longest time, Lorenzo stood in front of him. Always the better swordsman, always the better knight, always the better nobleman… and always the better person. Lorenzo was his role model and final goal. Lorenzo was everything Benedict aspired to be but failed to become! He thought he would never reach his brother in this lifetime… So, to suddenly achieve this goal and receive his brother's praise, he felt a strange sense of loss. Should he be happy or sad? He did not know.
"What realm are you now?" Lorenzo chuckled.
"Perception Realm Novice and Major Sword Form."
"Honestly, what are they feeding you? In one year, you went from Fundamental Realm Adept, Basic Sword Form to Perception Realm Novice, Major Sword Form… This speed is truly terrifying. I would say it's almost unheard of. Are your friends the same?"
"Um…" Benedict was unsure how to reply.
"Here! I'm not a Perception Realm yet," Shirley volunteered. This made Lorenzo sigh with relief, yet her next words made him choke. "But I'm a Half-Perception Realm! I should be making that final step soon!"
"Haha…" Lorenzo laughed awkwardly. Since when was it this easy? Suddenly, he felt very inferior.
"I can also use Martial Energy, some of the Cloud Sea Style, and a Bloodline Ability too."
"I'm not sure where to start. Are you a swordswoman?"
"I use the halberd. See?" Shirley grabbed the halberd slung around her chest.
Lorenzo looked to his brother for help. "I thought the Cloud Sea Style was a sword style."
"It is," Benedict smiled wryly. "However, Shirley is a bit special. She managed to transform the Cloud Sea Style into her own halberd style. Her instincts and combat sense are probably far greater than my own. Even my master had to compliment her."
"…" Lorenzo fell speechless at Shirley's smug grin. Was there anyone normal here? His eyes wandered to Freon.
"…If I must." To be honest, Freon did not want to share anything with a stranger, but the social pressure was a little high. "I'm a Low Condensed Drop Arcanist."
"The same level as a Ten Dawn!" The man sucked in a cold breath. In his mind, this was more impressive than Benedict or Shirley, since being a Ten Dawn meant Freon stood at the pinnacle of the magic world. Freon could truly call himself one of the strongest Arcanists! "As expected of Ten Dawn Nassandra's older brother, you're a prodigy in your own right."
"No, I… Thank you." He never thought he would get called a prodigy. It was strange to hear.
"I can see why there's so many stories about you three. You have strength rivaling the Royal Guards. I wouldn't be surprised if Her Majesty promotes you to that rank."
"Me? A Royal Guard?" Benedict was stunned.
"Then we can return home and give our father a good surprise. I think he'll be happy to see you again."
"…Would he though?"
Lorenzo paused. "I know that you two aren't on the best of terms, but… he does care for you, in his own way. When you disappeared in the Lannisail explosion, he was very upset."
"I… I'm not sure I want to see him." Although he grew by leaps and bounds, he was still afraid of his father. That fear was ingrained in his bones.
"I understand. We can talk about that later." Lorenzo shook his head. There was no point in pushing any further. He changed topics. "I'm starving! Let's get some food! It'll be my treat!"
Elsewhere, Elizabeth was experiencing a sense of déjà vu.
"I apologize for everything! I couldn't keep the faction together!" a boy said with a sharp bow. Elizabeth remained silent, which unnerved him. He gulped, thinking she must be furious.
However, the real reason why she kept quiet was because she had forgotten who he was! It took her some time before she remembered. She replied embarrassed, "Lord Archibon, there's no reason to apologize. Losing the inheritance race was the expected result. I'm not mad."
"No, I must protest. Your Highness saved the Lannisail Household. We hoped to repay this debt through the inheritance race yet… we squandered your kindness. I'm willing to accept any punishment."
"But I'm honestly not mad."
"You're not?" Archibon asked warily.
"Everyone wants to doubt me." She shrugged her shoulders.
"I… would argue that's normal."
"You don't need to keep standing. Have a seat."
"Thank you. Back to the conversation, I thought it was your goal to win the inheritance race?"
"At one point; however, I came to accept that winning the inheritance race and becoming the next queen ultimately isn't in my best interests. I only wanted to do it, because everyone pressured me into it. I got swept up into their flow, but I… don't think I had any real intention to becoming queen."
"I see… although I can't say I'm surprised. You rarely smiled or showed any real joy. I could tell you were forcing yourself."
"I didn't think it was that obvious." Elizabeth massaged her cheeks. She thought she was pretty good at hiding her emotions, thanks to her training.
"It was something I noticed after months of working with you. I doubt anyone else would have noticed, unless they were particularly sensitive."
"Most of the Grand Nobles and Royal Family are 'particularly' sensitive though… Anyways, I suppose it's in the past now. It doesn't matter to me anymore." She smiled brightly. "By the way, why are you here? I thought you would've wanted to remain in the capital."
"I did plan on that, except I was summoned by Her Majesty. And I wasn't the only one. Other people were also summoned, though I don't know why."
"The queen probably wants to rebuild the empire's government using your help."
"I can't possibly." Archibon rejected. He did not think he could handle a task that important.
"You're one of the rising stars of the next generation. This is a good chance for you to learn more. If you perform well, it might lead to the rise of the Lannisail Household again."
The boy turned stiff. "I've left the Lannisail Household already."
"Huh?"
"The Ovarr Household offered to adopt me into a distant family, which I accepted. They also extended the offer to some of my uncles and aunts. The rest discarded the Lannisail name and went their separate ways. Therefore, the Lannisail Household… doesn't exist anymore."
"When did this happen?"
"Near the end of the inheritance race."
"I see… That's a shame."
Elizabeth could not hide her disappointment. Although the previous patriarch, Lord Wenmord, kidnapped and almost killed her, she knew the Lannisail Household was largely innocent so she hoped Lord Archibon could eventually revive his family and bring it to newer heights. It would be a great story, if he could. However, she could not fault him for taking the 'easier' way out. The Lannisail explosion and the Whispering Shadow casted a heavy shadow and it would be extremely difficult to free himself from it. The chance at a fresh beginning was too attractive.
"Did anything else happen while I was gone?" she asked.
"Yes, before Her Majesty acceded, there was a large reshuffling amongst the Grand Nobility Households. The biggest news came from the Morwin Household and Lord Kendrick, the Master of Information, from the Royal Assembly. Apparently, it was revealed that he was a spy for the Xingyuu Empire. One of Her Majesty's first acts upon acceding was to imprison him and demote the entire Morwin Household from the Grand Nobility."
Elizabeth sucked in a cold breath. It seemed like her gamble paid off. Previously in the Yunyun Stronghold, she ordered General Petra not to report their plans or their survival to the Royal Assembly, because she thought there was a traitor involved. Naturally, this violated many laws. Every military in the world obeyed a strict chain of command. If people were allowed to act on their own, it would lead to chaos. Army Generals, like General Petra, had some flexibility regarding this, but there was still a limit. Elizabeth was a princess, the Royal Army General, and the heir apparent for the Alzar Kingdom. To hide the fact she survived could be seen as treason of the highest kind. The usual punishment would be extermination over nine generations! It was normal for General Petra to reject such a risk. However, under Elizabeth's constant pressure and promises, the general agreed. Who would have thought that her speculation was correct?