The next morning arrived with a pale golden light stretching across the estate walls.

  Narin stood once again before Nicolette’s chamber.

  The door that had once been blasted apart now stood restored—new wood, polished surface, reinforced hinges. No trace remained of the damage he had caused.

  Beside him stood Fielo, posture straight, hands clasped behind his back.

  The valet cleared his throat softly. “Young Miss has been awake since dawn.”

  Narin gave a small nod.

  He lifted his hand and knocked.

  This time—only twice.

  A brief pause.

  Then the door opened.

  Nicolette stood there, composed.

  Her hair was neatly tied, her expression calm. There was still a trace of seriousness in her eyes, but the sharp hostility that once lived there had softened.

  “Good morning,” she said.

  Her voice was steady.

  Narin studied her face carefully, searching for any lingering signs of weakness.

  “Good morning.”

  She stepped aside.

  “Please come in.”

  He nodded and entered.

  Before stepping fully inside, he turned slightly toward Fielo.

  “Wait outside.”

  Fielo blinked, then bowed lightly. “Yes, sir.”

  The door closed behind them with a quiet click.

  The room was orderly. Curtains drawn back to allow light in. A faint scent of lavender hung in the air.

  Narin faced her directly.

  “Sit.”

  She obeyed without complaint, settling onto a cushioned chair near the window.

  He approached her, posture professional now—less like a debater, more like a physician.

  “I need to inspect your condition.”

  She raised an eyebrow slightly but extended her hands.

  He placed two fingers lightly against her wrist.

  Closed his eyes.

  Mana flowed gently—not forcefully like before, but probing.

  This time—

  No resistance.

  His mana entered smoothly, circulating through her system.

  He sensed it clearly now. It flowed like a calm river beneath the surface of her being.

  “How do you feel?” he asked quietly.

  She tilted her head slightly as if examining herself internally.

  “…Different,” she admitted. “I feel lighter... as if this is how my body should be.”

  She flexed her fingers slowly.

  “It feels like… something is finally there.”

  Narin moved behind her again, placing his palm lightly against her back, just to confirm.

  He withdrew his hand.

  “No abnormalities,” he concluded.

  He stepped around to face her.

  “Any pain?”

  “No, just some soreness,” she replied honestly. “Like after intense training.”

  He nodded, then his gaze sharpened slightly.

  “It seems you haven’t told your father about this yet.”

  She stiffened just slightly.

  Silence.

  “…No.”

  He crossed his arms loosely.

  “Continue to keep it that way.”

  Her brows knit.

  “Why?”

  She leaned forward slightly, searching his face.

  “Give me some reason.”

  His expression remained calm, but inwardly—

  If you tell him, I might not get to teach you today.

  Aloud, he answered evenly.

  “I don’t want to be involved in complicated matters.”

  He turned his gaze toward the window briefly.

  “If your father learns that an unknown magical construct was embedded within you, investigations will begin.”

  His eyes returned to hers.

  “Questions will be asked.”

  “And I will inevitably be involved.”

  He exhaled lightly.

  “I prefer to avoid that.”

  There was more truth in that than he admitted.

  She studied him for several seconds.

  Then—

  “…I agree.”

  Her voice was slower this time.

  More deliberate.

  Something like trust had begun forming.

  From that day forward, training began formally.

  Narin adhered strictly to the schedule he had prepared weeks ago.

  Morning: Physical Conditioning.

  Midday: Mana Theory.

  Afternoon: Controlled Magic Practice.

  Evening: Reflection and Analysis.

  Week one.

  The first week stunned him.

  The training ground once again became their domain.

  Morning air carried the scent of dew and fresh grass as Nicolette ran laps with unwavering pace.

  Her stamina improved at an alarming rate.

  “Faster,” Narin instructed, walking alongside her rather than standing idle.

  She accelerated without complaint.

  During strength training, her form sharpened rapidly. Every correction he made was absorbed instantly.

  Midday sessions took place in a shaded pavilion.

  Mana theory.

  Narin drew diagrams across parchment, explaining flow structures, compression principles, conceptual layering.

  She asked precise questions.

  Her eyes gleamed with focus—not frustration.

  It became clear quickly.

  This was not a child lacking talent but a prodigy restrained for years.

  Her progress graph would have looked absurd if charted—skipping levels that most would require months to grasp.

  Nicolette’s progress was terrifying.

  “It’s her talent,” Narin muttered to himself once while watching her stabilize a basic mana sphere flawlessly.

  But not just talent.

  She had already tried everything before.

  All the theories.

  Now, with real mana flowing within her, it was like unlocking a dam.

  Everything she had learned finally had a channel to manifest.

  Week two.

  They began to talk more naturally.

  Between sessions, small exchanges occurred.

  “You overcomplicate that,” Narin commented once.

  She crossed her arms. “You under-explain things.”

  He almost laughed.

  She rolled her eyes when he assigned extra drills.

  He flicked her forehead lightly when she exaggerated complaints.

  Her laughter—rare at first—began appearing more frequently.

  Bright like sunlight piercing through overcast skies.

  She was like any other girl her age now. Full of curiosity.

  Narin did his best to teach her despite knowing his own magic skill was not at a master’s level.

  Narin found himself pushed to his limits.

  But his worldview was different.

  To Nicolette, Narin's perspectives were revolutionary.

  “You’re saying magic isn’t fixed?” she asked once, eyes wide.

  “It never was,” he replied calmly. “People just prefer certainty.”

  That idea alone opened new doors for her.

  Servants began noticing.

  Whispers changed tone.

  “He’s not ordinary.”

  “Even Young Miss listens to him.”

  “A mere mercenary…”

  Respect replaced ridicule.

  Narin noticed the shift.

  At night, lying in his narrow bed, staring at the wooden ceiling, doubt crept in.

  Are they real?

  Nexus Corporation had called them NPCs.

  He had believed it too.

  Especially during his journey to Ironspire Kingdom.

  When he fought bandits on the road—

  He had forced the thought into his mind.

  They’re not real.

  That was how he survived it without hesitation. Without guilt.

  But now—

  When Nicolette laughed.

  When servants whispered nervously.

  When Fielo bowed sincerely.

  …It felt too real.

  He turned to his side.

  Whether they are real or not…

  It’s better not to think about it.

  Focus on what matters.

  Week three.

  By the third week, Nicolette’s control became terrifying.

  She could shape mana with surgical precision. Threads of light formed between her fingers effortlessly.

  “Again,” Narin instructed.

  She complied instantly.

  Her mana reserves were enormous. It was beyond normal logic.

  Even he could admit it.

  “Your endurance surpasses mine,” he muttered once after a prolonged control exercise.

  She smirked slightly.

  “Of course.”

  He sighed helplessly impressed.

  From a magical standpoint, she had already reached something rare.

  Conceptual Fluidity, the ability to shift perspectives and reinterpret magical structures freely.

  She no longer followed formulas rigidly but redefined them instead. Her mind flowed like water—connecting ideas effortlessly.

  Watching her sometimes felt like watching someone standing on the edge of a new magical paradigm.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Eventually—

  He began learning from her.

  Her interpretations revealed gaps in his own understanding.

  And somewhere within that week—

  Impatience began creeping into him.

  From his perspective—

  She was already strong.

  Why hasn’t the challenge cleared?

  Week four

  One month.

  The seasons subtly shifted. Afternoons grew warmer. Training sessions stretched longer.

  One thing continued to impress him deeply.

  Nicolette did not merely visualize magic. She felt it. She was sensing it.

  As if mana had become a third organ within her.

  Narin exhaled quietly.

  He had expected the challenge to finish by now.

  A notification.

  But nothing came.

  If anything—

  She only lacked…

  Real experience.

  He frowned slightly.

  They trained together constantly.

  But they had never truly fought.

  If they did—

  He was certain he would lose immediately.

  Her raw output. Her control. Her adaptability.

  To give her real experience…

  Her opponent must be someone on her level.

  He stood at the edge of the training ground that evening, watching her practice precise mana compression drills alone.

  The setting sun painted her silhouette gold.

  Someone on her level…

  Narin crossed his arms slowly and began thinking deeply about it.

  The schedule changed the moment the second month began.

  Narin stood in the courtyard early that morning with a folded parchment in his hand, watching Nicolette finish her final lap around the stone training yard.

  Her boots struck the ground in steady rhythm.

  Thud. Thud. Thud.

  Her breathing was controlled now—deep, even. No longer the strained gasps of the first week.

  When she finally slowed to a stop, pushing damp strands of hair from her forehead, she looked toward him with a small frown.

  “You’re staring.”

  Narin lowered the parchment.

  “Yes.”

  “…Why?”

  He unfolded the paper slowly.

  “Because the schedule is changing.”

  Her eyes sharpened immediately.

  “How?”

  He handed the parchment to her.

  She scanned it.

  Her brows rose higher with every line.

  “…Hunting forest?”

  Narin nodded.

  “Half of our training days will take place there from now on.”

  She looked back up.

  “Why?”

  His answer came without hesitation.

  “Because theory and drills are no longer enough.”

  He crossed his arms.

  “You lack one thing.”

  Her gaze narrowed.

  “Real combat.”

  The Hunting Forest lay several kilometers beyond the estate.

  It was not a natural wilderness.

  It had been cultivated and maintained for generations—used by noble families for sport, training, and ceremonial hunts.

  But despite its controlled nature…

  It was still dangerous.

  The moment they stepped beneath the towering canopy of ancient trees, the world changed.

  Sunlight filtered through thousands of leaves, breaking into scattered beams that painted the forest floor in shifting patterns.

  The air was cooler here. Heavy with the scent of moss, bark, and soil.

  Birdsong echoed somewhere above, but deeper within the forest…

  There were other sounds.

  Low growls. Rustling leaves.

  Something moving unseen through the underbrush.

  Narin walked slightly ahead.

  “Remember,” he said calmly without turning back, “most beasts here are bred for training.”

  Nicolette stepped over a fallen branch, eyes alert.

  “That means?”

  “They’re weaker than their wild counterparts.”

  He brushed aside a curtain of vines.

  “But don’t mistake that for harmless.”

  As they progressed deeper, Narin began explaining the ecosystem.

  “The forest contains three primary beast groups.”

  He raised three fingers.

  “Terrestrial, Aquatic, and Aerial.”

  Nicolette listened while scanning their surroundings carefully.

  “Terrestrial Beasts have the highest diversity.”

  He pointed toward a series of claw marks etched across a nearby tree trunk.

  “Breaker types.”

  A distant rumbling roar echoed through the forest.

  “They fight head-on. High durability and strong physique.”

  Nicolette nodded slowly.

  “Like armored beasts.”

  “You could put it that way.”

  He crouched beside a patch of disturbed earth.

  “Ambusher types.”

  His finger traced faint footprints barely visible in the soil.

  “They rely on camouflage, stealth, and speed. Strike and retreat tactics.”

  Nicolette’s gaze moved instinctively to the shadows between the trees.

  Then Narin stood and gestured deeper into the forest.

  “And the most troublesome… Dominator types.”

  Her expression darkened.

  “Colonies?”

  “Yes.”

  His voice lowered.

  “They dominate territory.”

  “Dominators manipulate terrain—roots, ground, spores, toxins.”

  He glanced back at her.

  “They're easy to avoid.”

  A pause.

  “But extremely dangerous to fight.”

  The terrain eventually sloped downward toward a broad marshland.

  Shallow pools glimmered between reeds and crooked roots.

  Narin pointed toward the dark waters.

  “Aquatic beasts.”

  Nicolette watched the rippling surface carefully.

  “They have a geographical advantage.”

  A sudden splash erupted twenty meters away.

  Something enormous shifted beneath the water before disappearing again.

  Her shoulders stiffened.

  “Deep Sea Hunters.”

  Narin continued calmly.

  “They’re the fiercest.”

  “They're usually large and intelligent. Driven by constant hunger.”

  Nicolette swallowed quietly.

  “And the other?”

  “Abyssal Whisper.”

  Her eyes flicked toward him.

  “They manipulate prey.”

  He tapped his temple lightly.

  “Hypnosis, hallucination, and so on.”

  The water surface fell silent again.

  Neither of them lingered long there.

  Later that afternoon, they emerged into a clearing surrounded by towering cliffs.

  Above them—

  Dozens of shapes circling high in the sky.

  “Aerial beasts,” Narin said.

  “They rarely fight unless cornered.”

  He pointed upward.

  “Striker types rely on speed.”

  As if summoned by the explanation—

  One creature suddenly folded its wings and dove.

  The sound of air splitting shrieked through the clearing.

  Nicolette’s eyes widened.

  But before the creature could strike—

  A flash of mana erupted from her hand.

  Boom.

  The blast struck the beast mid-descent, knocking it sideways into a tree.

  Narin raised an eyebrow.

  “…Not bad.”

  She lowered her hand slowly. A faint grin touched her lips.

  The most dangerous encounter came two days later. The forest had grown unusually quiet.

  Even the wind seemed hesitant to move through the trees.

  Narin stopped walking.

  “…Careful.”

  Nicolette frowned slightly.

  “Why?”

  Then she smelled it.

  A faint sweetness in the air. Almost floral. Almost pleasant. But wrong.

  Narin’s voice dropped sharply.

  “Don’t breathe deeply.”

  Her eyes widened.

  “Phantom type.”

  Ahead of them—

  A cluster of pale winged creatures hovered between branches.

  They looked fragile. Almost beautiful yet from their bodies drifted faint clouds of shimmering mist.

  Poisonous mist. Sleeping powder.

  One wrong approach could wipe out an entire hunting party.

  Narin raised his hand.

  “Wind compression.”

  Nicolette understood instantly.

  Her mana gathered.

  Then exploded outward.

  A controlled burst of wind scattered the toxic cloud before it could spread further.

  The creatures shrieked and fled into the sky.

  Silence returned.

  Narin exhaled slowly.

  “Good reaction.”

  Days became weeks.

  Combat sharpened Nicolette rapidly.

  She learned to fight while moving, sense threats through mana fluctuations, maintain calm under pressure.

  Her mind grew stronger.

  Narin also benefited.

  Each hunt earned him experience.

  Levels, growth of his own abilities.

  Sometimes they returned covered in mud and scratches.

  Other times they walked back laughing about near disasters.

  The forest gradually became their second classroom.

  Near the End of Month Two.

  Late one afternoon Narin stood in Lord Marlenvet’s study.

  Tall windows cast long golden beams across polished wooden floors.

  Marlenvet leaned casually against his desk, swirling a glass of amber liquid.

  “You want what?”

  Narin repeated calmly.

  “A duel.”

  Marlenvet stared at him for several seconds.

  Then—

  He burst into laughter.

  A deep, hearty laugh that filled the entire room.

  “You want her to fight me?”

  Narin nodded.

  Marlenvet wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

  “…to think I allowed you to do anything to her as long as it can helped her grow... now I have to see that growth for myself is what you saying.”

  His expression shifted slightly—more thoughtful now.

  “You’re confident.”

  “What kind of teacher doesn’t trust their own student?” Narin replied honestly.

  Silence lingered.

  Then Marlenvet smiled.

  “Very well.”

  That Evening.

  Narin informed Nicolette during evening reflection.

  The reaction was immediate.

  “What?!”

  Her voice shot up several octaves.

  “You arranged a duel with my father without telling me first?!”

  She grabbed his sleeve angrily.

  “You idiot! What if I'm not ready?!”

  Narin tried to explain but she refused to listen.

  For nearly an hour they argued.

  Voices rising. Gestures growing sharper.

  “You should’ve asked me!”

  “You would’ve refused!”

  “Of course I would have!”

  Eventually—

  Narin rubbed his temples.

  “Calm down.”

  She folded her arms tightly.

  “…Fine.”

  Then she added stubbornly:

  “If I win…”

  Her eyes gleamed.

  “You have to give me a reward.”

  Narin hesitated only briefly.

  “…Agreed.”

  Inside his mind however—

  If she wins, the challenge will probably complete.

  And I’ll disappear from here anyway.

  But he didn’t say that.

  Rumors spread quickly across the estate. Servants whispered. Guards speculated.

  Even kitchen staff debated the outcome.

  The entire household buzzed with anticipation.

  Month Three, Day One.

  The training ground had never been this crowded.

  Servants lined the outer edges.

  Guards stood watch.

  Even stable hands had gathered near the fences.

  At the center of the field stood two figures.

  Lord Marlenvet and Lady Nicolette.

  The morning sun had just begun climbing above the eastern walls. Golden light stretched across the arena.

  The head butler stood perfectly straight at the center.

  His posture was immaculate.

  His voice carried across the entire training ground with dignified authority.

  “In the name of the witnesses of bloodline and family honor…”

  He paused.

  His gaze moved from father to daughter.

  “…the duel between Lord Marlenvet and Lady Nicolette is about to begin.”

  A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd.

  The butler continued.

  “The condition is simple.”

  “If either side becomes incapacitated…”

  “Or if I judge the outcome clear…”

  “I will immediately intervene.”

  He bowed respectfully to both combatants.

  Then raised his voice.

  “May the duel begin!”

  He stepped backward swiftly and silently—

  Leaving the center of the field exclusively to the father and daughter.

  The moment the butler’s final word faded from the air—

  The duel began.

  Lord Marlenvet moved first.

  There was no warning. No courteous pause. No hesitation befitting a father facing his daughter.

  The instant the declaration ended, Marlenvet’s shoulders dipped slightly—an almost imperceptible shift of posture—and the air around him collapsed inward as mana surged violently toward his body.

  Narin’s eyes narrowed immediately.

  He’s not holding back at all…

  The amount of mana gathering around Marlenvet’s hands was staggering. It spiraled upward like invisible currents of water pulled toward a whirlpool. The ground beneath his boots trembled faintly.

  Then—

  CRACK!

  Light blue and white crystalline spikes erupted from the earth.

  Not one.

  Not ten.

  But dozens.

  The entire training ground seemed to awaken with violent life as jagged pillars of ice burst upward from the soil in every direction.

  They stabbed skyward with terrifying speed—sharp, gleaming, and merciless.

  Gasps exploded from the surrounding crowd.

  “—!”

  “Already?!”

  “He’s using battlefield magic right away?!”

  The spikes did not form randomly.

  They erupted in calculated positions—each one angled to herd, trap, and impale.

  And directly beneath Nicolette—

  Another spike burst upward.

  But the girl had already moved.

  Her reaction was instantaneous.

  A transparent sphere of mana snapped into existence around her body with a resonant hum.

  BOOM!

  The spike slammed into the barrier and shattered into fragments of frost.

  Nicolette stood within the sphere, feet planted firmly apart, her hands lifted slightly as streams of pale-blue mana flowed around her wrists like liquid ribbons.

  Her expression was calm. She was focused.

  Her silver hair fluttered slightly in the sudden turbulence of magical pressure.

  Without hesitation, the barrier around her began to change shape.

  The smooth spherical surface rippled—like water disturbed by wind—before countless sharp protrusions formed along its outer edge.

  Narin’s eyes widened slightly.

  She’s modifying the barrier structure already?

  Then—

  The protrusions launched.

  WHOOM!

  Multiple ice lances shot outward like artillery shells.

  They tore through the air with an ear-splitting shriek.

  A shockwave rippled behind each projectile as they accelerated past the speed of sound.

  Even the air cracked.

  Narin felt the vibration against his chest.

  That speed…

  His brows furrowed.

  That’s already beyond the speed of sound.

  But Marlenvet didn’t even flinch.

  He stepped forward calmly.

  His left hand rose slightly.

  CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

  Each ice lance was deflected effortlessly. His hands moved in precise arcs, slapping the lances aside with terrifying accuracy.

  Fragments of ice burst apart midair as the projectiles veered harmlessly away from him.

  Then—

  He disappeared.

  The space in front of Nicolette folded.

  And Marlenvet reappeared directly in front of her.

  His fist was already moving. His left hand burned with roaring flames. His right crackled violently with lightning.

  The two elements clashed violently against each other along his arms, producing unstable arcs of explosive mana.

  “HAA!”

  His punch came down.

  BOOOOM!!

  A violent explosion detonated against Nicolette’s barrier.

  The shockwave blasted outward across the training ground.

  Dust surged upward. Spectators staggered backward.

  Some servants instinctively raised their arms to shield their faces.

  But inside the smoke—

  Nicolette remained standing.

  Her barrier trembled slightly under the impact, its surface glowing brighter as layers of mana reinforced it.

  Marlenvet’s eyes flickered briefly with surprise.

  She's stronger than I expected.

  He stepped forward again, both fists igniting with destructive energy as he prepared another barrage.

  But then—

  The barrier suddenly brightened.

  Nicolette’s eyes narrowed.

  And the barrier exploded with light.

  FLASH!

  The entire training ground was swallowed by blinding white brilliance.

  Several spectators cried out as they covered their eyes.

  Narin instinctively turned his head slightly.

  But Marlenvet continued forward without slowing.

  Inside the white void—

  His body began to change.

  A translucent figure appeared overlapping his form. It was like a second body moving slightly out of sync with the first.

  He raised his fist again and struck.

  BOOM!

  Then again.

  BOOM!

  But something strange happened.

  Each punch multiplied. The moment his fist connected with the barrier—

  Another impact followed.

  Then another.

  Then another.

  Like echoes. Like time itself splitting apart.

  BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—

  Multiple strikes landed on the same exact spot within fractions of a second.

  Narin’s eyes widened sharply.

  This…?

  Each strike stacked force upon the previous one.

  The barrier trembled violently.

  But Nicolette did not move.

  She simply stood there, staring calmly at her father through the fading light.

  Then—

  Suddenly—

  Marlenvet’s explosions turned into clouds.

  The violent impacts dissolved into drifting vapor.

  The shockwaves lost substance.

  The destructive force scattered like mist.

  Marlenvet paused.

  His brows lifted slightly.

  This girl…

  Meanwhile Nicolette’s jaw tightened slightly.

  Her breathing had grown shallow.

  I can't keep using this for too long…

  Her fingers trembled faintly at her sides.

  I have to finish the fight now that I have the chance.

  Suddenly—

  Marlenvet’s expression sharpened.

  “Huh!”

  Something clicked inside his mind.

  Instantly his translucent second body lunged forward.

  Mana surged violently around him.

  The compressed force he had built up from every movement—

  Every step. Every punch. Every shift of weight. All of it had been stored and accumulated.

  Now—

  He released it.

  His fist pulled back then launched forward with catastrophic power.

  The ground beneath his feet shattered.

  The air screamed.

  It was a single strike carrying the combined force of countless movements.

  A lethal blow. One that could end the duel instantly.

  Nicolette’s eyes widened.

  Her hands rose instinctively.

  Her fingers formed a shape—

  Like a picture frame.

  Her thumbs and index fingers created a small square in the air.

  Inside that imaginary frame—

  She placed Marlenvet’s attack.

  In her mind—

  That space became a separate world.

  A closed space cut off from reality.

  The moment the punch entered the frame—

  It vanished.

  The lethal attack disappeared.

  Marlenvet stopped.

  For a moment, the battlefield became still.

  Nicolette lowered her hands slowly.

  “…so does my lethal attack,” she murmured softly.

  Marlenvet looked at her and smiled faintly.

  He understood immediately.

  Her earlier magic.

  The moment their eyes had met—

  Her will had sent the sensation of touch directly into his body.

  Not just any pain or injury but the feeling of death itself.

  His life force had felt as if it was draining away.

  That was why he had used his finishing strike prematurely.

  Now both of them understood each other’s abilities.

  Which meant—

  Those tricks would no longer work again.

  Both of them now had to create something new.

  Marlenvet exhaled slowly.

  Her creativity…

  His gaze sharpened.

  It is far beyond mine.

  If this battle dragged on—

  Who knew what terrifying idea she would produce next.

  No. I needed to end it now.

  He slowly extended his hand toward her.

  “Come here.”

  And instantly—

  Nicolette’s body was pulled forward.

  Her feet left the ground as invisible force dragged her straight toward him.

  Her eyes widened.

  What—?!

  He caught me off guard again!

  Frustration surged through her chest.

  But then—

  Her mind snapped into focus.

  That’s it. I’ll use that magic!

  As her body flew toward him—

  Something inside her shifted.

  Her muscles tightened. Her posture froze.

  Her body became rigid.

  Marlenvet reached forward and grabbed her.

  But the instant his hand touched her—

  Her body moved automatically.

  Her posture adjusted midair. Her center of gravity shifted.

  Her body twisted out of his grasp like flowing water.

  She dropped into a crouch the moment her feet touched the ground.

  Her palm pressed against the dirt.

  Using it as support—

  Her leg whipped upward.

  WHAM!

  Her kick shot toward his head.

  Marlenvet blocked easily.

  The moment his hand touched her leg—

  The limb twisted violently. The bones shattered instantly.

  It bent unnaturally.

  Fragments grinding together.

  But Nicolette didn’t scream.

  Her body kept moving.

  Her weight transferred to the other leg.

  Another kick came.

  Marlenvet caught it too.

  But then—

  Suddenly—

  She launched herself upward.

  Her body spinning.

  The broken legs became leverage. The momentum.

  Her body rotated violently as her fist came crashing forward.

  Narin’s eyes widened.

  It was a trap!

  She had let him catch her legs intentionally. Using his grip as pivot points.

  Her fist came down.

  All of her mana concentrated into a single blow.

  The weight behind it felt like a mountain collapsing.

  Her arm shattered instantly from the impact force.

  But the punch landed.

  BOOOOM!

  Marlenvet’s body shot backward like a cannonball.

  He crashed across the training ground.

  His body skidded across the stone floor then stopped.

  Silence fell.

  Nicolette collapsed immediately after.

  Her broken limbs trembled violently as pain finally reached her nerves.

  “AAHHH—!”

  Her scream echoed across the training ground.

  But even then—

  She forced herself upright.

  Her hands glowed with healing mana.

  Bone fragments slowly reformed. Muscles knitted back together.

  She stood shakily.

  The head butler stepped forward calmly.

  He knelt beside Marlenvet and examined him.

  Several seconds passed then he stood.

  His voice rang clearly across the arena.

  “Lord Marlenvet is no longer in condition to fight.”

  He raised his hand.

  “The winner…”

  A brief pause.

  “Lady Nicolette!”

  For a moment—

  The world froze then the crowd exploded.

  Cheers erupted from every direction. Servants shouted in disbelief.

  Some laughed. Some cried. Others applauded wildly.

  Nicolette stood there in a daze.

  Her eyes slowly turned toward Narin.

  He stood near the edge of the training ground.

  Watching quietly.

  Then—

  He nodded.

  A small gesture but filled with pride.

  Nicolette’s eyes widened.

  Tears filled them instantly.

  “Yes…”

  Her voice trembled.

  “I win…”

  Then suddenly—

  She burst into laughter.

  Her laughter was loud, unrestrained and joyful.

  The most ecstatic laughter she had ever released.

  Her entire face shone with happiness.

  Around her the estate erupted into celebration.

  But Narin quietly stepped away from the crowd.

  No one noticed him leaving.

  He slipped out of the training ground.

  A faint grin rested on his face.

  Before him—

  A translucent notification screen hovered faintly.

  He glanced at it.

  “Hm…”

  He murmured quietly.

  “Whether they are real or not…”

  He paused.

  Then looked back toward the training ground.

  The distant cheers echoed through the air.

  Nicolette’s laughter carried faintly on the wind.

  His smile softened.

  “I won’t deny…”

  His voice grew quiet.

  “…that the time I spent with them was wonderful.”

  He looked once more toward the arena.

  Toward the girl celebrating with tears in her eyes.

  His expression warmed.

  “I am proud of you.”

  Light slowly enveloped his body.

  And he disappeared from that place.