Chapter 110

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 110

Chapter Title: Unexpected Aura

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Zachary belatedly lowered the rope and pulled me up.

"Sorry for the delay."

I hopped lightly onto the mountaintop and peered down below.

At the foot of the mountain, soldiers and participants drenched by the floodwaters were milling about in chaos.

We watched the participants and their soldiers get swept every which way by the currents for quite some time.

And only when they were practically spent did we fish them out one by one like bait on a hook. Mock battle rules meant instant disqualification for killing anyone.

The dazed enemy soldiers got ropes wrapped tight around them and tossed up into the trees.

With every soldier from the allied families bound and no other participants around to rescue their rivals, they were as good as eliminated.

Hayton, we shoved into a pit.

The sun was dipping low, so mountain beasts would soon be on the prowl.

The others were up in the trees, but Hayton in that shallow hole? Beasts might sniff him out. He'd probably shiver there till the preliminaries wrapped up.

I fluttered my hand at Hayton, who was screaming from the bottom of the pit.

"Take care!"

Bye-bye!

Seeing my bright smile, Hayton let out a shriek of a yell.

"You... won't... get... away!!"

Worn out from tumbling in the water with his frail build, he could barely get the words out. I giggled.

With the work done, we leisurely set off to hunt for badges.

Not only had we wiped out ten families—including Duke Ballua's—on Asis Mountain, but the remaining participants had heard we'd handled nine families' soldiers. Too terrified to fight, they didn't even try.

"Found it."

It was hidden at the Founding Emperor's monument in Desong Street.

I checked the badge emblazoned with the imperial golden eagle and broke into a huge grin.

"Now let's go smash the rest!"

The fewer finalists who found their badges, the better.

That way, we'd skip tournament rounds and boost our odds of winning.

My sly expression drew a hearty "Yes!" from our soldiers.

Of course, smashing badges wasn't easy. The remaining participants desperately tried to stop us.

And most of them targeted me.

My mock battle knights were straight out of Duvered stock—selected purely on merit, no family or status considered. The very best of their boy soldiers, to boot.

Easier to go after a staggering nine-year-old like me, gear weighing her down, than deal with all of them.

But not a single one made it to me.

Even those who slipped past the others couldn't scale the mountain that was Zachary.

The nobles gathered in the imperial palace kept gasping at the magic mirror.

"Who is that?"

"Andy Zachary, according to the roster. Never heard the name."

A talent like that, hidden away in the wilds?

Even among Duvered's merit-picked knights, Zachary stood out dazzlingly.

Enemy soldiers couldn't even get close to Leblain. They toppled like matchsticks before the wall that was Zachary.

The raw power to swing that massive spear in one go. Skill enough to hold his own against swordsmen with a two-hander ill-suited for close quarters. Speed, tactical brain to read the fight—nothing lacking.

And despite being barely past boyhood, his near-perfect looks had noblewomen and young ladies sighing in regret.

"The model knight."

"Indeed."

A few shot dirty looks at those moaning and cried out.

"He's really seventeen or under? Doesn't look like a knight still growing."

No sooner had the words left than the young master of Marquis Beril's house—currently clashing with Leblain's forces in the mirror—shouted.

Leblain looked utterly wronged.

The Beril heir bellowed.

Lady Camilla chuckled and turned to Duke Duvered.

"That's why you were so calm—hiding a secret weapon like that?"

Who wouldn't feel secure with a guard like him?

"All the mock battle soldiers were handpicked by my daughter herself."

Even Duvered's retainers were stunned by Zachary's prowess.

He hadn't stood out before.

Leblain had tasked Lea with training him, so they'd paid occasional mind, but that was it.

Not knowing he'd progressed this far, the duke's three young masters—Yohan, Henri, and Ishak—hadn't taken kindly to Zachary as captain.

They'd pushed Sion, son of Imperial Army Captain Seilen, instead. Only relented because Leblain insisted on Zachary.

Still sore, they planned to quietly remove him once the mock battle ended, without Leblain knowing.

"Looks like the young lady has an eye for talent too."

The lady let out an impressed "Oh ho..."

Leblain's forces were a sight to behold.

Centered on Zachary's brilliant tactics and skill, they crushed every opponent in seconds.

The mock battle's glory went entirely to him.

Of course, Leblain's bold choices beyond tactics—championing him at nine—left a deep mark too.

Duke Ballua's face grew ever greener.

While Leblain soared through the mock battle, Hayton was still trembling in that pit.

'Damn it, damn it...!'

Ballua's plans to rebound from the mock battle had gone up in smoke.

Even the cardinal watching beside the emperor looked stormy.

Meeting the cardinal's eyes, Ballua flinched like a whipped dog, ducking his head.

'That bitch—I'd tear her apart.'

His bloodshot eyes flickered with rage.

Right before time expired, Leblain had collected a total of eight badges.

Only three families advanced to the finals.

Leblain set records: shortest time to find badges, most dazzling performance in a century, straight to finals via bye.

The two advancing families would duel; the winner faced Leblain in the championship.

Post-preliminary banquet.

Meant to celebrate finalists, but tonight's stars were me and Zachary.

Zachary especially drew crowds from the Central Knights, Imperial Guard—active knights galore. Even knighted nobles wouldn't leave his side.

"A toast to the new hero."

"My apologies. Drinking on guard duty violates orders."

He politely sipped even from the mighty but accepted the cup shyly offered by a young lord.

Teasing "discriminating?", he replied earnestly.

"My lord commands not to embarrass the hands of children or ladies."

Placing lord above military code—me—the Central Knights captain laughed. "A knight's exemplar."

"Little One has a fine knight. You picked him yourself?"

"Got lucky!"

My innocent chirp drew booming laughs from the knights.

"Humble lord and vassal."

Zachary bowed gracefully, earning goodwill for the upright, modest powerhouse.

After enjoying the banquet awhile, my knights and I slipped out, citing finals prep.

Back at the mansion, I headed to the strategy room with Zachary for the mock battle setup.

The moment we entered, Zachary...

"Perfect."

...punched the wall. Thud, thud.

'Show-off.'

Unlike five years ago, Zachary had grown beyond recognition.

His post-adolescent frame carried a mature man's bearing, and his near-boyish voice had deepened to a firm baritone.

But one thing hadn't changed.

This pretense.

"You delayed that rope on Asis Mountain on purpose!"

He flashed a grin.

"Had to for a killer entrance."

I gawked up at him in disbelief. He'd shot up tall as Dad now; I had to crane my neck.

"My heart nearly shriveled!"

I thought something had gone wrong, plan derailed—heart leaping out my mouth.

Zachary smirked.

"Hot-blooded drama."

"Dunno about that, but Lea's gonna hot-blood your ribs."

He smirked wider.

"I'm guard squad now. Master can't just smack me."

"Wrong?"

"Huh? Why!"

The instant he yelled—

Thwack!

Someone burst in and kicked Zachary square in the butt.

Too swift for even him to dodge.

"Lea!"

"M-Master..."

Lea eyed him coldly; I nodded knowingly. 'Knew it.'

"Why hit me! No, you can't anymore!"

I giggled and spread my arms to Lea. She scooped me up.

Cradled in her arms, I told Zachary.

"Why not? Lea's your superior now."

"What?!"

His shout turned to hurried "...ma'am?" as Lea glared.

"Lea's head of my guard detail now. She returned."

She'd been scarce in the capital, shuttling between estate and city for return training.

Laura and the three maids handling me instead? Same reason.

Lea fixed him with a blank stare.

"I failed to train that fool properly and troubled Little One. Zachary, fetch my club. Time for sparring."

"M-Master."

"Fetch it."

Face ashen, he slumped out—to get Lea's club.

I nuzzled Lea's cheek and grinned.

"When'd you get back? No more estate trips?"

Lea smiled softly.

"Training's over. I'll serve at your side now."

She'd pulped the estate's wolves—that was her test, huh.

"Yay!"

I cheered; she rubbed my eye corner with her knuckle.

"I'll help prep for finals. Young Master Shuheil and Lady Ragunos advanced?"

"Yeah. Brothers bet Shuheil makes finals."

"His forces are solid, but he's a top knight too. At that age, only him besides Zachary and the young lords."

I hopped down from Lea's arms.

"Finals likely mounted combat."

"Perfect. Zachary's specialty."

"Right?"

Mid-chat, Zachary trudged in with Lea's club, face sullen as he handed it over.

Lea's face hardened as she snatched his hand.

"You... since when..."

"Pardon?"

"When did you manifest aura."

What?

I whipped around to stare at Lea, stunned.

'No way.'

Pre-prelims, court mages verified the knights—no aura from him.

He'd just hit adolescence; too early.

'During the prelims?'

I looked up at Zachary, face grim.

'This is bad.'

Aura users barred from competing.

No Zachary in finals? No shot at winning!