Chapter 25: The Fermentation of Public Opinion
“Knock, knock, knock—”
As usual, Shaya, dressed in a new academy uniform, knocked on the door of the loft beside the training ground.
After receiving his mentor’s consent, he pushed the door open and walked in.
“Good evening, Mr. Sital.” Shaya bowed slightly and then got straight to the point, saying, “I would like to request you to witness a duel.”
Sital, who was originally polishing his magic armor, turned around, frowned as he looked at his student, and asked, “What happened this time?”
So Shaya recounted the whole story.
Throughout the process, the former Chief Judgment Knight furrowed his brows tightly, and it wasn’t until Shaya finished speaking that he let out a long breath and smiled helplessly, “Your temper is just like mine back in the day.”
While speaking, Sital sheathed the knight’s sword he had been holding back into the cabinet.
“I understand.” With his back to Shaya, he placed both hands on the cabinet, lost in thought, seemingly considering how to respond. “Although I am certain that your true capability is far beyond what meets the eye… but your opponent is a prodigy nurtured by the Round Table family with countless resources. For someone like you, with no background, it means you have to overcome a vast chasm.”
“Do you have confidence?”
“I will win.”
Shaya answered without hesitation.
Hearing this, Sital was slightly taken aback and turned his head to appraise his proud student, then shook his head with a chuckle.
In his estimation, Shaya was at most a one-star or two-star knight candidate, leagues away from Angelica.
But judging by his tone, it seemed he was quite confident?
Interesting.
With that thought, Sital grabbed the brightly silver knight’s sword with strange patterns on it from the table and threw it to Shaya: “Then, think of nothing else. Go win this battle, and defend your own honor!”
Upon receiving the sword, Shaya felt its weight and sharpness. It seemed to be a magical device, with matrix patterns engraved on it, but he didn’t know its specific effects.
Any weapon associated with the term magical device was definitely not cheap.
“Thank you for your help, Mr. Sital, but for this battle, I want to achieve an undisputed victory.” Shaya smiled as he set the sword down and directed his gaze towards the training ground outside the loft. “Since I was deemed a lower-class person with no background from the very start, to be exploited at will… then I think it would be more interesting to end this farce in the way of a ‘lower-class person.’”
“Oh? What are your thoughts?”
“Mr. Sital, can I borrow that pile of things?”
……
Overnight, news of Shaya challenging Angelica spread throughout the entire academy, drawing attention from upperclassmen to freshmen and igniting a heated discussion.
Who is Shaya?
This was the first reaction of the majority.
Upon learning the one-sided circumstances of the situation, they suddenly realized and unconsciously labeled the unknown freshman.
An arrogant clown!
Indeed, in the eyes of almost everyone, this duel seemed more like a farce. They couldn’t fathom the possibility of Shaya winning, and Angelica accepting this duel was something he should be profoundly thankful for.
After all, the opponent he faced was a gifted daughter from a Grand Noble family.
What is a Grand Noble?
In this era of weakened Vatican power and supreme royal authority, the great Hiren Emperor and the Twelve Nobles of the Round Table were the actual rulers of the country.
They firmly controlled resources such as minerals, food, wealth, military, healthcare, and education, cutting off the upward mobility of lower-class individuals and drawing a stark class divide between the commoners and nobles.
Four Beasts and Four Flowers, Two Stars and Two Swords.
This is a well-known saying used to describe the heraldic emblems represented by the twelve Round Table nobles.
For countless years, Algeira, one of the Four Beast families that dominates the Northern Earth Duchy, has never left the stage of history, and the sacred dragon emblem embroidered on their flag constantly roars with powerful influence to the world.
Shaya’s actions essentially represent a challenge not merely to a genius but to the thousand-year legacy behind that genius.
Using a phrase from his past life to describe it, it is no different from an ant shaking a tree.
Moreover, for most people in the academy, what instilled respect was actually Angelica’s unparalleled talent and strength.
Before Naya arrived, she was recognized as the strongest genius, and even now, she is undoubtedly the top.
A three-ring mage, only one step away from breaking through to the next realm.
If converted to the knight training level, she would be a five-star Grand Knight, just one step away from transcending the ordinary.
Such strength could even hold significant positions within several renowned royal knight orders.
Keep in mind, Angelica is only 19 this year.
Furthermore, this is just her most basic magical level. When counting the enhancements from ancient spell objects, magical devices, and other auxiliary tools, her power becomes even more unfathomable.
And in this academy, many people are extremely familiar with Angelica’s various achievements:
She holds the terrifying record of five hundred consecutive victories in the Arena.
At the academy exchange conference, she represented the students and won five battles, defeating the arrogance of exchange students from the academic capital.
While condensing the magic ring at the Mage Tower, she once triggered a miracle and gained the blessing of the God of Elements.
She founded and integrated the Blood Rose Association, becoming its first president.
She is also the leader of the Frost Moon Adventure Team, a golden-level adventurer, who once led her teammates to withstand a beast tide in the Northern Earth Duchy.
Numerous past feats prove that Angelica is the most dazzling presence in this academy—her family background, strength, appearance, all impeccable.
From any perspective, she completely outshines that unknown little noble from the countryside.
This would be an uncontroversial duel.
Even so, merely the mention of Angelica’s name was enough to compel most students to skip class just to witness this unequal duel.
It had been a long time since Sister Angelica last fought.
They all wanted to see the Ice Queen in action once more, crushing her opponent’s self-esteem to the ground.
What qualifications and confidence does a fallen noble from a small place have to challenge the most talented figure in the royal capital?
Holding a mindset of watching him make a fool of himself, the excitement around this news among the student body grew larger.
Eventually, it even caught the attention of the academic authorities.
Since the stakes of this duel involved an unprecedented title of a viscount, which is quite sensitive, it even aroused the interest of certain official forces.
Of course, these observations are more or less related to Angelica.
She is the eldest daughter of the Duke of Algeira, the leading figure of the younger generation in her family, and many are secretly speculating whether her actions involve some intent from her family’s side.
Is it possible that the Algeira family is planning some political maneuvers regarding granting titles?
With various speculations floating, time drifted on.
Amidst everyone’s silent anticipation, the third day at noon quietly arrived.
