VIP Chapter 91: The Erroneous Sword Dance
Miss Treya stood backstage, beyond the thick curtain, recalling the feeling she’d just had. Only she knew that her heart had been racing when she’d calmly taken the cup from Eugenie. Moreover… “She got too close…” Thinking this, Miss Treya covered her left eye with her gloved hand. “Gloomy…” She had walked towards them. “Black…” She had picked up the orange juice. “Dirty…” She had taken a sip and handed it away. “Slowly ‘polluting’ the little remaining ‘color’…” This was not an absentminded act of the usually scatterbrained Miss Treya; she had done it on purpose. In her eyes, Eugenie was like a pool of black ink, gradually dyeing everything around her black. But… Eugenie was now in her grasp. When she handed the cup she’d drunk from to Will, she saw Eugenie’s ugly expression, barely suppressing her anger. “There won’t be a next time, sister…” Before Miss Treya realized it, the corner of her right mouth turned up slightly. Suddenly, the curtain in front of her was pulled open. Clad in black light armor, she was exposed to everyone. Miss Treya stared at the light shining on her and was stunned, her eyes widening. “May He continue to bless our Entak clan as always.” “Offer Him a sincere Demonic Sword Arts sword dance.” “To receive the crowning of the ‘Divine Pot’—” In front of her was the priest officiating the festival. Bathed in the sunlight overhead, he spread his arms and pointed at Miss Treya. “Yes.” Miss Treya nodded and walked forward step by step. Finally, she turned around, facing the oddly shaped teapot placed above, and bowed with her hand on her chest. This signified that the sword dance that followed was to be performed for it. This was also one of the essential rituals. “Then…” She reached to her waist and drew her usual silver sword. Although the silver sword was a bit old… this silver sword had accompanied her as she grew. She had used it for so long while practicing sword fighting with Eugenie. Therefore, she chose it for such an important occasion. Miss Treya aimed the sword tip at the stands before her, then flicked it upward, before holding it upright at her chest, a standard pose for issuing a challenge. She gazed at the two people sitting behind the first tier of square tables. One was on the right side of the sword, colored. One was on the left side, black. “Treya’s sword dance demonstration begins now.” The most important part of the Crowning Festival began with the drop of Miss Treya’s sword tip. ~~~ “How… how is this possible? This… this isn’t the Entak Style at all!” Eugenie knew something was wrong the moment she saw Miss Treya swing her first sword! From the dark-toned clothes she wore initially. To her abandoning the Entak Style she taught her on stage now. And then… the sharp glint in her eyes as she glanced in Eugenie’s direction on stage, intentionally or not. “Of course, it’s not the Entak Style—or rather, not for now.” Will, sitting on the other side of the aisle due to being “of the same generation,” replied as if he had expected it. The sword dance Miss Treya was demonstrating on stage… was a dance she had created herself, combining the most basic elements of swordplay from when she was five with her own understanding of swordsmanship over the years. It was completely different from her previous performances of the first through eleventh forms of the Entak Style. But… even with basic sword forms, when paired with Miss Treya’s serious demeanor, graceful movements, and perfect execution of each strike, it was highly captivating. “Will Systom! You again?!” “As her recognized young fiancé, is there anything wrong with spending the weekend practicing sword techniques with your future wife and, incidentally… correcting some of her mistakes?” As Will spoke, he didn’t forget to drink the orange juice he had just taken from Miss Treya. Of course… choosing this particular sword dance performance was not “entirely without controversy.” Sitting in the second row, one could already overhear whispers from the first. These included comments like, “This doesn’t seem to be the Entak Style,” “Is this really okay?” and “This is a very important festival…” “Young Master, is this really alright? For Miss Treya to choose something like this on such an occasion…” As Iaar served Will tea, she also overheard the surrounding discussions and leaned in to ask Will with concern. “Of course, it’s fine. However…” Will first soothed Iaar, then turned to look at Eugenie beside him. “Miss Eugenie knows best whether it’s fine, doesn’t she?” Hearing this, Eugenie clenched her fists. “Because your Entak Style, not only was it secretly tampered with in several places by you, Teacher, but also…” Will couldn’t hold back anymore. Since they had fallen out, he was determined to rub it in! He would settle all the grievances Miss Treya had suffered and his own future grievances today! “Before your Crowning Festival at fifteen, your basic sword forms were a complete mess. As for your Demonic Sword Arts, after completing the basic swinging moves above… you suddenly learned them, didn’t you?” “…How do you know?” “Uh-huh. There really are no secrets that can be kept forever. If you can find out what I encountered at school, then I can naturally find out how you learned it, can’t I?” Alright. Will admitted that he just happened to know from “the future”—the legitimate and true Demonic Sword Arts of Entak was only the one learned under the demon’s gaze during the Crowning Festival; all others were mere imitations and flawed. Therefore, the source of Eugenie’s “correct Demonic Sword Arts” was worth investigating. The fact that she knew how flawed they could be and taught them to Miss Treya was even more worth considering. This only proved that she not only knew the correct way but was also intimately familiar with the incorrect ways. Thus… during these two days of entering the Royal Palace, he had inquired around among the more respected “servants” and also had Iaar pay attention. Some of these servants had attended Eugenie’s Crowning Festival years ago—like the tea-serving maids, just like Iaar. From these scattered words and phrases, he could piece together Eugenie’s situation back then. This gave Will even more reassurance. As Miss Treya’s sword dance on stage became increasingly peculiar, with her moves emphasizing simplicity and power, discussions began to rise from the back rows—as there were some marginalized nobles in the back rows who had learned the basic Entak sword forms. Then… these discussions were interrupted by Emperor Edward’s sharp, forceful clink of his teacup. “…It’s coming…” Will heard his subtle voice and looked up at the same time. Squinting, that bizarre teapot… was not glowing. On the contrary, on the stage where the light was focused, only its position seemed to absorb all the light, becoming a dark spot. ~~~ Once Miss Treya entered the practice of sword technique, she became exceptionally engrossed, focusing on every step, every move, and every sword strike. Focusing on the colorful energy flowing around her. And… her rapidly beating heart. She didn’t even hear the surrounding discussions. Listening to her own heart. —Tī. Listening to her own desires. —Huá. Grasping her own desires. —Zhǎn. She finally knew what she truly wanted… As Miss Treya completed her turn and took her final step… all the colors around her disappeared, as if condensed into a single point, all turning black. She stepped into this pitch-black space.
