Settling the Score

"Big Sister, can you handle this?" Allen looked at Dina uneasily.

After their discussion just now, he had no choice but to agree to let Dina vent her anger and accept Dick's challenge.

Dick could follow the rules of a mage duel and have Jess join the battle as his follower.

And Allen, unable to refuse Dina, agreed to let his personal maid temporarily act as his follower and take the field with him.

Dina stubbornly pursed her thick lips and said indignantly, "Rest assured, Second Young Master. I'll deal with that Qi Warrior, and you can give that Magic Apprentice another good beating for Nana. Piss off that old bastard Austin."

Dina's anger came out of nowhere. As one of the Barbarians of the Wasteland, she hated being called a barbarian most of all. Austin's "barbarian" insult had not been aimed at her, but at Allen. The person involved understood, Dick and Jess understood, everyone understood—except the single-minded Dina.

On the other side of the Training Ground, Jess whispered something to Dick, then activated the Battle Aura throughout his body. A golden glow covered him like a thin membrane, making him look quite imposing.

Allen was startled by Jess, who looked like a human lightbulb.

"Don't be afraid, Second Young Master. It's just some insignificant Battle Aura. It only looks scary," Dina said confidently. "Nana has taught plenty of blind fools like him a lesson before."

Jason, standing in the distance, curled his lips, though his eyes were fixed only on Allen.

As the escort warrior for the two mages this time, he was not only a royal guard but also the Grand Duke's personal guard. Aside from protecting the two mages along the way, his most important mission was to see how the Grand Duke's second son was doing.

Before coming here, Jess had only wanted to watch a show. His master, the Grand Duke—Allen's father—had wasted countless years of time and effort trying to cultivate his foolish youngest son, yet received nothing in return.

Many people felt it was not worth it for the Grand Duke, Jess included.

But everything that had just happened made Jess see Allen in a new light. He wanted to know what the Grand Duke's son was really capable of. Before this useless young master had been sent to Outpost County, he had clashed with plenty of people in the Royal City. Nearly every noble youth with any name to speak of had beaten him up before. Otherwise, he would not have earned the title of trash for no reason.

Jess had serious doubts. With the strength Allen had just displayed, most of those spoiled noble brats in the Royal City would not even be able to take a single move from him. Had he been hiding his abilities all along?

Jess could hardly wait to probe Allen's true abilities. As a personal guard under the Grand Duke, he understood better than anyone how desperately his master hoped his second son would shine.

Allen had no idea where Dina's confidence came from, and he gave his personal maid a puzzled look.

Austin, watching from the side, said disdainfully, "You don't know your place. You're actually bringing your own maid into battle. There isn't another idiotic noble like you in the kingdom. Such an ugly woman—"

Austin could not finish his sentence. Dina turned and walked to the weapon rack, casually pulling out a Wolf-tooth Club over a meter long as if she were drawing out a firewood stick. She weighed it in her hand twice, apparently finding it too light and awkward. Then, with a bang, she tossed it onto the ground, shattering the stone tiles beneath it.

"What did you just say, old man?" Dina asked seriously, apparently having genuinely not heard him. "I didn't catch that. If you've got something to say, spit it out. Don't start whining after you lose."

"N-No... nothing!" Austin waved his hands awkwardly.

The Wolf-tooth Club was obviously solid. The sound it made when it hit the ground made his eyelids twitch wildly. Heavy weapons like Wolf-tooth Clubs were generally used by Strongmen, one chosen from every hundred in a legion, to smash down city gates. He simply could not imagine that a rough-looking maid possessed such tremendous strength.

In the distance, Jess felt his heart beating a little faster as he looked helplessly at the slender sword in his hand.

After tossing aside the Wolf-tooth Club, Dina pulled up the Seven-Meter Dragon Spear from the ground. She waved it around twice, then held it horizontally with a satisfied expression and pointed its tip directly at Jess.

Jess jumped in fright and hurriedly dragged Dick several steps back.

The spear tip had nearly stabbed him in the nose.

Austin wanted to shout that it was unfair, but though he opened his mouth wide, no words came out.

Just moments ago, he had thought the weapons in the Training Ground were merely crude decorations. Only now did he realize that someone actually used those heavy weapons on a regular basis.

At that moment, he felt truly foolish. It would have been better if he had simply left this damned place earlier. Why had he insisted on making such a pointless argument out of pride?

That Seven-Meter Dragon Spear was not a weapon at all. Who would use such an absurdly long spear as a weapon?

No matter how ignorant he was, he knew that such giant weapons were generally used by defenders to repel enemy cavalry, held together by several people. Other than Dragon Knights standing at the peak of the pyramid, who might wave one around for show, no one used them. Yet this incredibly burly maid was wielding one as a weapon. Since when had a female Dragon Knight appeared on the continent?

Austin had suspected from the beginning that this maid might be a Wilderness Barbarian, but even Wilderness Barbarians, famed for their immense strength, could not possibly be this outrageous, could they?

Holding a Seven-Meter Dragon Spear as lightly as if it weighed nothing—after a little training, she would become a human meat grinder on the battlefield. Why the hell were you debasing yourself as a maid instead of joining the army?

This was insane... utterly insane, Austin screamed inwardly.

Standing in the cold autumn wind, he felt that this Old Castle was filled with intense malice.

Meanwhile, Jess's Battle Aura trembled across his body, revealing the stormy turmoil in his heart.

The moment Dina found a weapon that suited her, he suddenly realized how foolish he had been. Why had he opened his mouth and agreed to help Dick?

"You ignorant master and servant!" Dick, whose eyes had already gone red, mocked them. "Do you think crude strength alone can stand against a noble mage and a powerful Qi Warrior? You truly are ignorant country bumpkins."

Jess, standing beside him, nearly lost his mind. He wanted nothing more than to stab the blabbering Dick to death with one thrust.

Was that crude strength? Aside from a Dragon Knight, had he ever seen anyone wield a Seven-Meter Dragon Spear with such force using nothing but brute strength?

And stand against a powerful Qi Warrior? When that maid had pulled out the Seven-Meter Dragon Spear just now, he had nearly collapsed.

Jess thought for a long time. Aside from Dragon Knights, he had never heard of anyone who could use such a thing as a weapon, even with Battle Aura enhancement, let alone relying on their own strength.

In legion warfare, a Strongman like this would be more destructive than ten Magic Apprentices combined. Jess was beginning to wonder whether he should go easy on her. If she were recommended to the kingdom's legions, the Legion Commanders would fight until their heads bled to claim her.

But then he thought again and discovered, sadly, that going easy on her was beside the point. Whether he could beat her at all was another question entirely.

"Come on! You arrogant fools, accept Nana's wrath!" Dina still remembered being called a barbarian. Gripping the dragon spear in one hand, she charged forward.

Allen did not even get a chance to act, because there was no need. Just now, he had thought Dina possessed a bit of an expert's bearing and had wondered whether some peerless master was hiding at his side.

But now, he realized he had overestimated his personal maid.

Dina clearly had never learned any Martial Skills. The Seven-Meter Dragon Spear in her hands was not for thrusting at all—it was for smashing, or more precisely, sweeping.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! The sounds rang out without pause. Almost none of the stone tiles on the Training Ground escaped destruction; they were all smashed into fragments.

Jess had long forgotten about testing Allen's abilities. Relying only on his nimble movements, he kept jumping and dodging.

But with every bang, Jess felt his eyelids twitch. It was not that he did not want to close in and engage her, but she swung that enormous weapon as effortlessly as though it were a fire poker. Each time she smashed it down, she immediately raised it and brought it down again. There was not the slightest opening to exploit, and he had no chance to counterattack.

Dick, meanwhile, had already passed out with his head covered in lumps.

Dick had originally intended to chant a spell, but when the dragon spear smashed into the ground, countless flying stones struck him in the head. After taking the powerful impact, the unfortunate Magic Apprentice fell backward once again. He did not cast a single spell, leaving Jess alone to hold on.

After dodging for so long, Jess finally had nowhere left to run. Seeing the dragon spear crashing down toward his head, he could only concentrate his Battle Aura into his sword and raise it horizontally to block.

The sword, carefully forged by a dwarven craftsman, shattered into fragments the moment it collided with the cheaply made raw-iron dragon spear, which was over twenty centimeters in diameter.

The dragon spear struck Jess squarely on the shoulder without surprise. The high-level Qi Warrior, who had once reaped countless lives on the battlefield, dropped helplessly to his knees, his shoulder a bloody mess.

"Enough!" Allen ran over and stopped Dina before she could continue her assault.

Dina cast a satisfied glance at the dumbfounded Austin outside the field, tossed down the Seven-Meter Dragon Spear, and gently smoothed the wrinkles on her maid outfit. There was not even a trace of sweat on her face.

Looking at the two men on the field, one injured and the other crippled, Austin's eyes were filled with almost tangible hatred when he looked at Allen. He could imagine the ridicule he would suffer after returning to the Royal City.

Allen gave him an indifferent glance, the corner of his mouth curling into a mocking smile.

Dina poked her Second Young Master again with fingers as thick as little radishes.

Only then did Allen remember the important matter. He walked over to Austin and asked, "Old man, did I pass the Magic Apprentice examination?"

Austin snorted coldly, which counted as an acknowledgment.

"Then those ten Gold Coins you promised to give me every month still count, right?" Allen pressed.

"Of course they count!" Austin said through gritted teeth. "But don't forget—anyone in the kingdom who offends a Court Mage will come to no good end, even a Grand Duke's son."

Dina curled her lips. Keep bragging.

Allen leaned closer, his face expressionless as he said in a low voice, "There have been many, many people who said they would kill my entire family. I wonder whether anyone visits their graves during the holidays now, to burn incense for those wandering ghosts."

Austin stared blankly at Allen. For one brief moment, he could not reconcile the young man before him with the famously useless noble of the Royal City. That emotionless threat sounded as though Allen were merely stating an ordinary fact.

The old mage felt a slight chill run through his body. After taking another careful look at Allen, he silently walked to the center of the Training Ground and helped Jess and Dick up. After glancing fearfully at Dina, he lowered his head and left the Old Castle.

After the three of them left, Allen looked at the devastated Training Ground and shot Dina a reproachful glance.

Dina stuck out her large tongue, apparently thinking she looked adorable.

"By the way, I count as a Magic Apprentice now, right?" Allen asked happily.

"Second Young Master, I think... I think we forgot to ask that old man for the mage robe and badge."

Allen slapped his forehead. Only then did he remember that Austin and the other two had arrived empty-handed. They had probably never intended to prepare those things in the first place. No wonder they had left so quickly.

At a top-floor window of the Old Castle, Old Butler Leisi narrowed his eyes with an ambiguous smile as he watched Austin's retreating figure and muttered to himself.

"You people know what's good for you. I can't be bothered bullying you, either. But the Second Young Master... he really has changed a lot."