Everyone was just going through the motions.
But at the most crucial moment, Fiora, the very person at the heart of the engagement, stepped forward and broke with the established proceedings.
Fiora's choice took everyone by surprise.
So much so that many of the guests, who hadn't been paying any attention to the people getting engaged, didn't even realize what was happening at first. They thought Fiora had said, "I do."
And so, at this already absurd wedding, an even more absurd scene unfolded. Some guests were still applauding out of habit, only to notice that most of the people around them were silent, staring blankly at Fiora in the middle of the hall. They stopped clapping only when the awkwardness became too much.
"I refuse." Perhaps to make sure those who hadn't been paying attention understood her choice, Fiora once again announced her decision, her voice ringing out clearly. "My life is mine to decide—I'm calling off the engagement!"
The guests erupted in an uproar.
No one could have imagined that Fiora would announce she was calling off the engagement at the ceremony itself!
Every year, one or two rebellious young men or women could be found among the noble families of Demacia City. But in the past several decades, Fiora was probably the only one to unilaterally call off an engagement at the ceremony!
Sebastian, who had been all smiles, watched his face turn visibly from rosy to ashen at his daughter's words.
Dili, who had been in equally high spirits, was now utterly dumbfounded.
Dili knew he hadn't handled things cleanly in Silvermine City. It might not count in his favor with Lux, so he'd chosen to attach himself to Tiana and build his career in the military.
Dili himself had no desire to risk his life on the front lines, and his son Gao Kan wasn't cut out for it either. Now that he'd seen Fiora, with her astonishing swordsmanship, he was naturally happy to help bring about this marriage.
Truthfully, he admired Fiora's stubbornness. Talented people always had a bit of a temper!
Dili was sure Fiora would make a name for herself in the military, and when she did, his family would rise with her.
He'd even already decided that if his son didn't behave after the wedding, he'd simply break his legs. A wife like this was too useful to pass up!
Dili knew Fiora was stubborn, and he knew she looked down on Gao Kan. There was no love between them at all.
But... that didn't matter.
In Demacia, love wasn't just unimportant in noble marriages—it was practically nonexistent.
To the nobility, marriage had always been a tool for forging alliances.
Love?
What the hell was love!
But Dili clearly hadn't realized that Fiora's stubbornness had reached the point where she would defy the rules of the nobility!
Nor had he realized that Fiora's pride in herself mattered even more to her than her noble status!
In this situation, Dili could only tremble, his lips moving, unable to utter a word.
Before the guests could react, Sebastian, his face ashen, had already strode over to Fiora. He grabbed his daughter and, without a shred of decorum, tried to cover her mouth.
Please, I'm begging you. You're the one in charge here, all right? Stop talking!
At a time like this, are you trying to make an enemy of the Crownguards for life?
But it was no use.
Fiora simply dodged her father's grasp and spoke her mind loudly.
"I would rather die than accept a predetermined fate where others control my life!"
The church hall's unusual acoustics carried Fiora's words clearly into the ears of everyone present.
Every noble heard her.
And with the nobles as witnesses, her words would truly decide her fate.
Just as Fiora finished speaking, Lux parted the crowd and came to stand before her.
"Miss Fiora Laurent—you're calling off your engagement in front of all these nobles!" Lux's brows knitted together, her expression utterly solemn. "Am I to take this as an insult to the reputation of the Crownguard family?"
"I mean no offense!" This time, Fiora finally stopped dodging her father's grasp. She stood her ground, gave a slight bow, then spoke with quiet resolve. "But I have no intention of getting engaged... especially not to a fool like him!"
"Then I'm afraid I must apologize, Miss Fiora." At those words, Lux removed her glove without the slightest hesitation. "To defend the reputation of the Crownguard family, I'll see you in the dueling hall. I'll ask His Majesty to witness it!"
With that, she promptly tossed the glove into Fiora's arms and turned to leave!
At Lux's words, and at the sight of the glove she'd thrown, the nobles—who had been whispering among themselves and looking forward to a good show—were finally left utterly stunned!
Using a duel to clear one's name was nothing unusual.
The problem was that, by Demacian custom, nobles could appoint champions to fight on their behalf. After challenging Fiora, Lux could have chosen any skilled duelist to represent her!
Instead, Lux had taken off her own glove. In other words, she intended to fight herself!
That left Fiora no choice but to fight in person too. Sebastian, who had been about to step forward, could only stand there dumbly, at a loss.
Even though Lux was now over five and a half feet tall and didn't look much smaller than an adult, she was only thirteen!
Now, thirteen-year-old Luxanna Crown Guard had formally challenged eighteen-year-old Fiora Laurent to a duel, in defense of her family's honor, with the King as witness!
To Sebastian, it didn't matter how the duel turned out. His family was finished.
Once they realized this, the nobles present couldn't help but whisper among themselves, even though they knew it wasn't the time. They waited until they'd stepped aside to let Lux leave before the murmuring began.
Lux's choice was perfectly in keeping with noble rules.
But she'd thrown herself into the fray, leaving herself no room to back down. It was a choice no one could fault, yet it still seemed unbelievable.
Still, despite their shock, quite a few nobles were secretly delighted to see it.
As a Noble Exemplar and the sort of child other parents wished they had, Lux was widely praised among the nobility—but that didn't mean everyone wanted her to succeed.
Lux had once delivered a stunning strike in Silvermine City, but the nobles of Demacia City considered it mostly exaggerated hype. No one had ever heard of the little Crownguard princess training with a sword. And since the incident had happened in Silvermine City, it was probably just the Crownguard family drumming up publicity.
Her opponent, Fiora... now there was someone worth watching.
Who in Demacia City didn't know that Miss Fiora preferred arms to finery?
Plenty of nobles even said in private that if Fiora hadn't been born into the fallen Laurent family, she'd soon have become a second Tiana!
Comparing the two, the nobles could see that Lux seemed certain to lose. She was doing her utmost to defend her family's honor, and she might well end up paying for it with her life!
Ha! So you like acting like a Noble Exemplar, and you can't swallow your pride, huh?
Well, looks like you've gotten yourself into quite a mess!
You really are still too green. A noble's reputation matters, but what's beneath the surface matters more!
You've saved face for now, but you might lose your life in the dueling hall.
Young people—don't get too hot-headed!
Once they realized this, many nobles went to Jiawen III that very afternoon, urging the King to step in and oversee the situation—to "witness this great duel."
That's right. Most of the nobles very much wanted Lux to go through with the duel against Fiora, and they were just as happy to see Lux get into trouble.
Wouldn't it be even better if the King's loyal lapdog stopped behaving herself and got killed for her meat instead?
What's more, those who wanted Jiawen III to step in were especially self-righteous about it.
After all, Lux was defending her family's honor. If Jiawen III stopped the duel now, he'd be bringing shame upon the Crownguard family!
Jiawen III wanted to defuse the situation, but he thought long and hard and still couldn't come up with a solution that would satisfy everyone. The whole mess had started with Fiora calling off the engagement; Lux had issued the challenge, but the nobles of Demacia City were the ones insisting the duel had to go ahead!
To anyone looking on, this was all happening because Lux was young and hot-headed, and cared too much about honor. She'd been backed into a corner, unable to advance or retreat, and could only stubbornly throw herself into the fray, suffering for the sake of her pride.
But unfortunately, few people knew that this time, Lux had brought the trouble on herself.
She really was standing over a fire.
But she was the one who'd stoked it.
Before you continue