"How did you know Fiora would break off the engagement?" On the way back to Crown Guard Manor, Lux wore a stony expression, but inside she was full of curiosity. "You knew this was coming from the very beginning!"
"If you were Fiora, what would you do?" Karya didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked her, "Marry someone you didn't know? Or stand up and fight back?"
"...I'd fight back!" Lux hesitated for a moment, then said firmly. "Especially against someone like Gao Kan—but, then again, Mom and Dad would never do something like that!"
"The second half doesn't matter." Karya sounded more relaxed now. "The first half is all I need. In a way, Fiora is a lot like you. She won't accept fate's whims so easily, so something like this was bound to happen sooner or later."
"So now I just need to get ready for tomorrow's duel, right?" Lux nodded. "As for the outcome, should I hold back a little?"
"Get your attitude straight, Lux." Karya cut her off. "At your current level of swordsmanship, even with my help, you can't control the outcome of the duel. Just do your best."
"I feel like you're saying I'm bound to lose." Lux narrowed her eyes. "Have so little faith in me? I've already cleared the second part of the combat simulations..."
"See? You just had to make me spell it out." Karya sounded helpless and innocent. "Lady Fiora's talent for swordsmanship is truly astounding. You, on the other hand, are merely average."
"But the Laurent family's Mind's Eye Swordplay is famous for being all show and no substance." Lux sounded surprised. "I remember Aunt once commenting on their swordplay. She said it was more like dancing than swordsmanship..."
"Sounds like Lady Tiana was a lot like you when she was a student." Karya chuckled. "In fact, a century ago, Laurent's Mind's Eye Swordplay was renowned. Unfortunately, after they moved to Demacia City, noble life eroded their diligence. That's why each generation became worse than the last, until their swordsmanship turned into dance."
"There's a history like that?" Lux blinked. "That's hard to believe."
"So tomorrow, give it everything you've got." Karya reminded her again. "This is your final exam for three years of spellcasting and five years of practice tests!"
"Just watch me!"
While Lux was quietly speaking with Karya, she had already returned to Crown Guard Manor.
A messenger had arrived ahead of her and informed Ogesha and Tiana. Now that they'd heard Lux was back, they immediately sent someone to bring her to the reading room.
"Luxanna!"
As soon as Lux entered, Ogesha jumped to her feet. She shot her troublesome daughter a furious look.
The matriarch of the Crown Guard family wanted to raise a hand and smack Lux the way she did Garen. But when she saw her daughter, bare hands gripping the sword hilt tight, she couldn't bring herself to do it. In the end, she lowered her hand in frustration, shut the reading-room door, and pulled Lux into her arms.
"You silly girl!" Ogesha held Lux tight. "You didn't have to do this—"
"I had to. The Crownguards had to." Lux managed to pull free of her mother's embrace and sighed, looking a little helpless. "Even if Gao Kan really is an idiot who's completely unworthy of Lady Fiora... this concerns the entire family. Countless eyes in Demacia City are watching us, watching everything we do."
"You—"
Lux's words left Tiana and Ogesha speechless.
"I know exactly what our family's situation is." Lux spread her hands, looking as if there was nothing she could do. "Dili may be a disgrace, but he's still an asset to the family. When something like this happens, of course I have to do everything I can to help."
"..."
"I've been thinking a lot lately, about the family and about the future," Lux continued. "We're standing at a crossroads, but because of Lady Fiora's impulsiveness, we've lost our chance to make a mistake. The Crownguards are nobles, after all."
"I'm so glad you can think that way..." Lux's words filled Tiana with delight, but beneath that delight was a heartfelt pang of sorrow. "But you didn't have to face Fiora yourself. We could hire a champion for the duel. The Fearless Vanguard has plenty of fine young men who are good at dueling."
"A champion wouldn't be nearly as honorable." At the mention of the duel, Lux smiled with confidence. "Trust me. It'll be fine!"
"..."
Ogesha wanted to say, "How can I trust you?" But as she looked at Lux, so full of confidence, she couldn't bring herself to say it. She could only pull her daughter into another tight embrace, as if she wanted to squeeze her right into her arms.
Tiana could only sigh helplessly. There was no point saying anything now. She could already imagine how the nobles, who'd finally seized their chance, would promote this "duel to defend the honor of the Crownguards." If they could, they'd be delighted to see Lux fall in the Duel Hall!
As for asking His Majesty the King to witness the duel, rather than requesting Jiawen III to step in and mediate...
Tiana didn't believe Jiawen III would be willing to do that.
Unlike her brother, who was loyal to the King, Tiana preferred to think in terms of the family's interests.
In her eyes, the last thing Jiawen III wanted was for the Crown Guard family to grow stronger. A "lonely minister" with poor relations with the other nobles was probably exactly what His Majesty the King wanted to see.
The Lightshields needed the Crownguards to be at odds with every other noble family, yet utterly loyal to them.
If the Crownguards really branched out and expanded their connections in Demacia City's political scene, Jiawen III would probably lose sleep over it!
What a shame.
This marriage alliance should have sounded the call for the Crown Guard family's independent expansion. Instead, some hotheaded fool had ruined it.
And now Lux had to step in herself...
Dili... Gao Kan!
You two really were a pair, weren't you? You'd managed to become so despised that someone had publicly broken off an engagement with you. And I'd thought you had potential. I was even planning to give you a leg up!
Given the circumstances, the only thing that eased Tiana's mind a little was that Lux's swordsmanship really was solid.
Tiana had been personally involved in the turmoil in Silvermine City.
After a moment's hesitation, Tiana finally handed Lux a small amulet.
"Take this, dear." Tiana sighed. "Your uncle got it from the Illuminators. It'll protect you and keep you safe—and help you win."
Lux hesitated, then took the amulet and, following Tiana's instructions, put it around her neck.
"That's quite a treasure." After Lux put it on, Karya clicked his tongue. "Your aunt may be a thoroughly self-serving noble, but she really does love you. This amulet came from Kayle, and it looks quite old. If I'm not mistaken, it was probably a wedding gift exchanged between your aunt and uncle."
"..."
Lux ran her fingers over the amulet, feeling the strange power within it, and didn't answer Karya right away.
She could feel her aunt's love for her.
And it only strengthened her resolve to leave Demacia for a while.
Lux knew that her aunt had no children and loved her sincerely, as if she were her own daughter.
And though Lux knew perfectly well that she and her aunt were not alike, she loved Tiana just as much.
When they couldn't convince or change each other with words, it was better to stay apart for a while.
Just wait and see, Aunt!
I'll prove that I'm right!
Before you continue