Confrontation with the Maid

Opening the delicate birdcage, he clapped his hands.

A Star Crow immediately flew out of the cage and landed on Aurelian's shoulder, tilting its little head as if sizing up its master.

Aurelian stroked the Star Crow's head with his finger, then rolled up a letter and tucked it into the scroll tube strapped to the bird's right shank.

"Deliver this to Byron in Dusk City. You know the way."

"Caw-caw!"

The Star Crow let out a cry, took flight from Aurelian's shoulder, exited through the window, and vanished into the sky.

Watching the Star Crow disappear with the letter, he turned and returned to his bedroom.

Just as he opened the door, Aurelian found Jeanne standing in the room, while Roundball lay on the bed, using its long tongue to scoop cookies into its mouth one by one.

A flash of silver light streaked across his eyes; he looked down to realize the maid was holding that silver cross-shaped longsword.

The maid turned around, expressionless, and said coldly, "Master, please spar with me."

"Uh, this..."

Aurelian froze, cold sweat breaking out on his body.

Why was Jeanne holding a magic weapon? Had she finally decided he was unreliable and resolved to chop him down, or did she think he was a social degenerate for tricking Fuzzy Ball and employing child labor?

"Master, let us have a match." Jeanne said again.

"Can I refuse?"

Aurelian's face was plastered with a fake smile that even he found unconvincing.

He felt that his life was just too difficult.

Darwin stood outside the arena, looking terrified and trembling; two Lower Rank powerhouses were about to have a go in the training grounds.

He glanced to the side, where his superior, Master, was watching with rapt attention.

Ever since they returned from the Spruce Forest last week, Darwin felt his superior had suddenly become a different person.

He spent all day in the training grounds with his knight's longsword, Moonlight, practicing the most basic strikes, thrusts, and slashes over and over again, not even using the combat techniques most vital to a knight.

What scared Darwin most was that his superior seemed to have lost interest in noble status and no longer complained all day about why he had been assigned to this place.

Perhaps it had to do with the fact that Master had suddenly attained Lower Rank strength back in the Spruce Forest, Darwin speculated.

A young voice pulled him back to reality.

"Jeanne, I won't hold back like the knight commander, or I won't even know how I lost."

Aurelian wasn't wearing heavy knight armor; he traveled light, pointing Innocent Starlight at the beautiful girl opposite him with one hand.

Master's face twitched upon hearing this.

"Master, I will also give it my all."

The maid looked earnest, then drew the cross-shaped longsword that had once sliced the Storm Overlord into an ice sculpture.

Don't, please don't, don't give it your all—I was just talking big!

Aurelian roared internally. He knew Jeanne's strength all too well, and she even possessed the ultimate technique of Ethereal Meditation; he had no idea how he was supposed to win.

"Sigh, let's give it our all then."

He let out a sigh, his face filled with resolve.

Even if he couldn't win, he had to try.

Hum—

The blade of Innocent Starlight trembled slightly, and brilliant starlight shimmered and shone.

He went all out from the start, betting everything on this.

Aurelian knew that in terms of swordsmanship, combat techniques, and speed, he was completely crushed by the maid.

But there was one point where they stood on equal footing.

They both possessed Lower Rank magic; in essence, there was no difference.

Although he didn't know what Jeanne's magic attribute was—it was certainly a rare one—Aurelian was confident he wouldn't be countered, for Star Magic had no natural enemies.

Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire were the four standard magic attributes.

Earth countered Water, Water countered Fire, Fire countered Wind, and Wind countered Earth; they mutually restrained one another. Dawn and Darkness suppressed each other, and only special magic like Ice or Stars had no natural elemental predators.

Now that he had mastered Ethereal Meditation, if it came down to a pure contest of magic power...

Aurelian believed he wasn't without a chance of victory!

Jeanne, opposite him, did not show weakness either; the silver blade of Atonement was filled with golden flowing light.

Divine, majestic, and aloof.

It was as if the gates of heaven had opened to proclaim themselves to the world.

The elite knights watching from the sidelines gasped; this was their first time witnessing a duel between powerhouses of the Lower Rank!

The hot-tempered Russell spoke to the knight watching beside him.

"Thomas, I bet ten Moon Silver Coins that Master Aurelian will win."

"It seems you are walking right into a trap; I'll add another ten Moon Silver Coins, the Grand Knight Commander will definitely win."

Thomas was a good-natured man, but like Russell, he loved to gamble; however, unlike the hot-tempered Russell, he often won, while Russell often lost.

"Wuya, wuya."

Roundball, still happily munching on a biscuit in the distance, was a bit confused—why were the two humans it was closest to fighting?

"Take this!"

Innocent Starlight slashed out a brilliant, colorful sword beam, heading straight for Jeanne.

It streaked across the sky, kicking up a cloud of dust from the ground.

The maid remained as steady as a mountain, standing with her sword held firm, as Atonement suddenly erupted with the Light of Heaven, enveloping Jeanne entirely.

The fierce sword beam met the light and instantly vanished into nothingness.

Thomas smiled at the Russell beside him, but the hot-tempered Russell merely snorted and continued to watch the arena.

Aurelian, whose move had been broken, did not lose heart; this was merely a test, after all.

"Again!"

Stomping his foot against the ground and kicking up a spray of dust, Aurelian transformed into a blur, charging toward Jeanne, who was still shrouded in golden light.

He was truly holding nothing back, simply because he wanted to know exactly where his strength stood and how it compared to Jeanne, who stood at the pinnacle of the Lower Rank Magic level.

Everyone watching the battle held their breath, including Master, who kept wondering how long he could last if he were to join the fray now.

Under the backdrop of the golden light, Jeanne remained expressionless, watching with cold eyes as Aurelian drew ever closer.

Aurelian's heart tightened—it wouldn't be another trick, would it?

But there was no chance to turn back; he had to see this through to the end!

With Innocent Starlight held in both hands, he swung it toward Jeanne, who was now within arm's reach, with unstoppable momentum.

Jeanne, who had remained motionless until now, finally stirred.

She raised Atonement.

BOOM—

With the two of them at the center, a circular ripple of magic surged outward, sending the dust on the ground spiraling into the sky.