As Gilbert and Athena made their way to the next testing site, a sudden look of recognition flashed across Athena's face. She turned to Gilbert, curiosity and a playful smile in her voice:
"Do you know who I saw today? Someone you know very well… Lucas."
Gilbert's eyes widened for a moment. He exchanged a brief glance with her, raising his right eyebrow in confusion, and spoke hesitantly:
"I didn't think he'd want to enroll here either, given how busy he is."
"True… I didn't expect it either, until I saw him in the same classroom as me this morning."
"I see… perhaps he has his reasons too."
"You can ask him when you meet him later. After all, you've been friends for years."
"Still… I'll step back from interfering in his affairs. He'll tell me whatever he's comfortable sharing."
"Very well, do what feels right for you."
By 4:30 PM, just minutes after the supervisor announced the end of the first phase of the practical tests, the second phase began: the fencing trials.
A tense, expectant atmosphere swept the courtyard, as the students' hearts raced while awaiting their turn on the stone arena.
Within five minutes, the first match began.
Each match lasted five minutes, meaning roughly twelve matches would be held within an hour. Ten matches passed, and now the next bout was about to start—the one Athena had been eagerly anticipating. But would it live up to her expectations?
Her opponent stepped into the center of the square arena, gripping his wooden sword firmly, while Athena followed with calm, steady steps.
He wore a forced, arrogant smile, and Athena immediately understood his mindset. She returned his smile, then whispered coolly:
"Try not to faint."
Her words twisted his expression into one of frustration. Unable to resist the provocation, he snapped sharply:
"Don't you dare cry when I mar that cursed face of yours!"
According to the fencing rules, one could strike anywhere as long as it forced the opponent to surrender or rendered them incapable of continuing—so long as the injuries were treatable. Verbal provocations, however, did not affect the rules, though composure and judgment in such situations would be assessed later.
The supervisor announced the start. The student lunged at her with maximum speed, swinging his sword in a rapid vertical strike.
A small smile curved Athena's lips as she whispered under her breath:
"A direct, reckless attack with glaring gaps… all from a little provocation? How disappointing… predictable."
He continued attacking, while she deftly dodged.
He had mastered the basics, but his impatience and personal emotions were draining his energy.
When their wooden swords clashed, Athena smoothly exploited his balance point, pushing his sword aside and causing him to falter. Without giving him a chance to recover, a precise strike sent him sprawling to the ground.
A stunned silence fell over the arena. Then, gradually, some onlookers' expressions softened with sympathy for the defeated.
Athena, trying to hide her grin behind her sleeve, tilted her head slightly and whispered:
"Sweet dreams at the infirmary."
The shock faded, replaced by cheers and excitement. No one expected a seemingly delicate girl to topple her opponent so decisively within five minutes.
Gilbert, observing from his seat, was absorbed in analyzing Athena's movements.
'Her attacks are sharper than before… but has her speed increased as well?
Ah… I'm curious—this will be entertaining to watch after so long.'
The crowd's noise snapped him back to reality. He noticed the state of his sister's opponent, then glanced at her proud expression and muttered wryly to himself:
"Bet he won't be up for two days, at least."
Athena exited the arena and waved toward Gilbert, a smile of pride on her face:
"How did I do?"
Gilbert smiled and replied without hesitation:
"I'm just thinking… I wouldn't want to be in that person's place."
Athena laughed softly. "I wouldn't have let him suffer like that if he hadn't provoked me first."
"You mean that look that says: Clearly this will be easy since my opponent is a girl? "
"See? Even you could tell what he was thinking from this distance… doesn't that mean he was mocking me? He learned his lesson. Won't make the same mistake twice."
Shortly, the crowd's cheers rose again, drawing Gilbert and Athena's attention to the next match. The victor was already decided—one student had knocked his opponent's sword away within moments.
Gilbert's eyes widened as he recognized the winner:
'Isn't that Lucas?
As expected, it didn't take him more than a minute to defeat someone with low fencing skills.'
Athena sighed beside him. "So he won't be your opponent… What a shame. I was hoping for a real challenge after so long."
Gilbert studied her for a moment, then smirked sarcastically:
"So that's why you were so overexcited earlier… Regardless, we still don't know who my opponent will be."
In a low, muttering tone, she added:
"Except for Lucas Hartford and William Astria… I don't know if anyone else can match you, brother."
He glanced at her briefly, as if processing her overconfidence, then sighed and continued:
"Aren't you overestimating me? Compared to what we've seen, our previous world was so small."
Athena, adopting a more serious tone, replied softly but audibly to Gilbert:
"If this concerns the mission, I agree. After all this, I plan to sneak into the senior girls' dormitory to check on Alice."
Gilbert noticed her lowered gaze and hesitant tone as she mentioned her sister. Concern was evident, prompting him to intervene:
"No need to force yourself. I can handle it."
Athena's eyes widened at his words. Shock washed away all hesitation, and she replied loudly, bewildered:
"Are you crazy? Brother… do you realize you'll be sneaking into the girls' dorm?
If you get caught, I can't imagine what will happen! And… it's inappropriate."
Gilbert acknowledged the moral implications but remained firm:
"I know it's risky… but I can do it."
Athena sighed, placing her hand on her head. Then a thought softened her expression as she looked at him:
"Brother… are you doing this because you fear confronting me directly?"
"…"
His silence confirmed her suspicion. She exhaled, adjusted his sleeve, and resumed:
"Brother… I should have handled this long ago. If I were stronger, I wouldn't have let the gap between us widen… But there's no point regretting now. I'll do what I must.
It's my duty to confront her eventually. I'm not the same child you knew. Just trust me a little."
Gilbert hesitated, then patted her head, acknowledging her resolve despite the weight of worry:
"Fine. I'll let you handle it this time, but promise me you won't push yourself too far. You can rely on me if it becomes too much."
"Okay, I promise… and you must do the same. You can rely on me for anything—you know I won't hold back."
"And I won't hold back either, Miss Little Lady. Just trust me."
A familiar voice came from behind Gilbert, addressing Athena. The speaker rested his hands on Gilbert's shoulders, pointing at him:
"And you too, young sir, shouldn't break into the girls' dorm, even if it's part of the mission. A gentleman must not act inappropriately, lest he lose his value in the eyes of ladies."
Gilbert brushed Ethan's hands away, glaring at him with irritation:
"Did you finish your point and come just to bother me? Spare me your nonsense—I already backed off."
Ethan chuckled and walked beside them, muttering:
"Just so you don't say I wander aimlessly… here's the latest. The lady received a message from her eldest daughter two days ago…"
His tone grew serious, observing their reactions. Both reacted in unison, eyes wide with surprise:
"What?"
Ethan continued without pause:
"It coincided with the last message I received… She said her eldest daughter discovered some unexpected matters she began investigating. So she shouldn't probe further before her mother acts…
The message lacked specifics and was somewhat vague, so it's unclear what exactly is happening with her daughter."
Gilbert frowned, considering the message, and asked hesitantly:
"Is the lady sure it's really from Alice and not forged?"
Ethan stared at him seriously:
"She says it's genuine. The style is unmistakable. Her messages are usually encrypted—no one can interpret them but her mother. So it's impossible for anyone else to know the true meaning."
Gilbert exhaled in relief and looked at Athena, whose expressions were tense at the sudden news, though she quickly adopted a serious demeanor:
"Then we stick to the original plan. I'll check if she's actually in the academy and investigate her movements over the past months. Brother, you wait and do nothing until we're sure. I'll update you later. Ethan, you know your role here, right?"
Ethan smiled with satisfaction:
"Of course. Leave the rest to me."
As the conversation continued between Ethan and Athena, Gilbert was lost in thought. Suddenly, a strange sensation made him look up instinctively.
Across the crowd, his eyes met a pair of oddly familiar, friendly eyes.
A tall girl with chestnut hair cascading lightly over her shoulders stood at a distance, hands behind her back, calm brown eyes fixed on him.
When she noticed their gaze meet, she smiled.
Though outwardly gentle, something lingered behind that smile. She seemed friendly but not entirely sincere. Her gaze was deep, unsettling, as if reading him—softly yet piercing, leaving him feeling slightly uneasy.
He turned his face, trying to ignore it… but the impression stayed.
'What's up with that girl?'