My mind was still replaying memories with her.
I was a fool. A complete fool for not recognizing her from the very start.
I mean which commoner or thief shows that level of elegance? That grace in every movement? That confidence that screamed royalty?
And not only that, she had given me a healing potion back in my town. A sign I completely ignored. No thief in their right mind would ever give away something that precious to a stranger.
Then I recalled Queen Aaliyah at the banquet. Those wrathful eyes boring into me. Ready to have me thrown into a dungeon.
But the moment she saw Freya standing nearby, her entire demeanor changed suddenly. Shifted from murderous to calculating.
Again, I was ignorant.
The summon she possessed. The money she carried. The way she moved through noble circles. Everything had been a sign pointing to the truth.
And I missed every single one.
"Ha."
A single laugh escaped my lips.
"Haha."
It grew louder.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
I threw my head back and laughed. Truly laughed. The kind of unhinged laughter that made people question whether you belonged in a mental institution or a throne room.
The crowd murmured in confusion. Some pointed. Others whispered.
Thalia looked at me with genuine concern. "Eren, are you—"
"PRINCESS!" I spread my arms wide, still cackling like a madman. "The woman I accused of stealing! The woman I called a beggar and whatever insult came to my mind!"
I wiped tears from my eyes. My stomach hurt from laughing.
"And she just stood there! Taking every insult like some kind of... of..."
I couldn't even finish. The absurdity was simply too much to process.
Freya's expression remained unreadable. Cold as always. But I caught something in her eyes. A flicker of amusement perhaps?
"Are you done?" Her voice was ice. "Or should I wait for your mental breakdown to conclude before I crush you?"
I stopped laughing. Met her gaze directly.
"You know what's funny, Princess? You could have shut me up at any moment. One word. One revelation. And I would have been in big trouble. Probably executed."
I tilted my head thoughtfully.
"But you didn't. Which either means you're a masochist who was taking it all in, waiting for the perfect moment to strike and ruin me. Like a lamb being fed before his end."
I smiled.
"Or you actually enjoyed our conversations. The real ones. Where titles didn't matter. Let me correct myself or you enjoyed my insulting side and maybe liked me."
I expected some blushing. Some crack in that icy facade. But no she had perfect control over her emotions. Not a single twitch.
"Believe whatever delusions comfort you." She raised her hand dismissively. "They won't save you from what's coming now and after this match."
"Oh, I'm more scared than you know. Trust me, if things weren't like this, I would have shown you a different side of me in this fight. But it's too late now."
She had a grin. Dangerous. Predatory. "Seems like you've lost it. You don't know what you're saying."
"You'll get it after the fight ends. But yeah, I've lost it—how could I not? If you had told me you were a princess, I could have taken way more money from you on loan and bet them all today!"
Her face dropped from amusement to raging in a single second.
"You greedy bastard."
FWOOOOSH!
A summon materialized beside her. Golden armor gleaming. Presence overwhelming.
Ashen—the same golden knight who had slaughtered those bandits in mere seconds back in the forest. The one she had claimed to be SS-rank.
Seeing that, Thalia responded immediately. Both her summons materialized at her side—Lady Aerin floating gracefully, Leena readying her bow.
Beatrice did the same. Three summons emerged around her in rapid succession. A small army.
Taking that as my signal, I cracked my neck. Rolled my shoulders.
"ZENOS! MARCUS!"
Crimson and azure energy swirled violently as my two idiots materialized.
Marcus immediately started flexing his muscles. "Finally! A stage worthy of my—"
"Shut up."
He shut up.
The announcer's voice boomed across the arena. "COMBATANTS READY?"
I didn't waste time. Quickly activated my Appraisal Sight. Ten seconds to gather everything.
First target my opponent directly in front. Beatrice.
She had three summons arrayed around her.
The first was clad entirely in black. Total black attire even his mask which covered his whole face was pitch dark. Only his silver eyes were visible, gleaming through the shadows like a predator stalking prey.
─────────────────────
SUMMON ANALYSIS
─────────────────────
Shadowstep Ninja — Rank B
Weapon: Twin short blades (ninjato)
Combat Style: Fast melee strikes,
close-range assassination,
hit-and-run tactics
Skill — [Shadow Blink]:
► Instantly teleport within
1 meter radius of current position
─────────────────────
Teleportation ability. Pain in the ass.
She could use both him and the numbers game to attack me directly. She wouldn't care about minus points for attacking a summoner—I could see the rage burning in her eyes. The same rage I had possessed a month ago when I had humbled the family.
Revenge. She wanted it badly.
I looked at the second one.
A tall warrior wearing light scale armor. Glowing blue runes were etched along his spear shaft, pulsing with energy.
His hair lifted constantly as if caught in a storm breeze, and sparks jumped between his fingers and weapon. The air around him crackled with static.
─────────────────────
SUMMON ANALYSIS
─────────────────────
Lightning Spear Lancer — Rank B
Weapon: Long spear charged with
lightning aura
Skill — [Lightning Release]:
► Every spear attack releases
lightning along the spear's path
─────────────────────
Close and long range attacker combined. A decent squad so far.
Then my eyes fell on the third summon.
And my blood went cold.
The same ugly old woman with the staff.
The one who had scared my cock back into hiding while I was fucking Aunt and Granny. That sudden appearance had traumatized me for days.
Vespara.
─────────────────────
SUMMON ANALYSIS
─────────────────────
Vespara — Rank A (Potential S)
Weapon: Staff
Skills: Manipulates Dark Flames
─────────────────────
This museum piece was A-rank with S-rank potential. Combined with two B-ranks, this would be tough.
But not as tough as her.
I shifted my gaze to Freya. She was staring back with those cold eyes, waiting patiently for Thalia's move. Completely confident. Completely calm.
I scanned her knight.
─────────────────────
SUMMON ANALYSIS
─────────────────────
Sword Saint Ashen — Rank SS
(Potential SSS)
Weapon: Legendary longsword
Combat Style: Peak classical
swordsmanship
Skill:
► Every sword technique performed
is automatically raised to its
absolute perfect form and
beyond human limits
─────────────────────
I stared at that last line.
Read it again.
And again.
'Every sword technique is automatically raised to absolute perfect form and beyond human limits.'
The fuck is that?