"Agh! "Lona heard the muffled sounds of a screeching animal and soon, she found the root of the noises as she was on her way to Vora when she stumbled onto a small group of teenage knights. "You have gotten even better, My Lord! "
"Nonsense! "The smug and attention hungry teen boy stood poised as if he expected to be praised for beating down an obviously restrained opponent. "I wonder if we will need the entire Knight order by the time I reach the official rank of Knight. "
The group awkwardly laughed until the same blond, smug boy caught my peering gaze and turned to greet me.
"My Lady. " Lona threw up internally as she looked onto the most fake and full of s*it noble she had ever seen in her life, despite having woken up only a few days prior.
Walking up and presenting his noble air by grabbing Lona's hand and placing a light kiss, Lona's entire body, every inch of her fiber, evenery minuscule atom that held her intercity woven together, screamed and shivered from the level of douchiness she had just witnessed.
"This is Lady Hero, Young Lord. "Sen spoke and the young teen's eyes flashed with greed and arrogance as what he said next, made Lona want to sock him square in the fawn and end his future legacy making jewels with her heels.
"Might you truly be 'that' Lady Hero!? Hah! Say, would a seasoned and powerful warrior, what you say we have a little bout? A sparring match if you will? "Lona's bones cramped as her jaw clenched and her teeth chattered with the arrogance of the teen boy before her. "Is that a 'no'? Oh, how, deary me. You MUST truly be crippled to refuse even a match from a squire of apprentice knight level. "
"H-"Before Sen erupted in anger to defend Lona's reputation, Lona shocked the entire courtyard and even Sen herself when she leaned over and saw what was clear on Lona's face
A warm, welcoming smile showed on Lona. Her next words however, betrayed her innocent and pure expression.
"Sure! If you beat me, I'll become your slave! "Lona was unable to control the range of her expression and the ways he said it, the teens laughed as the arrogant boy wiped his teary eye and smiled as he smirked and agreed instantly.
~
"Oh... No, no! This isn't good, not good! "Sen was having a breakdown as she knew challenges that are presented must be enforced or the risks of damaging one's reputation is left as the result. Sen could only watch as her Mistress stood, barely able to hold up a basic steel sword.
"Are you ready, My Lady Hero? "The teen boy was laughing internally as he was already planning on who to brag to when he would say he defeated the supposed, powerful Summoned Lady Hero.
However, when a third party, another teen boy swung his hand down between the two, the boy's eyes flickered and his muscles responded as if in a conditioned twitch as he raced toward her with all his might.
Then, it happened.
~
"Young Lord... Young Lord! Oh, thank Nova you are alright. Are you okay? "Three of the teen boys spoke to the blonde boy as he blinked and found himself standing firm in the middle of the empty court courtyard. "Young Lord, whatever that was, Lady Hero incapacitated you into defeat. "
"Are you kidding, that was a massacre. Never have I seen such a tactic! Maybe it's a skill only the Lady Hero could wield. "
"Well, whatever it was. It was without a doubt, the fastest recorded match in our kingdom's history. "
The blonde haired boy blinded and turned to his group as he then asked what had happened and where the Lady Hero had gone.
"Lady Hero had a previous engagement with the Healer Vora. She left a few minutes ago, Young Master. "
"Then... Did I lose? "He asked, already feeling he knew the answer to his question. "I see... Heh, Lady Hero is still as amazing as the rumors claimed her to be even in her crippled state. Truly a marvel of a woman. "
The blonde haired boy felt no shame in losing as he was put in his place and in turn, decided to train earnestly in an effort to challenge the Lady Hero again in the future.
~
"Mistress, what was it that you did to the Young Master that caused him to stop? "Sen asked, curious and frightened of her Mistress at the same time.
"It was simple. The body tenses for a split second to the point where one is focused on a sole point or object. I shortened that time and caused his senses to run wild to the point that his whole body locked down by an abrupt and fearful response... Instinct. "
"Instinct? "Sen repeated.
"Imagine facing a wild animal. You would know if it was dangerous or not depending on your instincts. However, what I did was stop the amount of time the body was supposed to react to the level of danger and in turn, when I released my sword while swinging overhead, I released it and it shocked the boy into disbelief. Next, I clapped at that exact moment and in his mind, his fear and spirit collided... in a sense. "
Hearing her Mistress still stuck in her cheerful, creepy tone, Semi watched as in the next moment, Lona returned to her usual indifferent expression and spoke one or a few sentences.
"Ahh, Baby! "Vora greeted Lona as she didn't wait and picked up Lona and rushed into an elegant and expensive carriage. "Your Highness. "
Vora showed her respects as Lona and Vora sat down and Sen took to another carriage carrying the Queen's own personal maids and a small force of a dozen or so trained Knights took up a defensive position around the three carriages.
The convoy was then off.
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