The Academy's most popular tradition, the duel.
A duel will occur if both parties agree and set equal stakes. The student executive board served as both guarantor and supervisor, ensuring that official duels unfolded only under their watchful eyes.
Typically, the stakes of these duels rested on student points, making Praeterea's challenge on the first day unusual. The initial week saw the points frozen and rankings undetermined
Everyone was looking at Felicia, waiting for her decision. And Felicia's decision was,
"I refuse."
Some were surprised, while others remained unfazed. Among those taken aback, speculation arose that the discourse and disagreement might have been rooted in pride—an issue nobles typically embraced with enthusiasm. If a refusal followed, it was often attributed to fear or a perceived lack of confidence in victory, regardless of the actual reasons.