The training ground fell silent without notice.
Two invisible currents of battle intent clashed, leaving Ellin feeling slightly breathless.
It wasn't a physical oppression but rather a pure collision of aura between two seasoned warriors, something Ellin found difficult to cope with, having only recently experienced a wilderness adventure.
Helplessly, she could only step back to the edge of the training ground to feel more comfortable.
Nolan, not finding an opportunity, naturally didn't dare to initiate an attack against Master Jean.
His eyes gradually turned golden as he attempted to use the "Eye of Judgment" to discern Master Jean's weaknesses.
To Nolan's surprise, despite his level 40 combined with Fischl's level 38, totaling 78, he had expected his "Eye of Judgement" to see through Master Jean.
But the knight before him showed no apparent weaknesses.
Of course, there were no level indicators representing strength either.
This indicated that Master Jean's strength exceeded 78, likely surpassing level 79 and possibly breaking through level 80.
No wonder Ellin admired her so much, and she was revered by the citizens of Mondstadt City.
Not only was she adept at governing, but her personal strength was also remarkable—a truly perfect ruler, skilled in both governance and combat.
However, this wasn't too surprising.
On the continent of Teyvat, the leaders of each nation, apart from the gods, generally possessed considerable martial prowess.
"Ahem. Honorary Knight, please come at me. I'll only retaliate after you've executed your full set of 'Wind Pressure Sword.'"
A serious expression appeared on Jean's fair face. She never held back just because her opponent's strength was inferior; at most, she refrained from attacking back to train with the Honorary Knight.
This was her interpretation of the integrity and virtue of the Knights of Favonius.
"Alright."
Nolan nodded. He hadn't expected to defeat her anyway.
Starting with the basic form of the "Wind Pressure Sword," the tip of the wooden training sword lifted slightly. As Nolan gently tapped his toes and lunged forward, the sword pierced through the air towards Master Jean.
Though Nolan was fast, it wasn't enough to surprise Jean, even though she was feeling a bit weak.
Relying on her understanding of the "Wind Pressure Sword," she effortlessly pinpointed a slight flaw in Nolan's use of the technique.
The flaw lay in the coordination of body movements with swordsmanship. Due to his unfamiliarity with using "Wind Pressure Sword" in actual combat, the thrust of his sword was slightly too forceful.
By not leaving any room for himself, if he needed to fall back defensively, he might not make it in time.
Of course, except for those with far superior skills in swordsmanship or those beyond Nolan's level, most people wouldn't be able to exploit this flaw even if they noticed it, because Nolan would complete his attack faster.
His opponents would be too late to counterattack.
However, unfortunately for Nolan, both in her understanding of the "Wind Pressure Sword" and in strength, Jean far surpassed him.
So, she seized upon this flaw first, effortlessly deflecting Nolan's wooden sword and exposing a vulnerability in his defense.
If Jean had attacked then, she could have ended the fight immediately. However, they had agreed to wait until Nolan completed his entire set of sword techniques before she would strike back. So, she calmly withdrew her sword and stood quietly.
Nolan understood that Jean was helping to point out his mistakes, so he quickly launched the second sword technique.
Thus, the battle between them seemed to have its ups and downs, but it was actually Jean feeding him moves for correction.
However, this also left Ellin, who couldn't see the tricks, marveling in disbelief.
She hadn't expected Nolan to last so long against the Master Jean she admired!
Thankfully, Jean easily placed her final sword lightly against Nolan's neck, which made Ellin breathe a sigh of relief.
Indeed, Master Jean was the strongest. Take that, Honorary Knight!
Ellin smiled, her fluctuating emotions finally settling.
"You truly are an Honorary Knight. Your 'Wind Pressure Sword' has now entered the initial stage. With your talent and daily practice, you'll soon advance to the next level."
Jean lowered the wooden sword from Nolan's neck, genuinely surprised at his growth during their recent battle.
[ Skill Acquired: Wind Pressure Sword - Secret Arts Level Lv.1 (1/1000)]
As Jean's words fell, the notification of skill acquisition appeared on Nolan's character panel.
Phew. Not bad at all. Finally, he had made some progress.
Originally, Nolan just wanted to learn a basic skill, but he hadn't expected Jean to be so generous as to teach him the secret-level "Wind Pressure Sword" directly! Thinking of this, Nolan couldn't help but smile and say,
"Thank you, Master Jean!"
"You are not only an Honorary Knight but also my friend. There's no need for such formalities," Jean nodded. "Besides, I've been cooped up in the office for days. Some exercise will do me good."
She returned the wooden sword to the approaching Ellin, then crossed her arms and smiled, saying,
"Since you've completed the task I asked of you, let me ask something of you in return."
"Have lunch with me later and accompany me to the Stormbearer Mountains. It's rare to have leisure time to relax under the tranquil trees and read without distractions."
Upon hearing Jean's invitation, Nolan smiled and replied,
"It's not rare leisure time; you just give yourself too much work. You should delegate more tasks that don't require your personal attention to others. If you ever want someone to quietly read with you, I would gladly accept. After all, one cannot simply hold the title of Honorary Knight without purpose. It's my honor to assist Acting Grand Master Jean."
"Mm," Jean tucked a golden strand of hair behind her ear and nodded.
[Jean Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 180 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv. 5 (390/500)]
...
At Stormbearer Mountains, behind the Statue of the Seven stands a great tree symbolizing the heroic "Lady Vanessa."
"Whenever I feel lost, I come here," Jean looked up at the canopy of the great tree, "I have always followed in the footsteps of Lady Vanessa, striving my utmost to protect Mondstadt."
Lady Vanessa.
Nolan knew she was the great hero who overthrew the old aristocracy, founded the Knights of Favonius, and became their first Grand Master.
One could say that without her, Mondstadt wouldn't be what it is today.
Jean's admiration for this great hero feels similar to how Ellin admires her.
In a way, Jean and the Vanessa she admires are quite alike.
"But after this illness, I realize how far I am from Lady Vanessa's caliber. If I can't even handle this level of challenge, how can I protect Mondstadt?" Jean sighed, her fair palm pressing against her chest.
(End of Chapter)
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