As everyone made their way to the palace grounds, the Queen and her entourage were announced by the master of ceremonies. The crowd erupted in cheers as they made their way to their designated seats. Unlike the Queen, the dukes’ names weren’t announced by the master of ceremonies. They graciously followed behind, taking their seats without any need for introduction. When I noticed the designated area for the dukes, some people were already seated there. As for my family's area, Adel, Felix, and Livia were already present, standing beside the seats. They greeted us warmly as we approached. I realised that the nobles' seating was divided by vassals and their liege. The seats around the Royal Family were occupied by some of their vassals, and I spotted a familiar face—Lady Clara. In contrast, our family's area stood out, with no vassals around our seats, leaving a noticeable gap with empty seats that could have accommodated five or ten people. These seats should have been occupied by the Claudi Family, but Lady Octavi's parents were at home, and she herself was participating in the upcoming sparring.

The master of ceremonies announced the beginning of the event, outlining the series of events, with the finale being the sparring between Lady Octavi and Lord Kaeso. The first event was a speech by the Queen. Similar to her previous speech, the Queen used my name and my family name to emphasise the importance of unity and loyalty among the noble families. While this speech meant little to the public, it was a significant issue for the nobles.

The Queen concluded her speech with, "May our unity be as strong as the steel of our swords, and may our loyalty be unwavering like the stone walls of ours." The crowd erupted into applause, eager for the sparring match to begin.

The master of ceremonies then announced the first match, a jousting competition. The grounds had no barrier between the jousting knights, showcasing the skill of each knight in handling their horse with speed and control. Each knight, assisted by their squires, prepared their horses and donned their helmets as the final touch. They raised their lances, ready for the impending clash. The crowd waited in anticipation for the master of ceremonies to give the signal. When the signal was given, the knights charged towards each other with thundering hooves, creating an exhilarating atmosphere for the spectators. The clash of lances echoed through the grounds, captivating everyone's attention—though it was clear that the nobles were less impressed. After several intense clashes, one knight emerged victorious, eliciting a roar of cheers from the crowd. The defeated knight graciously accepted his loss, bowing to his opponent in a show of respect.

With that, the master of ceremonies announced the next event: melee combat. Initially, I thought it would be a duel, but it turned out to be group combat. The melee involved multiple knights fighting simultaneously alongside their squires. Some knights were on horseback, while others fought on foot. The master of ceremonies explained the goal of the combat: to unhorse or defeat the commander of the opposing team. The crowd erupted in excitement as the melee began, with swords clashing and shields blocking. The knights displayed great skill and strategy as they fought to unhorse the opposing commander. As the combat continued, some knights were knocked out, prompting their squires to drag them out of the fray. Finally, after a fierce battle, one knight emerged victorious by successfully unhorsing the opposing commander. The crowd cheered as the victor raised his sword in triumph. However, despite the crowd's enthusiasm, the nobles remained unimpressed, and even my parents showed little interest.

As the melee combat ended, the master of ceremonies announced the next event: foot combat, culminating in the grand finale sparring match. The foot combat consisted of three rounds: the first between the pupils of the palace academy, the second between knights from the Blue Order, and the final between Lady Octavi and Lord Kaeso. Foot combat differed from melee in that real, sharp swords were used, unlike the blunted ceremonial swords used in the melee.

The master of ceremonies called the first match of the foot combat. Two participants—a boy and a girl, both appearing to be the same age as Aurelio—entered the arena. The boy was quick and agile, while the girl took a more strategic approach to combat. As they clashed swords, the audience watched in anticipation of who would emerge victorious in this intense battle of skill and strength.

Suddenly, my father spoke, "So this is where Kaius' daughter ended up…"

My mother replied, "She insisted on enrolling there…"

"It’s a waste of time if the result is what we’re watching now…"

"Well, she didn’t go there for what we’re watching now; she went there for social interactions… The results have been quite impressive."

Hearing their conversation, I realised they were talking about Lady Octavi. I hadn’t known that Lady Octavi insisted on enrolling in the academy. I asked my mother, "Mother, you said she insisted on enrolling there—does that mean her family didn’t want her to go?"

My mother turned to me and said, "It’s not that they didn’t want her to go, but they saw it as a waste of time…"

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"A waste of time?"

"Look at the two in front of you—they’re pupils from the academy, and they’re about the same age as Aurelio. Their skills are impressive, but by our standards, they aren’t enough. Lady Octavi had surpassed them in every way possible by the time she was 11. So, you see, it would have been a waste of time for her to attend the academy."

"I see. But you mentioned she went for social interaction—does that mean she only went to interact with others?"

"Correct. Lady Octavi was alone at that age; you were only 4 years old, and we have no other vassals besides the Claudi family, so there was little interaction with other nobles. Lady Octavi, at age 11, found herself isolated, with no one her age to socialise with. That’s why she insisted on attending the academy. The results have been staggering—people know her name, nobles under the royals know her name, and even the Blue Order knights know her name. She’s recognised throughout the kingdom, which is why this sparring is such a noteworthy event."

I nodded, but then my father suddenly said, "It’s not just noteworthy; it’s a major concern."

"A major concern?"

"Yes, it’s a major concern between our family and the royal family. Even though the Queen emphasized unity, the outcome of this event might suggest otherwise. I believe Lord Kaeso is the commander of the Blue Order. If Lady Octavi defeats him, there could be a significant shift in the order's power. On the other hand, if Lady Octavi loses, the Claudi family risks losing their status as the Golden Sword of Aurelius, given her recognition throughout the kingdom. It's a no-win situation."

"Why is it a no-win situation? If she wins, we don't lose anything."

"The problem is the perception of the spectators, Aurelia. The eight dukes are present here. If Lady Octavi easily defeats him, it suggests a power imbalance, where the royal order is weaker than our family. This could lead to tensions, with our family potentially seeking more power and authority from the royals. That's why the Queen thanked you earlier for the idea and approval of this sparring match. Lady Octavi's victory could be seen as a challenge to the royal family's authority, sparking further power struggles and tension. The royals want to appear as the victims here."

I hadn’t considered any of that when the Queen asked me about the sparring. I thought it would just be a small match for entertainment. I asked my father, "What will Lady Octavi do in this situation?"

Out of the blue, Aurelio answered, "She’ll go for a draw…" Simultaneously, the crowd began to cheer as if something significant had happened. I immediately turned my attention to the sparring. Surprisingly, the academy pupils had started using transmutation. Seeing that, I looked at the Queen, realising she had broken the agreement between her and me. The sparring suddenly became more intense with the use of transmutation, and the sound of clashing metal filled the air.

Watching this, Aurelio said, "The boy… he’s holding back…"

"Holding back?" I asked.

"His footwork… He could get closer to her with his footwork, but he’s limiting himself as if he’s being forced into a defensive position."

"This is a sparring match," my father said, "It’s just for entertainment. Right now, they’re putting on a show. The winner of this sparring match was likely decided before it even began."

As I continued watching, I still didn’t understand what Aurelio meant by a draw. I asked my father, "Why would a draw be the choice for Lady Octavi in this situation?"

"A draw is the only choice, but it’s not the best solution," my father explained. "This sparring match isn’t about public opinion; it’s about the opinion of those on our side, not theirs," he pointed at the public seats. "A draw could be seen as a balance of power and skill between both sides. However, Lady Octavi needs to time it right to ensure the match ends in a draw."

"What does that mean?"

"If she makes the match a draw too quickly, it might seem like she’s deliberately aiming for a draw. She needs to make sure the outcome appears genuine, showcasing her strength and skill without making it seem forced or intentional. She must tread carefully to maintain her reputation and credibility in the eyes of both sides."

"What will happen if she prolongs the match?"

"If she prolongs the match, it reveals her true nature. She’s facing a commander, and the longer the match goes on, the more insight these sides will gain into her nature as if she is toying with the commander."

Suddenly, the crowd erupted into loud cheers—the match was over. The girl had won. The girl's victory was met with thunderous applause, but behind it all, the match had been a charade for the public.

The master of ceremonies began to announce the next match. Surprisingly, it was two people I knew: Lady Hillaria and Milo. That explained why I only saw Lady Clara in her seat. They immediately took their positions, and the crowd fell silent in anticipation of the upcoming battle. Like in the sparring with Lady Octavi, Lady Hillaria was the first to take the offensive, striking with precision and grace. Milo, on the other hand, showed incredible agility and skill in defence. It was different from the last match; the sound of metal clashing was more frequent. Lady Hillaria kept pushing Milo back, but he managed to hold his ground with impressive footwork, avoiding any strikes to his body.

"Is she your acquaintance, Aurelia?" my mother asked.

"Yes, mother. She is the daughter of the commander."

"Ah… I see. What about the other side?"

"I believe he is Milo. He is the lieutenant."

Lady Hillaria and Milo continued to exchange blows. The intensity of the battle was palpable, with both fighters determined to emerge victorious. Watching them, I began to doubt whether this match was a charade. As each side circled the other, Lady Hillaria suddenly revealed her transmutation without Milo noticing. In an instant, she dashed toward Milo, who was caught off guard. Yet, he responded with an impressive parry and strength in his defence. The loudest clash of swords yet echoed between them, and Lady Hillaria’s eyes widened in surprise as Milo’s skill and strength matched her own in her transmutation.

"Hooo…That was interesting," my mother said with a grin.

As they exchanged blows, Milo maintained a calm and focused expression, showing no signs of fatigue or fear in the face of Lady Hillaria's transmutation.