The aura emanating from Renard was more than enough to make an ordinary human faint in fear. Arnaud, standing beside him, had lost his voice, unable to recognize his father. Fidri clenched his fists, bracing for the worst.

Only Elizir remained calm, as if the aura meant nothing to him.

Fidri didn't recognize him: was this really the same Elizir who, just yesterday, had hidden under the car seat to avoid shards of broken glass?

Renard radiated a murderous intent while studying the expressions of the two enforcers, but to his surprise, Elizir didn't flinch.

Then, as if he had just confirmed something, Renard came to an abrupt stop.

"It's getting late. We'll continue this conversation tomorrow."

Elizir nodded, stood up, and walked out, followed by Fidri.

Once they were gone, Arnaud asked his father,

"Father, what is the Order? And why such a reaction from you?"

Renard merely waved his hand.

"You too, go rest. You'll need it."

"I don't understand."

"Just go." Renard repeated, this time in a tone that allowed no refusal.

Though frustrated, Arnaud left as well, leaving his father alone.

Renard exhaled deeply, his mind pulled into the past.

---

Back at their lodging, Fidri couldn't help expressing his astonishment.

"Elizir, damn… What you just did, you were so damn cool! I didn't even recognize you. I expected you to piss yourself, but no! You were unfazed. Even I, the great Fidri, have to admit I was scared for a second."

As he spoke excitedly, Elizir didn't even listen. Barely inside their room, he began vomiting on the floor.

"Uh…"

Fidri paused, confused.

"Did the food not sit well?"

He shook his head himself.

"No… you barely took a bite. That can't be it."

Elizir kept vomiting until his stomach was empty. Only then did he burst into tears.

"I really thought I was done for… He was ready to kill us."

"Uh…" Fidri took a moment to understand. Then his eyes widened.

"Don't tell me…"

Seeing Elizir's expression, he realized.

"You were pretending? All this time, you were actually scared out of your mind, right?"

Elizir threw himself at his feet.

"This guy wants us dead, for sure… We need to run while we can!"

Fidri almost burst out laughing.

"Hahaha! The girls will never believe me if I tell them this!"

Then it clicked.

"The girls?"

Remembering that they had forgotten Lucy and Gracia, Fidri tensed.

"The girls… they'll kill us for sure."

Elizir, too terrified, took Fidri's panicked expression as confirmation.

"So we escape? The candidates will serve as a diversion?"

---

The next morning,

in the cells of Orion City.

Lucy and Gracia, imprisoned among the men of the Mercury clan who had surrendered, were growing impatient. They had all the time they needed to plan the horrors they would unleash on the two idiots.

When the door of their cell opened and Fidri and Elizir were brought in, they wore angelic smiles. Yet, for some reason, the two boys saw them as demons.

---

An hour later, Lucy and Gracia had returned to their normal moods, while Fidri and Elizir looked like they had endured the worst horrors in the world, swearing never to repeat such a mistake.

---

Meanwhile, in the center of Orion City, a crowd gradually gathered.

Knights handed out snacks, and whispers grew from street to street, attracting more and more people.

"What's going on?" Fidri asked someone in the crowd.

"Don't you know? A duel is about to start."

"A duel?" Elizir wondered.

Before the man could respond, a group of knights approached the four enforcers.

"Follow us. The city leader requests your presence."

Though lost, they obeyed.

Arriving at Renard's house, they saw Arnaud being helped into armor by a squire.

"You're the one dueling?" Elizir asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

He didn't yet know the shock awaiting him. Arnaud's next words, spoken with a smile, made his head spin. And he wasn't the only one.

---

The crowd had gathered around a circle. Skewers in hand, glasses raised, people chanted the name of their favorite.

"Come on, young leader!"

"Give him a beating!"

"Young leader, we love you!"

Arnaud's supporters made up 99.9999% of the crowd. The remaining 0.0001% were those who pitied his opponent.

Even the candidates for the Order exam, though silent, saw him as the favorite.

Lucy, Gracia, and Fidri stood in the front row, looking dejected, as if pigeon droppings had just landed on their heads.

"We're doomed…" Fidri complained, head down.

Lucy bit her nails.

Gracia sighed endlessly.

---

Arnaud entered to cheers. He lifted his helmet and raised his sword, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Moments later, his opponent made his entrance.

Clad in armor that seemed too heavy, struggling to lift his sword, his helmet failing to hide his nervousness, Elizir looked for support from his friends but found only their defeated expressions.

"Knights, advance!"

Arnaud donned his helmet and positioned himself in front of Elizir.

Renard stood in the center of the arena.

He had appointed himself as the duel's referee.

The two fighters positioned themselves before him.

"Remove your helmets," he ordered.

Arnaud complied. Elizir did the same, struggling.

"Introduce yourselves."

"Arnaud of Orion. May this encounter be positive."

"Elizir Mist. I will be your opponent."

Renard nodded and then explained the rules.

"This is a knightly duel, governed by the code of chivalry.

It is strictly forbidden to use your resonance or any dishonorable maneuver.

The fight stops when one of the combatants is unable to continue or surrenders.

Killing is forbidden. I reserve the right to halt the duel in case of cheating."

He allowed a tense silence for everyone to absorb the rules.

After they had put their helmets back on and taken position, Renard declared:

"Let the duel begin."

---

Elizir gripped his sword, inhaled, and charged.

"Ahhh!"

The clang of steel rang out. Arnaud parried without retreating.

Elizir growled, chaining strikes and swings from left to right. The swords clashed again and again, eliciting gasps from the crowd.

"Again! Again!" Elizir shouted, striking faster, trying to overwhelm his opponent.

"Young leader!"

"Come on, fight!"

"Attack, young leader!"

The crowd's cheers rose, finding Arnaud too defensive.

For a moment, some candidates began chanting Elizir's name, thinking he was gaining the upper hand.

But those who watched closely saw the truth.

"He hasn't moved a step…" Gracia murmured.

Lucy nodded.

Fidri, eyes wide, finally realized it too.

Arnaud was taking it all without effort. Since the start, his feet had not left their position.

"He's playing with Elizir…" Fidri realized.

The knights around, busy handing out snacks, were not surprised.

From a young age, Arnaud had been trained by his father. Some said he had learned to hold a sword before he could walk.

Many rumors might be exaggerated, but one thing was certain: Arnaud had never lost a duel.

In the entire city, only his father, the leader, and a few elders could match him.

His resonance was none other than

"Heart of the Sword."

For some, when the desire to master an art or discipline ran so deep, awakening granted a resonance that made them even more talented. This was true for certain athletes who, after surviving awakening, saw all their former limits vanish.

Arnaud was one of them.

Even without using his resonance, his natural talent shone through.

"You're going to take me seriously!" Elizir complained, frustrated after noticing Arnaud hadn't budged an inch.

"As you wish," Arnaud replied from behind his helmet.

The next moment, before Elizir even understood, he was on the ground.

Arnaud stood before him, his sword pointed at his throat.

"I forgot to warn you: you cannot win against me."

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