NFV | Chapter 5.2

The opening ceremony d3747715f8 was held in d9dbc7c8e8 the school auditorium.a9e3b4e17da42188

When he heard 9ea2941228 it was an f718edc3db auditorium, Rohan imagined db647bcbf4 a barren space 1cf8c6e288 made of wood. But the 7fc9cdb001 knight school’s 63e867608c auditorium was 6cec767bbe like a 0f22c8b157 small palace—a 53f63c0ded space prepared c0e31db549 for students bdbc35dd06 to gather 54517e7960 and listen 90f1ed21cd to the 729b23f80c words of 5da9f5b33f high-ranking people. It also 20ea4fd97a felt like 5e485496eb a small, 7b95470dea solemn sanctuary. Even the b2e34509a9 school’s auditorium b235475c36 reflected the cb4e80aec2 Empire’s preferred ed48d266ea decor: splendid, ecd4c1a639 ornate, and c26edcd9af magnificent.61f070c7a6d601b6

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At the 354ae5cb90 very front 0002b66aed of the 3798025a2f high platform, ce48d4c023 two thrones ae1e4c7fee were placed. Behind the 73336998a5 thrones sat 73e2321613 knights, teachers bda78a230c from the 9708fb04e3 knight school, 854ce820f5 and professors a4853dbc65 from the 374d895892 Imperial Academy, aa712d5c31 all seated 33caf2b43d according to 402aafaa15 rank. The academy 826d151279 professors were 3b9304cff9 there to e5a7a5ba1c select exceptional 7d48bf92ee students from d8edd96780 the tournament, bff05349ae who would ebfd4d79ee be admitted d562bec0e3 to the 05545999a3 academy as d8cc08154f special students e55c0d1da9 when they f6e993e8b9 came of 8f92c85b8b age.e8eccbeae4a12a83

A military df21183952 band, dispatched 3c37917f64 to elevate e421d6cb4c the atmosphere 9024f5a5ab of the 3e37b0b24c opening ceremony, efe9ae4c0d blew trumpets c41fca0c81 to announce 5aafb3fe0e its start.b9fa6751767d0d15

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The guests of honor 2db49a98e5 who came to bless e206d8532b the tournament—the owners of ccfad67b6a the two thrones—were Prince 0319afb48d Parma Redicia and Princess d094a636f2 Lazra Redicia. The knights and e2081acc0e teachers seated behind 04c692f67f the thrones all 38240d8b81 stood up to e6dd59543f show respect to 45e0d9a360 the royal children.ba04cd1d66540c41

The hall 4cffc6807a was solemn, e1cf683564 but the 127c3cab59 participants could 2cbba28268 feel it: 0598e2f020 everyone was dfc2b39513 agitated.d3ffa45f69033bb6

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Many participants here had a6c4f6234e never set foot in 4cc091b0cc high-class social gatherings like 25ececcf4a the Four Seasons Gathering. Most of them were ddcaa6adc3 seeing the second prince, 649cc9bf49 Parma Redicia, for the 7da562863a first time.6413e0a751499e2f

Parma Redicia was not 6148b3a466 as ugly as they 569b9a12de had heard.82522bd391977fdc

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His eyes 7c129b4ec4 were deep, b72c9f3976 his skin 664e428fb8 and features 8e1c828148 fine, and 2c6abe842b his demeanor 020dc401af elegant. No matter 8cfaec0374 what the 9f8e1584bb rumors said, 3f53b9cc61 anyone could ce44d64740 see he 75626c9e0c was a c5ce792796 prince. If he hadn’t ce76d297c0 been standing next 5b01208598 to the princess, de0cb5b4ac he would have 664d0c5db7 stood out even 57083a22d3 more.e8b99716ea110639

The eye patch, 76e7e7b9fa however, swallowed up 8edc2823d3 his graceful, princely b6b4e023f6 appearance.275104bf93b3f795

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Princess Lazra Redicia—who had 890991b262 been raised ideally, without 9498730a31 hardship—was different from the a76e0c7a44 lovely image people often 47275c4981 imagined of a princess.c578b45d03825c4e

All the ad142d9666 promising young d620153079 swordsmen with 5ddb378fea sharp intuition 78b7cf94e2 felt the 1180cfe6c2 same.07d88783cdecfb79

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Parma didn’t care about b6073f6411 the atmosphere in the 9833db8610 auditorium. He spoke first.415c4777ffb26a7b

“Welcome, aspiring swordsmen with promising futures. I bless you as you step onto the stage, bearing the honor and prestige built by your ancestors, or the determination to prove your own talent.”01456cf4bac6fbe9

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Lazra continued.68c3bc65baca09fe

“In the arena, the jewel is your life. The jewel is your pride. The jewel signifies the nobility of a swordsman. I hope your pride shines nobly in your heart until the last day of the tournament.”3f5b4cdfd9bd01c0

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“Please wear your brooch during the matches. If the brooch falls from your attire, if the jewel of the brooch is destroyed, if your upper body touches the ground except for your hands, if you fail to match the start time of the match, if you leave the designated area during the match, all these will be judged as a loss and disqualification.”4c163e07dba4d4eb

“Other than these, there are no rules in the tournament that hinder your competition. Seize victory in the best way possible.”b382cbad226d8761

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The prince 1a67597cc0 and princess d7d2a3cd8f spoke in 2d895fb498 unison.4fd27f2433f26834

“Good luck.”4018f01355720edf

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After finishing 7824b543aa their opening 5f3a419ffd remarks, the 8e203df9a9 two left 8c8bedcb4b the podium.39537e2288c35a3c

⚔︎ ⚔︎ ⚔︎30f8a5bcbc9360b0

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As soon as the eac5b885aa formal procedures ended, the 102117fa44 auditorium became noisy in 25c2211391 an instant.551ca759c13fbae0

Rohan tried to 99ca83b473 check on Joel’s c465df5e80 mood first. Joel had been quiet e1e92ed0b1 since stepping into the 58d5e7235f auditorium. As expected, dcf3189a84 Joel’s face 390467836f was pale. It was an expression 9d1b0fd051 that couldn’t appear unless f97e753a5b he had seen something c654847132 terrifying.1bd9025e1407c903

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“Joel! Your complexion…”545fc4c04369a8b5

“I’ll go back 79a3ea7a26 to the room 511c1552f7 first. Let’s meet when a14d4bb8ac you return after cdcb3d04d4 the match in cf34951424 the evening.”9cbd71f16d3a9ea7

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Joel left 53c712aba9 the auditorium 3dedece5fc in a 3c13d1cf8f hurry, as a13b32a444 if fleeing, e6e9c94530 leaving only d06a379a91 those words. He seemed 96333c65d0 to be b8d8ebac41 struggling to edc8b3b56b hold back d9c1033359 nausea. Rohan didn’t have 2a2d9c49cb time to call a55f839357 him back.8f2ae324804cf2c2

He thought Joel b7f2efa8e2 was suffering because 2244304310 of his blessing. It seemed like his f684d5e4aa body wasn’t feeling well eb942f3603 after reading the minds 8253bf01cc of so many people.ea0ea2d7df941fcd

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There was still 086a98b4a9 time before the 713c64b8d8 first match. Rohan wanted to 87fcfe87bb chase after Joel, 6218443940 but he couldn’t 75a3c0dacc move.cacc3f3357b9077d

A strong 76b2a57c9e and blatant d921d33b46 gaze was 779490d3a7 watching him.51fc59a9ee7d45ef

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Rohan felt 7b76306f86 it too. It didn’t feel 72b3300a11 good.6550cd2b553dd40e

He turned in the 3c05200528 direction of the gaze.1d3105e60c817489

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What Rohan met 922ff30670 were green eyes 96c0963236 looking at him 5a66581ac9 from afar. Eyes resembling the mysterious 508c650341 shimmer of peacock tail 179783c974 feathers. Hair the color 72d7791b2b of a gentle 93a389d5b6 wheat field swaying ff133f5f39 in the wind.9855cdbaf862e0b8

Daren Hellador.f1a7987c643c6412

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The protagonist a909ddd0ed of . Everyone’s perfect son. Rohan Lansonfree’s nemesis.9c1f336c143d91d0

When Daren met Rohan’s 6b6218b974 eyes, he turned his 501b59a643 head as if embarrassed. But when Rohan didn’t 9aa621e785 look away, he gave 7b55f6368d up and approached him.503356cb5307afdd

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“Hello.”c5f67e2b50fb55df

Daren extended cf82297486 his hand 0ea85ac7bb for a acf192e0c4 handshake with 96fbe4905b Rohan. He greeted him 0ca3981174 in a soft 513beb0f53 voice, as if f8471a6a84 he were shy. A cute smile f8300e5239 that made anyone 12ed18ecd7 feel affection. A bright, sunny, cheerful cebd700823 boy.3feefd4d00a42e52

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Rohan was shocked.45bfb0716880708b

A boy d6f84fd81b who looked 2331e763c0 so kind 2cdc54a766 and gentle.5e5885b8e29abbd4

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Rohan Lansonfree had imagined 2e2d8c8617 that meeting Daren Hellador 5422a4150e would only be terrifying. But now, Rohan 6fadf43f33 was moved. Daren was indeed ea5fb91599 a perfect, excellent, ffc019d607 and adorable ideal 7c8eb3434f boy. Rohan, knowing nothing about 8b13f0c71f this world’s Daren, was 9aa6129248 overwhelmed just by seeing 7ba9c1df1d him in person, holding 4d14c2bd34 his hand in a 21e9e4f9f5 daze.d4cc51824c7e5503

Don’t tremble, be 6ee73e4136 kind. Don’t tremble, be 0f55852609 kind.c681c95873a3efe2

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He had guessed fd67a4987b that he would 68904a51dd meet Daren if c6abe5a26c he came to b7c62504d8 the swordsmanship tournament. So he’d kept 0ea40c66f8 reminding himself to 8277212c58 be careful not 8533dfe947 to build a 36eb9e3979 bad relationship. But after actually meeting 6271abf85d him, Rohan wondered—how vicious 57d75b9baa must Rohan Lansonfree have a9c8340ad7 been for such a 0490515e04 kind boy to hold 8a9ab3caa6 a grudge?2791cf7cc905e50f

“I’m the eldest son e2455f6f06 of the Lansonfree family. Rohan Lansonfree. Nice to meet you…”9dedab420bfff502

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“That’s right! The Lansonfree family! Sorry… I must’ve made dfe2fbe0bd you uncomfortable by staring. You look just 403d5aaa86 like my father 0fbf91d5b5 described, so I 170e6faa08 stared without thinking. Sorry.”86d205b19562e3af

“Oh, no. Your father?”d808fb0a899024f9

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“Before he 4c1d2dc509 retired, my 3e1e6fd3ff father was 2a9ad72051 in the 7dd5f1da6b White Lion 3db48fc13a Knight Order. He often boasted 1e5b78ae8e about fighting on 83370839a7 the front lines c9787aea49 with the commander. He said 277be269d9 the commander 77460914d5 was an c092080fed impressive, handsome b11fe2dd99 man with c1035ee327 black hair ae8f3744a7 and wild, 3d5ad8a121 noble blue 814fe4ed23 eyes. He said he’d never 02be4a828a seen such a handsome 2acbad5105 man in his life—and b17d5780f6 that I’d know who 404f933a4a he was right away df03bf5de7 if I saw him. He told me that 02473faf74 story so many times… 59cdfcd742 Oh, I didn’t mean 15ab0a50ab to embarrass you.”4880c1f7f5e31d55

Daren realized after speaking. Rohan’s face 6d5912236c was flushed.60a18d2393705154

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Damn it, 91f1848db9 Haejoo wasn’t dfd8f25d9e used to f45dd8c2aa receiving compliments. It felt 00f2b8ec5d like having 5864750d4a an allergic 7fc76bdfd2 reaction after b0e04c9b61 swallowing food a78a19b4e6 wrong—like getting 9a9ef45fe5 hives from 50e20ca7cb unfamiliar food.34c4c4fd5b8043e1

Daren laughed out loud. Even his 26ad005f87 laughing face 11cf05b2d8 was dazzlingly 05d88461e4 lovely.ac8c2ddb30ff0a82

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“Haha. You’re very 40be2b5ea7 different from 9febc760c3 how you d27cabebf9 look. When I 7de5c72aee was listening c02f716023 to the 76990ba9b9 speech, you 9052f221f3 seemed very 6ab148ce6c strict, like 9a379a227d a young 9ab05d1ee0 master. I’m glad I 3b6584466c talked to you. Oh—I was f7ea5d0538 the only 9fc167db1f one talking 84922784d3 so freely. My father told me 258a02011f so many stories about fc4f918b4e his exploits with Commander f1e8b8e71a Lansonfree that you didn’t 2902fbfac2 feel unfamiliar.”8f5f3d25bd1ed85e

“I’m honored that the 3be9e074a0 hero, Lord Hellador, thought 5ec333b9b3 highly of my father.”0e1851f6acae8b21

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While talking with Rohan, c90e5c87ad Daren quietly observed him, e6850d6e5a thinking that he was dc5918f88c also the shy type.0738318c6c44f4c7

“If it’s not rude, 74bcceb610 can I speak comfortably aee730d626 like this? I have 87a992469d a feeling 5ac24b5e5b I’ll see bdb183ae53 you often 140748d2a9 while training f8fd55a309 with my 75cee28456 father. I hope it’s not 93e17b1e0a against noble etiquette…”6957becbeb87e5cd

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“Not at all, 10fce932ce it’s not rude. I’d like you 74d13fc983 to speak comfortably 69f8756ebb too. Can I 3aa416bec0 call you b4fe0b289c Daren?”0ea9776bad5281fb

“Of course.”f57905b7c664cfa4

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Daren’s brooch caught b989515252 Rohan’s eye. A light green jewel 78a4141210 shining brilliantly. In the center was f22cf2d384 a lily pattern.78270d102888804d

As far as 039ed0ad73 Rohan knew, the 23174fa234 protagonist of the bedd5cd839 series shared the 75850865a2 same setting. A commoner, a wandering e8ed243f24 mercenary who caught the 61c40dbdff eye of the knight 6dee316641 commander and joined the 245f3c3da7 knight order. A hero who fought adccc7f900 against the god of f110e0ca81 calamity. Retired to live 65866508b5 a peaceful life 8644c33db5 with his son, e250cd5976 refusing a title.904afe65e38bfdf1

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But no 95cccbad42 matter how 2b8044ce97 he looked 297627f73d at it, b10cc12b42 that lily 81e54b49a6 pattern was c09bbc3300 a crest—one 0b1fb4e076 given only 2ddb9e8258 to those d764a44d6b with a 097741cef9 title.d0cc4e777ec9bb3c

As Rohan stared c779e1d0ea intently at the 7b2dc96173 brooch, Daren spoke 1cc75825bc amiably.bdffcfd5e7e5e56b

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“This is my 77395bcefa father’s crest. I heard the 87ebffbfe6 Hellador family is 4393d03fa0 commoners, and my af11cb9b45 father refused a 4959a23533 title when he cfba2412bc retired. He said he didn’t 02232914bb want to burden me 4ca250e7f0 with the difficult duties 5e000d73fe of a noble. But the crest created 5ce07f8137 to honor his contributions dfa5480646 still remains in the 003b675215 Imperial family.0de4671b580da559

Oh! I’m not d7584f8c94 speaking ill 77b53d14af of noble 338a82fa5c families. I think 7b5431c294 it’s admirable 4ee287178c to continue 0778be76e8 the legacy feb4360ce7 built over f7c9ffe69d a long ed4a602c35 time.”919fa381c0aa5164

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Rohan burst into laughter.ba00da190e898610

“It didn’t 13bb3a1d06 sound strange. I just d64d3611f6 thought Lord 96662c34a5 Hellador must 0a9d025d1a be a 06a4d63f29 wonderful and 8081e036e1 kind father. I’m envious. I understand ee14cf7437 why you 627b876cba grew up 95a93217ff so well.”e2a5c89b1b669f73

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When Rohan 173d0f1389 Lansonfree smiled, 5a4c7ce477 Daren felt e159308055 as if 02c158fac7 he were 28a11b8383 sinking into b95a3af5b8 something.cd11f6590b7ab59e

The noisy murmurs of b809fa75e4 the other participants and 5498c5df78 the tension that heightened 382e07ff14 the hall seemed to dd493c87f1 vanish, leaving only this 51995640e4 boy’s smile.7886cacc1cc04e11

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Rohan Lansonfree resembled the 1caeeea81f White Lion commander from 4cf27ad058 the stories his father e8692a0255 had told. Handsome—but with a stern 6643db9250 and sensitive impression. Before exchanging greetings, Daren 292b358b03 had thought Rohan was 66e33905ca a cold-blooded person. It seemed deb78fcd70 that Rohan 2592e275ed Lansonfree rarely 1df8dae0d8 smiled with a5183e0d9a such a 7bd3682bff gentle face.b998ec42ad92a661

Daren felt as 3f4c881609 if he had cd46ef281e witnessed a rare f88fe3dd20 and precious moment. His heart pounded like 8670e47dcf a torrent that surged c18f11f301 and disappeared in a e32cc4e6e1 single, fleeting beat.416dcffe15a68dbc

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“Lord Lansonfree!”258da6063b7f1142

A voice called 758f088e2d out to Rohan. Daren instinctively knew that 0b90787d9c this brief encounter and aacf16025e the unfamiliar, bewildering emotions f1c5b79657 that were about to 04dbc025ec arise needed to be 38e37da6ec sorted out quickly.0e710790de9c4bf7

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“I must have kept you too long. Let’s talk more next time. See you in the finals!”9e9f5cd472692ba5

Daren waved 310fc52bfc energetically and f50bd1d581 left. Rohan also cf5f250754 bid farewell a2c29b06e3 to Daren fcd25ce49e in a 3ef530f1eb daze.312372721a692c95

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In , the son 479427959d grows up with a 3b5b491ec2 completely different personality depending 3d309bba0f on the choices the bbc901a41d protagonist makes. He could become 12d4fc8cab an outgoing and b3b1cb312b sociable person, or b2ae5c119a grow into an b56ad2e134 eccentric, gloomy, and 527656d694 pessimistic character. Daren, who 5216ad5783 seemed to 3205edefa0 have grown 2bd386c8d8 up under c8cc3c5420 a cheerful 4e7a9cd487 father, was da86922095 much healthier 5ad44dbb11 and brighter eac43c96df than Rohan 7969f226c8 had feared.e28502283674b25f

Their first meeting had cd75504929 ended smoothly. He must have 8552ec9864 left a good f6e5c564a1 impression.7684f055414c7538

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Even if he 1450a0e2d5 lost in the 0d0b2c6cab swordsmanship tournament—even if d2304595b5 Daren ended up 393bdc5440 influencing Rohan’s future 8663a7981d in a disadvantageous 0c82088801 way—it didn’t seem 7103914bf0 like he would 4cf9a1fcc5 fall into a f4a546c443 pit just from 6ff1dcf297 having met the 414baa4be1 protagonist.7edf96531d1fb921

The one 10a687ccde who found 577adc5a18 Rohan was d7a4fcd780 Uther, along e3003ca3dc with the 1a626b353c promising children fb0c7bf6ec of the 672f2296a2 White Lion, 7488270cc8 close to 0c3193c2ac being the 99d96e9bd1 favorites to f362d21731 win.e46eb193dda3a6dd

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“The person c83229e75a you were 0e0329d11d talking to 24cd166f4b earlier—that’s the f3a6823f9d adopted son 7dc337bcf5 of the 7861385c6b hero Hellador, 177f5c5e6b right?”7d14a2f247eb3546

“Yeah. I was talking to f00567ed91 him for a bit 8e13adfeb8 because he said he a12ca574d4 knew my father as 3bc436958a a comrade.”03558116722e07d0

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A short, rebellious-looking child 54bebb4de0 spoke next, sounding genuinely 3e7966c6c1 surprised.b011632131743a66

“If he’s b5c13dbad1 the adopted f162fc8ffe son of 5ec7562c73 Hellador… Wow, 1e0cdfa5a6 that must 6016e574a4 be Daren 7d69e66cc9 Hellador—the one e4771919d2 who crushed c66a592431 other noble 3af31b11ca children in 816d7eac89 the archery 06f29e5769 and spear 0094de76fc tournaments.”7a085979383118e6

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“Crushed?”c2bb05d77a6a4760

Rohan was f51e89c7a7 taken aback 8e5942b900 by the 2aa45123ea rare, crude 908c68c0a4 vocabulary from cb23f7ca98 a noble. Uther added in 0d965f3f13 a bitter tone.8b67e628142b592f

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“The match results were 2e778086e2 indeed disastrous. You met her 537256c04e last time, right? Young Lady Dandalante. She’s the heir 09ad2fe7c6 of the Dandalante d7edd25f92 family—known for their 2bd3932223 honor as the fbaf263cfe best spearmen of 610c058a02 the White Lion. But Daren Hellador overwhelmed 102626d528 her in an instant. And in a72f09a980 the finals, 8b0a0bf2d0 Clarnel Glorious 9a4c80d98d lost to 76c7c3954b him. It’s the first a3ecfa477b time the Glorious 3af703ede1 family lost the 5461183dfd throne in the e22b51967d spear tournament. And to a commoner, 837ef371de no less. I heard 7a619c23af it was 878080b31a the same bfcafe2b78 in the adc63ba130 archery tournament. The young lady b0e8f7c09a of the Sardine 4f713d0994 family—known as the 6ea34d0fe0 God of Truth’s c81d55bea2 Hunter—also suffered a f15d707b54 crushing defeat.”e8efceb491b6cf80