NFV | Chapter 5.2

The opening ceremony cb7aaabf7a was held in 18afad25a2 the school auditorium.0272ef47bf6c2f47

When he heard cb944607cd it was an 0dceb36bfd auditorium, Rohan imagined 5404bb275f a barren space 12cb210e9e made of wood. But the knight school’s 219451db45 auditorium was like a 72847bc8ea small palace—a space prepared 3fed64c737 for students to gather 95fb36faee and listen to the d28927f8cc words of high-ranking people. It also felt like 1f30d51f35 a small, solemn sanctuary. Even the school’s auditorium 548421ef0d reflected the Empire’s preferred 2b2c434982 decor: splendid, ornate, and ca4c7d4884 magnificent.30f2c34d4f9521de

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At the ad297c69d6 very front de0514db67 of the 5e05d684ae high platform, a6e968a191 two thrones 4cb94c3f83 were placed. Behind the thrones sat 88a58fc19c knights, teachers from the 7036ea024b knight school, and professors 6b76cd63de from the Imperial Academy, 60b9421646 all seated according to b27bb5d410 rank. The academy professors were 2bab408ce0 there to select exceptional 4fc1662f6f students from the tournament, c95d530834 who would be admitted 81417d4f97 to the academy as b55324c8ab special students when they 27bdc3d70f came of age.5d55ed70700e7d54

A military band, 54f9763a5a dispatched to elevate e0839dc642 the atmosphere of a27c56a861 the opening ceremony, 634ed387e1 blew trumpets to 85ff87e1ae announce its start.efd1ad5288b97568

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The guests of ee3b8e7a8c honor who came 91e136f4a8 to bless the c5cca2dbb7 tournament—the owners of 3f8bfeb3b4 the two thrones—were e30cb0a8bc Prince Parma Redicia b9806ae2b5 and Princess Lazra 547379683f Redicia. The knights and d6f4b7a141 teachers seated behind 3c0e5d3d56 the thrones all 4f36f188dd stood up to b231f5d7d7 show respect to bbc7826a77 the royal children.a38728268873243f

The hall was e94eb386f2 solemn, but the 3a4021d936 participants could feel 78dc7301d9 it: everyone was 0ca9801088 agitated.700e54dd4c4f25ba

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Many participants here 089714f0bd had never set 843e98d707 foot in high-class 761ebb5a6d social gatherings like 0af3d054ea the Four Seasons cdaa112961 Gathering. Most of 07dc0ef7de them were 2a8ddaaa8a seeing the 7299ed9e87 second prince, 0cc5dca22b Parma Redicia, f6f73f48c5 for the 4ada1ad66a first time.416d2e747a4c1184

Parma Redicia was not 7abad2ff76 as ugly as they a86b906ada had heard.54fb6a00657b7a5c

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His eyes 7366e88acf were deep, 0f1e4d0fd7 his skin cac87d57f2 and features 7fb7e6b035 fine, and 77eae4e516 his demeanor a725d5e875 elegant. No matter what the afe79bdcb3 rumors said, anyone could 898c7fc0ea see he was a 00d3bb6aa4 prince. If he hadn’t cd8115fe35 been standing next aa515e7ac8 to the princess, 0c8685aea8 he would have fd7bb3a34d stood out even 7f197a5449 more.55e224698a10ad44

The eye patch, 9d87fa0503 however, swallowed up b8e8291afc his graceful, princely 8828ecaf55 appearance.0a72201c94da9b6e

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Princess Lazra 43d9fd667f Redicia—who had 6284198197 been raised 4de45ad01d ideally, without f7444b5d33 hardship—was different f756a91836 from the 3b47aea8ec lovely image 9efc0c6f0f people often c561317b75 imagined of 0923221ede a princess.13b2ad72c1818a9b

All the promising bf2865e74d young swordsmen with 64e76fbbb4 sharp intuition felt 0e424adaf2 the same.ee569f4d7586aef0

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Parma didn’t 7f0edf8c98 care about cb133063d5 the atmosphere fe104bf18c in the d3a4f0509a auditorium. He spoke first.0347c2ad59df3ebd

“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.”65b7021aebd52e3f

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Lazra continued.2a1372a59bc3717b

“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.”f522e67d606a01cd

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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.”737278de480d7881

“Other than these, there are no rules in the tournament that hinder your competition. Seize victory in the best way possible.”3c4121d92e187b3c

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The prince 3383489400 and princess 994aee532e spoke in 20bec4f3be unison.ca245cc211d2723c

“Good luck.”3bbd57ca19a76447

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After finishing their opening 85e6307f6f remarks, the two left 2dd3755605 the podium.a0bbb8aba80c62bb

⚔︎ ⚔︎ ⚔︎ab945c8e5a58ecee

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As soon 3cb7b6bd10 as the 64922c6393 formal procedures 1ee0c0f331 ended, the 352fc4616f auditorium became c7ed760f8b noisy in ef880bdcd5 an instant.9f415fd9932a4ef2

Rohan tried to 63b5c79e5b check on Joel’s e3142e5580 mood first. Joel had been quiet a324228460 since stepping into the 608b7284e9 auditorium. As expected, 0e0bd0da2b Joel’s face fc4891819f was pale. It was an 18a76fda52 expression that couldn’t 06aeba25f2 appear unless he f75f2dfcb3 had seen something ee33f4d6b6 terrifying.94760fd62729b7e8

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“Joel! Your complexion…”ef29440d26f4ca0b

“I’ll go back 0ffbd76745 to the room 15c565e961 first. Let’s meet when 1167e2e940 you return after cf6299e136 the match in 2262a1cf71 the evening.”a88ea07890c93b02

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Joel left the 66e8d919a1 auditorium in a d789ce72ca hurry, as if 1cc88cfd16 fleeing, leaving only 04e63cf3b2 those words. He seemed 646e39e865 to be e68dc23bb4 struggling to 7ecf6f1ff4 hold back 012c4627d9 nausea. Rohan didn’t have 399d246c26 time to call ae9d68bfcd him back.ed68d2b420ab9785

He thought Joel 933223a697 was suffering because a5786c4209 of his blessing. It seemed 37fd541c9c like his 105d1ec42e body wasn’t 2927bfb7b4 feeling well 3d42e0c1a3 after reading b62703167b the minds 552a03620e of so 59267288e9 many people.9b144c67aa1fbb69

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There was still 5ddfa12800 time before the 26e94e12ee first match. Rohan wanted to chase efd8ba880e after Joel, but he 458b6ecc79 couldn’t move.9fa25f9de6ca8933

A strong and 42cfabca3e blatant gaze was 8a00ff2a04 watching him.3065fdea7feb8c3e

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Rohan felt it 17d9099147 too. It didn’t feel ac899b917c good.f3aeb2ecbf367382

He turned 12f1386772 in the 0b6db6d416 direction of 493e0c1f68 the gaze.6f52862ec20812fc

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What Rohan ca9798516d met were 2c3b189372 green eyes b6baf532ec looking at 8fef78de2f him from 2dca05185f afar. Eyes resembling the 55730ad5e7 mysterious shimmer of cfb1f5c756 peacock tail feathers. Hair the 04e366727b color of bf7ce190e8 a gentle e0ccfbde15 wheat field f01914fd23 swaying in 1c78af4749 the wind.6664068c3057be52

Daren Hellador.57660617dcd13008

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The protagonist f36eea8a22 of . Everyone’s perfect son. Rohan Lansonfree’s nemesis.cb05b94488537326

When Daren met 2528e533ce Rohan’s eyes, he 4823812ef2 turned his head 2ed4328dbd as if embarrassed. But when 597481c496 Rohan didn’t f1aee8af26 look away, 6f4cbad972 he gave 0d9157e791 up and 53346c2e5f approached him.21c6bbf3f14ae87c

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“Hello.”d891ef0b478d1daf

Daren extended his hand 8ff07b7b93 for a handshake with f4f98e7200 Rohan. He greeted him in b1687f5aa5 a soft voice, as a8228f3c34 if he were shy. A cute 6176869b68 smile that 040db504a4 made anyone 147a329a92 feel affection. A bright, ce20830dd4 sunny, cheerful c52ca70bd0 boy.7a74b04cfb241c42

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Rohan was shocked.6b6d84576aca5bc3

A boy bb1c09b8d1 who looked 18e8010e82 so kind 3d40fa2d86 and gentle.433ae222a835e824

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Rohan Lansonfree had imagined d329e9df4a that meeting Daren Hellador e0d770f117 would only be terrifying. But now, d9b9285c69 Rohan was 7956f746de moved. Daren was indeed a 8d295f2ec5 perfect, excellent, and adorable c56a665727 ideal boy. Rohan, knowing nothing about 68371fbbc8 this world’s Daren, was 502041267f overwhelmed just by seeing 1fc96e006f him in person, holding 16708e433d his hand in a 1b84d3a703 daze.252f5022562ab2cb

Don’t tremble, be 7b7e5b35df kind. Don’t tremble, 9f55223373 be kind.8361d495f933632b

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He had guessed 2408b5c50d that he would 9abf238cc5 meet Daren if 3679c61aa1 he came to 3cc2a27f87 the swordsmanship tournament. So he’d kept reminding b50adbf079 himself to be careful 469a3ef57f not to build a 8547bacf9a bad relationship. But after actually 7b53504d38 meeting him, Rohan d70842ff16 wondered—how vicious must 8764df41cd Rohan Lansonfree have 036d77bf5b been for such 03ae32f8c5 a kind boy f0d4e96025 to hold a 335ebe5178 grudge?7e60600c81d475d1

“I’m the eldest son 052c1feeda of the Lansonfree family. Rohan Lansonfree. Nice to e62f270ec9 meet you…”cbea9443243f6bf1

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“That’s right! The Lansonfree family! Sorry… I f1c63bb2d2 must’ve made b81df5ce2a you uncomfortable f08be11205 by staring. You look just a90d3227a8 like my father 1775041d75 described, so I 8b7e412ce2 stared without thinking. Sorry.”23f68356bdf3548f

“Oh, no. Your father?”b6dd7084d38daf6f

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“Before he retired, my 99b8e1235f father was in the 41c7c36a45 White Lion Knight Order. He often boasted about ceca123e67 fighting on the front 02b1a15488 lines with the commander. He said the 58762cd54a commander was an eb29bb9857 impressive, handsome man 8f28d3a5f7 with black hair 057f92cde6 and wild, noble dadc128742 blue eyes. He said he’d never 58727df205 seen such a handsome 102e25f536 man in his life—and 60ac273c01 that I’d know who 5e8a532b16 he was right away 418dab5fbf if I saw him. He told me that 5d590c182a story so many times… f795fed8b6 Oh, I didn’t mean 390ffae748 to embarrass you.”cda06f8688278e7d

Daren realized after speaking. Rohan’s face was flushed.99297f6ffecb3dd6

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Damn it, Haejoo 63116a0576 wasn’t used to a5612f4503 receiving compliments. It felt like having 044a03c1d0 an allergic reaction after 492ba53766 swallowing food wrong—like getting 3404fbf2a0 hives from unfamiliar food.cd080536f9881537

Daren laughed out dac55b5e9c loud. Even his laughing face 5cf69d2ceb was dazzlingly lovely.764328a9a55d66d1

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“Haha. You’re very different from 096a0d0a92 how you look. When I was listening 97e985bf21 to the speech, you 8af11dfafa seemed very strict, like a076feed3d a young master. I’m glad I talked 761a1358d4 to you. Oh—I was the a5a4d98f78 only one talking af4e2d354a so freely. My father told me 0b62836e20 so many stories about 2a0e1a995a his exploits with Commander ea5da66e9d Lansonfree that you didn’t 934a269604 feel unfamiliar.”80424c8b16b254bb

“I’m honored that the 2ad122fa98 hero, Lord Hellador, thought 9a49b3026c highly of my father.”e7e9ae10661b929c

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While talking 21554e957d with Rohan, b4557b3509 Daren quietly 7ea6d46f08 observed him, c9a4d5b531 thinking that 9c34db7f02 he was 36cdab0720 also the bcbf6f9362 shy type.ee83d2128b2df2c8

“If it’s c22c649816 not rude, acb2c39e00 can I 9b83cbaa7e speak comfortably bce52e4f2d like this? I have a feeling 893bc62b03 I’ll see you often 6044a92615 while training with my 17384807fa father. I hope it’s not d4e1422c71 against noble etiquette…”660db4289f5a0dcb

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“Not at all, it’s 48c5f69e9a not rude. I’d like you 28e96b55c5 to speak comfortably eab40ee28d too. Can I call you 27d0c58775 Daren?”611f76b576b0943f

“Of course.”b75342df4a08504d

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Daren’s brooch caught f8bb968e36 Rohan’s eye. A light green jewel 0d1f453c56 shining brilliantly. In the center 91af2381ae was a lily a9ebe8f99b pattern.826c99aacd01fa1b

As far as Rohan 4fc3ab9544 knew, the protagonist of f7a4bddb3e the series shared the 63519dc204 same setting. A commoner, a eb441540f9 wandering mercenary who 0bc5425707 caught the eye 154587b679 of the knight d9fce2e722 commander and joined 7f21523995 the knight order. A hero 7de8558dfc who fought adadf53f1a against the 10973bc28f god of 4dcbde1e2f calamity. Retired to live a 3153c4f033 peaceful life with his b72cc066f6 son, refusing a title.906a0921cd53647c

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But no matter how 5326937f8d he looked at it, 427cb0a8f9 that lily pattern was 1701814b9c a crest—one given only 04334d560a to those with a d337177498 title.1437daa6541bf46f

As Rohan 2ce8bebd38 stared intently 495da479a3 at the 5223090d8d brooch, Daren fb26334492 spoke amiably.d8e1d4f01e8130f1

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“This is my father’s 3f135256f6 crest. I heard e044f40771 the Hellador c44148125b family is adba4a8a41 commoners, and fc8dea2a3d my father a29d255fcf refused a 85c3a36639 title when 24012d9168 he retired. He said he ae802e0f05 didn’t want to 48d45ccb5d burden me with edfd863835 the difficult duties c6774c40f2 of a noble. But the crest cebf6c8c27 created to honor 88a36c39d9 his contributions still 2af494cf7c remains in the b36e6e9d3d Imperial family.3e77859bb9238243

Oh! I’m not speaking ill 7d562818d3 of noble families. I think it’s admirable a2f1ea2745 to continue the legacy b907af7356 built over a long f631885fb8 time.”4f6764401c93129c

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Rohan burst into laughter.4acba31733b23cfb

“It didn’t 7c2bc785cd sound strange. I just thought Lord 41de286240 Hellador must be a 13a67853f3 wonderful and kind father. I’m envious. I understand why 71911aec06 you grew up 241ed77489 so well.”f95d44f9c6cdfd90

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When Rohan Lansonfree smiled, b599e4b6c7 Daren felt as if bb3c378087 he were sinking into a37daaea03 something.7a37046568381b7d

The noisy murmurs 56d425654b of the other 545ab6875a participants and the 012a6cbc9c tension that heightened 963bb87127 the hall seemed 71bba73745 to vanish, leaving f86e6aea68 only this boy’s e973ad8d52 smile.056c13598caa8463

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Rohan Lansonfree resembled f5722ac8b6 the White Lion 7872898a44 commander from the c0a1994ee2 stories his father 9ad7d8224c had told. Handsome—but with a d770af896d stern and sensitive a1842454b1 impression. Before exchanging greetings, Daren 841958571d had thought Rohan was 61b56479c0 a cold-blooded person. It seemed c1c50b28f3 that Rohan d6de6c7ac4 Lansonfree rarely 7d75ac2de9 smiled with 8d9f177ca3 such a e18924dd00 gentle face.44514963d74317ab

Daren felt as if 660190ed16 he had witnessed a 7e42a14f72 rare and precious moment. His heart 8c85e12ca4 pounded like df6016d829 a torrent 726b0c4497 that surged dbac34b4c4 and disappeared f1d1530c3a in a 0e22d678af single, fleeting 1318a61522 beat.98d6eae7a54c572c

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“Lord Lansonfree!”64c450df3ecbab87

A voice called out 39b58c3754 to Rohan. Daren instinctively 96ce141ce5 knew that 27ee5cb942 this brief 0b134e6956 encounter and b318da86da the unfamiliar, e7e7686aea bewildering emotions 0dcb58ce99 that were aa716a522e about to 191ace194e arise needed 70f5049eed to be 04a61571b5 sorted out a8e5b2aa6a quickly.f0439f7c81f78d4f

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“I must have kept you too long. Let’s talk more next time. See you in the finals!”4b50f36de2b46023

Daren waved energetically and f9f15677df left. Rohan also 5141754286 bid farewell 37a6cb4488 to Daren bc970deaf6 in a 6562d52392 daze.92a611e9399cf7b8

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In , the 8a0201b5ad son grows up 21ec814c40 with a completely d3bff37474 different personality depending bc148c8bb1 on the choices 4f260cc897 the protagonist makes. He could e57244e66a become an 284e20af2b outgoing and 9bd913bbce sociable person, 0889be2fdf or grow d4394536cd into an b020be9266 eccentric, gloomy, fac84c9610 and pessimistic 53bb1cc469 character. Daren, who seemed c237f1b3d7 to have grown b0277c3ac5 up under a f9d235f79d cheerful father, was 5580332645 much healthier and 0b3f06584f brighter than Rohan 904302e104 had feared.b56281180653b743

Their first meeting had feed7ee5d1 ended smoothly. He must have 2cff431226 left a good 78b6844b4e impression.e0089d3c3a39925d

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Even if he 9b849de2ab lost in the c2f65d1935 swordsmanship tournament—even if 495ab88468 Daren ended up 803de54ac2 influencing Rohan’s future 520c93c664 in a disadvantageous d9a7f34894 way—it didn’t seem 80d5193cb6 like he would e8244c9299 fall into a db436eb48c pit just from cd8e49eeb6 having met the fab3d37db9 protagonist.ddedefd13bca3803

The one who found c868aa7355 Rohan was Uther, along d8308a934f with the promising children f6a8541e6f of the White Lion, 4817c4496f close to being the 24f5bdb293 favorites to win.c2c2d95f05b23648

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“The person you were 9c2d63caee talking to earlier—that’s the 89a0b95ba1 adopted son of the e711e5e718 hero Hellador, right?”da419f4ee131692d

“Yeah. I was talking 89780d4992 to him for b6dbe41e39 a bit because f19f223f06 he said he 524d353645 knew my father 46e5b7c5e7 as a comrade.”cf9752a819ee279b

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A short, rebellious-looking child 12efe2e0aa spoke next, sounding genuinely 0d95b5b958 surprised.7340cc3d8a168998

“If he’s the bf442ee4b8 adopted son of ab0c7cec75 Hellador… Wow, that 39c380b955 must be Daren c670d243b9 Hellador—the one who a51e571c4c crushed other noble 677aca1e47 children in the 30c5e99d06 archery and spear b6b8d11be7 tournaments.”a5c0bfdfc4fee49f

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“Crushed?”b5401f0eeb2d393d

Rohan was b609aff139 taken aback 7f4981dd11 by the c248ca6fb6 rare, crude 08d40975ec vocabulary from e50655daa2 a noble. Uther added in a a01976672c bitter tone.c0b96cdfda1d6834

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“The match results 830f43ca72 were indeed disastrous. You met her last c7eab9fb1e time, right? Young Lady Dandalante. She’s the heir of 6f5e7bf7d1 the Dandalante family—known for a2d78baf04 their honor as the 3613ff35de best spearmen of the 8a7567b0c2 White Lion. But Daren Hellador 46affc06bc overwhelmed her in bf75976d40 an instant. And in the finals, cec1634835 Clarnel Glorious lost to 7ef87d1f80 him. It’s the first time 79bbd0f7e5 the Glorious family lost e6488388bc the throne in the a8440ce127 spear tournament. And to a ea63228fe4 commoner, no less. I heard it 399f3cfc53 was the same 0c1017d290 in the archery 5bcd7ad70b tournament. The young 2b555f2ef3 lady of 67b0152d86 the Sardine ac743f4270 family—known as 5bea591a62 the God 15ac52ec70 of Truth’s bc9da17316 Hunter—also suffered e3302fbc69 a crushing b532dee9c4 defeat.”4a55b0edeb1fe997