Chapter 577: The Grand First-Year Combat Festival: Past Encounter

"Let the Countdown... Begin!!"

Patrick’s voice echoed loudly from the arena speakers as the four Holographic Screens immediately changed.

The images of Vera and Diane disappeared, replaced by the large countdown numbers hanging above the Combat Festival platform.

"THREE!!"

The crowd shouted the countdown together.

Hundreds of thousands of voices merged into one as the number appeared across the screens. Some spectators leaned forward in anticipation, while others raised their hands and shouted along with the countdown.

The atmosphere that had been filled with cheers only moments ago became more focused.

Everyone was now counting down the numbers together.

Back on the fight platform...

Vera continued looking at Diane plainly.

Diane stood several steps away from her, her half-closed light-blue eyes carrying the same tired look she had shown when she first entered the platform.

Vera tilted her head slightly to the right.

She folded her right arm and placed her left index finger against her cheek.

"You look sad, Diane."

She said calmly.

There was no concern in her voice.

She had simply noticed the expression on Diane’s face and decided to point it out.

"Do I?"

Diane looked around herself as if she could somehow see her own reflection if she continued looking down.

Her eyes moved from one side to another before she finally looked back at Vera.

"Oh."

She said.

"I’m not happy that I’m facing you. I preferred to face the boy who uses the Sun Alchemy in this round, then beat him and face you in the final."

A small pout appeared on Diane’s face.

She didn’t look angry.

She simply seemed disappointed that the matchup had not gone according to what she wanted.

"Now, E..."

Diane paused.

She tried to remember the name of the person she had just mentioned.

"He would have to face that Sun guy before I do."

She looked faintly displeased.

Vera stared at Diane quietly.

For a moment, the noise of the crowd seemed less important to her.

The girl standing across from her was no longer only the Diane Bergwyn who had grown into one of the strongest Young Alchemists of their generation.

Vera had seen that face before.

Not this older face.

Not the tired expression Diane wore now.

She remembered a much smaller girl.

A girl who had awakened her Cognis at an unusually young age.

A girl whose name had once been placed beside Vera’s whenever people talked about the future of the younger generation.

"This brings back memories, you know."

Vera finally spoke in her casual tone.

Her dull black eyes remained fixed on Diane.

"The day we fought."

"TWO!!!"

The crowd’s voice echoed brightly through the arena.

The number on the Holographic Screens changed again.

Vera heard the countdown, but her attention had already drifted toward a memory from years ago.

The sound of the crowd.

The sight of Diane standing across from her.

Even the feeling of being watched by so many people.

It all reminded her of the day when she was only ten years old.

The day when the Young Lady of Ash and the Young Lady of Bergwyn met as opponents.

***

After Vera awakened her Cognis at an earlier age than most children from other Alchemist families, or families wealthy enough to afford making their children become Alchemists, a question began spreading throughout the Kingdom.

Between the Young Lady of Ash and the Young Lady of Bergwyn...

Who would win in a fight of talent?

The question appeared in noble conversations.

It was discussed by Alchemists.

It was whispered among servants.

Eventually, it became something many people were interested in seeing for themselves.

Vera Ashenlocke had awakened her Cognis early.

Diane Bergwyn had done the same.

Both were children from powerful Duke Houses.

Both had been recognized as geniuses.

And because of that, the King and the two Duke Families eventually agreed to arrange a match between them.

It was a spar between two young girls.

But to the adults surrounding them, it carried much more meaning than that.

On the road heading toward the Royal Training Ground where the spar between young Vera and young Diane would be held, a Royal Steam Carriage moved steadily along the road.

The carriage carried Vera and her four maids, along with two guards.

The steady movement of the carriage caused a faint vibration beneath their feet.

Inside, the maids remained close to Vera.

Becky held the young girl’s hand while looking at her with a warm smile.

"Don’t be nervous, my Lady. I’m sure you will be able to win."

Becky said calmly.

"Yes, as Becky said, we all believe you can win."

The second maid inside the Royal Steam Carriage said with a warm smile.

The remaining two maids nodded as well.

"There is no genius like our young Lady Vera."

"Yeah."

"She’s got this."

They continued saying reassuring words to young Vera.

Their voices were gentle, and their smiles remained warm.

But Vera simply looked at them.

She did not reply to their praise.

The young girl could see the smiles on their faces.

She could also hear the worry behind them.

The other girl is also a genius like me.

She awakened her Cognis at the same age as me, and she’s a daughter from the Duke House of Bergwyn.

So, I understand why they are worried.

Vera looked at the warm smiles of her maids again.

They were trying to encourage her, because they wanted her to feel confident.

But she could easily see through the smiles.

Their concern wasn’t really about whether Vera was nervous.

They were thinking about what would happen if she lost.

What if the Lady loses?

Would she be treated as badly as the Young Master Veda?

Vera’s expression remained unchanged.

She could understand why the thought had crossed their minds.

The adults surrounding her had seen what was currently happening to Veda Ashenlocke, her twin brother.

They knew how much pressure could be placed on a child who failed to meet the expectations of a powerful House.

Vera didn’t want to lose as well.

But that didn’t mean Vera herself was worried about losing.

She had heard many rumors about how the Bergwyn House trained their children.

They had produced a top genius like the current Young Lord of Bergwyn.

Their expectations were high.

And Diane was already being placed in the middle of that world.

Both Diane and Vera were only children, yet people were already putting her into a political battle.

There are even people within the House who wish for the young lady’s downfall simply because they don’t like her personality.

Worry upon worry upon worry.

Vera could easily hear all of those worried thoughts in their minds.

Yet none of those thoughts belonged to her.

She herself did not feel worried in the slightest.

Not because she was certain that she would win.

That was not the reason.

There was simply no need for her to be worried.

She did not even know how to feel worried about it.

And losing to the child of Bergwyn would not be much of a big deal.

The genius title she gained hadn’t been given to her because of her current strength.

It had been given because of her future potential.

And that was all that mattered.

A single loss would not erase that.

This entire situation had only happened because of three reasons.

The first was because the Duke of Bergwyn, together with the High-board members and Elders, wanted to use this encounter to gauge Vera in person.

They wanted to know how much of a threat she was, especially because of the order the King had made about her four years ago.

The second reason was because the Ashenlocke House wanted to use Vera as their special bullet in launching their fight toward regaining their honor as members of the Duke Nobility in the Kingdom.

And finally...

The third reason was because Valentine Ashenlocke himself was interested in seeing how his daughter fared against a genius like Diane Bergwyn.

Vera already knew all of this.

She also knew that her winning meant more to the Ashenlocke House than it did to the Bergwyn House.

To any other young girl, the pressure would have already eaten her up instantly.

There were too many adults watching.

Too many expectations.

Too many reasons for the result to matter.

But to Vera...

It felt like nothing.

She simply sat inside the carriage and waited.

The Royal Steam Carriage continued down the road toward the Royal Training Ground.

Outside the window, the scenery slowly changed as they approached the large Royal complex.

Eventually, the carriage stopped at the front entrance of the large building that served as the Royal Training Quarters for all Royals and Senior Royal Guards.

The outside courtyard was already filled with Nobles who had come to watch the spar between the two young girls.

Royal Guards were stationed throughout the courtyard, keeping the path clear as servants and nobles moved around the area.

The Royal Guards approached the carriage and opened the door.

The Ashenlocke crest was displayed across the body of the Royal Steam Carriage.

Two golden revolvers crossed each other in formation.

The symbol of the Ashenlocke House.

Little Vera was helped down by two of her maids while the other two stood in front with their hands together.

They lowered their heads respectfully.

Vera stepped onto the ground.

The courtyard was filled with voices.

Nobles were already talking about the upcoming spar.

Some discussed Vera.

Others discussed Diane.

Even before the two girls entered the training ground, people were already trying to decide which one would prove herself stronger.

Vera walked in the center of her maids while one of the Royal servants led them into the building.

The walls were painted yellow, with gold layering along the edges.

Alchemy Symbols had also been imprinted into the building as part of its design.

The symbols were worked into the walls and pillars, giving the Royal Training Quarters the appearance of a place built around both tradition and Alchemy.

Vera’s small footsteps echoed through the hallway.

Whispers erupted as she walked through.

The conversations were mainly about her and the other Flower she was facing.

Some nobles lowered their voices when she passed.

Others openly watched her.

A few greeted her as she walked by.

Vera greeted them back with the bow expected of a Noble Lady.

Her movements were proper.

Her expression remained calm.

She did not allow the attention to change her pace.

Eventually, the Royal Guards stationed at the large golden doors of the main training quarters opened them for Vera and her maids.

The Royal servant who had led them there stopped and bowed.

"Good luck, Lady Vera Ashenlocke."

He said calmly.

"Thank you."

Vera replied calmly while waving her hand lazily.

Once they entered the training ground, Vera looked upward.

Her eyes moved toward the second floor of the room.

That was where the Nobles who had come to watch had gathered.

And among them were the people whose presence made this spar much more important than a simple fight between two young girls.

The King.

The Queen.

Some of the Princes and Princesses.

The Dukes and Duchess.

The Elders, and the High-board members of the Duke Houses.

They all stood there to watch the spar between the two Young Flowers of the Kingdom.

Vera looked toward them for a moment.

She already understood why they were there.

They wanted to see what she could do.

They wanted to see what Diane could do.

And they wanted to measure the two young geniuses against each other.

But Vera did not feel the pressure they expected her to feel.

She simply stood there quietly.

For her, the adults could watch.

They could judge.

They could discuss.

They could decide whatever they wanted after the fight.

She only needed to fight Diane.