CHAPTER 71 — AFTER THE DUEL

The house was quiet. Suspiciously quiet. Percy and Clara lay side by side. Neither of their energies had fully returned yet. But their wounds had largely healed.

Clara's eyes slowly fluttered open. She stared at the ceiling for a few seconds. Then she turned her head to the side. Percy was awake. And he was looking directly at her.

Clara said nothing for a few seconds. Then her lips slowly curled upwards.

"I really won."

Percy laughed.

"I knew you could win."

Clara looked at him. Percy gave a slight shrug of his shoulders.

"I always told you."

Clara looked back at the ceiling.

"I know."

She fell silent for a while.

"But it doesn't feel real."

Percy's brow arched slightly. Then his smirk widened.

"Haha."

"You don't need to praise me that much."

Clara turned to him in an instant.

"I didn't praise you."

"You did, Clara."

"I didn't, Percy."

"You did."

"I didn't."

A voice came from near the door.

"You did."

Clara froze. Percy's eyes darted to Eleanor. Eleanor was leaning against the doorway. A massive smile rested on her face. Clara's face fell.

"Mooom!"

Percy burst into laughter. Clara turned to him.

"Why are you laughing?"

Percy tried to gather himself.

"Because your mother is right."

"You shut up."

"Is that any way to speak to the champion?"

Clara's eyes narrowed. Percy immediately raised his hands.

"Okay."

A second passed. Percy started laughing again. Clara threw her pillow at him. Percy caught the pillow against his face.

"Violence!"

"I did worse in the tournament."

Percy tossed the pillow aside.

"True."

Clara's smile returned. For a while, both of them remained silent. Then Clara turned to Percy.

"If we had truly fought..."

Percy arched an eyebrow slightly. Clara continued.

"If I had used my speed, I don't know what would have happened."

Percy listened in silence.

"The moment you used Absolute Cancel..."

Clara thought for a brief moment.

"And if you had used that staff..."

Percy cut her off.

"It wouldn't have been fair."

Clara looked at him. There was no trace of a joke on Percy's face.

"We both held certain things back."

This story originates from NovelPhoenix. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"I didn't use Blaze."

"And you didn't use your speed."

Clara:

"But still..."

Percy shook his head.

"You still could have won."

Clara's eyes widened a fraction. Percy continued.

"Instead of thinking about this..."

"You should be happy, Clara."

Clara watched him for a few seconds. Then she grimaced.

"I don't like it."

Percy was surprised.

"Like what?"

Clara leaned in a bit closer.

"Sometimes..."

"You don't talk like a seven-year-old child."

Percy remained silent for a few seconds. Then he pondered very seriously.

"I am seven years old."

Clara rolled her eyes.

"I know that."

"I can prove it."

"How?"

Percy grabbed the pillow from the edge of the bed. He placed it on Clara's head. Clara peered out from under the pillow. Percy nodded in utmost seriousness.

"Proof."

Clara pulled the pillow off her face.

"Alright."

"I'm convinced."

Percy leaned back with pride. Eleanor watched them from the doorway. And she smiled quietly. A short while later, there was a knock at the door. Then once more.

Followed by a third time. Percy looked at the door.

"Who is it?"

Eleanor didn't answer. She opened the door. Nathaniel was the first to enter. He carried an enormous bag of food in his hands. Percy's brow arched.

"Did you come to wish us well?"

Nathaniel hoisted the bag.

"I brought food."

Clara:

"For us?"

Nathaniel fell silent for a few seconds.

"Part of it."

Arthur stepped inside right behind him.

"He's lying."

Nathaniel whirled around instantly.

"Why are you selling me out?"

William appeared in the doorway too.

"Because you ate half the bag on the way."

Nathaniel glared at William.

"Do you have proof?"

William pointed at the bag.

"The size."

Nathaniel looked at the bag. Then back at William.

"That's not science."

William adjusted his glasses.

"Sufficient data."

Charlotte walked in with a laugh. Marcus was right behind her. Clara tried to sit up. Charlotte immediately held up her hand.

"No."

Clara paused. Charlotte approached her.

"You are the champion."

"Rest for now."

Percy immediately lifted his head.

"'For now' is my phrase."

Clara turned to him.

"You stole it."

"It's mine now."

Arthur sighed.

"They've started again."

Nathaniel placed the bag on the table.

"I'm opening the food."

Marcus:

"It was already open."

Nathaniel peered into the top of the bag.

"I checked."

William:

"Three times."

Nathaniel turned to him.

"Stop tracking me."

A while later, the room was completely full. Elizabeth had arrived too. Wycliffe was standing at the door. While Galahad leaned against the wall. Holar sat a little apart from everyone else.

Percy looked at Wycliffe.

"Professor."

Wycliffe:

"Sir?"

"There's no report today, right?"

Wycliffe remained silent for a few seconds. He saw the worry on Percy's face.

"Not today."

Percy let out a sigh of relief.

Nathaniel:

"Is this your championship prize?"

Percy:

"You wouldn't understand."

Nathaniel:

"I don't write them."

"True."

"That's why you wouldn't understand."

Nathaniel was about to say something. Then he gave up. Charlotte sat down next to Clara.

"How are you feeling?"

Clara smiled faintly.

"Good."

Then she looked at Percy.

"It's strange."

Percy:

"She's praising me again."

Clara:

"I AM NOT PRAISING YOU."

Eleanor called out from the kitchen.

"You are praising him."

Clara closed her eyes.

"Mom!"

The room filled with laughter. They talked about the tournament for a while. Then they didn't. Nathaniel talked about food. Arthur tried to silence him.

William explained why that was impossible. Charlotte checked everyone's wounds. Marcus mostly listened in silence. Elizabeth checked Percy's arm. Wycliffe considered retirement a few times.

Holar smiled without saying any of it. As the evening wore on, everyone relaxed. The pressure of the tournament was left behind. For a little while... No one thought about progression.

No one talked about rankings. No one calculated the next battle. They were just together. Galahad watched Percy for a while. Then he gestured outside with his head.

Percy understood the motion immediately. He slowly stood up. Clara looked at him.

Percy:

"I'll be right back."

Clara nodded. Percy and Galahad stepped outside. The garden was quiet. The two walked side by side. Galahad didn't speak for a while.

Percy finally couldn't hold back.

"Brother."

"Hm?"

"Why did you call me out?"

Galahad stopped. He looked at Percy.

"You lost."

Percy's brow arched.

"I noticed."

Galahad smiled.

"How do you feel?"

Percy thought for a few seconds.

"I'm happy."

Galahad's smile faded. He wasn't surprised. But he had wanted to hear the answer. Percy continued.

"Clara won."

"She truly won."

"And I truly lost."

Galahad nodded.

"And?"

Percy shrugged.

"And next time, I'll win."

Galahad laughed.

"That's what I was waiting for."

Percy smiled too. Then he grew a little more serious.

"But first..."

"I'm going to let her win."

Galahad arched an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

Percy looked toward the house.

"Today is her day."

"It's not about me losing."

"It's about her winning."

Galahad remained silent for a few seconds. Then he ruffled Percy's hair. Percy instantly pulled back.

"Brother!"

Galahad:

"Well done, little lord."

Percy's face fell.

"Don't call me little."

"You're seven years old."

"You were little too."

"Past tense."

Percy glared at Galahad.

"I hate you right now."

Galahad burst out laughing.

"For now?"

Percy paused. Then he smiled involuntarily.

"For now."

The two of them walked back to the house. When they opened the door, Nathaniel was shouting.

"I HID THAT ONE!"

Arthur:

"You hid it in the middle of the table."

Nathaniel:

"IT WAS STILL HIDDEN!"

Percy looked inside. Clara saw him. She reached out her hand. Percy walked over to her without a second thought. He took her hand.

Clara shifted to the side a little. And Percy sat down beside her. Nathaniel was still fighting over food. William was trying to defeat him with logic. Arthur wasn't even trying anymore.

Charlotte was laughing. Marcus was shaking his head from side to side. Eleanor was saying something to Holar. Holar was pretending not to hear. Wycliffe looked genuinely exhausted.

Elizabeth was watching everything. Percy looked at Clara. Clara looked at him too.

"Champion."

Clara smiled.

"For now."

Percy's eyes narrowed.

"Give that back."

Clara rested her head on Percy's shoulder.

"No."

Percy remained silent for a few seconds. Then he leaned his head against Clara's.

"Pain in my ass."

Clara closed her eyes.

"Your pain in my ass."

Percy didn't answer. He just smiled.

END OF CHAPTER