novelraw Chapter 65 : Pride of the Lioness
Chapter 65 : Pride of the Lioness
Elara’s POV
The academy courtyard buzzed with whispers. I stood at the center, my blade at my side, my eyes locked on the girl across from me.
Her name: Seris Revingale.
Daughter of the man who disgraced my father.
“You challenge me,” I said, my voice low, steady, but cold.
Seris’s gaze didn’t waver. “For the right to stand beside Prince Edmond, yes. If you are his fiancée, then prove your strength in the open.”
The murmurs around us rose, the crowd hungry for spectacle.
At the mere mention of her family name, bile rose in my throat. I remembered the day my father returned broken, the curse burning through him, stolen honor branded into the Revingale name.
I sneered. “Do you plan to use your father’s tricks too? Hidden spells, curses, daggers in the dark?”
Her expression faltered—just for a heartbeat—before she raised her chin.
“No.” Her voice carried across the courtyard, clear and firm. “I swear on my family name, no magic will touch this duel. Only steel. Only strength. That is my vow.”
I blinked, caught off guard.
She unsheathed her sword, the blade gleaming in the sun. Her stance was perfect, textbook, every motion sharp with discipline. She wasn’t mocking me. She wasn’t trying to play games.
She was serious.
The whispers rippled again.
“Elara against Seris Revingale?”
“Another Valemont versus Revingale…”
“Will history repeat itself?”
I steadied my breath. My hatred for her father flared, but in her eyes, I saw no malice. Only resolve.
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“…Fine,” I said at last, raising my blade. “But if I win, remember this: I don’t fight for titles, or for courts, or for glory. I fight because I am Valemont.”
Seris’s lips curved, just slightly. “Then may the better blade win.”
The courtyard fell silent as the instructor raised his hand to signal the start.
My grip tightened. The blood of Valemont demanded victory.
This time, I would not lose.
Steel rang out in sharp rhythm—clang, clang, clang!
Seris Revingale’s blade met mine again and again. Her strikes were precise, her footwork flawless, her breath steady. She wasn’t bluffing—she was every bit the swordswoman her stance had promised.
Our blades locked, the pressure vibrating up my arm. She pushed forward with raw strength, her eyes burning with determination.
“You’re strong, Valemont,” she said, teeth gritted. “But so am I!”
I shoved her back, breaking the lock, my chest heaving. Around us, the academy courtyard was silent, every student glued to the clash.
But in my heart, the fire was not just for my family.
This isn’t only for Valemont’s name…
I glanced toward the edge of the crowd. Edmond stood there, fists clenched, eyes wide, as if he were fighting alongside me.
This is for him. My fiancé. My beloved.
My blade burned with renewed strength as I lunged forward.
And then—
A faint shimmer appeared in front of me.
Unseen by anyone even Elara herself, glowing words hung in the air:
[ Pride of the Lioness ]
Condition: When fighting for a beloved.
Effect: Increases all status by 30%.
Current: Activated – Target: Edmond Asterion.
And Elara only feel the shimmering light where the words appear.
I didn’t understand what it meant—but suddenly my body felt lighter. My strikes faster. My strength doubled.
Seris’s eyes widened as my blade came down heavier, faster, sharper. Her guard wavered. She stumbled under the flurry of blows.
“Impossible—!” she gasped.
With a final strike, I disarmed her. Her sword clattered to the ground. My blade hovered inches from her shoulder, gleaming in the sun.
Silence. Then the instructor’s voice roared:
“Winner—Elara Valemont!”
The courtyard erupted, cheers and shouts shaking the air. For the first time, there was no scorn. No whispers of “fallen noble.” Only awe.
I lowered my blade, breath heavy, sweat dripping down my cheek. Seris knelt, chest heaving, but her eyes met mine—not with hatred, but respect.
“…You’ve won fairly,” she said. “Cherish him well.”
I blinked, then sheathed my sword.
Summer air drifted warm across the courtyard. My chest still pounded with the thrill of victory, but another thought crept in.
It’s almost time… Summer break. Soon, I’ll go home. Back to Rooga. Back to my family.
And for the first time in months, the thought of returning filled me with joy instead of dread.