Mimi on the field hadn’t heard Karl’s silent cries. She remained fiercely determined, relentlessly charging the Flame Hound.

Again and again, she slammed into the beast. Again and again, it raised a claw and batted her away.

Mimi fell. Rose. Fell again. Rose again. Not a hint of surrender flickered in her eyes.

Yet Freya, watching her stubborn familiar, snapped sharply:

“Mimi! Use your head! Dodge its attacks! Are you just going to charge blindly like a brainless brute?”

Karl and Prince Elgin across the field exchanged utterly baffled looks.

*Holy crap—she expects a familiar to think for itself?!*

*Is that even reasonable?!*

*If familiars could strategize alone, what’s the point of a familiar master?!*

But to everyone’s shock, Mimi actually halted her charge after Freya’s scolding.

She stared at the Flame Hound. A faint light shimmered in her eyes—like she was truly thinking.

The crowd murmured in awe:

“This familiar’s actually *thinking*?! So cute!”

“I wonder what tactic she’ll come up with…”

As whispers spread, Mimi seemed to decide. She stepped back—then charged again.

Prince Elgin snorted. “Hah! Still just ramming? What ‘tactic’ could a beast possibly devise? Freya, this is your failure as a master.”

He turned sharply. “Flame Hound! Iron Claw—crush it dead!”

The beast obeyed. Metallic gleam flashed across its claws—a branch of earth-element magic hardening flesh into steel.

Claw slashed down—

—but Mimi pushed off the ground at the last millisecond.

Her body grazed the strike. Less than a hair’s breadth apart.

Off-balance from the missed blow, the Flame Hound stumbled.

Mimi seized the opening. Charged. Slammed straight into its belly. Flipped it over.

“Flame Hound!” Elgin roared. “Flame Charge—burn it to ashes!”

The beast flipped up, body erupting in fire—a walking inferno lunging at Mimi. Heat enough to cook her medium-well.

Mimi froze, panic flashing in her eyes.

“Don’t take it head-on!” Freya yelled. “Dodge! Circle! Drain its magic!”

Smart call—the Flame Hound burned mana; Mimi didn’t. Attrition was the play.

But Mimi reacted a beat too slow. Just as she leaped—

*WHOOSH!*

Flames engulfed her. Fur blackened. Smoke rose.

“Sister! Surrender!” Mia cried, voice trembling. “Mimi can’t win!”

Karl nodded fast. “Yeah, yeah—surrender, dear. Win or lose, it’s all part of battle. No big deal.”

Freya sighed softly. “I surren—"

*CRACK!*

Icy aura erupted from Mimi. Frost surged. Snuffed the flames dead.

“Th-this… what is this…?” gasped the crowd.

Karl slapped his thigh mentally: *HOLY CRAP—SINCE WHEN CAN MIMI USE ICE MAGIC?!*

Mimi stood wreathed in cold. The Flame Hound shivered violently.

“That chill froze a Flame Hound?! That’s Rank D monster power!”

“A *cub* with Rank D strength?! Mimi’s a divine beast!!!”

Amid the buzz, Mimi tapped a paw. Frost spiderwebbed across the ground—freezing the hound solid.

“Flame Hound! Ignite! Fight back!” Elgin commanded.

Silence. The beast stood rigid. Utterly immobilized.

Freya’s lips curled into a smirk. “Prince Elgin… it seems Mimi and I win.”

Elgin’s jaw tightened. Fists clenched. Then slowly loosened. “Fine. I lost. The women of your Earl’s house… truly formidable.”

Polite words. Poisonous glare.

A man who scorned women—defeated by one. Humiliation burned deep.

Karl stayed silent. *Anything I say now is fuel.*

Mission to charm royalty? Total failure.

Then Freya beamed at Elgin. “Your Flame Hound has potential. Train it up—challenge my Mimi again someday.”

Karl’s soul screamed: *STOP RUBBING SALT IN THE WOUND!! THAT’S BLATANT PROVOCATION!!*

Freya winked at Karl—*See? I’m great at networking. Praise me~*

Karl mentally visualized flipping her over his shoulder. *NO ONE “NETWORKS” LIKE YOU DO.*

Before he could react—

Elgin strode silently to the frozen hound. Drew his sword.

*THUNK.*

Steel pierced skull. Light faded from the beast’s eyes.

He yanked the blade free, flicked blood off, kicked the corpse aside.

“A failure that loses battle doesn’t deserve to live.”

Mia lunged forward, tears in her eyes—Karl grabbed her arm.

“Don’t pour oil on the fire. It’s his familiar. His call.”

“But… it was just a puppy… so loyal… so brave…”

“He’s a prince. He’d kill a person without blinking.”

Mia buried her face in Karl’s chest. Soft sobs shook her shoulders.

Freya stared at the lifeless body. Fury hardened her gaze.

*This… is royalty?*