In her excitement, Wei Yue had even started using the catchphrases she usually used to lecture her students.

Whenever one of her students felt afraid, Wei Yue would encourage them, telling them that a swordsman needed the courage to cut down anything in their path.

Enemies on the battlefield wouldn’t give you a chance to catch your breath.

Susie was stunned by Wei Yue’s impassioned speech. Could Her Highness have gained some insight into the Way of the Sword, too?

She was definitely making this friend!

Susie readied herself to attack again.

Seeing her opponent’s fighting spirit rekindled, Wei Yue nodded with relief as she braced herself to take the blow head-on.

But what Wei Yue didn’t expect was—

“Your Highness, since you understand the Way of the Sword so well, where’s your weapon?”

“…”

Talk about bringing up the one thing she didn’t want to discuss.

“If you don’t say anything, I’ll have to assume you’re throwing the match.”

“?”

Wei Yue hadn’t expected those words to come back to haunt her.

Honestly, she was…

Why had she gone and said all that in the first place?

Now Wei Yue had no choice but to reluctantly pull a wooden longsword from beneath her robe.

Then everyone just stared in shock.

“The princess’s weapon is a wooden sword?”

“Wrong. That’s definitely no ordinary wooden sword. With my keen eye, I can tell it’s been infused with some kind of wondrous magic.”

“Oh, give me a break. But why would Her Highness have a wooden sword? Since when did swordsmanship become popular among the Blood Clan?”

The people below the stage were all talking at once. For Wei Yue up there, it was pure torture. She really didn’t want to fight, but Susie seemed completely oblivious to the situation, making a simple matter needlessly complicated.

Still, Wei Yue had to admire Susie’s passion for the sword. She might as well trade a few moves with her. It wasn’t like a wooden sword could hurt anyone.

Perhaps they shared a kindred spirit through the sword. Wei Yue took up a defensive stance, too.

Below the stage, Vivian watched Wei Yue with keen interest and nodded in deep satisfaction.

A daughter who didn’t want her mother to embarrass herself was pretty interesting, too.

Wei Yue assumed her usual stance for facing an enemy. As her new body gripped the hilt, her mind instantly cleared, and even the wind around her seemed to quiet.

Susie swung first. An invisible pressure came with the blow, but Wei Yue calmly read its direction, dodged to the side, and struck forward.

The tip of the wooden sword scraped Susie’s armor. With a bang, the armor on her left arm cracked apart.

Susie couldn’t spare a thought for her armor. The instant Wei Yue reached out, she seized her chance to strike again. Susie had a rare talent among her peers.

She was exceptionally good at rapid attacks. In their earlier fights, her opponents had easily blocked her first strike, but they hadn’t realized it was only a feint. What came next was a storm of blows.

As Susie’s sword-rain attack was about to fall, the spectators below held their breath. Sure, the princess’s flash strike had looked cool, but this was a flurry of blows like a shower of petals. Could she really dodge them all?

And even if she did, Susie would still have a chance to keep attacking.

Though they hated to admit it, no one was feeling very confident about the princess’s chances.

Susie’s sword rain was too dense.

“Aren’t you worried about Her Highness?” The maid below the stage was holding her breath, too. “That girl really has no respect for her elders.”

“Children have to shed a little blood to grow. Even if Wei Yue loses today, this will still leave a vivid mark on her path to becoming stronger.”

“Your Majesty’s wisdom is beyond anything this junior could hope to match.”

Onstage, as the sword rain came down like raindrops, a hidden longing stirred within Wei Yue. This opponent really was interesting—but even the most relentless attack had its opening.

Wei Yue swung downward. In an instant, the sword rain vanished like smoke on the wind. A single strike was all it took to stop Susie’s flurry of cuts.

“How can this be?”

Disbelief showed in Susie’s eyes. No one her age had ever broken through her sword technique. She’d thought Her Highness would use a magic barrier like her mother, or simply overwhelm her with brute force and send her flying.

She’d never imagined the princess would take the sword rain head-on.

At that speed, there was no way she could even see where the sword was!

Susie looked as though she’d seen a demon.

“Do you still want to keep going?” Wei Yue gave her a confident look. “Your sword technique is good, but it’s too messy.”

With a flick of her wrist, Wei Yue knocked Susie’s sword into her own hand, then demonstrated a textbook-perfect sword-rain technique.

Wei Yue’s flurry was crisp and precise, unlike Susie’s wild slashes, which relied on speed. Almost every strike was aimed at a vital point. They weren’t even on the same level.

The spectators who’d been worrying that the princess would be humiliated fell silent.

Her Highness hadn’t lost at all. She’d even shown them an even more refined sword-rain technique.

The princess had won big!

“I accept my defeat completely.” Susie’s mischievousness gave way to a studious expression. “Your Highness Wei Yue, I never expected you to be a fellow lover of the sword.”

“I’m nothing special. If you work hard, one day you can become a…”

She stopped just before the words slipped out. She’d nearly said, “You can become an outstanding Sword Saint, too.”

The moment she picked up a sword, she turned into an idiot.

Wei Yue scolded herself, while Susie asked, puzzled,

“A what? Do you mean a human Sword Saint? Hah! We noble Blood Clan have no interest in that sort of human title. And if you ask me, Your Highness Wei Yue’s swordsmanship is far better than that human swordsman Ivan’s.

Believe me, Your Highness. Give it a little more time and you’ll definitely become a famous swordmaster.”

A swordmaster, huh…

Wei Yue felt a little wistful. What would Susie think if she knew the human swordsman standing right in front of her was none other than Ivan himself?

A quick patter of footsteps sounded.

Vivian walked gracefully onto the stage and drew Wei Yue into her arms.

“My sweet daughter, I had no idea you had this kind of talent. I suppose we’ll have to add more physical training to your lessons from now on.”

The sight of mother and daughter reunited drew applause from countless members of the Blood Clan. What a string of good news in a single day! Not only did they have a new heir, but everyone had witnessed her strength for themselves.

She was incredible!

Human Ivan was nothing!

The Blood Clan were the ones who’d unite the world!

Whether they understood Wei Yue’s swordplay or not, everyone joined the celebration. Amid the lively atmosphere, the day’s competition came to a perfect close.

The arena staff had planned to award Vivian a medal, but from the look on Her Majesty’s face, it seemed the medal should go to the princess instead.

And so a gleaming gold medal landed in Wei Yue’s hands, along with a large bag of gold coins.

Normally, there was no cash prize for winning a match. But who was the princess, after all?

If there were no rules, you made them.

They had to give her something, or they’d lose face.

Wei Yue left the arena amid flowers and applause. Just when she thought it was all over, a familiar voice called out behind her.

“Your Highness Wei Yue, why don’t you come with me to Tarui? My uncle’s a famous blacksmith. He could forge a weapon for you!”

“Miss Susie, stop being mischievous. Her Highness can’t just go out whenever she wants. Who would be responsible for her safety?”

“I can protect her! I’m super strong, okay?”

“Susie, don’t throw a tantrum. Say goodbye to the princess, or I won’t bring you next time. Maybe I’ll even cancel afternoon tea.”

“Please don’t cancel afternoon tea! Then, goodbye, Your Highness Wei Yue. I’ll be ready next time, and I’ll challenge you again.”

With that, Susie climbed into the carriage, then leaned out and waved to Wei Yue.

At some point, Vivian had appeared beside Wei Yue. Her snowy-white hair was neatly tied into twin tails with two hair ties. Though she wasn’t particularly tall standing next to Wei Yue, her presence was unmistakable. The guards nearby greeted Vivian, and she thanked them politely.

An unfamiliar word began to surface in Wei Yue’s mind: warmth.

The word had nothing to do with how Wei Yue had thought of Vivian, and it made her snap to attention.

How could Yue feel warmth around the Blood Clan?

Vivian stepped forward and said in a lightly teasing tone,

“My daughter, sometimes what you see and what you hear aren’t the same~”