Book 1 Chapter 901

901.

Stomp- Stomp-

Abad walked aimlessly down the corridor.

The atmosphere in the corridor changed with the appearance of Abad, who was considered the most handsome man at Lumern Academy.

No matter how handsome a face, if you see it every day, you're bound to build up immunity.

Normally, merely admiring Abad's face would have been the end of it, but the female students passing through the corridor now couldn't help but glance- glance- at Abad's face.

It was because of Abad's atmosphere, which was clearly different from usual.

Abad, who always maintained his smile and composure, now had a look of worry on his face.

'Why did Celia agree to go to the dance party with Duran?'

What made Abad's heart burn black.

It was the utterly unexpected news he had heard from his sister, Chelsea, this morning.

Abad had intended to ask Celia to go to the dance party with him this time.

Of course, he knew the probability of Celia agreeing was low.

It was true that a strange atmosphere had been flowing between him and Celia recently, but they weren't officially dating yet.

Zerdinger and Rwaling.

They couldn't ignore the public image of the two families.

Abad knew very well that the ripple effect of a scandal between him, the heir of Rwaling, and Celia, a direct descendant of Zerdinger, would not be small within the empire.

Even so, Abad's feelings for Celia were sincere.

Celia also seemed not to be entirely uninterested in him.

That's why he had planned to ask her to be his dance party partner to gradually create more opportunities for them to grow closer.

In fact, he hadn't thought Celia would go with a partner; if she went, she'd go alone.

'Even if she went with a partner, I expected it would be with Leo… but Duran?'

Celia and Duran.

They had been in the same class since freshman year, but their relationship wasn't very good.

Rather, they were almost sworn rivals, to the extent that Chen Sia and Chloe always mediated between them.

However, it seemed the animosity had somewhat subsided in their third year.

Crucially, Abad was also an arch-rival to Celia.

"…"

Abad felt his heart burning black.

He was the heir of Rwaling and a perfect honor student.

Thanks to his natural good looks, he was accustomed to receiving attention and love.

But conversely, this was the first time he had loved someone else.

'…Is this jealousy?'

Abad smiled self-deprecatingly at himself.

'How ugly.'

He had never felt such inferiority towards anyone.

Even if the opponent was 'Leo,' he perceived him as a goal to pursue, not as someone to be jealous of.

But currently, Abad was clearly jealous of Duran.

They were quite close friends, but right now, he felt like picking a fight.

Abad stopped walking and took a deep breath.

'Calm down, Abad Rwaling. You and Celia are nothing.'

Abad pulled himself together.

Currently, Celia was nothing to him.

As such, Celia was free to choose whoever she wanted as her dance party partner.

'I must respect Celia's choice.'

Just because two people have feelings for each other doesn't necessarily mean it will develop into a romantic relationship.

Hadn't he himself rejected countless girls his age?

'I mustn't make a fool of myself.'

Just as Abad, having composed himself, began to walk,

Duran appeared from the opposite corridor.

"Good morning, Duran."

"Good morning."

Abad greeted him with his usual smile.

Duran returned the greeting.

"You're going to the dance party with Celia, aren't you?"

"Has the rumor already spread? That's fast."

Abad asked, watching Duran sigh.

"How did you end up as partners? You two don't really get along."

"We were talking, and it just kind of happened."

"Ah."

Abad's mood brightened at Duran's words.

So it wasn't a big deal; they just happened to become partners.

"Now that I think about it, I wonder if it was too rash."

Duran said with a sigh, recalling Nella.

Hearing those words, Abad smiled and said,

"If you're reluctant, why don't you cancel now?"

"I can't do that. It would be rude, no matter what. Besides, Celia Zerdinger is quite a good partner."

"…"

At Duran's thoughtless words, Abad's eyes twitched.

The jealousy he had suppressed began to flare up again.

"Crucially, I also made a promise with Celia Zerdinger."

"A promise?"

"Yes. A Best Couple Contest? The name is childish, but we agreed to win it and become the best couple."

Whatever else, both Celia and Duran hated losing.

That's why, if they were going to participate, they decided to aim for victory no matter what.

Moreover, as both were knights, they valued promises.

Duran had no romantic feelings for Celia whatsoever, but he intended to do his best as long as it was a competition.

Normally, he would have just let such words pass, but today, every single word from Duran grated on Abad.

"Duran."

"Why do you call?"

"Would you like to fight me?"

"You? Hmm. Not a bad idea for morning exercise."

"No."

Abad took out a glove from his subspace.

It was quite an old-fashioned aristocratic custom.

It was rarely practiced in the current generation, but for people from families like Abad's and Duran's, the weight of this custom was immense.

Thud-

Abad threw the glove at Duran's chest.

"Let's say the winner gets what they want."

"Ohh…?"

Aggression entered Duran's eyes.

"Interesting."

Duran's lips curved upwards.

An ordinary person might have been perplexed by the sudden challenge to a duel.

But more than that, Duran's joy at the prospect of dueling Abad was far greater.

A duel was not a mere sparring match.

It was literally a fight where everything was on the line.

Duran was filled with excitement at the thought of engaging in such a duel with an opponent of Abad's caliber.

That's why he pushed aside his curiosity about the reason.

Duran's golden eyes flashed.

"Time?"

"20 minutes from now, at the Clock Tower Dormitory parade ground."

"Good."

The two, after a brief exchange, turned around and walked away.

The students around them gaped at the sudden turn of events.

It happened so quickly that their minds couldn't keep up.

They were curious about how the duel suddenly came about, but more important than that was…

"Abad and Duran are dueling!"

It was to quickly spread the news of this big match.

***

[Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! This is Runbar Tess, back as commentator after a long time! Welcome to today's big match! The duel between Duran of the Knight Department and Abad of the Magic Department!]

Runbar, holding the commentator's microphone after a long time, spoke with an excited voice.

And the parade ground was packed with people.

As a duel was a public fight, this was, in a way, natural.

Moreover, it was none other than Abad and Duran.

"Who do you think will win?"

"Hmm… I guess it would be Duran?"

"Definitely. Even if Abad is an all-rounder mage, Duran would naturally have the upper hand in a 1:1 match."

Opinions were divided among the students.

However, most believed that Duran would prevail.

Unless there were terrain features, perhaps?

In such an open space, a knight would overwhelmingly have the advantage in terms of matchup.

Meanwhile.

Celia strode- towards Duran, who was already on the parade ground.

"Duran! What's going on! Why are you dueling Abad?"

"I don't know the reason. But he was the one who challenged me first. I don't know what it is, but it seems I've done something wrong to Abad."

Duran's lips curled upwards.

"Mr. Duran?"

Chen Sia, who followed Celia, tilted her head. Duran nodded.

"That's why Abad would challenge me to a duel."

"Even so, isn't it a bit much to assume you're in the wrong?"

"I must be in the wrong."

Duran knew he had a bad temper.

He also knew Abad had a good personality.

If such an Abad challenged him to a duel, Duran believed he must have done something wrong, no matter what it was.

"Mr. Duran, you're surprisingly self-aware."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

As Duran calmly replied to Chen Sia's words, Celia made an exasperated expression.

"No! If you don't even know what you did wrong, shouldn't you resolve the misunderstanding through dialogue! You just accepted a duel challenge?!"

"This is an opportunity."

"What?"

"An opportunity to seriously fight with him."

Celia clutched the back of her neck, watching Duran display his unique belligerence and fighting spirit.

Regardless of the reason, Duran was simply delighted at the prospect of seriously fighting Abad.

"You crazy…"

"Now, now, Miss Celia. You should use polite language as usual."

Chen Sia calmed Celia down.

Just then.

Abad appeared from the opposite side.

Chelsea stood by his side.

Chelsea glared fiercely at Duran, then looked at Abad and clenched her fist.

"Brother! I don't know why, but you have to totally beat him!"

"Hey! You should stop him, not instigate him!"

As Celia shouted back, Chelsea retorted sharply.

"I don't know the reason, but if Brother challenged him to a duel, then Duran must be in the wrong!"

"No. Duran didn't do anything wrong."

"Brother, you're too kind-hearted, that's your problem!"

"Hmm. What exactly did I do wrong?"

Duran wondered, listening to the conversation between the siblings.

He showed no doubt whatsoever that he had done something wrong.

But that was only for a moment.

He soon shook off his thoughts and stood up.

Seeing him, Celia tried to approach Abad.

It was to clear up the misunderstanding.

Just then, Duran stopped Celia.

"What?!"

"Don't stop us. Abad also needs to vent his frustrations."

"No. I'll mediate."

As Celia tried to push Duran's hand away and leave, Duran grabbed Celia's wrist, making her look at him.

"Don't interfere, Celia Zerdinger."

At that sight, exclamations erupted from everywhere.

"Wow, is Celia trying to stop the duel right now?"

"Is it because she's worried Duran might get hurt?"

"Are they really something between them?"

Abad's eyes sank even further at the exclamations from the audience.

Just as Celia was about to say something, Chen Sia also held Celia back.

"What?"

"Let's just watch for now."

Chen Sia smiled brightly.

Celia scratched her head.

Then she glared at Abad and mumbled,

"That idiot really…"

***

"Leo. Would you like to go to the dance party with me?"

One side of the parade ground.

Nella approached Leo, who was sitting alone, and said with an awkward smile.

Leo glanced- at Nella, then at Illiana hiding behind her, and replied calmly.

"Sorry. I already have someone I'm going with."

"Huh?! Who?!"

Illiana rushed out from behind and asked, and Leo replied calmly.

"Eliza."

"Wow! That's unexpected!"

Illiana's eyes widened.

Leo pinched Illiana's nose with his hand and said,

"Don't encourage someone you don't really care about."

"Ow? What are you… Ow!"

"You pushed Nella to ask me to be her partner, didn't you?"

"How did you… Ow! Ow! Class rep!"

Illiana, who barely escaped Leo's grasp, clutched her nose and backed away.

"Still, that's a really unexpected pairing."

Nella said in surprise, and Leo replied calmly.

"Yeah, I guess."

Leo himself was surprised.

"Hehe! Serves them all right! Good for me!"

Nella looked at the delighted Illiana and tilted her head.

"By the way, where's Carl? He'd be the most excited in a situation like this, but he's not around today?"

"Maybe Senior Elena sent him to hell?"

At Illiana's words, Leo chuckled and pointed to one side.

"There."

There, Carl was seen sitting, completely lost in thought.

"Wow… He must have been really tormented."

Illiana clicked her tongue, and Nella tilted her head.

"It doesn't seem like that, though…?"

Nella, who had been observing Carl's mood, looked at Leo.

"Do you know anything?"

"Who knows."

Leo smiled calmly, then grinned.

"It must be because of youth."

"Leo is talking like an old man again."

Nella sighed softly.