Mother's trial [2]

The training ground near the Haze family estate was a wide, open area surrounded by tall stone walls, offering both privacy and security.

It was well-equipped with sparring rings, wooden racks stocked with practice weapons, and combat dummies neatly lined along one side, ready for drills.

Huff... Huff...

The sound of heavy breathing filled the air as thirty young knights sprinted at full speed around the training ground.

Their muscles ached, begging for rest, and the urge to slow down was nearly unbearable.

But the thought vanished instantly whenever their eyes flickered toward the young woman seated on the elevated podium.

She had a lean, athletic build, her half-closed eyes carrying a lazy, detached expression.

Her fingers absently played with her short, messy black hair, but her mere presence alone was enough to keep the knights running.

They all shared the same grim thought: Better to die running than face her wrath.

Uwaah...

Luella yawned, watching the knights go through their paces with little interest.

Training recruits was mind-numbingly boring for someone like her.

She was on the verge of becoming an Elemental Lord, and every fiber of her being itched to focus on advancing her own skills instead.

Should I just run away? - she thought idly.

"No," she muttered, shaking her head.

The memory of her last attempt to skip work came rushing back.

The Duchess had tracked her down and punished her with three days of endless paperwork.

Her body shuddered, and her hands trembled faintly at the thought.

"It was hell," she mumbled under her breath.

With a heavy sigh, she gave up on the idea and decided it was better to stick with training the knights—boring as it was.

As the minutes dragged by, Luella's throat itched, a dull, irritating sensation that made her swallow hard in an attempt to ease it.

Her hands trembled faintly as she clenched them into fists, trying to ignore the restlessness crawling under her skin.

The urge to smoke crept up on her, as it often did when she wasn't doing anything.

Her body almost ached for it, the familiar burn of a cigarillo between her fingers, the soothing drag of smoke filling her lungs.

But no matter how much she craved it, she couldn't have it.

The Duchess had strictly forbidden anyone from supplying her with cigarillos, and she herself wasn't allowed to purchase any.

Not after she had burned through far too many too quickly.

"Damn it…" she muttered under her breath, rubbing at her throat and flexing her fingers.

The frustration only made her boredom worse, and the thought of lighting up a cigarillo became harder to shake.

Restless and irritated, she shifted in her seat, her sharp eyes scanning the training ground.

Anything to distract myself - she thought bitterly.

Maybe I should just spar with all of them…

A sly smile crept onto her face as the idea took hold.

At that very moment, every knight on the field felt a cold chill crawl down their spines, as if sensing an impending disaster.

Luella was an elemental wielder nearing stage five, while they were just regular knights.

If she decided to spar with them, it would be nothing short of a one-sided massacre.

As if rescuing them from their predicament, a boy with sharp features and striking purple eyes entered the training ground.

His straight posture and composed expression carried an air of quiet authority.

Luella's half-closed eyes regained their sharpness as her gaze focused on the boy, and a small smile tugged at her lips.

"Ardyn,"

she said, her voice lighter now, though curiosity flickered in her tone.

She tilted her head slightly, studying him.

Why is he here?  - she wondered.

He almost never came to the training grounds—there was no need for him to.

Ardyn had his own private training room, equipped with advanced illusion pods capable of creating any scenario or summoning any beast he wanted to fight.

Did he come here to spar with the knights?

She mused, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

Whatever — she didn't need to know why he was here.

All that mattered was that with him around, she wouldn't be bored anymore.

Ardyn walked directly toward the elevated podium, his face calm and expressionless.

Noticing that he was heading straight for her, Luella quickly straightened up and adjusted her posture.

She fixed her gaze on the knights, pretending to be completely engrossed in their training, as if every fiber of her being was dedicated to supervising them.

When he stopped in front of her, she turned her head, meeting his indifferent stare with a casual smirk.

"What do you want, Ardy?" she asked, her tone playful as she used the nickname he hated.

His expression tightened for a moment, but he quickly recomposed himself.

"I want to spar with the knights," he said firmly, his tone carrying the weight of an order.

Luella raised an eyebrow, then a sly grin appeared across her face.

"You want to spar with the knights?" she repeated, her tone dripping with mockery.

"Then call me 'older sister.'"

She crossed her arms, her teasing gaze fixed on him.

"Go on, let me hear it. Or should I take this as you giving up already?"

Luella leaned back in her chair, fully expecting the usual reaction.

She thought he'd argue with her, his sharp voice rising in irritation.

Or maybe his cheeks would flush with embarrassment, his composure cracking just enough to reveal the frustration he tried so hard to suppress.

He looked so cute when he was flustered, and that alone made it impossible for her to stop teasing him.

But this time was different.

Ardyn's face remained perfectly stoic, calm as ever, as though her teasing words hadn't even registered.

Luella's confident grin faltered slightly.

Huh?

Then, to her surprise, the corners of his lips curved upward into a smirk—an expression that caught her completely off guard.

Her teasing demeanor slipped as her brows furrowed, confusion flashing across her face.

What's with that smirk? - she thought, narrowing her eyes slightly.

Then, Ardyn reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

He placed it on the table and slid it toward her with a casual motion.

Luella's throat itched the moment she saw it, and her eyes widened, trembling slightly.

It was a pack of cigarillos.

Her fingers twitched instinctively, craving the familiar feel of the packet in her hand.

But she forced herself to stay still, fighting the urge with every ounce of willpower she had.

Don't let him win - she thought, determined to act like it didn't matter.

She leaned back, crossing her arms, and tried to keep her expression neutral.

"I don't need —," she started, her voice steadier than she expected.

But before she could finish her sentence, Ardyn reached into his pocket again and pulled out another pack.

He placed it on the table beside the first one, the subtle smirk still playing on his lips.

Luella's resolve wavered as she stared at the second packet, her throat itching even more.

Then he spoke,

"So, can I spar with the knights now?"

His words were simple, but the way he said them made her feel like he already knew the answer.