Chapter 51: How Did It Turn into a Battlefield?

Himan’s feelings were very complicated.

She could tell that Tarasha had thrown the match.

Tarasha’s aggressiveness towards Hall, compared to Young Master Andrei, wasn’t just weakened, it was completely non-existent.

Almost from the moment Hall drew his sword, the female marquis assumed a defensive stance.

As for Hall’s swordsmanship, he had it.

But it didn’t amaze Himan that much. After all, Hall had at least entered the Black Knight Order. Without a strength level of forty, no matter how many connections he had or other paths he took, he couldn’t have entered the Black Knight Order.

Being able to win against a fully defensive Tarasha who was using less than thirty percent of her strength was to be expected.

This win was not a glorious one.

It even made Himan very worried.

She couldn’t help but worry if Tarasha had some ulterior motive.

This was the first exchange between the two countries in twenty years. Tarasha might have thrown the match, but she definitely wouldn’t have thrown it so blatantly.

Everyone should be able to see this kind of throwing, right?

If it was seen by a reporter with intentions, they could definitely make a big deal out of it.

Things like the Papal State winning unfairly, behind-the-scenes manipulation, would surely be brought up.

After all, the Papal State was a large entity. In this situation, the representative of a weaker country blatantly throwing the match would most likely be suspected.

Himan was very worried.

Would this make Hall’s reputation even worse in the future?

Even if he won, he wouldn’t be recognized.

The Kingdom of Cateline, their hearts are to be condemned.

Tarasha’s defeat was definitely for another purpose.

After Himan figured it out, she suddenly wondered if Hall had seen through Tarasha’s purpose.

He…

She remembered him saying before that his reputation was bad enough anyway.

So if it got worse, he wouldn’t care, right?

For the past few years, Hall had been like this.

He…

Himan’s heart was in a mess.

Originally, she was still considering the purpose of the Kingdom of Cateline’s actions, but now she was frantically thinking about what kind of harm this would cause Hall.

And why Hall had stepped in to fight the second match in her place at the last moment.

But no matter what, the result now was that Hall might have to suffer the consequences of the Kingdom of Cateline’s conspiracy for her.

It was Hall who had saved her.

At this moment, she could already hear the reporters at the door whispering.

Compared to Himan’s many thoughts and strategies, Leticia was quite calm, bringing the bouquet and gold medal she had prepared to Hall’s side.

Earl Lied hurriedly announced.

“Then, let’s welcome our dear Duchess Leticia to present the award to the winner, Hall.”

This award was what Leticia deserved, because the funding for this swordsmanship exchange competition was all sponsored by the Child family.

Holy Light University only provided the venue. Even the temporary wages of the security guards had been covered by the Child family.

Vice-Principal Lied certainly knew that this rose princess’s intentions were not in the wine.

Originally, he was worried about what would happen if Hall lost and the sponsor was unhappy. Now, a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

“Congratulations, Hall.”

Leticia presented the bouquet full of blue enchanting roses, and the gold medal was inscribed with Hall’s name using a very special magical process.

One couldn’t help but suspect that she had long been prepared to award this medal to Hall.

And that was indeed the case. There was only one medal with this special magical inscription. If someone else had won, or if the award was to be given to someone else, the quality of the medal would drop by at least two grades.

She was just that willful. Even if she was found out, Leticia didn’t care.

She just wanted to be special, to be very special to Hall in front of all the reporters in Saint Louis.

Even if it caused a city-wide storm, she didn’t care.

On the contrary, that might even be better.

As for the pressure from the old men in the family, Leticia didn’t care either.

She just didn’t care. Today, she had been greatly stimulated by Christine, who had been whispering with Hall, and the two long-legged beauties, Tarasha and Himan.

If she continued to remain silent, Hall would definitely be taken away.

“Yes, thank you, Duchess Leticia.”

Hall’s reaction, of course, was to remain calm.

But in the next second, that slender index finger in a lace white glove was placed on his lips.

“Shh, don’t call me Duchess~”

Leticia’s tone was extremely teasing, but she wasn’t very good at it, so her cheeks were a little rosy.

She didn’t dare to look directly at Hall either.

But she knew she had to learn. Her past self was too timid. It was not okay to only meet Hall in her dreams and do that kind of thing.

If she wanted to become Mrs. Faxtius, how could she not be brave?

Hall was a bit speechless. He wondered what was wrong with Leticia.

But he didn’t dare to make a move. Siding with Leticia would be aiding a tyrant, and rejecting Leticia would likely lead to her turning dark.

And in front of so many people, he couldn’t use strong-arm tactics like he did with Lorraine.

But at this moment, his gaze suddenly met Himan’s unfriendly one.

He suddenly thought of a solution.

“In front of my cousin, I should follow etiquette. This is the rule of the Faxtius and Von Braun families. Please forgive me, Duchess Leticia.”

Now Leticia remembered the time on Theology Day when Himan had refused her to sit with Hall on his behalf.

“Is that so?”

“That’s right.”

“Then Hall, do you listen to her a lot?”

Leticia’s expression fluctuated slightly. Her right index finger was still on Hall’s lips.

Her left hand, however, was clutching the corner of her skirt.

In the past, she actually wasn’t very worried about Himan, because Himan didn’t believe in Hall.

And at the noble ladies’ gatherings, Himan would usually draw a clear line with Hall.

A cousin like that was not a threat.

But in the past, when Hall’s reputation hadn’t exploded, their relationship was actually quite good.

Leticia remembered the first time she saw Hall. It shouldn’t have been in the back garden that day.

It was much, much earlier, at a gathering of the high society nobles of Saint Louis. It should have been back then.

Little Himan and Little Hall were always together.

The gap between her and Himan with Hall, had it existed since then?

Leticia was not resigned.

Hall was also stunned by this question.

There were really so many fatal questions.

So he said.

“This is the Faxtius family rule. I must address you as Duchess.”

“I… you…”

Leticia was so annoyed.

She hated these rules. She had hated these rules since she was a child, but the Child family was very lenient with her as the head of the family.

If it were anyone else, she wouldn’t care, but she just wanted Hall to call her Leticia, to call her by her name.

She hated the sense of distance. What duchess or not, she didn’t care.

“That’s right, Young Master Hall is right. How can one not follow the rules outside? Duchess Leticia, have you finished presenting the award to Hall? I’m about to start the next step, hehe~”

Christine, as a saintess candidate, was naturally also a special guest.

According to the procedure, she would bestow a blessing on the winner in the name of God.