Chapter 28: First Monthly Assessment
On the day of the assessment, everyone arrived early at Viscount Xue Feng’s Training Ground, where quite a few noble families had also gathered. They were here today to watch the assessment, including many elderly people and children, probably treating it like some kind of outing and gathering.
“Isn’t this Sister Moran? How have you been lately?”
“Ah, it’s Shanna. Long time no see.” Several noblewomen gathered together, chatting about recent events.
“I just came back from Gully City. The art exhibition there was truly amazing, especially a rookie painter’s work《Red Lotus in the Water》. The lotus in the painting was like it was burning, and a master evaluated that this piece of his had already touched the threshold of professionalism. In a bit more time, that painting would gain the Blazing Sun nature.”
“Wow, is there such an amazing rookie painter? I originally thought only White Cliff City would have one.”
“That’s why it’s so surprising. It’s said that the rookie painter is only eighteen years old—a real genius.”
“At the scene, who knows how many girls were captivated by his painting. So many people were scrambling to marry him.”
“If I were ten years younger, I’d probably join in too. If I could touch that hand of his that paints, it would be a wonderful thing to remember for a lifetime.”
“A painter like that is rarer than knight lords—probably not even one in ten years.” The others nodded in agreement.
Noblewomen and the city’s socialite misses chatted and laughed. In the Training Ground below, the students entered the arena one by one.
Today’s matches were divided into two rounds. In the first round, students drew lots to compete, each fighting three times, with those winning two or more advancing to the second round, followed by arena challenges to decide the final winner.
There were 15 students in this group, so it wouldn’t take much time in reality.
“Komiya has to go up too?” Karen saw Komiya preparing as well.
“Yes.” Komiya gripped her sword and swung it a few times in her hand to get the feel.
“You’re really going?” Karen still couldn’t quite believe it, as Komiya had never participated in combat training.
“I have my own secret method for victory. Karen will know soon enough.” Komiya spoke mysteriously.
“Alright.” Seeing Komiya say so, Karen no longer tried to stop her. She thought Komiya was a very smart person and surely had a way.
However, what surprised the two even more was that Xilutiya had also come to the Training Ground today, with a training sword resting on the knee of her long robe.
“Sigh, no way—Tiya’s going up too?” Now it was Komiya’s turn to be surprised.
“Mm. No matter what, since everyone’s here, I can’t back out at the last minute, right.” The maiden’s response made the two think she definitely didn’t want to be special and was only participating for that reason.
“Whoever draws Tiya is lucky.” Both knew Xilutiya never participated in combat practice, so going up was just to fill numbers.
Apart from the three of them, the other students had also arrived one after another. Some warmed up eagerly, some put on protective gear to prevent injury, and some were bolder and more confident, still wearing clothes like a dress.
Iona stood in the best rest area, which was usually for those esteemed knights, but with no knights competing today, no one would question her using it.
Her golden short hair was partially tied back with a red hairband today. She wore a fitted deep brown formal dress top on her upper body with a row of exquisite buttons at the chest, and a skirt below that was easy to move in. This outfit was from White Cliff City’s Royal Academy, but sadly, after leaving there, she could no longer wear the Royal Academy’s badge.
A one-handed sword wrapped in gilded gauntlets was held at her side, with a bird pattern on the sword scabbard—that was Viscount Karen’s family crest.
Her gaze swept over the noblewomen and socialite misses on the viewing platform holding parasols in twos and threes, and Iona inexplicably felt a bit annoyed. If this were her family’s territory, she would definitely make these noisy people get out.
But at this moment, she could only take a deep breath to suppress the irritation in her heart.
Hurry up and start. After the matches, she’d go back and take a good hot bath. Standing here, she felt like a layer of dust had settled on her body.
Ten minutes later, Viscount Xue Feng went on stage, gave a brief introduction to today’s assessment matches, then had a personal guard knight host the entire competition.
Arriving at the cool private viewing platform, Viscount Xue Feng sat down and watched today’s matches with Scholar Heide beside him.
“First match, Lei versus Mike!”
The first match was against an acquaintance? Mike stood up, picked up the unsharpened broadsword at his side, and walked onto the stage step by step.
Under the blazing sun, the two stood five meters apart, silent for a moment.
Though it wasn’t a life-or-death battle, for two people on good terms to face off in the first match was truly bad luck.
“Come on, Mike.” Lei raised his hammer, holding it horizontally in front of him.
“Heh.”
Mike no longer dwelled on it at this point. Gripping his broadsword, he stepped forward, and the two began to clash.
The iron broadsword was gripped with both hands, his actions full of power yet with a slight surplus, not lacking agility. During the sword blade’s swings, Mike’s footwork shifted, making his attacks harder to predict. This excellent technique drew quiet applause from knowledgeable spectators.
“Though I don’t know his name, this child is already a qualified warrior.”
On the other side, Lei used his robust power to swing the great hammer with whistling winds, suppressing Mike’s attack paths and forcing the opponent away, making it hard to close in.
The two had sparred many times before and were very familiar with each other’s tactical styles, so it was hard to determine a winner for the moment.
Sword blades occasionally clashed, deflecting the great hammer’s attacks or merely blocking for a moment before disengaging. Lei’s great hammer smashed onto the high platform, splashing up splintered wooden boards.
This back-and-forth clash gradually built excitement among the spectators. Many began cheering for their chosen side or betting against each other.
“I bet on that big guy to win. His power is strong, movements not clumsy—a rare strongman. In this low-level combat, power advantage is too great.”
“I favor the smaller one more. As long as he stays calm, keeps interfering and draining the big guy’s stamina, he’ll find an opening.”
“Deal, 50 silver?”
“No problem.” Two nobles on the viewing platform settled their bet.
On the high platform below, Mike and Lei’s battle had entered a white-hot phase. The stage now had plenty of pits from the great hammer’s strikes, and Lei was forced into a disadvantaged position. Behind and to his sides were the smashed pits, making it hard for him to turn or retreat against the enemy. He could only choose a frontal assault now.
The great hammer accurately blocked Mike’s attack path with a sweep.
But Mike had anticipated it. He stomped hard with his foot, narrowly dodging Lei’s attack, then thrust in from an unexpected angle on Lei’s left side where it was hard to exert force.
The broadsword slashed down fiercely, chopping into Lei’s shoulder leather armor and kicking up a cloud of soil. At that moment, Mike quickly retracted his sword, circled forward again to Lei’s unguarded back, and pressed the sword against the opponent’s back.
“Good, I lost.” Lei planted his hammer on the ground and conceded.
“Lucky.”
Mike also lowered his sword, his chest heaving dramatically. It took a while for him to recover from the side effects of the breathing technique.
“First match, Mike wins!” Applause rang out at the scene.
The first match started off nicely, making everyone even more anticipatory for the battles to come.
