"What brings you here?" Trey asked in a casual tone.
He had noticed the glances Samantha kept periodically throwing at Keyrin.
"My name is Cassandra, and I am the princess of the dark elves. It is a pleasure to meet you, stufon Trey," Cassandra introduced herself.
She clearly disliked being referred to earlier as merely Samantha's friend.
"A pleasure to meet you as well, Princess Cassandra. So, how may I help two princesses?" Trey repeated his question, shifting his gaze from one girl to the other.
"I want you to free my sister," Samantha said firmly, clenching her hands into fists.
"Your sister?" Trey repeated with mild surprise, pretending not to understand what she was talking about.
"Do not play the fool, stufon Trey. You know perfectly well that Keyrin is the princess of the Kingdom of Light Elves. The Queen has ordered her return," Samantha replied in a much harsher tone. She could not understand what kind of game Trey was playing.
Trey shifted his gaze from Keyrin to Samantha, then back again, as if mentally confirming some thought of his own.
"You really do resemble each other. But my answer is no," he replied calmly, looking Samantha straight in the eyes.
"Why? You haven't even listened to what the elven kingdom might offer you in exchange for her," Samantha asked in surprise.
"According to the laws of the light elves, she can no longer be a princess. And for two reasons, no less—and you know perfectly well what those reasons are," Trey replied, raising two fingers.
After those words, Samantha could only swallow nervously.
Trey was right.
"You mean because she ran away from her wedding and became your servant? Only the royal court knows about the first, and only those within the academy know about the second. So I see no reason for you to refuse becoming a friend of the light elves," Samantha said, trying to understand why she had felt from the very beginning that something was off.
"A friend of the light elves? And how much would they later put on the head of that friend?" Trey asked, pointing at himself.
That question sent chills down Samantha's spine.
"And you, Princess Cassandra—did you come to support your friend, or do you also have business with me? I do not yet have any dark elf servants," Trey asked with a faint hint of mockery, shifting his gaze to Cassandra.
Cassandra tried to remain calm, but inside, the tension kept growing stronger. She had the feeling she was back in the third trial again, with that same elf holding a staff standing nearby. Keyrin's behavior also did nothing to ease the oppressive atmosphere in the room.
"The Matriarch ordered me to recruit you for the Kingdom of Dark Elves," Cassandra replied, trying to keep her voice steady and not avert her gaze from Trey's black eyes.
"And what if I refuse?" Trey asked with a smile.
That smile sent chills down both girls' spines.
"Then I will challenge you to a duel. If I win, you will accept the Matriarch as your ruler," Cassandra answered, feeling herself grow even more nervous.
Everything was going completely against their plan. Not once had Trey looked at either her or Samantha with the gaze they had expected.
"And if I win?" Trey asked, resting his chin on his hand.
That question made Cassandra feel her palms begin to sweat while heat rushed to her face. Still, after gathering herself, she forced out an answer.
"Myself," she said quietly, feeling her blush deepen even further.
"I'm afraid I didn't hear that, Princess Cassandra. I understand what you would gain if I lost to you. But what exactly do I gain if I win?" Trey repeated, staring directly into her eyes.
Cassandra froze for a moment.
Did he truly not hear her... or was he simply toying with her? She had no way of knowing, and so she was forced to repeat the offer.
"If you win the duel, you will receive me. Princess Cassandra," she blurted out, burning with embarrassment while simultaneously wishing the floor would swallow her whole.
"I refuse. I have no need for Princess Cassandra," Trey replied calmly, shaking his head.
Cassandra stared at him in utter confusion.
Any other representative of any race would have agreed to such an offer without the slightest hesitation.
"Why are you refusing me? Do you not like me?" Cassandra asked, stumbling over her words, especially the last few.
Trey looked at her, then unexpectedly burst into laughter.
The laughter was neither fake nor mocking, and both girls could sense that.
After calming down, he looked at Cassandra again and gave her a slight smile.
"Princess Cassandra, it is not that I do not like you. The problem is that after this, the entire Kingdom of Dark Elves would come after you. And I have no desire whatsoever to fight every would-be challenger," Trey explained calmly.
As she listened to him, Cassandra felt as though something inside her was slowly crumbling apart.
"What if I renounce the throne?" she blurted out, quickly grasping at what she thought might be the last reason he could possibly agree, before she had time to think it through.
"Then it would be exactly the same as with Keyrin. She left the Kingdom of Light Elves, yet the King and Queen still refuse to let her go and have already sent Princess Samantha to bring her back," Trey replied, gesturing from Keyrin to Samantha.
All this time, Samantha had been sitting there biting her lip, clearly thinking over everything she had heard—especially Trey's last question.
Cassandra had already begun mentally accepting defeat when Samantha suddenly made a proposal that threw her into genuine shock.
"You are right, stufon Trey. If you win, others may indeed be sent after Cassandra—other princes and princesses. But if the Matriarch herself witnesses your duel and sees your superiority, then she will have no choice but to acknowledge defeat. After that, she will no longer be able to send anyone else, otherwise it would damage her reputation," Samantha finished explaining her idea, expanding on Cassandra's thought and answering the issue Trey had raised.
"That idea could indeed work. But can Cassandra force the Matriarch to watch our duel? Or perhaps more accurately—would the daughter even wish to display her battle with me?" Trey asked, shifting his gaze between Cassandra and Samantha.
Listening to their conversation, Cassandra was forced to admit that Trey was right. The only thing troubling her was the possibility that the Matriarch might refuse.
"Yes. I will speak with the Matriarch. She will attend our duel, and if I lose, I will become yours," Cassandra said firmly, trying to calm herself.
After that, she shifted her gaze to Samantha, who still had not answered the question directed at her.
"If you have found a solution for your friend, have you also found one for yourself?" Trey asked, now looking at Samantha appraisingly.
"If you do not wish to be a friend of the light elves, then you would rather be their enemy," Samantha replied, refusing to avert her gaze from Trey's cold eyes.
"Correct. I do not mind being an enemy of the light elves, and so I refuse a duel with you, Princess Samantha," Trey replied calmly.
With those words, he rose and walked to the window, turning his back to the girls and making it clear he considered the conversation over.
"Then I challenge you to a fight," Samantha blurted out sharply.
She had no intention of leaving empty-handed. Especially after he had agreed to accept Cassandra's challenge.
"And what exactly will you wager against your sister?" Trey asked, turning back toward her.
Under his gaze, Samantha felt a deeply unpleasant sensation, as though it was not a half-elf looking at her, but a true monster.
"Myself," she answered in a firmer voice. She already knew what question would follow.
"Two princesses offering themselves to a mere half-elf. The world has truly gone mad, don't you think, Keyrin?" Trey said, addressing his servant.
"The situation with the light elves is more complicated. Real authority lies more with the Queen than the King, and Samantha is the last remaining representative of their bloodline, as the first princess has died. Therefore, young master, you require a guarantee from the light elves," Keyrin replied in that same cold voice.
After those words, it felt as though the ground vanished beneath Samantha's feet.
Could Keyrin truly be telling the truth? Could it really be that the sister she once knew no longer existed?
"Do you have a solution to this problem, Princess Samantha? If not, then I ask you to leave my room. I need to discuss the time of the duel with your friend," Trey's voice pulled Samantha from her heavy thoughts.
Her gaze shifted between Trey and Cassandra. Her last hope had been Keyrin, but she continued looking at her with that same cold, indifferent stare.
At that moment, Samantha fully realized there was no help left for her to expect.
That was when she heard Cassandra's voice.
"I will speak with the Matriarch. She will contact the Queen of the elves and obtain her permission, as well as confirmation that the light elves will no longer interfere," Cassandra said uncertainly, looking at Trey.
"Any promise can be broken—directly or indirectly. The Queen and the Matriarch are both far from here right now, but I am certain each of them has subjects within the academy's territory. Therefore, I can offer you only one way out of this situation, Princess Samantha," Trey said, turning toward her.
Under his gaze, Samantha swallowed nervously.
"What way out, stufon Trey?" she asked in a subdued voice.
She could already feel it—once he stated his conditions, there would be no turning back.
"A blood oath before everyone present in the arena. I will ask the Director to act as witness. The same applies to you, Cassandra," Trey said meaningfully, shifting his gaze between both girls.
Samantha and Cassandra fell silent, considering his words.
A blood oath was sacred to both dark and light elves alike. Breaking such an oath would not only destroy them personally, but would also deal a severe blow to the reputation of both kingdoms.
But remembering their plan and believing they still had a chance in a fair fight, the girls did not hesitate for long.
"I agree," Cassandra answered first.
Lowering her head, she felt as though invisible chains were gradually tightening around her.
For the first time in her life, she felt this vulnerable before a representative of another race—even if that man was only partially a dark elf.
"I agree as well," Samantha said in a subdued voice.
She understood perfectly: their only remaining hope now was victory in the duel. If they lost, she did not even want to imagine what this half-elf might do to them.
Trey gave a short nod, returned to them, and sat back down on the sofa opposite them, shifting his gaze from one princess to the other.
"How does one issue a ranking duel challenge?" he asked, looking at the girls before him.
"We must place our hand on the academy emblem and state our name, declare a challenge to a ranking duel, and also announce the conditions—what each side's victor receives," Cassandra answered, looking at the academy emblem on her hand.
"So everyone will learn exactly what you are wagering if I win, and what you will receive if you win?" Trey clarified.
"Correct," Samantha confirmed.
Yet even after that, she still did not dare activate her emblem. Something about this entire situation felt wrong to her, though she could not understand exactly what the problem was.
For several minutes, silence filled the room.
Trey shifted his gaze between Samantha and Cassandra, but both girls continued staring silently at their emblems, making no move.
Realizing they needed one final push toward a decision, he cleared his throat lightly. When both girls looked up at him, Trey spoke calmly.
"Princesses, if this is your way of amusing yourselves and relieving boredom, then I fear I am not the one who can help you. If you have changed your minds, please leave my room. My servant will see you out," Trey said indifferently, giving a slight nod to Keyrin, who had been standing against the wall observing everything the entire time.
His words seemed to pull the girls from their own thoughts.
Exchanging glances and giving each other a brief nod, Cassandra was the first to act. She ran her hand over her emblem and said:
"I, Cassandra, Princess of the Dark Elves, challenge the half-elf Trey to a ranking duel. If I win, the stufon becomes a subject of the Kingdom of Dark Elves. If he wins, he receives me—Princess Cassandra," she declared in a determined voice.
Cassandra still stumbled over some words and blushed noticeably, but after finishing, she finally sent the challenge request to Trey.
He calmly looked at her, then shifted his gaze to Samantha.
"I, stufon Trey, accept the challenge from Princess Cassandra, Princess of the Dark Elves," he said evenly, looking directly into her eyes.
No matter how hard Cassandra tried, she could not read even the slightest emotion on his face.
Samantha spoke next, touching her own emblem.
"I, Samantha, Third Princess of the Light Elves, challenge the half-elf Trey to a ranking duel. If I win, he returns Second Princess Keyrin to the Kingdom of Light Elves. If the half-elf Trey wins, he receives me—Third Princess of the Light Elves, Samantha."
After finishing, she looked at Trey.
He accepted this challenge just as calmly as he had accepted Cassandra's moments earlier.
"You should probably change clothes. Unless, of course, you intend to enter the arena dressed like that," Trey said, gesturing toward their outfits.
"You're right. I suggest scheduling the battle for five in the evening," Samantha agreed.
"Very well. Five in the evening. I will speak with the Director so he may be present at our duel and confirm the winner's reward," Trey replied calmly, once again turning his gaze toward the window.
"Then we will go prepare," Samantha said, rising together with Cassandra.
She kept her eyes fixed on Trey, who continued staring out the window as though he had already completely lost interest in them.
"Keyrin, escort our guests out. They are leaving," Trey said thoughtfully, without even turning toward either the girls or his servant.
"As you command, young master," Keyrin replied in that same cold voice.
She silently escorted the girls to the door and closed it behind them.
Not a single word was spoken by anyone the entire time.