The students sat in a vast hall adorned with the banners of the eight noble families. The advanced class was reserved for the heirs of these eight families, but to everyone's surprise, a commoner had received an exceptional scholarship to attend.
The atmosphere was thick with arrogance and prestige, and everyone wanted to prove their worth. Saruto sat in the back row, trying to hide as much as possible to avoid being recognized. But some of the nobles greeted him with disdainful looks, unable to accept the presence of a commoner among them.
Beside him sat Star Princess, whose silver eyes shone with an eerie warmth. She smiled at him and said in a low voice, "Don't pay them any mind... You truly belong in this class."
Saruto felt the warmth of her words, but he didn't reply. The history teacher entered, an elderly man with a long beard and a deep voice. He said, "Today we will talk about the history of our world... about thousands of years of wars, and how they ended with the peace treaties we live under today."
He projected a giant map onto the wall, marking various locations, and began to recount: "Noble families waged endless wars to control continents and resources. But thanks to the sacrifices of our ancestors in resolving the rivers of conflict, the kings agreed to end the fighting… and today we live in peace thanks to them, a peace based on mutual respect."
Midway through the lesson, a tall young man with an aura of coldness rose to his feet. This was Lucien of the Ice family. He smiled sarcastically and said loudly, "All this history doesn't change the truth… Our ancient family humiliated the Luwen family in battles of the past. They are nothing but scum who boast of their strength."
Silence fell. A broad smile spread across Lucien's face, as if he were boasting to everyone. In the background, Saruto's heart pounded. He couldn't contain himself as he watched his family being humiliated before his eyes… Then he stood up suddenly, his voice strong despite his attempts to hide it: "Don't you remember the Battle of Dawn, Ice Heir? When the fourth founder of the Luwen family crushed your ninth… and forced him and his entire army to their knees?"
The room froze. All eyes turned to him. Even the professor himself was astonished by the precision of the details. Veins of anger bulged on Lucien's forehead, and he shouted at Saruto, "How dare you, a commoner... speak of the Ice Family in such a way?!"
He strode heavily until he stood before Saruto, then pointed his finger at him. "I challenge you to a duel... here and now!" he declared.
Whispers rippled through the students. Some were eagerly awaiting the spectacle, while others looked at Saruto with disdain, declaring that he wouldn't last long against Lucien. "This is the end of him... how dare a commoner stand up to the heir of the Ice?"
The professor tried to intervene, but in the end, he crossed his arms and said sternly, "If you two are ready... let's turn this lesson into a practical exercise. The fight will be under my supervision. And don't forget to remind you: the rules are clear... fight until one of you surrenders."
And so... the first spark ignited between the disguised Sarotto and Lucien, the son of the Navarre family, in front of everyone's eyes.