Bang!
The heavy body slammed into the ground, kicking up a small cloud of dust. Scale armor struck the earth with a dull, muffled clang.
The moment the Knight Division student collapsed, the entire training field fell into an eerie silence.
Everyone stared wide-eyed at the center of the field, disbelief written across their faces.
There stood the black-haired boy, sword still in hand, calm and composed.
And beside him—at some point unknown—there was now a… goblin?
It was a very unusual female goblin.
Her skin was a smooth silver-gray, markedly different from her filthy kin. She stood about one meter tall, clad in a brand-new brown leather armor. Her small face held faintly human features, and her sharp eyes left a deep impression.
In her hands, she tightly gripped a thick wooden club stained with blood. She stood ramrod straight beside the unconscious Knight Division student, cold eyes scanning the surroundings with vigilance.
Only when she turned to look at Ethan did her gaze soften, just a little.
"W-What… what kind of monster is that?!"
An incredulous cry erupted from the crowd.
"A goblin? Why is there a goblin here?!"
"It's a summon! That Arcane Division guy summoned a goblin!"
"No way! He was just fighting with a sword—how could he be a summoner? And summoning a goblin should be at least a first-circle spell! Is he already a first-circle mage?"
"The point is, that goblin appeared out of nowhere behind his opponent! What kind of twisted magic is that?!"
"It's a magic card! He used a magic card!"
Someone sharp-eyed noticed the card Ethan had yet to put away. The image of a goblin on its surface was slowly fading.
Shouts, doubts, and curses instantly shattered the silence—louder even than when the broken engagement had been announced earlier.
Summoned creatures were nothing unusual. They were common in both battles and duels.
Normally, however, they were summoned before the fight began.
But to summon mid-duel—and have the summoned creature appear directly behind the opponent for a sneak attack—
This style of combat was utterly shameless and completely against the spirit of honorable fighting!
Instructor Kyle rushed forward in a few quick strides and checked the fallen student.
Fortunately, he was only knocked unconscious. There was no danger to his life.
Kyle waved his hand, signaling a few stunned students to carry him to the infirmary.
Then he turned, his expression complicated, toward Ethan—and the goblin gripping the club with icy resolve.
To be honest, he had never seen a goblin like this before.
The expression on its face looked like that of a short-tempered little girl.
"A mutated goblin?"
"Compared to those filthy creatures… this one is far too clean."
Instructor Kyle clicked his tongue in amazement, staring at the small figure with the club, completely ignoring the anger beginning to flare in her eyes.
"Instructor Kyle, allow me the honor of introducing—"
"This is my contract partner. Her name is Princess Alice."
"I usually just call her Princess."
Ethan's gaze fell on Princess Alice. The little goblin, who had been glaring fiercely at Kyle a moment ago, immediately softened her expression.
He handed his sword back to the student managing equipment at the edge of the field. The flowing light of Blade Ward gradually faded from his body.
That bored, indifferent look returned to his face.
"There's no rule in the duel regulations forbidding the use of summoning, right?"
"After all, I'm just a weak and fragile magic apprentice."
Instructor Kyle glanced at the noisy students around them, cleared his throat, and announced the result.
"Summoned creatures are permitted in duels."
"The duel is over. The winner is—"
"Arcane Division, Ethan Wright!"
His gaze lingered on Ethan for a moment longer.
"Student Ethan… your fighting style is quite… unique."
"Thank you for the encouragement, Instructor. I'll continue to study it deeply!"
Ethan shrugged, responding earnestly to the teacher's encouragement.
"..."
Instructor Kyle.
Ethan then walked straight over to the pile of gold coins and bent down.
Without the slightest hesitation, he picked up all twenty-five coins one by one and stuffed them into his coin pouch.
Clink—clink—
The pleasant chime of gold colliding instantly lifted his mood.
In this world, was there really any sound more beautiful or more moving than this?
Even compared to that rich, beautiful, and generously endowed marquis's daughter…
"Thanks for your support, everyone! Much appreciated!"
"If anyone else wants to duel and can't find me, just leave a message at Arcane Division, First Year, Class C."
"Twenty-five gold coins per duel—limited-time offer for fellow students present today only!"
"Next month, the price goes up to thirty gold coins per match…"
"If you need it, book fast!!!"
He waved cheerfully at the dumbstruck Knight Division students, his face split with an uncontrollable grin.
After all, most ordinary people wouldn't earn even ten gold coins in a year. Twenty-five was no small sum.
Not only had he solved his urgent financial problem, he had even made a profit.
Definitely not a loss.
A rich, sharp fragrance drifted through the air.
When Ethan turned his head, Giselle was already standing beside him.
The icy detachment and teasing amusement from before were gone, replaced by intense curiosity and scrutiny.
Twice now…
Do you walk without making any sound at all?
Ethan grumbled inwardly.
After Princess Alice had appeared, he could share some of her basic abilities and senses—such as her passive perception of nine.
Even with that enhancement, he hadn't noticed Giselle approaching.
Either she possessed some kind of stealth ability, or it was pure coincidence.
" Mage Ethan…"
She spoke his name softly. Her azure eyes seemed determined to see straight through him.
"Your Princess doesn't look like an ordinary contract creature at all."
Ethan stood up, brushed the dust from his hands, and grinned.
"She's not ordinary—just like you, isn't that right, Miss Giselle?"
The casually smiling boy hadn't even used an honorific.
One should remember that Ethan's father had once been a family knight, and his elder brother had only this month been formally appointed as a guard knight of Charleshire.
Yet the broad-minded marquis's daughter didn't take offense. Instead, she studied him with growing interest.
At that moment, a cold gaze shot toward Ethan from within the crowd behind him.
He turned sharply, but only caught sight of the back of a Knight Division student disappearing around a corner.
Ethan frowned.
The figure felt familiar—perhaps the same student who had shouted the loudest when the wager was being crowdfunded.
"Don't worry about it. Just one of Finn's followers."
Giselle's expression was calm, her tone indifferent.
"There are always people trying to curry favor with him. But with me here, they won't dare go too far."
They won't dare go too far with you…
With me, though, as long as they don't go too far, going a little too far is probably acceptable…
Feeling the satisfying weight tugging at his coin pouch, Ethan magnanimously chose not to argue with the broad-chested, broad-minded marquis's daughter.
After today, there would surely be more fools carrying gold, crying and begging him for duels.
By now, the crowd had mostly dispersed.
Ethan took a long look at Giselle, already resolved to part ways.
This noble marquis's daughter was rich and beautiful—but he needed to stay far away from her.
Preferably forever.
Women like her were dangerous.
However, the very next sentence from the red-haired noblewoman brought his determined steps to a dead halt.
" Mage Ethan…"
"You…"
"…Are you short on money?"