"A curse?"
Kurose Akira cast another glance at Roxia's status panel. The word displayed in the status slot made his brow tighten.
He attempted to inspect the details of the curse afflicting her—
Access denied. Favorability insufficient. Unable to query.
"..."
Akira gave up helplessly and shifted his attention to the others present.
At that moment, Roxia and Natasha stepped together into the reception hall. They both turned to Meixing.
"Why are you here?" Roxia asked.
"Cousin, Aunt Natasha," Meixing replied with a smile. "I happened to be passing by and ended up chatting with this gentleman about shared interests."
"If there's nothing else, then you may withdraw," Roxia said calmly. "Remember to focus on your sword training and prepare properly for tomorrow's selection."
"Understood." Meixing nodded, said nothing further, and turned to leave the reception room.
Once he was gone, Roxia gently closed the door.
Then she walked toward Akira with light, measured steps. Her azure-blue eyes fixed on him, her expression cool and composed. In a clear, steady voice, she said, "Please, take a seat."
Everyone sat down again.
Only—
The seat Akira had been using earlier was now occupied by Roxia.
He was just considering retrieving his coffee. Though it looked untouched, the rim still bore traces of him.
Before he could stand, Roxia picked up the cup and took a small sip.
This—
Akira opened his mouth, then closed it again.
…Forget it.
There was no point anymore.
"Adventurers from afar," Roxia said as she set the cup down. Her blue eyes locked onto Akira as a faint smile curved her lips. "Aunt Natasha has spoken of you before. Thank you for traveling such a long distance to accept this commission and safeguard my safety."
As she spoke, Roxia's gaze continued to drift across Akira and his companions, scrutinizing every detail.
She was clearly judging whether the adventurers Natasha had hired were truly reliable.
First—Akira.
She quickly and accurately assessed that he was nothing more than an ordinary man. There was no trace of magical aura about him, and it was doubtful he'd ever received training in swordsmanship, horsemanship, or the like.
A question surfaced in Roxia's mind.
Is this man really an adventurer?
Though his body showed signs of physical conditioning, it looked no more than basic fitness. In close-quarters combat, Roxia was confident she could defeat him in a single exchange.
Next—Ivsha.
Ivsha concealed her presence extremely well, yet Roxia could still tell she was no ordinary individual. Especially in terms of magical aptitude.
Even so, it wasn't enough to truly move her.
But the third person—
Roxia's brows knit slightly.
She stared at the figure in the white robe, unable to discern what lay beneath it. More unsettling was the fact that she couldn't sense any presence from them at all.
Strange.
"Since we've accepted Lady Natasha's commission," Akira replied calmly, "we will naturally fulfill our duties to the fullest."
"Roxia, Mr. Akira and his team are exceptional. I'm certain they'll keep you safe," Natasha said warmly, her smile full of confidence in Akira and the others.
Even though she knew nothing of Akira's true strength, she trusted that Loserine alone would be more than enough to protect her niece.
"Then I'll begin by explaining the rules of the White Rose Rite, as well as the relevant security arrangements," Roxia said.
She smiled and nodded to Natasha, then began outlining the ceremony.
"The selection of the Oathbound Knight will be conducted under the witness of the White Rose. The six knightly families of Sunset City will each send two young knights to participate, for a total of twelve candidates, all of whom will undergo the White Rose's trial."
"When the time comes, the White Rose will deploy a magic formation. Only the twelve qualified knights may enter. Inside the formation, I will be in competition with the others, and each of us will be placed in separate trial grounds. During that time, protection from you will not be necessary."
"The periods you are responsible for are before the selection begins and after it concludes."
As Roxia spoke, Akira narrowed his eyes slightly. Something felt off.
"Are you certain," he asked, "that no external interference is possible once inside the magic formation?"
Logically speaking, the best moment to strike would be during the selection itself.
"Please rest assured," Roxia replied confidently. "The magic formation created by the White Rose is extremely powerful. Aside from the qualified candidates, only Oathbound Knights who have already undergone the White Rose Rite may enter. No matter how strong an outsider is, they cannot breach it—unless they possess power sufficient to destroy the entire city of Sunset. Otherwise, the formation is absolutely secure."
"Other Oathbound Knights… can enter as well?" Akira asked, surprised.
Didn't that mean Loserine could enter as well?
"Yes. However," Roxia added softly, "all previous Oathbound Knights have already passed away. Their remains were laid to rest long ago."
As she said this, her beautiful eyes flickered slightly, touched by sorrow for the departed.
Akira's eyes narrowed further.
He knew it.
This mission was never going to be simple.
If the opposing guild had accepted a commission to sabotage Roxia's ascension, then they must have a way to interfere with the selection.
The problem was—he had no idea how they would do it.
Nor did he know who they were.
He was operating in the open, while the enemy lurked in the shadows.
That alone significantly raised the difficulty—and danger—of the mission.
After finishing her explanation, Roxia rose from her seat and smiled.
"I still have matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave for now. If you wish to learn more about the other knightly families or the distribution of power within Sunset City, you may ask Aunt Natasha. She knows this city far better than I do."
She nodded politely to Akira and the others, then exited the reception hall.
Once Roxia had left, Natasha stepped forward, her tone gentle.
"Mr. Akira, is there anything else I can help clarify for you?"
"Not at the moment," Akira shook his head, then added, "By the way, Lady Natasha—do you have any leads on who might have hired adventurers to stop Roxia from becoming an Oathbound Knight?"
"This…" Natasha shook her head lightly. "Not yet. But I do have some clues."
"Clues?"
"Yes. Their objective is also to become an Oathbound Knight. I suspect the commission came from competitors among the other knightly families."
"That's certainly possible," Akira nodded thoughtfully. The theory made sense.
"I believe Mr. Akira will surely stop those villains and ensure Roxia's safety," Natasha said with a smile.
She then picked up the coffee Roxia had been drinking, preparing to take a sip.
"Wait—that cup was Roxia's—" Akira tried to stop her, but she waved him off with a smile.
"It's fine. Roxia and I are as close as mother and daughter. I don't mind."
With that, Natasha drank the coffee without hesitation.
…What Akira had actually wanted to say was that he had been the one who drank from that cup earlier.
Now, he could only remain silent, thinking to himself—
Mother and daughter… ahem. Their relationship really is close.
"I'll step out to the restroom for a moment. Please wait here, Mr. Akira," Natasha said as she stood and left the reception hall.
Just then, Ivsha spoke softly, "I need to visit the restroom as well, Mr. Akira."
"Mm. Go ahead," Akira replied calmly.
A few minutes later, Ivsha suddenly returned to his side. She leaned close to his ear and whispered in a low, intimate voice—
"Mr. Akira… please come with me. I've discovered something very interesting."