Elias pushed himself off the wall, wiped the last trace of blood from his lip, and started walking again.
The spar with Lucian still burned in his muscles. His shoulders ached where the dark bullets had pinned him, and the cut on his cheek throbbed in time with his heartbeat. He ignored all of it. The Third Prince was already at the main gate. That was the only thing that mattered right now.
Reginald reappeared at his side as if he had never left, falling into step without comment. The old butler's eyes flicked once to the blood on Elias's face, then away. He said nothing. He never did unless asked.
They reached the outer courtyard just as the morning sun climbed high enough to turn the white stone paths gold. A crowd had already gathered near the main gate—servants, lesser nobles, guards in formal armor, and more than a few curious onlookers who had no real business being there. The air smelled of polished steel, cherry blossoms, and tension.
Elias stopped at the edge of the crowd and took it in.
At the center of the open space stood Lady Reina.
She wore a formal deep-crimson warrior's robe, the fabric cut to allow full movement while still carrying the weight of her station. Her long raven hair was tied in the same high ponytail she had worn in the dojo. She stood perfectly straight, hands resting lightly on the wooden training katana at her hip—the same one she had used to break a thousand red orcs. Her face was calm. Almost serene.
Opposite her stood the Third Prince.
He was handsome in the polished, expensive way of the royal family: golden hair, sharp blue eyes, and a smile that never reached them. He wore a white-and-gold formal coat that practically glowed under the sun. Two royal knights stood behind him, and a small cluster of court officials hovered nearby with recording crystals already floating in the air.
The moment Elias appeared, several heads turned. Whispers rippled through the crowd. He ignored them and kept walking until he stood a short distance behind Reina, close enough to act if needed, far enough not to interfere.
Reina's eyes flicked sideways for half a second. She had sensed him. A faint, almost invisible nod passed between them.
The Third Prince's smile widened when he noticed Elias.
"Ah. The fifth young master of House Arcturus. How convenient. I was just about to begin."
He raised his voice so the floating crystals would catch every word.
"Lady Reina von Arcturus. In the presence of witnesses, I, Third Prince of the realm, formally dissolve our engagement. The royal family has determined that a woman of your… delicate nature is unsuited to stand beside a future pillar of the throne. We wish you well in your future endeavors."
The words were polite. The tone was not.
A murmur rolled through the crowd. Several of the lesser nobles looked openly pleased. Others looked uncomfortable. Reina did not move.
Elias watched her carefully.
This was the pressure test he had wanted. In the old days she would have lowered her eyes, smiled gently, and accepted the humiliation for the sake of peace. That softness had cost her the heir claim years ago. He needed to know whether the woman who had shattered a thousand orcs still carried that same gentle heart—or whether something harder had taken its place.
Reina's voice, when it came, was quiet and clear.
"I accept the dissolution of the engagement."
The Third Prince's smile sharpened with satisfaction. He opened his mouth to deliver another polished insult.
Reina continued before he could speak.
"However."
The single word cut through the courtyard like a blade.
She turned fully toward the Third Prince. The wooden training katana remained at her hip. She did not draw it. She did not need to.
"I will not accept the insult to my house."
The air changed.
Elias felt it immediately—the same quiet, crushing pressure he had felt in the dojo when she faced the orcs. Several of the weaker onlookers took an unconscious step back. Even the Third Prince's smile faltered for a fraction of a second.
Reina's voice remained soft, almost gentle.
"You came here today under the banner of the royal family to call me weak in front of my own people. That was a political decision. I understand politics. But you also came here to enjoy the humiliation. That was personal."
She took one step forward.
The Third Prince's knights tensed.
"I will give you a choice, Your Highness," Reina said. "You may leave now with the engagement broken and your dignity intact… or you may stay and demonstrate the strength you claim I lack. Here. In front of everyone."
Silence.
Elias's dark eyes gleamed.
*There you are, big sister.*
The Third Prince recovered quickly. His smile returned, colder now.
"Are you challenging a member of the royal family, Lady Reina?"
"I am offering you the chance to prove your words were not empty," she replied. "Or the chance to leave without further embarrassment. Choose."
The recording crystals hovered closer.
For a long moment the Third Prince said nothing. Then he laughed—a short, sharp sound.
"Very well. I accept."
He gestured to one of his knights. The man stepped forward and drew a gleaming ceremonial sword, offering it to the prince. The Third Prince took it with practiced elegance.
Reina still did not draw her wooden katana.
Elias felt a slow, dangerous smile pull at the corner of his mouth.
This was going to be interesting.