Chapter 205: Battle Begins!

A few instructors exchanged glances and smiled, as though they had already accepted this as a reasonable explanation for her audacity. Aisha had always been at the center of attention, whether people wanted her there or not.

Even before the annulment, she had been known for her obsession with the prince and for making herself impossible to ignore through foolish behavior. Now that she was no longer his fiancée, perhaps she had simply found another way to drag everyone’s attention back to herself.

One of the instructors turned toward the section where the Imperial princes and princesses were seated.

"Your Highness, it is fortunate that you have gotten rid of a problematic woman like that," he said respectfully, his tone carrying an unmistakable desire to please. "She would have been nothing but a source of embarrassment and endless headaches for Your Highness."

The instant he finished speaking, Soren’s expression darkened. His narrowed eyes fixed on the man for several seconds, but the instructor either didn’t notice or chose to ignore it, far too busy trying to win the prince’s favor.

When Soren stayed silent, one of the younger princes finally spoke up.

"I never understood why she was allowed to remain around His Highness for so long," he said, smiling as he shifted closer to Soren. "She never made an effort to get along with any of us, either. Whenever we tried speaking to her, she acted as though we were beneath her."

Another half-sibling of Soren’s chimed in, "It was always difficult to get close to her. Irene is much easier to talk to, isn’t that right?"

The younger prince’s smile grew. "Right? With Irene, everything’s different. She’s always been the more suitable one, and now that the engagement’s been annulled, I think she’ll end up His Highness’s consort sooner or later. Having her as a sister-in-law would be our good fortune."

Soren’s frown deepened. He knew he should feel relieved, even pleased, to hear them praise the woman he had chosen to court after abandoning Aisha. Yet for some reason, he couldn’t find the enthusiasm to speak up for Irene. Instead, the same irritation kept building in his chest each time they repeated the same praise.

His gaze drifted to the other side of the arena, where Irene had come with several of her friends. The people around her were chatting happily and pointing toward the stage, but she stayed quiet, her attention fixed entirely on the arena.

Soren watched her and waited for her to look his way, but she never did.

Usually, whenever they were in public, their eyes would meet at some point, and Irene would smile and wave with the gentle expression she wore whenever she wanted his attention.

Today, she did nothing of the sort. She didn’t even seem to know he was watching her.

Following her line of sight, Soren looked down at the arena.

Aisha was standing there with Kane, Sabel, and Vesper, talking to them with a smile on her lips. She looked relaxed, as if the annulment had never weighed on her at all, and seeing that made Soren’s expression grow even darker.

Suddenly, the enormous holographic displays hanging above the battlefield flickered, and the conversations throughout the seats gradually died down. A voice came through the arena’s speaker system.

"Attention, participants and spectators. The official duel between the two registered teams is about to begin."

"The rules are simple. The two teams will compete in one-on-one matches. The winner of each match will remain on the stage and face the next opponent. There will be no switching once a participant enters the stage. Whoever remains standing at the end will determine the winning team."

Aisha listened quietly as the rules were announced, while Kane’s shoulders relaxed slightly. He had been worried about whether Corwin would accept the arrangement he had sent the night before, and now he could finally breathe easier.

At least they wouldn’t have to fight the entire opposing team at once, which would have tipped the odds even further against them.

Sabel scoffed under her breath, crossing her arms. "Tch, he probably agreed because he thinks they’ll win anyway."

Kane couldn’t deny that possibility and smiled helplessly.

Aisha didn’t answer. Her gaze had moved to Corwin’s side, where the young man stood several meters away, looking far too relaxed for someone about to take part in a duel.

"The first contestant from each team must remain on the stage," the announcer continued. "The remaining participants are required to move to their designated waiting area."

Aisha turned toward Vesper, whose mouth curled into a grin. "Finally, about time."

Sabel walked over and lightly struck his shoulder. "Then beat as many of them as you can."

Kane was less enthusiastic. "Be careful. Don’t let your temper get the better of you."

Vesper opened his mouth to complain, but stopped himself when Aisha stepped forward.

"If you win two matches, I’ll cook for you."

Vesper froze, then his eyes brightened immediately. Ever since tasting her food last time, he had been craving it. "Wait, seriously? You’re serious?"

Aisha nodded, then tossed something toward him. Vesper caught it on instinct, his fingers closing around the object before it could fall. For a second, he looked surprised. Then he lowered his gaze, and the moment he recognized what he was holding, a huge grin spread across his face.

"Then I’ll definitely win!"

Aisha’s lips curved slightly.

The three of them climbed down from the raised platform and headed for the corner reserved for waiting participants, where several seats had been set up with a clear view of the arena. Kane sat down but still looked uneasy, so Sabel settled beside him and gave his shoulder a small shove.

"Stop worrying. Vesper won’t lose."

Kane glanced toward the stage and gave a small nod. Aisha said nothing. Her attention was already fixed on the person walking forward from Corwin’s side.

"Please welcome the participants," the announcer said.

Aisha narrowed her eyes slightly. The battle was about to begin.