Chapter 5

The garden behind the castle of the Argaint Kingdom is vast and beautiful. Various kinds of exotic flowers and plants adorn the place. There is also an empty area that is usually used for training. In addition, the garden also has a pavilion for a place to relax and take shelter from the hot sun and rain.

Ziel and Theodore stood face to face with wooden swords in their hands in the vacant lot. Princess Aishia and Princess Elise took shelter under the pavilion while enjoying the tea and snacks that the maid had brought to the place.

"Remember not to hurt each other badly as this is just a sparring practice. So don't take this fight seriously. Especially you, Theo." Princess Aishia warned Theodore seriously.

"I understand, Princess. Don't worry. I will restrain myself and try not to hurt him." Theodore replied arrogantly, like he could win easily from Ziel. Princess Aishia couldn't help but frown upon hearing that.

"Ziel, you have to be careful and don't get hurt. Do you understand?!" Princess said with a worried face.

"I understand, Princess Elise." Ziel answered curtly.

Ziel nodded slightly at Princess Elise, who reminded him. He looked at his sparring opponent. After seeing Theodore's sly gaze, Ziel thought of how he could lose normally and safely.

(Looks like I'll have to play a bit here, so Princess Aishia and Princess Elise don't suspect me. I had to show them my mediocre swordsmanship and was quickly overpowered by him)

Ziel muttered in his heart about the plan to lose the practice match.

"Are you ready? Don't worry. I won't hurt you seriously." Theodore smiled kindly at Ziel, but his eyes stared at him coldly.

"Thank you for your generosity." Ziel answered flatly.

"Alright, let's get started. You can attack me first. Use all your strength." Theodore smiled provokingly for Ziel.

"Okay." Ziel nodded and pretended to be provoked by him. Then Ziel ran slowly towards Theodore while raising his sword and swinging it like an amateur. Theodore blocked Ziel's attack easily.

"Hahaha... Is that your only strength? Are you a baby? Come on! Bring out all your strength! Swing your sword properly!" Theodore laughed mockingly at Ziel.

Ziel keeps swinging his sword aimlessly. From above, right, left, and stabbed forward, but all of them were parried easily by Theodore. They kept clashing their swords for a long time, and Theodore seemed to have the upper hand in the fight. He seemed to be teaching Ziel how to use a sword. But suddenly, Theodore attacked Ziel right at his vital point. Ziel pretended to slip to avoid his sword.

"You were lucky to be able to dodge that attack of mine. Then try to dodge my next attack!" Theodore was shocked when he saw Ziel suddenly slip and dodge his attack. But that only made him even more annoyed at Ziel.

Theodore twisted his body and intended to strike Ziel's neck with the wooden sword. If the slash hit Ziel, he would be seriously injured even if the attack was using a wooden sword. But Ziel remained calm in the face of Theodore's attack. He was like a robot that had been programmed to parry or evade attacks directed at him. Ziel pretended to stumble and fall, so Theodore's sword just slashed through the air.

"You're lucky again, but not this time!" Theodore was angry that Ziel was able to dodge his attacks again.

An aura seal appeared on Theodore's body. His speed and power suddenly doubled. Then Theodore slashed his wooden sword towards Ziel's head.

"Theo, what are you doing!? This is just sparring! Stop it!" Princess Aishia shouted, warning Theodore.

"Theo, you cheated!?" Princess Elise also shouted at him.

Ziel could hear Princess Aishia and Princess Elise screaming at Theodore. But Theodore didn't listen to what they were saying. His mind was filled with anger because Ziel kept dodging his attacks in strange ways. Theodore felt that Ziel was playing a trick on him. His rage made him unable to hear anything from his surroundings and only focused on attacking Ziel in front of him.

Ziel narrowed his eyes and slightly loosened the grip on the hilt of his sword. He slashed his sword from below at Theodore's attack. When their swords collided, he slightly twisted his sword to change the direction of Theodore's attack trajectory and purposely released his grip on the wooden sword in his hand. So Ziel's wooden sword was thrown, and Theodore's attack only passed through his side.

Ziel raised both his hands and showed he was admitting defeat. But Theodore didn't see it and intended to attack Ziel again. Theodore slashed his sword at Ziel, but strangely, he stood still watching the incoming attack. Because Ziel knew someone would stop the attack. Suddenly a silver wall appeared between Ziel and Theodore.

[Mercury Shield]

Ziel could hear Princess Aishia's voice from behind them.

(Is this mercury?)

Ziel looked at the silver wall before him and saw the girl who cast the magic, Princess Aishia.

"Theodore Blanco, I said stop!" Princess Aishia shouted angrily.

Theodore finally came to his senses after hearing Princess Aishia's angry scream. Then he knelt and bowed his head in front of Princess Aishia and Princess Elise.

"I apologize, Princess Aishia! I was too excited and carried away by my emotions!" Theodore said apologetically and gave an excuse.

"You said you got carried away? But you used your aura seal! Isn't this just pure swordsmanship training? But you attacked Ziel intending to hurt him just now! Do you think I don't know?" Princess Aishia couldn't believe what Theodore had said.

"I apologize, Princess! I am guilty of getting carried away by my emotions, and I promise not to do anything like that again." Theodore gritted his teeth and reluctantly admitted his mistake.

"Haah... I don't want to see anything like this again, Theo. I know who you are and your goals for doing this sparring. So please don't do it again." Princess Aishia sighed heavily in response to Theodore's words. Princess Aishia was his childhood friend, so she knew his true nature.

"I understand!" Theodore answered Princess Aishia, full of dissatisfaction.

After talking to Theodore, Princess Aishia looked Ziel up and down.

"Ziel, are you okay?" Princess Aishia asked worriedly.

"Are you hurt? Did you get hit by Theo's attack?" Princess Elise was also worried about Ziel's condition. She checked his entire body to make sure he wasn't injured.

"I'm fine, Princess. Thank you for being so concerned." Ziel lowered his head and conveyed his gratitude to the two Princesses.

Ziel glanced at Princess Aishia as he lowered his head. He saw her not because of her beauty but because he saw the mana around Princess Aishia raging more intensely than what he saw at the servant selection event. It seemed that after Princess Aishia used the previous spell, her mana became raging and out of control. Such chaotic mana would explode sooner or later.

Princess Aishia looked pale from enduring the pain. Ziel could see it on her face even though she was trying to be calm. Princess Elise probably noticed that too. Because she occasionally glanced worriedly at Princess Aishia.

"Are you okay, Sis?" Princess Elise asked because she couldn't bear to see her sister's condition.

"I'm fine. I feel tired and want to rest for a while. Please take me to my room, Elise." Princess Aishia answered calmly.

"Yes, sis!" Princess Elise nodded without asking any further.

Princess Elise escorted Princess Aishia to her room, and Theodore followed them. He glanced at Ziel with evil eyes before leaving the place. Ziel silently watched the two Princesses go until they disappeared from his sight.

"Haah...I think I'll have to do some extra work tonight." Ziel sighed heavily. Then he left the garden and walked towards his room.