Helena Kurt Vanforth. 

There is a twin that was given birth by the first empress of the Empire. One awakened her gift early while the other showed physical prowess. 

But because of the world she lived in, and the society it has built her talent truly stagnated. 

"hup!"

Helena struck forward, her rapier soared and swiftly reaped the air causing a whip-like sound. 

"Hat!"

She pulled and struck once again, her form was textbook perfect she seemed like a master in the guise of a child. 

Sweat trickled down her cheek and finally went down the floor, her form was elegant, one that would everyone wants to achieve. 

"Ha…"

Helena removed her thick clothing and sat down in the arena. 

"Ugh… master do I have to do this?"

She called, and though no one answered her at first, a voice rang out from the arena. 

"Of course, being talented with the blade is a gift, you could've been talented with the fist. Although it would make you a brute—"

"I get it! I get it!"

Helena planned on becoming a Knight to protect her twin sister, who was weaker than her. 

That's her end goal but. 

"Tidy yourself."

"Why?"

Helena curiously asked. 

"There would be a boy who you'll fight with. My friend already found a disciple"

"Is that so?"

Helena was uninterested, she had fought with the knights of the Imperial Palace, without mana nor aura of course. 

And they all lost, it's been three years since she started training, she was considered a prodigy, if not for the 2nd empress keeping her in check her talent with the sword would've been greater. 

She right now could be on par with a 3rd class Swordsman. But of course, her body was her limit, as she cannot force her growth. 

"C'mon Helena"

"Yes, yes!"

It might be disgraceful if someone saw her like this, but she trusts her master. She knew her way of acting wouldn't be used against her. 

Helena stood up and left the arena, the tiny place in the training grounds in which Knights spar. 

***

"Get yourself ready Samuel, We're meeting my friend"

"Then why am I…?"

"She has her disciple and we had a bet who was stronger"

"Then Master, what did you bet on? I might get motivated if you answer"

Lennon looked at me with a smile and said:

"I might break through" implied Lennon. 

"I'm voluntary losing then"

"H-hey!"

However, I was nonchalant, I don't even know why I kept being dragged on by someone but it's getting annoying. 

"Cmon! It's just a friendly spar! If you win I might reward you with something!"

"Mm… fine"

I answered grumpily. 

"Who was your friend anyway?"

"Oh her? Her name is Ozana Alzwalkt"

{OMG! OMG! OZANA IT'S OZANA!!!}

[What's up with you]

{Ozana is a legend ya know! A legend! She's a 2nd class swordsman but her style with the sword could outclass any other swordsman!}

'Let me guess, her swordsmanship style is related to speed'

{Not just speed, striking power too}

'ah…'

"Okay, I'll get ready" 

I nodded and walked off preparing myself for this so-called disciple meet-up that Lennon had agreed on. 

We took a carriage and our destination was not that far off, it was on the outskirts of the Capital. 

A town just on the outskirts of the capital, there housed a training center for upcoming Knights to use. 

There I and Lennon stood on the edge of the arena built for friendly sparring. 

On the other end, however, it made me stiff. There is the older twin princess, Helena, she was the one who was curious about me three years ago. 

I just hope those three years she already forgot about me, after all, I'm just a commoner and a servant at that time. 

"Hm?"

I and Helena's gaze met each other. I was the first to break eye contact. 

"Ozana, my friend, long time no see."

"I could say the same with you"

"There's a lot of things we should catch up on, Penelope dearly misses you. But why are we meeting in the arena of the Center already?"

Lennon curiously asked. For a reunion to immediately cross swords, he wanted to chat first before clashing with the blades, stories are equally interesting as seeing someone's improvement to the same path as you have. 

"Oh! I'm interested in your disciple, I've heard tons of rumors from him, every single servant and even the family of the Marquis has bragged about him"

"huh?" I let out a confused voice. 

I looked at the Marquis and he avoided my gaze, wait am I famous? So that means… looking at Helena my suspicions were true. 

She was looking at me with pure interest in her eyes. When our eyes met, she smiled at me, her smile was the same as the Prince. 

I can't help but have sweat running down my back. 

"Wait, boy, you didn't know?" Ozana asked, confused. 

"Ah-ah! Why won't we have our disciples meet each other first, we got some stories to catch up" 

Lennon's desperate attempt to take away Ozana from his disciple made it more suspicious, but. 

"Go on Master! I'll talk with Master Lennon's Disciple"

Lennon was delighted, but my words made him gloom. 

"Looks like I'll have a story to tell the Madam and my lady"

I ain't going to let this go, Lennon, anyways, Helena is curious about me, and Lennon and Ozana went away to talk. 

"mmm~"

Helena started circling me, eyeing me from bottom to top. 

"I can't believe it, the servant back then is the Marquis's disciple"

I sighed. 

"Well, Princess I can't believe it either."

Then she walked up to me, she was too close that our noses might touch. I was a bit uncomfortable. 

"You look handsome too… it's just a shame you aren't an a noble"

This girl, I took a step back and she took a step forward, making no changes in our distance. 

I tried to get away but she only got closer. 

I got quite annoyed so I decided to tease her. 

"Well true. If I was a noble of the empire I might have already tried giving you a proposal"

I know how corrupt this empire is, so I'm pretty sure she would know the underlying meaning of my words. 

That the nobles are corrupt and everyone takes her as a tool. 

But I guess I'm too stupid in my wording because her cheek started becoming rosy.

{How bold}

[Damn] 

"Really…" Helena then took out her rapier.