Shocking news

"What did you just say?" questioned Grace as she turned around to look at Amelia with a shocked expression.

It wasn't just her that was shocked; Candace and Eleanor were also in a state of shock.

Learning that Alex was training was already surprising, but hearing that he was doing so because he wanted to become the head of their branch was even more shocking, as it implied another thing:

He wanted to participate in the upcoming competition that would determine the next head of the entire Eswald family.

When they came to this conclusion, the three women didn't even know what to say.

Seeing their reactions, Ava released a soft chuckle, knowing that what they heard was indeed quite surprising.

After a moment of silence, Grace started laughing uproariously.

"Finally! That lazy bum finally decided to grow a pair of balls!"

"Mother! You shouldn't speak like that-"

"Don't bother; you know very well that this woman is not 'lady-like,'" said Candace, but like Grace, she also portrayed a smile.

Even the generally cold Eleanor was smiling.

"I don't want to be the one that kills the mood, but I don't think that he can be the head of our branch," said Candace after a moment, making everyone frown as they looked at her.

She smiled sheepishly, seeing their glare toward her; even her daughter was glaring at her frown.

"Don't look at me like that; what I said might be unpleasant, but it's the truth."

"And how do you know that?" questioned Grace.

"In this world, even if you have a 'trash talent,' as long as you diligently train, you will eventually transcend your talent one day. But is it the case for Alex? Did he diligently train all his life? Hell, the last time that we were here, Alex was at the tavern, getting drunk. So that means he started training not long ago. If I were to bet, I would say that he started training only when you informed him of the competition we are holding in two days. In those conditions, how do you expect him to win against people that were training from their young ages?"

Candace paused for a second before eyeing Ava and said with a smile:

"Alex might be lazy, but he is not dumb. He is already aware of all the things I've just explained, but he still wants to participate, which means that he had means that might help him win that we are not aware of, am I right?"

'I guess people call her the diviner for a reason,' smiled Ava.

Candace being weaker than Grace was due to talent difference but not only because of that; in fact, the difference in talent was an insignificant reason. The true reason was that Candace was not a warrior; no, she was the one that instructed the warriors. She was a strategist and a good one at that.

'With just a few words, she deduced that Alex had something that might help him win, and she wasn't even using her ability. I wonder how much she would be able to deduce if she were to use it,' wondered Ava, before replying to Candace:

"It's as you say; Alex managed to find something that might help him win."

"Good, good," nodded Candace.

"Wait, I don't know what that 'something' is, but even then, won't it be incredibly difficult for a pseudo-level 2 to beat a level 4?" asked Grace.

Amelia, Anna, and Ava looked at each other before responding, knowing that the response to this question was going to shock them even more. Ava sighed then dropped the bomb.

"Alex isn't a pseudo-level 2 anymore; he is currently a level 4."

"...."

"...."

"...."

'I guess that was to be expected,' thought Ava while scratching her head as she looked at the faces of the three women.

They didn't have a shocked face like she thought they would have; they looked at her with an annoying gaze, seemingly thinking that she was lying.

"You shouldn't joke like that, Ava; if Alex were to hear you, he might become upset. There are things that shouldn't be said even in jokes," chastised Grace.

"This time I'm with her, Ava; you shouldn't say such insensitive jokes," supported Candace.

Eleanor didn't say anything, but it was clear that she thought the same, as she looked at Ava with a disapproving face.

"...."

This time it was Ava's turn to look at them with an annoyed face; she told them the truth, yet here they were chastising her.

"She is right; Alex is really at level 4," said Amelia, supporting her mother.

However, despite what she said, Grace and company didn't believe them.

They turned toward Anna then asked her, "Are what they are saying right?"

Under their piercing gazes, Anna shrunk a little but still nodded her head, but even then, they didn't want to believe such a thing.

"Alex is in the training grounds, right? Let's go; I won't believe such a thing until I see it with my own eyes!"