The Training Grounds

As Elena entered the training hall, her hesitant steps echoed against the polished floor. In the arena, Cedric, Lucas, and Taliyah were engrossed in a three-way duel.

Finding a seat nearby, Elena settled beside Noah, who was attentively observing the intense battle unfolding before them.

"How are you feeling today?" Noah inquired; his eyes fixed on the duel.

Elena hesitated before responding, her gaze shifting nervously between the fighters. "Good, I guess" she replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Noah followed her gaze. "There's no denying they're skilled" he remarked, his tone tinged with admiration. "But we'll need to step up our game if we want to keep up with them during the exam. What was the administration thinking, pairing us with these three?"

Elena nodded in agreement, a knot of apprehension forming in her stomach as she watched Cedric, Lucas, and Taliyah seamlessly exchange blows.

After a minute, the frenetic sounds of swords clashing subsided, leaving the trio gasping for breath. Taliyah reached for a towel she had tossed near the arena earlier, wiping away the sheen of sweat that glistened on her brow. Meanwhile, Cedric grabbed a bottle of water, taking a long swig before spitting it out onto the ground with a satisfied sigh.

"Whew, I really needed that" Lucas remarked between breaths, a grin stretching across his face. "You're not half bad yourself, Cedric. Been hitting the training grounds hard over the summer break?"

Cedric flashed a modest smile, a hint of pride gleaming in his eyes. "You could say that. I had the privilege of training with one of Lord Valerian's knights for a couple of months. It's made all the difference"

Taliyah nodded in approval, her gaze flickering with curiosity. "Rumors spread yesterday after you announced your father's death, I also heard from someone that you took in your father's illegitimate child. That could complicate things, you know. She might challenge your right to the patriarchy"

Cedric's expression softened. "Eve is not like that. She's a wonderful girl, and I couldn't turn my back on her. In fact, I was late yesterday because I was finalizing her admission to the academy"

"Wait, really? then we should be able to meet her at the new students' orientation next week" Lucas replied with an excited tone, "Speaking of orientations, is that also why you missed our orientation party yesterday?"

"Sort of. I had some family matters to attend to at the estate as well" Cedric explained, his attention shifting to where Noah and Elena sat on the sidelines. "Hey!" He called out, waving with a warm smile. "Why are you two sitting all the way over there?"

Elena's eyes widened momentarily, caught off guard by Cedric's sudden attention. Noah nudged her gently in the shoulder, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "Keep your cool, princess" he murmured before the two of them rose from their seats and made their way over to Cedric.

"H-Hey, that was quite the duel" Elena stammered, her gaze fixed on the ground.

"Oh, that? We were just playing around" Lucas remarked casually, attempting to put a hand on Cedric's shoulder, only to be playfully rebuffed.

"Don't touch me with your sweaty hands, you smell" Cedric teased, prompting laughter from both of them.

Elena's mind raced with self-doubt. "Playing around... Yeah, we're doomed. There's no way we can catch up to them" she thought to herself, feeling overwhelmed by the skill gap between them.

Before she could dwell further on her insecurities, Cedric placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, causing her to blush furiously. "I'm sure you can hold your own in a duel. Come on!" he encouraged, pressing a sword into her hand and nudging her gently towards the arena where Lucas awaited.

"W-W-Wait!" Elena attempted to protest, but Lucas wasted no time in launching himself at her, forcing her to react instinctively. She managed to parry his initial strike, but the force of it pushed her back, leaving her vulnerable.

"You blocked that? You're no joke. Then I won't hold back!" Lucas's laughter was filled with adrenaline as he launched into a series of rapid attacks, testing Elena's defenses to their limit. She struggled to keep up, parrying blow after blow until sheer exhaustion overwhelmed her, causing her to collapse onto the ground.

Cedric watched with admiration, clapping his hands in applause. "Wow, she's so talented!" he exclaimed before turning to Noah with a mischievous grin. "Your turn!"

Noah's expression shifted to one of mild panic. "Uh... Can we don't?" he attempted to protest, but Cedric was already dragging him into the arena, eager for another round of dueling.

After an hour of intense training, both Elena and Noah collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath. "Hmm, they need some work, but they are very talented. I can see us graduating with flying colors with this team" Lucas mused, his gaze lingering on his friends with pride.

Taliyah joined them, a playful grin on her face as she grabbed Lucas and Cedric by the ears, dragging them away from Elena and Noah. "Give them a break, they're not battle golems like you two" she teased before turning her attention to the matter at hand. "Did they mention where this year's practical exam will be?"

"They said they'll announce it after the tournament. Speaking of which, why don't we participate just for fun? Wouldn't it be cool to show Lord Valerian how far you've come?" Lucas suggested, his eyes alight with excitement.

Cedric hesitated, concern furrowing his brow. "But what if we make it to the top 8? That would be unfair to three people who actually want to join the royal guards"

Lucas pondered for a moment before a mischievous grin spread across his face. "Aha! Aren't there ceremonial battles that follow the tournament for entertainment? Usually between professors and students. How about we sign up for that? We should be more than qualified; after all, we're the top 3 swordsmen of our batch this year"

Cedric remained unsure; his hesitation evident. Lucas attempted to put his arm around him once more, only to be rebuffed with a shove.

"I told you; you smell!" Cedric retorted with a playful smirk, earning laughter from the group as they continued to discuss their plans for the upcoming events.

***

After a grueling week of training, Elena and Noah found themselves able to land a few strikes on Lucas and Taliyah, though still struggling to keep up in prolonged duels.

Exhausted, they sat on the sidelines, gasping for breath after a particularly intense spar with Lucas and Taliyah. Noah glanced at Elena before turning his gaze back to the siblings.

"And you said we would never be able to catch up with them?" He chuckled, a sense of satisfaction evident in his voice.

Elena managed a faint smile. "Training with the top 3 swordsmen is quite an experience. I never knew I had any talent for swordsmanship. Usually, I just practice enough to pass the yearly exams, and that's about it" she admitted.

"Don't you think it's time to talk to Cedric?" Noah teased, nudging her playfully.

Elena's smile faltered as she glanced down at the ground. "Even if I do, he's still a noble and a family head. There's no way I'd stand a chance" she replied, her tone tinged with uncertainty.

Noah raised an eyebrow. "Come on, even I fell in love with a baroness" he reminded her with a grin.

"Okay, but you're a lesser noble. I'm just a commoner" Elena countered, her insecurities bubbling to the surface.

Noah leaned in closer, his expression earnest. "Just shoot your shot, will ya?" he urged, his voice filled with encouragement as Cedric approached.

"Hey, how was today's spar?" Cedric asked, breaking the post-training silence. Lucas eagerly raised his hand, a grin plastered across his face.

"I admit, these two are monsters!" Lucas chuckled, gesturing towards Elena and Noah with a nod of respect.

Just then, Cedric cleared his throat, capturing everyone's attention. "Since today is the new students' orientation, I wanted to introduce my sister beforehand" he announced, nodding towards the door.

In walked Eve, dressed in the academy uniform. Lucas was immediately captivated, his gaze fixed on her as if drawn by a magnetic force. Taliyah noticed his reaction and nudged his shoulder lightly, prompting him to compose himself.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Evelyn Oakbrook" Eve greeted them with a warm smile, her eyes flickering with curiosity as she surveyed the group. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. You must be Lucas and Taliyah, the ones Cedric talks about all the time"

Taliyah approached Eve, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "You're absolutely stunning!" she exclaimed with genuine enthusiasm. "Lucas, you must marry her immediately"

Lucas's cheeks flushed crimson as he stumbled over his words. "Uh, I appreciate the suggestion, Taliyah, but this is not a proper way to greet someone.." he replied, trying to maintain his composure.

Taliyah persisted, her determination unwavering. "I suppose you're right" she conceded, her gaze shifting between Lucas and Eve.

Cedric chuckled awkwardly, exchanging a bemused glance with Eve. "Unfortunately, Eve is already betrothed" he remarked, attempting to steer the conversation in a different direction. "Eve, these are Noah and Elena. Noah is a bachelor knight soon to be knighted, and Elena is from the esteemed Golden Crest merchants guild. these four are my closest friends here at the academy, so feel free to reach out to them if you need anything"

Eve bowed respectfully before Noah, a polite smile gracing her features. "Thank you for your service to the empire, Sir Noah" she said with genuine gratitude.

Feeling slightly overwhelmed by the attention, Elena remained on the sidelines. As Eve approached her, extending a hand, Elena couldn't help but smile at the genuine warmth in her eyes.

"I spent most of my life as an innkeeper and a commoner" Eve said softly, her voice warm and welcoming. "So, you and I are the closest to be the best of friends"

Elena's smile widened, her heartwarming at the sincerity of Eve's words. "Then consider me your sister" she replied, accepting Eve's hand with gratitude and excitement.