By the time the two arrived at the massive open-air Arena in the center of the academy, most of the freshmen had already gathered.
Temporary spectator stands had been set up around the wide grounds paved with a sturdy, grayish-white stone.
Upperclassmen, some instructors, and even several noble guests who had heard the news were already seated in groups of two or three, conversing in low voices as their gazes swept over the energetic and nervous faces of the freshmen in the arena.
Victoria and Silvia's arrival caused a small stir.
It wasn't a welcome, but rather a commotion mixed with curiosity, scrutiny, and blatant contempt.
"Look, that commoner is here."
"Tsk, tsk. Arriving only now? A commoner's sense of time really is terrible."
"That's why she's a commoner. She doesn't understand the rules at all. For something as big as the Placement Exam, she doesn't even know to arrive early to prepare."
"Even though Greg Sass is a man of terrible character and underhanded methods, I actually support him in a few of the things he did."
A male student with slicked-back hair and sophisticated clothing intentionally raised his voice slightly to ensure those around him could hear:
"For instance, trying to make certain low-borns who don't know their place realize where they belong. A place like Glory Cael shouldn't have let these mud-covered peasants step inside in the first place; it just lowers the prestige for no reason."
These words were like needles, precisely pricking at Victoria.
Her gray eyes instantly turned cold, as if covered by a layer of frost.
Stopping in her tracks, she whipped her head around, her gaze shooting toward the group of noble students with mocking smiles like an icy blade.
She didn't care if people said she was of humble birth, nor did she care about their boring attempts to ostracize her.
But she would never tolerate such malicious insults, especially on an occasion where she was about to prove herself.
A surge of anger rose in her heart, and mana flickered faintly within her body.
She was almost about to step forward and use the most direct method to physically shut these guys up.
"Vi—Victoria!"
Silvia, sensing her friend's change in mood, hurriedly reached out and tightly grabbed her arm, her pink eyes full of anxiety:
"Calm down! Don't stoop to their level! The exam is about to start. If you act now, you'll be playing right into their hands! They'll use it as an excuse to attack you, and it might even affect your eligibility for the exam!"
Silvia's voice was low but carried an unquestionable urgency.
She knew Victoria too well; beneath that seemingly calm exterior was an extremely proud heart that refused to lose, especially one that could not tolerate malicious slander directed at her origins.
Victoria's chest heaved a few times as she felt the strength in Silvia's hand and the plea in her eyes.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing her roiling anger.
Silvia was right; now was not the time to be impulsive.
When she opened her eyes again, the ice within them hadn't completely melted, but at least her mind had regained its clarity.
She gently patted the back of Silvia's hand, signaling her to let go.
Then, Victoria straightened the collar of her academy uniform, which had no wrinkles to begin with, and turned to face the noble students who were still snickering in low voices.
She didn't raise her voice or strike a provocative pose. She simply spoke clearly and steadily, in a voice loud enough for everyone nearby to hear, word by word:
"Heh, do those of you hiding behind people's backs wagging your tongues know..."
She paused, her gray eyes sweeping over the noble students whose expressions shifted slightly.
"That 'terrible' Greg Sass you mentioned—whether he has grievances or malice, at least when he has something to say, he has the guts to say it to your face."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it possessed a strange piercing quality that caused the surrounding noise to fall silent.
"Unlike some people, who only dare to hide in a crowd, whispering like rats in a gutter."
The faces of those noble students instantly flushed red. Someone tried to retort, but they were cut off by Victoria's next words.
Victoria tilted her chin up slightly, her tone carrying a near-cruel bluntness. "At least to me, he is better than you, which is to say—"
Her gaze moved across their faces, which were filled with either anger or embarrassment.
"You aren't even as good as Greg Sass."
In the dungeon, Greg, who had just fallen into a deep sleep, suddenly let out a sneeze. Nightmare, who had been lying on his chest, immediately scurried to the other side of the campfire in disgust.
After Victoria's words fell, there was almost total silence.
Only from the spectator stands not far away did a few suppressed chuckles seem to drift over.
The faces of the noble students who had been called out turned various shades of blue and white, as if they had been slapped in public.
"Hey! Commoner, who are you saying isn't as good as Greg Sass? He's not even a noble anymore; we all know he's been expelled from his family! How could a piece of trash like that possibly compare to—"
"She's right."
A clear, pleasant female voice with a hint of arrogance abruptly cut in.
The crowd spontaneously parted to the sides.
A fiery red figure, like a burning banner, walked calmly between Victoria and the noble students.
Lilith Kahn.
She had clearly dressed with care today. Her fiery red hair was styled in an elegant yet energetic fashion, and her academy uniform was pressed perfectly, making her posture seem even more upright.
The sunlight spilled over her, as if casting a halo around her.
Just by standing there, she naturally became the focus of the entire field. That aura of pride belonging to royalty and genius required no words.
She first gave a faint glance toward the noble students who were about to explode. Her gaze was calm and indifferent, yet it made them instantly lower their heads, not daring to meet her eyes.
As a princess, Lilith was an existence they absolutely did not dare to provoke.
Only after they were completely silent did she turn her gaze toward Victoria. Her ruby-like eyes sparkled with blatant interest and... a flicker of eager fire.
"As for Greg Sass..."
Lilith spoke, her voice echoing clearly across the quiet grounds. "He is indeed much more interesting than these people who only know how to gossip behind others' backs."
Coming from the Princess, those words carried a completely different weight.
The noble students bowed their heads even lower, wishing they could find a hole in the ground to crawl into.
Victoria, meanwhile, was calmly observing Lilith.
She had heard rumors that the Princess absolutely loathed Greg Sass.
After all, that former Duke's son was a man who had almost become her brother-in-law, and his later actions had brought shame upon the royal family.
By all logic, Lilith should detest anyone or anything related to Greg.
Yet here she was, speaking up for her?
Just why was that?
"You are Victoria?"
Ignoring the gazes of those around her, Lilith walked straight up to Victoria and tilted her face up slightly.
She extended her hand toward Victoria while a brilliant and confident smile bloomed on her face, as dazzling as the midday sun.
"I've heard of some of your feats. I hope you won't disappoint me in our match later."
No pleasantries, no small talk—just directness and sharp edges.
That was Lilith Kahn's style.
Victoria was stunned for a moment.
She hadn't expected the Princess to proactively reach out to her, let alone express her intent to battle so bluntly.
But immediately after, a similar fire ignited in her gray eyes—the fighting spirit that only flared up when encountering a worthy opponent.
She smiled too.
It wasn't Lilith's flamboyant, dazzling smile, but one that was more reserved yet equally full of confidence.
Without hesitation, she reached out and grasped Lilith's hand.
Two equally slender hands met in the air.
"Those words,"
Victoria met Lilith's gaze without backing down, her voice clear and firm, "should be said by me."
Though it was still impossible to tell if the other was friend or foe, there was one thing both perceived with absolute clarity at this moment:
The person before them was, without a doubt, an opponent they had to give their all to defeat.
A powerful sense of competition, mixed with the faint excitement of finding an equal match, crackled in the air where their gazes met.
Standing to the side, Silvia felt the tension between her friend and the Princess, which had almost solidified into the scent of gunpowder. She nervously gripped the hem of her skirt, feeling completely at a loss.
It seemed that from the moment the match list was announced, this Placement Exam was destined to be anything but peaceful.
Rate on N.U.
