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Chapter 243

Kushli and Aznar, who had received unexpected advice from Nelneshia, Manos, and Lenia, fought hard against the three dragons who had agreed to spar in the mock battle on behalf of Vaje and the other two. The results of the fight had exceeded Lenia’s expectations.

Just like Lenia, Dran understood that Nelneshia and Manos had a long-standing preference for fighting strong enemies. In addition, these two had a propensity for immersing themselves in analysis. It was easy to imagine that they would be excited about the precious chance at a mock battle with dragons.

On the other hand, just a brief exchange with Lenia was enough for Kushli and Aznar to unleash moves that exceeded Lenia’s expectations. These two were able to deliver a total of three blows, one to each dragon, surpassing Lenia’s rather low expectations of “Just one blow at best.”

Lenia was resting her head on Irina’s lap, while Dran was acting as a judge and commentator for Fatima and the others. Both of them let out gasps of astonishment at the impressive display by the two in the fight.

As a result, the dragons who were the opponents in the subsequent mock battles did seem impressed by Nelneshia and the others. These humans were far less astonishing than Lenia and her formidable strength, but they had challenged the dragons with power and fury that surpassed that of ordinary humans.

The mock battles between the dragons of Mores mountains and the students of Galois Magic Academy were so intense that the students—with the exception of Lenia—exhausted their bodies and minds entirely. With that, the training came to an end for the day.

Presently, dusk cast the many buildings of Bern village in warm hues as people returned to their homes and a corner of the village bustled with activity in preparation for a night of business. Lenia and her friends returned to Christina’s mansion where they bathed and rested. After that, they were allowed to share a dining table with the baroness.

The dragons who had come to watch the mock battles were also invited, and they sat on chairs designed specially for individuals with tails. Curiosity painted their faces as they scrutinized the delicate crafts and silver tableware displayed in the room.

Lynette, Gundeus, and Kyrlinne had the help of several stewards and maids in serving the guests. The one leading these servants was the son of a steward who had served Christina’s grandfather, the former Marquis of Almadia.

Some of the maids looked nervous in front of the dragons. Fortunately, they did not spill the contents of their plates or stumble and fall.

Christina was seated at the head of the rectangular table. Dran, Lenia, and the other humans were seated on her right, while Vaje and the dragons were seated on her left.

Lynette and her two fellow maids stood in a line against the wall, ready to serve at any time. Usually, Lynette would sit at the table, but she was only a waitress at this gathering with invited guests.

It was customary at a formal dining table in the kingdom to have dishes served one at a time, starting with the appetizer. However, since these guests were students of the Magic Academy and dragons unfamiliar with human dining etiquette, most of the dishes were laid out on the table.

The dragons had focused their attention on the room’s interior design until they were confronted with food prepared with wisdom, knowledge, and skill. Vaje’s eyes sparkled with interest as she looked at the dishes. She was probably the most accustomed to human cuisine among the dragons, but even she was interested in the food she had never seen before in Galois.

Christina, who was the host, looked around at the faces of everyone present and smiled in satisfaction. She had worked with Dramina to finish their work as quickly as possible, but they had still failed to make it in time for the mock battles. Disappointment bubbled in Christina at this result, yet the sight of such amicable interactions with dragons made her glad. such friendly relations were certainly proof that she was a step closer to the future she envisioned.

「Kushli and Aznar appear exhausted, but the looks on the faces of Lenia and Nelneshia make it clear that they had a good time.」

Kushli and Aznar had refreshed themselves in the bath, but the mock battles they had engaged in with burning fighting spirits had left lethargy written on their faces. Despite their exhaustion, their expressions remained bright and cheerful.

As for the dragons, Winchant and Klaubord looked tired, but Vaje had regained her usual appearance.

Vaje was the only Dragonkin who was aware of Lenia’s true identity, and the mental exhaustion that came with such knowledge was certainly great. However, she had already experienced twice the shock of discovering the identities of Lenia and Dran respectively. Her mental resilience had thus been strengthened to be the best in the world, and she could quickly recover from any astonishment to come to terms with any situation presented to her.

On the way back to the mansion after the mock battles, Lenia had called out to Vaje and hurled a barrage of insults at her, including “idiot,” “fool,” and “dumbass”. Vaje’s wings had folded up and her tail had drooped as a result of such remarks.

Lenia’s comment of “You’re even worse than me at reading the room” stuck in Vaje’s mind. This was an unexpected insult from Lenia, leaving Vaje with unsurmountable trauma.

Even after Irina called out to Lenia, making her leave with a pout and an angry huff, Vaje remained depressed for a while. Only when Vaje was soaked in the warm water at the bathhouse and laughing with Fatima and the rest did her state of mind reach complete restoration.

Despite getting hurt and suffering shock, Vaje had successfully attained a new mental state, one where she was able to make a mental rebound much quicker than before.