A couple of days later
The first round of the knockout compet.i.tion was already over, there were only four contestants left from the original eight. They were: Caesar, Lin Xiao and Shen DaiYing from the magic department, and a newcomer from the warrior department.
These four were undoubtedly the strongest new students at Loran Academy. They were about to undergo the semifinals and finals in a couple of days, determining the victor and the top two to represent Loran Academy in the Academy Tournament that was a month away.
The magic department"s trump card, Caesar, surmounted all difficulties, and advanced to the top four without any suspense. If he continued like this he would undoubtedly win, it was just a matter of time.
Thus, the most important question became, who would be runner-up?
If only she was stronger, how nice would it have been for her to get second place, Rosie thought like that emotionally while walking.
Although she knew that her strength was only high medium, and was still far from Caesar, she still took the risk of getting injured and partic.i.p.ated in the compet.i.tion.
Against strong warriors, as a girl, Rosie didn"t have a high chance of winning, but if the opponent was also a magician, with her rather fine magic control skills, the odds were in her favor.
The good news was that Rosie didn"t meet a single warrior in the group stages, her opponents were all magicians that were weaker than her, so she successfully qualified and advanced to the knockout round.
At that time, Rosie saw hope.
She originally thought that she would have the chance to fight for the second place, and then become inseparable from Caesar, traveling to a different country to partic.i.p.ate in the Academy tournament, a dream-like journey of love.
But her dream was mercilessly shattered by someone.
The demon that shattered her dreams was no one but her sworn enemy, the woman that she wanted to win against, Great Qin Empire"s princess, Shen DaiYing!
Actually, when Rosie found out that her opponent was Shen DaiYing, she wasn"t scared at all, rather she was very happy!
She finally had the chance! She had always wanted to teach Shen DaiYing a lesson, using various magic to beat her down making her beg for mercy and let everyone see how lowly this vixen was. Unfortunately, dreams and reality were never the same, during the compet.i.tion, she was instakilled by Shen DaiYing.
Yes, instakilled.
The process was very simple.
According to the rules, the two must maintain a set distance before the compet.i.tion began, and stand facing one another at the center of the stage. That day, Shen DaiYing was still like usual, wearing her high heels and black silk stockings, her slender legs seductive as usual. Two swords hanging by her waist, carrying herself tall, with an extraordinary presence.
That day"s judge was teacher Woos, on his mark, the duel officially started.
“Shen DaiYing, watch carefully, I"ll definitely win!”
Rosie planned to conduct her chant and circuit as fast as possible, but before she could even finish, she heard her.
“Cherry dance, blossom!”
That coquettish and dirty voice belonged to Shen DaiYing without a doubt. Rosie did not have a chance to react as she was still pondering about what those words meant. Soon after, she was surrounded by beautiful petals, it was like a blossoming sakura tree.
Teacher Woos" voice quickly followed.
“Shen DaiYing, victorious!”
“What?” Rosie thought she had misheard.
Not only Rosie, the surrounding students were all dumbstruck.
“Hey, what just happened? I just yawned, is the match already over?”
“I don"t know… I think I just saw pink cherry blossoms earlier, how beautiful.”
“Cherry blossoms? Are you dumb, what does that have to do with Miss Rosie losing? This isn"t a flower watching compet.i.tion!”
Hearing that chatter, Rosie couldn"t help but protest.
“Hey, wait a moment! Teacher Woos, the match just started, why did you announce her win?”
“…”
Woos stopped and took a look at Rosie, sighed, and speechlessly walked off stage to take care of other things.
“Teacher Woos! Really… Shen DaiYing! You say something! Why did you win… eh?” Rosie had just wanted to look for Shen DaiYing to complain, but she realized that she was gone.
Shen DaiYing who should have been standing in front of her, had also left and was behind Woos, the two left together.
What"s with that? They didn"t even start fighting, yet Shen DaiYing won, why? Was it just because she was a princess?
Rosie felt like she was cheated.
She was the young lady of the Childe House, when has she ever been treated this way? She had to get a reason!
“You two b.a.s.t.a.r.ds! The match isn"t over, come back! I…” Rosie yelled loudly, but there was suddenly acute pain coming from her neck.
She reached up and felt her neck, then lowered her head and looked at her palms, then stopped shouting.
“Red liquid… this is blood, right? …Whose blood… this isn"t my blood, right!? Ehhh?”
Rosie"s hairs were standing straight up! She finally realized that there was a shallow cut on her own neck! The match was indeed over, and the winner was indeed Shen DaiYing. There was no doubt, the cut on Rosie"s neck was proof.
Just now, Shen DaiYing used her quick draw, “Cherry Dance, blossom”, in a split second, she ran next to Rosie, used her sword Snow to gently scratch her delicate neck, then ran back, sheathed her sword like nothing happened. Then, she silently left with Woos.
It all happened too quickly, Rosie was concentrating competently on her magic chant and circuit, so she only realized later on.
Because it was just a compet.i.tion, Shen DaiYing accurately controlled her strength, and held back, only leaving a shallow cut, but what if it wasn"t a compet.i.tion?
If it wasn"t a compet.i.tion, and a real battlefield, Rosie wouldn"t even have a chance to fight back, she would have been long beheaded in one go.
Not only did Shen DaiYing win the match, she thoroughly destroyed Rosie"s self confidence, with just one cut, she made Rosie clearly understand the difference of their strength.
This match was Rosie"s crushing defeat.
“Aaaaaah! I don"t accept this! That d.a.m.n Shen DaiYing! Wh.o.r.e, s.l.u.t, vixen! Even if you kill me, I won"t let you s.n.a.t.c.h Caesar away! You want to get married to Caesar? Not in this lifetime!”
Rosie would not just fall like this!
Failure was the mother of success! Even if she lost to Shen DaiYing, as long as she was still breathing, she will think of a way to win!
The descendants of the Childe family won"t be worthless and kneel or beg for forgiveness!
Who was Rosie? She was the Childe family"s most beautiful, and cutest young lady! She was the wealthy McCarthy Childe"s most beloved daughter!
She, Rosie Childe, was the woman who was going to marry Caesar and become the prince"s wife!
How could she lower her head to the s.l.u.tty princess Shen DaiYing here?
No way!
Although Shen DaiYing was strong, although she was beautiful, although she was a princess, although they are engaged, although they were in the right place and right time… but she was still a foreigner!
Rosie"s counterattack was just starting!
“Hmph, although I"m not willing, I can only do this right now, isn"t it just lowering my head and pleading someone, I can still endure that!”
Rosie mumbled to herself as she went through Winterless city"s alleys. Her servant Afu, behind to the left, and her guard, behind to the right, both were dressed simply, acting low-profile, like they wanted to find someone.
They quickly reached their destination, a small and worn down house.
This was Lin Xiao"s house.
“Although it"s not the first time, it still feels so shabby… Sigh, how pitiful.”
After mumbling a bit, she slapped her own cheeks, she suppressed her resentment and put on a graceful smile.
As expected from a merchant family, Rosie was unambiguous when the time came.
“Young Miss, I don"t understand why you have to look for him, can"t you just leave it to us for whatever you need?” Afu couldn"t hold back and asked.
He didn"t understand why Rosie had to look for Lin Xiao for help. That brat was just a normal person, even if he was from the Eastern tribe and had some strength, but compared to the Childe family background, there was too much of a gap.
You have to know, Rosie was extremely pampered within the family, not only her dad, but also her many brothers, with just one word from their younger sister, all of them would willingly be her errand boy, and do whatever she asked.
It wasn"t bragging, if Rosie wanted Shen DaiYing dead, then tomorrow morning, Caesar would have his white wreath prepared and would be partic.i.p.ating in princess Shen DaiYing"s funeral.
So, Rosie had no need to go to Lin Xiao, an outsider, for help!
“Afu, you idiot! How could I leave it to you guys?”
“Why not?”
“Afu, why don"t you think about it! If I left it to you guys, and used the family"s power, then wouldn"t I be the evil queen in fairy tales that bullied people? Caesar is the prince, so wouldn"t that make Shen DaiYing the pitiful Snow White?”
Rosie pointed at Afu and scolded.
“No! I have to be Snow White! I have to be Caesar"s female lead!”
“Young Miss…” Afu was speechless.
Snow White? Evil queen? What did that have to do with this! He didn"t understand how Rosie came to that conclusion, it was too strange.
However, he didn"t dislike her personality, although she was headstrong, he knew that she was still fundamentally a cute and kind girl. She did not want to use her family"s power and wanted to use her own way to chase after her love.
“So, young miss, you plan on asking Lin Xiao for help?” Afu seriously asked.
“That"s right! Hmph, I can"t help but say that fellow is a little capable…”
Thinking of that black haired youth that was always sleeping, Rosie pouted and fell deep in thought.
She was currently in a grim situation, Shen DaiYing took the official spot, if she wanted to struggle free of being a mistress and make a comeback, she could only leave it to Lin Xiao!