Chapter 251: Sword versus Axe

Grava Duchy, Mansion of the Grava Familia...

Dahlia, with her shell-pink hair and pale-pink eyes, was currently training by herself in the training ground that was dedicated to the direct descendants of the Grava bloodline.

It was common for noble families to maintain a training ground for both their forces and descendants.

Of course, only the truly affluent could afford such facilities, and among them, only the wealthiest could boast a dedicated training ground exclusively for their troops and heirs.

The sound of her steel swords cutting through the air echoed throughout the area as her figure moved gracefully.

This went on nonstop for more than ten minutes before she felt her stamina running out.

Clap— Clap— Clap—

"Excellent!"

The sound of slow claps, along with an ever-so-familiar voice, caught Dahlia’s attention as she turned to look towards the person who had just arrived.

Despite the sudden intrusion, Dahlia showed little to no surprise as she bowed in greeting despite her exhaustion.

"Good morning, Auntie."

Glorietta smiled warmly in response as she sat on the bench where Dahlia had been earlier, patting the spot beside her in invitation.

Dahlia shyly sat beside her, conscious of keeping a little space between them.

Glorietta noticed this and asked with a touch of playful anger, "Don’t you like sitting beside your aunt?"

"W-Well, I’ve been training... so I’ve sweated quite a bit..."

"Aww, are you shy? Come here~" Glorietta felt as if she could not get enough of Dahlia’s cuteness as she hugged her impulsively while ruffling her hair.

Although Dahlia wanted to resist, her aunt’s raw strength rendered any resistance futile.

Fortunately, Glorietta was able to have her fill of her niece’s cuteness a minute later, "You’ve been training since 3 o’clock in the morning, I’m so proud of you... If only my son were half as hardworking as you."

Thinking of the sleeping Gustav, Glorietta made a silent reminder in her heart that she would drag him into the training ground later.

"By the way, are you ready to go back to the Royal Capital?" She added after a moment.

"Yes..." Dahlia replied, albeit a little downcast.

Thinking that her week-long semestral vacation was already coming to an end, she could not help but feel like it was surreal.

Glorietta noticed this and smiled, "You’re planning on participating in the entrance examinations of Grandella, right?"

"Mhm!" Dahlia responded with spirited eyes.

"If I remember correctly, since you’re already near your graduation... You’ll be having your Special Field Activity after you return. Have you already thought of who to team up with?"

"Not yet..."

Dahlia twiddled her fingers for a moment before continuing to speak, "Honestly, I feel like I’m strong enough..."

"Why is that?" Glorietta tilted her head as she asked softly, her eyes filled with care.

"I read through some of the records about the Grandella Tournament in the Royal Academy’s library, and I felt like I was lacking."

"That’s normal. In fact, what you’re feeling right now might be a good thing."

"Why?"

"Well, I know many people who had so much confidence, yet weren’t able to make the cut to be admitted."

Glorietta paused for a moment before continuing as she looked Dahlia in the eyes, "That’s to say, the lack of confidence itself is also not good. One piece of advice I could give you is that you should never be too confident, nor should you ever feel complacent."

"Never be too confident, and never feel complacent..." Dahlia repeated the words her aunt said beneath her breath.

Seeing her taking her advice to heart, Glorietta nodded in satisfaction, "The prodigies of the other races are the cream of the crop. They have the talent, resources, and bloodline to back them up."

"Since you said that you read through some of the records in the library, then you must know that although there were no minimum requirements for one’s realm, the weakest participant in the last Grandella Tournament was someone at the Late Stage of Two Star Realm."

Dahlia nodded as she listened to her aunt attentively.

Glorietta then continued, "As of now, you should be at the Peak Stage of One Star Realm, right?"

"Yes..."

"Then you’ll need to work harder."

Noticing the sudden shift in the atmosphere, Dahlia looked up and saw the serious light in her aunt’s eyes.

"I am aware."

"That’s good."

Glorietta, once again, smiled in satisfaction, "However, you shouldn’t beat yourself up over it. Doing so might damage your spirit. Instead, let it fuel your efforts and hard work."

"Auntie, as I am now, how do you think I’d fare against the prodigies of the other races?"

"Hmmm..."

After thinking for a little while, Glorietta ruffled her niece’s shell-pink hair and smiled, "Your mana affinity is worse than the other races’ prodigies, as they are loved by mana. But I’d say that your Diamond-grade gift will be able to level out the playing field."

’As expected...’

Dahlia did not feel surprised.

Even with her powerful gift, she knew that she would still have a hard time facing other races.

Thus, she never thought that the tournament would be easy.

Glorietta noticed this and advised, "Although we humans have our gifts, the other races also have their own racial abilities. One such racial ability you will have to look out for would be the elves’ Spirit Shift."

"Spirit Shift?" Dahlia tilted her head curiously.

"Yes. It lets them enter a state where physical attacks would not work on them. Aside from this, many more racial abilities make them superior to us humans."

Dahlia thought for a moment and asked, "But Auntie, you said earlier that it is only one of the racial abilities of the elves. Just how many racial abilities do they have?"

"Five."

"What!?" Dahlia’s mind blacked out.

Glorietta smirked, "Depending on their talent and bloodline, they can awaken up to five racial abilities. However..."

"However?" Dahlia asked as she felt the unfairness of the world.

"That’s only what the official records say. There have been legends that they could awaken up to seven..."

"I-Isn’t that too much?"

Glorietta nodded, "Indeed. It’s too much. Along with their high affinity with mana, they also have their racial abilities. We humans, on the other hand, have no choice but to work many times harder just to have the slim chance of competing with them."

Just as Dahlia began to feel nervous deep in her heart, Glorietta suddenly stood up, catching her attention.

She watched as Glorietta walked over to the nearby weapons rack, picked up a steel war axe, and gave it a few swings before nodding in satisfaction.

Then Glorietta strode to the center of the training ground and looked at Dahlia with a smile, "What are you waiting for? Come here— I’ll personally spar with you."

At that moment, every worry in Dahlia’s heart was replaced with fighting spirit.

Glorietta thought for a moment before adding, "You win if you force me to use an aura art. Of course, I will also give you a reward."

Without further ado, Dahlia’s figure immediately shot towards her as she held a longsword in her hand.

CLANG—-!!!

The longsword and the war axe met, producing a metallic sound that reverberated throughout the training ground.

Dahlia did not dare be careless as she immediately spun and stretched out her empty palm in the process.

[Basic Magic: Mana Sword Formation]

In an instant, a sword made of blue energy immediately shot out of her palm.

"Oho? Your basic magic’s structure is robust. You must’ve trained it countless times."

Glorietta tilted her head slightly, making the mana sword miss by a hair’s breadth.

Dahlia was unfazed despite her attack not connecting.

Instead, she immediately used her foot as a pivot and launched herself forward again while maintaining a thrusting stance.

In her eyes, Glorietta’s hands seemed to move slowly...

Whoosh—

’What...?’

Dahlia was not able to feel anything as she suddenly found herself upside down in mid-air.

She spun her body around and landed on the ground.

Looking in the distance, she found her sword planted into the ground.

"This is a common strategy that, when facing swordsmen, you should know how to deal with it."

Glorietta’s relaxed voice sounded.

Nevertheless, Dahlia did not stop as two mana swords manifested in each of her hands.

[Sword of the Lightning Sprite]

Her chant echoed around the training ground as blue lightning coiled around both of her swords.

CLANK— CLANG—- BZZT!!!

Glorietta felt electricity surge through the steel axe into her hands, leaving them mildly numb.

She then used her war axe to fling the mana swords of lightning away from Dahlia’s hands.

"Your mastery of the aura art is also good. However, what will you do if your opponent is of a higher level than you? Your lightning only makes my hand a little numb~"

Not minding her aunt’s remarks, Dahlia did not stop for a second as she produced two more mana swords with a chant.

[Burning Sword Ember]

In an instant, the two mana swords were covered with roaring flames.

Glorietta did not speak, but prepared to defend against the two burning mana swords with a relaxed expression.