“……”

Noah and Dillen briefly sized each other up.

Noah maintained a serious expression throughout.

But Dillen also became focused once the match began. He showed no openings.

‘This person is strong.’

Noah sensed it instinctively.

But he wasn’t afraid. Rather, his heart raced with excitement.

Finally, Noah gripped his sword firmly and tensed his calves, ready to leap toward his opponent.

Just then.

Whoosh! Clang!

“—!?”

In the blink of an eye, Dillen lunged forward, closing the distance. His speed was surprisingly nimble for his size.

“Ugh!”

Noah barely managed to block his sword.

He had only blocked a single attack.

Yet his body was pushed backward, and both arms tingled with numbness.

‘Such strength…!’

Dillen withdrew momentarily, retrieving his sword. The corner of his mouth curled up confidently.

Dillen’s gang hurled taunts and cheers.

“Well done, Dillen!”

“Finish him in one go!”

“Ugh, those jerks… Noah! You can’t lose!”

Mihail countered with his own encouragement for Noah.

Calliphe anxiously furrowed her brow.

‘This is a bad matchup.’

Dillen.

A powerful rival champion who appeared in every martial tournament in <My Little Noah>.

‘Dillen only appears in the adult division of the tournament. Why is he participating in the youth division?’

Was Viscount Gallard that impressive?

“It’s the Empress.”

“…Huh?”

Lynen calmly spoke beside her. He seemed to have guessed Calliphe’s thoughts.

“The Empress must have permitted that boy’s participation. The Crown Princess would have refused.”

“Why would she do that?”

“Because you became the Crown Princess’s mentor.”

“Because of me?”

“She’s leaving you a mild warning to keep you in line.”

“Ha.”

She could issue all the warnings she wanted.

But involving children in her schemes deeply disturbed Calliphe.

Clang! Clash!

While they conversed, Noah unleashed a flurry of attacks against Dillen.

“Woah!”

Mihail cheered while Dillen’s gang gasped.

Calliphe was surprised too.

‘When did his skills improve so much?’

She checked Noah’s swordsmanship stats.

[Noah’s Swordsmanship Stat: 107]

[Noah’s Swordsmanship Stat: 108]

[Noah’s Swordsmanship Stat: 109]

‘Is he the type who excels in actual combat?’

His swordsmanship stat continued rising in real-time.

Faced with this unexpected counterattack, Dillen focused solely on defense.

But the intervals between stat increases gradually slowed until…

[Noah’s Swordsmanship Stat: 120]

[Noah’s Swordsmanship Stat: 120]

At some point, it stopped increasing.

Calliphe frowned.

‘This isn’t good. Dillen is a champion from the adult division. And the winning condition for the adult tournament is…’

The victory threshold increased year by year.

The minimum winning condition when Noah first participated in the adult division in <My Little Noah> was…

‘Swordsmanship Stat 500.’

Clang!

“Ugh!”

Dillen staggered under Noah’s fierce attack.

His stance wavered as he lost balance.

‘An opening at his side!’

Noah was already tiring. He decided to end the match with this strike.

His practice sword, carrying his intent, touched Dillen’s clothes.

‘Got him…!’

That’s when it happened.

“Idiot.”

With a mocking remark, the body that seemed about to be hit twisted sideways, evading the attack.

A movement that seemed anticipated.

He had baited Noah’s attack.

“…!”

Noah hurriedly tried to change his stance. But it was too late.

Thwack!

Dillen forcefully struck Noah’s sword upward, sending Noah’s small body flying backward. He tumbled twice on the ground.

“Urgh!”

The practice sword that had flown from his hand clattered noisily on the floor.

“Huff, huff…”

Noah’s pupils trembled as he gasped for breath. He couldn’t believe it.

But the sneering voice falling from above was cruelly realistic.

“Acting tough when you’re so weak. Did you really think you could win? What, do you think you’re the protagonist or something?”

Snicker, snicker. The laughter of Dillen’s gang echoed.

Dillen stepped on Noah’s fallen practice sword and ground it under his foot.

“This place belongs to us now. Get lost.”

“……”

Noah’s face turned bright red.

It was a miserable defeat.

* * *

Knock knock.

I knocked on Noah’s door. When no invitation to enter came, I spoke from outside.

“Noah. You really did well. That Dillen should have been competing with adults.”

“……”

“No need to be disappointed. Your victory in the youth division is practically guaranteed.”

It was true. In <My Little Noah>, the victory condition for the first match in the youth division was Swordsmanship Stat 100.

“I’ll make sure that guy doesn’t come to the training ground again—”

“Please don’t do that.”

Noah answered with his usual calm voice, but there was a tinge of heaviness.

“I’m the one who lost the match.”

“You don’t need to accept an unfair fight.”

“I’ll have to face Dillen in the tournament anyway. So we’re equal participants.”

“……”

“Even if you go back to the training ground, I won’t go.”

“Noah!”

“I’m sorry.”

His voice became muffled, seemingly burrowing under his blanket.

“I wanted to win…”

After that, no matter how much I called out to him, there was no response.

I quietly turned away.

Then I woke up my sleeping griffin and raced through the air like a speed demon.

‘Arrrgh! I’m so angry!’

Of course, Noah is still young, so he can certainly experience defeat. That’s how children grow. While I care for Noah, I have no intention of raising him like a hothouse flower.

But!

Even so!

“Does he think I renovated the training ground for days just for that jerk’s benefit?!”

“Calliphe.”

Lynen caught me by the scruff like a kitten as I tried to fly off again, ignoring him.

“Let me go!”

“Calm yourself.”

He grabbed both my heaving shoulders.

“We can find another place to train.”

“But he needs to overcome the wall, right? Do you know how much effort I put into creating that place!”

“Better equipment doesn’t make overcoming walls any easier.”

Lynen spoke calmly.

“Watching this match made it clear. Noah needs actual combat rather than a training facility.”

“…Actual combat?”

“To overcome walls, he needs an environment closer to the wilderness rather than a controlled setting.”

‘A place closer to wilderness…? Ah!’

It suddenly dawned on me.

In my anger, I had momentarily forgotten about a very useful training course from <My Little Noah>.

‘Right. I always trained Noah with that to prepare for the harvest festival!’

None other than martial quests!

The best among them was dungeon exploration. Dungeon monsters served as useful experience shuttles and providers of spoils.

Yes, dungeons would be much better than training grounds.

“Lynen, does your family own any dungeons?”

The Offensa family also managed several dungeons, but they had long become abandoned facilities with nothing left to offer.

But Ortega might still possess active dungeons.

Sure enough, Lynen nodded.

“There is one dungeon suitable for Noah. The problem is that it’s located in the imperial palace.”

“The imperial palace? Then we need permission.”

Just then.

“Master!”

My diligent student Lucilia, punctual as always, came running over.

“About the Mirror of Truth you mentioned before. I looked into it and… Wait, why are you looking at me like that?”

“My beautiful student, welcome.”

“…Who are you?”

Lucilia regarded me suspiciously as I welcomed her with open arms. Sharp kid.

But Lucilia couldn’t escape.

“I’ve been wanting to see you, Your Highness.”

“…Duke Ortega?”

Lynen was blocking her retreat.

“My student Lucilia. Have I ever told you how much this mentor treasures you?”

“Crown Princess. You must know that House Ortega will always remain loyal to Your Highness.”

Lucilia looked back and forth between Lynen and me as we busied ourselves with flattery, then muttered with displeasure.

“You two look somewhat alike when you’re like this.”

Lucilia lifted her chin proudly.

“So? What do you want me to do in return for enduring your flattery?”