Chapter 300: Unsuited for combat.
Karl beamed, nodding enthusiastically.
"Yes, Sister-in-law. Isn’t it handsome?" he asked before eagerly glancing down at the sword.
Apart from its gleaming blade, the weapon was lavishly studded with gemstones, crafted more to dazzle the eyes than to win battles. At a single glance, it was enough to leave ordinary people awestruck.
But for Adelyn ...
"This piece was supposed to go to auction," Karl continued proudly, "but I intercepted it first and added it to my collection for just eight million. Do you know how difficult that was? If I hadn’t gotten it first, people would’ve nearly gone to war for this."
The more proudly he spoke ...
The more speechless Adelyn became.
Eight million?
Did this fool seriously not realize he’d been cheated?
Forget the questionable balance of the sword —just from the craftsmanship alone, she could already spot several flaws. And now that he mentioned the price ...
She couldn’t help but wonder if the gemstones embedded into it were even genuine.
"Sister-in-law, what are you waiting for?" Karl suddenly asked when he noticed her silently staring at the sword. "I brought it here especially for you. Don’t hesitate. Take it."
Without waiting for her response, he reached into the brocade sword case and carefully lifted the weapon out.
The moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt, his wrist instinctively trembled from the weight. A sharp ache shot through his arm, but he forced a smile, pretending nothing had happened.
Turning toward Adelyn, he proudly offered it to her.
"Here. Hold it."
Adelyn pressed her lips into a thin line before asking slowly, emphasizing every word.
"You want me ... to fight with this sword?"
Karl looked at it before nodding matter-of-factly.
"Yes. That’s exactly why I brought it."
Her expression grew even stranger.
"So ... tell me honestly." She looked at him. "How badly do you want me to lose?"
Karl blinked repeatedly.
He completely failed to understand the sarcasm hidden behind her words.
"No, Sister-in-law. You’ve got it all wrong." He quickly shook his head. "You won’t lose with this sword. You’ll definitely win. Trust me."
He hesitated for a second before adding uncertainly,
"...You don’t like it? The gemstones... the blade... they’re all so shiny."
Adelyn blinked.
For a brief moment, she genuinely wondered whether this brat was serious.
Was he really asking if she liked the gemstones?
Collectors admired gemstones.
Collectors admired luxurious craftsmanship.
Collectors admired rarity.
Swordsmen ...
Admired balance.
Control.
Weight.
Edge.
A sword was meant to become an extension of one’s arm —not a jeweled display piece meant to sit inside a glass cabinet.
"Sister-in-law, trust me. This is one of the finest swords. I—"
Before Karl could finish—
Or Adelyn could explain—
A mocking laugh interrupted them.
"Who exactly are you trying so hard to convince, Young Master Karl?" Zeke chuckled as he slowly walked closer.
"Don’t tell me you actually think she understands anything about swords."
His eyes swept over Adelyn before he scoffed.
"She was just talking big earlier. That’s all."
"Zeke Carte." Karl’s expression immediately darkened. "You’d better watch your mouth."
He stepped forward.
"Just because I haven’t done anything to you yet doesn’t mean I won’t."
"What?" Zeke shrugged innocently.
"Did I say anything wrong?"
He pointed toward Adelyn.
"Just look at her. Does she honestly look like someone who knows how to use a sword?"
Karl frowned.
This time, he didn’t bother wasting words.
Instead, he simply grabbed Adelyn’s hand and pushed the sword into it.
"Then keep your eyes open," he said confidently.
"She won’t just use this sword."
His chin lifted proudly.
"She’ll even win with it."
Everything happened too quickly.
By the time Adelyn reacted, the heavy sword was already resting in her hand. She instinctively adjusted her grip.
And the moment she did, her brows knitted ever so slightly.
It was heavy.
Far too heavy.
A weapon like this wasn’t designed for proper combat.
Its center of gravity leaned awkwardly toward the front, making every movement slower than it should have been.
Even an experienced practitioner would waste unnecessary strength wielding it.
And for beginners ...
It would become a burden before it ever became a weapon.
In the end, Adelyn let out a quiet sigh.
"Fine." She nodded lightly before glancing down at the sword again.
"Let’s begin."
She slowly lifted it.
"It would be a waste not to win with such a ... beautiful sword."
Her tone sounded perfectly sincere. Yet hidden beneath those words ...
Was enough sarcasm to bury an entire mountain.
Unfortunately—
No one caught it.
Tressa let out a soft, amused chuckle.
"Did you hear that, Senior?" She looked toward Steve with obvious disbelief. "She thinks that sword is beautiful."
Another scoff escaped her lips.
"And she believes she can actually win with it."
She slowly shook her head.
"There’s no doubt anymore."
Her eyes returned to Adelyn.
"She doesn’t understand swords at all. If she did ..." Her gaze lingered on the jeweled weapon.
"... she would’ve rejected that decorative ornament the moment she saw it."
Steve remained silent.
But ...
He agreed.
Others might only see an expensive weapon.
People who had trained with swords for years saw something entirely different. Even from this distance, he could already tell ...
That sword was completely unsuited for combat. Its embellished gems and weight were the greatest disadvantage.
In a real duel, its owner would tire long before their opponent.
"Finish this quickly." His calm voice echoed through the arena as he turned and walked toward the edge of the ring.
Zeke immediately followed behind him.
Karl and Pier also stepped out, though neither looked remotely relaxed.
Soon, only Adelyn and Tressa remained inside the arena.
The referee raised his hand.
"The competitors will now prepare."
At the first signal, Tressa instinctively stepped into position. Her movements were fluid, disciplined, and polished from countless hours of practice.
Across from her—
Adelyn remained standing where she was. Instead of taking her stance, she lowered her eyes and quietly examined the sword in her hand once more.
She gently rolled her wrist.
Adjusted her grip.
Tested the weight.
The slight imbalance.
The flexibility of the blade.
Almost ...
As though she had forgotten she was standing inside an arena.
Tressa frowned. "Do you know that refusing to take your stance is considered disrespectful?"
Her voice sharpened.
"Are you looking down on me, ... or do you simply not know how to begin a proper duel?"
Adelyn pursed her lips.
Of course she knew.
In traditional swordsmanship, failing to assume one’s opening stance before the signal was indeed considered discourteous.
But modern competitions had abandoned many of those formalities years ago.
Besides, they had only received the first signal. There were still two more to follow.
Did this girl really have to nitpick every little thing?
"I mean no disrespect." Adelyn calmly lifted her gaze. "Let’s begin."
She then looked toward the referee’s platform.
Almost immediately—
The second signal sounded throughout the arena.
Tressa smoothly returned to her stance. She had just opened her mouth to mock Adelyn once again—
When she suddenly froze. Her brows slowly knitted together as confusion flashed across her face.
Outside the ring—
Steve also paused.
His indifferent eyes visibly sharpened.
This...
His gaze fixed firmly on Adelyn.
She had moved —not dramatically.
Not with unnecessary flair.
She had simply taken her stance.
Yet that single movement ...
Instantly erased every trace of carelessness she had displayed moments earlier.
The sword rested naturally in her hand.
Her breathing slowed.
And her center of gravity looked settled.
Every muscle in her body became perfectly relaxed ...
Yet perfectly prepared.
It was a stance so clean ...
So fundamentally flawless ...
That it looked almost effortless.
"You ..." Tressa stared at her in complete disbelief. "You actually know how to fight?"