Chapter 237

Arran looked at the woman in front of him . The Ninth Valley’s Matriarch . The single most powerful person in the entire Valley . The leader of the House of Seals . And, as far as she was concerned, his new mentor .

He took a deep breath as he looked her in the eyes . Then, suppressing his nerves, he replied .

“No . “

“No?” She raised an eyebrow . “You would refuse me? The Matriarch of the very Valley you’re standing in?”

“I would . ” Arran’s voice was firmer this time, his earlier fear fading now that the decision was made .

Years ago, before he had any of his current strength and experience, he had rejected Panurge’s attempts to forcibly take him as an apprentice . If he could stand up to a supposed god even then, how could he let himself be cowed by a mere mage now?

Moreover, even if his refusal angered the Matriarch, there was little she could do about it . She had plenty of status and power, but incinerating a talented initiate from another House would hardly be a good look . It would weaken the Valley, offend the House of Swords, and make her seem like a madwoman — which, hopefully, she wasn’t .

Reassured by these thoughts, Arran faced the Matriarch calmly .

Yet though he had been prepared for her to be angry, what he saw in her eyes was unexpected — a faint glint of amusement .

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“Why?” she asked, sounding curious rather than offended .

“Why?” Arran repeated the word sheepishly, unprepared for the question . He had expected annoyance or a cold dismissal, not calm curiosity .

“Other than you, there isn’t a single initiate in this Valley who wouldn’t jump at the chance to become my apprentice,” she said . “But you rejected my offer like a week-old piece of bread . Why?”

“I already have a teacher,” Arran replied uneasily . “I’m a member of the House of Swords, and I’m training with the other Houses as well . ” The explanation was a weak one, but it was all he had .

“There is no need for you to leave the House of Swords,” the Matriarch replied . “You’ll have two Houses — unusual, but hardly unheard of . As for your instructors in the other Houses, I will have them teach you here . That will save you some much-needed time to spend on your studies . “

Arran paled slightly . In a few words, she had disarmed all his objections — at least, those he could mention publicly .

A slight smirk crossed her lips . “You’re worried that I will try to uncover your secrets?”

At this, Arran felt a stab of panic . Even if she hadn’t discovered his secrets just yet, that she knew he had them was bad enough .

“Don’t look so surprised,” she said . “Talent like yours isn’t something one is born with . Doubtless you’ve had more than a few lucky encounters — your skills contain traces of insight from several powerful mages . But that is no concern of mine . I have no interest in delving into your past . My goal is to develop your talent . “

Arran was unsure of whether to feel relieved or concerned at her words, and he stared at her wordlessly, trying to figure out whether she was speaking the truth .

“Still unconvinced?” she asked . “I’ve already addressed your concerns . What else is keeping you from accepting my offer?”

He took a slow breath as he tried to come up with an answer . With everything she had already offered, refusing would be more than a little suspicious . And even if she felt no desire to delve into his past, if he maintained his refusal without giving a reason, that just might change .

“My teacher,” he finally said . “I can’t accept your offer unless she agrees . “

Following Brightblade’s orders had gotten him into this mess, and now, he quickly decided that she would have to be the one to solve it . Any further attempts he made to deflect the Matriarch’s offer would only worsen the situation .

“Very well,” the Matriarch said . “Tell me her name, and I’ll send for her . “

“Adept Brightblade,” Arran responded, silently wondering whether he’d made the right decision .

A servant appeared in the clearing only moments later, summoned by the Matriarch through means Arran could not discern . She gave the man some quick instructions, and as he left, she turned back to Arran .

“While we wait, you can show me what other talents you have,” she said . A sword appeared in her hand, and she continued, “As a member of the House of Swords, I assume you know how to handle a blade . Show me . “

Arran reluctantly drew his sword and faced her, and a moment later, she attacked .

It was immediately obvious that the Matriarch’s skill with the sword was exceptional, and in just a few exchanges Arran found himself on the defensive, driven back with each attack she made .

Yet after just a handful of exchanges, she stepped back, an annoyed expression on her face .

“Stop trying to mask your insights,” she said . “I already told you I have no interest in unearthing your past . But if you continue to conceal your abilities like this, I will start to wonder just what you’re hiding . “

Arran sighed in frustration . She had seen through his ruse with ease . Naturally, he hadn’t used his newly created sword style, instead relying on his old techniques . But apparently, that wasn’t enough to fool the Matriarch .

He briefly considered refusing to continue, but then decided against it . Her remark hadn’t been made in jest, he knew — if he refused to show his skills, she would certainly grow even more suspicious than she already was .

“All right,” he said . “Let’s try again . “

They faced each other once more, and this time, Arran used his own sword style . He refrained from using his true insight, but other than that, he fought using his full ability .

He knew that doing so was risky . From the style, the Matriarch might deduce that he had a true insight, which was one of the things Brightblade had urged him to hide .

Yet he had no better choices available — refusing to fight would be even more suspicious .

As they crossed swords again, Arran was surprised to find that using his own style, he could just barely match the Matriarch . And she didn’t appear to be holding back, either .

In his matches against Brightblade, there was always a hint of concealed strength hiding just below the surface . But against the Matriarch, there was no such hint . As far as he could tell, she was fighting as well as she could .

Faced with an equally skilled opponent, Arran quickly became engrossed in their swordplay . Each exchange was a challenge, and if his opponent got the better of him more often than not, the difference between them was small enough that it didn’t matter .

They continued for over an hour, with Arran soon growing excited at the match . Before, he had lacked a good comparison for his own skills, and now, he grinned in wonder at his abilities . The Matriarch’s skill was exceptional, and if he could match her, then so was his own .

Finally, the Matriarch lowered her sword, a hint of weariness on her face .

“I can see why you joined the House of Swords,” she said, gazing at Arran with narrowed eyes . “It seems your talent isn’t limited to seals . And your insights… once you develop those, there are few who could stand in your way . “

Arran responded with a polite smile, though inside, he felt more than a little relief . Perceptive though the Matriarch might be, it seemed that swordplay wasn’t one of her strengths, and as far as he could tell, she had not recognized his true insight .

“Now, let’s see if you’re as skilled a mage as you are a swordsman . ” The Matriarch’s sword vanished from her hand as she spoke . “Show me what spells you know . “

This time, there was no need for Arran to hide his abilities . What little he knew of magic was nowhere near enough to arouse suspicion, and after just a few minutes, a disappointed expression appeared on the Matriarch’s face .

“I suppose nobody’s talents cover everything,” she said . “But that’s no excuse for ignoring your studies . Once you start your training under me, you will—”

She went silent mid-sentence, then turned to the edge of the clearing, eyes wide with surprise .

Arran turned as well, and a moment later, he sighed in relief . Brightblade had arrived — and hopefully, she would be able to handle the problem .

“Dao Liang Jie?” The Matriarch’s voice sounded through the clearing, filled with wonder . “What are you—” She briefly went silent, then asked in a puzzled tone, “You’re his teacher?”