"What do you mean even Miss Charlotte can't go there?"

Initially, Van wasn't all that interested in talking with the King's granddaughter. He was trying to figure out how the huge screen worked before she came and suddenly intruded on his exploration of the unknown.

​​

Although the people already seemed to know their purpose here, Van would still like to keep information in close proximity.

But as he heard Adia's last words, his curiosity and attention completely shifted towards her. Ever since he and Charlotte came to this country, Charlotte was treated like a monarch, almost a deity even, with how much they were idolizing her.

And now, not even a few hours after they've arrived, he was being told that there was a place even Charlotte isn't allowed to go to. "But she's a Platinum-rank Explorer… can't they go anywhere they wish?"

"Oh no, it's not about authority," Adia quickly shook her head, "The area where the Portal you're planning to go to is restricted to everyone, even grandfather."

"Restricte--"

"Is it really alright for you to be telling that, Adia?"

As the two were having their conversation, another voice joined in and approached them-- Adia's brother, Siwazuri.

"They are going to find out about it anyway, Sisi. Stop being a little shit," Adia's lips quickly turned into a snarl as her brother slowly made his way towards them. Her feet tip-toeing as she tried her best to look down on his brother, literally. But alas, Siwazuri was as tall as Charlotte and she was a few inches short.

"...Just because Queen Charlotte commended and approved of you, that doesn't mean you can look down on me now!" Siwazuri pointed at his sister, who was clearly still gloating and high on praise. However, after a few seconds, Siwazuri just shook his head and smiled, clearly still proud that her older sister was praised by the White Imvubu. He then placed his attention towards Van and bowed his head.

"We haven't been introduced, President Va-an," he muttered respectfully, "I am Siwazuri."

"President?" Adia raised her eyebrows at Siwazuri's words.

"Yes, Queen Charlotte has told me about him."

"Why didn't anyone tell me we were talking to a country leader!?"

"Because you suddenly left while laughing disgustingly while Queen Charlotte was telling stories about Mr. Va-an," Siwazuri let out a small sigh, "He also happens to be stronger than you."

"What, how would you even know that!?"

"Although your granddaughter is strong, I am afraid she is still a lot weaker than my future grands-- my protege

"Stronge…" As soon as Adia heard Siwazuri's words, her head slowly turned towards Van, a smile slowly creeping up on her face, "...You're stronger than me, Mr. Va-an?"

"..." Just what is Miss Charlotte telling these people, Van thought. But seeing the look on Adia's face, there was this sudden urge inside Van to…

"I am actually stronger than Miss Charlotte," Van muttered.

"W… what!?"

"What!?"

Adia and Siwazuri's perplexed shouts quickly screamed in Van's ears. "I became her protege after defeating her in a single combat," Van followed through his lies, "...although it was only luck that I wo--"

Before Van could finish his words, Adia suddenly stretched her hand towards him.

"..."

"A test of strength," Adia said, a small smile slowly creeping on her face.

"I'm a Mage-type," Van said as he used [Air Step] to show himself flying in the air.

"A Mage-type won against the White Imvubu!? Impossible!" Adia waved her hands as she looked straight at Van's eyes, "H… how?"

"I'm level 9999."

"W… what!?" Adia could not help but slightly back away, her lips quivering at the same rhythm as her legs.

"Yes," Van let out a wide smile as he returned Adia's gaze.

"T… t… t…" The only thing that was coming out of Adia's mouth were stutters.

"He is joking, Adia."

Siwazuri, who was watching Adia's ridiculous sudden display of fear, could not help but let out a long and deep sigh. "If Mr. Va-an truly was level 9999, then we would have heard of him before even if he was Circled away in a backwater country like America."

"That… makes sense," Adia then furrowed her eyebrows as she once again turned her eyes towards Van, her words now slowly returning to their normal length. Afterward, she cleared her throat, trying to stand upright as much as possible as she fixed her posture.

"Ha… ha," she laughed… awkwardly, "I knew you were joking. But seeing as you are a Silver-ranked Explorer… you must be at the same level as me and my brother."

Silver rank… Van was about to ask her how she knew, but he realized that he had the Explorer brooch pinned on his waist. Was there a specific level one needed to be to attain Silver-rank? The Academy was supposed to teach them all of that at their third year, but alas, Van did not even reach a year.

He was at level 142 now… but the brooch and the card he got from the Explorer Association was muscled by Charlotte, Van didn't even need to do a single thing. If the Explorer Association of the port could issue a Gold-rank card, then he would probably be Gold-rank now.

"Maybe," Van muttered.

"Then fight with me," Adia then said as she once again stretched her hand, "This is not a test of strength anymore, but a gesture to duel."

"Duel?" Van squinted his eyes as he looked at Adia's hand.

"I, Adia of Pretonea, challenge Va-an of the Americas to a duel!"

"!!!"

Van could not help but be taken aback as Adia suddenly roared. Her voice almost enough to fill the entire auditorium with the ferocity of a lion. But it didn't stop there, her roars gathered the attention of everyone in the area.

Once again, bright flashes of light drowned Van's small frame as the people that were quietly surrounding Charlotte and King Badru started rushing and pointing their cameras towards him and the King's granddaughter.

And soon, the huge screen that remained asleep for a few minutes now once again showed images. But this time, instead of images of Charlotte, it was now showing Van and Adia.

"Ho… It seems your granddaughter truly has the ferocity of a lion."

Charlotte, who was talking to King Badru and his other delegates, let out a slight chuckle as she stared at the screen. Seeing Van flustered in front of the cameras once again truly made Charlotte's day for some odd reason.

"I… I will stop her at once, White Imvubu!"

"Don't."

Badru was about to rush over towards Van and the others but was stopped by Charlotte. "Isn't it nice that the new generation is getting along? Let them let loose, it would be good to have something your people would talk about during times of distress."

"That is…" Badru's eyes wandered back and forth between his grandchildren and Charlotte, the conflict inside of him obviously being shown on his eyes, "If… you say so, White Imvubu."

Badru could only let out a long and deep sigh as he watched what was happening on the screen. So far, it doesn't seem there was anything bad going on… besides challenging the White Imvubu's protege to a duel, that is.

But the White Imvubu's protege seems to be pissed off, was this really alright?

"His face is always like that," Charlotte then muttered, "If that is what you're wondering."

"I… I see."

The huge screen continued to show Van and Adia's face repeatedly; with Van's eyebrows furrowed, while Adia's smile could almost not be painted on her face.

"...What kind of duel?" Van wanted to refuse at first, but seeing his face in front of the huge screen and the people all gathering around them… It felt as if he had to accept the challenge.

"Since I am the one who challenged you, you get to pick," Adia's smile widened even further as Van finally accepted her request after a few seconds, "But I prefer a good old brawl."

"Hmm," Van placed his hand on his chin as he let out a long hum, "...How about a race, then?" Van said as if he had to think about it.

"A race?" Adia furrowed her eyebrows, "Even if you can float in the air, I don't think a race would be fair for you since you're a Mage-type."

"Then we'll try to stop each other from reaching the finish line," Van said as he remembered the first-ever activity he did in the Academy, the race where some of the students started fighting each other, "...Let's have a bet."

"Oh! Interesting," Adia snapped her finger, "...But a bet? Are you sure? What did you have in mind?"

"Money," Van quickly replied.

"I don't need money," Adia quickly shook her head, "What about I replace you as the White Imvubu's protege?"

"That's not really my decision to make," Van let out a long and deep sigh, "But sure, I will ask on your behalf. She dotes on me like her own grandson, after all."

"It's settled then!"

Adia once again stretched her hand towards Van, and this time, Van gently grabbed her hand as he kneeled on the floor. And as soon as he did so, the bright flashes once again covered not only his whole body but the entire auditorium.

"W… what are you doing!?" Adia quickly pulled her hand away as the people around them began letting out gasps of shock.

"..." Van could only remain kneeling on the floor, his expression completely stoic as he wondered if he did something wrong. Wasn't this how King Badru and the other men greeted Charlotte earlier?

"I… I… I asked for a duel!" Adia slowly backed away as she pointed at the kneeling Van,

"...Not marriage!"

"...Oh," Van mouthed,

"...Oh shit."