***

GAB narrowed his eyes as he received a letter addressed to her master. It has the seal that he was familiar with.

​​

A red wax place at the brown envelopes with the symbol of house Emsworth. He was curious and just wanted to tear it open and read the contents and so he can assess if it's necessary to burden her Lady with some petty words from the household that Evelyn struggles to stay away with.

But as he was only a mere attendant, his emotions were unnecessary and most probably will affect Evelyn's circumstances thus, he pressed his eyelids and thought hard what was the best course of action to take.

And what happened after that was Gab shaking Evelyn as he saw her face crumpled and damp by the cold sweat.

He panicked at the mere thought that Evelyn was struggling alone even in her dreamland, he bit his lips at how useless he can be, he calls himself an ally but he didn't get to prove his use to Evelyn except to be right there by her side.

Even now, the reason why her Lady was inside the clinic lying down in the bed and was injured by her arm was that she needs to save his a** just because he is one of her people.

He bit the inside of his mouth in frustration, and as he immediately tasted the metallic thick liquid, it made him wake up and focus his attention on Evelyn, he quickly called her name. When he heard her little response he was relieved but he still kept on shaking Evelyn's shoulder.

As long as he doesn't see her sunset eyes wide open he was determined to shake her until she wakes up.

"Ugh!" Evelyn grumbles and she wakes up to see Gab's face full of distort and panicked.

"What is it, Gab?!" She can't hide her irritation at him as she was close to finding out what her mother looks like inside her dream.

She cursed inside at the sudden interruption but seeing his aide with that face full of worry she quickly dismissed the thought that she will punish the one who dared to disturb her.

She sighs. She waited for him to answer her inquiry but she immediately spotted the brown envelope that was on the top of the wooden white drawer beside her bed.

"What's this?" She examined and quickly noticed the seal imprinted in the red wax, it came from her house.

She frowned and thought that the contents will be straight to the point and precise if it's from his father.

She beckons Gab to give her an envelope cutter. When she waited long enough and still the thing she needed was not in her hands she just realized that Gab was still kneeling beside her bed.

"What's wrong?" She asked. He frowned upon her actions. He doesn't know how to react as he wants to comfort her if the nightmares she just has are frightening to the point that she has to sweat buckets enough to make a puddle.

But seeing that her reaction was nothing like his expectation he was stupefied and dumbfounded at what to do. So, he just asks. "Didn't you just have a nightmare? And your body was so hot that I..." Gab didn't have the chance to continue as Evelyn cut him off.

"I know I'm hot!" She proudly said that made his golden eyes shake for a bit before he regained his stance.

'Shameless!' it was Gil, who answered him that made Evelyn curse inside her head.

'Sh*t how dare you, Gil! Where the f*ck did you go?!' she said.

Evelyn was frustrated enough as the novel was just at the beginning of the story and just as she thought to make her power invisible, sudden news that her body's condition had a problem in regards to her sudden soar of powerful mana that she needs to quickly solve now.

"Haa!" She let out another sigh and her sunset eyes flashed and glint of mystery before she spoke using her consciousness.

'We need to have a "deep" talk, Gil! And this time, if you suddenly vanished without a trace, don't you dare come back! Mark my words!' She warned him, as a sense of betrayal keeps bugging her that made her throat dry.

She pushed the unnecessary thought and began to open the letter when Gab gave him a small knife.

The contents were precise and just like how she thinks his father will write it, the texts were simple.

'Win...'

There was no sign of his father but the handwriting was enough to know that it was from him.

A small laugh escapes her cherry lips. 'So he's telling me to win and don't disgrace the family? Is that it? Haha... Though I doubt he knows that I kicked his precious son's balls and I didn't care if it will affect his lineage... Well, it doesn't concern me and I still won so I guess it's still valid!'

But what made Evelyn furrow her raven brows was the idea of not using her magic during the competition.

'That's like having wings but the feathers are plucked! It serves no purpose if I can't use my magic!' She grimaced at the thought. But she still needs to continue what she has started.

The mysteries surrounding her mother's death can be revealed to her and it's within her reach, her "sin's" will be known to her and she can entangle each problem surrounding herself. She just needs to push it and she'll eventually succeed!

Evelyn gained a newfound reason to withstand the challenges that the world has given her. And she will not stop until the red flags are all put down!

***

After the last day of the competition, Evelyn won the last place in the tournament.

She was satisfied with the result as she was handicapped but still, she managed to get the spot of 4th place. She struggles as she racked her brains out making scheming attacks using her swordsmanship to defeat her enemy. She also used cunning means of provoking the other party, gaining the advantage of the situation, and attacked first, taking the momentum of the fight.

It was not an easy feat, to say the least... But the audience who was at first just curious about how well the "trash" can defend herself as the other contenders have much experience and power to her was either thrown on the stage, scammed and beat up to a pulp using the small arms and legs that for others can be seen as twigs.

Though they now know that Evelyn is a force to reckon with that they cannot trample anymore, as it has a different survival within the thick walls of the academy, and also they know that "Strong people are favored and well-accepted in any society while the weak will remain at the endless pit of struggles and humiliation."

It was the unspoken words that every household within the nobility knows. "Survival of the fittest!"

Because of this, Evelyn was sure that the young nobles would not spread malicious rumors for a while as she made enough of a mark to leave and make an impression that she was indeed part of the house of Emsworth. The house of the great Military-General of the Kingdom of Livingstone.

As the competition ended and the award ceremony just finished, it was time for Evelyn to haste her pace to where headmaster Carsillion was and asked about the Duchess' circumstances before she died.

A lot of questions swirled in her mind but right now Evelyn cut her thoughts as she arrived at the wooden double door that has signage of headmaster Carsillion.

She breathed a long sigh, to ease the tension, excitement, worry, fear, and emptiness that she felt.

As the headmaster answered, knocking through his door, he began to shift his gaze from his stack of documents to the vivid glowing face of Evelyn.

"Greetings, headmaster Carsillion! As promised..." She said as she did a little curty.

"What are you here for?" He asked as he tried to shake off the expectant gaze he felt from her.

"Of course I'm here as per the deal that we have."

"Sit down."

Carsillion offer his soft sofa and gave a meaningful look to his secretary to bring refreshments.

"This would take longer, so why not we wait for the tea to be served before we start?" Carsillion explaind as he seat and nonchalantly hummed a song.

Evelyn agreed. What's a few minutes of waiting? She already did a year of that. A few minutes wouldn't affect it and besides she has all the time of the word.

That's what she thought but Evelyn was actually more nervous than before. She gazed at the clock that was hammered in one of the walls of his office.

When his secretary came, he took a sipped of his tea and stared at her. This will take time to explain what all happened.

"Then, shall we start?" He told me.

"Sure..." She answered calmly.

"First, my name is Carsillion Erick von Bonega... I'm your mother's brother… It's nice to meet you!" He said as he stared at her golden eyes.