Chapter 17: I’m Doing Something Greedy

“Fair and square? What a joke!”

William seethed, teeth gritted. To him, someone who could barely hold a sword winning was the ultimate insult.

“William, don’t you get it?” Wesley snapped. “Who else stands behind the Princess, taking her orders directly? Either Rita offered more than we did, or she’s already the Princess’s person.”

Wesley kept some thoughts to himself.

If the Princess had introduced Rita before today’s match, their losses could be chalked up to her authority.

But Rita’s victory, however shady, had nothing to do with the Princess. It was all her own cunning.

If they couldn’t see through such tricks, what right did they have to be Holy Knights?

The only other way was with more “sincerity.”

Gathering everyone in this treasure-filled room and parading Rita was clearly intentional.

“Let’s go, William.” Wesley tugged his son’s hand, heading for the door.

“But, Father…” William hesitated, reluctant to defy him.

“Trust me, it’s not that simple.”

Wesley came partly for an explanation, but an explanation wouldn’t make his son a Holy Knight. He knew his priorities.

“Oh, one moment, everyone,” Cecilia’s voice called.

William’s eyes lit up. “Father, how did you know…”

Wesley didn’t reply, just flashed a smug smile.

It lasted until Cecilia’s next words.

“I burned the gift lists. I can’t tell whose treasures are whose. Find your own and take them back.”

The Next Day

By morning, the city was buzzing.

“Did you hear? A candidate named Rita didn’t even draw her sword yesterday—just kicked everyone out!”

“What? That’s outrageous! I’ve heard the exam’s rigged, but how’s she so bold?”

“She’s got the Princess’s protection! Even Mipo Trading and Old Bird Post were bought off by her!”

“Yeah, last night, people saw them leaving the city lord’s mansion with piles of gold and jewels—wave after wave! Talk about wealth!”

“The city lord’s mansion?! Protected by the Princess and living there? Who is this Rita?”

Luckily, most hadn’t connected the assassination chaos to Rita, or the rumors would’ve been wilder.

At the candidate seats, Valphis stifled a laugh, tilting her head at Rita, whose face was buried in her knees.

“Sister! You’re famous!”

“Shoo!” Rita lifted her head, waving Valphis away, her face full of mock despair. “You think I wanted this?”

“You got away with it yesterday. What’s the plan today?”

“Plan? Keep coasting.”

“No real skills to show?”

“Do I look like I’ve got real skills?”

“You do. Very much.”

Amid their banter, today’s matches began.

Still arena fights, same rules, but now one-on-one. Valphis went up much earlier than Rita and finished faster.

Her opponent barely drew a weapon before Valphis yelped, leaped out of the arena, and left a baffled referee and opponent behind, strolling back to the stands.

Rita seriously wondered what Valphis was here for. Everyone on stage had a permit, and aside from hired ringers, most wanted to be Holy Knights.

But Valphis wasn’t a skilled ringer—her performance was too pathetic—and she didn’t seem serious about becoming a Holy Knight.

When Rita’s turn came, it was past noon.

“Thirty-third match! Rita, Grom, to the arena!”

Rita rose slowly from the candidate seats, walking step by step to the arena.

Her name sparked whispers among the quiet crowd.

Not everyone saw yesterday’s match, and many wanted to see what this Rita looked like.

Under so many stares, Rita’s heart felt like it might leap out of her throat.

It wasn’t just the attention making her pulse race.

Last night, after everything, Cecilia had called her over and said, “You did well today, but I don’t want you winning in such a misleading way again.”

The problem was, she was already misunderstood—deeply!

Thinking of what might happen next, Rita knew the misunderstanding would grow, maybe even tainting Cecilia.

That’s why her heart was pounding!

But it was kind of thrilling, like an exhibitionist rush.

Everyone, I’m doing something greedy right now.

Pfft, what was she thinking? Get up there and finish this!

She barely remembered walking to the arena’s center. When she snapped out of it, she stood alone.

No opponent.

“Candidate Grom! Enter the arena now!”

The referee called again. The candidates exchanged glances, but no one stood.

“Grom Reed!”

Still no one rose or answered.

The whispering arena fell deathly silent, the air practically frozen.

Rita, stared at by all, stood awkwardly alone.

No one skipped a Holy Knight exam for no reason. Even Valphis fought before surrendering.

This wasn’t normal!

“Grom absent. Match concluded!”

The referee’s voice was like a spark igniting a fuse, setting the crowd ablaze.

“What’s this nonsense?”

“She half-assed yesterday, and today she doesn’t even pretend?”

“Last night, I saw the Reed family leave with heaps of gifts. Maybe…”

“This blatant rigging?!”

Rita opened her eyes, saluted the examiners with a hand to her chest, blew a heart to the stands, and skipped back to the candidate seats, leaving chaos behind.

Thrilling!

She’d told Valphis she’d keep coasting, but this was literal coasting!

On the examiners’ platform, Cecilia scribbled a note. “This round’s scored at the minimum for a winner. Any objections?”

Even the lowest score was theoretically higher than most candidates’, unless a spectacular, honorable defeat occurred. Losers were losers.

“None,” Angus replied, though doubts lingered.

“If the Princess says so, so be it,” Dorothy said, arms crossed, eyeing coldly. “Wonder what trick she pulled.”

“Indeed,” Cecilia agreed, her voice carrying a rare hint of amusement. “What trick did she pull?”