Chapter 96: 96:Thorns Hidden Beyond The Peony

A hawk spread its wings and soared toward the top of the castle, knocking on the windowpane a few times.

After a few moments, the window opened, letting the hawk in. A slender, beautiful hand grabbed it and untied a small note from its claws.

She unfolded the paper and read it.

After a moment, she clicked her tongue.

"So, the plan failed."

The blue-haired woman took a note of the message and burned it in the candle flame.

She then stepped outside, looking over the vast plains from the top of the castle. Her expression twisted slightly as she thought.

She was destined to carve her name in history. A powerful mage, unmatched by anyone. Soon, she would become the disciple of the Great Arcanist, leader of the Mage Tower.

With such a future ahead, how could she marry someone who hadn’t even awakened? More than that, she despised the idea of marriage itself.

Why should someone strong be tied down by such meaningless things?

Her only goal was to reach higher and higher—toward godhood.

That’s why she had tried to get rid of Kael. She planned everything with Adele and executed it flawlessly. But then, something unexpected happened.

Kael changed overnight.

What was even crazier was that no one seemed to notice. No one was questioning it.

It was absurd. Insane.

How could they let someone who might be an imposter roam freely?

She felt a little guilty toward Kael and had thought of compensating him. But this imposter? No. She had no mercy for him.

"If Adele doesn’t take care of you soon, I will."

Just as she was thinking this, her maid’s voice called out.

"Miss Elara, Lord Vale has sent you roses."

Elara’s expression stiffened. She cursed under her breath.

"I just got rid of one chain, and now another fool is chasing after me..."

The maid entered, holding a huge batch of peonies.

"Miss Elara, what should we do with them?"

"Burn them."

SWOOSH.

....

The Training Ground

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

Kael’s sword sliced through the air, leaving faint afterimages in its wake. His movements were sharp, precise—each step forming deep crevices in the dirt. The watching knights clapped in awe, their murmurs filled with disbelief.

"I can’t believe it’s the same Young Master who was spat upon before."

"His sword steps and movements... they’re like a pro’s."

"Yeah, but look at them—he isn’t the only one."

A few knights pointed towards a group of young men struggling to follow Kael’s brutal training routine.

They panted heavily, pushing through grueling exercises—starting with a ten-kilometer run while carrying weights, followed by pushups, crunches, and squats. And that was just the warm-up. The real training began afterward, with Kael leading them through a thousand sword swings and combat techniques.

Some knights hesitated, glancing at each other.

"Should we follow the Young Master too?"

"Are you insane?Are we going to die?"

"But this is the only way to get stronger."

The knight apprentice hesitate before following Kael

Kael finally lowered his sword and turned towards them. His voice was cold and sharp.

"Stop! It’s enough for today."

The moment he said it, the trainees collapsed onto the ground like dead bodies.

"Ahhh!" one of them groaned. "This is torture!"

"My arms are gone... I can’t feel my legs," another whined.

"This training is insane! Who does a ten-kilometer run as a warm-up?"

Chris fell face-first into the dirt, too exhausted to move. His vision blurred, and his body completely drained. Just when he thought he would pass out, something cool pressed against his forehead.

With shaky hands, he lowered it and saw a beautiful woman in a maid’s dress.

"Th... Thanks... Miss Lyria," Chris muttered, feeling like he was in heaven.

Lyria remained silent, her face expressionless. She handed wet towels to the others, her robotic motions efficient and precise. Some knights blushed, flustered by her presence. A few stole shy glances at her, their eyes betraying their admiration.

Kael, who had been wiping his sweat, grunted in annoyance. He turned to Lyria with narrowed eyes.

"How many times did I tell you not to come here? You’re my maid, not theirs."

Lyria tilted her head slightly, her tone flat and devoid of emotion.

"But My Lord, I feel that I should help somehow and not be a burden."

Kael gritted his teeth, his irritation growing. He glanced at the knights, noticing how they avoided eye contact, pretending to be uninterested.

"I understand," he muttered, rubbing his temple. "But look at these bitches’ expressions..."

Lyria blinked, confused. She turned to the knights only to see them awkwardly looking away, their faces slightly red.

Kael sighed heavily. He wanted to tell her that she was too sexy for these horny dogs to handle, but he kept his mouth shut. Instead, he grabbed a towel, wiped his face, and tried to shake off the annoyance.

Just then, a familiar grating voice rang out.

"So, bastard, have you thought of how to break the engagement?"

Kael turned to see Ramos approaching with his usual smugness. His mood immediately soured.

His face twisted in irritation. "Can you stop barking the same question every day, old dog?"

Ramos frowned, undeterred. "How can I when this is a very important matter?"

He crossed his arms, studying Kael with a sharp gaze. "And why are you hesitating? With your temper, I thought you would’ve already knocked on their doors."

Kael tossed the towel back to Lyria, muttering a quick thanks before stepping toward Ramos.

"If it was just about me, I would have done that already," he admitted, his voice unusually serious. "But I’ve been researching some things... If I ask to break the engagement, they’ll force me into a Sacred Duel." His lips curled into a grin. "I need a team for that."

"I am not that of an idiot to knock on the door and scream."

"Daddy is here to break off the engagement so bitch put your horses out here, can I?"Kael casted a smile making Ramos choke a bit.

For some reason, he didn’t know why but he felt this guy might do it.

Ramos stroked his beard, considering something. His eyes flickered to the exhausted men behind Kael, still struggling to catch their breath.

"I see..." He clicked his tongue. "They certainly aren’t ready for this."

Kael glanced back at them and smirked. "They aren’t but they have to be soon.I don’t like to delay things."

Ramos chuckled, and then his expression shifted. "Hmm... So, what about the fiefdom? Have you chosen one?"

Kael’s smirk widened. But instead of answering, he just smiled.

Ramos narrowed his eyes. Something about that mad grin sent a chill down his spine.