The students sat in a vast hall adorned with golden banners.
The advanced class was reserved exclusively for the children of the eight families, but to everyone's surprise, Ami had received an exceptional scholarship to enter it.
The atmosphere was charged with arrogance and prestige; everyone wanted to prove their worth.
Saruto sat in the back row, trying to hide himself as much as possible.
But he was met with disdainful glances from some of the nobles, who couldn't accept Ami's presence among them.
Beside him sat the Star Princess – Alizia Asterion, whose silver eyes shone with a strange warmth.
She smiled at him, saying in a low voice,
"Don't pay them any mind… You truly belong here."
Saruto felt the warmth of her words, but he didn't comment.
---
✦ History Class
The history teacher entered, an elderly man with a long beard and a deep voice.
"Today, we will talk about the history of our world… about thousands of years of wars, and how they ended with the peace treaties under which we live today."
He projected a giant map onto the wall, pointing to different locations:
"Noble families waged endless wars to control continents and resources. But thanks to the sacrifices of our ancestors, the kings agreed to end the conflict… and today we live in peace thanks to them, a peace based on mutual respect."
---
✦ The Beginning of the Provocation
In the middle of the lesson, a tall young man stood up, exuding the cold aura of the Navarra family—the Ice Lords.
He smiled sardonicly and said loudly:
"All this history doesn't change the truth… our illustrious family humiliated the Luwin family in past battles.
They are but a shadow of what they once were."
Silence fell.
A grin spread across his face, as if he were showing off to everyone.
---
✦ Saruto's Response
In the back, Saruto's heart trembled.
He couldn't contain himself as his family was humiliated before his eyes… He suddenly stood up, his voice forceful despite his attempts to conceal it:
"Don't you remember the Battle of Dawn, Heir of the Ice? When the fourth founder of the Luwin family crushed your ninth… and forced him to his knees, kissing his boots before his soldiers?"
The place froze.
All faces turned toward him.
Even the professor himself was stunned by the precision of the details.
Veins of anger bulged on the forehead of the son of Navarra:
"How dare you, you lowly commoner… speak of the Ice family in such a way?!"
---
✦ The Challenge
He strode heavily until he stood before Saruto, then pointed his finger at him:
"I challenge you to a duel… here and now!"
Whispers rose among the students, some eagerly anticipating the scene, others looking at Saruto with contempt:
"This is the end of him… how dare a commoner stand against the heir of Navarra?"
The professor tried to intervene, but in the end, he crossed his arms and said sternly:
"If you're both ready… let's turn this lesson into a practical test. The fight will be under my supervision. And let's not forget to remind you: the rules are clear… fight to the point of incapacitation or surrender."
---
And so… the first spark ignited between the disguised Saruto and the son of the Navarra family, right before everyone's eyes.