Chapter 371: Challenge
The regulations at the Divine Tower of Dawn mirrored those of the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring—initiates were prohibited from engaging in private duels or causing grievous harm to one another.
Nevertheless, the Divine Tower of Dawn had an arena stage, offering initiates a sanctioned venue to resolve personal disputes or test their mettle against each other.
Marie’s reputation within the Divine Tower of Dawn was not just attributed to her exceptional skills as an apothecary but also her considerable combat abilities.
Overall, Marie was a well-regarded figure among the female initiates in the Divine Tower of Dawn Academy.
Kled might not have matched Marie in popularity or reputation, but his combat abilities were slightly superior to hers.
His ranking in terms of strength within the Divine Tower of Dawn, while not at the very top, was impressive enough to place him within the top five.
During the regional academy war a decade ago, Kled was somewhat unfortunate. He sustained severe injuries early on, which adversely affected his final score, relegating him to a position outside the top ten.
Yet, to Kled, the events and outcomes of the regional academy war did not bother him. Compared to the rewards from the academy, he was more interested in Marie, who saved his life.
This profound experience of being saved from the brink of death caused Kled to fall hopelessly in love with Marie.
Regrettably, his affections were never reciprocated.
Kled was just one of the many mages Marie had saved during the regional academy war.
That was also when Marie’s considerable reputation and popularity among the Divine Tower of Dawn’s initiates skyrocketed.
If everyone showed their adoration toward Marie as persistently as Kled did, Marie would not have the time to unravel the mysteries of truth.
Like Kled, many magic initiates in the Divine Tower of Dawn had a major crush on Marie after experiencing her kindness during the regional academy war.
While others who harbored feelings for Marie, chose not to persist but rather kept their admiration for her quietly tucked away in their hearts after receiving Marie’s firm rejection, Kled alone remained fixated on her, unable to move past his obsession.
Despite repeated rejections from Marie, Kled even tried to close the distance between them through her mentor, Master Monroe.
Marie’s irritation during Sein’s visit stemmed from her assumption that it was Kled who came.
Marie had turned down Kled’s advances because she felt no attraction to him.
Kled’s healthy tanned but scarred skin gave him the appearance of a battle-hardened knight rather than a mage, lacking the aura of wisdom and nobility typically associated with those scholarly figures.
In contrast, Sein was the epitome of a mage—charming, and composed. His short blond hair even shimmered under the sunlight beautifully.
Sein’s allure went beyond his intellect; his striking looks alone would have made him popular among mages in the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring.
Kled pointed at Sein and Marie, his expression mixed with frustration and accusation, resembling a jilted lover exposing a scandal.
The other male initiates in the cafe shot Sein resentful glances as if he had taken their treasured prize.
None of them knew Sein, so of course they were upset that an outsider had caught Marie’s attention.
Conversely, the female initiates sent admiring looks his way.
Marie’s choice of Sein came as no surprise to them; they believed she fully deserved a fine man like him.
Unlike full-fledged mages who were committed to unraveling profound truths, these initiates clung to more mundane, instinctual views typical of ordinary beings.
Their endeavors to attract the opposite sex echoed the primal competition for mating rights seen in the animal world.
Such behavior was deemed foolish by full-fledged mages like Sein.
However, since it was a phase they had once experienced themselves, most full-fledged mages observed the young initiates with a mix of nostalgia and mild amusement.
Emotional conflicts were not unique to initiates; even full-fledged mages were not immune to the complexities of feelings and relationships.
Only very few mages could claim to be entirely devoid of desires or emotions. Even Sein experienced emotions such as anger or joy.
However, unlike Kled, he did not chase after unattainable desires, grounded by a realistic assessment of his chances.
Should Sein find himself interested in someone who did not return his feelings, he had two strategies:
The first was to simply move on, as Sein was not one to obsess over someone uninterested. He refused to demean himself by pursuing someone who showed him the cold shoulder.
The second was to win over the object of his affection with absolute strength.
These approaches reflected Sein’s pragmatic nature and self-awareness.
He would never stoop to Kled's level; after all, he had no interest in becoming a mere spectacle for others’ entertainment.
Sein was also aware that their actions had likely caught the attention of the full-fledged mages within the Divine Tower of Dawn, who could discern his true capabilities.
The Divine Tower of Dawn boasted a significantly higher number of registered full-fledged mages compared to the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring.
While it might not rival the Divine Tower of Verdant Flame, an estimated count of fifty to sixty thousand full-fledged mages within the Divine Tower of Dawn was a feasible figure.
Disinterested in Kled’s ramblings, Sein rose from his seat. As he stepped forward, he was enveloped by a veil of semi-transparent turquoise-green flames.
The verdant flame elemental aura did not damage the surroundings or the wooden flooring beneath him.
Instead, it exerted an overwhelming pressure that surprised both the magic initiates and the full-fledged mages observing from a distance.
This display demonstrated Sein’s deep understanding of elemental power.
While the magic initiates might not grasp the full extent of his mastery, the sheer aura of a full-fledged mage he projected was intimidating enough.
Moreover, his precise control over the elemental forces impressed the other full-fledged mages.
Despite his recent ascension to Rank One, Sein's journey had been markedly smoother than that of his peers, thanks to his mastery of the Verdant Flame Body Tempering technique.
Any discerning full-fledged mages would be able to tell the inherent superiority of the verdant fire elemental power Sein wielded through the elemental aura he exuded.
Sein’s immense aura as a full-fledged mage immediately silenced Kled, whose face quickly transitioned from a scowl to a flush of embarrassment.
Yet, Kled’s resolve remained unshaken.
Undeterred by Sein’s formidable display, he boldly threw down his white glove and declared, “I challenge you to a duel! I’m confident that no one loves Marie more deeply than I do!”