"Sis, look at them eating like pigs. Hahaha..."

  Zain put his fork down, and turned to see who had interrupted his feast. Two beauties stood behind him, their presence commanding attention and silence. He recognized one of them immediately: Rivera Bloodlock, the formidable opponent his teacher Raina had especially warned him not to fight. Though only a year older than Zain at fifteen, she was already said to be at peak stage of the acylote, an achievement that required both extraordinary talent and relentless dedication. Beside her was Clair Bloodlock, her younger sister, whose sharp tongue had caused the initial disruption.

  Nearby nobles distanced themselves, wary of getting caught in any potential crossfire. Such situations were common in noble gatherings, where the weak often found themselves crushed between the conflicts of the strong. The only ones remaining close were those with significant standing in the Zinovia Empire, who had nothing to fear from such interactions. The opulence of the hall, adorned with rich tapestries and illuminated by the warm glow of chandeliers, did little to ease the tension that crackled in the air.

  Seeing who the intruders were, Zain gently tapped his mouth with a napkin and stood up from the table. His movements were calm, almost measured, as if he were conducting a delicate dance. "Greetings, Princess Rivera and Princess Clair. I hope you are enjoying the ceremony. Is there anything I may help you with?"

  Although the other party had provoked Zain, they held enough weight to do so. Even though Zain was the son of a Duke, he still had to show respect to members of the Royal family. Seeing Zain's attitude, Draig and Lilith quickly tidied up and stood behind him, bowing to both princesses. Izark had labeled them as Zain's personal servants, so they were being trained accordingly. Other than their rigorous training with Raina, they were also taking classes in etiquette, literature, strategy, and more. Izark was grooming them into two invaluable assets for Zain, a process that involved long hours and meticulous attention to detail.

  "Haha... Sis, they got scared of us." Clair taunted, her laughter ringing out like a bell in the grand hall.

  "Clair, enough already. We were here to congratulate him on his victory." Rivera said, her voice calm and controlled, a sharp contrast to her sister's. She smiled at Zain, her eyes holding a mixture of respect and curiosity.

  "Zain Gremory, right? It was an interesting battle. I was really amazed by your performance. To have such excellent control over Inner Force must have taken a great amount of training. If you continue, there might be a time when you could even defeat me."

  "Thank you for your praise, Princess Rivera. But I am nowhere near your strength. I can only admire you from a great distance." Zain replied modestly, his words dipped in humility but carrying the weight of sincerity.

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  While Zain and Rivera engaged in conversation, Clair felt sidelined, her irritation growing with each passing second. 'Hmph... What is so great about manifesting Inner Force? I can perform better than him. A country bumpkin trying to compare to the Royal family.' she thought, her eyes narrowing.

  "Rivera, let's go. I want to tour this territory, and we rarely go out of the capital." Clair interrupted, her impatience seeping into her tone.

  Rivera, sharing her experiences with Zain, replied, "Clair, give me a few minutes. You can take a round of the banquet and meet some of our acquaintances from other Duke families." Her voice was gentle yet firm, a sign of her accustomed authority.

  Rivera continued her conversation with Zain, delving into the intricate details of her training under her teacher at the Royal capital. Even Clair knew that her sister was a cultivation maniac. Her greatest joy was training and growing stronger, and once she started talking about cultivation, it was hard to stop her.

  "But Rivera..." Clair protested, her voice rising slightly, but Rivera gave her a playful pout, effectively silencing her.

  Clair had no choice but to stay, her frustration simmering beneath the surface. After a few minutes, bored of listening to her sister and Zain talk, she decided to leave. Seeing her being ignored, Draig and Lilith smirked, their expressions a mix of amusement and relief. Clair walked away in anger, unaware that Rivera was still oblivious to her departure.

  'What is Rivera doing, treating me like a nuisance? It's all the fault of that Zain. I will make him pay for this.' Clair thought, her mind racing with schemes.

  "Princess Clair!" someone called out as Clair walked back to where she had been sitting before. She turned to see a teenager waving at her, his face lighting up with recognition.

  'I remember him...' she thought.

  He was Georgie, the son of Duke Ranold. Clair had met him quite a few times at noble gatherings and had a good impression of him due to his flattering tongue. His words had always been like honey, sweet and pleasing.

  "Greetings, Princess. Why are you alone at this banquet?" Georgie asked in a concerned tone, his eyes scanning her face for any sign of distress.

  "Nothing, just strolling around." Clair replied, trying to mask her irritation with a forced smile.

  "If I may ask, Princess Clair, you were with Princess Rivera, and now you are alone." Georgie pressed, his tone gentle yet probing.

  Clair made a sad expression as she replied, "Well, we were together, but now she is talking to Zain."

  Georgie revealed an envious expression as he looked toward the table where Zain and Rivera were talking happily. After a moment of thought, he said, "Princess Clair, I don't know if I should tell you this."

  "What?" she asked, her curiosity piqued despite her annoyance.

  "But you shouldn't let Princess Rivera associate with that Zain."

  "Why is that?" Clair demanded, her eyes narrowing.

  "It seems the Princess really doesn't know. Zain Gremory may be the son of Duke Izark Gremory, but his mother is of unknown origin. No one knows who she is. Some rumors say she was a commoner prostitute whom the Duke spent a night with during the early period of his tenure as Duke when he rested in a village. So, Zain may even be the worst of the bastards."

  Clair's eyes widened slightly, a mixture of surprise and disdain crossing her features. "I advise against associating with such a person. I hope the Princess will heed my suggestion."

  Clair nodded with an understanding expression. "You're right. It is below us to interact with such bad blood. It might even bring down our image as the princesses of this Empire. Come with me; let's bring Rivera back. Otherwise, that bastard may ruin my sister's image."

  Georgie had a clever smile on his face as he responded, "No, Princess. If we go now, it will appear bad on our part. Let Princess Rivera leave his side first. After that, Princess Clair may warn him against interacting with Princess Rivera."

  "Yes, you are right. If I go now, he may bring Rivera to his side." Clair agreed, her mind already plotting her next move.

  As they walked away, the opulence of the banquet hall seemed to press in on them, the laughter and chatter of the nobles a stark contrast to the dark thoughts brewing in Clair's mind.