It wasn’t just me who was surprised by Sult’s declaration since Julia and Brita were also looking at her in surprise.
I tilted my head at her, “Umm… Have I wronged you in some way, Lady Sult?”
She gave me a confused look, “Huh? How could you? This is our first meeting isn’t it?”
“Then… Why do you want to fight me?”
She shook her head with an expression that I recognised as pity, “This is why I don’t understand why Julia even invited you here. Are you not even aware of the values that our House Teloi stands for?”
I blinked, “Eh? Ummm… Not really?”
I mean… I know from Katsuki about the past of this family but what did she mean by the values they stand for? Is it something like visitors needing to pass some kind of test before they can be welcomed here or something?
Seeing that they were running some kind of martial school, I don’t think that’s too impossible of a guess…
But in that case, why were Julia and Brita so surprised? Was there some kind of order that they needed to adhere to before challenging someone and she overstepped her bounds?
Julia stepped towards her, “Umm… Sister Sult… I don’t think that’s a good idea…”
Sult raised her hand to stop her, “No, no. This must be done! I don’t care who she is, if she even wants to step foot in my cute little cousin’s home, she must at least prove herself worthy!”
“N… No… I… I meant to tell you that… Lady Aster is… Is a Special Class student at the Academy… Sister Sult might not… Umm…”
“Oh yes, I heard about that! That’s why I want to experience this for myself! Now come, Lady Aster! Let us head outside and I shall see if you are worthy!”
“But… But Lady Aster is not…”
“No buts! Just let your cousin handle this one, Little Julia!”
Seems like I was right about them having some kind of welcoming tradition?
I dunno, I’m not that familiar with their family… I’m only here to attend their tea party so that I could get some experience in Noble Etiquette… How did it even become like this?
Hmmm… Maybe Mother already knew about this and she was using this as a way to let me learn how to adapt to such strange circumstances? She did tell me to act with authority didn’t she?
But does that mean I should refuse it? Or should I go through with it?
Arggghhhh!! This is all politics again!!
Considering my current position where I was not acting as the child of the Nilm Family, I do not think I have the authority to refuse her invitation without insulting them especially when they are the host.
Similarly, if I choose to leave, that would also make me look like I had no respect for them either…
Alright, let’s just go with it… It’s just a sword fight right? It’s not like I have no experience in sword duels anyway.
I followed Lady Sult to the garden at the back of the main building where a training ground seemed to have been set up for precisely such a purpose.
I then nodded at her dress, “Are you fine with fighting in that?”
She smirked and moved her hands behind her back, pulling on two strings behind her that caused her dress skirt to tighten up almost magically to fit her legs, revealing that it was actually a pair of pants all along.
What the hell?! That’s so cool!!
“Where did you get that?!” I gasped before I could stop myself.
What?! Even if I had the [Fashion Forward] boon that helped me move in whatever kind of clothes I wore without issues, you can’t deny that that was so cool!!
If that dress has pockets too, I’m definitely sold!
She grinned at me, “Haha! Interested are you? If you beat me, I’ll not only introduce you to the shop but give you your first dress for free! If you’d like, I can let you change into one to try it out for our duel as a test!”
Oh~ Even though I didn’t actually need her offer of free clothes since I do have the money to pay for them but I won’t say no to free stuff anyway~
I shook my head and flared my skirt, “I’m fine like this~ I’ve trained myself to be able to fight in anything I happen to be wearing at all times.”
She eyed the heels I was wearing which was different from my usual boots since I was expecting to attend a noble’s tea party after all.
Instead of pointing that out to me, she simply shrugged and reached behind her back, pulling out a shortsword that I can only assume had been strapped to her back the entire time.
Was this how she kept her back straight?
“Now, what weapon would you like to use, Lady Aster? We have all kinds of weapons here, you just need to name it!”
I pointed at the sword she was holding, “We’re using real weapons?”
“Of course! How else will I know your sincerity if we do not use real blades?! Not to worry, we have healers in our house!”
“In that case… Just a normal sword like yours would do.”
I would have brought out my Light Sword but I didn’t bring it with me today since… Like I said… Tea party.
Lady Sult snapped her fingers and a maid came forward and presented a shortsword to me.
I took it and gave it a few swings to test its weight, nodding in satisfaction before turning to my opponent.𝔬𝔳𝓵xt.𝒞𝐎𝑚
She grinned and adopted a stance where her body was tilted to be perpendicular to me with her sword held in one hand and pointed at me.
I lowered myself in my own stance, noticing Brita taking out a small bell with an amused look on her face which I assumed would signal the start of our duel. The fact that she even had that on her meant this must happen quite often.
She moved her hand and the small bell rang, prompting me to dash forward with my sword slashing towards Lady Sult’s throat.
Naturally, I was already expecting her to block it and I would follow up with a… Eh?
She’s moving to intercept it but even I can tell that she would not be in time to block my attack.
I had to stop myself and my blade was already resting on her throat while her sword was stopped at an awkward angle from when she tried to block my attack.
Ah… Err… I didn’t check her stats…
[Name: Sult Teloi
Title: Sword Mistress Teloi, Sword Nut, That Foolish Daughter
Race: Mahun
Gender: Futa
Current Mood: Awe, Shock
Stats:
95 Strength
100 Dexterity
65 Endurance
20 Magic
Skills:
Cooking, (Tier 1), Noble Etiquette (Tier 1), Martial Skill-(Sword Proficiency (Tier 2), Polearm Proficiency (Tier 2), Unarmed Proficiency (Tier 2))
Magic Skills:
Hydromancy (Tier 1)]
Ah… Umm… Her stats aren’t bad but when compared to mine… Sorry… I didn’t even hold back…
She looked down at the sword pressed against her throat, needing several blinks to realise that she had actually lost.
When that realisation dawned on her face, I quickly pulled back my sword and let her go.
“Ha… Ha ha! It seems like they were not exaggerating at all, Lady Aster! Even though you may be from the countryside, you are still gifted in the way of the sword! I am convinced!”
Oh good, though I felt the comment about the countryside was unnecessary…
I returned the sword to the maid before turning back to her, “So… What now?”
“Well, I have no complaints! You can go ahead and date my little cousin!”
…
I was so surprised that I let out an “Eh?”
Julia came up to me and quickly bowed her head, “I’m so sorry Lady Aster! My cousin thought that you were trying to marry me!”
I blinked at the girl in front of me before turning back to Lady Sult who was looking at me with equal surprise.
“Eh? Lady Aster isn’t trying to come here to ask for my little cousin’s hand in marriage?”
“Umm… No? I’m here because she invited me to her tea party… Was this not what it is?”
All of us just stood there in surprised silence for a good minute before I decided to clear my throat to break the silence.
“Ahem… Umm… Is the tea party still happening?”
Julia quickly jumped on the way out I offered her, “Yes! Yes! Let’s go back to the balcony Lady Aster! Please!”
The poor girl was definitely embarrassed at this point… Her cousin really thought that she had invited me over to be introduced to the family…
At this point, I was just hoping that we can forget this even happened and just go to the actual tea party part of the day and just eat sweets and gossip.
Unfortunately, that was not to be since Lady Sult was not satisfied with this and stepped in front of us, “Wait a minute! Are you telling me that Lady Aster is really just here for the tea party and nothing more?!”
I nodded, “That is what Lady Julia had invited me for, yes… Is there… Is there a problem?”
“Of course there’s a problem! How are you not asking her to marry you, little cousin?! Isn’t she the perfect partner?! How have you not made a move on her yet?! Didn’t you say that she–“
“Sister Sult!!” Julia cried out, her face turning red with embarrassment while covering the older girl’s mouth.
Ah… I think I get it…
Julia must have had a crush on me or something and told her cousins about it. When I accepted the invitation to come to this tea party after rejecting every other invitation so far, the cousins must have thought I accepted her advances or something?
Well… This isn’t awkward at all… Should I just go home now?