"count Leonard!!! Is the most powerful man in the empire"
Benny comments
"I doubt that, he's one of the most powerful I can say cause they are others like Duke Dwan fevollen in the south and the queens brother Duke asta deavita "
Devin responded.
Alena stood in the middle of them listening to their bickering about who was the strongest in the empire. Everyone was taking a quick break from the first part of training . During her time in the estate Alena made two friends... Barely. In order not to look too suspicious she decided to make a so called friends, Benny and devin. They are commoners like her, but to her they are just informat, Alena made sure they weren't too important, weren't strong and we're not weak either. While Alena made friends with those two she remains hostile to others, even her roommate. Her roommate are not so hard to deal with, as she acts hostile to them, they have no reason to middle in her business or notice any abnormality as to why she goes out very early in the morning and comes back late at night.
"Alen tell him I'm right.."
Benny still standing on the ground of count Leonard being the strongest urge her.
"You think Alen cares about power games??"
Devin said and both boys simultaneously looked her way for answers.
"I just want money, your power struggles are none of my business"
She answered with a surge look on her face.
"The dream of everyone is to kick back and do nothing, your fleeting dream of and example life of a noble is very far from you Alen, only a noble are born worthy of it"
Benny joked with a painful truth, while Devin nods his head in agreement and disappointment of what reality has come to become.
"That being said, has any of you seen the countess before??" Devin asked. Everyone was curious to what the countess look like. She's the lady of the house and it was normal she was seen once in a while, but the fact that she was never or rarely seen quips everyone's curiosity.
"At this rate I don't even think there's a countess she's basically a ghost to everyone right now"
Benny added.
" There is you dimwit. " Devin replied while smacking his head.
"Hey!"
" Infact, I heard from the maids who goes in and out of her room"
Devin continued.
"Since when did you start befriending the maids" Benny teased with a smirk on his face.
"Shut up and listen, they said she was a beauty with silver hair, she doesn't say much, the maid said she looks rather sad."
Devin explained.
"Are nobles usually sad?? They have almost everything what more do they need ?"
Benny asked.
"I heard after marrying count Leonard they never once spoke to each other, the count never visits her. " Devin answers
"That explains it, she must be feeling lonely. Well she could always get an outside lover I heard it allowed"
Benny surged.
Alen listen to both as they kept ramming in the dis- fortunate lives of the noble family, it was quite interesting, nobles weren't really this noble back at her lowly town, they didn't need to follow the back breaking rules the nobles in the capital set for themselves, it's hard to watch and funny too. Alen covered her mouth with her hand as a smile creeped into her face.
"I am just saying the count is always with his addy, he spends most of his time in his office, with a man at that" Benny bickered
"Are you implying that the count has no interest in the opposite sex??"
Devin tilted his head slightly while his question asked.
Alena almost burst out of laughter but held her composure.
" If you think about it, they spend almost no time apart"
" I think this topic is getting a little out of hand, what if someone sees you?" Alena warned as she looks around if anyone might have heard them
"I just think sir Felix is weird too, he's a mage right?"
Benny asked.
'he's a mage? I heard but did pay attention to it, magic and crafts so exist but finding people with the talents are very rare. I heard out of all the population in the country, only 25% out of 100 appears to be talented in using elemental powers, but they aren't found roaming around, they are mostly found in they classical academy to train and work only for they king and nobles who can afford their services.to me they are more like very expensive slaves only for the nobles, trained only to abuse their powers. He doesn't look like a mage to me?' Alena thought to herself.
"I'll say it's fake news, we've never seen him in action, I'm just saying, I'm definitely stronger than him mage or not" Devin said with high chest.
" I think this conversation is getting a little out of hand, we should stop..."
" This is the second time you've mentioned that Alen and your ears still stretched broad to hear our sweet gossip, you word don't correlate with your eyes Alen"
Benny said.
Alen thought he saw through her like clear water, true she wanted to hear more to satisfy her dying curiosity but what if someone truly hears them and reported, then her plans would be flawed.
Devin and Benny took each other by the arms and walked away while still throwing dirt at Felix name and laughing out loudly. Alena sighed deeply and took the opposite direction of where they left. A door was very close to their gossip place before they left, Alena walked three steps to the door opened it and found a whole sir Felix who laned by the wall very close to the door. Alena flinched after her eyes met him, he wasn't looking angry but a rather amused expression all over his face which made her wonder just how much he heard. Her worst imagination have just materialize before her.
"Sir Felix ..." She forced a smile to pretend dumb but was rather cut off
"So I'm weak??" He asked looking interested in her response.
"It wasn't me, I didn't say anything."
"I'm pretty much sure I heard your voice"
He said .
"Yes but..."
"Then you were caught red handed"
"Yes.. wait no, just let me explain"
She stammered. The last thing she ever wanted was to get involved with Felix of all people, he naturally doesn't look like someone you can easily fool.
"There's no need to explain, normally soiling the name of you masters addy warrant you a stern punishment but I'll forgive you..."
The heavy spicks in Alena's heart was lifted, she could now breathe again
"Thank you sir Felix" she bowed
"I'm not done talking yet"
He said.
"Yes??"
Alena raised her head anticipating to hear what he'll say next.
" We would have a dual."
"A dual? may I ask why sir Felix?"
She asked, to be candid there's no reason to ask for a dual, there is no reason to prove himself, Alena haven't seen him in action before so she doesn't know what to expect. her over all reports of him is rather discreet or lonely, nothing out of the ordinary.
"Should I report your idleness to the count?"
He said
"No sir"
"Then have a dual with me. If you beat me then what you say is right about me and I won't drag this to the count, but if I beat you..."
He paused. Felix looked at her intently,
Alena thought 'what is he going to ask for, will be keep monitoring me, I think I'll reconsider taking me to the count, I heard he's considerate and he'll probably hear me out' she broke out in cold sweat waiting to hear what he was going to ask for
After a brief silence Felix finally spoke.
"If you lose you will work with me for a month, I'll give you the grace to experience my work since you talk considering you know nothing about me."
Alena felt like a heavy hammer was hit on her head.
"Like you mean like a servant?"
She asked.
"I'll decide the intensity, you have thirty minutes to prepare, meet me on the training grounds." Felix walked away as he spoke.
Alena stood there dumbfounded, it felt so unreal.
"This is worse than I thought, in that case I can't loose, I'll be caught at this rate, he doesn't look that strong. I will win" Alena muttered to herself in affirmation.
Forty minutes after that encounter, Alena's ass was kissing the ground.
"I lost"
She murmured as her mind was in daze.