Chapter 53 – Never Surrender

With a sharp clatter, the dagger dropped to the floor.

Irene’s expression was grim. She had originally planned to humiliate Teresa while keeping her true strength hidden. Now, not only had her power been exposed, but she’d nearly fallen into the trap herself.

Glaring at Teresa, whose arms were still bound by the black tendrils, rage surged within her.

She knew perfectly well that if she had used her full strength from the start, Teresa wouldn’t have had any chance to fight back. But that disgraceful little tramp had taken advantage of her carelessness and made her lose face in front of her peers and the academy’s instructors.

A certified Divine Princess almost being defeated by a Wild Divine Princess without even a Domain—how could she show her face after this?!

All of this... was because of this damned Wild Divine Princess who insisted on going against her!

As the daughter of a noble Divine Princess family, when had she ever suffered this kind of insult?! In Irene’s eyes, Teresa had no right to resist her. If Irene wanted to bully her, she should just accept it in silence. After all, she had no father, no mother, no name—just a nameless Wild Divine Princess!

With a snap of her whip, Irene bared her teeth in a mock smile, her eyes burning with fury.

“Very good, Teresa. You actually forced me to use my Divine Authority. I must admit—you’re even more stubborn than I expected.”

“You made me lose face in front of my classmates... but that’s fine. I actually like your kind—the bone-headed, iron-willed type. It’d be boring if you surrendered too easily.”

Irene practically growled the words through clenched teeth.

“So you’d better hang in there—clench your teeth like before and don’t you dare say ‘I give up’. Otherwise, the one who loses all face in the end will be you, got it?”

“...........”

Bound tightly, Teresa didn’t respond. Her olive-gem eyes remained calm, like the surface of a still lake.

That look alone drove Irene to madness.

It was like... Teresa didn’t even see her as a threat.

How dare she look at me like that when I’m so far above her? A worm like her should grovel!

Not talking, huh? Fine. I’ll beat the submission out of you. Right here. In front of everyone.

“Crack!”

Irene raised her whip and struck Teresa’s shoulder hard.

The lash left a flaming red mark across Teresa’s pale skin.

Her expression twisted in pain.

“Oh? Can’t take it anymore already? But the real fun’s just beginning.”

Irene raised the whip again, the air splitting with its vicious swing as strike after strike landed on Teresa’s delicate, fragile-looking body.

Teresa clenched her teeth, eyes squeezed shut, her face contorted—but she didn’t utter a single sound.

“Good. Very good. Keep your mouth shut like that!”

Let’s see how long you can keep up that prideful act!

Irene’s fury reached its peak as she unleashed a relentless storm of lashes. The whip, lined with small barbs, tore through the air and crashed down like a hurricane.

The lashes struck the “shock-absorbing pads” on Teresa’s body, causing them to jiggle slightly.

The sight of that soft, white flesh bouncing in her eyes only fueled Irene’s rage.

That damn slut! Still trying to act seductive even while getting beaten?!

The speed of the lashes increased. The strength behind them surged.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The whip’s strikes echoed sharply, the very sound chilling to the core.

More and more welts appeared across Teresa’s body. Where the barbed whip landed repeatedly, deep bruises formed—black on the outside, red beneath.

The unending, searing pain robbed her of thought. Every nerve burned like chili water had been poured into open wounds, like a thousand fire ants gnawing at raw flesh.

She couldn’t break free.

In the face of Divine Authority, she was as powerless as dust.

This torture had no end.

Every second etched new scars into her skin, yet one thing remained unchanged—her lips, tightly sealed.

Not a word. Not a cry. Not even a whimper.

“Damn... that Wild Divine Princess is seriously hardcore.”

“She could’ve saved herself all this just by surrendering... and yet she’s still silent. Just watching her hurts.”

“This is just a mock battle, right? Why go so far?”

“Geez, that Cardifen girl’s nasty. That’s a child she’s beating, and they’re classmates too?”

“That Teresa girl’s got guts... real guts.”

Irene had expected this public whipping to utterly crush Teresa’s dignity—but things weren’t going as she’d imagined.

Instead of disgrace, people were admiring Teresa’s pride and tenacity. Her refusal to submit. Her defiance.

Even the instructors began murmuring in amazement.

This child might not possess the qualities of a Divine Princess, but her resolve and pride were more worthy of the title than most others.

In contrast, Irene now looked like a petty, vindictive noblewoman who lashed out over a trivial slight.

Damn it... was this your plan all along?!

Irene stared viciously at Teresa’s broken, bleeding form.

This was bad.

She hadn’t reclaimed her pride, and her public image had only worsened.

Now she was stuck. Trapped.

Teresa hadn’t surrendered. If she stopped now, wouldn’t it be the same as admitting defeat?

Give up already! Why won’t you?!

Teresa’s silence was driving Irene insane. Earlier, she’d been hoping Teresa wouldn’t surrender. Now she was begging for her to say the words.

Irene’s mindset had changed.

If Teresa refused to yield, what was she supposed to do?!

And besides—wasn’t Teresa a student of Coleman Academy, just like her? If she beat her to death here, Irene would surely be expelled. Permanently banned.

Only now did Irene realize: Teresa was betting it all. She was going for a mutual destruction—an all-in.

Irene suddenly questioned herself.

Was it worth ruining my future over a Wild Divine Princess?

Logic told her to stop.

But her anger, her pride—her youthful impulsiveness—pushed her forward.

Fine!

If this little stray mutt wanted to threaten her by dragging them both down—then she’d beat her to death! That would settle everything!

"Fwoosh fwoosh!"

Suddenly, the sound of the whip stopped.

Irene felt something change—the whip felt lighter in her hand. She raised it again—but it no longer reached Teresa.

Only then did she realize—her whip had been severed in two.

What? Broken? No—that’s impossible.

This whip was custom-made. It couldn’t be cut so easily.

She glanced sideways... and saw the upper half of the whip lying at her feet.

Beside it, an arrow.

Everyone followed her gaze—then collectively turned to the stands.

On the platform, a silver-haired elf stood straight and tall, longbow in hand, still in the stance of having just loosed an arrow.

There was no doubt—she had fired it.

To shoot a moving whip in mid-strike, with such precision... only an elf’s archery could manage it.

The entire arena fell into silence.

“The match is over. Referee, I believe it’s time you announced the result.”

The wind swept Astrid’s silver hair as she spoke, voice calm and not particularly loud—but every person present heard her.

“...Irene Cardifen is the winner. The match is over!”

The referee, long wanting to call it but lacking a proper excuse, seized the opportunity.

Any longer and someone really would’ve died.

“Miss Cardifen, the match is over. You may lift your Divine Authority now, can’t you?”

This time, Princess Felicia of Whiteglass stepped in, her amber hair glinting as she looked at the bound Teresa with visible admiration.

Irene stared blankly at the bloodied, barely conscious girl who had never once begged for mercy—and finally deactivated [Inquisitor].

The arena fell into silence again.

The victor was Irene—yet no one cheered for her.

The one who earned the respect of the crowd...Was Teresa.

In the end, the “personal showcase” Irene had planned—Was completely stolen by the girl she sought to humiliate.

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