58 ~ When the Ugly Duckling Became a White Swan

Due to its unique nature, the Crown Tournament attracted heavy attention from both the Academy and various factions. With the prestige of Coleman Academy, every year’s top-ranking graduates inevitably became movers and shakers of their era. Learning their names and relevant details could never hurt—who knew, you might even be able to cozy up to a few.

As one of Coleman’s most important events, the Academy spared no expense, producing over a thousand protective talismans to ensure the fairness and safety of the competition—a feat most other academies wouldn’t even dare to dream of.

The competition venue was set in a secret realm to the northeast of Coleman City.

The era and creator of this secret realm were long lost to time. Now, it served as the battlefield for the Crown Tournament.

To ensure fairness, students were randomly teleported in. Anyone defeated would be forcibly ejected, preventing them from memorizing the terrain and mapping it later.

People had already gathered early. Long before the event began, the site was abuzz with voices.

There were instructors and Academy guards maintaining order and ensuring safety, upperclassmen who came just to spectate, and of course, the largest group—the participating freshmen.

Unlike the Arena Ranking Battles, the Crown Tournament was mandatory for all freshmen. It served as an entrance assessment, and each year, between 10% and 20% of the participants were eliminated.

Elimination didn’t only apply to the bottom ten. If you went into the realm and just tried to survive without engaging in combat, you’d be disqualified all the same.

The Academy actively encouraged internal competition.

You want to stay? Then go find someone to fight. Pad your score. Otherwise, your whole team’s getting the boot.

To prevent opportunists from exploiting loopholes, the Academy graciously introduced a pursuit mechanic to stop opponents from running away.

All these rules could be summarized in one line: “No running. Fight, damn it. You won’t die anyway—go spill some blood!”

All the freshman teams were present. Being newly enrolled, barely a month into the Academy, their formations were clearly disorganized, with wildly uneven distributions of professions.

Some teams had a single Divine Child and were otherwise full of Divine Princesses. Others had no Divine Princesses at all, consisting of only mages and alchemists beyond the Divine Child.

Balanced teams were certainly preferable, but it wasn’t a big deal. Once the tournament ended, official team assignments would be made. Until then, these temporary teams wouldn’t be recorded.

With only ten minutes left before the realm opened, the anxious students gradually quieted down, whispering in low voices.

***

“Sister, are you looking for someone?”

“Hm? No.”

At Sophia’s inquiry, Astrid shook her head and retracted her gaze.

As one of the most radiant sights present, Astrid naturally drew many eyes.

“Sister, you’re not looking for that human again, are you?”

Sophia pouted in a jealous, teasing tone.

Astrid gently patted Sophia’s head without replying, but that wasn’t enough to appease Sophia’s sour mood.

Sophia huffed to herself, scanning the crowd in the direction Astrid had just looked.

She didn’t believe there was anyone here among the freshmen worth special attention. Her sister was already the brightest star.

She couldn’t understand why someone as exceptional as Astrid would be drawn to a plain, unremarkable male human.

Just an ordinary, forgettable human you’d lose in a crowd—yet her Highness was so concerned about him.

The possessive Sophia couldn’t help but feel bitter.

Judging by Astrid’s expression, she hadn’t found him.

Didn’t come? Well, that made sense. Rumor had it that after separating from her Highness, that human couldn’t even find teammates. Rather than show up and get humiliated, better to bow out with dignity.

If he had any sense, he was probably in his dorm packing right now.

***

Plenty of people had their eyes on Dylin—he wasn’t the only one being watched.

“Where the hell is that idiot? Is he even coming?”

John cursed under his breath, not quite hiding his anxiety.

“Five minutes until the match begins. All freshmen, please finalize your preparations. In five minutes, instructors will distribute identity tags. Once received, teams will proceed into the secret realm in order.”

The Head Instructor in gray robes used voice amplification magic to address the crowd.

“Shit! That bastard’s not chickening out, is he?!”

John cursed again. Even with his keen Divine Child senses, he couldn’t detect Dylin’s presence in the crowd. It unsettled him.

“What’s wrong, Captain?”

A burly man beside him raised an eyebrow at his muttering.

“Ah, nothing. Just talking to myself.” John waved it off.

Even if we lose, it’s better than not fighting at all. Dylin, don’t let me lose respect for you. He muttered silently.

***

“So, Divine Child, have you located the Wild Divine Princess yet?”

Irene grinned from the sidelines.

“Not yet. No domain, no divine authority—nothing fitting that profile has appeared,” the Divine Child in Irene’s team replied.

“Hmph, what’s the rush?” said Laro, arms crossed.

“If she shows up, we’ll be the first to kick her out. And if she doesn’t, even better—saves us the trouble.”

“What do you mean, even better?” Irene narrowed her eyes.

“If we can effortlessly add to our record, why wouldn’t we? Free points.”

“Once we enter the realm, let’s eliminate that Wild Divine Princess and her loser Divine Child right away. After that, we’ll have free rein—no risk of getting disqualified. Why not?”

“Haha, exactly. That pair of trash better show up,” Laro sneered, cracking his knuckles.

***

The final countdown to the match had begun.

A flicker of desolation and doubt rose in Astrid’s heart.

Maybe he really wasn’t coming.

Was he truly leaving—for good?

Just then, a warm breeze the color of platinum brushed past her.

Astrid froze, instinctively turning to look at the radiant figure that shone like a blazing sun. Her silver moon sigil shimmered faintly on her hand in response.

Sophia also blinked, dazed by the golden figure that matched the one from her dreams—a silhouette now walking through the crowd.

The platinum-haired girl strolled effortlessly through the bustling mass of students as if she were in a quiet courtyard. The light in her emerald eyes was calm and poised, untouched by the chaos around her.

“Who is that…?”

“Is she… one of ours?”

“Do we really have someone that beautiful at our school?”

“She’s stunning… Don’t you think… she might even be more beautiful than Her Highness Astrid?”

Everywhere the girl passed, people unconsciously made their way. Their stunned gazes followed her graceful, elegant stride—so natural that even walking looked like high art.

The noisy crowd fell eerily silent. The girl hadn’t made a sound—not even her footsteps—yet she had shocked everyone into awe.

At last, she stopped. As though unaware of all the eyes on her, she casually tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

Her skin, like creamy jade, looked untouched by sunlight. Her lips were soft and delicate like flower petals. Long lashes framed her emerald eyes like two dainty fans. Her youthful freshness was painted across a face so flawless it was almost surreal. Her skirt hem danced lightly around her slender, graceful legs, drawing out a silhouette of exquisite proportions.

She radiated the beauty of youth with a touch of enchantment, entirely natural and untouched by cosmetics. Compared to those gaudily adorned, she seemed like a creature from another world.

Her platinum hair was braided into dozens of wheat-like strands woven into an intricate princess braid, cascading to her knees, glimmering like silk in the sunlight.

Her beauty eclipsed all others, leaving the once-arrogant Divine Princesses in the dust.

This otherworldly beauty seemed too divine to belong to the mortal world.

The golden-haired, emerald-eyed girl stood proudly amidst the crowd—like a noble white swan.

Her striking eyes scanned the crowd, searching for someone. Finally, they landed on the stunned Irene. Her lips parted slightly, and she spoke in a voice just loud enough for everyone to hear:

“Pleased to meet you, Irene.”

Her voice was like a songbird soaring through mountain valleys, its melody lingering.

“...That’s Teresa!”

Only when the girl passed by her did Irene snap out of it, blurting in disbelief as she pointed at the girl’s back.

“Irene, you’re joking, right?! You’re saying that beautiful woman is—that blonde ugly duckling?!”

Laro’s expression looked like his entire worldview had just shattered.

That girl—the scorned, ridiculed ugly duckling—had truly transformed into a resplendent white swan.

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