Provoking a Graceful Bloom Novel

---- Chapter 89 Gasps and whispers rippled through the crowd. Spear work required precise control. It was a far heavier and less forgiving weapon than a sword. Even with a sword, piercing eight out of ten layers of impossibly thin silk was all but impossible. And these ten layers were pressed together with no gaps at all. No one in the world could hope to do it. Suddenly, it all became clear. Selena's "contest" was called a duel, but was far from a conventional one. Yet somehow, it still counted. The skill being tested was their spear work, not brute strength.

And if no one could succeed, then for both her and Elias, it made no difference. A tie would still be respectable. 'Cunning to the extreme!' Elias roughly realized the point and snapped, "Very well! I'll make sure you lose so thoroughly that you can't complain!" A draw? That little minx thought she could match him? How amusing. His gaze sharpened as it fell on Andrew. The old man held up ---- one of the stacks of thin silk, trembling slightly. "Y-Your Highness, do take care of an old servant," he stammered. One misstep and the silk would be gone. And perhaps him as well.

No sooner had Andrew finished speaking than a flash of silver caught his eye. He stumbled back, nearly losing his footing. When he looked again, several of the layers of silk in his hands had already been split neatly in two. Andrew counted them, holding up the single remaining uncut piece. "prince Elias has pierced nine layers!" he announced. Elias looked slightly exasperated. A spear could kill without effort, but to use it to slice silk with such precision? Where could one find such precise control? Still, nine layers were only one more than the eight layers Selena demanded.

But looking at Selena, it was clear what would happen. She would either miss every layer or cut through them all. The outcome was obvious, so there was no need to compete. Even the onlookers felt a pang of helplessness. To hope for a draw against Elias? It seemed like a fantasy. ---- However, Selena descended gracefully from the platform and turned to her brother. "Seb, may | borrow the duskgold spear?" Sebastian didn't dare hesitate. He immediately handed her the spear, though his worry was plain. Still, not having to face Elias head-on was already the best outcome. If she lost, so be it.

Losing to the Dawnmerian prince wasn't shameful. Selena returned to the platform with the long spear in her hands. She looked at Andrew and inclined her head politely. "Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Smith." A genuinely panicked Andrew was trembling uncontrollably. This young woman didn't know a thing about martial arts, yet she was going to play around anyway. He had no idea whether the spear would strike the silk or, heaven forbid, him. Standing to the side, Elias couldn't help but laugh at the chamberlain's panicked expression. "Seems like Mr.

Smith doesn't have much faith in your skills, Lady Campbell. How about | take over for him?" With that, he took the stack of silk from Andrew's hands. The chamberlain let out a breath he had been holding and quickly stepped to the side. Clearly concerned, Wilfred called out, "Lena, be careful not to harm Prince Elias." ---- Elias was an honored guest. One wrong move could risk not just his safety, but the peace between the two kingdoms. With the realm already torn by war, gaining an ally was far better than making another enemy. "Don't worry. Your Majesty.

I'm weak, so how can | harm His Highness?" Selena glanced at the prince, her smile deepening. " Thank you for your assistance, Your Highness." Elias' expression darkened. "No-" Before he could finish, that wretch had already thrust her spear forward and cleanly pierced through the stack of silk in his hands. So casual and effortless-she moved as if this were a child's game of pretend rather than a challenge against a prince!