The courtyard fell silent.
Those watching reached the same conclusion that Ais had made.
'It's a draw.'
While it seemed like Judas was about to lose, at the last second, he pulled through and fired a spell toward Tiona that literally sent her flying.
Whether that final attack succeeded because Tiona had let her guard down... confident that victory was already hers... or because she had momentarily forgotten that Judas was, at his core, still a mage... was something only Tiona herself could answer.
Either way, it was a moment worth reflecting on.
Because the result was unmistakable.
'He drew against a first-class adventurer.'
Even those who had remained skeptical... those who had dismissed Judas' victory against Ais as a fluke born from favorable circumstances... had no choice but to acknowledge the truth now.
A blind squirrel might find a nut once in a while.
But twice in a row?
At that point, calling it "luck" carried far less weight.
"Tsk... that damn Amazon."
Bete clicked his tongue, irritation clear on his face as he turned away.
"Letting herself get hit like that..."
There was nothing more to see here, and besides, he had something else to do... a mission with Loki to investigate the sewers, to figure out what had happened during the plant monster incident the other day.
Loki, knowing that her children had gotten hurt during the attack, wouldn't let that slide. Whoever was responsible, she would make them pay.
Which was why she wasn't here.
No one else paid attention to Bete's departure as he quietly left, their attention mostly focused on the two people kneeling on the ground.
Judas, for his part, had quickly reattached his broken jaw back into place as smoke wafted from his head, his passive healing ability activating.
Tiona froze as she grasped for breath, her eyes flicking down to where the strike had landed.
She definitely felt it... the weight of the impact, the breath knocked from her lungs... and thus, the fight ended right there.
But despite the result...
She burst out laughing.
"Whoa! Okay, okay! I felt that!"
She hopped back, lowering Urga and wiping sweat from her forehead, her grin wide and exhilarated.
"Man... that was fun. You really are strong, Judas."
The tension dissolved, but the impression left behind lingered heavily in the air.
'This nitwit...'
Tione let out a long breath and shook her head, watching her sister with a mixture of exasperation and reluctant relief.
Sure, she had hoped Tiona would come out on top... but drawing against someone who had already beaten Ais?
That wasn't a bad result.
Not at all.
Just as Tione stepped forward, intent on smacking the back of her sister's head for being so carefree after letting victory slip away from her grasp just like that...
Her ears caught something unbelievable.
"I've decided!"
Tiona shouted the words as she thrust her finger skyward, her voice ringing across the training grounds with boundless confidence.
Feeling the pain in her midsection, her instincts as an Amazon were triggered.
"We're going to have a rematch in the future... and if you beat me... then you'll become my mate!"
Her shocking declaration left everyone who heard it frozen in place, jaws hanging open in collective disbelief.
There was a particular quirk about Amazons that most other races found strange.
Amazons were known to often fall for any male who bested them in combat.
Of course, there were certain exceptions.
If the male in question wasn't to an Amazon's tastes, then no matter how thoroughly he defeated her, the chances of her becoming smitten were practically nonexistent.
That had been the case when Gareth defeated Tiona to make her and her sister to join the Loki Familia upon their arrival in Orario.
She hadn't fallen for him... not because he lacked strength, but simply because Gareth was not a man who suited her tastes.
However, things were different with Judas... a handsome young man with promising future prospects... at least, that was how Tiona saw him.
But make no mistake, it wasn't an abrupt decision brought about solely by their duel or his looks, though those certainly played a part.
More than anything, it was because of the actions she had witnessed with her own eyes.
Not only had he helped Lefiya train her concurrent chanting, but he had also supported her during the plant monster incident... lifting her up when fear threatened to overwhelm her, helping her overcome it, and stimulating her growth as an adventurer.
Tiona could see it clearly in Lefiya's eyes... the admiration that filled them whenever she looked at Judas, the same gaze she reserved for Ais.
And that was without even mentioning everything else: his efforts to heal the injured, his relentless drive to improve himself, and the time he willingly devoted to teaching the elven mages who sought his advice.
He was respectful to those who deserved it, consistently humble in his conduct, and always willing to go out of his way to help those in need.
Personality-wise... he was nearly perfect.
Potential and talent? Even better.
As for his looks... there was no need to elaborate.
And perhaps most importantly, despite his overwhelming talent, he never grew complacent.
His determination to grow stronger burned just as fiercely as ever.
Simply put, Judas checked nearly every box Tiona had when it came to a potential partner.
The only thing left was for him to defeat her.
Of course, she had no intention of making that easy.
Still, Tiona wasn't naive.
She knew full well that his looks and growing popularity would inevitably draw many women to him.
Hell... she wouldn't have been surprised if several members of the familia had already fallen for him.
That was precisely why she made her declaration.
She wanted everyone to know.
Judas was a man she was chasing.
Only an Amazon could make such a bold claim without hesitation.
An elf would be too proud... or too shy... to ever voice something like that so openly.
As if to prove that very point, the amber-haired elf beside them struggled to process what she had just heard.
"T-Tiona... what are you saying?"
Lefiya stammered, her face burning red as her long elven ears drooped downward.
Even Tione... normally just as bold and unrestrained as her sister... was momentarily at a loss for words, her sharp eyes quietly studying Tiona's expression, searching for any hint of a joke.
But there was none.
Tiona's grin was genuine.
And her intent was unmistakably serious.
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