THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR-Chapter 301: THE WOMEN OF VALEMIR

The massive chandelier cast a warm, golden glow across the black marble floor of the training hall. Red velvet curtains hung from the upper balconies, absorbing sounds of combat that would otherwise echo through the cavernous space. Gothic columns stretched toward the arched ceiling, their shadows dancing as candelabras flickered with each surge of mana that pulsed through the chamber.

In the center of this opulent arena stood Angelica, her short black hair framing sharp eyes that tracked every movement in the shadows. She held her thin sword at a perfect angle, the blade parallel to the floor, its silver edge catching the chandelier’s light. Her white blouse and black corset showed not a single wrinkle despite the intensity of her previous exertions.

Where in all the realms did David find these beasts? she wondered, her senses stretched to their limits.

The attack came simultaneously from two directions—a blur of motion so rapid that only the glowing mana trails betrayed her opponents’ positions. From the left, eyes gleaming crimson; from the right, a brown luminescence that cut through the dim light like a predator’s gaze in the night.

Angelica pivoted, her blade meeting Vivian’s ornate longsword with a shower of sparks. The elegant weapon—dark metal with silver filigree along its length and a distinctive winged crossguard—hummed with power as Vivian pressed forward.

Almost instantly, Angelica sensed the second attack from behind and twisted away as Shay’s slender rapier-like stinger sword—its pink-purple blade wrapped in golden spirals—sliced through the air where she had stood a heartbeat before.

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"Too predictable," Angelica chided, countering with a series of precise thrusts that forced both opponents back.

It had been only two months since they’d arrived in Valemir County, yet the progress was nothing short of miraculous. Both were mere Awakened when they began, yet now they fought with the precision and power of Master-ranked swordsmen—an achievement that would typically require years, if not decades of dedicated training. The average warrior could train for a lifetime and never reach such heights.

The difference between them was experience. Angelica had served as an executioner, her blade tasting the blood of those deemed unworthy of life by powers greater than herself. That cold reality had forged her into something beyond technique alone.

Shay slid across the marble floor, her stinger sword ready for a thrust. The blade’s enchanted core glimmered as she channeled mana through it, the golden decorative elements seemingly coming alive as they spiraled up the hilt.

"That simple attack won’t work on an opponent of my caliber," Angelica called out, batting the thrust upward.

But Shay’s lips curled into a wicked smile, and too late Angelica sensed Vivian descending from above, her longsword held high for a devastating strike. The trap had been laid—Shay the bait, Vivian the executioner.

Clever, Angelica thought, but cleverness wasn’t enough.

She sidestepped with preternatural speed, allowing Vivian’s blade to crash into the marble floor. In the same fluid motion, she drove her fist into Vivian’s gut, sending the red-haired woman flying backwards.

Shay attempted to capitalize on the moment, but Angelica was already pivoting, her leg sweeping up in a graceful arc that connected with Shay’s chest.

"Did you really think that would work?" she asked, her voice calm despite the exertion.

Both women staggered back, eyes locked on their temporary teacher. Despite acknowledging Angelica’s superior skill, neither could forget that she remained a rival—another woman vying for David’s attention and affection. Every lesson learned was not merely about survival but about proving themselves worthy in his eyes.

They exchanged a glance, a silent communication passing between them. It was time to use the techniques they’d been developing in secret.

"Remember what Seraphina gave us," Vivian whispered, her red hair cascading over her shoulders as she readied her stance.

The memory surfaced unbidden—Seraphina’s elegant figure silhouetted against candlelight, handing them each a leather-bound tome. "From David," she had said, her voice carrying both warmth and warning. "He believes you capable of mastering these. Do not disappoint him."

Vivian held her longsword upright, its tip pointing to the chandelier above. Her eyes closed for a brief moment as she gathered her mana.

"[Knight’s Domain]," she intoned.

A sea of white mana erupted around her, expanding outward in concentric circles that engulfed Angelica’s position. The pressure was immense, as though gravity itself had intensified tenfold. Behind Vivian, a spectral knight seemed to materialize—not fully visible but felt in the weight of noble presence that filled the chamber.

Simultaneously, Shay vanished from sight, only to reappear behind Angelica, her stinger sword glowing with accumulated power.

"[Silent Bee]," she whispered, the blade humming like the wings of its namesake.

Caught between the domain’s pressure from the front and the deadly sting from behind, most opponents would have been finished. But Angelica merely smiled, her eyes reflecting the dancing candle flames.

"You’re not the only ones to have mastered David’s gifts," she said softly.

Wild mana erupted from her form, her short black hair rising as if caught in an invisible tempest. A triangular sigil appeared on her forehead, pulsing with dark energy that seemed to absorb rather than emit light.

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"[Amazonian Wrath]."

The release was explosive. A shockwave of concentrated power blasted outward in all directions, shattering Vivian’s domain and intercepting Shay’s attack simultaneously. Both women were thrown back, tumbling across the marble floor before coming to rest against the far wall.

Shay groaned, pushing herself up on one elbow. "You used your technique! That’s not fair!"

"And your synchronized ambush was the height of chivalry?" Angelica countered, one eyebrow raised. "Two against one, and you speak of fairness?"

Vivian remained on the ground, her red hair splayed across the dark marble. "I need to get stronger,"

"I need to get stronger,"

"I need to get stronger,"

"I need to get stronger,"

"I need to get stronger,"

she muttered, her voice barely audible yet carrying an intensity that made both Shay and Angelica step back, exchanging concerned glances.

Since arriving in Valemir, Vivian’s personality had undergone a subtle but unmistakable transformation. The polite, formal maid had given way to something more driven, more obsessive—a change that occasionally manifested in these disturbing moments of dark determination.

"Are you three quite finished?" called a voice from the end of the hall.

Katrina stood in the doorway, her hair neatly tied in a ponytail. Both Shay and Vivian tensed visibly at her appearance.

Among their group, Katrina had shown the most dramatic improvement since leaving behind their duties as maids. Now a semi-Archmage, her progress in the mystical arts had outpaced even David’s expectations. Her habit of "testing" new spells on her companions had made her presence something to be wary of.

Angelica sighed heavily, unsheathing her sword once more. She was the only one with enough experience to match Katrina’s magical onslaught, but the prospect held little appeal. The last time they’d sparred, it had taken three days to get the smell of smoke out of her hair.

Katrina stepped forward into the chamber, her pinky and index fingers raised while her middle and ring fingers tucked inward below her thumb—the beginning of a complex incantation. Magical sigils began to construct themselves in the air around her, glowing with ominous purpose.

"I think that’s enough for today Angelica," came a melodious voice from the shadows.

The temperature in the room seemed to drop as Seraphina emerged from a darkened alcove, her wide-brimmed black hat and flowing dress making her appear like some elegant specter. With a casual gesture of her gloved hand, a metallic snake—an ouroboros—manifested, circling her wrist before expanding to hover before her.

Katrina swallowed visibly, the half-formed spell dissipating from her fingertips.

For all Katrina’s genius in magical application, Seraphina’s mastery of the witch arts existed in another realm entirely. Since receiving her own tome from David, her already formidable abilities had evolved into something that occasionally bordered on the terrifying.

"Perhaps we should save our energy for more productive endeavors," Seraphina suggested, her voice gentle yet brooking no argument.

Angelica sheathed her sword, looking around at her companions with a mixture of exasperation and admiration. "I’m beginning to think I’m the only normal one among us," she muttered.

But one thing was abundantly clear—David was the common denominator in their monstrous growth. Whatever he had seen in each of them, whatever potential he had recognized and nurtured, was bearing fruit in ways that defied conventional understanding.

Seraphina’s lips curved into a knowing smile as she observed Angelica’s expression. "We each carry a piece of his vision," she said softly. "That’s a burden and a blessing in equal measure."

The chandelier’s light caught the metallic ouroboros as it disappeared back into the shadows with its mistress, leaving the others to ponder just how deeply David’s influence had changed them all.