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Chapter 203: Erica Blandelli
🕑 Added 2025-05-09 05:59:55 +0000 UTC
Time passed swiftly, and a day had gone by.
During this time, Blake, Doni, and the accompanying Yuri received the highest level of hospitality from the Bronze Black Cross.
The accommodations, food, and other provisions were all extremely luxurious.
Both Blake and Doni accepted the treatment calmly, enjoying it to the fullest. As for Yuri, she appeared very reserved, always staying close to Blake. Except for when she slept, she didn’t dare wander off on her own.
Meanwhile, Liliana, under Diana’s instructions, stayed by Blake’s side the entire time.
This behavior naturally drew some strange looks from the members of the Bronze Black Cross. After all, two young girls attending to him like he was some nobleman, with one of them being their organization’s prodigy, was quite the sight.
Even so, no one dared say anything, as the identities of these individuals were anything but ordinary.
“Lord Blake, most of the heads of the magic associations have arrived, except for a few who are located at the farthest extremes. The meeting is about to begin.”
As Blake sat calmly in his room meditating and Yuri quietly read a book, the door suddenly opened. Liliana’s petite figure appeared, her voice soft as she spoke.
“I see. Liliana, please lead the way. Yuri, you stay here and keep reading. I’ll be back soon.”
Hearing this, Blake opened his crystal-blue eyes and nodded. Then, he gently patted Yuri’s head beside him, speaking in a warm tone.
For this little girl who clung to his side, he didn’t mind her presence at all. After all, she was an exquisite child who brought a sense of peace and joy—pleasant to look at and heartwarming.
“Okay,” Yuri responded softly, her voice obedient. For her, the only people she could trust here were this gentle older brother and her friend Liliana.
After gently patting Liliana’s head, who seemed slightly envious, Blake followed her out.
When Blake and Liliana arrived at the luxurious conference room, they found that, aside from Diana and Doni, a man and a woman were also present.
The man looked to be around forty years old. He wasn’t particularly tall or muscular but carried himself with a straight posture and an air of authority. His features were sharply defined, exuding wisdom and calmness.
He resembled a seasoned general, one who had undergone rigorous training, radiating dignity, elegance, and a sense of maturity.
Seated opposite this dignified middle-aged man was a young girl.
She appeared to be no more than twelve years old, her height similar to Liliana’s. She had waist-length golden hair and a delicate, beautiful face that could easily make people wonder if she was the creation of some master craftsman.
But her physical beauty wasn’t the most striking aspect about her.
What stood out even more was her noble and confident demeanor. This little girl exuded an aura of royalty, her refined face always carrying an air of regal confidence.
“My dear friend, you’re finally here!”
As Blake stepped inside, Doni waved cheerfully and called out, his loud greeting drawing everyone’s attention.
The golden-haired girl looked at him with a self-assured and provocative gaze, akin to a lioness. Meanwhile, the middle-aged man observed Blake with curiosity.
“Blake-san, you’re finally here. Let me introduce you to everyone,” Diana interjected as the atmosphere grew tense.
“This is Paolo Blandelli, the head of Milan’s magic association, the Copper Black Cross,” Diana began, introducing the middle-aged man. Then she turned to the golden-haired girl.
“And this is Erica Blandelli, who also belongs to the Copper Black Cross. She’s the niece of Paolo and, like Liliana, is known as a prodigy.”
“Well, of course. There’s no one else who could rival me except Liliana. Everyone in Italy knows that. But you, as someone who accompanies the King, must be quite extraordinary, right?”
Erica smiled brilliantly as she spoke, her words brimming with self-assured arrogance as her questioning gaze landed on Blake.
As her words fell, the expressions of everyone in the room shifted. Diana glanced subtly at Blake’s calm face and let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Doni, on the other hand, had a playful smirk. Liliana, however, glared at Erica with displeasure, as though about to say something.
“Erica!”
“Mind your manners!”
Paolo’s voice suddenly rang out, cutting through the tension. Yesterday, Diana had summoned all the magic associations on behalf of the King, though she hadn’t disclosed the specific details.
She had only reminded them of one thing: Do not offend Blake under any circumstances.
Because of this, Paolo had been observing Blake with intense curiosity. Doni’s casual address of him and Diana’s subtle reverence confirmed that this young man was anything but ordinary.
Hearing Erica’s disrespectful remarks, Paolo couldn’t help but sternly reprimand her, breaking his usual composed demeanor.
“Uncle, you’ve got it all wrong,” Erica replied with a smile.
“For us knights, crossing swords is also a form of courtesy. As someone who follows the King, you must be quite skilled, aren’t you?”
Diana and Paolo exchanged helpless looks.
Erica wasn’t just confident; she was downright arrogant.
At twelve years old, most kids would still be playing games and fooling around. Yet Erica was boldly challenging Blake, a figure whose depth remained unfathomable.
She’s challenging me, huh…
Blake’s gaze turned curious. So this was Erica Blandelli—strong-willed and unwilling to yield, even at such a young age.
“Erica, if you want to challenge Lord Blake, you’ll have to get through me first.”
Just as Blake was lost in thought, and Diana and Paolo were about to step in, Liliana suddenly stepped forward. Her gaze, filled with both anger and concern, locked onto Erica.
As Erica’s rival and friend, Liliana couldn’t tolerate her provocations toward Blake, her savior. But at the same time, because they were friends, she was afraid Erica might cross a line and upset Blake, potentially putting her in danger.
After all, while Blake was usually gentle, he possessed a power that defied the natural laws of their world—a power capable of defeating the likes of the Marquis of Voban and the King of Swords.
If Blake were to truly get angry, not even Doni might be able to protect her…
