Roy and Ronya, who caught Raven’s movements like uncommonly trained military maids, explained the progress of the battle.

Raven cautiously moved, drawing arcs while gradually shifting to the side.

It seemed like she was trying to find the most vulnerable part of Balrog’s body, which was full of muscles like a bull.
“Balrog isn’t making a preemptive attack recklessly. That monster is famous for having an extremely aggressive nature… I wonder if Raven assessed it as a formidable opponent?”

“I don’t know yet. We can’t predict if it’ll suddenly launch an attack.”

Almost simultaneously with Roy’s words ending, Balrog roared loudly and leaped towards Raven.

It was uncertain how such a huge body, feeling like a large boulder, could move so agilely.

In the blink of an eye, the monster, which had approached Raven within striking distance, swung its sharp claws. Raven, who hadn’t shown any noticeable movement, leaped forward, pounding the ground.

In the next moment, one of Balrog’s black horns was cleanly cut off and rolled on the earthen floor.

“It’s a success! Balrog’s movements have noticeably slowed. It seems like the weak point was the horn on its head.”

“It must be the first time seeing such a monster, how did she instantly notice that? It’s truly amazing.”

The maid sisters praised Raven for her exceptional combat sense.

Considering that Balrog was such a unique monster, it seemed unlikely that she had known about it in advance.

“Kraaaak!”

The hornless Balrog, enraged, charged towards Raven like a furious bull.

However, Raven, after cutting off the remaining horn, succeeded in leaving a large wound on the monster’s back.

Though it seemed like she repeated stabbing and slashing several times, Raven’s movements were too fast for my untrained eyes to follow.

“Krk, kkk…”

“Now, rest comfortably. Although it’s an illusion, I don’t want it to hurt.”

Raven, holding her sword upright, leaped into the air.

The moment I sensed that his sword was aimed at Balrog’s neck, with a shuddering and chilling sound, the monster’s body shattered into several pieces.

Although I couldn’t see it properly because Ronya, who was standing next to me, hastily covered my eyes, I could tell that the massive Balrog’s body fell to the ground with a thumping sound.

“The test ends here. Raven, congratulations on passing the Knights’ entrance exam. You are undoubtedly the top.”

“The official announcement date is still far away. Can you decide that on your own?”

“Then, yes. Don’t worry; I have the authority to make such decisions. Remember that your teacher is the esteemed Knights’ Commander of the Chepheu Kingdom.”

According to Walter’s voice heard from afar, Raven seemed to possess the most outstanding skills among the hopeful entrants for this term.

It was an overwhelming difference that everyone would have to accept regardless of the results.

“When the official documents are issued, you’ll become a member of the Royal Knights. Becoming the personal guard of Princess, there should be no procedural problems. After all, you’re a knight whom I, myself, vouch for.”

“Vouching, that expression sounds awkward. I’d rather be called a squire like now.”
“You can consider my squire position equivalent to that of a high-ranking knight. It might be unrealistic to suddenly receive a promotion to a knight, but becoming a deputy commander in a few years is not just a dream. Until then, train diligently. You arrogant apprentice.”

Watching the conversation between Walter, Sione, and Raven after Walter, I quietly left with the maid sisters.

Although I wasn’t sure about the details, it seemed that if Raven signed a knight escort contract, she would receive a certain level of salary from the royal family.

Of course, I also intended to take care of her separately, but it somehow felt good that the country would legitimately compensate her for the protection she provided.

“You seem to be in a very good mood, Lady Bella. Are you pleased to see Raven’s growth? We feel the same way.”

“Yes! Totally thrilled. Now that Raven will follow me, there won’t be any more ignoring.”

“How about preparing a celebration for Raven tonight? It would be good to invite Raven and those with faces. She’s surprisingly shy, so selecting a few people would be nice.”

Fully agreeing with the maid sisters’ suggestion, I nodded quickly.

After enduring several months of rigorous training, I wanted to let her enjoy a hearty meal.

“Normally, she has a vigorous appetite, but today, I should let her eat until her stomach bursts.”

If you’re a twelve-year-old boy, it’s the prime time for growth.

Moreover, recently, my height has been increasing at a rate comparable to Raven’s, so three meals a day might be insufficient.

Before returning to my room, I stopped by the kitchen and instructed them to prepare dinner, urging the chef to take special care of Raven’s meal.

Although Rosa was managing the palace wisely, personally taking care of such trivial matters seemed a bit challenging.

“I used to work at the Knights’ outpost before. I know what kind of food is best for those who use their bodies, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Since you said that, I feel reassured. I trust your skills!”

“Speaking so affectionately to someone like me, it’s truly embarrassing.”

I patted the kitchen manager’s shoulders continuously and headed towards my room.

It seemed safe to relax a bit about Raven, so it was time to move outside slowly.

“I can no longer leave the assassin matter alone. Now, I have to take matters into my own hands. I need solid evidence.”

Though continuous information was coming from the Fernan family, it was always similar stories.

I needed concrete evidence that the Turner and Repel families conspired to assassinate Raven and me.