Tool-Character A laughed awkwardly and gave them an apologetic look.
"Lady Rita, I'll leave the guests to you for now. I'm going to go fool... ah no, inform Lady Durandal."
With that, Tool-Character A slipped away. Being caught by an elder while trying to fool someone was just too embarrassing.
"Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am the vice-captain of the Valkyrie squad 'Immortal Blades', S-rank Valkyrie—Rita Rossweisse. From now on, Rita will be your guide." Rita turned to the side, bowed, and gestured for everyone to proceed.
However, Rita's little eyes kept sneaking glances at Theresa.
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And in Durandal's exclusive training room, Bianka "Durandal" Ataegina was undergoing high-intensity training.
"Lady Durandal, bad news! Someone called you a dorky goose and wants to fight you!!"
Tool-Character A rushed in with a few people, directly hugging Durandal's leg and stroking it continuously.
The Valkyries' inner thoughts: This is my chance to touch Lady Durandal's leg. I must consider if this is the only chance in my life.
Durandal was a little uncomfortable with their actions, but she couldn't just shake them off.
"Stop touching, I'm not injured..." Durandal grabbed them by the back of their collars, lifted them up, and placed them aside.
"Tell me what's going on. Why would they say I'm a dorky goose?"
"It's those two new S-ranks, they're provoking you! They're challenging Lady Durandal's authority! Lady Durandal must teach them a good lesson!" Tool-Character A said with a grief-stricken expression, her face full of indignation for Durandal.
"That's right, that's right." "We must teach those arrogant people a good lesson!" "That Kika is quite cute. Durandal must knock her out, and I'll personally send her to... hehehe..."
The other Valkyries also chimed in.
Durandal scratched her head in confusion, then turned around and continued her training.
"Don't bother me with things like this next time. If they want to say it, let them. It's not worth my time to waste on such matters. Besides, they will be our comrades-in-arms in the future, there's no need to make everyone unhappy."
Durandal was thinking about the nickname 'dorky goose' as she threw punches.
"As for 'dorky goose'... Lord Otto and Rita have indeed said I'm dull, but why a dorky goose? Do I look like a goose?"
Seeing that Durandal wasn't interested, a few Valkyries huddled together and chattered.
"See, I told you Lady Durandal wouldn't be interested in fighting Ryn and the others..."
"This is all because of your stupid idea, saying we should trick Lady Durandal into going. Then when she gets there, even if she knows it's a misunderstanding, she'll have to fight!"
"Oh dear, oh dear, now we can only tell the truth... Lady Rita isn't interested either, we can't possibly go ourselves..."
"Let's just tell the truth... Although we don't know their strength, they're probably stronger than Lady Rita... We can't even beat Lady Rita, so let's not ask for trouble."
The few of them exchanged glances, then once again flew at Durandal, telling her the truth.
Durandal once again picked up the few pendants from her body and placed them aside, looking at their flushed faces.
"So... you wanted to know the approximate strength of the two new S-rank Valkyries, so you planned to trick me into fighting them... and they didn't call me a dorky goose?"
"That's right, that's right... they probably haven't even met Lady Durandal..."
Durandal picked up the long spear next to her and looked at the few Valkyries with an unfriendly gaze.
"So that means... you were the ones who called me a dorky goose?!"
Seeing that the situation was not good, the Valkyries immediately slid to their knees and apologized.
"Tell me, how do I look like a goose?! If you can't tell me, I'll make you do extra training for three days!!" Durandal said, a little angry. It was one thing to trick her, but to give her an ugly nickname was another.
When the Valkyries heard 'extra training', their eyes lit up.
"Really extra training? Can we train with Lady Durandal?!"
"That's not the point! Tell me, how do I look like a goose!!"
"Uhh... because... because Durandal... Duran-goose..."
(Image of a dorky goose in original text)
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In the end, Durandal still agreed to participate in the duel. She also needed an opponent who was her equal. After all, she had already beaten everyone in Schicksal, and she was now itching for a fight, eager for an opponent.
Looking at Durandal, who was surrounded by a group of Valkyries, Ryn couldn't help but marvel at how high her reputation was in Schicksal.
Durandal saw Ryn and Kika from afar, but her attention was on Theresa beside them.
The lazy Theresa felt Durandal's gaze, and the hair on her body stood on end. She immediately sat up straight.
"What's wrong, Auntie? Is that person very scary?"
"Unspeakably scary... Let's not talk about it. My stomach hurts, I'm leaving now."
Theresa immediately turned and fled. If she waited until Durandal got closer, she wouldn't be able to escape.
Durandal was too dull. She always felt that Theresa lacked the dignity a Principal should have and was always lecturing her. So every time Theresa saw Durandal, she would immediately flee.
Seeing the fleeing Theresa, Durandal sighed helplessly.
"Hello, I am Bianka 'Durandal' Ataegina, and like you, I am also an S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Ryn." "Mushoku Kika."
"Everyone gathered here should know the purpose. Ryn, Kika, how do you want to fight? Unarmed combat, a full-on battle with battlesuits, or a Memorial Arena speedrun?" Durandal asked the two.
Ryn thought for a moment and said, "Let's have a full-on battle with battlesuits. I'm a Herrscher, you probably can't break through my Field's defense without a battlesuit, so it would be meaningless."
"A Herrscher? You're actually a Herrscher? A Herrscher who fights for humanity like the First Herrscher?"
"Huh? You guys don't know? Otto didn't tell you..."
"Since Lord Otto didn't say, then he must have his reasons."
Durandal and the other Valkyries nodded thoughtfully, no longer dwelling on the issue.
"I request a Memorial Arena speedrun! Even if you're wearing battlesuits, you'll still die if you take a hit from my cannon, so it's better to let me fight virtual targets..."
Kika patted her exo-armor, full of confidence in the power of her weapon. No matter how strong a Herrscher or Valkyrie was, they were still mortal. Once their battlesuits and Field defenses were breached, they would die all the same.