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"Who're you calling darling?!" Cynthia rolled her eyes in exasperation, but seeing how her partner just giggled in response, she could only huff and go back to watching Noelle's fight.
For most people who weren't yet familiar with Noelle's real ability, her chances of coming out on top at the end of the fight weren't particularly high. After all, she was bound to exhaust her stamina much faster when going against two people at the same time, and even if she had the advantage of youth on her side, everyone had their limits.
But Emilia knew something about Noelle that very few people realized, and that was just how terrifying her talent at learning how to fight was.
If not for the fact that the gray-haired girl spent most of her time managing and solving problems for the White Deer Corporation, and had little actual interest in combat, perhaps she would have been able to defeat all the elders of the Nightingale clan even without the incredible boost to her physique that she received from Emilia.
Others may not realize it, but Emilia could clearly see just how keenly Noelle was observing and learning from each and every move of her opponent, and noting down all the advantages and disadvantages of the Nightingale clan's first form in her mind.
The bruises and scrapes she received were also mostly due to her wanting to observe the entirety of the movement without interruption, though she did do her best to block any 'unnecessary' or dangerous blows.
It wasn't long before Emilia noticed a slight change in Noelle's movements, and smiled. "… Is she almost done?"
Right on cue, the jab from Narcissa that the woman was expecting Noelle to block was deflected lightly to the side instead, and pain exploded from her abdomen. And Gildroy wasn't much better.
His kick had also been cleanly dodged, and while Noelle wasn't able to strike back against him right away, the man knew that was only because she'd picked his ex-wife first this time.
But although they were slightly disturbed, Noelle's parents still seemed to believe that it was only a fluke, and went back in with even more ferocity.
Unfortunately, no matter how hard they tried now, they couldn't get a single clean hit in on Noelle from that point, and started accumulating bruises instead.
Not to mention the two of them, even most of the audience was shocked.
It was clear to everyone that Noelle's situation was improving in real-time, but it wasn't because she was getting faster, or her opponents were slowing down from exhaustion. Instead, the way she countered them was obviously becoming more efficient!
Didn't that mean that Noelle was learning from their moves in real time, and even coming up with strategies to counter them on the spot? What sort of terrifying talent was that?!
Narcissa and Gildroy obviously refused to believe such a possibility, however, and kept attacking Noelle with their expressions twisted in rage.
In contrast, although the young girl's face had a few bruises, her calm and composed smile practically radiated confidence and certainty of victory.
Even if the direction the fight was heading in hadn't been obvious, many might still have chosen to believe in her based on her demeanor alone.
After all, compared to the two who lost control of their emotions despite having an unfair advantage over their opponent, Noelle just seemed like someone far more suitable to be in the position of their clan head, didn't she?
Narcissa and Gildroy obviously refused to give up, but under the crowd's loud cheers, it didn't take long before the man was knocked clean out, while the woman was left staring at the bright blue skies above.
She couldn't believe that she'd lost in front of everyone, and had been disgraced like this. Even when her ex-husband assaulted her before, at least she had the excuse of being caught off guard and not being prepared, but how was she supposed to save face now?
She was even going two against one on a much younger girl!
Just when Narcissa thought things couldn't possibly get any worse, however, a sharp voice brushed past her ears like cold venom.
"How does it feel to lose to the 'worthless' daughter you threw away all those years ago?"
Although her words weren't particularly loud, the reigning silence of her surroundings made it clear that everyone had heard Noelle, and the defeated lady instantly felt her scalp go numb.
Whether it was due to ignorance or conceit, but never even in her worst nightmares did Narcissa imagine that one day all her deeds would be exposed to everyone like this.
Up until now, even if the elders and Gildroy knew about it, the other people in the clan only thought of Noelle as a hidden genius raised by the elders, her origins unknown.
It wasn't a matter that would benefit the image of the clan if exposed, and Gildroy would be treated as just as much of a villain as herself, so Narcissa hadn't believed that this secret would ever come to light… unless Noelle exposed it.
But that girl wouldn't really go so far to hurt her own mother, would she?
All her actions so far showed that while she was far from being happy, somewhere deep down in her heart, this estranged daughter of hers must still yearn for her mother's affection. And while she appeared reluctant on the surface, Narcissa didn't mind slowly allowing the girl to mend their relationship.
It would be the best for both of them, after all.
But… how could things turn out like… this?
She'd realized she was 'wrong' in the past, and perhaps should have allowed her daughter the chance to grow before deciding whether she was worth keeping, but… wasn't Noelle being too much by trying to ruin her like this?!
With her emotions running wild, Narcissa didn't even realize what she was saying until the words had already left her mouth.
"Do you think you would still be alive and in this world if not for me?! I could have easily killed you, no, I really should have!!!"
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