“Aurora!”
“Uh, uh?”
“Are you okay? Stay with me!”

Something warm wrapped around her and gently shook Aurora. Before she knew it, the light had subsided, and her vision, which had been blinded, returned. She looked around and saw Yule on the floor, rolling around like a caterpillar and moaning.

“I-I’m ok.”
“Don’t overdo it.”

Hearing a familiar low voice brought relief and slowly awakened her senses. Led by the maids, she had been taken to a small room and attacked by Yule; when cornered, she had called for help, and then the light appeared.
(–That’s right, the light.)

“Wha—what… what is going on…?”
The owner of the voice—Felix—frowned at Aurora’s faint words and whispered in a low, gruff voice.

“That’s my line! I thought it was strange that you hadn’t returned, so I excused myself from Her Highness and Marquis Loomis to come looking for you—but then the magic stone activated… Aurora, that wound!”
“Hmm?”

There was no way she should have been hurt. Aurora tilted her head, but she was startled when she felt bony fingers stroking her forehead. A headbutt? Was it because of the headbutt? The collar of her formal dress featured a badge and a clasp, and her hairstyle for the evening party exposed more of her forehead than usual, so it wouldn’t be surprising if she had a scratch.

“This is, um…”
“That bastard…”

‘It’s because I headbutted him with all my might,’ was hard to say. Felix, misinterpreting Aurora’s stammering, quickly rose to his feet and landed a punch squarely on the cheek of Yule, who had only just managed to push himself up from the floor.

“Felix-sama?!”
“You!”

Yule, reacting in a fit of pique, was still a knight despite his wretchedness. A wobbly but well-trained fist grazed Felix’s cheek. The eyes of the two men—both slightly intoxicated, one pair blue and the other purple—burned with anger as their gazes crossed in a violent flash.
From there, it was a horrible brawl.

It was Yule who moved first.
His upper body swayed, and his dominant leg lashed out with a speed that made it hard to believe he had been thrashing on the ground just a moment ago. Of course, Felix was not the type to be caught by such a move. He leapt back, disregarding the weight of his stiff formal wear, and the next moment—just as it seemed he would land off-balance—he had already sprung forward.
His raised fist narrowly missed Yule’s jaw, but the moment Yule ducked, Felix’s knee drove sharply into his stomach. The force sent Yule flying back against the wall, but he refused to stay down; instead, he rolled and lashed out with a desperate kick aimed at Felix’s knee.

(Wh-What a terrible drunkard’s brawl….!)

Their brawl continued in front of trembling Aurora.
They avoided magic and weapons, knowing full well they could kill one another if they drew steel. Yet they were knights—Elite Imperial Knights. Despite their personal flaws, both Felix and Yule were exceptional warriors. Even with nothing but their bare fists, their capacity for lethality was undeniable.
With each ominous bang, things on the desk flew off, chairs toppled over, and vases broke.

(Ahhhh, expensive-looking Chinoiserie pottery….beautifully embroidered tablecloths…)

The men of the Porta Frontier Knights were no strangers to such brawls, often coming to blows when the drink flowed too freely. They were far rougher and more quarrelsome than Felix and Yule were being now.
However, those men were also ‘seasoned brawlers’ who knew exactly when to back off and how to subdue an opponent with minimal injury. The frontier order even had a strict set of ‘penalties for private duels’; if things ever got too heated, those nearby knew precisely how to intervene. In fact, most would simply laugh it off during festivals or training exercises, saying, ‘Oh, here they go again.’
However, that was not the case with the Imperial Knights, who were composed entirely of men raised in aristocratic households. To Aurora’s eyes, they were clearly not ‘seasoned brawlers.’ Their strikes were dangerously earnest; one careless move and they might genuinely shatter each other’s skulls. Aurora, for all her experience watching the frontier men, had no idea how to stop a fight this lethal.

(Wh-what should I do…..)

Before long, their formal attire hung in tatters and their long, beautiful hair had become a disheveled mess. Their refined looks were utterly ruined.
However, between Felix—who was only mildly intoxicated—and Yule—whose body was already buckling under accumulated damage—the advantage was clear. With a sudden, decisive blow, Felix’s fist slammed into Yule’s stomach, sending him flying like a scrap of paper. He crashed into the tapestry-hung wall and collapsed in a heap.
Felix’s military boots clattered loudly as he walked towards Yule.

(Ahhh, you shouldn’t!)

Felix looked down at Yule with a face that was entirely void of expression. It was neither malicious nor indignant; instead, that hollow mask revealed the true depth of his rage. A cold chill ran down Aurora’s spine, even though that icy gaze wasn’t directed at her. With his pale skin, silver-white hair, and dark blue attire—which appeared as black as ink in the dim light—he looked every bit the Grim Reaper. Then, his palm began to glow, and something shifted in the air. Panicked, Aurora lunged forward and threw herself into his arms.

“Felix-sama! You can’t! You must not deliver the final blow! He will die!”
“But”
“Don’t worry, I’m fine! My chastity is safe! And the scratch on my forehead is my fault for headbutting him!”
“Still”
“Don’t kill him!!”

Felix still seemed unsettled, his gaze lingering darkly on the fallen man. Becoming impatient with his lingering killing intent, Aurora ran over to Yule’s side and blurted out to Felix—

“I’m the one who has a grudge! I should be the one to hit him!!”
“Guh!”

Squeeze.
Aurora quickly decided that throwing a punch would only hurt her own hand, so she brought her heel down firmly on Yule’s back as he lay prone. The full weight of her frame—which was by no means dainty—seemed to pierce right through Yule’s spine.
Felix, who had opened his mouth in disbelief, finally came to his senses when he heard Yule groaning under Aurora’s dress.

“Yay!”
“Ugh…”
“Lady Aurora, Loomis will die…”
“Yep!”
“…Ah.”

“Ok, that’s enough!”

As she stood over him, a surge of lingering resentment welled up within Aurora. Instinctively, she began to grind her heels into his back, but a voice as clear as a wind blowing across a high plateau gave her pause. A split second later—SLAM!—the heavy double doors flew open with a violent bang. The pale-faced maids who had led Aurora there stood trembling on either side of the entrance. And there, framed perfectly between them, stood a brunette woman in an imposing stance, accompanied by a man draped in somber black robes.
The woman’s gaze fell upon the now-motionless Felix, and her lips curled into a satisfied smile as she sauntered into the room. She moved with a slight limp, as if nursing an injury to her right leg, and leaned gracefully upon a silver cane. Though her pace was measured and slow, every gesture remained elegant and majestic—reminiscent of a lioness patrolling her territory. (Tl:- yep it’s Mereoleona)

She was tall for a woman, yet her soft curves and porcelain skin—unmarred by the sun—were unmistakably feminine. Her chestnut hair, pulled back neatly, possessed a healthy luster. While perhaps not a ‘stunning beauty’ in the traditional sense, her sharp features held a dignified, androgynous quality; had she been dressed in men’s attire, she surely would have set many a young girl’s heart fluttering. Above all, her bright, intelligent purple eyes shone with a clarity that commanded respect, betraying her high status to all who looked upon her.
Her gown was a deep royal purple, designed with a graceful drape that followed the lines of her body without the need for a restrictive corset. From the mid-thigh, the fabric flowed out generously, creating an elegant silhouette reminiscent of a blooming purple lily—a design that clearly prioritized her comfort and mobility. The embroidery was, without question, masterpiece-quality, and every gemstone scattered across the silk was undeniably authentic.

She is none other than Her Highness the First Princess Memoria and the Third General of the Kingdom of Welbum.

Author’s Note:-

The tension in this story doesn’t last long (as if it’s someone else’s story).
Felix’s “Fundamentals” are “Me”