The villainous young master just wants to live a Buddhist-like life.

　She had assumed that the opening ceremony of the Gold Cup would be like the opening ceremony of the Silver Cup, where she could watch all three of Dak's duels in a row.

　Then her trip was worthwhile!

　She had not had any in-depth contact with these two noble ladies, nor had she ever considered them as "competitors."

　But recently, the second princess suddenly brought up the matter of the two princesses' marriage.

　Speaking from the perspective of a good older sister, she talked to the Second Princess about the concept of "freedom of marriage".

　Camilla laughed and said, "Don't be too harsh."

　Viscountess Florentia shook her head and said, "Yes, she still needs to. If she wants to get what she wants, she needs to be strict with herself."

　On the other side, Princess Elizabeth observed the words and actions of the two noble ladies, but frowned slightly.

　Even considering political stances, this is perfectly appropriate.

　However, the two noble ladies in front of them clearly had the same idea.

　Eliza wouldn't be worried if they both had their eyes on someone else's son.

　Then she was persuaded by the princess!

　Because she suddenly realized that there seemed to be no one more suitable than Dark in the entire kingdom!

　And even though the two little princesses seem to be constantly opposing Dark, it's clear to her that they actually like him.

　Moreover, Dac seems to be closer to the daughters (nieces) of the two noble ladies!

　In other words, Elizabeth and the second princess are currently at a disadvantage in this competition.

　"Don't overthink it," Claire said, noticing her frown. "You've finally managed to find some time, so put everything else aside for now. Dark is coming up soon. Do you know his opponent?"

　After all, when faced with the choice between a noble lady and a princess, most people would choose the princess.

　But Dacdimon is different.

　He has the qualities to not choose a princess.

　Claire said, "Speaking of which, you're also a graduate of St. Marian College."

　Eliza nodded and said, "Yes, if you really think about it, I should call you senior."

　Claire's smile widened.

　Eliza looked at the projection on the stage and nodded, saying, "Elsie Kevin, son of the patriarch of the Kevin family. Although the Kevin family has become increasingly low-key in recent years, it is still one of the few ancient families that has survived to this day, and its heritage should not be underestimated."

　"Hmm," Claire pondered, "So, it seems Dark might not be so easy to take him down."

　Eliza smiled and said, "Probably. Every year, the first day of the Golden Cup matches will try to select popular players who are evenly matched. If the duels are one-sided, then the person who arranged the matches has failed in their duty."

　In the Kevin family, the age of fourteen is still considered the age of adulthood.

　Therefore, on his fourteenth birthday, he underwent his family's coming-of-age ceremony.

　After his coming-of-age ceremony, Elsie Kevin was recognized by the family elders and officially became the future heir of the family, with the right to enter and exit the family treasury.

　Elsie Kevin put away his Sorting Card and stood up from his seat.

　He is now fourteen years old, which would have been considered adulthood during the war.

　The mechanical core, which serves as the heart of the ancient machine, is now only one remaining, preserved in a museum.

　Elsie Kevin never expected that he would be able to find a mechanical core in the "junkyard" of his family's treasure trove!

　Despite the severe damage to the mechanical core, it still possesses extremely high value.

　Then he retrieved some broken mechanical parts and a damaged "mechanical core" from the treasure trove that had existed for countless years!

　The so-called mechanical core, as the name suggests, is the core of the ancient mechanical species. It integrates energy and intelligent circuits and is the life source of the ancient mechanical species.

　As times have progressed, ancient mechanical devices have long become forgotten technological products.

　The two contestants entered the contestant passage one after the other.

　Several people who were paying close attention stared intently at the contestants' names projected on the stage, each with their own thoughts.

　He acquired a wealth of knowledge related to mechanical cores through research and applied it to the improvement of magical techniques.

　Now he has more confidence!

　With the blessings of family and friends in his arms, Elsie Kevin walked toward the players' tunnel.

　But this time, he signed up for the Golden Cup not to hone his skills, but for revenge!

　Only by defeating Darkdemon on the dueling stage can he wash away his shame and rise again, instead of gradually becoming a marginal figure as he is now.

　When the wall falls, everyone pushes it, and when the drum breaks, everyone beats it.

　Angus Jeffrey, now a fifth-grader, was sitting in a corner of the Noble House area, watching the stage with a gloomy expression.

　He also registered for this year's Golden Cup!

　Despite being ousted from his position as president of the Noble History Research Society, he continued to hone his skills by participating in duels.

　The Golden Cup, which can be participated in by students from second to sixth grade, is the stage he needs most!

　"Darkimon vs. Elsie Kevin!"

　The thought that my miscalculation began with Elsie Kevin's defeat is daunting.

　Angus Jeffrey went through the darkest period of his life during this time.

　And all of this was caused by Darkdemon!

　To turn the tables, you must trample them underfoot.

　The fifteen-minute break passed quickly.

　Professor Sylph, the vice principal, took to the stage to deliver a speech for the upcoming first day of the Golden Cup tournament.

　A cold smile crept across Angus Jeffrey's lips.

　Only through the baptism of failure can one recognize one's own shortcomings.

　He is undoubtedly more mature than before.

　Then, amidst thunderous applause, she slowly stepped off the stage, and Judy, who had been waiting for her, took her place.

　Host Judy picked up the microphone and said with a beaming smile, "The two players who will be appearing in this year's Golden Cup are probably already household names. But considering the possibility of new viewers, I will now give them a brief introduction."

　Her speech was as formulaic as ever, without any flaws or highlights.

　Finally, she pressed her hand down and announced loudly, "This year's Golden Cup is now in session!"

　"Third year, Noble Academy, Elsie Kevin!"

　"They are not only both top students in the House of Nobles, but also the winners of the Crimson Star award for last year and the year before, respectively!"

　“Dakdimon is also this year’s Golden Orange Star winner, having won this award for two consecutive years. I even suspect that he will be able to keep this award in his pocket every year from now on.”

　“We all know that the Golden Cup has always been a home ground for seniors. Second-year students, and even third-year students, have a hard time making waves in the Golden Cup.”

　"But the two players who will be playing today possess extraordinary abilities that defy this convention!"

　"Second year, Noble Academy, Darkdemon!"

　"Although the duel ended with Darkdemon successfully defeating his opponent, Elsie Kevin's performance was also extremely impressive."

　"Now that Elsie Kevin has returned with a vengeance, will he be able to defend the dignity of the third grade and wash away his past failures?"

　Let's wait and see!

　"Although our Elsie Kevin went through a brief period of silence, he has undergone a complete transformation after clearing the fog, and has made further progress. He is a strong contender for the top spot in the third year!"

　"Coincidentally, Darkdemon's opponent in the rookie debut battle was none other than Elsie Kevin."

　"I believe many of the older viewers here still have vivid memories of that duel."

　The thunderous applause heralded the start of this highly anticipated duel.

　The two players, guided by the staff, walked out of the player passage and came to the dueling arena in the center.

　On the summoning zones on both sides of the field, the magic orbs of the red and blue teams have already set up barriers and are floating in the air.

　Judy's voice instantly became passionate.

　The audience applauded at the same time.

　"It's a pity that Anna and Angie can't participate in the Golden Cup yet."

　As Dak naturally thought this way, he then saw the eldest prince, Charles.

　"The eldest prince visits the dueling branch more often than Biervert does."

　everything's ready.

　After nodding to each other, the two contestants turned and walked to their respective contestant stands.

　Dark walked up to the red team's platform and found Claire and Yalvit in their usual spots in the stands. He was slightly surprised to see that Princess Elizabeth had also come over.

　"Did the archbishop come to the dueling arena on Halloween as part of a pilgrimage?"

　A slight smile gradually appeared on Dak's lips.

　Then he raised his hand and waved it in the direction of Alvitt. After receiving a response, he returned to the card table and activated it by injecting magic.

　Dak was actually somewhat speechless.

　What kind of time management master is Charles? Does going to the dueling arena every day help him win the throne?

　Oh, isn't that the chief archbishop next to Charles?

　Since this set of rules is used in the Easter Duel Festival, Dark is familiar with it.

　He placed the deck he had prepared into the card slots on the table and casually activated the shuffle.

　As the card table was turned on, the words "Preparation Phase" appeared on the projection screen.

　The Golden Cup uses a high-level duel mode.

　The minimum number of cards in a deck is forty.

　Both players' life barriers are 8000 points.

　His rapid growth is due to a combination of exceptional talent and remarkable diligence.

　"Senior Kevin, we meet again," Dark greeted him.

　Elsie Kevin's lips twitched slightly, as if he had already smiled: "It was beyond my expectations that we would be standing on opposite sides of the players' platform in the first match of the Gold Cup."

　To lighten the mood, Dak prepared to exchange a few words and looked up at the other side.

　Elsie Kevin's appearance was above average, his bangs were meticulously styled with hair oil, and he exuded a serious aura, showing that he took this duel very seriously.

　He was originally very "well-behaved," and was usually the kind of super-achiever who would do whatever the professor said. On the surface, he didn't seem to have any bad habits.

　“Haha,” Elsie Kevin said. “Sometimes I think you’re actually quite socially gifted. It’s a pity you don’t know how to use it.”

　Dark denied it, saying, "Actually, I'm socially awkward."

　Elsie Kevin asked curiously, "What is social anxiety?"

　“It is indeed difficult to predict.” Dark nodded slightly and said, “So, senior, are you prepared?”

　Elsie Kevin said, "That's the question I should be asking you. Are you ready?"

　Dark smiled slightly and said, "It's alright. What can I do? You're my senior."

　Then he calmed down and waited quietly for the duel to begin.

　Elsie Kevin was completely focused.

　While Judy's description of him as "completely transformed" was an exaggeration by the host, he has indeed made great progress compared to his rookie season, and he has a certain degree of confidence.

　Dark laughed and said, "It's social anxiety."

　Elsie Kevin immediately shook his head and said, "You're joking. Let's get into preparation time; I need some time to focus."

　Dark said, "Focus your attention."

　"Beep——"

　When the two sides stopped communicating, the referee blew the whistle.

　After the preparation phase, a 30-second countdown appeared.

　However, Dakdimon's progress is also evident to all.