I AM A MAGE BUT WITH MILF SYSTEM

Now that the duel was set in place, the two families — the Duke’s and the Count’s — made their way to the courtyard. The Count had initially suggested heading to the training grounds, but the Duke insisted on holding the duel in the open courtyard so that everyone in the duchy could witness the future of their families.

The Count did not argue against it, because he himself was far too confident in his daughter’s abilities. In his mind, there was no way that the exiled son of the duchy could have truly changed to the point of reaching Arch Mage level in such a short time.

When the Count had first heard the news of Kraven’s breakthrough, he had laughed himself to sleep. He was convinced that the Duke must have used some rare artifact to fabricate or exaggerate his son’s newfound power.

The courtyard was spacious and well-maintained, with smooth stone paving and mana lamps placed at regular points. A small crowd of curious servants, guards, and minor nobles had already begun to gather as word of the duel spread quickly through the castle. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation.

The Duke and the Count stood on one side with their respective wives, while Vanessa stood close to Julian, offering him an encouraging smile. Olivia remained a short distance away, her expression a mixture of concern and tension.

Lady Elara stepped into the open space opposite Julian, her pink gown fluttering slightly in the morning breeze. She looked graceful yet determined, though a hint of nervousness lingered in her posture. She bowed politely toward him.

”I will do my best, Lord Kraven,” she said softly.

Julian returned the bow with equal respect.

”As will I, Lady Elara. Let us both show our families what we are capable of.”

The Count chuckled from the sidelines and crossed his arms confidently.

”This should be entertaining. My daughter has worked tirelessly. I doubt even a newly minted Arch Mage could overwhelm her so easily.”

The Duke smiled but said nothing, though his eyes held quiet pride in his son.

A knight of the duchy then stepped forward to set the basic rules.

No lethal force. The first to yield or be clearly overpowered would lose and the duel would take place within a temporary containment barrier raised by several mages to protect the spectators.

As the barrier shimmered into existence around them, Julian and Elara faced each other.

For few minute, Julian simply observed her and did not move an inch. He stood calmly, his hands relaxed at his sides, studying her breathing, and the way her mana flowed. There was no immediate aggression from him.

Elara, sensing his intense gaze, channeled her mana first. A soft blue glow appeared around her hands, which then slowly spread across her entire body. The air around her trembled as she concentrated more and more of her power.

Julian could immediately feel the atmosphere thicken. But one thing stood out. Her mana was pure and gentle, almost soothing in its nature, as if it had been shaped not purely for destruction but for something more refined.

Her eyes glowed with a bright blue hue. Without uttering a single word, she raised her hand toward him.

”Waterfall,” she whispered.

Julian was too busy observing her movements when he felt something above him. His advanced senses screamed a warning, and he barely had time to dodge as a heavy rush of water slammed down onto the exact spot where he had been standing.

The impact was tremendous.

A roaring column of water crashed against the stone pavement with enough force to crack the ground and send sprays of mist exploding outward. The barrier surrounding them rippled violently from the force.

Julian was genuinely surprised by the magic spell. The casting speed of her magic was far faster than that of any other mage he had encountered at her level. It was almost instantaneous, to the point that the original Kraven would have been completely overwhelmed if not for Julian’s superior senses and reflexes. Even then, a few droplets had caught the edge of his sleeve, soaking through the fabric.

Elara seemed to notice his evasion as well. Though her magic lacked overwhelming raw power, she had always taken pride in how unpredictable and swift her spells were. After meeting her mentor in the capital, that unpredictability had only increased. Yet Kraven had dodged her opening attack like it was nothing.

A faint look of determination crossed her face. She did not hesitate. With another smooth motion of her hands, she summoned a second spell.

This time, dozens of water blades materialized in the air around her, shimmering like glass. They shot toward Julian in a rapid, curving barrage, aiming to cut off his escape routes.

Julian finally moved. He sidestepped and wove through the attack. A few blades came dangerously close, but he deflected them with small bursts of his own mana, causing them to splash harmlessly against the barrier. He still had not counterattacked and simply chose to test her limits and observe her style.

”You’re fast,” he called out, his voice carrying across the courtyard. ”Faster than most Sovereign mages I’ve seen.”

Elara’s cheeks flushed slightly at the compliment, but she did not let it distract her. She pressed forward, combining her wind and water affinities to create swirling torrents that spiraled toward him. Her attacks were elegant and unpredictable. They changed direction mid-flight, split into smaller streams, then suddenly reformed.

It was clear that she had trained extensively to compensate for her lack of destructive power with creativity and speed.

Julian barely had the time to appreciate her dual wielding of the elements when a massive blade hurled through the air, clearly making its way for his neck.

krummmmm!!

The water-and-wind blade was razor-sharp and spun rapidly as it cut through the space between them with lethal intent. The speed was astonishing.

I have to defend, he thought.

He stopped dead in his tracks and raised his own hand forward. ”Barrier!” he shouted.