Chapter 30 Darlene was dressed in white fencing clothes , holding a long sword and cradling a black mask in her arms . Her demeanor was elegant , calm , and composed . No matter how others viewed Darlene , at least in the moment she stepped onto the stage , her poise and utter lack of nervousness or timidity had already exceeded everyone's expectations . Even Bernice hadn't anticipated this . In her eyes , Darlene was nothing more than a poor , unsophisticated sponsored admit who had never been exposed to proper etiquette , someone who didn't even know the rules of a fencing match - how could she possibly compete ? She had deliberately set Darlene up to make a fool of herself . The class barrier was unbreakable ; their families had held high positions for generations upon generations ... How could the daughter of a caretaker ever surpass her ? Yet Darlene's appearance had turned everyone into a joke . With her unimpressive achievements , she had caught Vanessa's special attention , earned a place at Wintervale Academy , and even had the chance to be by Lucian's side . This was a slap in the face to the Holloway family . If she couldn't even outshine the daughter of a caretaker , how could she ever hope to marry Lucian ? " Pretending to be something she's not , " Bernice sneered coldly . Darlene smiled , meeting Bernice's gaze . One hand held the mask at her waist , the other gripped her sword , and she raised her blade at the same time as Bernice . This was a customary gesture of etiquette in fencing matches . Not only did Darlene know this , but she performed it even more precisely than Bernice . Her back was straight and she stood tall and proud , exuding a natural confidence . Her face was already beautiful , but with a gentle smile , she was truly breathtaking . " You challenged me , so I accept , " she said , her voice melodious and unhurried , carrying an air of absolute confidence . " Every match has a winner and a loser , and with that comes reward and punishment . If you lose , what will you pay ? " This was what her father had told her in her previous life : if she won , no matter how precious the prize , her father would reward her ; if she lost , she would face a merciless beating . So Darlene never allowed herself to lose . These words were a far cry from the pitiful act she put on for Lucian ; even Lucian almost thought he was seeing a different person . It was just a match meant to embarrass a sponsored admit - where did Darlene get the confidence to think she could beat Bernice ? Bernice found it laughable , her brows arching sharply . " What nonsense ! Such arrogance . Do you even know what fencing is ? How dare you talk to me about rewards and punishments ? " " You're afraid of losing to me , so you don't dare to set the stakes , " Darlene replied softly . Unlike Bernice's aggressive tone , her composure gave her the upper hand . " Who says I don't dare ! " Bernice shouted in anger . Seeing Darlene's calm and unruffled manner , she was filled with rage . Darlene was nothing like the other sponsored admits she didn't submit , but instead dared to challenge , question , and even look down on them . Darlene wasn't afraid of them , nor did she try to curry favor like the others . This left Bernice's innate sense of superiority completely unsatisfied . Unlike the other sponsored admits who groveled in fear , Darlene's very dignity seemed to trample on theirs . She was just the daughter of a caretaker - how could she possibly stand on equal footing with her !? How could she possibly compete with her on the same stage !? 1630