The reason why Charl confronted Veyron was simple: just as she said, she sensed the faint, yet undeniable hostility in Veyron's gaze toward Rozen.
Although such hostility would be nearly imperceptible to most people, Charl's five senses—and her sixth sense—had become much sharper ever since she mastered Spirit Arts. After all, one must heighten their sensitivity to commune with nature's spirits and control them.
As a result, Charl detected Veyron's animosity toward Rozen.
Thus, she became certain.
"This so-called last one will definitely try to ambush Rozen once the match begins."
That was what Charl perceived.
So, while it seemed like she was not cooperating with Rozen and had no intention of fighting alongside him during the Night Party, in truth, she was helping him by holding Veyron back.
As Sigmund would say, Charl was…
"As unhonest as ever."
This line of Sigmund's didn't make it out of his mouth—otherwise, it would surely have prompted a fierce and blushing rebuttal from Charl, no?
Of course, to Charl, Rozen's affairs were something she had to help with no matter what.
In the Cannibal Candy incident, Rozen had done her a huge favor.
And in the Knights of the Cross incident, Rozen helped her break free from Alice's control and save her precious younger sister.
So whether personally or professionally, Charl couldn't simply sit back and watch a potentially powerful enemy like Veyron ambush Rozen mid-battle.
Even if neither she nor Veyron had anticipated that Rozen wouldn't act at all—and that Loki would be the one to take down Abain's faction instead—it didn't matter.
However, there was still one thing Charl wanted to ask.
"Why do you harbor such deep hostility toward Rozen?" Charl asked with some confusion. "You weren't this antagonistic before, were you?"
In previous Night Parties, Rozen and Veyron had appeared on the battlefield together multiple times, yet neither ever made a move on the other.
Charl had clearly seen it: back then, although Veyron always looked irritated, he didn't particularly hate Rozen. It was more like—if Rozen didn't act, he couldn't be bothered to act either.
Perhaps Veyron didn't have the confidence to defeat Rozen and decided to observe from the sidelines and wait for an opportunity. But even if that were the case, there wasn't any intense hostility.
This time, however, it was different.
From the moment Rozen entered the field, Veyron had been staring at him intently. His eyes carried a subtle but thick chill and enmity.
Charl couldn't understand why Veyron was so hostile this time.
But...
"That has nothing to do with you," Veyron said coldly. "Step aside, Tyrant Rex."
Clearly, Veyron had no intention of explaining.
Charl, however, had only one response.
"I refuse."
She answered calmly but firmly.
Immediately, mana exploded from Veyron's body.
"Go, Sleipnir."
Without hesitation, Veyron poured his mana into his Automaton, causing the humanoid armor-like Sleipnir to suddenly raise its head.
"Whoosh!"
The next instant, Sleipnir appeared in front of Charl as if teleporting and swung its fist at her.
That ghostly movement and terrifying speed had previously forced Frey into a desperate corner, leaving the entire audience in awe.
Charl, on the other hand, had not invested heavily in the eight steps of the magus. She had not mastered Mind's Eye, not even Heaven's Eye, and at best had acquired Spirit Vision—there was no way she could read Sleipnir's attacks.
As such, Charl couldn't keep up with Sleipnir's speed.
In the past, she would have had to take the hit head-on.
Too bad...
"Lustre Shield!"
As if she had grown an invisible eye, Charl poured mana into Sigmund the moment Sleipnir appeared before her and activated magic.
In the next second, Sigmund—still in his small dragon form, resting on Charl's arm—did not expand in size as he usually did, but instead released light.
The light turned into countless particles, like glimmering specks, spreading around Charl.
"Sizzle!"
Sleipnir's fist touched those scattered light particles and instantly dissolved as if being erased.
"Retreat, Sleipnir!"
Veyron's pupils shrank, and he immediately recalled his Automaton.
"That was..."
Both Loki and Frey's eyes narrowed in shock.
"Oh?"
Rozen's eyes lit up.
Meanwhile, the surrounding audience erupted.
"What was that just now?!"
"Was that the Gram?"
"That was incredible!"
One after another, the spectators voiced their amazement and excitement.
Even the headmaster twitched his mustache, and several students in the special seating area gasped.
Amid the admiration, Charl remained impassive.
Because...
"That's the Gram of the Belew family."
Even Charl herself seemed a bit moved.
Sigmund's magic circuits were a secret technique directly connected to the truths of the universe. They refined a special substance inside the body that could reverse the form of matter—switching "existence" to "non-existence"—to generate Null Elements and fire them outward to obliterate all.
This magic—the Gram—was unparalleled in might. Its destructive power was terrifying and could not be defended against. Anything it touched would be erased. Unless one had something like Kongouriki that could disrupt magic particle movement directly, it couldn't be blocked.
Naturally, such overwhelming power came with a glaring weakness—it lacked flexibility.
The Gram could only refine Null Elements and launch them. If it didn't hit the enemy, it was utterly useless.
However, the Belew family, through generations of inherited Spirit Arts, had managed to perfectly control the power of the Gram.
Because spirits, as avatars of nature, weren't composed of tangible matter, they could not be erased by Null Elements.
In light of this, and based on the properties of Null Elements, the Belew family developed a technique called Gram Battle Arts, which used Spirit Arts to manipulate the power of the Gram freely.
For example, by gathering light spirits, one could guide the light beam formed by Null Elements to change shape.
Or by gathering wind spirits, one could refract the beam and alter its direction.
With the spirits' assistance, the spirit users of the Belew family could wield the Gram as they pleased.
Thanks to that, the fame of the Tyrant Dragon of House Belew spread across the world, known by all.
In the past, Charl had entered the ranks of the Thirteen and placed sixth by relying on the power of the Gram without even mastering Spirit Arts.
Now, she had inherited the full legacy of Spirit Arts and mastered Gram Battle Arts. Her strength was completely different from before—perhaps even slightly above Loki, who had mastered Mind's Eye but lacked a compatible Automaton.
"Want to keep going?"
Charl asked Veyron with ease and composure.
"..."
Veyron remained silent.