Maledicta vanished from Trafalgar's hand in a ripple of dark mana.
The pressure over the field broke with it. The students around the barrier began breathing normally again, the quiet tension loosening into murmurs and low voices as the duel finally ended. Trafalgar lowered his arm and offered Xavier his hand.
"Are you all right?"
Xavier stared at the hand for half a second, snorted, and desummoned his spear as well. The weapon dissolved into red-gold light before he took Trafalgar's hand and let himself be pulled back to his feet.
"Physically, yes," he said, dusting the back of his trousers with one palm. "Personally, I think my honor and reputation took a beating."
Trafalgar gave him a dry glance.
"You lost to the best first year in the Academy. The result was more or less obvious from the beginning."
Xavier exhaled through his nose, half annoyed, half amused.
