Chapter 137 – End of Spring

I beat Leona.

My right leg did get broken, but I still won.

There were a lot of restrictions, but in the end, I won.

I got beat up like hell, but I managed to land a hit.

Even if it was only one punch, the important thing is that I hit her.

Honestly, I was sure I could land at least one hit if I really wanted to.

It wasn’t arrogance. The outcome proved it, and I had a hidden trick Leona didn’t know about, so I was confident today would work.

The flow of the spar was different than usual.

Leona didn’t use one arm or one leg, so it couldn’t be the same as always.

But I still got beaten up like always.

When I threw a punch, she parried it with one hand and countered with her shoulder. When I kicked, she used her hopping leg for a weird footwork and landed a flying kick.

If I closed the distance and used joint locks, she’d reverse it and lock my joints. If I tried a finger technique, Leona’s claws would jab my pressure points instead.

So how did I win?

Just like always, I tried a spinning kick, and just like always, Leona caught my leg.

I burst Mana and broke that leg.

At the same time, I spun my body and kicked Leona in the temple. While she was reeling, I pressed the advantage and managed to knock her down.

Honestly, Leona could have dodged.

But she didn’t on purpose. Why? If she had dodged, my leg would’ve been torn clean off.

Exactly. I knew Leona would hesitate, and I used that against her.

Not fair, you say? What does fairness have to do with victory? The winner is everything, the winner takes it all. Winning is what matters.

And yet, 

“…You call me big sis but just do whatever you want, huh.”

“Nya-ha-ha-ha! Your leg hurts so I’m carrying you myself!”

A fierce wind slapped my face, and people down below stared up at us.

“Could you at least lower your voice, little sis? Everyone’s looking, it’s so embarrassing.”

“Wuh! Leona doesn’t care about that!”

“Acting like this at four hundred years old… Aghhh! Ow! OW!! I’m sorry!!”

Whish, whish. 

Leona leapt across building rooftops toward the academy, carrying me in a princess hold.

Behind us… the Flame Empress flew gracefully, and right beside her, Stella was flying just as elegantly using magic.

I’m the only one… the only one being carried around in this ridiculous pose.

“So, Big sis.”

As I rubbed the spot where Leona pinched my butt, her quiet voice reached me through the roar of the wind.

“What.”

“About earlier, I feel like there’s a lot to talk about. What do you think?”

“Don’t call me ‘big sis’ in that serious voice. Just act normal. You had your fun.”

“I’m not done having fun yet.”

Leona giggled, flapping her ears as she looked down at me.

“Since I don’t know what you know and what you don’t, this little sister doesn’t want to say anything careless.”

“I know Eustetia’s name doesn’t have Arisa’s blood in it.”

Leona didn’t reply, just stared straight ahead.

The academy was coming into view.

“I know Lady Arisa was a martial artist, and Sir Ronan used all sorts of weapons.”

Leona’s eyebrows twitched.

She gripped me tighter.

“You’re telling me so much up front… I guess I should share what I know to be fair.”

“Hm… I wasn’t expecting much, but if you want to, I’d appreciate it.”

“If you weren’t expecting anything, can we just drop it?”

“But now that you’ve brought it up, my expectations have shot through the roof.”

“If I hit you, will they go down?”

“If you hit me, I’m going to the Flame Empress.”

“I hate NTR.”

“N-T-what? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s a thing. You don’t need to know.”

Leona snickered.

The wind whipping my cheeks and ears suddenly stilled.

We arrived at the academy.

* * *

Stella returned to her dorm.

Going over everything she learned today, she made a firm vow to reach the Fifth Circle before spring ended.

The Flame Empress disappeared somewhere, too.

Not sure if she had a house in the capital or what, but she left looking like she wanted nothing more to do with Leona.

And Leona, after forcing me to drink a weird potion, said she’d be back after visiting her private office.

She said she had something to bring, maybe it’s Arisa’s belonging that she took from the Flame Empress?

Well… I’ll find out when she brings it.

Left alone, I sat in the chair for a while. When my leg felt mostly healed, I jumped up.

Bounce, bounce, I hopped in place, sprinted from one end to the other, even kicked the new training dummy they’d brought in.

It moves well. No weird feeling.

“…Still uneasy.”

I’m uneasy. Not because my leg feels bad, but because of the potion Leona made me drink.

It was the same stuff as before.

The one that made my leg go numb.

Maybe it only happens if I move intensely.

Or maybe it’s triggered by using Mana hard, Leona never explained.

She just said to stay put.

Could she have crippled my leg just to beat me up? No… That’s not her style. Paulo or Luna, maybe, but not Leona.

If I had to compare, hmm…

She talks like Arisa, but her personality is…

“…Kind of like me?”

“What is?”

“Eek?!”

Leona’s sudden voice startled me.

“…I didn’t even hear you come in. When did you get here?”

“I came in through the window, of course.”

“Why not use the perfectly good door?”

“It’s just four floors up from my office, so it’s faster to jump up here through the window.”

Leona said something that made no sense with a straight face, then dropped a pile of old books onto the table in front of me.

“What’s this?”

I instinctively reached for the books.

“Wait.”

Leona brushed my hand away.

“Hey. Leona, little sis? What’s with this disrespectful attitude?”

“If you’re the big sis, act like an adult for once.”

Leona giggled and sat down across from me.

“I recognized the move you used earlier…”

“Ronan Lujarak’s technique, right?”

“Martial Spirit.”

“You even know the name.”

“Of course I do.”

A strange smile appeared on Leona’s face.

“I have no idea what or how I should even ask… but if I ask, will you answer?”

“If you’ll answer some questions for me, I’ll think about it.”

“Getting a bit smug just because you’re in the hot seat, huh? I hope the day you get stronger than me never comes. Nya-ha…”

Leona bent her fingers one by one and then tilted her head.

“Will it take ten years?”

“Five years.”

Even I knew that answer sounded arrogant, but Leona considered it seriously.

“Five years… Cocky answer, but… yeah, it’s not impossible. You’re a weird one in a lot of ways.”

I don’t know exactly how strong Leona, the Fist Demon, really is.

But like she said, it isn’t completely impossible.

But to do that, I can’t stay at the academy. I’d have to run straight to Gevihenum, walk the line between life and death, and push my limits.

Just like I did in my past life.

But could I really do it the same way?

In my previous life, it took fifteen years.

And that was with all sorts of miraculous encounters and help from countless people. Now? Could I find those same miracles?

Fifteen years. Do I have that kind of time?

No. But I don’t need it.

I have my past memories, knowledge, and experience.

And a talent I never had in my previous life.

Of course, that’s only if I survive the deepest part of Gevihenum.

I don’t have Luna’s miracles, Paulo’s Holy Sword, Arisa’s fists, or that bastard’s magic anymore. So I can’t go there yet.

But still, I have to say five years, believe five years, be sure of five years, and make it happen.

Luna and Paulo. I can’t leave those two idiots like that for ten years.

Kaloso. I can’t let that bastard live for ten more years.

Arisa.

There are so, so many things I need to ask Arisa.

“Of course, I’m not saying it’s impossible just because of you alone.”

Leona spoke as if finishing her thoughts.

“So, what? You’re going to say it’s possible because you’re my teacher?”

“That’s part of it. But even with me teaching you, five years would be a stretch.”

Leona flipped open the cover of the oldest book in the pile.

The cover looked like it would tear if you handled it wrong, but the binding was still perfect, meticulously crafted.

“Can I look?”

“Yeah. I really underestimated you.”

“Underestimated?”

“When I first saw you after the entrance exam. And the second, third time. After sparring, teaching, listening to your stories, and today, even becoming your little sis. No matter how careless or hesitant I was, you still beat me. That’s impressive, you know?”

“I’m a genius, after all.”

“Annoying.”

Leona chuckled, then carefully slid the open book across to me.

I looked at her face, expecting an explanation, but the handwriting at the edge of my vision pulled my eyes in.

“My teacher wrote that herself.”

Neat, straight, and rounded.

Arisa’s handwriting.

“You’d call it a textbook these days, I guess.”

Next to the writing, there were cute illustrations. Fist shapes, striking forms, angles of the feet, legs, waist, shoulders, arms, and wrists.

Thirty volumes like that.

“It looks like they’ve finally found their owner.”

I looked at the title and the short inscription on the cover.

Seeing it… I couldn’t help but laugh.

Laugh? What kind of laugh was that?

What kind of face was I making?

What was I feeling? What kind of emotion was this?

There was annoyance in it, a bit of disgust, embarrassment, disappointment, humor, cringe, frustration.

I was angry.

I could feel the heat of my clenched fist, and read the title again.

[May New Blossoms Outshine the Withered Past].

May you bloom more beautifully and splendidly than the withered cherry blossoms left behind.