Ch.161The Age When Pink Buds Bloom (3)

The training grounds, which should have been filled with knights, had only two people.

The relaxed one was Evan, and the tense one taking deep breaths was Levi.

Levi, who had accepted Evan’s previous proposal to join the Knights of Yuris, quietly looked around.

In the circular training grounds, knights were packed tightly in the surrounding seats.

Since Evan rarely wielded his sword personally, many knights had likely come to witness this rare sight.

But what they truly wanted to see was Levi’s skill—a commoner girl recommended by Evan’s son Arthur for the entrance test.

Though she was the same age as Arthur, some knights shook their heads at the news that Evan would personally evaluate Levi.

The test to become a Knight of Yuris should have been conducted the same way for everyone, as Evan himself had said there should be no discrimination.

“You might think it’s too much… but there’s no choice. You understand, right?”

“I’m fine. Um, I think I can do it.”

“That’s good then. At least Arthur won’t have anything to complain about.”

Levi was still glancing to one side, probably looking for Arthur somewhere in the training grounds.

Seeing this, Evan smiled bitterly and drew his sword, Ascalon.

He could have gone easy on her, and had planned to… but he still hoped her skills would meet a certain standard.

The girl called Levi, whom he had observed for several days, was honestly quite a good kid.

On the other hand, she reminded him of someone he had met before. Lize… was it?

But since Levi was an orphan, perhaps it was better if there was no connection to that person.

Evan quietly raised his sword as he observed Levi. This would be a duel using pure swordsmanship without mana—at least on Evan’s part.

However, that restriction only applied to Evan; Levi could use mana as much as she wanted.

When Evan’s sword Ascalon appeared, some knights applauded. Though he always carried it, many knights were seeing the blade for the first time, as usually only the hilt was visible.

The sword that had slain the ancient dragon, wielded by the founding Emperor Alar… and now Evan’s sword. Levi’s shoulders trembled at the sight.

Despite Arthur’s advice not to be nervous, this seemed too much. Not a wooden sword but Ascalon itself—just looking at it made her feel like her whole body was being cut. Levi’s arm holding the wooden sword trembled.

“Don’t be too nervous. This is simply a test to determine whether to accept you as an apprentice, so there’s no need to be so tense.”

Even with his gentle words, her stiff expression showed no signs of relaxing. Finally, Evan called over a knight to act as referee and spoke.

“In this test for Levi to become an apprentice of Yuris, there is only one way to pass. Either withstand one exchange with my sword, or avoid my attacks for three minutes. If you fail, you lose all qualification and must enter through the formal process. Is that clear enough?”

“…Yes, I understand completely.”

There was an easier way, of course. He could simply admit her to the knights based on his recognition of her talent.

But he knew too well what would happen then, so he wanted to avoid that method if possible.

There could be controversy about her abilities, and if Levi turned out to be just an average knight, the repercussions would be even greater.

Especially since Levi was a commoner, she might be treated poorly in this order of knights composed entirely of nobles.

He could look after her personally, but that would create its own problems.

Being in a high position, especially being called a hero, meant having many considerations. Evan couldn’t give Levi too much special attention.

‘I hope she does well.’

As Evan glanced aside, he saw Arthur sitting in a corner, staring intently at Levi.

With clenched fists, he remained motionless regardless of what other knights said, looking completely focused.

If only he could concentrate that much on other things. Though Evan didn’t know what relationship the two had, they certainly seemed like they would become good friends.

“We can start now.”

At those words, the knight serving as referee raised a flag, and Levi immediately pushed off the ground and moved toward Evan.

Levi was targeting the moment right after the duel began—the moment when people are most off guard.

If she moved as soon as the flag was raised, it would be difficult for anyone to react in time.

Mana enveloped Levi’s body in an instant as she pushed off the ground.

Her quick mana response, which might be mistaken for that of an Expert, was part of Levi’s innate talent.

Just once—in this fight where victory was nearly impossible, this was the only winning move Levi could aim for.

As the knights were surprised by Levi’s sudden burst of speed and Arthur clenched his fist—

“Clever.”

Clang!

Evan blocked Levi’s sword with a still relaxed expression. As if he hadn’t used any strength at all, his feet remained exactly where they had been from the start.

“Now what do you plan to do next?”

“…Hah.”

It was obvious, but Evan had no intention of allowing an attack from such an ambush.

In the gradually peaceful era, knights sometimes forgot, but Evan was a knight who had fought in life-or-death situations from the beginning. He had experienced such surprise attacks to the point of boredom.

As Levi’s expression darkened, Evan smiled in response.

#

“My father is dueling with a girl named Levi today.”

“I see.”

“So Arthur didn’t come to the academy… only I did.”

“And?”

“Not ‘and.’ You asked me why I came alone today. And stop sticking so close to me, people will misunderstand, you idiot.”

Robelia complained as she noticed Kyle naturally clinging to her side, though they didn’t usually meet on the way to school.

Today happened to be the day of that Levi girl’s test, and in Arthur’s absence, Kyle had approached her like this.

Robelia sighed deeply at Kyle’s characteristically brazen smile.

He probably wouldn’t leave even if she told him to. Since he was quite stubborn, Robelia checked that no one was around, nudged Kyle’s side, and spoke.

“Kyle, what you said before… was it true?”

“What?”

“You know, when you said the reason you’ve changed lately was because of me.”

After staring blankly into space for a moment, Kyle let out a small exclamation and grinned.

He was surprised she still remembered that—he had worried she might have forgotten.

Seeing Robelia bringing up the memory, Kyle smiled and continued.

“You still remember what I said before?”

“…I don’t know. I just wondered what was going on when you suddenly changed so much.”

“So you were worried.”

“I wasn’t worried!”

Despite her words, Robelia couldn’t deny that she had been concerned about Kyle’s change.

She had even worried a bit that she might have been too harsh with him.

As Robelia turned her head away sharply, Kyle recalled when he first met her and shrugged slightly.

Perhaps when he was about four years old. Though he was still young now, Robelia was the only one who had approached him when he was a bit different from others.

Arthur was his friend too, but Kyle had never treated boys as particularly special.

Perhaps this trait was inherited from Kaisel.

“I asked my dad how to become a mature person.”

“So that’s why you acted that way? For months?”

“I knew I was acting strangely during that time. You didn’t like it either.”

Unable to deny that, Robelia kept her mouth shut, and Kyle shook his head and continued.

“So I tried in my own way. I wanted to impress you.”

Impress her? How could he say such things so directly to the person involved?

Robelia felt her face burning. She knew he was shameless, but Kyle’s attitude had become much more aggressive lately.

This time too, it felt like he might do something if she rejected his confession again…

In fact, Kyle’s change had been received quite positively.

Kyle, who had simply felt like a younger brother, was now being evaluated as “possibly cool.”

Though she didn’t show it outwardly, Robelia couldn’t bring herself to push away Kyle as he kept approaching her like this.

If asked whether she disliked it, that wasn’t the case either.

“…What exactly do you like about me anyway?”

“You’re pretty.”

“W-what are you saying! There are so many people around…!”

Kyle’s immediate response startled Robelia, who quickly covered his mouth with her hand.

The scent from her hand was lavender—the same scent Kyle had first smelled when they met.

The same sweet fragrance he had detected from the hand extended to him when he was alone in a corner.

Kyle smiled and gently removed her hand.

“You asked first. What I like about you.”

“Still, you shouldn’t answer so directly! At least hesitate a little. Who answers immediately just because someone asks?”

“My dad does, from what I’ve heard.”

“That’s just your dad! My dad is… um.”

Thinking about it, Evan was also quite direct with Aileen, so Robelia’s face turned bright red as she failed to find a proper excuse.

She felt she should say something, but those bright red eyes staring at her made her lips seal shut.

As their eyes met, Kyle glanced around and naturally continued.

“I like you. I’ve liked you since we first met, Robelia.”

At this eleventh confession, Robelia chose to run away from Kyle. But since her face had never turned so red before,

Kyle didn’t feel discouraged this time either. He optimistically thought that after about ten more confessions, she might accept him.