Ch.2120. Historical Distortion (2)

# 20. Historical Distortion (2)

I cleared the D-rank dungeon without much trouble and collected my rewards before exiting.

Outside, I could still see numerous dungeons.

‘Looks like the others aren’t done yet.’

I was the only one who had come out.

Since the teacher instructed us to wait outside the dungeon practice room after completing our runs, I followed those orders.

As I came out, I saw an unexpected figure watching me.

‘Leo Michael.’

The imperial prince stood there without a single scratch on him.

I approached and spoke to him.

“You came out pretty fast, huh?”

He responded with obvious disdain.

“These days even a baron’s son dares to speak to a prince?”

“This is the academy, and you and I are both students here.”

He frowned and said.

“How annoying.”

“Annoying?”

“Yeah.”

Leo turned his head, ignoring my gaze.

Apparently, he didn’t want to talk to someone as lowly as a baron’s son.

‘He’s always been like this.’

Being the emperor’s son, he discriminated against and looked down on people of lower status.

He acted as if he were something special, trapped in his supremacist mindset.

Although I eventually rose to the rank of duke for my contributions in the war, he never acknowledged me.

Simply because I was born a baron’s son…

‘Not that I particularly wanted his acknowledgment anyway.’

He didn’t say another word until the other students came out, and I too remained silent, breathing in the awkward air between us.

After about ten minutes of this…

Other students began to emerge one by one.

Rachel, who came out third after Leo and me, asked me:

“When did you finish?”

“About ten minutes ago.”

“You’re fast as expected. Hey, Leo, why did you come out so quickly?”

Leo answered his question.

“Because I cleared an F-rank dungeon.”

He responds to him but not to me…

Somehow, that made me feel a bit hurt.

“F-rank? Someone of your level could easily clear an E-rank dungeon, couldn’t you?”

“Mind your own business.”

Clearly, he treated even high-status children with that attitude.

‘What an annoying guy.’

The annoying one wasn’t me but him.

Having cleared an F-rank dungeon and coming out first, he was now bragging about it to the girls.

I sighed from the side.

“He’s always been like that.”

“True enough.”

I watched that irritating guy while waiting for class to end.

***

After classes finished, as I was heading back to the dormitory, Aelin approached me.

“What are you going to do now?”

While Chris and Rachel showed no particular reaction, Leo was staring intently at Aelin from behind.

I asked her:

“Are you close with him?”

When I pointed at Leo, she shook her head.

“Not at all. Why?”

“Just curious.”

“So what are you going to do now?”

I muttered in a voice only she could hear.

“Special training starting today, of course. You’re coming too.”

“Me too?”

“Isn’t it obvious? We’re in this together now.”

Now that she knew the truth, she couldn’t just ignore it.

She’d probably pretend to dislike it but would end up joining anyway.

“Alright, should I change and meet you at the training ground?”

“Yeah…”

I was a bit surprised by how easily she agreed.

She pointed out my blank expression.

“What’s with that face?”

“I’m surprised.”

“Do you want to die?”

“It’s a compliment, a compliment.”

We quickly returned to the dormitory and had a quick meal.

Then, as planned, we went to the training ground.

Both Aelin and I had changed into training clothes.

I asked her as she stood there awkwardly, fidgeting.

“Have you ever fought an assassin before?”

“Of course not.”

“You’re about to start.”

“Start? You mean this isn’t just a one-time thing?”

“Obviously not.”

This wouldn’t be the only time; we would have to fight numerous awakened ones in the future.

She was already skilled, so normally I wouldn’t need to worry about her, but this was different.

She had zero experience fighting assassins.

Moreover, being a mage, she had a disadvantageous matchup against them.

“I’ll act like an assassin, so try to dodge well.”

“Huh?”

I summoned [Black Blade] in dagger form.

When summoned in its usual longsword form, [Black Blade] enhances both strength and agility stats.

But when summoned as a dagger like now, it only enhances agility.

In this state, I also activated [Mortal’s End].

“Hey! Wait a second!”

“Try to dodge.”

My agility right now might be just over 60.

For someone barely in the early 100s level like me, this would normally be an unimaginable agility stat, but my skills made it possible.

That assassin would be several times faster than this.

Probably incomparably so.

Still, this was better than not practicing at all.

“Here I come.”

After giving her a signal, I immediately lunged at her.

-Swoosh-

With my blade at her throat, I said:

“This would kill you, understand?”

She trembled as she spoke.

“Why are you so fast?”

She looked shocked that she couldn’t even react before being caught.

“Assassination has always been my specialty, just without the stealth part.”

Of course, [Mortal’s End] gives off an intimidating aura that would give me away.

She responded incredulously:

“How is this an assassin?”

“If there are no witnesses, it’s assassination.”

A murder without witnesses is assassination.

Other assassins might not think so, but that’s how I see it.

“I’d still get caught even knowing what’s coming.”

“Now you need to react and land a hit on me.”

“What… react to this?”

“Of course. Hey, don’t make that face. It’s possible.”

She was looking at me with an expression like a drenched kitten.

I gave her an awkward smile and said:

“Come on, let’s begin.”

“Ah, wait…”

“What are you waiting for? Pick up your staff.”

I pointed my blade at her as she fidgeted nervously.

“Ready?”

***

After continuous practice, she was exhausted, lying on the training ground floor to rest.

“Ha… ha… ha… I’m dying here…”

“You’re actually doing pretty well.”

As expected of a genius.

As time passed, her reactions improved, and she even managed to block me a few times.

“But that guy will be several times faster than this.”

“Can we really win? It seems impossible.”

“We don’t necessarily need to win.”

She seemed a bit surprised by my words.

“We don’t need to win?”

“No, we don’t.”

“Then?”

“We just need to buy time, that’s all.”

“All this suffering just for that?”

“Just for that? History could change because of what we’re doing.”

With just that one action, the future of the Kainis Empire could change.

And in a much more positive direction.

‘Of course, assuming we succeed.’

The only way to increase our chances of success is through training.

I’ve already thought of a way to enter the palace, so this is all we can do now.

“From now on, let’s just spar normally. That might be better.”

“But that’s not really different.”

Her eyes were still full of discontent.

“Is that so? Just come at me.”

“I have a question though…”

“What is it?”

“How long are we going to do this, starting today?”

“Every other day, and on the remaining days, we’ll clear dungeons. And obviously, we’ll continue until April 2nd.”

“Ah… really…”

She stared at me with an expression like she’d lost her country, and I silently raised my blade.

Looking at my newly summoned sword, she said:

“Can’t we go clear dungeons instead?”

“Would that work?”

“Leveling up is also a method, right? Please…”

“That’s for tomorrow. Today, we’re only doing this.”

With no choice, she picked up her staff and distanced herself from me, while I watched with a pleased expression.

“Why are you making that face when you’re about to attack me? Are you mocking me?”

“Not really… I just find it admirable.”

Despite my strange proposal, she trusted me and participated in this grueling training without a single complaint.

Just because I claimed to be from the future, she believed and followed me, which I found incredibly touching.

Usually, she was just an annoying little sister, but at times like this, she was anything but.

“What!?”

She blushed and turned her head away.

‘She really likes being praised.’

Of course, most people don’t dislike compliments.

“You really like it, don’t you? Isn’t that a bit much?”

“Me!? Liking it!? No way!”

She was so obviously pleased that I couldn’t believe her denial.

“If you say so.”

“No, not ‘if I say so’—I really don’t!”

“Just get into position.”

At my cold tone, she also put on a serious expression and assumed a combat stance.

And so, we once again focused on our training.

***

Riel, who was heading to the library, briefly stopped by the training ground after hearing familiar voices.

Through the slightly open door, she saw the siblings she knew well, engaged in intense sparring.

Aelin, in particular, looked extremely exhausted.

Though she seemed like she might collapse at any moment, she continued with the training.

‘Wow… that must be tough.’

Riel was concerned when she saw Aelin staggering and nearly falling, but she didn’t go inside to stop them.

Though Aelin looked unsteady, she also appeared impressive.

Riel didn’t know what they were working toward, but seeing someone strive so hard to achieve something was admirable.

Watching her, Riel thought:

‘I should inform the princess about this.’

Riel closed the slightly open door and headed to the library.