Ch.228EP.51 – The Knight Make House Calls (1)

“Haah.”

“……”

“Haaah….”

“……”

“Haaah…!”

“Um, p-perhaps, is something wrong, Lady Irene?”

“…Just call me Irene, Levi. And nothing’s wrong.”

“I-I see.”

“But…! Haah! No, it’s nothing….”

“……”

…No matter how you looked at it, she seemed to be desperately hinting for attention.

Not only was she deliberately sighing loudly in front of others, but she was also constantly giving burdensome looks as if begging for interest.

It was only natural that cold sweat was forming between Levi’s brows.

“Poor Levi, she’s finally fallen victim to those claws…”

“Why is she doing this in the swordsmanship department’s training ground?”

“She probably just wants someone to talk to.”

“But why here? There are plenty of people in the magic department who’d love to talk to her.”

“The magic department students are all fanatics who worship Lady Irene. She finds that burdensome, apparently.”

“Ah, that makes sense… Wait, how do you know that?”

“…I got caught last time and had to listen to her for five hours.”

“…So you were a victim too.”

When they first enrolled, Irene Windler had been an object of admiration for the swordsmanship students.

Being a duke’s daughter was impressive enough, but Irene Windler herself exuded a mysterious charm no less significant than her noble status.

Fairy-like beauty and a refreshing voice.

The talent of a great mage and magical skills to match that talent.

Intelligence that earned her second place upon enrollment.

There probably wasn’t a man anywhere who hadn’t harbored feelings for a girl who was perfect not only in beauty but in intelligence as well.

If not for her status as a duke’s daughter, there would have been thousands of men confessing to her.

…However, there was one place where all feelings for her had completely soured among the male population, and that was none other than…

‘She’s beautiful and intelligent, but her behavior is a bit…’

‘I got caught last time and had to keep her company in conversation for 10 hours. …I never want to experience that again.’

‘Whoever gets dragged away next will need sturdy eardrums.’

…the swordsmanship department.

At first, they too had admired the girl like everyone else, but as they spent more time with her, well…

‘She’s not a bad person, definitely not bad.’

It wasn’t that Irene had a bad or difficult personality.

She just craved affection a bit too much, had an overwhelming amount of conversation with no breaks, and like a true mage, often engaged in eccentric behavior.

…Well, these were the reasons why they kept dropping out.

Especially after someone who deliberately tried to keep up with her once fainted with a nosebleed.

‘Beautiful things are best admired from a distance.’

A girl who was more charming when you didn’t get too close.

That was Irene Windler.

And as if to prove this…

“You know what, listen to this, Levi. I saw this four nights ago—the maid and the instructor were right next to each other! I kept following them and saw them holding hands, eating together, and going for walks…! This is totally a date, a date! So I was burning with anger inside, feeling jealous, envious, wishing I could be in that position, really…!!”

“Ah, I-I see. But Miss Leira and Master have always been close, so it’s not strange that…”

“No…!! Anyone else can say that, but not you, Levi! Aren’t you jealous at all!?”

“Huh? I’m just happy if Master is happy?”

“…Gasp!”

“And I’m s-second anyway… Ah, no! It’s nothing…”

“Aaaagh! Why are all the women around me so nice and good! Only I’m bad! Only I…”

[Arin, I’m really embarrassed by you.]

“Shut up!”

“Pardon?”

“I wasn’t talking to you, Levi! I was talking to that vengeful ghost!”

“……”

“No, really! Don’t look at me with pity!!”

…And so, Levi, having been caught by Irene, had to listen attentively to the girl’s complaints and respond appropriately.

“The bear girl is too proper and nice. Kunta wants a wife like that too.”

“Didn’t you get confessed to recently?”

“I immediately asked to have a child, and she slapped my cheek and left. Then from the next day, rumors spread that I was trash. That made me sad.”

“…That’s nothing to be sad about. It’s your own fault.”

“I think the instructor called that ‘reaping what you sow,’ hehe!”

“Ah, Garand. Are you done with your match?”

“Yeah, more or less. Wow, that assistant instructor has really gotten stronger, hasn’t he? Or rather, his ferocity and danger level are no joke. With that hammer in his hands, he’s really difficult to face.”

“…I found him quite tricky to deal with too when I faced him.”

There were three individuals commonly referred to as the trio of the swordsmanship department.

While Roen was undoubtedly the best swordsman in the department, these three were certainly the most talented and skilled after him.

Arno de Ophen, descendant of the Sword Master.

Kunta, a barbarian of a mysterious race.

Garand, disciple of the Mercenary King.

These three.

…However, today these three had deliberately engaged in matches with a certain individual, and during those matches, they had felt a sense of crisis several times.

Even now, Garand’s cheek bore a clear red mark.

The mark of a solid hit.

And the one who had left that mark was…

“…Urgh.”

Damian Pollet, who was now unconscious and asleep.

He had fainted after taking a proper hit to the jaw during his match with Garand. In the past, Garand would have simply subdued him rather than knocking him out, but now even subduing him wasn’t easy.

No, he had to fight with full strength.

“He’s gotten stronger. Well, I guess that makes sense since he charges at the instructor every day.”

“It’s not just from charging at him that he’s gotten stronger. His ferocity is no joke.”

“Hmm, Kunta sometimes finds the assistant instructor scary. Yesterday when fighting, he looked like a ghoul.”

“His appearance is certainly in bad shape.”

I heard he worked overtime yesterday too?

I was curious about when was the last time he didn’t work overtime, and with his recent insomnia, Damian’s appearance truly resembled that of a ghoul.

“Hehe, I… can sleep…”

Whether being knocked unconscious counted as sleeping or not, Damian wore a happy expression.

He seemed extremely pleased to be able to sleep, even if it was from being hit.

“…To think that’s his sleep-talking.”

“Assistant instructor, pitiful.”

“Kunta, then why don’t you become an assistant instructor…”

“Garand, don’t cross the line. Even between friends, there are things that shouldn’t be said. Kunta doesn’t want to lose a friend today.”

“…I’m sorry. That was my mistake. I apologize again.”

“Hmm, I’ll accept that. I’d appreciate if you didn’t say such things even as a joke in the future.”

“You’re suddenly speaking well?”

And so, as always, the swordsmanship department enjoyed its peaceful daily life(?).

While the kingdom was still full of incidents and accidents, they were still students who needed protection, and shouldn’t they enjoy this peace while it lasted, not knowing when it might end?

And then…

“What’s this? Why is this guy sleeping here instead of at home?”

The knight who unknowingly contributed greatly to maintaining this peace appeared.

“You seem to have finished construction early today, Sir.”

“More or less. Just need to wrap things up now.”

“…Haha.”

Ihan, who appeared later than usual, was on his way back from a construction site he had visited since dawn.

Which construction site, you ask?

‘What does it mean that he destroyed the royal palace…’

‘Didn’t your father tell you not to defy the instructor? …Isn’t that obvious?’

‘Who did he spar with?’

The royal palace.

The construction site Ihan had been fixing was none other than the royal palace, and most of the students were already somewhat aware of what Ihan had done.

Many of the students’ parents were nobles who worked at the royal palace, after all.

…From what they heard…

‘They say he almost destroyed the royal palace during a [duel]?’

How on earth could a duel almost destroy the royal palace?

It was hard to understand, but one thing was clear: the parents of students who had previously shown discontent with Ihan were now strongly urging their children not to cross their instructor.

Would you believe they even told them to give him gifts?

That’s why the young masters, or “chicks” as they were called, could predict what Ihan had done.

‘He must have done something typical of the instructor.’

As always, they suspected he had engaged in some destructive act like a mountain ogre.

“So why is this assistant instructor lying here like this?”

“He fainted after getting hit during a match with Garand.”

“Really? He wouldn’t just faint from getting hit though?”

“He does have a mark on his face, that’s for sure.”

“Work harder. You’ll get caught up to at this rate.”

“I’m trying to do just that.”

“Hmm, then do you want to challenge me like this guy does?”

“…Instructor, no matter how much of a mercenary background I have, I’m not that foolish.”

“This guy does it though?”

“He’s more foolish than a mercenary, tsk tsk.”

Damian had reached the point of receiving pity even from a mercenary, but he remained happily asleep, and Ihan, after telling them to throw him somewhere else, faced the students.

[……]

He seemed to have something to say, and the students fell silent as if they had never been noisy.

“Sharp kids.”

Ihan wore an expression that suggested he was glad he didn’t have to say much, and pulled out a stack of papers from a bag hidden behind his back.

“Take one each. Only those who want to should get their parents’ signatures.”

“What is this?”

“A home visit request form.”

“…What?”

“I said it’s a home visit request form.”

“??”

* * *

Ihan explained simply.

“The kingdom’s been in turmoil lately, right? Because of that, your parents must be worried. As your instructor, I need to reassure them, don’t I? I also want to explain what precautions we’re taking to prevent any potential dangers.”

The students finally understood.

“Ah!”

“Such deep consideration!”

“This is unusually thoughtful of you, Instructor?”

“Bow your head.”

“Yes sir!”

After appropriately punishing the bald student who had let his mouth run wild, Ihan fixed his gaze on the students again.

“Of course, I’m not forcing anyone. I only plan to do this for those who want it. That’s why I asked for signatures.”

“What about Kunta’s case?”

“If you want to, just say so. I’ll run all the way to your homeland and back.”

“It’s 100km away?”

“That’s close.”

“?”

“Anyway. If you understand, you’re dismissed for today. I’ll let you go early so ask your parents and come back.”

Ihan hastily dispersed the students.

Though it seemed a bit forced, the students, already accustomed to such situations, simply nodded without feeling much strangeness.

It was probably a side effect of experiencing so many unusual things under his guidance.

“…?”

One student who was reading the content of the request form tilted his head.

“In-Instructor, may I ask a question?”

“What is it?”

“…Why is there already a signature on my request form…?”

Arno de Ophen.

He questioned why his form already had a signature in the consent section, and Ihan smirked as he pulled something out from inside his clothes.

None other than…

“It’s nothing special. You don’t need separate permission to visit your home, so I took care of it.”

“…Why is that in your hands?”

An old dagger.

As soon as Ihan showed the dagger he had received from Baltar the day before, Arno’s pupils trembled.

Only his father, the head of the family, possessed such an item in their household…

“They say this is a free pass to your house?”

“……”

“Ah, before I use this, there’s something I’m curious about—”

Is the ‘Sword Master’ at home?