Ch.237237. Crappy Kid

CLANG!

The rough noise echoed through the royal training hall. The wooden floor creaked pleasantly with every movement.

The captain of the royal guard, Gloria, and Findenai were once again engrossed in their daily sparring session.

During the month Deus Verdi had been staying at the royal palace, the two had been sparring relentlessly every day, as if they’d found their perfect match.

50 matches: 24 wins, 26 losses.

This was Findenai’s record.

The fact that she was only slightly behind when facing the kingdom’s strongest knight already demonstrated her considerable skill.

However, there was something unusual about this record.

For the first ten days of their sparring, Gloria had won every single match.

Findenai had managed to bring her record up from 0-10 to where it was now.

Even now.

CRASH!

Findenai’s White Snow sword slashed downward from above, emitting a cold aura.

In response, Gloria’s greatsword, made with phoenix feathers, countered with flames.

The two were far too intense for this to be considered a simple sparring match.

They clashed head-on, seemingly testing who would yield in terms of raw power.

But suddenly, Findenai released White Snow.

In this critical moment, she made the choice to abandon her weapon, twisting her waist and charging forward.

BOOM!

Her left foot stomped hard on the floor to maintain balance as her fist drove into Gloria’s abdomen.

“Ugh!”

Despite her attempt to react, even the captain of the royal guard couldn’t withstand Findenai’s bare-handed strike.

THUD!

Gloria’s body bent forward before flying backward.

A clean victory.

“Huff.”

Findenai looked down at the fallen Gloria, dusted off her hands, and retrieved White Snow.

“Twenty-five wins.”

A simple statement after such an intense match.

Gloria composed herself, stood up, and sighed.

“It turned into a long battle again.”

Gloria usually won when she gained the upper hand early.

In prolonged battles, Findenai transformed into a completely different fighter than at the start.

After losing that way several times, Gloria had intentionally tried to drag matches out to find a counter-strategy, but she’d given up now.

How many people on the continent could defeat Findenai in a prolonged battle?

Gloria thought they could probably be counted on one hand.

“Hmm, I think our fighting patterns are becoming similar since I’ve been sparring only with you,” Findenai said, putting a cigarette in her mouth.

Gloria replied with an awkward expression, “There’s no one else who can spar with you besides me.”

“Well, that’s true.”

Other royal guards had tried sparring with Findenai at first.

But after suffering humiliating defeats, Findenai had stopped bothering to train with them.

Why fight when victory was guaranteed?

The truth was that Findenai had become excessively strong.

Comparing the current Findenai to the one from the original game would be embarrassing.

The core items in the game were the Bangbu, the Landing Machine, and the Blood Claw Hand.

But now, Findenai wore White Snow instead of Bangbu, and War Shoes instead of the Landing Machine.

The superior equipment played a part, but there was more.

The experiences she’d had while traveling with Deus.

And now, she wasn’t fighting for some grand cause.

She was fighting solely for the man she desired.

In many ways, Findenai was in full bloom, realizing her potential.

“Is Deus still not coming out of the laboratory?”

Gloria asked worriedly while stretching her muscles.

The “laboratory” was actually a secret room in the palace. Since Deus never left it, it naturally came to be called the laboratory.

Exhaling cigarette smoke, Findenai nodded slightly.

“Yeah, that master of mine is too serious about everything.”

Despite her grumbling, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.

That was another aspect of him that Findenai liked.

“Since we’re talking about it, should we go see what he’s doing?”

Though she visited once a day, she rarely heard anything from him.

Except maybe that she was being noisy?

Not even knowing that she was training so hard for his sake.

Findenai took another drag of her cigarette and headed outside.

[Ahhh!]

[Run away!]

Outside the training hall, Findenai spotted two people. They had completely opposite auras—one could describe them as black and white.

People she knew existed but normally couldn’t see.

“What are you two doing?”

It was the Dark Spiritmaster and Stella.

They seemed to be running away from something, moving quite energetically—though Findenai wondered why they were running when they could fly.

[Oh? Findenai?]

[Can you see us?]

“I can see you perfectly. I guess the master put a spell on me.”

Swish.

She reached out toward the Dark Spiritmaster’s chest, but her hand passed right through.

[Where do you think you’re touching!]

The Dark Spiritmaster immediately covered her chest with both hands and backed away.

Findenai wiggled her fingers in the air and muttered dejectedly, “It’s not like I can actually touch you anyway.”

[Why would Deus cast a spell to let you see us?]

Stella tilted her head in confusion, and the other two also fell into contemplation.

The Dark Spiritmaster didn’t mind being seen since no one knew her anyway, but Stella was different—almost everyone knew her.

If someone who was supposed to be dead was walking around openly, wouldn’t it cause quite a commotion?

“Well, I don’t know what the master’s intentions are, but…”

Scratching her head, Findenai tapped the end of her cigarette and carefully put the butt back in her cigarette case.

This was a habit she’d developed after Deus warned her not to dirty the palace.

“It’s probably for your sake. That’s usually how he operates.”

With that, Findenai turned around.

“I’m going to see the master now.”

As Findenai walked away, the two spirits naturally turned to look at each other.

[For our sake? But we’re evil spirits now.]

[…]

While the Dark Spiritmaster wore a puzzled expression, Stella pondered for a moment before the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.

[What a wonderful person.]

She thought he wouldn’t understand.

But she realized the reason for this spell was related to her lingering attachment, and a curious smile spread across her face.

[What is it? Do you know something, junior?]

The Dark Spiritmaster asked, feeling somewhat left out, but Stella didn’t want to share the secret that only she and Deus knew.

[I don’t know.]

With a sly smile, Stella moved forward.

[Let’s go. You said you’d teach me what evil spirits are supposed to do.]

[Stella.]

The Dark Spiritmaster crossed her arms and warned her.

[That arrogant smile is forbidden in front of your senior.]

[…]

* * *

“Master, what are you doing?”

As I was infusing mana into a sphere containing a soul and examining its interior, a noisy voice reached my ears.

Though her tone was nonchalant, her very presence was loud.

That was the kind of woman Findenai was.

As I continued to focus without saying anything, she came closer and popped one of the snacks Deia had left into her mouth.

“I’m bored. I don’t like being neglected.”

Despite being a wolf, she was saying things more suited to a puppy.

Or were they similar species?

I must have been using my brain too much without rest, as I was starting to have useless thoughts.

“…You’re bored.”

“Go play with the others.”

“Who else would I play with besides you, master?”

Sigh.

I couldn’t help but sigh.

But even so, I didn’t let go of the sphere in my hand.

Displeased with my attitude, Findenai frowned deeply and crossed her arms.

“Is this how you feed the fish you’ve caught? If I’d known, I would have confessed later.”

“…”

“Hah, damn. You cast spells for ghosts and let them wander around happily together, but you just abandon me like this?”

“…”

“Be honest. Do you only get it up for ghosts?”

“Findenai.”

I slowly put down the sphere and looked at her, and she raised the corners of her mouth slightly, as if thinking “finally.”

“Yes, tell me. What do you want to do? Take a walk outside? Go eat something? Or if you don’t like those options, should I suck you off under the desk?”

“Did you see the Dark Spiritmaster and Stella?”

“Ah, fuck.”

Findenai, who had been pulling her cheek to show her sharp teeth, immediately deflated.

“You really don’t care about anything except ghosts, do you?”

“Sigh, even I have limits to my patience.”

When I urged her to stop the nonsense and answer, she pouted and replied grumpily.

“They were running around excitedly. I thought they looked like country girls. They were in such a hurry they didn’t even think to fly.”

“…I see.”

After hearing her story, I nodded.

“Why? Did they do something to you?”

“They cursed at me before leaving.”

Watching Stella curse at me, I thought I understood what her lingering attachment was, even though she didn’t say it.

So I cast a spell to make her visible, even if it might cause some confusion.

“Cursed? What did she say?”

“Ki…”

I almost answered without thinking.

I cleared my throat and turned my gaze back to the desk.

“Ki? Ki what? Kiss me?”

She tilted her head beside me, muttering in confusion, but I took out two letters I had kept under the desk.

I had intended to give them to Findenai when she came, but I almost forgot due to getting caught up in her pace.

“What are these?”

“Send them by mail.”

“One is to… Robern Academy? Are you sending it to your fiancée?”

After checking the recipient, Findenai made a strange expression.

“What? Professor Per? That’s random.”

“Don’t open the letters.”

I stopped Findenai, who was unconsciously trying to peek inside. She checked the recipient of the other letter.

“Hmm? Violene? Where’s that?”

Violene.

It’s the territory of the Bright family, Erika’s house. Since Findenai was in the Republic of Clark when I went for the formal meeting, she wouldn’t know.

After I explained briefly, Findenai made a subtle noise through her nose, as if something else displeased her.

“Hmph, going to formal meetings while I was suffering. Was it nice?”

“…Didn’t I come find you?”

Of course, I had used a warp with Erika and Deia’s help at the time.

Getting increasingly annoyed, I frowned at her, and Findenai showed her irritation as well.

“You’re sending letters all over the place. Don’t you have one for me?”

“Go.”

“I need to be touched before I go. I’m not going just because you say so verbally.”

I couldn’t help but look at her in disbelief, while Findenai stood with her shoulders squared proudly.

It seemed I couldn’t let this slide anymore.

“Sigh, there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you.”

“What is it?”

I could tell she was enjoying my reactions to her sexual innuendos, but…

“Stop acting cocky when you have no experience.”

“…”

“You sound like a kid who’s showing off after overhearing a few things from the Revolutionary Army’s drinking parties and Illuania.”

“Fuck.”

Findenai’s face turned bright red as she grabbed the letters and turned around.

As she stomped toward the exit, she turned her head sharply to glare at me, her face still flushed.

“Oh, must be nice to have so much experience! You’ve probably licked everything including assholes! Being washed by a woman’s tongue must be your lifelong pride!”

“…”

“Wait, those experiences belonged to the original owner of that body! What’s so great about you anyway!”

Watching Findenai shouting furiously, I slowly stood up.

Had I accumulated more stress from research than I thought?

I was feeling rebellious.

I immediately approached Findenai and grabbed her shoulders and hands.

“Huh?”

Caught off guard, she was pushed backward until she hit the wall, with nowhere to escape.

I looked down at her flushed face from just inches away and whispered.

“Let me give you one piece of advice.”

I couldn’t help but snicker. It had been a while since I’d had the upper hand in a conversation with Findenai.

Seeing her shrink back, overwhelmed by the sudden situation, was quite a rare sight.

“Don’t believe all the dirty talk you’ve heard is true.”

Most of it is mixed with bravado and exaggeration.

After giving what I considered valuable advice, I let go of her and returned to my seat.

“Y-you!”

Her face was now much redder than before.

Judging by her slightly moist eyes, she must have felt quite humiliated.

“Damn it! You just learned how to seduce women!”

Shouting angrily, Findenai fled the research room.

My head, which had been aching from all the research, felt somewhat relieved now.

Thanks to Findenai, I felt like I’d taken a short break, and I began to focus on my research again.