Ch.258EP.58 – A Knight Never Forgets a Grudge (1)

“…Um, you know, Rose.”

“What is it, Liri?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure if it’s just my imagination, but the men in our department lately…”

“…”

“Don’t they seem to have gotten more… bulky?”

“Hmm, really? Don’t they look normal to me?”

“Am I the only one who feels this way…?”

The girl called Liri, designated as Chick #12 by the instructor, was Lirina Boarne, daughter of a baronial family. The Boarne bloodline was famous for producing many handsome men and beautiful women.

As a member of the Boarne family, Lirina was a pretty young lady with well-balanced features who was expected to grow into a great beauty.

However, her only complex was that she developed more slowly than her peers, making her appear similar in age to children who hadn’t even had their coming-of-age ceremony yet. But after completing a training regimen the instructor had designed specifically for her, the girl who had only been 130cm tall grew to 139cm.

She had grown 9cm in just 8 months, and the instructor advised her that since her growth plates hadn’t closed yet, she could grow even more. Thus, Lirina no longer suffered from her complex and trusted her master 120%.

…But the reason others weren’t impressed by such a dramatic change was probably because, compared to the excessive transformations of those around her, it was merely a drop in the bucket.

“Huff! HUFF!”

“One more, just one more!”

“That’s it!”

“Pull up! Pull up!”

The people hanging from the pull-up bars weren’t the bear cubs.

They were young masters, the sons of noble families.

They were enthusiastically training their upper bodies with their torsos exposed, and their upper bodies seemed to have become much bulkier.

Of course, it wasn’t that they looked bad, nor had they gotten fat.

It was simply that their muscles had grown.

However, it was jarring to see these aspiring knights, who had once declared that excessive muscles weren’t befitting of a knight, behaving this way.

The answer to her question came from:

“They’ve been hanging out with the bear cubs a lot lately because of the Grand Temple restoration. I think there must have been some exchange during that process.”

“Ah…”

“And Master said that when a male animal develops visible abs, they naturally want to train other parts as well.”

“??”

Levi Jeanne d’Arc had approached and kindly answered, but Lirina only became more confused.

Why would they want to build those muscles?

And even if they did, why show them off so blatantly…

“Well, it’s similar to how a male lion shows off his magnificent mane to a female lion. It’s a sentiment I don’t quite understand myself.”

“…I agree with you.”

Lirina nodded her head vigorously.

Of course, since Lirina herself had boasted about growing 9cm taller, she wasn’t completely unable to understand their feelings, but…

‘The smell of sweat…’

Did they have to do it so openly?

They should at least do it somewhere out of sight.

“Understand them. Males are naturally like that. When they find a female they like, they court her. Monkeys in Kunta’s homeland often behaved like this.”

“If you put it that way, you’re equating those gentlemen with monkeys, Kunta…”

“The principles of nature are all similar.”

“…What’s with this persuasiveness?”

The girls found themselves convinced by the barbarian’s words that had suddenly come from behind them.

But his explanation wasn’t over yet.

“However, young masters will get in trouble. If master sees, he will be very angry.”

“Master? Are you referring to the instructor?”

“Yes. Since they’re ignoring the schedule master carefully prepared for them and building their bodies like that, master will probably…”

He trailed off.

Before he could continue:

“Why are you trying to become weightlifters when you should be track athletes, you ignorant fools.”

THWACK!

They each started receiving forehead flicks.

Though it sounded more like they were being punched rather than flicked.

“…Now I understand why Rose wasn’t very impressed watching those people.”

Lirina shook her head as she alternately looked at their instructor and the male classmates who had fainted with their hands on their foreheads.

“Hmm, her standards have become too high.”

Who would be impressed by seeing mere pebbles, not even raw gems, after constantly viewing perfectly cut giant diamonds?

* * *

It had been nearly a month since Ihan had met with the cadets.

While they had been sent to help with the Grand Temple under the pretext of training, there had also been simple tests at the Academy.

There were grade examinations, including written tests and interviews to advance to the next grade, and because of these exams, even the Swordsmanship Department had taken a two-week break.

So they were finally seeing each other again, and since next week would be the winter break, common sense would dictate that warm greetings should be exchanged, but:

“I finally made you into proper human beings, so why are you trying to devolve?”

“We’re, we’re sorry.”

“You shouldn’t have done something to be sorry about.”

“Umm…”

“Haah, just do cardio for a while.”

“…Yes.”

“Your voice doesn’t sound convincing?”

“YES, SIR!!”

Instead of a happy reunion, an extreme reunion of 10km cardio running was taking place, and the male students were sprinting while gasping for breath.

“Why us too!”

“All we did was watch their form…!”

The bear cubs were protesting that it was unfair they had to be punished along with the young masters, but Ihan just snorted.

“Haven’t you heard of collective responsibility?”

“What about the young ladies?!”

“Unlike you, they’re still delicate. They might collapse if they sprint at full speed.”

“!?”

Though they wanted to cry out about gender discrimination, they couldn’t bring themselves to object, fearing the sharp glares they would receive from the ladies the next day.

At that point, before anyone had completed the run, Levi approached.

“Master, why are you wrapped in so many bandages? Did you perhaps battle a legendary monster?”

“…What legendary beast?”

Levi showed genuine concern seeing him appear wrapped in bandages, but there was also some confusion in her eyes.

As if wondering if there was anyone in this kingdom capable of injuring him like that.

Perhaps recognizing this sentiment, Ihan had to give an awkward answer while scratching his cheek.

“I did something foolish, so don’t worry too much.”

“??”

Yes, he had done something extremely foolish.

He had rushed at the “Sword Master” without valuing his life.

It’s fortunate he didn’t die…

‘That woman didn’t hold back at all.’

Ihan recalled the swords that had pierced his stomach, thighs, and forearms, and the pain resurfaced.

Somehow, no scars or major wounds remained, but the “pain” was still very much present, and he had to wrap himself in bandages to suppress it.

Whether it was a placebo effect or not, it did reduce the pain.

At the same time:

‘So this is another way to use mental energy.’

He had gained a new application method, but…

Like poison or a virus, Felinshia’s mental energy was penetrating deep into Ihan’s body and spreading, and Ihan had to constantly expend extreme willpower to extract or remove Felinshia’s mental energy.

Now he understood why Felinshia had said she would definitely train his mental energy.

The only thing that could counter mental energy invading the body was one’s own mental energy.

In that sense, this was definitely helpful training.

If he could overcome all the mental energy of the woman called the Sword Master, he would show tremendous growth at some point.

It was an extraordinary opportunity if anything.

However…

‘It’s extremely rough.’

The problem was that the method was almost like being butchered.

“It feels like repaying kindness with enmity…”

“Pardon?”

“…Ignore that. What’s that in your hand?”

“Oh, these are walnuts. You told me to build grip strength, right? So I’ve been trying different methods and started cracking walnuts. Recently, I’ve finally been able to crack five walnuts at once.”

“…You’re the best.”

While those aspiring knights were killing their own strengths, this girl who started the latest was working hard to overcome her weaknesses and steadily growing.

Though she appeared thin on the outside, Levi’s internal muscles, tendons, and ligaments had become considerably stronger.

Compared to the first semester, she had improved about fourfold.

If she were to use mana on top of this, she would exert strength incomparable to before.

In other words, though she looked thin, she had become someone who wouldn’t lose in a grip strength contest even against a gorilla.

A terrifying rate of growth…

Additionally, having stayed at Ophen and gained much experience, her momentum had grown steeply as well.

‘Could she rank in the middle tier if there was a ranking battle?’

Someone who had seriously picked up a sword less than a year ago might aim for the middle ranks among elite students?

Isn’t this equivalent to someone who hasn’t even played soccer for a year being selected for the national team?

‘Does she grow according to her name?’

An extraordinary talent befitting the name Jeanne d’Arc.

Ihan inwardly clicked his tongue.

If she was this good in less than a year, what about next year? By the time she graduates?

No…

‘With just the right catalyst, she’ll shoot straight up.’

Though he didn’t know what moment that would be, Ihan had such an intuition.

“I should start teaching proper swordsmanship soon… What do you think, swordsmanship assistant?”

“…Did I do something wrong?”

“Hmm, the crime of skipping classes for a month?”

“I, I admit I did wrong, but still, assistant…”

The black-haired young nobleman, Roen, took a step back with a tense gaze.

…Dropping a bead of sweat.

* * *

-Roen was genuinely surprised.

‘What’s this? Was the instructor always this imposing?’

One might ask what nonsense he’s talking about since the instructor was always imposing, but Roen was being utterly serious.

[Gr, growl…]

Even the “Dark King,” the northern mystery sleeping within him, was greatly perplexed.

The reason Roen was stepping back and sweating wasn’t just because of the joke about becoming an assistant, but because the instructor’s presence had become incredibly intense.

‘Not much time has passed.’

If Roen had known that Ihan was surprised by Levi’s rapid growth, he would have said the opposite:

…Not as much as you.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had become a different person in just a month.

Though he seemed injured, even with those injuries, Roen no longer had the confidence to win against this man.

Even if he were to bring out the Dark King within him…

As Roen was feeling this tension:

“Even if we set aside the assistant talk, teach her a useful swordsmanship technique later. If taught properly, she could be quite formidable. Ah, not you, but Iliad would be good too.”

“…You’re probably the only one who would describe the Sword Saint’s swordsmanship as ‘good enough’.”

“So, are you saying you can’t teach as well as that retired old man?”

“…There is a swordsmanship suitable for her. A swordsmanship exclusively for her.”

“That’s more like it.”

Though he knew it was a playful provocation, Roen decided to respond to it willingly.

After all, he knew the swordsmanship of the great hero called the ‘Mercenary Queen’ better than anyone else.

“Good thinking.”

“…Is that all you called me for?”

There was no way the reason for summoning him, who was in the midst of pushing forward with the Grand Temple’s affairs, was just for one swordsmanship technique.

The instructor he knew wouldn’t call him for such a trivial reason.

Sure enough:

“There is one more thing.”

“?”

“I’m asking just in case, but do you have any subordinates who are masters of tracking or possess some kind of mystery?”

“…If I do, what will you do?”

“I need some help.”

Swish.

“It’s annoying to just keep getting hit.”

“……”

Roen looked at the small vial he held out, containing red droplets of blood that writhed as if alive.

“How about it, want to play a little ‘cat and mouse’ with me?”

“…That.”

How very interesting─.

Roen smiled like someone who had received an exceptionally satisfying year-end gift.