Ch.293The Female Teacher and Student Alone Together

Mixed bathing, first time, consideration.

These were words that anyone would misinterpret as a fresh yet intimate romance between a young boy and girl.

Damn that Demian bastard.

Naturally, rumors began spreading that Demian and I had done… that… in the bathroom of Faelrun Castle.

Not just spreading like wildfire, but with the speed of an arrow in flight.

After the defeat at the Northern Wall, people were desperately seeking something interesting to shake off the gloomy atmosphere that had settled over the castle. For them, this kind of rumor was like rain in a drought.

===============

“Hey, did you hear? Count Median apparently… with a boy two years younger than her in the bathroom… and it was her first time too!”

“Her first experience in a hot spring where anyone could walk in? How passionate…!”

Young maids blushed and squealed as they spread pink-tinted rumors to their colleagues, mixing what they’d seen and heard with their own fantasies.

As the rumor passed from mouth to mouth, I had somehow become a virgin who had spent dozens of minutes entangled with Demian in the hot spring.

“Didn’t Demian have a girlfriend? You know, that green-haired lady knight.”

“She must have been stolen away! As expected of Ka’har marriage by abduction… ruthless even to friends!”

Even Millia’s existence was fueling the spread of rumors.

After all, anyone watching could tell that Millia had feelings for Demian.

A childhood friend who silently harbored feelings for a boy, only to have him stolen by another, more aggressive friend.

This was a dramatic and provocative storyline that would have been popular even in my original world, let alone this one.

In the spreading gossip, Millia had already transformed into a tragic heroine betrayed by both her friend and her lover.

The rumors that had caught fire didn’t end as mere maid gossip.

Starting with some maids who told their knight lovers about this interesting story, the knights also began talking about this endlessly fascinating rumor.

“To think the Were Eater had a taste for younger boys… No wonder she rejected all those marriage proposals. It seems she doesn’t just prey on werebeasts.”

“They were certainly close since their academy days, but I never imagined they had that kind of relationship. I heard they were more like teacher and student.”

“Well, aren’t they a well-matched pair? A lady knight and her boy disciple in love… I don’t know whether to call it impure or enviable.”

While spreading unfounded rumors would damage the honor of those involved and should be avoided by knights… since female knights who were at the scene had confirmed it was true, they felt no need to hold back.

From knight to knight, among soldiers who overheard, and eventually reaching nobles who heard it secondhand.

The misunderstanding-filled rumor spread with unstoppable momentum like a winter wildfire.

Within less than two hours, everyone in the castle knew about it.

“Pfft, ahahahaha!”

Leonore, who heard the rumor through Lena, laughed so hard she nearly fell backward, while Frider, who had just woken from a long-awaited deep sleep, had to wonder if she was still dreaming.

After realizing it was reality, she too couldn’t stop laughing.

And as for Millia—

“No… that can’t be…”

When she first heard the rumor, Millia had dismissed it with a smirk, but as more and more testimonies reached her, her complexion gradually turned pale.

Though she tried hard to deny it, her legs had begun to tremble. Some maids looked at her with pity.

After standing silently for a while, Millia rummaged through a drawer in her room, took something out, and left her bedroom with her head half-bowed.

“Excuse me. Can I ask you something?”

“Eek! M-Millia?”

The maid who turned at the voice calling her stepped back in shock.

“Where are Demian and Haschal right now?”

Millia asked in a voice devoid of emotion, seemingly unconcerned with the maid’s reaction.

“T-the two of them are in the training hall…!”

“Thank you.”

Millia nodded and headed toward the training hall, passing the trembling maid.

The shadow of her hair covered half her face, making her expression unreadable… but on her visible lips was an eerily cold smile.

====[ Training Hall ]====

– BOOM!

A sound like a battleship’s cannon.

The stone wall of the training hall shattered, sending fragments flying in all directions.

“Guhk…!”

Demian, who had been thrown like a javelin into the wall, slumped down with a groan that sounded like a scream.

The impact that shook his entire body had left him half-conscious.

But there was no time to relax.

Or rather, I wasn’t going to let him relax.

“Get up, you!”

A kick followed in pursuit. My right foot sliced through the air, aiming for Demian’s head.

If it connected directly, it had enough power to smash his head like a watermelon.

“W-wait a second…!”

Demian raised his head and desperately dodged.

The missed kick embedded itself deep into the wall, piercing through the broken stone.

A strike that sank ankle-deep into the rock, crushing it like butter.

Demian, who had nearly lost his head, broke out in a cold sweat.

“If you dodged, don’t just stand there—counterattack!”

I swung my left arm with a knife hand. Demian raised his greatsword to block but couldn’t withstand the impact and flew backward, rolling over and over.

“Ugh…”

Demian gritted his teeth and staggered to his feet. His bright blonde hair and delicate face were covered in dirt and dust.

His broken left arm hung limply, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

“Urgh…! Look, Haschal… I understand you’re angry, but this is a bit…”

“Do you think I’m just venting my anger? This is training, training! The werebeasts could attack at any moment, and you still haven’t even reached Master level—does that make any sense?”

I shouted down Demian’s lament and lunged toward him.

Demian hastily raised his greatsword.

His strength must have increased somewhat, as he was handling the heavy piece of metal easily with just one arm.

…Even so, the fact that he hadn’t reached Master level remained unchanged.

No, why hasn’t he achieved what even Ophelia and Leonore have managed…

He seems to have accumulated enough karma, so was my training method too lenient?

Filled with frustration and indignation, I swung my sword at him.

The longsword and greatsword collided, sending shockwaves through the surroundings.

Unable to withstand the force, Demian’s knees buckled and sank into the training hall floor.

“It’s… not as… easy as… you make it sound…!”

Demian muttered with difficulty.

Kneeling like a child being punished, with his arms raised.

“Who asked for excuses!”

“Gahk…!”

I kicked his side, sending him flying again at the pitiful sight that made my blood boil.

Demian once again crashed into the wall.

[ …Isn’t this just venting your anger? ]

……

I can’t deny that.

‘So what, do you have a problem with it?’

[ Not at all! Come on, continue! That young brat is still standing, isn’t he? ]

Hersella cheered excitedly.

See? I knew you’d enjoy this.

“Argh…! Haschal! I was wrong! Please, just for a moment…!”

“We’re not done yet!”

He’s still moving fine except for his left arm, so why is he trying to rest already?

I’ve been deliberately careful not to inflict any serious injuries.

With my training sword resting on my shoulder, I charged toward Demian, who had stood up again.

His face darkened with despair.

—-

This sparring session was part punishment, part skill assessment.

Since my strength hadn’t fully returned, I wasn’t using karma power… but Demian couldn’t use it either. So he had no chance of beating me.

His skills had improved, probably thanks to his experience fighting werebeasts.

Unlike before, when he couldn’t even put up a fight, he was now blocking quite well and even occasionally counterattacking.

Still, he couldn’t last five minutes, and after taking one solid hit, he started getting beaten one-sidedly.

After flying around like a soccer ball for thirty minutes, Demian foamed at the mouth and passed out as soon as the sparring ended.

I would have liked to keep pummeling him for hours… but that had become physically impossible.

[ What a shame, there were still many places left to hit. ]

‘…If I beat him any more, he’d be bedridden for a while.’

I looked down at Demian, who was twitching with broken limbs, and wiped the sweat from my face with my sleeve.

…At least he didn’t drop his weapon. Should I give him credit for that?

“Could you heal him, please?”

Florence, who had been watching the sparring with anxious eyes, cast a healing miracle on Demian.

Sunlight-like holy light descended on the boy’s body, beginning to restore his broken form.

“Lady Median, wasn’t that a bit too harsh…?”

“…He needs to be beaten.”

If you were in my position, you would have beaten him too.

For now, we need to prepare for battle with the werebeasts, so I’ll let it go at this, but I plan to keep beating him in the future.

“Even for sparring, that was a bit…”

“Well, that’s because this guy…”

Just as I was about to explain why I had done this to her, who seemed unaware of what had happened—

– Knock knock.

The sound of knocking on the training hall wall interrupted my words.

…Who could it be? I had specifically requested to have the entire training hall to ourselves for a while to avoid involving bystanders.

“…Haschal, are you in there?”

Ah, it’s Millia.

It’s Millia.

…This looks like big trouble.