Chapter 136 – End of Spring

“…Why are you like that?”

“Don’t ask, just close your eyes. Before I stab you for real.”

“Oh, come on…”

“What do you mean, oh come on… Haa…”

Last time it was Yurasia, this time it’s Stella.

Two people now… have seen me like this.

Why does this crazy Beastkin Leona love princess carrying so much?

“…Can you put me down now?”

Why do I even have to ask this?

Because I can’t get down on my own.

She’s holding me like I weigh nothing, but her grip is unbreakably firm. I don’t know how she’s doing it, but I just can’t escape.

“Isn’t it comfortable?”

“…If you don’t want to see your student bite her tongue and die, put me down. Now.”

“You wouldn’t die even if you bit your tongue.”

“I won’t say it again.”

“Nya-ha-ha!”

Leona laughed brightly and finally set me down.

The moment my feet touched the ground, I threw a punch at Leona’s face.

“I was ready for that!”

Blocked. I expected that. I immediately twisted my hips and aimed a kick. That got blocked too.

Inch Punch? With one leg in the air, that’s impossible.

Any other attack… would just get blocked too.

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue and relaxed my body. Leona let go of the leg she was holding.

“You’ve gotten pretty sharp, huh? Is it all that real combat experience?”

“Shut up.”

Ignoring Leona’s teasing, I turned my head.

“Hmm…”

There’s the usual blank-faced Flame Empress, looking like she’s debating whether to run away or not, and Stella with a dumbfounded expression, clearly not understanding the situation.

First, I gave the Flame Empress a nod.

“We sure meet a lot.”

“Hmm. That’s true… We really are meeting often.”

The Flame Empress, after accepting my greeting, continued to watch Leona warily.

“No need to be so tense. Today… I really am just here to talk.”

“This Flame Empress… Fist Demon, I, ”

“Don’t call me Fist Demon, just call me Leona. And I told you not to say all that ‘Flame Empress’ stuff in front of me, remember?”

“I, is it really okay to call you by your name? Isn’t that… only something close friends do?”

What is she even talking about?

Yeah, the Flame Empress really is an awkward loner.

She talks weird, can’t express emotions, she’s a total hero nerd, and collects hero merchandise in Gevihenum… No way someone like that has any friends.

Maybe Leona was thinking the same, because she looked troubled.

“What nonsense are you spouting…? Whatever, just use my name. If you don’t like it, use my last name.”

“Then… this Flame Empress, Fis, hmm. I’ll call you Leona…”

A blush crept across the Flame Empress’s face.

Looks like she thinks they’re friends now.

“And, no more ‘this Flame…’ Tsk, fine. Anyway, we’re just here to talk today, so let’s relax, alright?”

“But, Fis, Leona. Didn’t you say the same thing in the past, then attack me…?!”

Her blushing face turned pale.

Three years ago, she said Leona stole something from Arisa. Must be why she’s so wary.

“Attack? Let’s be clear, I only did that because you started bugging me, showing off my teacher’s stuff! Oops.”

Leona clapped a hand over her mouth in surprise.

Her golden eyes trembled as she looked at me.

I looked back and gave her a nod.

“I already knew.”

“W-what? H-how?!”

“Mom told me.”

“M-mom…? Mom? Shadowless?!”

“Yeah. So for now, finish your talk with the Flame Empress. Then you can give me my lesson, and after that, we can talk.”

Leona ground her teeth and nodded, her tail and ears drooping even more than before.

“Anyway, Flame Empress. You started it by provoking me first, so I only fought back because I had to. But today, nothing like that will happen. Just talk with me.”

“O-oh, is that why?”

“You said you’d become Stella’s teacher.”

“Yes, it was a contract with Eliaernes, so I have to keep it. Plus, Stella Verheigen is so talented that teaching her is genuinely fun and rewarding.”

“Alright, so about that, let’s talk. Why do you look like that? Not happy?”

“I don’t really want to talk with you alone… but if I say no, you’ll probably use violence against me, right?”

“…Can you not say stuff like that in front of the kids? If it helps, I’ll swear to just talk quietly today, okay? Now come on.”

“If you’re making such a pledge… just for today, I’ll trust you too, Leona.”

Leona and the Flame Empress headed to a corner of the training hall, and after glancing around nervously, Stella came over to me.

“…Eliaernes.”

“What.”

“Wh-what’s going on? Why… the Flame Empress, of all people… is really going to be my teacher?”

“You heard it, it’s because I asked.”

“They said it was a contract… with you…”

“Well… if you want to call it a contract, sure.”

The word contract sounded so heavy, I just said it was a request, but the Flame Empress insisted on calling it a contract.

Honestly, though… it’s a bit more reassuring that the Flame Empress sees it as a contract. Still, if word got out… it could be troublesome in a lot of ways.

“Th-thank you.”

“If you’re thankful, make sure you learn a lot.”

“Yeah. Of course. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance. But… why did I get this chance all of a sudden?”

“It’s a long story… I’ll tell you in detail later. Or maybe the Flame Empress will tell you herself.”

“You didn’t end up with some kind of disadvantageous deal, or get forced into something tough, did you?”

“Why would I agree to that? This is just… it’s like winning the lottery, just like when you got lucky last time. So, no pressure, actually, you should feel pressured. You got this opportunity thanks to me, so you’d better pay me back. Got it?”

Stella’s face twisted up.

She was definitely about to snap back, but… her face relaxed just as quickly, and she grinned.

“Yeah. Got it…”

Her reaction gave me goosebumps all over.

“Are you crazy?”

“W-what? Why am I crazy? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“Your reaction… is really disturbing.”

“C-cute? I’m cute?”

“I said disturbing, you idiot.”

This time her face properly twisted up.

Back to her usual sharp glare!

“What do you mean disturbing? I didn’t even say anything! I was even thanking you!”

“That’s what’s disturbing. Why are you acting so nice today? That’s not like you.”

“Why do you complain even when I’m nice?”

“They say if someone suddenly changes, it means they’re about to die. That’s why.”

“…Ha.”

Stella, scowling, started fiddling with her fingers and bit her lip.

“I’m not gonna die just for that. I’ve got too many debts to repay… hehe.”

“There she goes again.”

I clicked my tongue and flopped into the chair behind me.

“Cut the nonsense and give me something to drink.”

Stella glanced around, then pointed at the canteen on her belt.

“A drink? I, I only have this.”

“There’s no vending machine here?”

“Nope. None.”

“What kind of training hall doesn’t even have a vending machine. Fine, give me that, then.”

I reached my hand out toward Stella.

She stared at my hand for a moment, then, with a strangely determined expression, handed me the canteen.

“…Here.”

“Can I drink all of it?”

“Huh? N-no, not all of it. I’m thirsty too, so just leave me a little.”

Gulp, gulp, I drank the lukewarm water and handed the canteen back to Stella.

“Pah… ah, that’s cold. Here.”

“…Yeah.”

Stella licked her lips with a strange look and bit the cap of the bottle.

Why does she drink like that?

Isn’t it uncomfortable to drink that way?

* * *

The Flame Empress returned from talking with Leona, looking cheerful. Leona, on the other hand, still looked gloomy.

Did she get caught for being Arisa’s student?

Or did things not go the way Leona wanted?

I couldn’t tell, but I stood up anyway.

“Stella.”

“Ah… yes, Vice Headmaster.”

“Not tomorrow… actually, from now on, the academy will assign you a private training hall. Train there with the Flame Empress. But you can’t let anyone know you’re her student. Got it?”

“Gasp… Yes! Thank you…!”

Leona patted Stella’s head, who bowed deeply, then turned to me.

“And Eliaernes.”

“Yes.”

“You really are a hopeless student.”

“Even if I hadn’t kept it secret, you would’ve found out from what I said earlier anyway.”

“…That’s true. Haa… Anyway, everything’s settled. But you have to keep this quiet too.”

“So the Flame Empress will be sneaking into the academy from now on?”

At my words, the Flame Empress bristled.

“Hmph…! It’s not sneaking. The only reason I’m being discreet is because if I walked into the academy openly, there’d be… a lot of trouble.”

“That’s still sneaking.”

“What?! Hmph… Leona. Your student… is really arrogant. She seems even cockier when she’s with you than when I’m alone with her.”

“…Yeah. Even I think so. She knows how scary the world is, but why is she like this?”

“It’s because I believe neither you nor the Flame Empress would ever kill me.”

“Sly. Cocky. A bit stronger and she’ll be challenging me, huh?”

I neither agreed nor denied it. Honestly, if I get stronger, I will challenge her.

Why not? I’m someone from four hundred years ago, after all.

So it’s not strange to be friends with Leona.

“Anyway, since everything’s settled, let’s call it a day.”

Leona opened her arms toward me.

I immediately frowned.

“Are you crazy?”

Stella’s jaw dropped.

The Flame Empress’s jaw dropped.

“She… she said that to the Fist Demon…”

At those words, Leona glared at the Flame Empress as if to kill her.

“I told you not to call me Fist Demon.”

“Hmph… This Flame Empress was just so shocked, she slipped. But… Leona, do you hate being called that more than being called crazy by a kid?”

“Why? It’s just, you’re like a kitten, pathetic and cute. All that pointless attitude and prickliness, too.”

Stella shook with laughter beside us, and the Flame Empress nodded as if she finally understood.

“Kitten? Pathetic? Me? Wow, I’ve heard everything now.”

Feeling the heat rise, I raised my fists.

“I’m definitely hitting you today.”

“Huh? You? Hitting me? Go ahead! I’ll stand on one leg and not use one hand! Come at me!”

“You won’t regret this?”

“Regret? Nya-ha-ha! Eliaernes, if you can make this leg touch the ground, I’ll be your little sister for the whole day.”

“Sounds good. Stand right there and get ready to take a hit.”

I gathered my Mana and charged straight at her.

* * *

“Big sis! I’ve got so many questions!”

“Alright, little sis. But there’s nothing you need to know, go outside and buy me a drink. I can’t move; my leg’s broken, you know.”

“Then your little sis will carry you there!”

“Hey. Little sisters are supposed to listen to their big sisters, no, don’t pick me up! Eek?! Hey! Put me down!”

“Nya-ha-ha-ha-ha!”