Nothing Changes 2

Theodore’s eyes were staring at Yuria’s refreshed expression.

A few seconds of silence passed, and the first thing Theodore said to break that silence was an evaluation of Yuria.

“Lady Yuria, you’re a more interesting woman than I thought.”

At Theodore’s evaluation, Yuria snorted.

“You’re just realizing that now? No, that’s still not enough. Even though you’re so excellent, I’m not a woman who can be easily evaluated by your imagination. Despite appearances, I hold the dream of someday definitely surpassing even you and becoming the continent’s strongest swordswoman.”

“That’s an impossible dream, isn’t it? The continent’s strongest swordswoman? Wouldn’t it be better to dream of being the second strongest swordswoman on the continent?”

“Ah, really!”

Yuria felt her scabbard trembling but suppressed that irritation for a moment.

“Do you really have to say that at a time like this?”

“It’s better than lying. Since you came out honestly and sincerely, I just answered with the truth, even if it’s unpleasant to hear.”

“Haah! When you put it that way, it’s hard to refute.”

If it had been someone else’s words, she might have dismissed them, but because it was Theodore speaking, Yuria had no choice but to acknowledge it.

In fact, she knew it too.

She knew that there was such a vast difference in talent that even if she worked hard for several years, she would not catch up to a few months of Theodore’s effort.

“Yes, it’s good that you acknowledge that. People who fall into vain delusions and become reckless fail to recognize their own capabilities and end up being destroyed.”

“Are you saying that about William of House Artin?”

“He’s included, but he’s an especially extreme case. Compared to me, he’s as insufficient as a firefly in front of the sun, but you do have more talent than other people. So I’m advising you not to be engrossed in that and to recognize reality.”

“…Excuse me, Lord Theodore? Is the person most engrossed in their own talent saying this?”

“I’m not engrossed. I just coldly state the facts. You just acknowledged it too, didn’t you?”

“Haah! Yes. This is Lord Theodore.”

Yuria also ended up smiling slightly.

“Then teach me more swordsmanship. I’ll check just how well this so-called excellent person teaches.”

At Yuria’s provocative words, Theodore said:

“You speak interestingly, Lady Yuria. Are you trying to evaluate me?”

“Why? There’s nothing wrong with that, is there? Lord Theodore, you arbitrarily evaluated me incorrectly, so I corrected that wrong evaluation, but is there a reason I can’t evaluate you?”

This time Theodore was silent for a moment.

“Indeed, you’re a more interesting woman than I thought. You’re not wrong. Yes, you certainly have the qualification to do so.”

The fact that Theodore acknowledged her made Yuria feel joy without even realizing it.

No, beyond simply feeling joy, the happiness welling up from her heart was so great that a smile even formed on her beautiful face.

“Yes. You might regret it if you run out of things to teach.”

“I don’t think you’ll learn that well? Don’t overestimate yourself.”

“Don’t you underestimate me! I’ll show you directly that I can easily surpass your imagination!”

“Really? Then can you show me once now?”

“Yes! I’ll show you clearly!”

Yuria boldly answered, grabbed her sword again, and took her stance.

And recalling what had happened earlier, she tried to precisely time her attack on Theodore this time, but she couldn’t believe that the openings Theodore showed were real openings.

‘I will land one hit.’

She couldn’t be confident in her success.

But even if she didn’t succeed, it was important to move with such a goal in mind.

She thought it was better to set a goal and move rather than giving up, thinking she would fail completely, and sitting down.

‘But carefully.’

However, she had to attack as carefully as possible.

Even though this attack might fail, she would only be subdued, not killed, but she decided to attack with all her might as if it were a real battle, slowly unfolding the art of swordsmanship she had learned, transformed to fit her body.

“Haaaaaahhh!”

A thrust with all her might flew toward Theodore, and she saw Theodore’s sword moving quickly to strike down her sword.

“Ugh?!”

Yuria, who suffered from a sword technique filled with brutal power completely different from the skillful swordsmanship demonstrated earlier, had her posture disrupted due to the difference in strength. And while pointing his sword at her neck, Theodore extended his left hand to grab her hand so she wouldn’t fall.

---

‘She really is a more interesting woman than I thought?’

While holding Yuria’s hand, Theodore felt he had to reevaluate Yuria Arsein.

He had always acknowledged that her appearance was beautiful.

She had large breasts, a robust bottom, a slender waist, and beautiful legs, and she was indeed a beauty worthy of being called the greatest beauty in the Arcan Empire.

As the heir to House Skyroad, he thought that if he were to marry, he would marry her.

But he didn’t particularly feel he wanted to marry her.

He thought that as long as they weren’t ugly, for a political marriage, honestly, it didn’t matter who it was.

Even when House Skyroad designated her as his fiancée, he honestly accepted it indifferently.

He never intended to open his heart to anyone except his <family> anyway.

But he had to acknowledge what should be acknowledged.

‘She is interesting.’

He felt he could no longer look at her without thought, just as a woman who was strangely perceptive only about him.

He had at least become interested in the woman called Yuria Arsein, and teaching her swordsmanship, which he had decided to do out of mere duty, seemed surprisingly enjoyable.

“Didn’t I tell you? I don’t think you’ll learn well.”

“Uugh! Just wait and see! I’ll definitely surprise you!”

Theodore silently looked at her for a moment as she strengthened her resolve.

Looking at her, he felt a strange feeling.

‘Clearly she’s no different from usual, but she looks different.’

It seemed to be because he had developed an interest.

She boasted that she would show him she could easily surpass his imagination, but that would now be difficult.

This was because he had adjusted his expectations upward regarding her achievements as a swordswoman.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’m thinking about how to make you an excellent swordswoman.”

Yuria’s blue eyes widened slightly in surprise.

“You’re thinking? That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

“I always think before I speak. I’ve never spoken without thinking. What about you? Are you the style that speaks impulsively without consideration?”

“…Just let go of my hand. I need to hit you once.”

“With your current skill, it’s impossible even if you die and come back dozens of times, so please set that as your goal and strive for it.”

“Yes! I will definitely, absolutely land one hit on you!”

Theodore knew that Yuria was smiling as she said this.

It was fascinating to see her smiling as if this was the Theodore she knew.

‘To be angry yet happy at the same time. How curious.’

Theodore had promised the Duke of Arsein that he would protect Yuria. But that was merely following his duty because he had an obligation to protect her as his fiancée, with no other special feelings.

Even now, he didn’t have deep thoughts about her.

But it seemed not bad to think a little differently.

‘I should take more interest and teach her.’

He would continue to watch how strong she could become.

Thinking like this, as Theodore slowly released her hand, he suddenly noticed the sweat beading on Yuria’s forehead as they stood facing each other on the floor.

Though it had ended in failure, it was natural for her to sweat after focusing her mind and launching an attack with the determination to land a decisive blow on him.

But now he felt something he hadn’t paid attention to before.

‘This scent.’

He sensed a scent that tickled his nose, and Theodore immediately realized where it was coming from.

Yuria Arsein has a good body scent.

That was something he had always known.

But he had naturally never been conscious of it.

Just as flowers give off fragrance, it was such an obvious fact that he had always dismissed it as not worth consciously noting.

But somehow, he now found himself conscious of and bothered by the scent coming from her.

‘With a little interest, there’s also this change in perspective.’

He, who had never given interest to others in the first place, felt for the first time such a change in perspective just from developing a slight interest.

‘Having spent time together, and feeling interest from her words just now, it seems I’ve given her even a little bit of affection. Oh my….’

For now, he should focus on teaching.

---

“Haa… haa…”

Yuria had collapsed to the floor in a completely exhausted state.

Drenched in sweat all over her body, her long silver hair was disheveled and in a mess, but she didn’t have the strength to fix her hair.

No, before that, she didn’t even have the strength to stand, having exhausted all her energy.

“Ah, I just wanted to… land one hit…”

Since they were inside the house, not using ki and relying solely on physical ability and technique to compete, she had poured all her strength until she was completely exhausted like this, but not a single attack had hit.

It was so disappointing that she had failed despite using all her remaining strength and fighting with all her might for over an hour.

‘If I could just land one hit on that smug face, it would feel so satisfying.’

And she wanted to see him look at her with a surprised expression once.

She was imagining the scene of him, who always arrogantly evaluated her, looking at her with a surprised gaze after taking a hit to the face, but soon gave up on the thought.

It only had meaning if it actually happened; just imagining it was merely a delusion of her own.

“Since this is training, we’ll stop at this point, but in a real battle, it’s good to pay attention to the distribution of your stamina. Human stamina is weaker than you might think.”

At Theodore’s words, Yuria looked at him with a slightly sideways glance and said:

“I know that much. Today I just wanted to land one hit on you, so I gathered all my strength, which is why I ended up like this.”

“Yes, and now you’re lying flat on the floor. You said you would surpass my imagination, and you certainly did.”

“What do you mean?”

“I never imagined that a young lady would show me the sight of lying flat on the floor, drenched in sweat, in front of me today. Congratulations.”

Yuria felt like she could die from how annoying he was as he even lightly clapped.

Indeed, even if it was in front of her fiancé, the appearance she was showing now was not one that a noble family’s… especially a ducal house’s young lady should show.

The sight of her ample breasts, visible even through her clothes, moving up and down as she breathed would have particularly embarrassed a modest young lady.

But as she aspired to be a swordswoman, Yuria didn’t cry or feel embarrassed over something like this.

If she had time to cry, she would rather swing her sword one more time—that was her principle.

But she was irritated.

“Ugh, oh God. I will definitely land a hit on that person.”

“Last time, you said you would kill me and go to heaven?”

“Ah, come on! You really are annoying!”

Yuria finally raised her upper body as soon as her stamina recovered somewhat.

And as she slowly fixed her hair, Theodore, who had been quietly watching her, said:

“Anger becomes a motivation for goals, and at least you have one clear motivation, both then and now.”

At Theodore’s words, Yuria smiled with a satisfied expression.

“Hehe, of course. Nothing changes even though I came here. My dream has always been to become a swordswoman whose name is known throughout the continent, and my wish has always been to definitely land a hit on you!”

“Yes, whatever works. Dreams should be big as long as they’re not impossible, and wishes typically ask for things that cannot be fulfilled.”

“…I think it would be better if you had only said the first part.”

“If you’re frustrated, prove me wrong. I’ll give you as much time as you need.”

At those words, Yuria looked at him with slightly widened eyes.

“As much as I need?”

“Yes. Since I’ve decided to teach you, I’ll raise your skills until you can truly become a swordswoman whose name is known throughout the continent.”

And Theodore added one more thing.

“And there’s one more thing. You’ve already shown that you surpass my imagination.”

“What?”

“You’re a much more interesting woman than I thought. To the point where I’m interested.”