episode_0039

Because the commercial complex surrounding the academy was densely packed with all sorts of facilities, finding a place to stay for the time being was not very difficult.

Compared to the luxurious mansion owned by Serion, it was a humble dwelling, but I wasn’t the type to fuss over such things anyway, and considering my current situation, it didn’t matter much.

I commuted to the academy just on my own two feet, without a carriage.

“Hey, look over there, it’s that Seraphina.”

“Oh? You’re right.”

“Even after that, she has the nerve to come to the academy. Isn’t she ashamed?”

“Shh! Even if she looks like that, she’s still of the Serion family..! And if those rumors are true…”

“That she’s going to be one of the concubines of that top student, Mark Visus? Sigh… After being so utterly disgraced, is it still true that if you just have well-connected parents, you won’t starve?”

“Right? Plus, her partner is Mark. I truly wish I could be a concubine too and live a life of ease. I’m so jealous, so jealous.”

As I step into the academy, all sorts of unpleasant noises reach my ears.

These are the thoughts of scoundrels who haven’t properly grasped the situation and have just understood things as they pleased.

Rather than debating what’s right and wrong, they just need a toy to amuse themselves with to vent their immediate feelings, and this time, I’ve simply become their target.

There’s no need to care deeply, nor to listen closely.

However, it was still true that I didn’t feel good.

It wasn’t that I was the type to cling to my authority or reputation, but because I was feeling the reality of my current situation more acutely – having fallen so low as to be looked down upon by such vulgar individuals.

To think I’d end up like this overnight.

Shaking off the杂 thoughts, I moved my steps towards the place where Ropel was likely to be.

As the practice duel exam at the end of the semester approaches, the overall class times at the academy are shortened, or classes are often cancelled altogether.

This is to encourage students’ free self-study and training.

Ropel must also be training to prepare for the duel with Mark a month from now.

However, because he’s involved with me, he probably can’t be in crowded places either.

He surely won’t be able to use the publicly available training grounds, and the gym, which is still under renovation, is also clearly unusable.

Leaving the harsh stares of contempt felt from the surroundings behind me, I first walked towards the building of the Magic Department.

. . .

The place where I found Ropel was an empty lot behind the academy, belonging to the old academy building that is not used now.

This place, discovered and told to me by Elizier Gremlina, was practically a ruin, overgrown with various weeds and grasses, and having been left unmanaged for a long time.

However, there was a lot of empty space, so it might not be bad for training magic.

In such a place, Ropel was moving his body violently back and forth, unleashing various magic spells into the air using different methods.

He was in a semi-naked state, sweating like rain all over his body, gasping for breath.

Although I wasn’t knowledgeable about magic, I knew this kind of training method.

Just as muscles tear and then form thicker and stronger muscles than before, it is a method of squeezing out magic power to the limit to forcefully increase the capacity of its vessel.

Recently, this training method is not practiced because it is considered brute force and dangerous, but it was also a method typical of Ropel.

But… in this state, I wonder if he can train by dueling with me.

Just as I was having that thought, our eyes met.

“Ah, you’ve arrived, Seraphina. I was training my magic while waiting.”

He wiped the sweat from his body with a towel and approached me.

“Sorry I’m late, the way here isn’t familiar, so it took a little longer.”

“It’s alright, that can happen.

Ah! This is the friend who’s helping me this time. It’s embarrassing, but unlike my father, I’m not good at magic at all.

She’s a precious friend who’s given me various help with magic.”

“This way?”

I looked beside him and saw a girl with freckles on the bridge of her nose, who had been there somehow.

Her presence was so faint and discreet that I, being a martial artist, hadn’t noticed her, which surprised me.

Thinking about it, she seemed to have been in my line of sight when I was far away, so why didn’t I notice her?

“Hello. My name is □Iru, Me□ru □□□□.

Ropel’s friend… I guess you could say.”

The first thing that caught my eye was her freckles.

Of course, they weren’t excessive or off-putting, giving her a youthful and friendly impression, far removed from that of a noble.

Rather, she had a beautiful face that could be considered quite a beauty.

Also, her hair was tied in pigtails, and she had black hair and black eyes like Ropel, giving them a subtly similar impression.

Ah… Nice to meet you, Mei□ □□□□, I am…”

“I know. Seraphina Serion-nim. Aren’t you the other main character of the rumors?

You don’t need to introduce yourself.”

“…Is that so.”

“Also, you recklessly involved Ropel in your family’s affairs and put him in danger.”

“Wait, Mei□ru! I told you last time, this time I was the one who got involved first!

Don’t talk to Seraphina like that!”

“No, there is some truth to what she says.”

Her attitude felt subtly cold and chilly.

□□□□… I feel like I’ve seen such a family name somewhere before…

Something very important… I remember reading it in a history book… but I just can’t recall it.

Well, it probably isn’t important information, so I shouldn’t worry about it too much.

Right now, I just need to express my gratitude to her for helping Ropel, even if just a little.

“…By the way, it’s a woman again…”

Honestly, the person who visited the dormitory last time was also a woman, and this time it’s also a woman.

Does he have something that attracts the opposite sex?

Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m jealous.

Never, absolutely not.

“Huh? What did you just say?”

“It was nothing.

Well then, shall we begin the training… the special training right now?”

“Of course! Naturally. Right now is fine.”

“…What did you say? Ropel! What do you mean by that?”

Mei□ru □□□□ shouted as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Uh… Huh? Did I say something strange?”

“Of course you did! You were doing such hard training just now, and you want to go straight into a duel without any rest at all!

Leaving aside anything else, a lot of fatigue is accumulated in your body, and something big might happen later!

For now, you should rest even just a little bit…”

“Indeed, that might be the case. From what I see, you were forcefully increasing the amount of your vessel by squeezing out your magic power to the limit.

If you strain your body in this situation, it will be harmful instead.

It would be better to take some rest.”

“How can I rest when time is of the essence…”

“What can we do? While resting your body, you’ll have to obtain theoretical information with your mind.

Then first, I will show you the Serion swordsmanship before you.”

In the end, he agreed with my words and Mei□ru’s, and sat down.

Conversely, I stood up, held the greatsword with both hands, adjusted my stance, and pointed the blade towards the sky.

And taking the postures corresponding to each stance of the Serion swordsmanship, I continued various derivative movements in different ways, swinging the greatsword.

Originally, I should have shown each action slowly and sequentially, but because I needed to consider applying it in actual combat right now, the actions were done so quickly and concisely that the eyes could barely follow.

Thanks to that, my swordsmanship demonstration could end quickly.

“…I showed it a bit quickly, but this is roughly it. If you think of any countermeasures suited for each situation, I’d appreciate it if you could tell me.”

After this, I expected a not-so-short silence to descend, but unexpectedly, the answer came immediately.

And it wasn’t from Ropel, but from the mouth of the girl named Mei□ru, who was sitting beside him.

“First, there’s a slight opening in the second movement of the first stance you showed.

Since you, Seraphina, wouldn’t make a mistake, it’s probably an opening that is unavoidable in the swordsmanship itself.

If you aim for that part, you might be able to catch them off guard right at the start of the duel.”

“…! You noticed well. Indeed, that part is frequently pointed out, and the Serion family is also mindful of it.

To notice that immediately…!”

“There’s more. In the charging stance, your flank is particularly exposed.

Of course, if they directly aim in that direction, guarding isn’t difficult, but if they mix in a slight feint and attack, it will be hard to react.”

“Ah, I know that too. That method was quite effective when I dueled Seraphina last time.

Although it’s a method I only learned after losing to Seraphina dozens of times.”

“Yes, then next is the 5th stance…”

Eventually, she fluently listed the timings where weaknesses appeared in each stance and action.

As if she had known about that swordsmanship before.

Honestly, I hadn’t expected much from her.

I thought she was just a fellow student who had merely taught Ropel magic…

To think she would be able to find the countermeasures for Serion swordsmanship to this extent.

“…Wow, Mei□ru, you’re really amazing.

How do you know so well?

Could it be that you were interested in the Knight Department or something like that?”

“Oh..! Th…That’s not it. It’s just… somehow, after seeing it, I could understand it well, that’s all.”

“You are truly amazing. To think you could so easily spot weaknesses that only a handful within the family and knight order know about.

It’s hard to believe you’re a student of the Magic Department.

Tell me honestly, weren’t you actually aiming for the Knight Department?”

“…No. I just noticed it without realizing it myself.”

Anyway, after Ropel had sufficient rest, I tried applying Mei□ru’s advice in the actual training duel.

The result was indeed surprising.

Ropel was able to counter my attacks for a much longer time than before, when he had just charged at me recklessly.

Although it would be much harder if his opponent were Mark, who has superior skill than me.

It was clear that it would be effective for the future duel exam.

By the way, Mei□ru has been quiet for a while now.

I wanted to express my gratitude to her for thinking of countermeasures in such a short time.

She said she would tidy up in advance while Ropel and I were dueling.

Turning my gaze that way and happening to look at her, I was a little horrified by Mei□ru’s appearance.

I didn’t notice it when she came into my sight a few times earlier, but looking directly at her now, she was clutching the towel Ropel used to wipe his sweat as if it were precious.

Not only that, she was bringing her face close to it, or more accurately, pressing her face against it completely, and repeating deep breaths while blushing.

She was so engrossed that she didn’t notice me discovering this.

…She was probably doing this the whole time I was alone with Ropel, dueling him.

It’s fortunate that Ropel hasn’t noticed this right now.

Hmm… I see…

Honestly, I expected it, but this woman is also interested in Ropel, just like the two women I met yesterday…

Ahem…

Indeed, Ropel, this man is clearly going to experience serious problems related to women in the future.

Even without that, not a few women will be attracted to him because of his appearance…

I can only pity the countless women who will come to love this man in the future.