episode_0062

“Stop lying. On the first day of school at the training ground, and every time we crossed paths, weren’t you always busy running away? I don’t understand why you save me only to run off.”

“….”

Why is that knowing person chasing after you?

I was at a loss for what answer to give.

After a long silence, I finally spoke up.

“…There are circumstances. I can’t afford to stand out unnecessarily within the academy. I didn’t run away from you on purpose.”

“Was that it….”

Suddenly, Aria nodded her head slightly.

“….! What, what are you doing?”

As I hesitated and took a step back in embarrassment, Aria continued with her head bowed.

“I won’t pry into your reasons. However, I’ve wanted to express my gratitude to you all along.”

“….”

“If it weren’t for you, I might have faced some kind of trouble with Gryphon back then. Whatever your reasons were, you’re my benefactor. If you want something, tell me. I want to listen.”

Tell her anything.

I would like to speak quickly and get out of this situation, but I couldn’t think of anything specific.

I am a nobleman’s daughter.

Aria is the young lady of a viscount.

Apart from political elements, there is almost nothing materialistic I can gain.

…Wait, how about an Engdan?

An Engdan is not monetary or political; it’s a materialistic element that doesn’t fall under politics.

The Silvesta family is an honorable sword-wielding family. The Brace Viscount may have a stockpile of efficient Engdan for non-swordsmen.

I cautiously asked Aria, “Do you also have the Azure Dragon Division?”

“The Azure Dragon Division? We do have it, but….”

Aria raised her head, looking puzzled.

That makes sense. The Azure Dragon Division is the highest-grade Engdan needed for 5-star swordsmen.

If consumed by those below the 5-star level, they lack the ability to absorb all the internal components of the Azure Dragon Division, rendering it merely a good tonic for the body.

However, that’s strictly following conventional methods.

With a slight trickery, even those below the 5-star level can absorb almost all the components of the Engdan. I knew that method.

“By any chance… have you reached the 5-star level?”

As expected, she asked me.

“No, but I need that Engdan. Is that not possible?”

“That’s not it! I am the sole young lady of the Silvesta family. It’s easy to access the valuable warehouse within the family!”

“Is that so? Then I’ll take it and leave. Done. I don’t owe anything here anymore.”

“Uh, um…?”

I smiled at Aria and quickly left the spot as if fleeing.

“Wait a moment…!”

But she grabbed one of my arms with both of hers, stopping me in my tracks.

“Why?”

“No… is this really the end?”

What is this, clinging desperately like separated lovers?

“As long as you provide the Engdan, I don’t owe anything. Right?”

“Well, that’s true… but.”

She still had her arms crossed, with a subtly hopeful look in her eyes.

What does she want from me?

‘….!’

In that moment, it dawned on me.

The fact that this guy is obsessed with swords to the point of giving chills.

Thinking back, it was the same with Gryphon. He nearly died trying to spar against a monster twice his strength until I saved him.

I had displayed my use of Ora during the tournament and unintentionally set a record of defeating in 29 seconds during the second test.

…Aria was targeting me as a sparring partner and prey because of that.

Swiftly, I released myself from Aria’s clasped arms and said, “I’ll just pass on the Engdan. That’s it for now.”

“Wait a moment!”

This time, Aria embraced me from behind.

Surprised, my face flushed, and I exclaimed, “W-what are you doing!”

“Your strength…! Can’t you pass some of it on to me?”

“No!!”

“I haven’t even mentioned how I would pass it on yet!”

“If it’s not allowed, then no!!”

Absolutely not.

As far as I knew, before the possession, the madman Gongja Sian had reached out to Lucy, Ellis, and even Aria.

Before the possession, Sian hadn’t touched Hedy due to Hedy’s strong aura, and there seemed to be no connection with Cain so far, which is why he was kept close.

Aria, Lucy, and Ellis were different.

If they were kept too close, it would surely reveal my true identity to everyone, including Cain.

“It’s not allowed!!”

“Why! Why is that?!”

“Stop beating around the bush and just go! There are strong people who can teach, you know!”

“Aren’t those people Swordmasters?! It would definitely be rude to challenge someone to a duel recklessly!”

“So, challenging someone to a duel was your intention all along?! And isn’t what you’re doing to me rude?!”

“I, I don’t know…!”

“This crazy woman!!”

It was at that moment when they were in the middle of their struggle.

“Aria…?”

A voice could be heard.

It was Lucy Amelia.

She was slowly approaching us as we struggled.

“Is that Sian over there…? What are you two doing right now?”

“Oh! Lucy!”

Aria greeted her warmly while still hugging me tightly from behind.

“Here is my friend from the swordsmanship department! Say hello!”

“Who said we’re friends!”

“Friends…?”

Lucy, who had come closer, looked puzzled as she spoke to Aria.

“Was Aria also a friend of Sian?”

“…! What, was Lucy also a friend of Sian?”

Things seemed to be taking an odd turn.

As I struggled to break free from Aria’s bear hug, this guy’s strength just wouldn’t let up.

Sensing my desire to break free, Lucy, who seemed to have noticed, pulled Aria away from me and said, “Aria, let go of Sian for now and talk…! He doesn’t like it!”

“N-no! If I let go, he’ll definitely run away again!”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

With Lucy joining forces, Aria, who was hanging onto me like a koala, finally fell off my back.

I felt sorry for Lucy, but as soon as I got free, I immediately unleashed the 36 Stances of the Heavenly Demon Technique and swiftly ran away from there.

“No…! Stop right there!!”

Aria’s voice shouting from behind could be heard, but I didn’t look back and just kept running.

*

Several days after the end of the second exam and the incident with the villains.

It was night.

Cain was alone in a forest on the outskirts far from the academy, encountering goblins.

“Kieak, kieeak.”

“Kieak-!”

“….”

Now that he had reached the third level, gaining practical experience in real combat was more effective than honing his swordsmanship in the training hall.

So, while everyone was asleep, Cain was secretly training during those hours.

“Kieak!”

A goblin wielding a wooden club lunged at Cain.

Cain easily dodged the club and swiftly sliced the goblin’s throat.

-Swish.

Excited by his victory, another goblin, holding a staff, began chanting a spell.

It was a low-level fire magic, Fireball. Before the goblin could finish casting the spell, Cain quickly dispatched it as well, wiping the blood off his sword.

-Thud.

Then Cain looked up at the sky, lost in thought.

“….”

He recalled what had happened last time.

“Get lost! I don’t know what you heard, but none of it is true, and I have no obligation to tell you!”

The conversation he overheard from a group of thugs while walking with Ellis.

Approaching the group to ask about the truth of the conversation, the apparent leader seemed to be trying to twist the story Cain had overheard.

“Ugh.”

They had clearly stated that the person who defeated Ignis in 29 seconds during the second exam was the madman Gongja Sian, the same person as Sian.

In the first semester of his freshman year, he was persistently tormented by himself, continuously harassed by a lunatic named Sian who he liked and trusted.

At first, Cain couldn’t believe what he heard in passing. However, the delinquent group seemed to be from the Brace Kingdom, not the Riana Empire.

If that were the case, their words would not have been in vain and dismissed.

“Kyaek!”

“Kyaek! Kyaeeek!”

“Kyaaaah!”

Without a moment’s rest, a horde of goblins and a troll, a superior breed of goblin, fiercely charged at Cain.

Enraged, Cain unexpectedly rushed at them.

Silently wielding a steel sword, he unleashed his emotions without words, wildly swinging the blade.

-Swish, wicked, thud!

-Crack! Thud. Thump.

In less than five minutes,

Cain had cut down, stabbed, and slain all the creatures that came at him.

Standing solemnly over their corpses, he did not bother wiping the blood splattered on his face, instead plunging back into contemplation.

…The lunatic Sian who tormented him.

Upon hearing that his scholarship was damaged, he thought he would soon drop out and firmly believed he would. But he returned as a completely different person.

During the tournament, he displayed prowess, and during the second exam, he exhibited unbelievable physical speed. It was a movement impossible without using magic.

Moreover, now Aria had started obsessing over him. Rumor has it that Lucy even went to visit him out of concern after he was attacked by a villain following the second exam.

Lunatic Sian. Is all this part of his scheme?

The one who tormented him persistently, is his goal to come back stronger than him and take away all the friends by his side?

Cain trembled with anger.

“Why are you tormenting me like this?”

Even his only hope of becoming a hero was fading in his mind because of his strength.

A merchant family looking down on him, ignoring him, hitting him whenever they remembered.

Now they were even trying to take away his friends.

Due to his own powerlessness, feelings of inferiority that quietly resided in a corner of his heart began to stir.

Such a family wouldn’t have good people who trained as diligently as he did.

Surely, after eating the family’s given seed and fixing the scholarship, they would have provided all kinds of support.

Achieving everything solely through talent and wealth in his bloodline.

With strength obtained without any effort or arduous experience, they were now trying to torment him once again.

…Cain’s mind began to fill with all sorts of unhappy thoughts.

“It’s an unfair… world. Why do only the upper nobles have such power…”

With a stern expression, Cain muttered quietly.

That’s when it happened.

From the forest where he thought he was alone, footsteps resembling those of a human began to sound faintly.

Eventually, the footsteps drew closer to Cain, and as the owner revealed themselves, they spoke to him.

“It is an unfair world indeed. I agree with that sentiment.”

“W-who are you!”

Cautious, Cain raised his sword, assuming a defensive stance.

It was a mysterious man wearing what seemed like tattered robes turned inside out.