episode_0187

Chapter 6 Episode 43 – Couplet

When the sunset starts to hide your face. In front of the lodgings where knights returning from the East Continent were temporarily staying, a man and a woman stood pointing wooden swords at each other.

“It’s been a while since we sparred like this. Judging by your still worried expression, it seems like you haven’t found the answer on the Eastern Continent either, is that right?”

Raphael, a man with blond hair and neat clothes but who looked flashy due to his handsome appearance, asked a question.

“I found someone who might give me the answer.”

To this, Filia, a woman who looked a bit dull because she had short black hair and was wearing plain black activewear, but who exuded a noble aura thanks to her beautiful appearance, responded.

“By any chance is that man’s name Siegfried?”

“Oh. Do you know each other?”

Philia was surprised to learn that Raphael knew Zeke.

Filia did not know that Raphael was in full charge of the Pixie Management Bureau, where Zeke was the director. Of course, even if she had known, she would have been surprised.

Contrary to her appearance, she has a very fierce personality.

“……As expected. My prediction was correct.”

Raphael nodded to himself.

He believes that Zeke is a secret agent trained by the government to control superhumans.

The past is also unclear.

The behavior is also unreasonable.

He also established an unidentified organization called the Pixie Management Bureau.

The fact that the Prime Minister is showing favoritism to the extent that it is suspicious.

He also has an unrealistically handsome appearance.

Everything looked suspicious. To the point where it would be more realistic to not be a secret agent.

Meanwhile, Philia also started to become involved with Zeke. I couldn’t help but have doubts.

“……Zeek decided to teach me. Don’t take it away.”

“I thought about it before… Philia, you need to be more careful with your remarks. And I have no intention of taking it away. I’m just trying to get you away from me.”

“Ah… . Could it be that I’m the one in the way?”

“What does that mean?”

“I heard it from Liza. In this world, even men love each other. But Zeke already has Rupiah’s –.”

“It’s not like that.”

Raphael sighs.

I knew it before, but Philia’s thinking is on a different level from that of ordinary people. Therefore, the more common sense a person has, the more their mental strength is eroded while talking to Philia.

“If you want strength, I will teach you. So don’t get involved with that guy.”

“……The one they were targeting was me. Sorry, I never saw you as anything more than a friend. So let’s continue to be good friends.”

widely-. Raphael held his forehead in his hands.

Philia, who was looking at that, tilted her head and said.

“Liza said that if you receive a confession, you should reject it like this. Was it conveyed correctly?”

“I understand that my words were not heard at all.”

Sigh –.

Raphael swung his wooden sword and drew an appropriately sized circle on the floor.

“Still, it’s much better now that we’re making strange jokes than in the past when we had no humanity. Are you on good terms with that high-ranking knight named Liza?”

“Yes. Good friend. Thanks to Liza, I became closer to other colleagues.”

“Then I need to become stronger. To protect your friends.”

Philia nodded with a solemn expression.

“The rules are the same as before. If you step outside the circle, you are eliminated. However, I am safe if I return within 5 seconds. Since it is purely based on swordsmanship, a handicap of this level is necessary.”

“I like that.”

Jump, jump, jump –. Philia entered the circle drawn by Raphael. And after facing each other for a moment, they immediately raised their wooden swords and rushed at each other without even knowing who would go first.

The sparring between the two continued for quite a long time.

Since the sparring is purely based on swordsmanship without any reinforcement using gifts or arcs, Filia is bound to be significantly superior. However, as befits his position as a special engineer, Raphael did not just accept it.

Percussion –!

Nevertheless, the result, as always, was Filia’s victory as Raphael lost his wooden sword. There was no surprise.

“Movement has gotten better.”

“Because I kept training.”

Raphael picked up the wooden sword he had lost and handed it to Filia.

“It looks like it’s still not enough.”

“Yes. Because I need to become stronger.”

“There is no one in the empire who can teach you swordsmanship anymore. You need to become stronger in other ways than swordsmanship.”

“But I don’t have any gifts and I don’t have much Arc.”

“That is unknown. The Gift is something you are born with, but no one knows when it will awaken. Above all, your arc is by no means small. It’s just that you can’t use it properly because of some problem you have.”

“Problem? What is the problem?”

“Well, I will let you know if you decide not to get involved with that guy.”

Philia became sullen. Of course, her facial expression changed little, so the corners of her mouth and the corners of her eyes were only slightly saggy.

“I have no intention of getting married yet.”

“How long are you going to keep telling that weird joke? Stop it now.”

“……Yes. Sorry.”

Raphael sighed.

Raphael has never been able to leave Philia alone.

Although Philia has calmed down a bit since her trip to the East Continent, she still has a desperate obsession for power. And the desire for revenge and disgust for the helpless self that was buried inside him was fluctuating.

And seeing Filia like that, Raphael felt a sense of kinship.

There was a time when I was obsessed with revenge and disgust.

Maybe the reason Raphael can’t leave her alone is because he’s projecting his past self.

“Have you still not escaped the trauma of the past?”

“……”

“I’ve said it many times, but it’s not your fault.”

“If you’re going to say that, I’ll go back.”

Raphael shouted at Philia, who was trying to avoid conversation.

“The culprit is not you, but the old knight who neglected his duty!”

“Don’t call the teacher a sinner!”

In response, Philia also shouted.

It’s not often that she reacts so passionately. She only reacts like this when mentioning Philia’s past, especially the precious people she lost.

“He’s a teacher… . Because of that man’s irresponsibility, you became an orphan overnight. The reason he took you in and taught you how to use a sword was to ease his guilt. Do you really think he is your benefactor?”

“……”

Philia glared at Raphael with her mouth closed.

She knows too. That the teacher is responsible for the death of his family. However, since her teacher was also like her family, she did not want to blame her teacher.

“The fault is mine. Because I am helpless… . I couldn’t protect my family because I didn’t have the strength.”

“What power does a child of just 8 years old have to protect his family? Don’t you know very well that it’s just a rationalization to ignore the inconvenient truth?”

“……I don’t know. I don’t want to hear it. I’m going in.”

Philia turned her back. To return to the accommodation.

However, upon hearing the sound of a sword being drawn coming from behind her, Philia also reflexively pulled out her sword.

“It’s been a while since we met. Shouldn’t we try sparring with a real sword?”

“……I don’t like it.”

“If you don’t like it, feel free to go back. I will cut as much as I want.”

Crackling –.

Philia bit her lip hard. So much so that blood bursts out.

Raphael has already taken his stance. Philia knew better than anyone else that he was sincere. So, Philia had no choice but to take a stance.

“Until the opponent becomes incapable of combat. Other than that, there are no rules.”

“……Do whatever you want.”

Philia was offended by Raphael’s words and actions, but deep down, she also wanted to know how much she had grown.

Compared to the sparring I did before going to the East Continent, I wonder how much more I can fight.

Philia increased her concentration. To give a big blow to the annoying man in front of me.

*

“There was a lot of noise outside, so I wondered what was going on… . What on earth did you do to become this mess?”

“…Sparring.”

“Ha… . I can’t live.”

Liza came out of the dorm and sighed when she saw Philia lying on the floor.

I returned from the East Continent and took quite a long vacation, but instead of resting, I ended up getting injured. Liza had a headache.

“Did you spar with Raphael?”

“……Yes.”

“That person really doesn’t know moderation.”

Liza helped Philia up and stood her up. Perhaps because her legs had lost strength, Philia could not stand properly. Liza had no choice but to give her a piggyback ride.

“So. Did you give me a hit?”

“…No. I couldn’t even get close to it properly.”

“Because the captain and Raphael are not compatible.”

Philia has a complicated expression. The fact that she, who is always fierce, makes an expression like this means that she has something really serious to worry about.

“What happened?”

Liza asked cautiously, but Philia shook her head.

It doesn’t mean it’s not there, it just means I don’t want to talk about it. Normally, I wouldn’t have asked any more questions. But things were different now.

Liza passed Philia’s quarters and headed to her own room.

“I passed my room… .”

“The captain is going to sleep with me today.”

“…I don’t like it.”

“It’s no use if you don’t like it. Because I decided that way. How are you going to wash and sleep by yourself when you don’t even have the strength to get up in the first place?”

“……I can do it somehow… .”

Liza entered the room and put Philia in the bathtub. As if he was thinking of finishing all the laundry at once, he just sprayed water on Filia, who was still wearing her clothes.

As soon as the dust fell, I plugged the drain in the bathtub and started filling it with warm water.

While the water level was rising, I tried to take off Philia’s clothes, but Philia seemed to want to do that on her own, so she whined and threw off her wet clothes.

“I’ll wash your hair, so lean here.”

Liza washes Philia’s hair, which is hanging on the bathtub railing.

“It hurts… .”

“Be patient. Because it’s good for scalp health.”

I didn’t forget to massage it by pressing it with my fingers.

The two people, who had become soft, surrendered themselves to the bed. Since she was so tired, it would have been normal for her to fall asleep quickly, but Philia’s mind was so busy that she couldn’t fall asleep easily.

Liza noticed this and asked.

“What are you thinking like that?”

“……Nothing.”

“It’s nothing. Usually, when I lie down, I fall asleep right away. I keep tossing and turning, so I get worried and can’t sleep.”

“Then we can sleep separately.”

“Sseu-eup. Blow fast. Because after talking, you will feel at ease.”

“……Just because of what happened in the past.”

A thing of the past.

Everything Liza knows about Philia’s past is only sketchy.

Even when I carefully asked him to tell me about his past, he always refused. I believed that someday, when the time came, he would open his heart.

“…Philia. Now I want you to tell me slowly. What happened in the past. You know that just keeping it inside isn’t the answer.”

“……”

“You don’t trust me? Or maybe you need more time… ?”

Liza’s hand went up to Philia’s shoulder. Philia could feel the small warmth of that hand spreading throughout her body.

We’ve known each other for a long time.

We can definitely say that we are best friends.

Liza and Philia had that kind of relationship.

However, Philia did not fully open her heart to Liza.

This was because he did not want to have a deep relationship with Liza, and ironically, it meant that he valued Liza that much.

“I… . scared… . If it gets any closer… . I’m afraid you’ll lose too… .”

“What does that mean… ? Why do you think so… ?”

That’s right, because everyone I was close to died.

Philia swallowed the words she couldn’t bear to say.

Pressing down on something so huge that it took my breath away.