A battlefield has been laid out between Ashtar and me.
Just five minutes ago, I thought I should avoid getting involved… but it’s rare to have a chance to spar with someone I could rationalize losing against, so I accepted it.
Of course, I’m kidding.
I have no intention of losing, nor do I think I will.
The reason I accepted is simple.
I believe he’s stronger than me and ranks higher.
In this academy, there are very few students ranking higher than me.
Third-year Fabiana and second-year Ashtar.
From what I hear, Hurd, who wields a sword, seems to be at least 6th Rank, and the side branch of Eustetia I haven’t met yet, Persio Eustetia, is also said to be 6th Rank.
So by that count, there are about four.
It seems there are around ten others at 5th Rank like me, but they’re not really my competition.
Most likely, it’ll all boil down to Yurasia. And I’ll defeat Yurasia using only my right hand.
Well… once we get into the actual fight, Yurasia’s movements will likely change, but still, I won’t lose.
Anyway, before the sparring begins, I told Ashtar it’s fine to use ideation.
In fact, I asked him to use it.
It’s partly to show Yurasia, but I’m also curious. Lately, I haven’t had a proper experience of ideation from those younger than me.
Leona and Flame Sovereign never displayed their ideation even once.
Fabiana won’t spar with me.
Sara says if she does, she’ll get scolded by mom and dad.
Mom and dad? They won’t let me either.
The only one I’ve seen is the Dark Mage Samaela.
Her ideation… it was the ideation of a Dark Mage, and since it had a tangible form, it was easier to deal with.
But Mages and Martial Artists are different.
Personally, I feel that a Martial Artist using ideation is trickier to handle than a Mage of the same level.
So I told him to go for it.
Also, I was curious about my own capability. After all, opportunities to fight with someone of a higher level without risking my life are not that frequent.
Moreover, I’m a noble lady of a Duke’s Family.
The only people who could come at me without hesitation would be members of the Grand Duke’s House or Imperial Family.
“Hmm… Are you sure you’re okay, junior?”
“It’s just a wooden sword, not a real one, so what’s the worst that could happen?”
“But this is a Northern Wooden Sword…? One that can easily break a person’s head…”
“Just because you have it doesn’t mean you’re going to smash my head with it.”
“Oh my, oh my. We just met today, and you trust me too much, don’t you?”
Despite saying that, Ashtar smiled broadly as if he was in a good mood.
“Uhm… I’ve never seen a bad person among those who like Ronan.”
“Ahaha!”
I felt a bit hesitant thinking about that crazy girl Hilde… but surely such tastes wouldn’t carry down to distant descendants.
Having finished preparing, I lightly bounced on my toes, causing my twin tails tied at either side to sway.
My body feels light. Although I’m a bit hungry from not eating, it serves as decent stimulation.
Ashtar also looks well.
Could it be that he’s excited for the spar after a long time? I can sense he’s itching to move quickly.
He certainly took after his ancestors for his love of swordplay.
“I’m ready, how about you, junior?”
“I’m done too.”
“Then can you give the signal, Yurasia?”
“Yes, understood.”
Yurasia, wearing a serious expression rather than her usual carefree smile, stood to the right of the training grounds.
“Once the bell rings three times, we’ll begin.”
Ashtar gripped his wooden sword with one hand.
His stance isn’t bad. But it seems swordplay isn’t his main focus. There are openings.
Openings? No, that’s intentional bait.
Entering there would end the spar in an instant.
Clang-
I examined it all closely.
Muscles that respond to my gaze catch my attention. Noticing my gaze, Ashtar flashed a bright smile with his crimson eyes.
Ignoring his expression, I analyzed the shape of her muscles in detail.
Sword, spear, axe, hammer… shield, and fingers like a bow.
Well, well.
Clang-
It feels like she can handle just about any weapon. Among those, she likely relies most on… the spear.
If she wields that long weapon with her lanky body, she’ll be quite a bothersome opponent.
So, the ideation?
Clang-
When the last bell rang, I set my thoughts aside.
I’ll figure it out as we go.
*
Ashtar stared at the small girl standing opposite him.
Her pink hair bloomed like cherry blossoms, and her eyes seemed to hold spring itself.
Her tightly pursed cute lips and her prominent nose harmonize with her large eyes.
Her delicate shoulders, peeking out from an oversized cardigan, are so frail and soft that they’d seem to snap with just a wrong move.
It’s not just her shoulders.
The entire body of the girl is small and fragile.
Eliaernes Eustetia.
Rumor has it within the academy that she’s quite the disgraceful noble lady.
In the childish chatter among them, she vied for the top spot alongside the first candidate in the academy’s five great beauty rankings (the rankings of beauties are different, of course).
A girl wrapped in the atmosphere of cherry blossoms that can only be seen in the very short time of spring, when all flowers bloom.
The place she passes leaves a refreshing scent of mint, which now carries a sweet fragrance as well.
Her appearance is unrivaled, glowing like the purest light.
But inside, it’s a different story.
Her speech is coarser than seasoned mercenaries that have seen twenty years of battle.
Her malicious actions toy with the tails of speechless beastmen.
She swears freely and wields violence nonchalantly with a ruthless personality.
She even acts without hesitation towards the Empire’s princess, Silina de Herman.
Behind her are the first-year valedictorian and runner-up.
The valedictorian Yurasia always has a warm smile but emits a lethal aura when something goes wrong with Eliaernes.
The runner-up Stella Behrhaigen might be considered a bit silly for the daughter of a marquis, but she’s still a famous genius among Mages.
Such rumors.
Of course, Ashtar didn’t believe those.
Rumors are only rumors, after all.
Just at the beginning of the semester, poor rumors about Hurd and himself were circulating as well.
The source of those rumors was the academy’s community. Thus, Ashtar chose not to believe any of them.
But moments ago…
Despite so many witnesses, she spoke casually to senior Hurd using profanity, and attempted to throw punches… it made Ashtar’s heart waver slightly.
Could it be that… those rumors are true?
At the start of the semester, there was an incident where she cursed at the Vice Headmaster, afterwards being called in for a personal talk.
Then she summoned the second-year students who had made her feel unpleasant and gave them a hard time.
On the first day of school, she glared fiercely at her homeroom professor, Adelia, tore the schedule she handed out to shreds… and then got called in again for a personal discussion.
And every Friday afternoon, she disappears from classes and vanishes from the academy, only to later end up committing horrendous deeds outside the academy using the power of her house.
Such absurd tales.
Yet, still… her earlier actions added credibility to the absurd rumors.
Even so, for now.
Ashtar doesn’t believe the rumors about Eliaernes. He doesn’t, but still intends to give her a harsh lesson.
Still, calling a senior a crazy fool, dog, motherf*&%er, balls-ugly ogre was a bit much, wasn’t it?
No matter how much they all like Ronan, this issue cannot be brushed aside.
In the academy, the only people who can discipline Eliaernes are van Chaser and those of the Imperial Family.
So he proposed the spar, and Eliaernes accepted willingly.
Here, Ashtar felt a twinge of guilt.
His reasons for wanting to spar were impure, and he felt he was deceiving Eliaernes.
So he planned to finish the spar suitably and then sincerely apologize for his thoughts.
To do that, he must win the spar.
Naturally, he never considered the idea of losing.
His victory is a given.
A Martial Artist at 5th Rank versus a Swordman at 6th Rank. Even at the same level, the swordsman has the edge due to the rank discrepancy.
There was not a single thought in his mind that he would lose.
But then.
“Senior, were you perhaps distracted?”
Thud, he fell on his backside.
“…Uh. Huh?”
Ashtar blinked and looked up.
Eliaernes, pouting her lips in discontent, stood there.
Her expression was frowning, but resembling a little kitten throwing a fit, it wasn’t scary at all.
On the contrary, it was cute.
But that cute girl’s punch…
Drip. Blood flowed from his nose.
Just that slight graze caused blood to flow.
Was it just his nose that got hit?
No.
Ashtar felt the aching areas and replayed the earlier spar in his mind.
It was Eliaernes that moved first.
Her speed was faster than expected. However, it was not enough to get away from him. No matter how much he may have let his guard down, it was unbelievable for Ashtar, who had opened the merchant association to see another world.
Thus, he responded.
He swung the wooden sword back, planted his feet, and when he swung it high, he sensed a slight resistance, like cutting through flowing stream waters.
Then his arm was caught.
When? No, how?
There was no sequence to it. Yet, he was caught.
And then tripped over.
In the process, her punch hit his ribs, an elbow struck his abdomen, her fist grazed his nose, and the toe of her foot skimmed under his chin.
In that single instant.
Before Ashtar, whose leg was caught, fell on his backside.
Eliaernes landed four hits.
Moreover, before he could topple over, she even lightly caught his body to cushion his fall.
He realized all that only now, as he reflected on the spar.
At that moment, he hadn’t even felt it.
“Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”
With a slightly pouty yet lively voice, Eliaernes asked.
“If I’m not feeling well, we can do it another time.”
“…No, no. Actually… I was careless. I thought I could win without using ideation…”
Her cute lips pushed out more.
To add to that, her cheeks puffed up a little.
Has she still not lost her baby fat?
“Well… that’s understandable. I mean, I’m 6th Rank, while you’re just 5th Rank.”
“I didn’t mean to underestimate you… sorry.”
“I must blame myself for being weak, who else could I blame?”
Grumbling, Eliaernes reached out her hand toward the still-seated Ashtar.
“Still, if you’re apologizing, then this time, please go all out. Feel free to use ideation, and, well… you can use whatever weapon you’re confident with. You’re more accustomed to a spear than a sword, right?”
“…Ahahaha.”
Ashtar smiled at her words, as if she had already perceived his main weapon.
“Yeah… I really should go all out this time.”
Otherwise, he might not even be able to touch a single hair on her.
With that thought, Ashtar grasped her soft, delicate hand that reached towards him.
“Yes, I look forward to this next time.”
Eliaernes’ slightly damp hand felt a bit clammy, small, and tender.
