Lucia’s thrusts rushed towards me.
Thud!
“Kuk!”
At the same time as immense pain rushed from my abdomen.
The ground jerked up and smashed into me.
Physically impossible, you say?
No, it’s quite possible if you think a little differently.
…That’s right. My body collapsed.
As a result, my body smashed into the ground.
“What? Already over?”
Lucia poked my head with her wooden sword.
“Keke, not stopping the attack even on a fallen opponent. The reputation Lucia has built up until now will cry.”
“Is this an attack? It’s a life check.”
Aha, I see. So you do a life check by poking someone?
I learned one thing. I must use it next time.
“So, are you done?”
“Keke, I can go all day.”
“Your spirit is good. I hope your skills are too this time.”
As soon as she raised her sword, the duel started again.
The duel was difficult at first, but as I learned one by one, I gradually came to enjoy it.
However, that was also gradually reaching its limit.
It could be because I only lose every day, or because I feel the lack of progress myself, but the biggest reason sapping my motivation is…
‘I don’t see a way to clear the quest.’
The one-month period has already dwindled to just one week.
I discovered the secret hidden in the [Fleur Family Style] skill and raised my stats a bit, and I’ve become quite accustomed to the duels.
But forget finding a way to gain Lucia’s recognition, I couldn’t even find a small hint.
So it was only natural for me to feel frustrated.
Clack-! Clang!
It’s the same now. Lucia blocked my attack all too easily.
The tight schedule, the skills that don’t grow easily, the unseen path, the skin(?) becoming rough due to stress.
There are many problems, but recently, the biggest problem arose.
That I’ve come to think I will never be able to clear this quest.
The biggest problem.
“Lucid’s fifth secret technique, Sky…”
“Opening!”
Poof!
“Your movements are too big! I told you how many times, connect the techniques naturally! Will you fight like this in real combat?”
The big movement to use the technique, and Lucia’s blow that pierced through that gap.
Perhaps because I was hit in the solar plexus, I couldn’t even let out a groan of pain.
‘This is really too much. Be a little lenient! You’re an 8-star knight! What happened to when you said blocking is annoying and only dodged!’
That’s right. Lucia’s changed attitude.
This was the biggest problem.
Previously, she would swing her sword while yawning, and duel until my stamina ran out and I collapsed.
In other words, she used to go easy on me and teach through the duels.
But after the night she met Caron.
‘She changed.’
There was no more going easy. Each attack, each defense. There was no case of letting it slide easily anywhere.
Even if I wanted to duel for a long time, I would get hit and collapse, so I couldn’t fight for long.
‘Even her body got better.’
Her muscles became firmer and she lost a lot of weight.
To the extent that I could tell just by looking with my naked eye.
Just three days of training and such changes occur?
Then in 5 days, by the time of the pop quiz, what kind of monster will she become?
I don’t know the details, but one thing was clear.
‘That she will get even better than now.’
That much was certain.
‘It was good to have Lucia join the subjugation team, but…’
I didn’t expect it to cause a butterfly effect that would make the quest I’m working on even more difficult.
As expected, it’s a damn… no, the best game.
Should I say it’s a game like a nut that’s good for the body?
It’s good, so I’ll say it again. This game is really like a nut.
Even Lucia in front of my eyes is like a nut…!
“What are you thinking about?”
“Keke, I was thinking that Lucia is unchangingly beautiful even today. Should I say you’re like a nut.”
“…It somehow feels unpleasant, but I’ll let it slide for now. I’ll tell you in advance, I’m in charge of you during the pop quiz. It will be a test like real combat, so don’t let your guard down.”
As expected. The problem is, even if I get it right, it doesn’t feel good at all.
“Keke, then I guess the duel is the test? Are you sure it’s okay to reveal this information?”
“Well, whatever. It’s not like you’re someone who will fail in stages 1 and 2 anyway.”
“Still, shouldn’t you go a little easy on me? Our relationship isn’t that barren, is it?”
“What relationship do we have?”
“Keke, should I say a sticky relationship that shares a secret?”
“…A barren relationship like a desert is my taste.”
Is it because her attitude has changed? Even mental attacks don’t work.
If it were before, she would have been flustered and retreated.
“To think you’d try to crush an academy student with your full strength… It’s an honor. Of course, an honor I’ll receive after dying in this test.”
“I said it will be a test like real combat, not that I’ll fight like in real combat. I’ll adjust the passing criteria to your age, so don’t worry. Around a 5-star knight should do.”
5-star knight must be some dog’s name.
How many people have achieved the rank of 5-star knight at the age of fifteen?
“Why the face? I should at least do that much for you. Daike, he’s also a 5-star knight, right?”
Daike, Teron’s hunting dog.
He is indeed a 5-star knight.
‘He’s the sub-boss of Chapter 3! Of course his specs are high!’
But all I could do was pout.
Because the Lucia in front of me had reached 5-stars at the age of fourteen.
Lucia grabbed my mouth and moved it slightly left and right.
“It can’t be helped. It’s my belief that these things should be done strictly. Above all, there’s a bet at stake. So I have no choice but to do it properly.”
A bet.
The ‘trick’ I proposed to clear this quest.
If I surprise Lucia one more time, she will ‘recognize’ me as her disciple.
If I fail, I will do whatever Lucia wants, just one thing.
‘I lowered the condition from recognition to surprising her. At that time, I thought it was a good trick, but…’
Now that I look at it, there doesn’t seem to be much difference.
At this point, it might be better to prepare for the case of losing the bet.
‘What Lucia wants is probably…’
How did you find out the secret of the Lucid family?
She will want that information.
If there are others besides me who know the secret of the Lucid family, she can’t help but feel anxious.
Although Lucia said she would match the level of a 5-star knight, she will face me sincerely.
“So, is the duel over for today?”
Lucia asked again.
The pain from being hit in the solar plexus had long subsided.
I had enough stamina left for one or two more rounds.
After thinking for a moment, I opened my mouth.
“Can you fight with a different weapon?”
“Huh?”
“I mean a weapon other than a sword.”
The reason for this suggestion was simple.
Fighting with swords kept repeating similar situations, making it feel like I was falling into a mannerism, but.
It reminded me of the situation where I almost fought Scarlet at the tavern.
‘The most popular weapon in this world is the sword, but you can’t avoid fighting with other weapons.’
The same goes for the bosses and mid-bosses I will meet in the future.
If you’re as skilled as Lucia, even if not as much as a sword, you should be able to handle most weapons.
Hearing my words, Lucia nodded.
“You’re right. It’s just that I’m too lazy.”
“What’s the weapon you’re worst at?”
“Why? You’re going to ask to fight with that? Sorry, but that won’t happen. Family is very precious to me.”
Lucia headed to the weapon rack and picked up a spear.
“The spear is the most used after the sword. I’ll match you. It seems like it will be enough for a pastime.”
[You have diligently performed the Fleur Family swordsmanship. Considerable concentration.]
[Matching rate 31.3%.]
[As a reward, Strength stat increases by 0.3.]
“Phew.”
I wiped the sweat flowing on my forehead.
Already the third notification today.
The pace is good. If I’m lucky, I might achieve a new record of five times a day…
“……”
I was thinking I could do it.
The face of a girl with an unknown smile entered my sight.
One of the protagonists of the game… no, the damn kid who ruined my image.
Miss Yuridia.
“You’re finally looking this way?”
“Keke, that’s right. I wish I had never seen you in my life.”
“Such a sad thing to say! If you knew with what heart we came, you would surely regret it!”
We, you say?
Only after looking around did I understand what that meant.
Alex and Raymon. Those two had come together.
“T-This witch hag has two friends! No way!”
“Hmph! No matter how much you deny it, you can’t change the truth. I have three friends. Unlike you who has two!”
“T-Three, you say? Who’s the other one?”
“There’s Parrot. It’s always with me in my heart!”
“T-The parrot was my friend too! Zero, Alex, Yuridia, and the parrot. T-Then I have four!”
“Why is the parrot your friend! Zero is my friend too! Take this!”
Luna went behind Raymon, grabbed his waist, and bent it.
“German Suplex!”
“Aaaargh!”
Bam!
Thus began a wrestling match.
A wrestling match where Raymon was one-sidedly beaten by Luna.
‘…Raymon’s trait should be that his evasion rate increases the closer the distance, but she’s ignoring that.’
Perhaps our Luna is a much more amazing kid than I thought.
I spoke to Yuridia, who was blankly watching their fight.
“Keke, did you become friends with Raymon?”
“Ah, no I didn’t! He’s just a member of the Yuridia faction. Ru-Ruler. Yes! You could say it’s a ruler-subject relationship.”
“Did Alex and Raymon join the Yuridia faction?”
“Well, we hang out together sometimes, so wouldn’t it be okay to say so?”
It’s a misunderstanding typical of Yuridia.
Alex is a noble wolf, and Raymon is an uncontrollable child.
In other words, it’s impossible for Yuridia to control those two.
“We are steadily expanding our forces. How about Zero joining us too?”
“Keke, you’ll accept even a Kraken. It must be quite a large force.”
“Oh my, are you the type to care about such rumors? I guess Zero is a man with a smaller heart than I thought.”
Oho, it’s been a while since I heard Yuridia’s unique way of speaking. If I were to interpret it.
You’re petty. Are you sulking over something like that as a man?
…That’s what it means.
“Keke, it makes me want to extend my tentacles to Yuridia.”
“I politely decline. Zero has a fiancée, right? And this won’t do. I came to help Zero and Luna.”
To help us, she says.
I could tell what Yuridia was trying to say.
“I’ll specially provide it to you.”
Yuridia took a big step forward and whispered secretly in my ear.
“The information I obtained about the pop quiz.”
Hey kid, that information…
I know it better than you.
Much better at that.
–TL Notes–
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