Chapter 152
Chapter 152
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.37 – The Knight Hates Balls (6)
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"Kunta, I've got a question!"
"What is it?"
"Why are the Sultan and the mage coming to see the mage chick? Is there some reason?"
"Hmm, just my guess, but in the Mage Tower's case, they probably want to check if the lady's talent really lives up to the rumors."
"Why check that?"
"They want to take her to the Mage Tower."
"Why?"
"The Mage Tower's always like that. They want outstanding mages under their banner. Like trophies."
"...Shady reason. I get why the instructor hates mages now."
"Eh, hate's too mild for the instructor. He treats them like pests that need exterminating."
"Yeah, that's true."
Arno and Garland were usually the ones clearing up Kunta's curiosities.
With all the sparring and training they did together, this kind of dynamic had naturally formed at some point.
"So why's the 'Lord of the Desert' coming?"
"Lord of the Desert? Oh, you mean the Sultan?"
"The Sultan... He's probably after the duchess's abilities themselves. Water magic has always been precious in the west, and in that sense, Duchess Irene's magic—which can even make rivers surge—is bound to appeal to the Sultan, or anyone in the west, for that matter."
In the water-scarce west, Irene's magic that summoned rain and uncovered hidden underground aquifers was nothing short of a miracle from the gods.
If he could just take her along, it would solidify the Sultan's authority and power base even further.
"Ugh, so they need trophies too!"
"You could say that."
"Still, it won't be easy. That girl's got the Demon Sword Duke behind her. Our old man said if His Grace the Demon Sword Duke gets serious, he could burn down the entire west. I doubt those guys have the guts to poke that bear."
"...Chick's dad is scary."
"Scary doesn't even cover it."
From this angle, the Sultan and the Mage Tower's boldness seemed downright reckless at first glance.
Like moths to a flame.
"Ugh, my head hurts."
The Barbarian's head was starting to heat up from his friends' explanations.
Maybe the downside of dumping too much info on him at once.
"We haven't even said that much. Barbarian's weakness?"
"Nah, it's not that. The guy's just got his brain wired for physical stuff. Our mercenary group's Barbarian handles the accounting, and he's sharp as hell."
"...So Barbarians have individual differences, huh. Anyway, an accountant Barbarian? I'd love to meet him."
"Heh, I'll invite you sometime if there's a chance."
With the conversation wrapping up, they were about to dive back into training.
Ever since the Sacrificial Barrier had gone up, a training frenzy had swept the swordsmanship department, and as top-tier students, they couldn't afford to slack off and get overtaken.
However.
"...By the way."
"Another question?"
"Yeah, not really, but what's the instructor doing right now?"
"......"
"Practicing some new joint lock or strike? Looks kinda weird."
"...Hmm."
At Kunta's words, their eyes flicked toward the instructor, and they all saw it at once.
Crack!
Crunch!
...Over ten heavy sand dummies already lying in ruins.
"Sigh, this is trickier than I thought."
The instructor rarely looked this troubled and perplexed, leaving the two cadets dumbfounded.
"Calling that dance practice..."
"Gotta pray for his partner's soul in advance."
Dance.
The instructor was struggling to learn what was commonly called social dancing, and the reason for his difficulty was none other than...
Whoosh!
...He kept unleashing techniques on his dance partner.
And not just any—brutal killer moves that could hardly be called overkill.
"Instinct, huh... Deadly."
"Deadly's an understatement. It's terrifying."
Murder dance.
The instructor's dance, pioneering the steps of death, sent chills down their spines.
Crunch!
The dummy's waist snapped clean in half.
"Man, there's more prep than I thought."
Lee Han grumbled.
An easy chance to see the Mage Tower spellcaster had come unexpectedly, but to make contact, he had to attend the party first.
Sneaking in was an option, but he'd decided to go the proper route for now.
Not because he was wary of the Mage Tower.
- Please, Master...
He couldn't resist Bearcub's pleading eyes, hands clasped together in desperate prayer.
'Where'd she learn that killer puppy-dog move?'
She'd learned it properly.
The hand gestures, eyes, even her body language—all perfectly tuned to tug at the heartstrings, amplifying her pitiful aura until Lee Han had no choice but to abandon his stubborn refusal.
And now, having committed to the proper approach, he was learning party etiquette and customs.
But intentions aside.
"Party food isn't meant to be touched with your hands. It's not made to eat—it's just for looking and enjoying."
"...Why waste good food like that?"
The problems started right away.
Lee Han was furious.
Messing with food was one of his top five pet peeves.
Levy, teaching him party etiquette and culture, broke into a sweat and quickly added,
"B-but the servants take it all away or eat it, so nothing goes to waste."
"It better."
"Oh, and if you need a drink, don't raise your hand—that's not gentlemanly. Wait for the servers to come to you."
"......"
"When using a glass, handle it like this."
"...I'm gonna pass out."
The more Lee Han heard, the dizzier he got.
'Should've learned from Jake when he offered...'
He was a knight, after all.
They needed basic noble culture, but Lee Han preferred lifting dumbbells one more time over that, leaving him clueless about noble etiquette.
He was also struggling with dance for the first time, making things even more awkward.
"...I didn't know learning to dance would be this hard."
"It's not the dance that's hard for you, Instructor—it's controlling your strength, right?"
"I'm good at strength control. The problem is my instinct to trip or threaten anyone in front of me."
"Great trait for a knight, but tough luck for your partner."
Levy could see how his habit made sense, but tsked at how much it hindered daily life.
However.
"It doesn't happen with everyone. Just strangers. See?"
Plop.
"Look, I can get close to someone familiar without threatening them."
"......"
"Bearcub?"
"H-haaaah...!"
"??"
Levy's legs gave out.
His unhesitant approach thrilled her to no end.
'This man is just...'
She knew she looked ridiculous, but couldn't stop her face from flushing.
Excitement was excitement, joy was joy.
'He finds me comfortable...'
No instinctive threat toward familiars.
That meant he trusted her, a joy beyond words.
Knowing the man she liked felt the same.
How could she not be ecstatic?
Levy basked in happiness, but today's luck wasn't over yet.
"Oh, right. Isn't this etiquette too?"
"?"
Swish.
Lee Han pulled a deep navy ribbon from his pocket.
It matched her perfectly, and in Pendragon, handing a ribbon like this from man to woman meant one thing.
"Wanna go to the party with me?"
"......"
"R-right? This is how it's done?"
"......"
"?"
She froze without a word, and Lee Han quickly assessed.
"...People can faint with their eyes open, huh."
He'd learned something new.
Levy was experiencing firsthand how too much happiness could make one lose consciousness.
"Why's Miss Levy like this?"
"Beats me."
Lee Han shrugged as he laid her in the shaded hammock.
No clue at all.
"Good thing I brought a blanket."
"...How'd you happen to have that?"
"Hehe."
The maid with braids that suited her perfectly, Leira Winter, gently covered the sleeping girl like a child.
"She's smiling, so probably a happy dream."
"...You read minds and now dreams too, huh, Miss Maid."
"??"
"...Sometimes you seem so innocent."
She had sharper insight than anyone at times, yet Lee Han turned meek around her.
Probably because she seemed so fragile, innocent, utterly harmless.
Made him behave.
"Anyway, Sir Knight, is learning to dance tough?"
"...Just slow progress. It'll come with time."
"Can you master it in four days?"
"......"
That was how long until the party.
Sharp as ever, and as Lee Han looked troubled,
Hop.
"Don't worry—practice with me!"
"Miss Maid?"
"I know the basics."
"B-but..."
He hesitated, worried he might hurt her.
However.
Squish.
"Ready, set, go~."
"......"
She had no such qualms.
Suddenly clinging like an embrace, she led the dance, and caught off guard, Lee Han followed.
"...Huh?"
Less than two seconds in, his eyes went wide.
...It was actual dancing.
Awkward, sure, but he was dancing normally.
"Here, like this. The man supports his partner. Grab my waist firmly."
"...Scared I'll break you."
"Hehe, I'm tougher than I look!"
"Yeah, you are."
Her waist was slender and soft.
He worried about gripping too hard, but knowing her unnatural durability eased that—sort of.
'Why can't I shake this feeling...'
With their bodies touching, she just felt endlessly fragile and precious.
Something to protect.
"Now, gentle turn!"
"Like this?"
"Yes! You're great with your body."
"Am I?"
"Yeees!"
"Ha..."
Her hand gestures, footwork, honey-gold eyes fixed on him—it was a dreamlike summer moment, beautiful and ethereal.
And at some point.
"-How's that? Working?"
"......Yeah, it is."
Like all dreams, it ended, and the dance was over.
Lee Han had succeeded in his first proper dance, but felt no triumph—just blank.
"Hehe, I'm better than I thought, right? Royal maids have to attend balls and parties sometimes, so I learned ahead. Made tons of mistakes at first, though."
"......"
...For a moment, the thought of her going to a party with some other man—not him—bothered him immensely.
Those eyes on another guy made his chest tighten oddly.
"......"
"Why stare like that?"
"Nothing, just random thoughts."
"Hmm..."
"......"
Her gaze pierced right through him, so Lee Han looked away, invoking his right to silence.
And thought.
'Ah, I suddenly hate balls.'
The knight had come to hate balls.
...Intensely.