Chapter 229
Chapter 229
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.51 – The Knight Pays a Home Visit (1)
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"Haa."
"……."
"Haaa…."
"……."
"Haaa…!"
"Uh, um, is something wrong, Lady Irene?"
"…Just call me Irene, Levi. And no, nothing's wrong."
"I-is that so."
"But…! Haa! No, it's nothing…."
"……."
…No matter how you looked at it, she was blatantly begging for attention.
Not only was she deliberately sighing loudly in front of others, but she kept shooting those burdensome glances demanding interest.
Cold sweat trickling down Levi's forehead was a natural progression.
"Poor Levi, he's finally caught in that demon's grasp…."
"Why's she doing that in the swordsmanship faculty training grounds of all places?"
"She probably wants someone to talk to."
"But why here? If she just went to the magic faculty, tons of people would love to chat with her."
"The magic faculty kids are like fanatical worshippers of Lady Irene. She said it's too much pressure."
"Ah, yeah, that makes sense…. Wait, how do you know that?"
"…She cornered me last time and talked at me for five hours straight."
"……You too, huh."
Back when they first enrolled, Irene Windler had been an object of admiration for the swordsmanship faculty cadets.
Of course, being the daughter of a duke was impressive, but Irene herself exuded a mysterious allure rivaling her status.
Fairy-like beauty and a fresh, vibrant voice.
The talent of a grand mage matched by her magical prowess.
And intellect that shone even in the entrance exams.
No red-blooded man could fail to harbor feelings for a girl perfect in both beauty and brains.
If not for her status as a noble lady, thousands would have confessed to her.
…However, there was one place where all affections for her had thoroughly soured.
The swordsmanship faculty.
'She's stunning and brilliant, but her behavior….'
'She grabbed me last time and I had to keep up with her chatter for ten hours straight. …Never again.'
'Whoever ends up with her better have eardrums of steel.'
…Yes, the swordsmanship faculty.
They too had admired her at first, like everyone else, but as they interacted more, it became clear….
'She's not a bad person. Not at all.'
That didn't mean Irene had a bad or eccentric personality.
She just craved affection a bit intensely, unleashed torrents of nonstop conversation without giving anyone a break, and occasionally pulled off quirky mage-like antics.
…And that was enough to wear them down.
Especially after cases where someone would commit to chatting with her only to pass out from a nosebleed.
'Beauty is best admired from afar.'
She was a girl more enchanting when kept at a distance.
That was Irene Windler.
And as if to prove it—
"You know what? Listen to this, Levi. Four nights ago, I saw the maid and the instructor totally glued together. I followed them around, and they were holding hands, eating meals together, going on walks…! It was a full-on date, a date! I was burning up inside, jealous, envious, wanting to be in her place so bad, really…!!"
"Ah, I see. But Instructor and Maid Leira have always been close like that, so it's not exactly weird…."
"No…!! Anyone else is fine, but not you, Levi! Doesn't it make you jealous!?"
"Huh? As long as Instructor's happy, I'm good with it?"
"…Gasp!"
"And I'm fine being second or even thi— Ah, no! Nothing!"
"Aaaah! Why are all the good, sweet girls around you! I'm the only bad one! The only…!"
"Shut up!"
"Huh?"
"Not to you, Levi! To some grudge-holding ghost."
"……."
"I mean it! Don't look at me with pity!!"
…And so, Levi—caught by Irene—had to listen intently to the girl's complaints and respond accordingly.
"Gomsooni's such a patient, good girl. Kunta wants a bride like that too."
"Didn't someone confess to you last time?"
"Yeah, but I said let's make kids right away, so she slapped me and left. Next day, rumors spread I was trash. Made me sad."
"…Not really something to be sad about. Your fault."
"Instructor saw it and called it karma, heh heh!"
"Ah, Garand. Sparring over?"
"Yeah, more or less. Man, that assistant instructor's gotten seriously strong. Not just strong—his viciousness and danger level are insane. Fighting a guy swinging a hammer like that is no joke."
"…I sparred with him too. Tricky opponent."
There was a trio commonly known as the swordsmanship faculty's three musketeers.
Roan was undoubtedly the top swordsman, but excluding him, these three were surely the most talented and skilled.
Arno de Oppen, descendant of the Sword Sage.
Mysterious barbarian race Kunta.
Disciple of the Mercenary King, Garand.
These three.
…Yet today, they had all deliberately sparred against one person—and felt genuine peril multiple times.
Even now, a fresh red mark scarred Garand's cheek.
A solid hit.
And the one who left that mark was—
"…Grooo…."
Damian Pollet, passed out in a stupor.
He'd taken a clean jaw shot from Garand and blacked out. In the old days, Garand might have just subdued him without knocking him out, but now even that was tough.
No, he actually had to go all-out.
"He's gotten stronger. Makes sense, charging at Instructor every day."
"It's not just charging. That viciousness is no joke."
"Hmm, Kunta finds Assistant scary sometimes. Yesterday in sparring, he looked like a ghoul."
"His appearance is pretty ghastly, yeah."
Rumor had it he'd pulled another all-nighter yesterday?
I wondered when he even slept anymore. With recent insomnia too, Damian looked like a ghoul's kin wouldn't be far off.
"Heh heh, yes… I can sleep now…."
Whether getting knocked out counted as sleep, Damian wore a blissful smile. Seemed even a knockout was sweet slumber to him.
"…Mumbling in his sleep like that."
"Poor Assistant."
"Kunta, why don't you try being an assistant too…."
"Garand, don't cross the line. Even friends have boundaries. Kunta doesn't want to lose a friend today."
"……Sorry. My bad. I'll apologize again."
"Mm, accepted. Just don't joke like that again."
"Since when are you so eloquent?"
And so, the swordsmanship faculty enjoyed its usual peaceful(?) daily routine.
The kingdom still brimmed with incidents, but as cadets, they were meant to be protected—and with no knowing when this peace might end, they ought to savor it.
And….
"—What the? Why's this punk sleeping here instead of at home?"
A knight whose unseen contributions kept this peace appeared.
"Looks like construction wrapped up early today."
"More or less. Just wrapping up loose ends now."
"…Haha."
Lee Han, arriving later than usual, had come straight from the construction site since dawn.
What site? you ask.
'What even does "devoured the royal castle" mean, seriously….'
'Dad told you not to piss off Instructor, right? …Isn't that obvious?'
'Who'd he spar with?'
The royal castle.
Lee Han's "repair" job was none other than the royal castle itself, and most cadets vaguely knew what he'd done—thanks to parents working there among the nobility.
…From what they'd heard.
'He almost collapsed the castle during a [spar]?'
How do you even demolish a castle in a sparring match?
Incomprehensible, but one thing was clear: parents who'd quietly grumbled about Lee Han now begged their kids never to cross their instructor.
Gifts included? You'd almost believe it.
Thus, the young masters—or chicks—could guess what Instructor had done.
'Something Instructor-like.'
Probably his usual tyrant-of-the-mountains (ogre)-level destruction.
"So, why's Assistant crashing here?"
"Got hit sparring Garand and knocked out."
"Yeah? Bet he didn't go down easy."
"Face has a nice mark on it."
"Step it up. He'll catch you otherwise."
"Working on it."
"Hm. Wanna try challenging me like this guy?"
"…Instructor, even as a mercenary, I don't do stupid shit like that."
"This one's doing it."
"More reckless than a merc, tsk tsk."
Damian had sunk to earning pity from mercenaries, but he slumbered happily on. Lee Han told them to toss him somewhere, then faced the cadets squarely.
[…….]
Seemed he had something to say; the rowdy cadets fell silent instantly.
"Quick on the uptake, you lot."
Lee Han smirked approvingly at their brevity, then pulled a stack of papers from his bag hidden behind his back.
"Take one each. Get a signature from your parents if you want."
"What's this?"
"Home visit request form."
"…Huh?"
"Home visit request form."
"??"
Lee Han explained simply.
"Kingdom's been chaotic lately, right? Your parents must be worried. As your instructor, I need to reassure them. Plus, explain precautions against potential dangers."
Only then did the cadets get it.
"Ah!"
"Such profound intent!"
"So thoughtful, unlike you, Instructor?"
"Headbutt."
"Yes sir!"
He lightly punished the bald-mouthed one, then refocused on the cadets.
"Not forcing it, obviously. Only for those who want it—hence the signatures."
"What about Kunta?"
"Say the word if you want. I'll sprint to your hometown."
"It's 100km away?"
"Close enough."
"?"
"Anyway. Dismissed early today. Ask your parents and report back."
Lee Han scattered them haphazardly.
A bit forced, but cadets used to such quirks just nodded without much fuss.
Probably a side effect of all the weird shit under him.
"…?"
One cadet reading the form midway tilted his head.
"I-Instructor, one question?"
"What."
"…Why's mine the only one pre-signed…?"
Arno de Oppen.
He stared puzzled at the pre-signed consent section. Lee Han chuckled, pulling something from his pocket.
None other than—
"No big deal. No permission needed for your house, so I went ahead."
"…Why's it in your hands?"
A weathered dagger.
Showing the one from Knight Commander Baltar Grace yesterday, Arno's pupils shook.
Only his father, the family head, possessed it in their house….
"This your family's free pass, right?"
"……."
"Oh, one thing before using it—"
Is the 'Sword Sage' home?