Chapter 259
Chapter 259
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.58 – The Knight Does Not Forget a Grudge (1)
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"…H-hey, Rose."
"What's up, Lili?"
"Um, I don't know if it's just my imagination, but lately, the guys in our department…"
"……."
"D-don't they seem a bit more burly?"
"Hm, you think? Doesn't seem any different from usual to me."
"A-am I the only one feeling this way…?"
The girl called Lili—Lirina Boarne, whom the instructor had dubbed Chick No. 12—was the daughter of a baron's family. The Boarne bloodline was famous for producing handsome men and beautiful women.
As a member of the Boarne lineage, Lirina had perfectly refined features that promised a bright future, earning her praise as a budding beauty.
However, her relatively slow growth compared to her peers—making her seem the same age as the kids who hadn't even held their coming-of-age ceremonies yet—was her one and only complex. But after completing the training regimen the instructor had personally designed just for her, the girl who had stood at a mere 130cm had shot up to 139cm.
That was a full 9cm in just eight months, and the instructor had advised her that her growth plates were still open, so she could expect even more height. Lirina no longer suffered from her complex and now trusted her master 120%.
…Still, the reason no one else marveled at this dramatic change was probably because, compared to the excessive transformations around her, it was like a drop in the bucket.
"Huff! Huuuff!"
"One more, one more!"
"That's it!"
"Full up! Full up!"
The ones hanging from the pull-up bars weren't teddy bears.
They were the young masters—the noble academy trainees.
Exposing their upper bodies, they threw themselves into strength training, their torsos looking noticeably bulkier.
Of course, it wasn't unpleasant to look at, and they hadn't just gained fat.
It was purely muscle growth.
However, seeing aspiring knights—who once preached that overly bulky muscles didn't make a proper knight—acting like this felt utterly out of place.
The answer to her doubts came from…
"You've been hanging around with the bear cubs a lot lately because of the Great Temple reconstruction. Looks like some kind of exchange happened along the way."
"Ah…."
"And Master said that men are like animals—once their abs get defined, they naturally want to train up every other part too."
"??"
Lady Levi had approached at some point with a kind explanation, but it only deepened Lirina's confusion.
No, why would they want to bulk up?
Fine, bulking up aside—why flaunt it so blatantly…?
"Hm, it's like a lion with a lush mane showing off to the females. I don't really get the sentiment myself."
"…I agree."
Lirina nodded vigorously.
Of course, since Lirina herself had bragged to everyone about growing a whopping 9cm, she couldn't completely dismiss their feelings.
'Sweat smell….'
Did they have to do it so openly?
They could at least do it somewhere out of sight.
"Try to understand. Males are like that by nature. If they like a female, they court her. The monkeys back in Kunta's hometown act just like that all the time."
"S-saying it like that makes them sound no better than monkeys, Sir Kunta…."
"Nature's instincts are all pretty similar."
"…Why is this so convincing?"
The girls found themselves convinced by the barbarian who had snuck up on them.
But his story wasn't over yet.
"Though those young masters are about to get in trouble. Their master would blow a fuse if she saw them."
"Master? You mean the instructor?"
"Yeah. Ignoring the schedule she carefully planned just to bulk up like that… She'll probably…."
He trailed off.
Before he could continue.
"-You lot who should be track stars, why're you trying to become weightlifters, you idiots?"
Crack!
They each started getting flicks to the forehead.
Though the sound was more like getting punched than a mere flick.
"…Now I get why Rose isn't all that impressed by those guys."
Lirina shook her head, alternating glances between their instructor clutching her forehead and the male cadets passed out around her.
"Hm, her standards have gotten too high."
Who could marvel at raw stones—or rather, mere pebbles—that haven't even started shining, after being constantly exposed to perfectly cut massive diamonds?
It had been about a month since Lee Han last met with the cadets.
Part of it was sending them to aid the Great Temple reconstruction under the guise of training, but there had also been simple exams within the academy.
Year-end exams to advance to the next grade: written tests and interviews. Because of these, the Swordsmanship Department even got a two-week break.
So this was their first face-to-face in a while, and with winter break starting next week, a warm exchange of greetings would be the polite norm.
"I finally turned you into proper humans, and now you're regressing? What the hell?"
"S-sorry, ma'am."
"Don't do things you'd have to apologize for."
"Umm…."
"Haa, just do cardio for a while, all of you."
"…Yes, ma'am."
"That enthusiasm's lacking."
"Y-yes, ma'am!!"
Not a joyful reunion, but an extreme one: a 10km cardio run. The male cadets panted as they dashed along.
"Why us too?!"
"We only watched their form from the side…!"
The bear cubs protested their unfair punishment alongside the young masters, but Lee Han just scoffed.
"Don't you know about collective responsibility?"
"What about the ladies!?"
"Unlike you lot, they're still delicate. They'd pass out from full sprints."
"!?"
They desperately wanted to cry gender discrimination, but they knew sharp glares from the ladies would rain down starting tomorrow if they did. No room for rebuttal.
At that point, with no one having finished yet, Levi approached.
"Master, why are you wrapped up in bandages like that? Did you fight some legendary monster or something?"
"…What's this 'legendary beast'?"
Levi showed genuine concern upon seeing him bandaged up, though her eyes held a hint of confusion too.
Is there anyone in this kingdom who could injure him that badly?
Perhaps sensing her worry, Lee Han scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Did something stupid. Don't worry too much."
"??"
Yeah, a massive stupid thing.
Rushing headlong at the [Sword Master] without a care for his life.
Surviving was a blessing….
That lady shows no mercy at all.
Lee Han recalled the swords stabbing his abdomen, thigh, and arm, and pain surged anew.
Somehow, no scars or major wounds remained, but the 'pain' lingered intact. To suppress it, he had to wrap himself in bandages.
Placebo or not, it hurt less that way.
At the same time…
…So intent can be used like this too.
He had gained a new application method.
Felicia's intent had burrowed deep into his body like poison or a virus, spreading relentlessly. To extract or neutralize it, Lee Han had to expend extreme willpower in real time.
Felicia had promised to train his intent thoroughly, and now he understood why.
The only counter to invading intent was one's own.
In that sense, this was genuinely helpful training.
Overcoming the intent of a woman called the Sword Master would lead to explosive growth at some point.
A tremendous serendipity.
Just…
It's brutally rough.
The method was practically vivisection.
"Feels like repaying kindness with enmity…."
"Pardon?"
"…Nonsense, skip it. So what's that in your hand?"
"Oh, walnuts. You told me to build grip strength, Master. I found a method: walnut cracking. Lately, I can even crush five at once."
"…You're the best."
The aspiring knights were killing their own strengths, while the girl who started latest steadily filled her weaknesses and grew.
She looked skinny on the outside, but her internal muscles, tendons, and ligaments had strengthened tremendously.
Compared to the first semester, about fourfold progress.
If she used Battle Frenzy on top, her power would dwarf even yesterday's.
In other words, skinny exterior, but a body that could match a gorilla in grip strength.
Frightening growth rate….
Plus, staying at Offen to gain experience had sharply honed her aura too.
If she enters the ranking matches, she might crack the mid-tier?
Aiming for mid-ranks among elites who had seriously wielded swords for years, when she hadn't even hit one year yet?
This was like a guy who'd kicked a soccer ball for less than a year making the national team.
Does she grow into her name?
Truly befitting the name Joan of Arc.
Lee Han inwardly clicked his tongue in admiration.
This much in under a year—what about next year? By graduation?
No….
With the right trigger, she'll skyrocket in an instant.
He couldn't pinpoint when, but Lee Han had a gut feeling.
"Guess it's time to teach her proper swordsmanship…. What do you think, teaching assistant?"
"…Did I do something wrong?"
"Um, skipping class for a month?"
"I-I admit fault, but still, as a teaching assistant…."
The black-haired young noble, Roan, backed away with stiffened eyes.
…Not dropping a single drop of sweat.
-Roan was genuinely shocked.
What? Was the instructor always this huge?
One might call bullshit since she was always big, but Roan was dead serious.
[Gr… grrr….]
Even the Northern Mystery [Black King] dormant within him was greatly flustered.
Roan was retreating and sweating not because of the 'teaching assistant' joke, but because the instructor's presence had become overwhelmingly intense.
It's only been a month.
If Lee Han knew Roan was shocked by Levi's rapid growth, Roan would counter: …Not as much as you.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she was a different person in just a month.
She looked injured, but even accounting for that, Roan no longer felt confident he could beat her.
Even drawing out the Black King inside him….
As Roan felt that tension,
"Joking about the assistant bit—teach her one useful sword art for later. She could get pretty fierce if taught right. Oh, and that Iliad fellow wouldn't be bad either."
"…You're the only one who'd call the Sword Saint's swordsmanship 'not bad,' Instructor."
"So, you think you can't teach better than that retired geezer?"
"……There's a sword art suited to her. One made just for her."
"Now that's more like it."
Knowing it was playful provocation, Roan gladly rose to the bait.
He knew the swordsmanship of the great hero called the 'Mercenary Queen' better than anyone.
"Good thinking."
"…But is that the only reason you called me?"
With the Great Temple work in full swing, there was no way she'd summon him just for swordsmanship advice.
That wasn't the instructor he knew.
And sure enough.
"One more thing."
"?"
"Just checking—any subordinates of yours who are tracking experts or have some mystical tracking ability?"
"…If there are, what then?"
"Need some help."
Swish.
"Getting pummeled one-sidedly was starting to piss me off."
"……."
Roan eyed the small vial Lee Han held out, containing a wriggling red blood droplet.
A blood droplet moving as if alive.
"How about you and I go on a little hunt?"
"…That."
Sounds extremely intriguing—.
Roan smiled like a man who had received the perfect year-end gift.