Chapter 77
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: First Lesson: Sparring
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Hum.
The protagonist and the painter girl choosing Practical Combat was entirely predictable. Both were attack-oriented characters in the game, after all.
But there was something else that didn't make sense. For some inexplicable reason, the painter girl was incredibly wary of me.
Sure, even in the game, she was infamous for her fiery temper. Still, she wouldn't show that vicious side to a complete stranger.
Yet right now, her glare made me feel like I'd committed some grave sin.
"Everyone's here."
But before I could dwell on it, the instructor appeared.
The deep fatigue under his eyes was familiar. He was the same man who had evaluated me during the academy entrance exam.
"Pleased to meet you, cadets. I'm Edin, in charge of Practical Combat."
A short yawn escaped his lips. His face radiated exhaustion and annoyance, stirring murmurs among the students.
"First lesson is sparring."
The man dragged a chair over haphazardly, sat down, and crossed his legs.
"Pardon?"
A few students blinked in confusion.
"It's a test to gauge your skills. I'll watch from here, so pair up and spar on your own."
Sparring right from the first class was unexpected. But in a way, it fit the Practical Combat course perfectly.
"Pick weapons from over there if you need them. Winner gets to end class early."
He pointed to a display of various blunt training weapons—thick and dull enough not to cause serious injury even on impact.
"Also, grab a vest from that side and put it on. It absorbs mana and shock."
In the direction he indicated hung rows of protective gear reminiscent of military vests.
The dazed students began moving sluggishly. His half-hearted tone made some doubt if he was serious.
But this was the empire's capital's one and only academy. An instructor here wouldn't spout nonsense.
Besides, "Practical Combat" implied more than just simple sparring.
Students started grabbing weapons and pairing off. Most chose familiar faces for a light warmup.
I wove through them without hesitation and headed straight for the protagonist.
Her face lit up with bewilderment at my approach.
"Spar with me?"
It was a golden opportunity.
With the excuse of class, it wouldn't hurt to gauge the protagonist's skill level now.
Unlike other characters in this world, the protagonist's power was a complete unknown.
A playable character whose performance varied wildly based on player skill. But the girl before me wasn't a game avatar—she was a real, living person.
That's why I needed to test her potential firsthand. If she was too weak, that'd be a problem.
"Sorry, but Alensia's sparring with me."
The painter girl hooked her arm through the protagonist's, but I ignored her and locked eyes with the protagonist alone.
"You in?"
"……"
A brief silence hung between us.
"Sorry, Helen. Next time."
The protagonist stepped forward, slipping out of the painter girl's arm. Helen's brow furrowed briefly, but she said nothing.
"Let's have a good one."
The protagonist extended her hand. The confident smile on her lips was the very one that had charmed countless heroines. Instead of shaking it, I stepped even closer.
"Likewise."
I whispered softly, then backed away to create distance.
The protagonist stood blankly for a moment before composing herself and quietly raising her weapon.
In her hand was a specially made wooden sword, radiating sturdy energy from the hilt—built to withstand heavy impacts.
'She went with swordsman, huh.'
Not bad. Low ceiling, but stable and reliable.
The painter girl paired off with another cadet and retreated to a distance. Now it was just us. Tension crackled in the air between me and the protagonist.
"Wanna make a bet?"
It was the protagonist's suggestion.
I tilted my head and looked at her.
"A bet?"
"Loser buys lunch."
A simple wager. But that's what made it appealing.
"Deal."
"No weapon?"
I pulled a single scroll from the belt on my thigh and held it up for her.
"This'll do."
"...A card?"
I pinched the scroll between two fingers and flicked it toward her.
As it neared, the scroll flashed brightly, unleashing a powerful gust.
The protagonist's ash-gray hair whipped in the wind. No sign of panic, but faint wariness flickered in her gray eyes.
"Training scroll. Won't hurt."
"...Interesting."
The protagonist assumed a stance, poised to charge at any moment. I stared silently, counting down inwardly.
Ten, nine, eight, seven—
"Here I come!"
With a spirited shout, she lunged forward.
Six, five, four—
Her wooden sword swung down at me.
I pivoted on my foot, stepping half a pace back.
Three, two, one—
She twisted into a follow-up attack.
And zero.
Bang—!
"Ugh?!"
A fierce blast erupted from the protagonist's chest, launching her into the air before she crashed to the ground.
"Wh-what..."
Unable to grasp what happened, she stared at her chest where the tattered remnants of my scroll clung.
"...When?"
Confusion flashed in her gray eyes, then realization dawned as they widened.
"You stuck it on when you got close."
"...Dull."
She muttered to herself, but her eyebrow twitched—she'd heard me.
Disappointing, though. I'd expected her to notice. Her combat instincts weren't sharp yet.
Thinking back, the same trick had worked on the instructor before. I glanced at him in his chair; a pleased smile played on his lips.
"Won't call it cheap. It's Practical Combat, after all."
The protagonist brushed the dust from her clothes and stood slowly. Her eyes hardened with resolve.
She charged again, her form tighter, exposing no openings.
I tossed a scroll into her sword path. A small but solid barrier formed, blocking her strike.
But as if anticipating it, she planted her foot and pressed deeper.
It would've flustered the old me, but compared to Mom, she seemed glacially slow.
"...Huh?"
Confusion crossed her face. A scroll spun lazily between us.
It flashed, blasting wind that hurled her back once more.
She tried to rise immediately, but I was faster, flinging two more scrolls.
These, etched with different runes, unleashed mana in a net that ensnared her.
"Kuh..."
Trapped, she swung her wooden sword desperately. But the blunt blade couldn't sever the magical snare.
If she'd stayed calm, she'd have slipped the training net easily, but she was rattled.
I sighed shortly, approached, and released her.
"...That's enough."
Her eyes shook at my words.
Makes sense, really. This was barely the prologue. Too early to judge her fully.
"No need for lunch. I'm out."
I turned and walked away from the stunned protagonist.
"W-wait...!"
Her shout reached me, but it didn't register.
My mind was already racing with ways to make her grow stronger faster.
'The first chapter's coming up soon.'
Unable to gauge her strength precisely, anxiety gnawed at me. She needed to be ready for the first boss at least.
But could a real person—not a skilled player—really keep up? That worried me.
'Maybe slip her some opportunity?'
Lost in thought, I left the training grounds alone.