Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Kayla's Sparring Test
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“Can't I come with you guys? To that place.”
Barundel answered before I could.
“Miss, do you even know what kind of place that is?”
“I probably know it better than you, Dwarf grandpa. I'm from District 7.”
“That may be true, but... that's not a place just anyone can go.”
“You're going, and he's going, so why can't I?”
“......”
Barundel shut his mouth, unable to find a good comeback.
But he wasn't wrong.
“It's true, not just anyone can go.”
Meeting demons in District 7 was on a whole different level from meeting them outside the district.
That place was demon territory, plain and simple.
It was crawling with far stronger, more intelligent demons.
Unless you were someone with real skill, you'd just end up dead.
“So you're against it because it's dangerous, right, Barundel?”
“That's right. Even I can't guarantee I'd be able to protect someone else in a place like that.”
Which meant.
“Then how about this? Have them spar once, and we'll decide based on that.”
As long as she had the skills, she wasn't just anyone.
“A spar?”
Barundel asked if I was serious.
Of course I was.
The more allies, the better.
Plus, personally, I was curious how much stronger Kayla had gotten.
“If the results are good, sure. Kayla, you okay with that?”
“I don't know how strong this grandpa is, but... yeah, no problem.”
Kayla answered confidently, then tilted her head.
“But why not spar with you?”
She seemed a bit miffed about that.
Fair enough.
She'd probably spent the last three months training with the goal of going head-to-head with my magic.
But this wasn't about proving superiority—it was about seeing if she could handle fighting demons.
And since most demons were fought up close, sparring with Barundel made more sense than with me.
“That's a fair point. Alright.”
Kayla nodded in understanding once I explained.
With things settled like that, Barundel let out a reluctant sigh.
“......Hoo, guess my opinion doesn't matter here... Fine. But I'll help judge.”
“Of course.”
And so, the spar between Kayla and Barundel was set.
I was really looking forward to it.
***
Barundel's training hall.
By the time we arrived after a quick prep, other trainees were already there.
“You're here.”
“You're early. Have a good one.”
They bowed deeply to Barundel like he was their master.
Then they greeted us behind him too.
“Yoo Han's here too.”
“Oh, the number one guy!”
“But who's the girl in the back...?”
“Nice to meet you. I'm Kayla.”
After the greetings, we explained the spar and asked them to clear out for a bit.
“We can watch, right?”
“Sure.”
Just then, Barundel came over carrying a training hammer and a staff, one in each hand.
Kayla took the staff and examined it curiously.
“So, we're fighting with this? And it won't hurt?”
“Yeah, go ahead and use your magic freely.”
“Didn't know they had stuff like this in District 6...”
She grinned as she said it.
“Remember how you said I wouldn't be ignorable next time? Get ready.”
“Looking forward to it.”
Whatever happened in the meantime, she seemed awfully confident in her skills.
The more so, the higher my expectations rose.
The spar began.
Whoosh-.
Barundel launched the first attack without holding back.
It perfectly targeted the weakness of mages in close combat.
Even to me, whose skills had improved since my first time here, his speed was insanely fast.
‘Can she react?’
Whether she could join us or not.
It all depended on Kayla.
“You little...!”
Kayla panicked but quickly summoned flames.
Boom!
The same fire-attribute variant spell she'd used against the redhead.
She used the explosion's force to push Barundel back.
“Huh...”
I had to admit, I was impressed.
Reacting was impressive enough, but casting a spell in that split second?
And it was faster, more precise, and way more powerful than before.
No wonder she was so confident—it wasn't bluffing.
At this level, she had every right to be.
“Whew... You're full of surprises, grandpa. Didn't peg you for the speedy type.”
“Speed's not all I got.”
Barundel said that and slammed his hammer into the ground.
He hit it so hard the training hall floor caved in.
If Kayla hadn't pushed him back with the explosion, the floor wouldn't have been the only thing dented.
“......This really won't hurt?”
Kayla swallowed hard.
Cold sweat trickled down her cheek.
Bang!
Barundel leaped again.
This time, a hammer dropping from midair.
Kayla seemed to anticipate it and touched the ground.
Immediately.
Roarrr!
A massive pillar of fire erupted from where she touched.
‘......That's.’
It was similar to the fire-attribute variant spell I often used at Aldeon.
Looks like Kayla had developed her own variant magic.
The difference from mine was the pillar's much wider range.
It wasn't for focusing on one target—it was for hitting multiple enemies or boosting hit rate over a broad area.
The problem was.
“Hngh!”
Barundel had a body that wouldn't even get scratched by something like that.
He burst straight through the fire pillar and dropped down.
The flames slowed him a bit, but it was still a force you couldn't ignore.
Then.
“One more coming up.”
“......!”
Roarrr!
The fading pillar reignited.
This time, narrower range, but stronger, more precise, right on target.
Barundel was engulfed.
“......Stacked spell.”
A stacked spell binds two spells into one, letting you catch the opponent off-guard with a delayed second hit like this.
But it required complex calculations and perfect timing.
In short, it was hard to pull off.
Yet Kayla nailed the stacked spell and hit Barundel dead-on.
This wasn't just talent...
“......You've got good instincts, miss. That one stung a bit.”
It was in the realm of ‘sense’.
Kayla was born with incredible combat sense.
On the flip side, Kayla looked shocked.
“......You're a real monster, grandpa.”
Even for a famously tough dwarf, she hadn't expected zero damage.
Fair enough.
I'd been shocked too at first.
‘You have to pour everything into it.’
Only then could you get any meaningful result.
Kayla sensed it too and squeezed out all her power.
“Raaah!”
Purple light gleamed in her eyes.
Mana churned around her.
This was different from before.
Smaller spells, but more of them, packing more punch.
“Hmph!”
Barundel gripped his hammer tight, not planning to just watch.
The back-and-forth went nonstop.
Bang! Bababang!
Kayla's splintered fireballs flew like a barrage.
Barundel swatted them away one by one with his hammer.
Kayla's formation was slowly giving ground, but... no issue.
Barundel was still a mountain I couldn't climb.
“Stop.”
I called off the spar.
Any longer, and mana depletion could've messed up Kayla's condition.
“Hah...! What? I can keep going...!”
“No. That's enough.”
Kayla protested, but it was plenty.
I'd gotten a good read on her skills.
Before announcing the result, I asked Barundel first.
“What do you think, Barundel?”
“Hmm.”
He stroked his beard, pondering.
Then.
“At this level, she won't be holding us back, at least.”
Exactly my thoughts.
“I agree.”
“Really? So I can come?”
“Yeah. But it'll be dangerous, so brace yourself.”
“Haha!”
Not sure if she heard the last part.
Kayla flopped down with a bright smile.
Seeing her like that lightened my mood.
‘Good.’
Her magic had improved, but more than that...
‘She hasn't broken.’
For someone dreaming of revenge, she still had her brightness. That was a relief.
Whether she'd actually gotten her revenge, I wasn't sure.
I could ask about that later.
Then.
“Number one?”
Thompson grandpa suddenly approached me.
His face was darker than usual.
Stiff and grim, like he was angry...
“Grandpa, what's...”
He cut me off with a heavy voice.
“Where are you headed? First I'm hearing of this.”
“......Pardon?”
“You're not planning to leave me out, are you?”
Suddenly, I recalled what Thompson grandpa had said back when we partied at Aldeon.
-I'll follow you anywhere you go.
Looks like that promise was dead serious.
***
Meanwhile, at the Bilgeff family estate.
The head butler burst into the family head's chambers.
“F-Family head!”
He realized his mistake and dropped to one knee in greeting.
The family head tilted his head at the sight.
‘What could it be?’
The butler was always composed.
For him to act like this meant something big had happened.
“And?”
The butler's report was as huge as expected.
“Y-Young master has returned.”
“What?”
Family head Balond Bilgeff bolted out of the room.
He came face-to-face with Roan, who was back at the estate.
The one and only son who'd left home, saying he'd go out after being promised all magic knowledge.
“Father.”
“......Roan.”
Balond hid his excitement and asked sternly.
“Why have you returned?”
“......Well.”
Roan hesitated, then suddenly knelt and bowed his head before Balond.
“Roan...!”
“I was a fool. I regret not listening to you and acting arrogant. Truly.”
“......Hah.”
Roan had always been brimming with confidence and self-love.
For him to kneel like this meant something had happened to him.
‘What on earth?’
Balond swallowed his questions and pulled Roan to his feet.
The ungrateful son who'd run off without appreciating what the family gave him.
But still, his only child, who had come back. Thankful for that.
Seeing that child broken was unacceptable—as family head, as a father.
Balond suppressed his boiling anger and asked calmly.
There had to be something Roan wanted.
“What do you want from me?”
As expected.
“I want to inherit everything from the family.”
Roan stated his desire with venomous eyes.
“......You know what that means?”
Balond countered with his own demand.
Roan nodded firmly.
“Yes. I'll succeed you and live for the family my whole life.”
A faint smile crossed Balond's face.
He liked what Roan said.
No, more precisely.
He liked those venomous eyes.
They reminded him of his younger self.
Balond gripped Roan's shoulder.
“Very well. I'll give you everything our family has, as you wish.”
The Bilgeff family, top among all magic houses.
Balond Bilgeff, the third-generation head.
The founder of cold magic said gravely.
“You will seize all the chill in the world.”