Whispers of Jealousy in the Sparring Session
Because winning isn't everything—"Aren't they into each other?" Marie stared blankly at Emil, lost in thought. What floated through her mind was the answer Malcolm had given her yesterday.
"Alright, I'll demonstrate first. I need a partner for this..."
The swordsmanship instructor's voice rang out, but Marie wasn't paying the slightest attention to the lesson. First-years didn't even have practical components in their midterms anyway. In this joint class with Emil's group, Marie relaxed and gazed vacantly across the room at Emil.
...Is it really like that with Sierra?
She subtly shifted her gaze to Sierra elsewhere in the room. It was ironic that just as she was agonizing over Emil and Sierra's relationship, their classes—hers, Emil's, and Sierra's—had been merged for joint practical training.
Unlike Marie, Sierra was fully focused on the lesson. Emil, too, was watching the instructor, not Sierra. The two of them shared the same space but showed no awareness of each other.
I'm so bothered by it.
That was the question nagging her. If Malcolm was right, how could they stay so calm? She couldn't stop herself from glancing at Emil the moment her mind wandered even a little.
Do they already know they like each other...?
A sharp pang... There it was again. Another stab of pain in her chest. This had been happening frequently since hearing Malcolm's answer yesterday. What the hell was this? She'd never felt anything like it, not even after growing distant from Damian.
"Ah, Emil. Could you be my partner? Just hold the wooden sword lightly."
At that moment, the instructor called Emil's name. Marie, who had been spacing out, jumped in surprise and looked at him again.
"Sure."
Emil stood with a blank expression, picking up the issued training bokken.
Emil...
Even though it wasn't her who was called, just seeing Emil step up made her chest tighten and her cheeks flush. Naturally, her gaze drifted to Sierra. She watched Emil with her usual impassive face, no different from always.
The instructor and Emil's demonstration proceeded. After explaining a few techniques, the finale.
Whoosh!
"Like this!"
The instructor swung hard at the bokken crossed with Emil's in a big motion.
Clack!
Emil's bokken flew naturally from his hand.
And then.
Bam!
"......"
"This is self-defense, so end with a takedown like that. But if you can't pin them, finish decisively with your sword."
With the instructor's flashy handwork, Emil was flipped upside down and slammed onto the ground. Laughter and gasps of admiration rose from the watching students.
At the center of those gazes, Emil on the dirt floor remained utterly impassive.
...He's so cute.
Seeing this silly side she rarely witnessed, Marie smiled faintly, her cheeks secretly reddening.
"Now, each class, pair up boy-girl partners and start practicing. Begin!"
With the instructor's booming voice, students rose and the training ground grew chaotic.
。 。 。
My shoulder hurts.
I rubbed the shoulder that had been slammed in the demo spar just moments ago. Every loop, I felt it, but this practical instructor never half-assed anything. A living textbook of "train like it's real combat, fight like it's training."
Of course, getting planted on the ground wasn't embarrassing. I'd already been thoroughly thrashed in front of ex-girlfriends in past loops, plenty of humiliating experiences.
Showing an unsightly side in front of Marie did bother me a bit, though.
Fortunately, Marie didn't look disappointed. She seemed amused, even smiling.
Anyway.
Time to find a practice partner...
I scanned the milling students for someone without a partner. This joint practical class was unique—three classes together, under the idea that real training meant sparring diverse opponents.
Makes it easy for a loner like me to pick...
As I looked around for a suitable unpaired student,
"Emil."
"Huh?"
A familiar voice called from behind.
"......Malcolm."
"No partner? Wanna pair with me?"
"......"
I eyed his expression for a brief moment at his question.
...Sparring with me. What's his angle?
I probed his face for intent, especially since he'd shown clear wariness lately about me and Marie.
As expected, he flashed a refreshing smile, but his eyes held that familiar hostility.
I see.
I realized the simple, childish reason.
You're starting now, huh.
He probably saw it as a chance to show off my clumsiness in front of Marie. Just like in the first loop. You could never tolerate Marie having feelings for anyone else.
"Perfect timing. I was stuck."
I gladly took the bait, knowing his obvious scheme.
Moments later, once all partners were set, grunts echoed across the training ground.
Thwack! Crack!
Malcolm and I began trading the techniques the instructor had shown, taking turns.
Whoosh!
Malcolm's bokken stuck to mine, spun on the axis, and slashed toward my head.
Crack!
I parried it with practiced handwork.
"Whoa, top of the year for a reason. Swordsmanship too?"
"Eh, just doing what I learned."
His ambush blocked, Malcolm seemed genuinely impressed. Of course, "just what I learned" was a bit of a lie. I'd taken this class multiple times over five loops. After getting beaten in the first, I'd been more passionate about practicals than anyone.
And.
Blossoming Talent effect activates!
Additional points applied to swordsmanship comprehension and proficiency!
Above all, thanks to the Easy Mode perk, I absorbed swordsmanship like a dry sponge soaking water, understanding it with my whole body.
"You're better than I thought. Wanna go for real now?"
"...So that was just messing around?"
"Haha, by my standards, yeah."
Malcolm grinned cheekily. And honestly, those exchanges probably felt like play to him. As the son of a knightly house, he'd trained with swords since childhood—his skill was something I'd learned intimately after getting pummeled in loop one.
And.
Malcolm subtly glanced somewhere.
"......Tch."
His refreshing smile vanished, replaced by a brief scowl as he clicked his tongue. I sneaked a look in that direction.
Marie, who'd met my eyes, startled and turned back to her partner.
She's pretty anxious.
He wanted to show my screw-ups to Marie, but I wasn't folding easily, and Marie was watching me. That must be why he looked like he'd bitten shit.
Realizing that, I felt a pleasant glee I hadn't in a while.
"Emil... You zoning out in front of me?"
At that moment.
Whoosh—!!
Crack—!
"Ngh...!"
"Told you, going serious now."
His bokken flew at me as I glanced at Marie. I blocked it with reflexes even I found hard to believe.
The unexpected ambush blocked, Malcolm looked surprised for a split second, then smiled leisurely and swung fiercely.
Crack! Thud! Crack—!
Now... what to do with this.
I blocked his burdensome strikes, pondering. His swordplay was tough, but growing familiar with each exchange. Probably thanks to Blossoming Talent.
At this rate, I'd win eventually.
"Hup...!"
Whoosh—!!
Thwack—!!
"Ugh..."
But I kept up the strained expression deliberately. Two choices in my mind.
Truthfully, I wanted to use practice as an excuse to bash him with the bokken right now. No better way to smack Malcolm without breaking rules.
But.
My payback wasn't that. Deep down, the despair he'd given me whispered otherwise.
...What had despaired me?
Blocking his sword, I revisited the root.
Whoosh! Crack—!
It was the moment Marie declared our breakup and chose Malcolm over me.
That despair flashed through my mind again.
In the end, I picked one of the two choices.
And.
"Not bad..."
"......"
I pushed back his sword and grinned.
。 。 。
Crack! Thwack!
"......"
Marie half-assed her sword practice, stealing glances whenever she could. Her eyes reflexively sought one spot: Emil, sweating and immersed in his spar.
...He's so serious even in practicals.
Emil's unexpected side. He'd seemed like a bookish young master strong only at notes.
Seeing this unexpectedly manly display made her heart race, drawing her gaze to him again and again.
"Marie."
"H-huh? Y-yeah?"
"Even in practicals, if we're doing it, let's do it right."
"S-sorry...!"
Her partner—the one she'd asked to pair with—was Sierra. She scolded Marie's wandering attention with a sulky face.
Realizing her mistake, Marie gripped her bokken tightly and faced Sierra.
Sierra stared blankly at her, then smiled faintly.
"Someone on your mind?"
"Huh...?"
"You've been glancing around."
Of course, Sierra knew it was Emil but pretended otherwise to tease her.
Then.
Whoosh...
Marie's cheeks flushed crimson, her eyes trembling.
Did she catch me...?
Truth was, Marie had asked Sierra to partner for a reason: to subtly ask about Emil.
How do I ask now that she's onto me...!
p>Embarrassed, she couldn't meet Sierra's eyes. Asking about Emil now would basically confess she cared.
Wh-what do I do...
Flustered, Marie traded blows with Sierra while agonizing. Should she just ask? Was there another way? Not asking wasn't an option. She desperately wanted resolution now.
"H-hey—! Sierra—!"
Steeling herself, Marie looked up and called loudly.
Bam—!!
A massive crash erupted behind her.
"Eh..."
"What..."
Sierra's face twisted in uncharacteristic dismay. Her gaze went over Marie's shoulder—the direction Marie had been peeking at Emil.
"......Huh?"
Marie slowly turned to follow.
And there.
"E-Emil! You okay?!"
Emil sprawled limply on the ground, Malcolm holding his bokken. The instructor rushing to Emil.
"Emil—!!"
Facing that sight, Marie.
Clang!
Discarded her bokken without thinking and ran to the fallen Emil.