Chapter 67: The Freya Ducal House 9
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 67: The Freya Ducal House 9
"I lost."
The moment my sword touched Askal’s back, she lowered her own. She raised both hands in a clean admission of defeat.
"I guess I won, then," I said, pulling my blade away.
Once the threat was gone, Askal turned to face me. Despite the loss, her face was bright, a wide smile stretching across her lips.
"Agh, I’m exhausted," she groaned, leaning her weight against me with an arm draped over my shoulder.
I was just as drained as she was, but she wasn't particularly heavy, so I didn't complain.
Leaning into me, Askal spoke up. "Hey, did you know?"
"Know what?"
"Among the Academy students, you’re only the second person to ever beat me."
Since she was leaning against me, her words came out as a natural whisper right against my ear. Her breath tickled.
"Is that so? Who was the first?"
"I’m sure you know him. The current Student Council President—Joden Adelian."
Joden, of course.
It made sense. Even for the Imperial Knights, Joden would be a difficult opponent to overcome.
Askal seemed to shudder, perhaps imagining a rematch with him.
"That guy is a monster, though in a different way than you. Of course, I won the second time we fought."
Joden’s skills weren't at the level of a mere student. He was likely already stronger than some of the professors.
"Unlike Joden, I plan on winning the second time, too."
I mentally simulated a duel with Joden.
The match begins. I rush in with twenty doppelgangers.
Joden freezes the entire training ground, and my clones vanish instantly.
Tsk.
My illusions, which disappear upon contact, had terrible compatibility with Joden, who could flash-freeze an entire area in a heartbeat. Even if I tried to hide and attack using illusions, it would all be over the moment he froze the floor.
"Oh? Does that mean you’re planning on dueling me again?"
"It would be an honor to duel Lady Askal whenever I have the chance."
I had definitely grown stronger through this bout. If it meant getting stronger, I was willing to engage in even the most reluctant of duels as many times as necessary.
"But you know..."
Askal puffed out her cheeks as if something was bothering her.
If an ordinary adult woman did that, it would feel like she was acting far below her age. But because Askal was so beautiful, it didn't feel that way at all.
Curse this shallow lookism.
Wait, no. Since I have this face, is lookism actually a blessing for me?
"How long are you going to keep calling me 'Lady' so formally? We’ve even dueled now; just call me Noona. Okay?"
Still leaning on my shoulder, Askal poked me in the ribs with her finger.
"Did you tell Joden to call you Noona, too?"
"No. Just imagining that guy saying it gives me goosebumps all over."
Askal’s expression turned dead serious the moment I mentioned it.
Joden is actually quite handsome, even if he’s not on my level.
I recalled Joden’s appearance. Pitch-black hair and crimson eyes. Sharp features and an icy personality to match. I tried to imagine someone like him calling Askal "Noona."
"That does sound a bit terrifying."
"Right?"
Tap.
Suddenly, a white hand thrust itself between Askal and me.
We both turned toward the owner of the hand, only to find a very angry-looking Johanna.
"............"
Having appeared out of nowhere, Johanna forced herself between us to separate us.
"What on earth are the two of you whispering about so intently?"
I hadn't intended to whisper. It just happened because Askal was leaning on me.
Johanna began inspecting my body from head to toe. To any observer, she looked like someone worried that I might be hurt.
However, perhaps because there was no light in her blue eyes, she looked more like an owner checking to see if her prize possession had been scratched.
...Was that metaphor a bit much?
Even for my own thoughts, that felt like an exaggeration.
"You aren't seriously hurt anywhere, are you?"
"Of course not."
Askal, who had been listening to our conversation, pouted.
"Johanna? No matter how you look at it, your big sister is the one who’s more hurt here."
As Askal said, her body was covered in quite a few shallow cuts. Of course, they were the kind of wounds that would vanish with a single potion.
"You don't look that hurt to me."
Johanna glanced at Askal for about 0.1 seconds before speaking. Then, she went right back to checking my body.
"Now I’m hurt for real. Your own sister..."
"Sister... always... meal..."
"............I..............when."
Something was wrong.
Their voices were growing faint.
The sky began to spin.
And then, the sky seemed to get higher and higher.
That’s when I realized. The sky wasn't getting higher; I was getting lower.
Ah, I’m falling.
"Lo...ki!"
The last thing I saw before blacking out was Johanna rushing toward me with wide, panicked eyes.
I wanted to tell her it was nothing serious.
But I couldn't force my mouth to open.
* * *
How much time had passed?
When I opened my eyes, I felt like the luckiest man in the world.
Why, you ask?
"Loki!"
Because Johanna was staring right at me. If that doesn't make one the luckiest person alive, what does?
Seeing me wake up, Johanna cried out my name and pulled me into a fierce hug.
"I was so worried."
The scent of Johanna drifted past my nose. My heart fluttered.
"If you ever faint like that again, I’ll just... first..."
Johanna muttered something under her breath in a low voice.
My heart fluttered again, but for a very different reason.
Johanna, what exactly does that mean?
As I lay there in her arms, feeling my heart race for two very different reasons...
Click.
Someone opened the door and walked in.
Johanna must have heard the sound, but she had no intention of letting go; if anything, she tightened her grip. If the person walking in was Duke Freya, I was a dead man.
"Oh, you’re awake?"
Fortunately, it was Askal, not the Duke. Even though she saw Johanna hugging me, Askal acted as if it were perfectly normal and sat on the edge of my bed.
"The priest said there’s nothing wrong with your body. You just used your brain too much and fell into a deep sleep."
She explained why I had collapsed. I had been using illusions constantly during the fight.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot the most important part."
Askal’s lips curled into a mischievous smirk.
"Father will be here soon. In about... ten seconds?"
I quickly checked my current state. Even after hearing Askal’s warning, Johanna didn't seem inclined to move. She hugged me even tighter.
"Senior, it hurts."
I had no choice but to lie to escape her embrace. Hearing that, Johanna finally released the hands wrapped around my neck.
"Does it hurt a lot?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Click.
The moment Johanna let go, the door swung open.
"Hmph. Pathetically weak."
Duke Freya scowled at me lying in bed, but—
Smack!
The Duchess slapped the Duke’s back so hard he immediately went silent.
That looked like it actually hurt.
"Hoho. I am quite confident in this one thing."
.
.
.
I was currently standing inside the Freya family’s armory.
The weapons kept here were no ordinary tools. In my hand, I held a highest-grade elixir I had received from the Duke. It was my reward for winning the duel against Askal.
Additionally, I had been granted the right to take one weapon of my choice from this room as a gift.
Part of me wanted to take every single weapon in here. But if I tried that, my head would likely end up on display in this armory instead of a sword.
There were that many tempting items.
Suddenly, I thought of the sword Johanna carried. Compared to the masterpieces here, hers was a plain, ordinary blade, though it was kept sharp.
"But choosing a sword for Johanna here feels a bit wrong."
My voice echoed through the empty armory. Giving Johanna a sword taken from her own family's vault as a gift felt tacky.
After browsing the armory for a long while...
"So this was here?"
I found the weapon I needed most right now.
I had looked at every single weapon in the room, but in the end, I settled on this. With this, I would no longer have to worry about how many daggers I had left.
.
.
.
It was finally time to return to the Academy. After saying our goodbyes to the Duke and Duchess, Johanna and I prepared to board the carriage.
Step, step.
"Do you have a communication device?"
Askal approached me and struck up a conversation.
"Yes, I have one."
I actually had two.
"Could you lend it to me for a second?"
I pulled out the communication device I had received from Johanna from my Pocket Dimension. I couldn't exactly pull out the one Yerika had given me in front of Johanna.
Askal took my device and linked it with her own.
"Contact me whenever you need something. Or even if you don't."
Seeing Askal talking to me, Johanna walked over.
"What are you two talking about?"
"Hehe, who knows? Ask Loki."
Askal left the answer to me and headed back into the mansion.
"What did my sister say?"
Johanna glared at Askal’s retreating back before shifting her target to me.
"We didn't talk about anything special. Come now, let’s get in the carriage. Didn't you promise to have dinner with me?"
Johanna frowned, clearly dissatisfied, but she decided that having dinner together was more important and didn't press further.
Johanna boarded the carriage first, and I followed. I sat down on the seat directly across from her.
"............................."
Seeing this, Johanna’s expression soured. She stood up and moved to the seat right next to me.
Tap, tap.
Then, without a word, she patted her lap twice.
Was she telling me to lay my head there like we did on the way here?
"Senior? I’m not really that tired..."
Tap, tap.
Johanna just stared at me silently, continuing to pat her lap.
I silently lowered my head onto her lap. Then, I took off my mask. Since I had taken it off on the way here as well, my body seemed to do it naturally.
"........Ngh!"
Johanna let out a strange little sound and began stroking my face.
"Next time... tell me before you take it off..."