Chapter 22
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 022
Chapter Title: One Mistake
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I had made one mistake.
No matter if the leader was a chimera or whatever, it was still just a wolf beast at the end of the day, and Aiden was one of the top ten strongest in the world.
There was no need to hold back excessively.
And certainly no reason to draw the rapier.
It was the kind of existence that would vanish with a mere gesture, just like always.
That's what I meant to say.
Looking at the forest that had been cleanly swept away in a straight line, I swallowed hard.
“…….”
This was about on par with bulldozing it flat.
Maybe even worse.
‘Am I an environmental criminal now?’
I instinctively knew I’d get scolded for this.
Trying to argue it was unavoidable felt guilty on my part too.
From the moment I’d felled more innocent trees than wolves, I’d lost any chance to defend myself.
‘But I didn’t do it because I wanted to.’
I glanced down at my hand gripping the rapier.
The instant I’d grasped it, it was as if control of my consciousness had flipped.
By the time I opened my eyes again, this was the result.
‘Aiden doesn’t hesitate, was it?’
The moment he enters combat, unnecessary emotions are severed in chunks.
A narrow field of vision reminiscent of tunnel vision, and focus that excludes everything but the opponent.
By the time reason returns, it’s all over.
Same thing now.
I couldn’t remember how the fight had gone down at all.
I’d swung on spinal reflex, and when I snapped out of it, the opponent was dead or incapacitated.
Like an arrow loosed from the bowstring, impossible to control.
At the very least, when my life was on the line, I didn’t want to leave it to chance.
“Useless.”
I clicked my tongue and slid the rapier back into its sheath.
Aiden’s swordsmanship, excerpted from the setting document, was all about one-strike kills.
If basic swordplay includes slashing, swinging, and overhead strikes, the rapier is limited to thrusting.
Of course, it could slash too.
It was just pathetically weak.
That’s why calling the rapier a one-trick thrust pony wasn’t wrong.
Conversely, it specialized in strikes.
It had the shortest wind-up, but after thrusting, you inevitably had to recover.
And that recovery motion was intrinsically a weakness.
That’s why rapier techniques included those bizarre evasion steps.
They were designed so you could dodge the enemy’s attacks while thrusting.
Because of that weakness, Aiden never drew his sword unless he was certain he’d land it from the start.
He only unsheathed when he was absolutely sure.
In other words, guaranteed hits.
And if you’re going to hit, better kill in one go.
Less stamina consumption the better.
So, it had to be a one-strike kill.
For that, it poured everything into a single blow, with internal energy not scaled to the opponent but monstrous from the outset.
Naturally, the targeted wolf was neatly bisected, and the rocks, stones, and any vegetation caught in it all scattered like sawdust.
I let out a deep sigh at the devastated swath of forest.
The rapier was sealed away again for a while.
‘Even without that, there’s no point in me stepping up.’
Elin looked at me with uneasy eyes.
“…Were you watching?”
“You seemed to be fighting well.”
“I almost died.”
“Chances for safe real combat don’t come often.”
As our conversation ran parallel, Elin plopped down.
It felt like she’d been holding out just to argue and finally gave in.
Or maybe realizing she was safe let the fatigue crash in.
“What about the others? Senior Isel…”
“She’s safe.”
Elin patted her chest, as if she’d expected that.
“There’s no way you’d be this calm if something happened to Senior Isel.”
“Calm?”
“Probably just a bit annoyed. Or whatever.”
I’d shaved off a chunk of the mountain?
Elin’s perception felt a bit off.
I started to say something, but gave up—there was no way she’d listen to this nonsense.
She was the type who never admitted defeat.
She’d pretend to accept it now, but bring it up forever to wear you down.
I had zero tolerance for that.
I was already sick of it from the runes alone.
“Can you stand?”
“No way.”
“I see.”
Isel had no choice since she had to look after Elin, but leaving Elin to rest too felt like too much neglect.
Abandoning her in the forest like this wasn’t right.
‘Still, if she says she can’t move, I’ll have to carry her somehow.’
“P-Professor? What are you doing now?”
Princess carry.
I scooped her up as she flailed and demanded to be put down, then started walking.
The more I did, the redder she got, like a beet, and she yelled fiercely.
“No, you could carry me on your back! Not like this!”
“I don’t want anything on my back. And you’re pretty filthy right now anyway. I’ll pass.”
“Then just put me down! I’ll rest and walk!”
“You’ll manage alone in an exhausted state? Don’t get lost—stay still.”
Then Elin burst out hysterically.
“How am I supposed to not be aware of this?!”
Under normal circumstances between man and woman, it’d definitely invite misunderstandings.
But this was an emergency… and I had my reasons.
“You don’t care about others’ stares anyway. Don’t fuss. It’s uncomfortable like this.”
“B-but. Still.”
“You lost a shoe too.”
Elin was missing one shoe now.
Whether she’d discarded it torn or it came off while running, I didn’t know, but her bare foot was covered in wounds.
Walking in that state would reopen them.
“…Professor.”
“What?”
“I’m going to resent you for this.”
Her eyes welled up as she whipped her head away.
What was this? The feeling that I’d done something wrong.
At least, she shouldn’t make that expression like she didn’t know what to do with her embarrassment.
For my social standing, if nothing else.
It was risky with any girl, but especially since Elin was a half-elf.
A petite girl with teary eyes could spell my doom.
‘Somehow, this feels a bit…’
It reminded me of when I’d asked Isel about women, and Charlotte had freaked out at me.
Something intense, but the cause was utterly mysterious.
‘Should I tell her to walk and let go?’
A sidelong glance told me that’d double the resentment later.
What to do? Maybe endure the discomfort and piggyback her now.
“Elin.”
“Don’t talk to me.”
“…….”
What was I supposed to do here?
Haa…
My sigh deepened.
* * *
Isel returned to the clearing.
Contrary to her worries, the students’ complexions weren’t bad.
They’d probably calmed down after the ordeal thanks to Professor Aiden.
Half their crying now came from relief.
Once they cried it out, time would handle the rest. That’s all she could believe for now.
Isel looked at the dirt-smeared coat in her hands.
Aiden had taken it off so she could rest comfortably.
An antique wine-red coat.
Judging by the meticulously embroidered gold thread, its price was astronomically high.
And he’d casually removed it for her to use as a blanket.
She clutched the coat tightly to her chest with both hands.
“Haa.”
When she’d returned to the clearing holding it, the students had asked where it came from.
Her answer was always the same: Aiden had given it to her.
Some gave envious looks, others admiring ones.
It was all because Aiden’s image had skyrocketed.
From the genius-but-mediocre professor to the reliable savior who’d come in the nick of time.
She could understand the envy in this atmosphere.
But…
‘A little smugness is unavoidable, right?’
Yeah, a little smugness was unavoidable.
Excusing herself like that, she hugged the coat preciously to her chest.
He’d taken it off for ‘me’.
For ‘me’, no one else.
She’d nearly died just moments ago, but to Isel, that was already in the past.
As long as she hadn’t died, it was fine.
The terror hadn’t lingered because what came after had too much impact.
‘Why… did he stroke my face?’
Isel blushed.
From those self-reproachful eyes, to the apology for not coming sooner.
Telling her to rest, that gentle touch.
The warm, large hand sliding down from her head to her cheek had made her heart feel like it would burst.
Haa…
She didn’t know what the touch meant, but it didn’t feel bad.
Quite the opposite.
Good enough that she didn’t want it to end.
Deciding to ask about it later, Isel turned toward the voices.
“For real, Professor. Put me down. Everyone’s staring.”
“I can see you limping. How could I?”
“I’ll manage somehow…”
“What’s this ‘somehow’ you keep saying?”
“Somehow…”
A pointless parallel conversation.
But the voice was so familiar that Isel quickly knew who it was.
“E-everyone’s staring. Seriously.”
“Quiet. Behave.”
A grimy leg and a half-sobbing voice.
The woman’s trembling whine from embarrassment.
Elin was sniffling and pushing at Aiden’s face with her hands.
Not really shoving with strength, but a sign of protest to be put down.
Between man and woman, though, it looked like coquetry.
The group’s eyes on them were unanimous.
Why a princess carry, of all things?
And that annoyed-but-indulging demeanor—he absolutely didn’t look like a normal professor-student.
No, more like…
A word bubbled up subconsciously in their minds, but no one voiced it.
It was an unspoken agreement.
Saying it aloud felt dangerously risky.
Sinister stares poured from behind.
Though the two remained oblivious.
“What if they misunderstand? I’ve already been misunderstood once. And you keep doing this only to me…”
“That statement’s a bit dangerous. Not you—me. I’ll correct it later.”
Only to me?
What? What did he do?
“H-hard to clear up the misunderstanding now.”
“You’re accumulating it in real time.”
Aiden gently set Elin down.
Even that motion was so tender that Elin, landing lightly, wiped her burning face.
“I’m going to resent you, Professor.”
Aiden sighed, his eyes saying she was complaining nonstop after he’d saved her.
Proof of his exhaustion.
“Senior Isel.”
Elin unconsciously turned to Isel, the one she relied on most.
He’d forcibly carried her despite her protests, and she had tons to whine about.
However…
“Who are you?”
Ice-cold words.
Dripping with chill, they froze Elin on the spot.
Realizing her slip, Isel hurriedly covered.
“No, I mean, Elin, uh…”
So, um…
“Right? It’s a misunderstanding?”
Her dull, lightless eyes turned to Elin.
She couldn’t forget their bond, but Isel failed to control the icy tone.
She didn’t specify what misunderstanding, but connecting it to the early training context gave the answer instantly.
Elin gaped, unable to speak.
Her dainty mouth stayed open, the silence stretching long…