Chapter 54
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: The Grand Duchess, the Lady Knight, and Me (2)
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The moment I saw Elena burst out from the bushes, my mind went blank. It felt just like someone slamming a hammer down hard on my head.
How the hell had she even hidden herself all the way over there? If there had been any sign of her presence, I definitely would've noticed. All I could do was wonder.
But that didn't really matter. The fact that the grubby Elena was standing right in front of me meant I suddenly had a ton of work to do.
"Grand Duchess, what in the world are you doing in a place like this?"
I rushed over to Elena and started plucking the leaves off her hair one by one.
This wasn't some puppy rolling around in a field—what kind of mess was this...?
"I was keeping an eye on you, just in case you and Lady Ibi got up to anything improper."
"It would tarnish the Frozenheart Ducal Family's honor, so how could I ever do such a thing?"
"And yet the person who worries about that is the one who went and started all this...?"
"I have nothing to say for myself, even if I had ten mouths. I'm sorry."
She was referring to my duel with Walter Douglas.
Even if it was a knight-against-knight fight, there was no denying it had nearly besmirched the Frozenheart Ducal Family's reputation.
"I was just joking, so don't take it so seriously."
"Thank you for understanding."
"More than that, it's been a while since I last saw you fight, and you handled it pretty impressively, didn't you? Who would've thought the snot-nosed kid who could barely swing a sword would turn out like this? It's amazing."
"You're too kind."
I gave my usual calm reply, but deep down, I was still a bit miffed.
How many times had I ended up washing my clothes because of your snot? Who was calling who a snot-nosed kid here...?
Still, it was praise nonetheless, so I wasn't in a bad mood.
"There, that's enough."
"There are still leaves left, though..."
"It's really fine."
"Understood."
I stopped my hands, puzzled but obedient.
It was a relief not to have to deal with the hassle, but what exactly did she plan to do...?
Luckily, my question was answered soon enough.
With a light flick of her index finger, Elena conjured a strangely shaped magic circle, and the miracle of magic unfolded before my eyes.
A gentle breeze stirred around her body. It gathered the leaves and dirt clinging to her and whisked them back to the flower bed.
'What the...'
I knew Elena was skilled in magic, so it wasn't all that surprising.
I just felt incredibly hard done by.
If there's magic like this, use it from the start—now I feel like I wasted my effort for nothing.
Of course, I couldn't voice that thought. Using magic was entirely Elena's choice. It was way beyond what an exclusive attendant like me could demand.
"See? All clean now, right?"
"Impressive as always."
"Good. Then I'll head back. You should go to the infirmary right away. Don't worry about me."
Elena flashed a smile and turned to leave. She seemed headed straight for the Magic Department's dormitory.
Just as her snowy white hair swayed and I moved to follow—
"Grand Duchess, could you wait a moment?"
"What is it?"
"There's a scratch on the back of your neck."
A long red mark marred her pristine nape. It looked like a branch had scraped her.
It was hidden by her hair, so I'd nearly missed it—talk about a close call.
Of course, it wasn't deep enough to scar...
Still, better to take care of it. Wouldn't want any complications.
"Is there? I don't see it..."
"You can't check it without a mirror."
"Then want to touch it and confirm?"
As she said that, Elena swept her hair to one side. The scratch was now fully visible, along with her flawless white nape.
Touch it with my hand?
An unmarried woman's nape, no less?
It defied common sense in this world—not to mention the relatively open standards of my old one.
"Even so, I can't just touch your body..."
"You used to hug me and pat my back when I was little."
"Even then, it was improper. I was just forgiven because I was young."
"Can't a secret friend do even that much?"
"Being secret friends doesn't mean I can touch your body..."
"Luke, this is just to confirm the location of the scratch. Or do you have impure thoughts about me?"
With Elena putting it like that, I had no choice. Refuse, and I'd be the one with dirty mind.
I had no idea why she was testing me like this, but to survive, I'd have to do it.
I slowly reached out and brought my hand to Elena's nape. My rough finger lightly brushed the red mark on her pale skin.
"Eek..."
Did it hurt? Elena's body twitched slightly.
"...Can I take my hand away now?"
"Yes, go ahead. It stings, so yeah, there's definitely a scratch."
"If you're worried about scarring, it might be best to get it treated along with mine..."
"If it were that bad, you'd have dragged me straight to the healer. It's fine—it'll heal on its own if I leave it."
Elena said that and let her swept-aside hair fall back into place.
For some reason, though, her faintly smiling expression carried a strange sense of satisfaction.
"Well, I'll be off then. You rest up today and don't push yourself."
"Yes, Grand Duchess."
That concluded our conversation. She resumed her steps without delay.
I watched her retreating figure grow distant, letting out a long internal sigh. Somehow, this felt more exhausting than the duel with Walter.
Why was there never a peaceful day...?
My life seemed far removed from any sense of leisure.
Time passed, and the next day arrived.
I headed to Shavel's office.
Maybe because I'd done this several times before, it felt a little routine now.
As I entered, Shavel greeted me with a faint smile playing on her lips.
"It's a first, hearing tales of my student's exploits, but it doesn't sound half bad."
"Exploits? It's not that grand."
"The name doesn't matter—what counts is the content."
She had a point...
I scratched my head awkwardly and began recounting the story.
The grueling early phase, the mid where I started reading his moves, and the late where I used aura to claim victory.
Shavel sipped her tea quietly and set the cup down silently as I finished.
"I was worried, but I'm glad it didn't blow up into something bigger."
"I think so too."
"That said, you were able to keep up with his movements as the fight dragged on..."
Tap-, tap-, tap-.
Her fingers drummed the table in steady rhythm.
Finally, she stopped, as if she'd reached a decision.
"Frankly, it's not incomprehensible. When blades clash, you can sense the opponent's swordsmanship and flow of intent."
Just as Shavel said.
Clashing swords with Walter had let me grasp his unique style and intent. From there, I'd gradually seized the momentum.
"But understanding and matching it isn't easy—especially against a unique school like the Douglas family's."
"His sword swings were a bit unusual, but that's because it's their own style."
"Yes, exactly. If this wasn't a fluke, I'd have to call it your talent. Something separate from aura or swordsmanship."
I understood her words intellectually, but it was hard to believe.
'Eh, probably just luck...'
I wasn't the protagonist Yubel or anything—me, a mere side character? Better to chalk it up to chance than get my hopes up.
"Anyway, don't overthink it. Time will reveal the truth whether you like it or not."
"Yes, I'll focus on what I can do now."
"Wise choice. As your master, I'll help however I can."
Shavel smiled.
Was she pleased I'd won? There was pride in that smile.
As I bowed and moved to leave her office—
"Oh, by the way, I was watching you fight in the training grounds yesterday."
Then why sit here listening to my recap...?
Elena, Shavel—why didn't they just do things upfront? It felt like pointless effort.
"Don't make that face. I wanted to hear the tale from my student too."
"Then I'll be going."
I bowed once more and left the office.
A bit more time passed after class.
I was sipping tea in the gardening club room as usual when Erze suddenly clapped her hands.
"Oh yeah, the Academy festival is coming up soon, right?"
Festival...
For some reason, the word gave me a strong sense of foreboding.