A Sly Man and an Innocent Woman
"You haven't even finished what you were eating, so why..." Hearing Drin's murmur, the man conspicuously held out the skewers in both of his hands.
"Food like this is always tastier when you hold it in both hands and eat it like—this."
"I didn't say that for your benefit!"
"Oops, my mistake. I ended up eavesdropping without meaning to. At any rate, thank you for guiding me this far."
As the man began to wind down the conversation as if to part ways, Drin looked startled.
"What? Was your destination here in District 4?"
"No. But I figured I could manage from here on out without your help."
"Don't be like that. Let me guide you."
"Do you even know where I'm going?"
"...Where exactly are you going?"
"Hmm~" The man's squinty eyes, which already made him look like he was smiling, curved even more as the corners of his mouth stretched into a wide, meaningful grin. He stared at Drin with a loaded expression.
"D-don't look at me like—ugh! Stop looking at me like that and just tell me where you're going!"
"Well, I do plan on heading to District 1 first."
"Oh! If it's District 1, I can certainly guide you! That happens to be my final destination as well. What a coincidence!"
Drin spoke with genuine delight, but all she received in return was another loaded look from the man.
"Hmm~"
"What is it now?!"
"Oh, nothing. I was just wondering if you were pushing yourself too hard just to guide me."
"Why on earth would I do that?!"
"Whoops, if it's not, it's not. No need to get so angry."
"Because you made a highly rude assumption!"
"Oh? Was it really that rude? My apologies, then."
"I also apologize for raising my voice."
Realizing she was the only one getting emotional, Drin cleared her throat with a dry cough to compose herself.
She regained her usual dignified composure, but the man stifled a chuckle behind her back as he watched her.
"Well, if you insist, may I ask for your help one more time?"
"Leave it to me."
Drin took the lead, occasionally glancing back to make sure the man was keeping up. He was following her, maintaining a distance of about two paces.
A mischievous smile played on her lips as she spoke.
"I suppose you finally have a reason to walk close to me now?"
It was a sarcastic jab at how he had flatly refused to get close to her earlier, claiming there was 'no reason to walk so close' when she first offered directions.
"Huh? Whoa! You startled me! When did you get so close?!"
A vein popped on Drin's forehead, and her expression stiffened. Seeing her reaction, the man laughed shamelessly.
"Hahaha! Just a joke, just a joke. I know now that you're not a dangerous person."
"Then why are you subtly backing away again?"
"Well, knowing you're not dangerous is one thing, but scary is still scary... Even that noble from earlier seemed terrified of you."
"That wasn't fear, it was... Never mind. Why do I even bother talking to you?"
The path Drin chose led straight from District 4 to District 1. Seeing that District 1 was not far off, Drin broached a new topic.
"By the way, what business brings you to District 1?"
"Does there have to be a reason? For all you know, I could be a resident of District 1. Or did you think there's absolutely no way a guy like me could live there?"
"Good grief. Every time I say something, you... Honestly, I did think that, if only a little. I apologize."
Seeing Drin bow her head so readily in apology, the man let out a flustered chuckle, caught off guard.
"You are needlessly honest."
"There is no such thing as being needlessly honest. Honesty is a virtue."
"If it's a virtue, what if my feelings were deeply hurt by those words?"
"...I admit it. While honesty is a virtue, my manner of speaking is separate from that and lacks refinement."
"It certainly seems that way."
Another vein popped. Drin forced a smile and glared at him.
"You, on the other hand, are needlessly honest yourself."
"Didn't you say honesty is a virtue?"
"Then stop beating around the bush and just tell me the truth! What is your business in District 1?"
"I'm here to take the Academy entrance exam."
"Ah. To take the Academy entrance exam—wait, what?"
Drin's gaze swept up and down his body.
"Aha! Just now, you were thinking, 'Someone like him is taking the Academy entrance exam? The Academy really isn't what it used to be,' weren't you?!"
"What?! No! Of course not!"
"Then what were you thinking?"
"That... it is going to be a very difficult exam for you..."
"Isn't that basically the same thing?!"
"Ahem, my apologies. You might possess some talent that I am unaware of. If I may ask, what is your specialty?"
"The sword!"
"Ah..." A deep, heavy sigh escaped from the very depths of her soul.
"Hey, what's with that sigh?!"
"Your physique... doesn't seem to have any particularly trained areas... Your posture... is completely unrefined... And mana... I can't feel any at all..."
"Could you please keep those thoughts to yourself? Is that also part of your 'honesty is a virtue' thing?"
"If I may ask, where did you learn swordsmanship?"
He dramatically spread his arms wide and spoke.
"Why would I need to learn it from somewhere? The entire world is a classroom filled with teachings, and nature itself is my master."
"Ah..."
"Shouldn't you be admiring me instead of sighing like you're looking at a pathetic soul? I thought that sounded pretty cool."
"Honestly, to my eyes, it just looks like you're trying too hard to sound poetic."
"Is it really that bad?"
"Honestly, to my eyes, you don't even have the basics down."
"What about by the standards of the Academy exam?"
"Honestly, I think it will be nearly impossible."
"Look, let me just say this while we're on the subject. Just because you tack 'honestly' onto the front of a sentence doesn't make it a virtue. Can't you see the countless daggers currently impaling my chest? Well, whatever. Actually, I'm quite confident. In the Academy entrance exam, that is."
He gave a confident thumbs-up. To Drin, however, it didn't look like confidence at all—just pure, frivolous bluster.
"What is the basis for your confidence?"
"That look of utter disbelief is really hurtful. Well, to be fair, if you ask me what the basis is, I don't really have an answer."
"What? So you came all the way to Arien to take the exam without any basis whatsoever?"
"Isn't that incredible determination?"
"I think 'reckless' would be a much more fitting description..."
"Ugh. Another dagger to the chest."
"Unbelievable..." Drin muttered, dumbfounded, before suddenly falling into deep thought.
"Hmm, then how about this? If you don't mind, I could take a look at your swordsmanship."
As Drin spoke with a face that said she had just had a brilliant idea, the man's squinty eyes fixed on her. Though his eyes always looked the same no matter his expression, spending more time with him seemed to make the subtle differences in his gaze visible.
"What's with that look?"
"Oh, nothing. I just find it amusing that you'd say such a thing. Judging whether I can pass the Academy entrance exam... You certainly have grand confidence."
"Unlike yours, my confidence is well-founded. Do you not believe me?"
"Of course I do. I saw what you did, after all. The terror from back then still..."
"If I had my way, I'd instill that terror in you all over again. Properly, this time. So you can never tease me about it again."
Drin playfully tapped the hilt of the sword resting at her waist.
"Aha, so you were planning to beat me to a pulp under the guise of 'checking my sword.' I almost made a huge mistake by agreeing to it."
"You needn't worry about that. My sword is not so clumsy as to harm the weak."
"Then what are these hundreds of daggers currently twisting in my chest... At any rate, checking my sword must mean we'll be sparring, right?"
"There is no surer way to gauge someone's skill."
"Hmm, I'm not particularly keen on the idea."
"Why is that?"
"With the exam right around the corner, I might get hurt."
Drin looked at the man and let out a smile, finding his concern almost cute.
"What's with that look?"
"Oh, nothing. It's just that avoiding a spar out of fear of getting hurt feels so bizarre, yet so typical of you."
Drin puffed out her chest and spoke proudly.
"In any case, you don't have to worry about that. There is no way you will get hurt."
"I was actually taking into account the possibility of you getting hurt."
"That is even more impossible. If you can manage to leave even a single scratch on me—"
"If I do?"
"It would be truly miraculous."
He tilted his head at the anticlimactic conclusion.
"Truly miraculous? That's it?"
"What are you complaining about now?"
"I just think it's a very boring way for things to go."
"Good grief. Then what was I supposed to say?"
"Usually, in these situations, doesn't it go something like, 'If you manage to leave even a single scratch on me, I'll grant you any favor you want!'?"
"Is that so? Fine, then. Just as you said, if you win, I will grant you one favor."
"Whoa, just like that? Are you sure about this? You don't even know what I might ask for."
"You don't need to worry or get your hopes up. There won't be any opportunity for you to ask me for a favor. Oh, but if I win, will you also grant me a favor?"
"Me? Why?"
"What do you mean why? It's only fair."
"But that would mean acknowledging you as an equal opponent."
"True... Then what should we do?"
"Are you seriously asking me that?"
"Well, you spoke as if you knew how these things work."
The man shrugged at Drin's attitude, which seemed as excited as if she were asking about the rules of a game.
"Well, in cases like this, the stronger party usually imposes a handicap on themselves."
"Ho, a handicap. In that case, I won't move from my spot. Oh, and I'll only use my right hand. For your information, I'm left-handed."
"Oh, then if I just throw stones at you from a distance, I might actually have a shot at winning."
"Just you try. I'll deflect them right back at you and knock you out cold until the day the Academy entrance exams are over."
"Haha, of course I'm joking."
Tsk. The sound slipped from the man's lips as he turned his head away.
"Aha! You definitely just clicked your tongue!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. But seriously, aren't you looking down on me a bit too much? Not moving from your spot is one thing, but using only one hand—and your right hand when you're left-handed at that?"
"Now that I think about it, it might be a bit difficult."
"Right?"
"Since leaving a scratch on me would be too difficult for you anyway, let's make it so you win if you can just force me to take a step. How about that?"
"...Are you sure you don't just secretly want to grant me a favor?"
"We'll find out once we try."
"No backing out later, alright?"
"You're one to talk."
The two changed their course and slipped into a deserted back alley.
A sparring bet. This was her chance to earn some respect from this man, who treated her like she was merely some scary, strong person. At the same time, it was the perfect opportunity to get back at him for teasing her with his sly, silver tongue.
"Hehehe..."
Imagining the aftermath of the bet, Drin smiled with immense satisfaction.
Completely unaware of the expression on the face of the man following behind her—the very man who had orchestrated this entire sequence of events.