Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Sparring at the Training Grounds
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The training grounds were drawing near. Yet there was no sound of shouts. Normally, by this time, you’d hear the grunts of rolling soldiers.
“What’s going on?”
“Exactly. It’s awfully quiet today.”
Rachel quickened her steps and entered the training grounds. The soldiers were lined up sitting on the ground, their gazes fixed on one spot.
Rachel followed their stares and turned her head. Count Beston and Enoch were crossing swords.
“Looks like the Count’s warrior spirit has kicked in.”
“It’s Sir Enoch today. Last time, he chased Lady Evelyn for five whole days.”
What Mary said was something Rachel knew well.
The Beston family had produced knights for generations. There was a saying that warriors were good people, but in Rachel’s eyes, that wasn’t true at all.
Especially Count Beston—he had a bad habit of challenging anyone strong he saw to a duel.
“I saw that too. He followed her around like a shadow…”
Rachel clamped her mouth shut in case someone overheard.
Anyway, it seemed Enoch was the target this time.
“Miss?”
One soldier who spotted Rachel looked surprised. Rachel raised a finger to her lips. Then she watched the two men spar.
Their skills were evenly matched. Whether by agreement, they weren’t using aura or divine power; instead, they clashed swords with pure technique.
“Who do you think will win, Miss?”
“Enoch will.”
It looked even on the surface, but it wasn’t in reality. Rachel could see the outcome.
About half a month after starting to wear the monocle, she had gained the ability to see mana without it.
Those with a lot of mana in their bodies were mostly strong, and Enoch had more mana accumulated in his body than Count Beston.
“Our side wins! Win it!”
Rachel turned at the booming voice. An excited Deyner was cheering with his wooden sword arm extended.
“Ah, I should look into sending that kid to the academy too.”
Rachel wrapped up her thoughts on her brother and turned back to the front.
Enoch’s sword tip was at Count Beston’s throat. The match had ended in that time.
“Rachel!”
The moment the soldier called the verdict, Enoch ran over to Rachel. Despite the intense sparring, his face was pristine, not a drop of sweat.
“Are you done with today’s tasks?”
“No. We got an invitation from the Nerus family, so we’re leaving tomorrow.”
“I’ll prepare too. But have you gotten a dress ready?”
Rachel smiled at Enoch’s question. She had no intention of wearing an uncomfortable dress.
She was practically an outcast in high society anyway, so acting a bit differently should be fine. Probably.
“That smile makes me anxious about what you’re going to pull off.”
“What am I going to do?”
“‘What am I going to do?’ Last time you smiled like that and said you’d make something delicious, then you caused an explosion? I saw it all.”
Rachel felt wronged. She wasn’t originally bad at cooking. She’d pretended before to mooch off Karl’s food, but afterward, Enoch thought she couldn’t cook.
Either way, the incident Enoch mentioned was Rachel’s mistake. She’d been trying to make chicken but accidentally spilled flour near the fire, causing a dust explosion.
It had nearly cost her her life, so Rachel had nothing to say even if she had ten mouths.
“Yeah, that happened.”
“I still get chills all over just thinking about it.”
“Yes, yes. I’ve reflected on it. So, as atonement, how about a spar?”
“Rachel, dodging like that is a bad habit.”
But even as he nagged, Enoch picked up a wooden sword. He was going to grant Rachel’s sparring request.
“Oh, even you can swing a sword, huh?”
Count Beston, who had never seen Rachel train while residing in Harpa Castle, showed interest.
Feeling burdened by his gaze, Rachel gave an awkward smile.
“Not as well as Mother. Just basic training level.”
Once she’d learned she had aptitude for magic, she’d planned to go all-in on that, but there was no teacher to instruct her.
Left with no choice, she occasionally sparred with Enoch to keep her meager skills from rusting.
His level was so high that no matter how she attacked, she never got hurt, so she could swing freely.
“Let’s see it once.”
“But in front of so many people... it’s embarrassing.”
“Is that so? Everyone, stand! Disperse into ranks! Move to the training field and run twenty laps. Execute!”
“Execute!”
At Rachel’s complaint, the Count promptly dismissed the soldiers.
Rachel felt unnecessarily sorry, but she nodded at the Count’s face asking, *Now’s it okay?*
Afterward, Rachel and Enoch’s spar began. Occasional spars didn’t raise her points, but they kept her instincts sharp.
Enoch precisely targeted Rachel’s weaknesses. Watching, Rachel recalled her flaws and tried to overcome them.
The bout lasted over twenty minutes, and Enoch stopped Rachel’s sword at an appropriate moment.
“You’ve got a carriage ride tomorrow, so let’s end here.”
Instead of answering, Rachel nodded and looked for water.
Unlike Rachel, soaked in sweat, he was immaculate. For someone who’d just fought two opponents back-to-back, he showed no disarray.
Mary handed over a water jug as if accustomed to it. While Rachel drank, Mary wiped her sweat with a handkerchief.
“Thanks, Mary.”
“It’s my job to serve my lady!”
Rachel looked at Mary’s delighted face. And she realized.
*Ah.*
In the previous loop, the maid killed by a falling roof plank was Mary. She was the one who appeared as a head-smashed monster in the game. She’d forgotten amid the busyness after safely passing the crisis, but it suddenly came back.
“Why, my lady? Is there something on my face?”
“No. Just... No hard times lately?”
“There is!”
“What?”
“Cleaning’s tough! I thought the mansion was big, but the castle is huge.”
“You’re not doing it alone.”
“Still. So, can you take me to the tea party tomorrow? I know my lady doesn’t usually bring maids.”
As she listened to Mary’s chatter, Rachel had another realization.
It had been nearly a month since she became the castle’s mistress, yet only Mary called her “my lady.” Even the steward she’d hired called her “Miss.”
It seemed trivial, but the words people used reflected their consciousness—and reinforced their subconscious.
*I need to fix this soon.*
“Sure. I can’t go around alone anymore anyway.”
“Really? You promised?”
“Yeah. Get some advice from the head maid first so you don’t mess up.”
“Yes!”
*Anyway, I’ll be the one drawing attention, so she just needs to avoid mistakes.*
In the meantime, Count Beston approached with his chin rested on his hand.
“Basic training, you said? You’ve passed that. Though it does feel like someone without talent hitting their limit.”
His pinpoint accuracy stung Rachel’s heart. It was true she had no talent, and her skills weren’t improving.
Having her single spar seen through made Rachel wail inwardly.
“Yes, I take after Father. My brother Deyner inherited Mother’s talent.”
“The kid cheering for anyone to win earlier?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
Count Beston stroked his chin.
*I’ll hear soon that he wants to check Deyner’s skills and teach him.*
It was a good thing for Deyner to catch the eye of experts.
“When Prince Carion sent you down, I had no expectations, but lately it’s been too fun. Sir Enoch, let’s spar again next time.”
“Yes.”
He seemed thrilled at the prospect of dueling a strong opponent, heading to the training field with light steps.
Enoch stood by Rachel’s side as always.
“How much work is left?”
“Do it and more keeps coming. Soon Lord Fern will put up an abandoned mine for sale, and I need to buy it.”
“An abandoned mine means the coal’s depleted, right?”
“Pretty much all dug out. That’s why the lord’s selling cheap.”
“Then why?”
Rachel briefly pressed down on Enoch’s shoulder. He lowered it, and Rachel whispered in his ear.
“Is that true?”
“Yes. Keep it to yourself for now. I told the staff it’s for building a steel mill.”
“I see. You’re always so busy, Rachel.”
“Maybe I’ll have some free time once we catch the Black Sorcerer?”
“In the end, we have no choice but to catch the Black Sorcerer.”
Enoch’s golden eyes blazed. He’d always been hostile to the Black Sorcerer, but now it seemed even fiercer.
“Did things get resolved well from your trip to the royal palace?”
“Yes. His Majesty declared before everyone that I’m the legitimate heir.”
With the crown prince dead, the hidden fourth prince’s existence had come to light.
Since Enoch had renounced the throne from the start, no faction would form around him.
Yet the nobles were puzzling over the king’s intentions in revealing it.
“As long as he’s in the Church, he said he’d follow the word of God, so he won’t cause trouble.”
“I hope so.”
Rachel thought Enoch had a subtly naive side. The nobles would try every way to connect with him.
Hadn’t the king promised him a grand ducal seat in the future? It was unprecedented in Kudath’s history.
And this history was also something new in Rachel’s regression.
“You look happy?”
“Of course. Now I can learn magic. Though actually learning it is another story.”
“You never give up, Rachel.”
“No way. If I think there’s no hope, I give up easily!”
Enoch chuckled. It was a quite boyish laugh.
“Why laugh like that?”
“Because you’re cute.”
“I’m cute in my own way. Took you this long to notice?”
At Rachel’s retort, Enoch burst into loud laughter without holding back.
Before, he would’ve smirked quietly to seem composed, but now he didn’t hide his emotions in front of Rachel.
Rachel didn’t dislike how he’d changed from the previous loop.
***
The carriage arrived before its destination. The door opened, and Enoch got out first. He extended a hand toward the carriage, but Rachel declined.
“I can get down myself.”
With that, Rachel hopped out lightly. Mary followed, carrying the luggage.
Having gotten out of the carriage, Mary gasped at the sight of the Nerus Marquisate mansion.
“Wow! I thought Harpa Castle was cool, but a marquis’s home is on another level.”
She wasn’t just talking size. The historic marquis’s residence wasn’t flashy.
But the weight of ages gave it a stately elegance.
“Compared to the royal palace, which is cooler?”
Rachel smiled at Mary’s question. The difference was too stark to compare to the palace.
“Each has its own charm, hard to say which wins.”
“Exactly. But if others ask, say the palace is cooler.”
Rachel turned at the sudden voice.
Marquis Nerus stood by a massive tree with his escorts.
Rachel immediately offered proper greetings.
“Thank you for the invitation.”
“No need. I merely passed on my daughter’s invitation. Have you been well?”
“Yes. Quite busy.”
“You don’t seem to answer questions straightforwardly, Sir.”
It sounded like scolding, but his tone held playfulness. Rachel beamed innocently, pretending ignorance.
“I really have been busy.”
Marquis Nerus’s gaze shifted from Rachel to Enoch. He said nothing more.
“My daughter’s waiting. But your attire is quite unique.”