Chapter 58: The First Letter (58)
Chapter 58: The First Letter (58)
Silence settled over the examination room. The Saintess continued to gaze at me with that smile, while I could do nothing but stammer, my lips trembling wordlessly.
It was inexplicable. The air around me felt suddenly chilly. Even though the Saintess’s smile was as warm as ever, cold sweat trickled down my back.
"Ab—ababa..." My mouth failed to produce a coherent response.
I couldn't grasp the intent behind her question. Did I like it that Celine and Seria were fighting over me?
Of course I didn't. I couldn't even fathom why she would ask such a thing in the first place.
Nevertheless, a sense of crisis loomed; I knew I had to answer carefully. Just as I was hesitating—
A small giggle escaped the Saintess, who had been watching me in silence.
"Pfft... Ahahaha!"
Starting with that giggle, she burst into a fit of boisterous laughter as if she could no longer contain herself. It was like a dam bursting, the water rushing out all at once. She seemed so genuinely amused that faint tears even gathered in the corners of her eyes.
After pounding on the desk and laughing for a good while, she let the remnants of her mirth trail off as she looked at me, still staring at her with a dazed expression.
Finally catching her breath, the Saintess gave me a playful wink. Her eyes were captivating.
"It was a jo—pfft, it was just a joke, Brother Ian. You looked so flustered."
"W-was it?"
I didn't know what kind of joke that was supposed to be, but a part of me was immensely relieved that it was one. I secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing me like that, the Saintess let out another few chuckles before looking at me with warm eyes.
"Sister Seria was worried about you. She said you looked very troubled."
So that was it. I felt like I finally understood. The Saintess must have been concerned by those words and tried to lighten my mood with a joke.
To be honest, it felt more like a heart-pounding interrogation than a mood-lifting joke, but since I felt better anyway, I decided to let it slide.
However, someone of the Saintess's stature wouldn't request a private meeting just to cheer me up. This wasn't a private social gathering; she was currently on duty, performing her official medical tasks.
There had to be a proper reason.
Before I could even ask, the Saintess got straight to the point.
"As you know, the use of real swords is prohibited within the Academy. At least when it comes to dueling other people. But looking at Sister Seria’s wound, it appeared to be a laceration caused by a blade."
"Was... was it deep?"
I had already checked it several times myself, but since I couldn't be as accurate as a professional's opinion, I asked cautiously. I was worried Seria might have been badly hurt.
However, the Saintess only shook her head with a bitter smile. I breathed another sigh of relief.
"It’s a shallow wound. If it hadn't been caused by combat against another person, it’s the kind of injury that would have been treated and finished in a few minutes."
"What are your thoughts, Saintess?"
Her pale pink eyes stared at me intently. It was a look that demanded further explanation. I continued, my voice slightly urgent.
"Will there be a Disciplinary Committee meeting?"
"Well..."
The Saintess trailed off, looking troubled. My anxiety grew, and I looked at her with pleading eyes.
After a moment of silence, she glanced at me and wore a meaningful smile.
"The victim doesn't seem to want punishment, it was an accidental incident, and the severity of the injury isn't great. If I speak up for her, I don't think it will go as far as a Disciplinary Committee, but..."
My mind raced the moment I heard that. What could I do to save Celine?
Should I grab the Saintess's legs and beg? A cliché line flashed through my mind.
Please save our poor Celine. She actually lost her father because of high-ranking nobles when she was young...
I thought of various other things to say, but fortunately, none of them left my mouth.
The Saintess had noticed my desperate gaze and burst into laughter again.
When I turned my bewildered eyes toward her, she giggled.
"Don't worry, Brother Ian. Unless it's someone truly unforgivable, the grace of the Heavenly God Arus is not so meager that I would go out of my way to watch someone suffer."
What a relief. As my complexion brightened instantly, the Saintess took on a slightly proud expression. She rested her hand over her chest.
No matter how many times I saw them, her breasts were impressively voluminous. It was amazing that her hand could just rest on top of them like that. I wondered if they could even support a cup.
As soon as my worries were resolved, I found myself having such irreverent thoughts, but the Saintess didn't seem to notice my gaze.
She simply gave me a slight wink and spoke.
"Of course, I'm letting this slide partly because of the relationship between you and me, Brother Ian."
"...The relationship between you and me?"
When I tilted my head in confusion, she just chuckled as if that was enough. Her pale pink eyes were suddenly filled with my reflection.
"Yes, 'our relationship'... Well then, that is all I have to say. May you have a peaceful day. Immanuel."
I was practically ushered out of my seat. I felt dazed, but there was nothing I could do. The Saintess was a busy woman with official duties, and I had no justification to take up more of her time.
However, before I left, the Saintess added one last thing.
"Come to think of it, Brother Ian."
Just before opening the door, I looked back. There sat the Saintess, still wearing her benevolent smile.
"That joke I told at the beginning... perhaps it wasn't entirely a joke."
I didn't understand what she meant by that.
Nevertheless, I could be certain of one thing.
The Saintess, as she said those words, looked more alluring than ever before.
That was what happened when I left the examination room.
When I stepped out of the infirmary, Seria and Reto were already gone. I remembered Seria wanting to stay and wait for me, but I had practically forced her to leave.
As for Reto, I didn't even expect him to stay; he was the type to leave out of sheer laziness even if told to wait.
I was thinking about heading back to the dormitory for a glass of whiskey and some sleep.
Suddenly, someone draped an arm around my shoulder. I almost jumped out of my skin.
My senses, which had become heightened lately, usually picked up most movements around me even without conscious effort. Yet, the person who had just approached me had managed to bypass those senses entirely.
My hand instinctively went to my waist. It was a swordsman's instinct. But I soon realized the identity of the man who had his arm around me.
He had a slender face and androgynous features. His jade-colored hair was tied back in a ponytail. His thin frame looked frail, but one shouldn't be fooled.
This man was the runner-up of the 3rd-year Swordsmanship Department. He was a master of the blade whom even Seria couldn't match in terms of pure skill.
Yuren of the Holy Kingdom. His blue eyes sparkled as he wore a mischievous smile.
"Whoa, Ian. It’s been a while, hasn't it?"
"...Yuren? Didn't you say you were going to the Holy City?"
That was it. The reason I hadn't expected him was that he had left for Rune, the capital of the Holy Kingdom, a long time ago.
I had heard he was assisting an Archbishop with some important task.
I had been feeling a bit lonely since he hadn't been around since the start of the semester.
While the lower noble girls in the 2nd-year Swordsmanship Department built their network around Celine, Yuren of the 3rd-year was the one who connected the men, regardless of their social status.
Many highly valued his cheerful and sociable personality, as well as his straightforwardness. Being from the Holy Kingdom, he was fundamentally a man of upright character.
He only went a bit crazy when it came to swords, but in an Academy that cultivated elites, that was considered a virtue.
And now, he was back. I could only ask him, feeling half-glad and half-bewildered.
Yuren smiled at my words and pulled a red bead from his pocket.
It was a bead with an alluring, blood-like hue. My eyes turned to Yuren in confusion. Yuren grinned.
"Of course I finished my business. This is it. It’s an item called 'Blood Essence,' and it’s a precious sacrifice. It can temporarily enhance holy power and even perform miracles."
"Don't tell me you stayed in the Holy City for months just to make that one thing?"
"Tsk, tsk. You're from the Empire, so you wouldn't know. Do you have any idea how valuable this tiny bead is? You might not even be able to buy it if you sold an entire castle."
My eyes widened at Yuren's explanation. The price of a castle? It was the first time in my life I had seen something of such value.
My gaze trembled as I looked at the small, blood-red bead. For a moment, a name flashed through my mind.
Emma. If she had a sacrifice of this caliber, wouldn't she be cured? No, it would definitely be possible. This was a sacrifice worth an entire castle.
My eyes turned urgently toward Yuren. But Yuren, who had been draping his arm around me, had already stepped back and tucked the Blood Essence away.
A bitter smile played on his lips.
"I heard about your friend, Ian... but I can't give you this. It’s an item that can only be used with the Holy Kingdom's permission."
"I suppose so..."
As expected, I let out a deep sigh. It was only natural. I had just been momentarily blinded by the possibility right in front of me.
Yuren watched me with a somber look for a moment as I grew dejected again, then patted my shoulder comfortingly. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he asked me.
"By the way, Ian, I've heard quite a lot of rumors about your skill with a hand axe."
"...Really?"
I replied in a flat voice. I was still feeling down, but in contrast, Yuren's eyes were gleaming with interest.
He looked like he was dying of curiosity. I should have known he would be like this. He approached me and started poking me with his finger.
"Hey, hey. What did you do to get so much better while I was gone? I'm not even confident I could beat Senior Delphine..."
"Beat her, my foot. It was barely a draw while we were both unarmed. Besides, she didn't have a single scratch, while my hand was pierced through."
"Still."
Yuren said, sounding like he was pleading. His eyes were sparkling with intrigue.
"Can't you show me just once? That hand axe skill of yours."
I let out a long sigh. Then, with a look of utter disinterest, I glared at Yuren. My mouth slowly opened with a reluctant expression.
"Do you really want to start a fight in the Tem—ple!"
Of course, it was a feint.
The hand that had instinctively moved toward my waist since Yuren first approached me moved instantly to fulfill its purpose.
A silver line—a sharp trajectory that only a blade could draw—was carved into the air.
It was clear that the fiercely rising axe blade was aimed at Yuren. That was the point of the surprise attack, and Yuren had been hoping for it as well.
However, the result was exactly as expected.
Clang!
Sparks flew in the air. A thin sword, drawn from Yuren's waist before I knew it, caught my hand axe as it rose vertically like a snake.
Then, as if wrapping around it, it rotated using the axe handle as an axis and drove it straight into the ground.
Metal struck marble, and sparks flew. I didn't lose my grip on the axe, but as it was slammed into the floor, my body almost toppled over it.
Not just the axe and the sword, but my position and Yuren's were swapped in that rotating motion.
Seeing me in an awkward, hunched-over posture, Yuren let out an exclamation and stroked his chin.
"Wow, that’s impressive. If I hadn't known, I might have actually been caught."
"...You crazy bastard."
I could only mutter those words instead of a compliment.
His skill was uncanny, as always. I was the one who drew the axe first, yet Yuren's sword had already caught up to it and even slammed it into the ground.
He was truly on a different level. If Senior Delphine and I had fought head-on, the result would have been even worse than this.
The Hunting Festival... would I be okay? I already felt a sense of gloom.
But Yuren, as if he found it interesting, observed my hunched posture from various angles. Then, as if he had realized something, he nodded.
"Among Mind, Technique, Body, your Technique is exceptionally outstanding. But your Mind and Body aren't keeping up with it."
"...? What does that mean?"
I was already well aware of the theory of Mind, Technique, Body.
Three types of training were necessary for martial arts: Mind (Sim), Technique (Gi), and Body (Che).
Training the Mind affects one's mental imagery, training the Technique creates a skilled warrior, and training the Body forms the vessel for it all.
That was the theory. If one didn't satisfy all three, they couldn't become a great martial artist. But now, Yuren was telling me that only my Technique was exceptionally high.
Yuren didn't go into more detail. He simply left me with these words.
"It’s like... you spent all your time training in isolation in the mountains? No, even so, your Mind and Body shouldn't be lagging this far behind... I know! You just need to roll around on a battlefield all day."
"But then my Technique wouldn't be properly established, would it?"
"Maybe you had a great master... well, either way, it should be impossible."
With that, Yuren patted my shoulder again. It was a sign of farewell.
"Don't worry too much about it. You'll have to correct it in the long run, but for now, it’s not bad to just focus on what you're good at."
'What I'm good at.' Those words suddenly stuck in my mind.
What I'm good at... come to think of it, Reto had told me something similar.
Was it 'just do whatever the hell you want'?
Seeing me lost in thought, Yuren wore a satisfied expression, though I didn't know what he was thinking. He looked as if he thought I had gained some profound realization from his advice.
He waved his hand as he walked away, as if not wanting to disturb me.
"I'll be going now. My sister is waiting... By the way, you should be careful of her."
My eyes drifted toward Yuren as I was lost in thought. He was wearing a mischievous smile, just like when he had draped his arm around me.
"...She’s been very interested in you lately."
There was only one person Yuren called 'sister.'
As an orphan, the only person he trusted and followed like family was the one person he had grown up with in the orphanage like a real sibling.
The Saintess. It meant she was interested in me.
But why?
Before I could even voice that question, Yuren vanished like the wind, just as he had appeared.
Since he officially served as the Saintess's guard, he must have gone to see her.
And so, another worry was born, while another seemed on the verge of being resolved.
I wasn't as eloquent as Reto, I didn't have a wide network like Celine, and I didn't have a solid background like Seria.
However, despite all that, there was 'what I'm good at.'
Yes, that was all.
It was a dark night, a time when even the moonlight cast a coy glow from behind the clouds.
Hair that resembled the color of that night sky caught my eye. And amber eyes that stared blankly at me, contrasting with her pale skin.
Celine Haster, my childhood friend, stood facing me.
"...Celine."
Slowly reflecting the moonlight, my sword was drawn from the scabbard at my waist.
Thud. The scabbard was tossed onto the ground. It was a sign that I wouldn't sheathe the sword until the match was decided. The signal for the start of a duel.
In the forest clearing where no one would come, I wore a faint smile.
"Let's go a round."
This was the only thing I was good at.
A swordsman should speak only with his sword. Or in my case, with a hand axe included.