Treasure Hunting (1)

Even after being told, out of nowhere, that she wanted to fight me, I wasn't particularly flustered.

This was simply who Frey was.

A lunatic with nothing in her head but swinging a sword. She never spared a thought for anyone else's feelings and moved only according to her own desires — pure my-pace, through and through. The moment someone looked worth fighting, she'd march right up and demand a duel on the spot.

And she was a character I'd never cared for.

To put it bluntly, I hated Frey. I hated how she did whatever she pleased and dragged everyone around her into the mess. I hated how she'd spit out the cruelest words with that innocent, unblemished face and then tilt her head as if she had no idea what she'd done wrong.

But more than anything, what I hated was the simple fact that Frey's in-game performance was utter garbage.

Not that her specs were bad. Frey, who would one day claim the title of Sword Saint, deserved to be called the strongest melee character in Soul Academy.

So what was the problem?

Frey did whatever she felt like.

It didn't matter whether the player was controlling her or issuing orders — she simply acted on her own whims, period. How many times had I taken her into my party for her character achievements, only to have her troll us into a full party wipe?

Ever heard the phrase "blinded by overwhelming stats"?

I came to hate Frey precisely because of her dreadful, terrible performance. I'll say it flat out: Frey was one of the worst characters in all of Soul Academy.

And now that the game had become reality, I didn't expect her personality or her style to change one bit.

So I had absolutely no desire to get close to her. Even less desire to put her in my party.

Variables were already overflowing thanks to Agra's Curse — did I really need to haul this one around too?

That would be suicide. I'd rather travel alone.

If her favorability quest had been easy, I might have grinded it out just to clear the objective — but with her, even the favorability work was a nightmare.

"Did you not hear me?"

Frey tilted her head, apparently puzzled that I hadn't answered.

I'd thought her illustration was insanely well done even in the game, but in the flesh it was no joke.

Those eyes, like jewels set into porcelain. That hair, so fine it looked like it would spill through your fingers if you touched it. Skin so flawlessly white despite how much she loved running around outdoors.

I never used to understand the people who gushed over Frey's looks back when the rallying cry was looks are performance too, but I could sort of see it now.

She was beautiful.

So beautiful that anyone who had ever looked Frey in the face, dead-on, would never forget it.

Even standing right beside me, the students' eyes all went to her — so I clearly wasn't the only one who thought so.

Not that Frey herself seemed to care one whit about the attention.

'I heard you.'

"I heard you, Pathetic Swordswoman."

Pathetic Swordswoman? Frey? I really don't get what standard decides these names. Why does it fit some people and not others? This time, at least, I'm grateful it doesn't — unlike mine: Sword-Crazy. Battle-Maniac Lady. Party Annihilator. Not a single nickname I've ever been given carries a good meaning. Compared to those, Pathetic Swordswoman would've been downright tame.

"Huh? Pathetic? Me?"

'Yes.'

"Is there anyone else here besides you?"

"Hmm. So I'm a Pathetic Swordswoman? First time hearing that one."

Despite being insulted, Frey seemed entirely unbothered.

Whatever other people thought of her, whatever they called her — none of it mattered to her at all.

Exactly the same as in the game.

"Whatever, answer me. Fight me."

'No.'

"Why should I fight a Pathetic Swordswoman?"

"It'll be fun."

'I don't think so.'

"Sorry, but I'm not interested in pathetic swordswomen, you see?"

"Really? Even so. Hmm."

Was she even listening to me?

It felt like talking one-sidedly at a wall, and it made my chest tight. Since inhabiting Lucy's body, I'd never once felt outmatched in a conversation — but today was different. Against someone who plugged her ears and said only what she wanted, the mesugaki skill's translation and everything else meant absolutely nothing.

"Then I just have to show you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'm not pathetic, right?"

The moment Frey spat out those words —

My body, put through months of training brutal enough to make me vomit blood, moved faster than thought. Reciting a prayer inwardly, I formed a shield of Divinity across my arm and moved it exactly as Iron Wall commanded.

Clang!

Frey's unleashed sword struck my shield and bounced away.

Her crimson eyes fixed quietly on me. The emotion inside them was unmistakably interest — the kind a child has upon finding a fun new toy.

"Wow. You blocked it?"

'Are you out of your mind?!'

"Pathetic Swordswoman! Have you lost it?! What happens if you swing a sword around in here?!"

"You blocked it, so it's fine, isn't it?"

Heartless lunatic.

This ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is exactly why I never wanted anything to do with her.

As Frey swung her sword, Iron Wall cried out one danger after another. Every single one of them a lethal strike. The instant I let a single one slip past, my skin would be carved open.

Reciting prayers inwardly to buff myself, I parried her blows while waiting for an opening.

Frey was certainly strong for her age, but even so, she was no match for the knights of House Alrn.

If the one standing before me had been Carl — and if he had truly intended to smash me to pieces — my head would already be rolling across the floor.

"Lady Alrn! Get back!"

Joy's voice reached my ears as I held out.

The instant I heard it, I knocked Frey's sword aside and threw myself backward.

In that moment, a wall of ice rose up between Frey and me, and Divinity poured down over it, making the barrier all the more solid.

A joint effort by Joy and Phoebe.

"Are you all right?"

Phoebe was peering at me with worried eyes — when had she gotten so close?

Worried I might get hurt? Is that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠why you came?

Oh, blessed Saintess. I have no one but you.

To worry over me even as I call you pathetic — how could I ever repay such kindness?

'Yes.'

"Of course. It's me, the pathetic little Saintess, after all. You really think that beast could push me around?"

When I answered with full mesugaki confidence, Phoebe chuckled.

Seems you've gotten used to being called a pathetic Saintess by now.

"Lady Kent. What exactly do you think you're doing?"

"Why?"

"Sword fights in the classroom, really."

"Had to prove I'm not pathetic."

"Does that even make sense?"

While Phoebe and I were talking, I could hear Joy and Frey exchanging words beyond the wall of ice. The longer the conversation dragged on, the sharper Joy's voice became — yet Frey remained as placid as ever.

Joy is terrifying when she's genuinely angry, and Frey just kept answering her calmly. That's Frey for you.

If I left things as they were, Joy looked ready to actually explode, so I passed through the wall and approached the two of them.

'Joy.'

"Airhead Lady."

"You called me Airhead Lady again."

'You lost the bet, didn't you?'

"The Airhead Lady who lost the bet sure does talk a lot."

"Ugh..."

By now you've checked your Academy entrance exam results, haven't you? Which means you know you lost that bet too — so just quietly accept being Airhead Lady!

Taking my eyes off Joy, who glared at me resentfully, I turned to Frey.

"Gonna keep going?"

'Nope.'

"Not doing it, Pathetic Swordswoman."

"Aw."

When I refused, Frey looked genuinely disappointed.

This girl really has taken a liking to me, hasn't she?

I know she thinks of me as nothing more than a satisfying punching bag at best, but once her interest is piqued, nothing in the world will make her let go.

This has become a hassle.

If I just walked away, she'd come pouncing again claiming she wanted to fight.

First things first — time to put a leash on her to prevent exactly that.

'Frey.'

"Pathetic Swordswoman."

"Hm?"

'Do you want to spar with me again?'

"You want to fight me again?"

"Yeah! Of course!"

The most energetic answer I'd gotten out of her yet. Would have been lovely if she'd answered my other questions like that.

'Then never do this again.'

"Then ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠never pull something stupid like this again."

"Why?"

That "why" was not a question to be answered with common sense.

Frey was a person hopelessly far removed from normality. What good would demanding common sense do from someone who, no matter who stood before her, never left her own world?

The answer I needed to give here was one that fit inside Frey's world.

Just as the game's protagonist had played along with her, I had to play along with Frey.

'Frey, you...'

"Pathetic Swordswoman, you just want to fight me, don't you?"

"Yeah!"

'Then...'

"Then wouldn't it be better for both of us to prepare at our very best and fight in the best place possible? Or is it that you're so pathetic you have no chance of winning unless you ambush me like this?"

Hearing my words, Frey rolled her eyes — then soon nodded as if she understood.

"Right. You're really smart."

Seems she's convinced, so from now on she won't just ambush me out of nowhere.

In exchange, I'll have to spar with her regularly — let's just tell myself it doubles as my own training.

Someone at her level makes a decent sparring partner, after all.

"Hey, when's the duel?"

'Tomorrow...'

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow. Today I'll settle for this, Pathetic Swordswoman. Unlike a beast like you, I get tired, you know?"

"Mm-hm. Fine. Got it. So it's tomorrow?"

As Frey nodded, apparently satisfied with my answer, Joy let out a sigh of relief.

Even though she must be sick to death of me calling her Airhead Lady, she still looks out for me! You really are a good person!

'Thank you, Joy.'

"Good work, Airhead Lady."

"Ha. Don't mention it. More importantly — Lady Kent. Please be careful with your actions next time."

"Huh?"

Looking at Frey, who answered as though she had no idea what she'd done wrong, Joy frowned slightly, withdrew the wall of ice, and left.

Wow. Genuinely intimidating.

Frey, tilting her head even at that expression, is a different breed entirely.

Not that I'm one to talk.

Well, with the situation more or less settled, time to go find my seat.

Somewhere as far from the professors' eyes as possible.

If one of them singled me out and asked me a question, profanity was guaranteed to come flying out.

The moment I stepped away, Frey — who had been quietly watching me — fell in at my heels.

'Frey...'

"Pathetic Swordswoman. Why are you following me?"

"Can't I?"

Looking into Frey's innocent, guileless eyes, I couldn't come up with a good reason she couldn't.

There wasn't one.

The only problem was that her interest in me was a nuisance.

Damn it. It's not like I can tell her to get lost because she's annoying.

Haah.

'Do what you want.'

"Suit yourself, Pathetic Swordswoman."

"Okay. I will."

The way she only snaps to attention with answers that benefit her is seriously infuriating.

When I found a seat and sat down, Frey, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, took the one beside me.

Did I appeal to you that much?

Guess the punching bag grew on you after that little test swing.

But so what.

To hit Favorability 70 with you, I'd have to grant you an enlightenment about the sword.

Not that there's no way to do it — it's just a method that won't be available until sophomore year.

For someone like me, who needs to bring two people to Favorability 70 before finals, Frey's goodwill is exactly zero help!

Sitting there, watching Frey hum to herself while gazing out the window in her own arbitrary rhythm, my head started to ache.

Ugh.

If only her conditions weren't so absurd, she'd have been one easy Favorability-70.

A shame. Truly.

Still — it's something, isn't it, having at least one person who'll sit beside me.

Let's be grateful that one of the two seats that should have been empty got filled.

Not long after, the professor entered the classroom and gave us the speech teachers always gave on ceremony day — the class schedule, words of advice about school life, that sort of thing.

It was all talk I'd heard until I was sick of it while playing Soul Academy, so I was letting it go in one ear and out the other when, before long, the professor's explanation came to an end.

"And with that, today's entrance ceremony is officially complete. Thank you all for your hard work this morning."

And just like that, the entrance ceremony's schedule was over.

From here on out — free time to do whatever we pleased.

All right. Time for this Soul Academy veteran to go collect everything that needed collecting!