Shirtless Spar and Sisters' Gaze
"She's not here."
A few days had passed since I unsealed Jade.
I headed to the library, but Ia was nowhere in sight.
I wanted to believe she had some circumstances holding her up,
but as someone who didn't know the full story, I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd crushed her spirit too hard, leaving her like this.
She'd always stuck to her routines like they were ironclad rules, so the more I thought about it, the more I itched with regret, wondering if I'd gone too far.
Valeria had said the victory festival for Tak County would kick off tomorrow, so at least today, I had some time.
I'd psyched myself up to dedicate the whole day to soothing her feelings.
But like this? Total bust.
"She's been MIA for days despite me searching everywhere. Looks like she needs some alone time."
So I figured that much for now.
To make up for the workouts I'd skipped the past few days, I headed to the barracks in the count's castle.
But because I'd been out hunting for Ia, I was later than my usual training slot, and the practice grounds were already packed with knights honing their swordplay.
"Getting used to it yet? A so-called army made up entirely of women."
And naturally, every last one of them was female.
Three hundred years ago, this would've been unthinkable from an efficiency standpoint.
But with all the men being half-wits precious for species preservation, tucked away like treasures, this was normal now.
I was about to move on since others were there first, but that's when she caught my eye—a red-haired woman directing the training in front of the knights.
My big sister, Yeret.
Unlike my eldest sister Lujena, who holes up in her tower all day,
or my little sister Ia, who only haunts the library,
as the Tak family's second daughter, she oversaw the knight order,
assisted the captain, and stood out head and shoulders above the rest. She was peerless.
Even with four siblings, if you asked who was the most reliable, it'd be Yeret without a doubt.
Straightforward and upright in personality,
a female general type who wouldn't tolerate injustice.
Yeah, she fit the big sister mold perfectly.
"……."
"Eek!? V-Val— No. Focus!"
But when our eyes met briefly by chance,
she naturally averted her gaze and barked at the knights listening to her voice.
And that was
another trait of Yeret in my book.
This woman likes me.
She firmly believed I'd claim her someday, per worldly norms and family tradition—no engagement doubts there.
And she doted on me a ton, right?
Just look at how she'd nursed me when I was bedridden,
rushed over at the slightest loud noise,
and hugged me tight, refusing to let go.
Proof positive.
At first, it was such a burden it turned into a visceral rejection, and I'd just run from it.
...Maybe I should talk to her once.
Lately, I'd been thinking
I couldn't keep dodging forever.
I'd originally planned to bolt from the family altogether, so no need to get attached.
But now that I knew this house was truly for me, sticking around felt right.
In that sense, ignoring Yeret—who held a major pillar of the family—would make things awkward down the line.
But I wouldn't give her what she wanted.
She's my sister.
My sister.
Me? Honestly speaking,
I didn't hate women or anything...
But a sister? No way.
With that resolve, I headed toward Yeret to kill some time and hang out a bit.
Zing—.
The closer I got to the practice grounds with each step,
the more I felt the knights' sly glances prickling at me.
"Look over there."
"It's the young master."
"Heh, hehehe...."
Those looks were exactly like
what you'd get from guys camped out in barracks ogling a woman passing by.
In other words, come-hither stares.
If my status weren't so noble,
these blood-boiling types would've been harassing me with catcalls nonstop.
Hell, even now,
they pretended to focus on training while their eyes darted busy toward me.
...What kind of sensation is this? Unpleasant, but not really.
At first, I'd flinched and tried to escape those gazes.
Simple reason:
Embarrassing and awkward as hell.
I'd lived my whole life as the Sword Ghost, walls up against women unlike Seradion,
so how could I adapt to this overnight?
But
now I got the gist.
Honestly, it didn't feel bad at all.
Like being the prince in a fairy tale—secretly satisfying.
Separate from chasing revenge,
I...
...wanted to try this stuff too.
"Valter, what brings you here...?"
"Just wandering the castle the day before the festival, saw you were here."
"Y-You came to see me. Hehe...."
And sure enough.
The previous Valter must've been the same, because
when I tossed out casual half-speak,
Yeret didn't hide her flushed excitement, twisting her body a bit.
She was that thrilled I'd shown up.
"Lucky timing, Valter! Right now, the garrison troops from all four directions around the castle are doing mock battles. Happens once every two weeks...."
Thinking I might be interested in the knights, she eagerly explained what training they were doing.
I already knew all that, but she looks so pumped.
And well,
that should do it, right?
Then, out of the blue, Yeret said,
"Valter. You know the knights have been singing your praises lately?"
"Me?"
"Yeah. You beat the knight captain the other day while training solo. Then took down an A-rank monster alone. Everyone's like, 'He is a genius after all.' Or... can you even call it genius...?"
"Gotta live up to the name."
"Pft, hahaha. Right, kiddo. That's my Valter."
Come to think of it,
Jade had been treated like an A-rank beast.
That was about high dragon level,
so yeah, no wonder they saw me as superhuman.
"That's why they're all puzzled. You've barely started swordsmanship, yet you move like a veteran swordsman with decades under your belt."
"Honestly, I don't get what's hard about it. Block attacks, shatter defenses—done."
At that,
Yeret grinned.
"Then how about showing everyone your skills?"
"How?"
"Spar with your big sis. You've never done it since picking up the sword, right?"
On Yeret's face as she said that,
the shy happiness from looking at me had long vanished.
Instead, curiosity about my true level burned,
along with competitive fire wondering how she stacked up.
And if so,
only natural to accept.
"Right now, sis?"
"Would be an honor."
"Cool."
"Wooden swords. Armor optional. There's a line marked—stand on the opposite side—."
Whoosh—.
But
the moment she said to start, I stripped off my upper clothes like always, without a second thought.
"Gah, ugh?! V-Valter—?!"
"...Armor was optional, right?"
"It is, but!! That's, that's—!!"
"You're flustered. For spars, I prefer bare."
"Everyone, eyes down! Look at the ground!!"
Yeret covered her eyes with both hands,
frantically trying to redirect everyone's stares.
But in this situation, even her orders wouldn't make obedience easy.
Some hid ragged breaths.
Others wore flustered but blissful smiles.
And some drooled outright while staring at me.
All those gazes converged on
my sharply defined abs and pecs.
Slightly sweaty, my body gleamed healthily under the sun.
Ah—.
Those looks would've baffled me right after falling into this world.
But now, fully adapted, I got it clear as day.
...Of course they'd react like that.
By my standards,
a genius female swordsman revered by the family shows up in an all-male-free barracks,
a spar breaks out,
and suddenly His Highness strips to underwear.
Total slut move.
Disgustingly superficial.
But if I suddenly got shy and dressed now, I'd look like a total weirdo.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
In a world where chastity norms flipped,
how rare is a guy who doesn't see these stares as normal?
Still, they're going nuts. It's just a guy's body— that good, huh...?
So,
since I'd get called a slut eventually anyway,
I decided to go all-in to boost morale for my future knights—oddly curious myself.
Suited my temperament too.
"Can't peel your eyes off, huh. Wasn't planned."
"O-Of course!! Valter, you always do these weird things claiming it's unintentional—."
"How about a reward for whoever wins?"
"Wha—?!"
"Sis included."
At that,
Yeret's throat bobbed with a gulp.
"...What kind?"
"Heh."
Let her imagine the best,
and she'd fight for real, making it fun.
More exciting that way, so I trailed off on purpose and gripped my sword.
"Just curious about my knights' skills. Prove it, get whatever you want. I don't care."
And right then,
"Going all out."
The coquettish tone in Yeret's voice vanished.