Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: First Training in the Combat Division (3)
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One corner of the training grounds. I stood facing Lucia Mei.
'Finally, we meet. Lucia Mei.'
Her height was similar to Chloe's—slightly above average, then. As a female cadet in the Combat Division, she didn't give off an overly fierce impression.
Compared to Uriel's toned, resilient body, Lucia's frame seemed more like that of an ordinary female cadet than a warrior.
But her appearance was striking enough to draw everyone's eyes. That alluring pink... no, that heart-fluttering pink hair that set any man's pulse racing.
'Not for nothing is she another protagonist.'
The protagonist Julian—my current looks—were stunningly handsome. And Lucia was a beauty who could hold her own against any other heroine I'd met so far.
Of course. Her illustrations had been universally praised. The artwork alone.
In contrast, the Lucia route was polarizing compared to the Julian route—it wasn't even close. Freedom of choice was heavily restricted, and the difficulty was doubled.
Julian might have been a spoiled brat personality-wise, but his family and bloodline were the strongest in the world. True to the game's title, he was the Demon King's son.
Lucia, on the other hand, was a pure-blooded human. Her family might compare on paper, but even that was a misfortune for her.
'The illegitimate daughter of the Orhain Duke family, rulers of the south.'
Fortunately adopted as the daughter of a baron in the duke's territory, she'd at least avoided commoner status. Playing as Lucia even changed the game title to Duke's Illegitimate Daughter Surviving in the Holy Empire. Demon Slayer was bad enough, but the developers' naming sense was the worst.
Matching that backstory, the Lucia route was riddled with bad ends at every turn.
Each time you restarted, her personality would change. It was basically pulling a random personality gacha every playthrough.
And the biggest point of contention in the Lucia route? Her personality, of course.
'It changed every playthrough.'
I faced Lucia head-on. She didn't avoid my gaze.
'Good. No self-deprecation or gloominess.'
That meant I'd hit the jackpot on the gacha. As an illegitimate child, her random personality often defaulted to utter depression.
The natural wrecked duke's daughter. Even when I played as Julian, her personality stayed in that bleak vein—everything but her looks shifted that way each time.
So a personality that could meet my eyes like this was far from bad. S-tier compared to others. And this one was crucial.
Lucia would be the main dealer for the nest raid later on.
"Um... Lord Count? Aren't we starting the spar?"
Lucia spoke to me, her expression puzzled as she urged me on. Even that simple look carried the effortless charm unique to a beauty.
And that pink hair—if it was my type, I'd fall even harder. Honestly, if Lucia were just a regular heroine instead of playable, I'd be all over her.
Lilia's ample chest was my favorite, but confessing now... I did like petite types too...
'Still, with her personality being random, I can't get reckless. One wrong move, and she could turn hostile.'
The heroines I'd met so far were easy to befriend. Take Chloe—knowing her personality let me approach from a position of advantage.
Not with Lucia. Mess up, and I'd lose a precious main dealer to enmity.
Going overboard with affection was risky too. That wrecked personality could lead to obsessive attachment.
'Pink-haired yandere. Way too dangerous.'
Fortunately, she didn't seem like that headache. Her calm expression facing me felt intelligent.
"Lord Count Julian? We need to start the spar now."
"My apologies. I was just thinking about your skills for a moment."
"My skills? What do you mean?"
"It's common to size up your opponent's strength beforehand. Men of Reinhardt never let their guard down."
I bullshitted to cover my wandering thoughts. Lucia nodded quietly.
"That's not wrong. But you don't need to tense up too much. You're facing me, after all."
Her slightly self-mocking expression made my heart sink. True to her words, Lucia was the bottom of the Combat Division.
She'd shown a flash with the Lion Heart Sword earlier, but her evaluation there was dead last. Picking her as my sparring partner said it all about her skill.
Though her sword potential was on par with mine.
So I could offer advice through this spar. But since it might touch her reverse scale, I'd have to gauge her reactions and be polite.
'Still, with a visible personality like this, it won't backfire.'
Plus, the drill instructor had praised my Lion Heart Sword, lending credibility to my advice.
Lucia drew her sword from its sheath. Just not running away made her passable.
'Good, she has some initiative. Shouldn't be hard to train. I'll raise her well.'
At the Chloe estate banquet, I'd gathered intel on her real-world personality.
I'd casually asked a fellow Combat Division noble scion about her. Even as a noble, she apparently flew under the radar.
'She's gorgeous, but her warrior skills are average—no, abysmal. If she'd joined another division... she'd have been the belle of Pantheon the whole time. Lots of scions regret it.'
Of course. With that looks and skill, she'd stand out like Chloe or Lilia.
As I kept zoning out, Lucia spoke up.
"Are you yielding the first move? Then I won't hold back!"
Calm and composed, but a declaration of attack. I drew my sword at her words.
'Can't pin down her exact personality, so no pointless taunts. Best to spar seriously. No holding back, no getting pushed around.'
Her current gaze called for a fair fight—no complications.
In that instant, Lucia's thrust came straight at me.
Lucia was sparring with a man.
A holy priestess in the Combat Division. But ranked dead last all freshman year, training wasn't exactly fun.
Still, thinking of her adoptive father, Baron Joshua, who treated this illegitimate daughter like his own, she couldn't just slack off through Pantheon.
With that resolve, she'd shown up for the first training—only to spot a blond man and freeze.
'It's Count Julian!'
Pantheon's rumors spread fast. Lucia wasn't big on noble socials, but she'd heard from acquaintance ladies.
'Count Julian's gorgeous now. Well, the original was handsome; he just cleaned up that messy hair and beard. Dressed sharp too. Total different person.'
Lucia had always known Count Julian was handsome.
The northern rulers, Reinhardt Border Counts. Southern rulers, Orhain Dukes. The Orhains had once invited Wilhelm Border Count and Julian south.
They'd stayed overnight in the territory of Baron Joshua—Lucia's adoptive father—famous as a resort spot.
She remembered serving those VIPs alongside the baron. About five years ago.
'No stray thoughts. This is a spar.'
And today's opponent was that Count Julian. Their match began.
Lucia desperately unleashed the first form of Imperial Swordsmanship—a thrust—at Julian. But the count dodged with minimal effort.
'I practiced nothing but this over break... He dodged!'
His sword rushed at her next. Instinct told her: her swordsmanship lagged behind other cadets, but her eye wasn't bad.
The fearsome drill instructor had been shocked by his Lion Heart Sword. No way she was a match.
She barely evaded his strike and deflected it. He'd seen her last attack—he knew her skill was dismal.
Yet he stayed serious against her. No looking down. His earnest posture, combined with his looks, made her heart flutter.
'...He's even more handsome when serious. Northern man... Reinhardt man... Not like the south's posers.'
Lucia actually disliked southern men. All show, no substance—never serious.
Especially her biological father, Duke Pedro de Orhain, the epitome of irresponsibility. She hated him.
Northern men were different. Wilhelm Border Count was grand and dignified as rumored, yet kind to women and children.
Julian was a rascal but honest with his feelings. One of the few to praise her pink hair. Northerners were that sincere.
'Reinhardt... If I weren't trash Orhain illegitimate... if I were a Reinhardt woman...'
Orhain was a swordsmanship powerhouse rivaling Reinhardt. Home to the Centriac Knights, second only to White Night Knights.
Unlike Reinhardt's majestic style, Orhain favored ultra-fast speed swords and variable strikes.
Lucia, hating her bloodline, never mimicked that southern quicksword.
'Reinhardt... If I were Reinhardt...'
There was a way. Become Julian's wife. But harder than learning Lion Heart Sword.
Julian was Third Imperial Princess Lilia's fiancé. With perfect legitimacy, unlike her.
'Someone like me won't do... Then even his mistress... Just physical... No! What am I thinking?!'
The grown Julian was handsomer than the boy she'd seen. His serious demeanor now shook her deeply. First time feeling this toward a man.
Her focus slipped amid rising fantasies. His imperial sword thrust again. She dodged instinctively.
The count murmured low.
"Whatever you're thinking, focus more during a spar, Lucia."
Spot on. And as a rival cadet, she was competition.
Yet he gave her kind advice...
Lucia's secret place twitched.
'So gentle...'
Their blades clashed on. Victory was decided from the start. Unlike her, distracted by the count, he remained serious.
It made her anxious.
'I don't want to be useless to him...'
To the point she wanted his favor.
Her sealed southern quicksword. With cursed Orhain blood, she could counter fast enough.
But Imperial Swordsmanship—born from Reinhardt's Lion Heart Sword, per the instructor—she didn't want to abandon.
No matter her talent for quicksword.
But then, as if reading her, the count struck twice as fast.
Stay still, and she'd roll across the grounds. Instinct kicked in—she sidestepped, countering.
An unwitting Orhain speed sword. But it merely grazed past his cheek.
"Good strike, Lucia. Seems quicksword suits you more than heavy, power-packed blows."
"Quicksword?"
"That instant acceleration on your strike—it was hard to react. Maybe that's your style. Felt different from Imperial Swordsmanship. Nice speed sword."
Julian Count denied her. Denied the weighty, powerful Imperial Swordsmanship she'd practiced diligently, ill-suited as it was.
And to her, who hated Orhain quicksword most, he said it fit.
But if he'd seen her essence, it was the ultimate affirmation.
'He sees me... So kind... Advising casually isn't easy.'
Julian Count seemed like he'd affirm even the bloodline she despised.
His words made her want to wield that hated southern sword again.
'"Good speed sword," he said. Count Julian.'
Her heart raced. That secret place twitched too. Euphoria flooded her mind. In that moment, she saw Julian as a man.
Lucia thrust her Orhain speed sword at the count.
The spar ended. As expected, Lucia's skill wasn't bad.
Unlock just her deliberate strengths, and she'd soar as an excellent swordswoman. The system and traits were spot-on.
"Thank you for the advice. I'll consider what you said."
She bowed politely, voice steady.
'Composed. Unlike other heroines... seducing for a fun night might not work. But she'll make a great sword partner.'
We clashed blades a while longer. A proper spar, as the instructor said—enough to crawl the grounds.
That wrapped Pantheon's Monday schedule.
Back at the estate, my body ached, so I skipped Eirin's service that night. For days, I focused on Combat Division training.
By Thursday, even with boosted stats, my body was wearing thin.
'Could use a good massage. Healing Division priests would be perfect.'
Perfectly innocent, of course. Skipping morning lectures, I rested in the Hesos Hall atelier.
Afternoon had Alchemy Division class. First time seeing Chloe in days.
Leaning back in a plush chair, relaxing—when the atelier door suddenly opened.
Lilia appeared in the doorway.