137. End of Spring
137. End of Spring
I beat Leona.
My right leg got broken, but I beat her anyway.
I stacked a whole lot of restrictions on her, but in the end, I won.
I got the shit beaten out of me, but I still managed to land a hit.
It was only one hit, but the fact that I landed it is what matters.
Honestly, I'd been certain that if I really set my mind to it, I could land at least one hit.
It wasn't arrogance. Not only did the result prove it, but I'd been holding a hidden card I hadn't told Leona about, so I was sure I'd succeed today.
The sparring didn't unfold the same way it usually did.
Leona wasn't using one leg and one hand, so it couldn't have been the same.
But I got beaten just like always.
When I threw a punch, she deflected it with her one hand and slammed her shoulder into my jaw. When I kicked, she used her one good leg to work some bizarre Footwork and launched a flying kick at me.
When I closed the distance and tried the Seizing-and-Locking Art, I got tangled up in it instead and my joints got bent. When I set my fingers and used the Claw Art, her nails stabbed into my acupoints instead.
So how the hell did I win?
The moment I threw a Roundhouse Kick just like always, and Leona caught my leg just like always.
I detonated my Mana and snapped that leg.
At the same time, I spun my body around and kicked Leona in the temple. Then I dove into the gap while she staggered and managed to bring her down.
Truthfully, Leona probably could have dodged.
But she deliberately didn't. Why? Because if she'd dodged there, my leg would have been ripped clean off.
That's right. I knew Leona would hesitate, and I used that.
Not fair and square? What the hell does that matter in a fight? The winner's on top, the winner takes all. Win and it's over.
That's how it was.
"...You call me 'big sis' and then just do whatever the hell you want."
"Nyahahahaha! Your leg hurts, Big Sis, so I'm personally carrying you there!"
The fierce wind slaps my face, and the gazes of the people below all turn toward us.
"Then can you at least lower your voice, little sis? Everyone's staring, so I'm being completely humiliated here."
"Mmm! Leona doesn't know anything about that!"
"You're 400 years old and you want to... uwaaaaah! It hurts! It hurts!! I'm sorry!!"
Whoosh whoosh— Leona is leaping across building rooftops, heading for the academy. And I'm cradled in her arms like a princess.
Behind us... the Flame Emperor flies along, elegant and magnificent, and Stella flies just as elegantly by her magic.
Only me... only I'm being carried in this ridiculous position.
"So, Big Sis Eliarnes."
As I was rubbing the butt cheek Leona had pinched, Leona's lowered voice came through the gaps in the howling wind.
"What."
"I think there's a lot I need to hear about what happened earlier. What do you think, Big Sis?"
"Don't call me 'Big Sis' in such a serious voice. Just talk like you normally do. I've had enough fun with it."
"I haven't had enough fun yet."
Nihihi, Leona laughed, her ears fluttering as she looked down at me.
"Since I can't tell how much you know, Big Sis, your little sis can't just start talking carelessly."
"I know that Arisa's blood isn't mixed into the Eustetia name."
Leona didn't answer and looked straight ahead.
The academy was coming into view.
"I also know that Arisa was a Martial Artist, and that Ronan handled many different weapons."
Leona's eyebrows twitched.
The arms holding me tightened.
"Seeing as you're telling me this so readily... it's only fair that I tell you what I know too, right?"
"Mm... I honestly wasn't expecting much, but if you're offering, I'd be glad."
"If you weren't expecting much, can't we just skip it?"
"You already said that, so my expectations have shot straight through the top of my head."
"If I smack you, will they go back down?"
"If you smack me, I'll go to the Flame Emperor."
"I hate NTR."
"En... entee? What? What's that?"
"It's a thing. You don't need to know."
Kideuk kideuk— Leona laughed.
The wind that had been battering my cheeks and ears stopped.
We'd arrived at the academy.
*****
Stella returned to the dormitory.
Reviewing what she'd learned today, she also made a firm resolution to complete the 5th Circle before spring ended.
The Flame Emperor also went off somewhere.
I don't know if she has a house in the Imperial Capital, but she left with a face that said she didn't want to be around Leona any longer.
And after feeding me a strange Potion, Leona said she'd stop by her private office for a moment.
She said there was something to bring. Could it be Arisa's belongings that she took from the Flame Emperor?
Well... I'll find out when Leona brings it.
Left alone, I sat in the chair for a while. When my leg felt like it had roughly reattached, I sprang to my feet.
Thump thump— I hopped in place, sprinted from one end of the room to the other at full speed, and kicked the newly placed training dummy.
It moves well. No strange sensation.
"...I'm uneasy."
I'm uneasy. Not because I think my leg won't heal properly. It's because of the Potion Leona fed me.
It's that one from before.
The unidentified one that made my leg go numb after I drank it.
Whether it happens when I make violent movements, or when I use Mana violently, Leona didn't explain anything.
She just told me to sit still.
Is she planning to cripple my leg and then beat the hell out of me? No... that's not it. Maybe Paulo or Luna would, but Leona doesn't have that kind of petty personality.
If I had to compare her to someone, hmm...
Her way of talking is like Arisa's, and her personality is...
"Similar to... mine?"
"What is?"
"Eep?!"
I jumped in surprise at Leona's voice suddenly coming from behind me.
"...I didn't even hear you come in. When the hell did you get here?"
"Through the window?"
"Why, when there's a perfectly good door?"
"From my office, it's only four floors up to here, so the window's more convenient for going back and forth."
Leona said something utterly absurd with a straight face, then thumped down the old books she'd brought in both arms in front of me.
"What's this?"
I naturally reached out toward the books.
"Wait."
Leona brushed my hand away.
"Hey now. Leona, little sis? What's with this cheeky behavior?"
"If you're the big sis, then act like one and be mature."
Kik kik— Leona laughed and sat down across from me.
"I know that movement you used earlier."
"It's Ronan Luzarak's technique."
"Deceptive Body."
"You even know the name."
"How could I not?"
A strange smile settled on Leona's face.
"I can't even begin to figure out what to ask or how to ask it... but if I do ask, will you answer?"
"If the Vice Dean says she'll answer too, I'll think about it."
"You get so annoying when you're in a position of advantage, you know that? I hope the future where you become stronger than me never comes. Nyahaha..."
Leona folded her fingers one by one, then tilted her head and asked.
"Would 10 years be enough?"
"Five years."
Even I felt it was an arrogant answer, but Leona seriously considered it.
"Five years... it's a presumptuous answer, but... mm... it's not entirely impossible. You're a strange existence in many ways."
I don't know exactly how strong Leona, the Fist Demon, is.
But as she said, it's not entirely impossible.
However, to do that, I can't stay at the academy. I'd have to rush to Ge Vihenum right now, walk the line between life and death, and push my Realm higher.
I'd have to recreate exactly what I did in my Past Life.
But even if I do, can it really turn out the same?
In my Past Life, it took 15 years.
On top of that, I received all sorts of fortuitous encounters and help from countless beings. What about now? Can I find those fortuitous encounters?
15 years. Do I have that kind of time?
No. But I don't need it.
The memories, knowledge, and experience of my Past Life.
And a talent I didn't have in my Past Life.
Of course, that's only if I survive the deepest part of Ge Vihenum without dying.
Right now, there's no Luna's miracle, no Paulo's Sacred Sword, no Arisa's fist, no that bastard's magic. So I can't go.
Even so, I said five years, I think five years, I'm certain of five years, and I have to make it happen.
Luna and Paulo. I can't leave those two idiots in that state for 10 years.
Kaloso. I can't let that son of a bitch live for 10 years.
Arisa.
For Arisa... there's so much... so much I need to ask.
"Of course, I didn't say it wasn't impossible based on you alone."
As if she'd finished her thoughts, Leona spoke.
"Oh? What... are you going to say it's possible because the Vice Dean is my teacher?"
"That's true too. But even with me becoming your teacher, five years is too much."
Having said that, Leona turned the cover of the oldest book among the old books.
It's a leather cover that looks like it would tear if you turned it wrong.
Yet the book was bound so meticulously that the seams are still in excellent condition.
"Can I look?"
"Yeah. I've been underestimating you too much."
"Underestimating?"
"When I first saw you come out after the entrance exam. Then the second time, the third time. I sparred with you, taught you, listened to your stories, and today you became my little sister. No matter how careless I was, no matter how much I hesitated, you beat me. That's impressive, you know?"
"Because I'm a genius."
"How obnoxious."
Kik kik— Leona laughed, then with careful hands, passed me the open book.
What kind of book it was, what it was used for.
I'd been looking at Leona's face, waiting to hear an explanation, but the handwriting I glimpsed from the corner of my eye forcibly dragged my gaze down.
"It's a book my master personally wrote."
Neat, straight, and round.
Arisa's handwriting.
"In today's terms... I guess you'd call it a textbook?"
Next to the writing, there were cute little drawings. Starting with the shape of a fist, then the extending posture, the angle of the foot, the legs, waist, shoulders, arms, wrists.
There were 30 volumes of books like that in total.
"I think they've finally found their owner."
I looked at the title written on the book's cover and the short sentence below it.
When I saw it... I couldn't hold back my laughter.
Laughter? What kind of laughter.
What kind of expression was I making.
Emotions? What the hell is this feeling.
It felt like irritation mixed in, like disillusionment melted into it, flustered, disappointed, ridiculous, cringeworthy, suffocating.
I was angry.
Feeling the warmth of blood flowing over my tightly clenched fist, I took in the title once more.
Past Forgotten, New Cherry Blossoms (忘昔新櫻).
Rather than the shabby cherry blossoms that have already fallen.
May you bloom more beautiful and more brilliant.