Swordsmanship with a Nemesis -1-

Another sunny day at the Young Lady's mansion. Back home after so long, I gazed at Gomtang playing with Hans in the doghouse and muttered a question.

"What the heck."

I'd clearly set him up with a nice hideout in the back mountain, so why was he living in the doghouse? I tilted my head at Hans's food bowl next to Gomtang. At least he wasn't eating dog food, but I couldn't understand why he'd choose that kind of hassle. He was supposed to be a major antagonist in the novel, after all.

-Kuhahaha!!! Power...! I can feel the power!

Hans, who kept showing these incomprehensible sides, shoved his butt into the doghouse and looked up at me.

"You're back, sir?"

"Ah... yeah."

"It's been a while, Master."

"Does your title for me change every time?"

"My apologies. If it's uncomfortable, I can switch to 'Lord'."

"No, that's even worse."

Hans smiled brightly, dusted himself off, and stood.

"No troubles while you were away?"

"Nope."

"No one you wanted to kill, or anyone who blasphemed... er, picked a fight with your holiness?"

"No, none. Well... there was one person..."

Hans leaned in, eyes blazing with madness.

"Who is it?! Who dared blaspheme your divinity?!"

"Wolfgang... wait, didn't your title change again, Hans?"

"Wolfgang... Wolfgang... Understood."

Hans nodded with an innocent smile, mentally noting the name, then looked back at me happily.

"Anyone else?!"

"No."

"...What a shame."

I gave him an awkward smile and asked, "No issues at the mansion?"

"No intruders, and I handled all the cleaning."

"You could've taken it easy."

"It's my life's joy."

Hans had veered into some seriously weird territory. He gently pried Gomtang off his head—where the bear was gnawing away—and slipped carefully into the doghouse. Something urgent, he said. He'd apparently dug a tunnel inside, vanishing deep underground. I waved goodbye, then greeted Gomtang, who was scratching his head with a hind paw.

"Gomtang."

-Gom.

"Like your new roommate?"

-Gomgom.

Gomtang nodded affirmatively. As expected from a big-headed bear, he understood perfectly. Maybe he saw Hans as emergency rations, but good was good, so I decided not to overthink it.

"Alright, guard the house. I'll bring the Young Lady back soon."

-Gom.

"Why?"

Gomtang lumbered over and grabbed my ankle. True to form as a pet bear, he gently nipped it and nudged his head in. Honestly, it was scary—like he might eat me.

Gomtang set a letter from his mouth onto the ground and looked up.

-Gom.

Where'd he gotten it? A white envelope. He shoved his head in, urging me to open it quick.

'You're scary, back off a bit.'

With an awkward smile, I picked up the letter and patted his head with a small grin.

"Got a letter, huh?"

-Gom.

"From who?"

-Gomgom.

Animals' words were beyond me, as always. I gave his head another pat, then carefully unfolded the letter. It smelled of flowers—the fresh scent I'd caught in the capital recently. Edelweiss, I think? Not flashy, but crisp and clear. Probably. The faint fragrance from the envelope told me exactly who sent it.

"So impatient."

I unfolded the paper with a curious expression.

Probably because of the academy disappearances. The student council, having grasped a clue to the string of incidents, was embarking on an adventure in the story—maybe that's why the urgent letter. With the recent archbishop attack at the academy, they needed more strength, so she was asking me. Otherwise, Mihail wouldn't seek me out. Rowen was his teacher, but not one with time to spare, and self-training ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had its limits.

"Hmm..."

I nodded, understanding Mihail's situation, then squatted in front of Gomtang.

"Gomtang, can you write?"

-...

"Brother's handwriting is awful. Can't ask the Young Lady, so could you do it for me?"

-Gom?

Gomtang gave me a pitiful look, like staring at a fellow species member. A '2-year-old' bear hearing such a species-transcending request for the first ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠time, he scratched his head with a hind paw and yawned.

-Gooooom~

"I'll give you meat."

Gomtang nodded and plopped down heavily, gesturing with a well-formed front paw.

"What."

-Gom.

"Oh, the pen?"

-Gomgom.

"Thanks, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'll give you lots of treats later."

-Gomgom.

What a smart pet—dog or bear, who knows. Gomtang gripped the pen awkwardly with his huge paw, using just two toes since it was too small. I clenched my fist, focusing on his paw movements as he concentrated, brow furrowed.

"Tomorrow, 2 PM."

-Gom gomgomgom gogogom.

"Please come to the Hamel Mountain Range Plains."

-Gogogom.

Gomtang wiped his muzzle with a paw and showed me the paper.

"Whoa...!"

"Oh..."

I must've asked too much. I patted his head, knocked on the doghouse door to call Hans—should've done this from the start instead of gambling—and heard the Young Lady's voice over the fence.

"Ricardo, I'm hungry!"

I handed the paper to Hans and left. The academy disappearances.

'This won't be easy.'

I doubted Mihail could handle his first apostle encounter well.

Under the warm sunlight on the Hamel Mountain Range Plains. Arriving an hour early, Mihail brushed back her potion-lengthened hair, easing her anxiety. Would the magic-grown hair look odd? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Was the makeup alright? Would he hate her? She worried.

One thing was sure: he disliked the name 'Mihail'. She sighed deeply at her sword—not her usual one, but the smaller size Ricardo had suggested. Gripping and regripping the unfamiliar hilt, she fretted: Can I do well? Is deceiving that boy really right? Head bowed under the blazing sun.

"...I hate it."

She hated her lying self. Weather perfect, body light, but heart heavy. Chest pounding pointlessly, excited to see the boy yet...

"Why am I like this... Get it together."

Indiscernible waves of emotion crashed over her—excitement or fear? She'd cried endlessly these past days, holed up recalling her past words, how she'd ignored his advice, sleepless with tears.

-Please, just listen to me.

-Why should I listen to you? You want me to end up like you, right?

-That way I won't have to work overtime. Hate that.

'Crunch.' Fist clenched. Her words to Ricardo stabbed back sharply, realizing their cruelty over countless hours. If only she'd spoken kindly once. Listened just one time. It wouldn't have come to this. Head down, she swallowed her sorrow.

A mutter drifted from afar. Small voice, but clear in her ear on the forest breeze.

"Standing here should make me visible."

It was Ricardo. Mowing grass to mark his approach clearly. Still 40 minutes early. He walked lightly toward her, red hair as always, carefree smile aimed her way.

Fist clenched harder than when alone. So tight it might wound her palm, aching with force.

"If you make that face..."

She hadn't meant to cry.

"What am I supposed to do with a face like that..."

The boy's innocent smile wrung her heart painfully. Breathlessly so.

"What do you want me to do..."

Chest tightened. Ricardo smiled brightly at her.

"Oh? Misa!"

He waved lightly, sheathed the sword in his right hand hurriedly, and approached at a steady pace.

"How long have you been here? It's hot out."

"..."

"Must be heatstroke. Can't even speak."

His hand shading her forehead was so sweetly caring. Mihail sealed her lips, selfish thoughts swirling amid bursting guilt.

Ricardo shaded her head, voice gentle.

"Shall we sit in the shade and rest first?"

Mihail opened her sealed lips carefully.

"Um..."

"Yes."

"By any chance..."

"By any chance...?"

"The sword I brought."

"Yes."

She showed him the sword.

"Did I bring the right one? Not my usual, a different one."

Ricardo nodded with a bright smile.

"Perfect."

"...Really?"

"Yes."

He smiled the brightest yet.

"It fits your build perfectly, Misa."

'She finally brought it.'

Ricardo felt a long-held frustration burst free. Then he pondered, bitter smile forming: how to bring up Mihail's mother.