Chapter 41
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 41
40. Fraudulent Admission (5)
I tried to get up again and fix my posture.
Because 1 minute and 1 second were precious time to me.
But I couldn't do so.
"Your stamina is still lacking."
".... That is true."
Sadly, I ended up facing the limit.
My head was dizzy and my body was hot.
For now, I decided to take a short rest leaning my back under a tree.
Particularly today, I felt pathetic myself.
'If I knew it would be like this, I would have lived a little more diligently.'
Thinking that the situation would have been better than now if I had trained well usually.
"You seem to be having strange thoughts again."
"Ah!"
In the midst of feeling a sense of shame, Aniel suddenly flicked my forehead.
It feels like my head flashed and shone, is it my misunderstanding?
It was a power that wouldn't have even been thought of as a finger flick if I hadn't seen it with my two eyes.
While worrying about my forehead thinking if it's really okay, Aniel approached closer and whispered in my ear.
"You are doing well without a problem. So don't have useless thoughts."
Her voice heard from a close distance enough for breaths to touch.
It was exactly the same as usual. Let alone fretfulness or fear, it wasn't overflowing with cheering or vitality either.
That voice reminiscent of a monotonous lake seemed to contain only facts exactly as they are.
It is strange. What do you see in me to be so certain.
But one thing was clear.
That one word made my mind comfortable.
"And even if you don't pass, it won't be a problem."
I turn my head and look at her.
She said with the corners of her mouth raised playfully.
"Join the Windelof Knight Order."
"Yes?"
"It would be better than this Academy."
The Grand Duchy's Knight Order.
A bewildered mind was revealed intact in my expression.
Is what I heard right now really correct?
It's a place envied enough that Academy Knight Class students want to go next to the Imperial Knight Order.
Telling me to join such a place.
Maybe it could be a joke. Even if it wasn't a joke, for me, it was clearly an overwhelming honor.
Enough to say I won the lottery.
But I shook my head.
"Why, you hate it?"
Aniel's corners of mouth which had gone up strangely hardened.
It must be a completely unexpected reaction.
Who could immediately refuse such a proposal.
However, someone might ask for time to think and ponder over it, but nevertheless, I had no hesitation.
"Because the Grand Duchess is not there."
I knew my place.
If it weren't for Aniel, even the current growth would have been impossible.
But even if I get failed, Aniel would remain in the Academy.
Then would I be able to change by going to that place?
Of course, I would make an effort not to smear Aniel's face, but the difference would be big compared to when she teaches me.
So I meant I wouldn't go, but.
"Did you think I would send only you?"
"Grand Duchess?"
"I will also quit."
She herself also says she will quit.
Why?
Unable to understand, as I stared quietly, a smile settled on Aniel's lips before I knew it.
A very pretty smile, not faint or anything like before.
"Because spending time with you is fun."
I tried to say a word to Aniel.
Even if I am not here, you should remain here and graduate safely.
But before I could spit the words out of my mouth, Aniel grabbed my shoulder and forced me to lie down.
"Seeing your face is red, you must rest more."
And on her lap at that.
"If you do this...."
"Rest comfortably. That way we can resume training quickly."
Flustered, I tried to get up, but Aniel pressed down with force as if she had no mind to even listen to an answer.
In a situation where stamina had hit rock bottom anyway, how could I beat her.
'Did heat really rise.'
And exactly as Aniel said, a strong heat was felt in my face right now.
Feeling dizzy, I swallowed my saliva and said.
".... I will rest just a little."
"Right, do so."
Resting just very little. Very little.
Above all, I didn't want to refuse this favor received from her.
Closing my eyes, I tried hard to ignore the touch felt.
'Soft.'
But blocking out the nerves completely was impossible.
***
"To think he would really fall asleep."
Under the shaded tree, a cool wind blew, cooling down sweat coldly.
In a boring space where everything felt peaceful, Aniel focused on the breathing sound heard consistently in her ears.
Even when she forced him to lie on her lap, Aniel also had no particular thoughts.
Just, it was an accidentally committed act.
Hoping struggling Allen would rest comfortably, impulsively she just....
"Is seeing his sleeping appearance already the second time."
Once in the carriage, and now one more time.
Because it was a dark time, his face wasn't seen well back then.
Right now when the sun is still floating in midair, she could see clearly.
"Mhm."
His face sleeping soundly like a baby.
Looking at Allen, Aniel reached out her hand.
During the carriage, she had exhibited self-control that she shouldn't do this.
But is it because the distance is too close right now, the unconsciously reached out hand touched his face.
".... This."
When it touched, her hand trembled. Like during the carriage, the thought occurred that she shouldn't, but at the point it already touched, it was late.
"It seems his skin is better than mine."
Aniel sent a gaze around once and touched his face.
Very carefully so he wouldn't wake up.
"If you are not here, the Academy is meaningless."
It wasn't an empty word.
She came to the Academy reluctantly due to Lucia's words no different from a threat.
There was no expectation at all that she would learn or gain something.
She only had a thought that she would just kill time roughly and then go back to the battlefield.
However, that thought changed after the entrance ceremony, meeting Allen.
Who would have known she would laugh and chatter with another person like this. She thought her world would entirely only have ashen colors.
"So, surely pass."
Tidying the bangs disheveled by the wind, Aniel whispered.
If he wants to make her be in this Academy, pass.
"Because if you pass, I will grant one wish."
If only you pass.
Aniel let out a smirk.
What words is she saying dealing with a person requesting sleep.
'Wish, huh.'
But Aniel didn't know.
'Then I must surely pass.'
That at the point the hand touched his face, Allen was awake.
***
The sun set and evening time arrived.
I received a proposal to eat together, but I said I would stay a little more and train.
Instead of stopping me, Aniel only left words telling me not to overdo it and left.
'She said the weakness is the Achilles tendon.'
According to the report Lucia gave, it is said he came to step back from the front line by suffering a major injury to the Achilles tendon.
Although fully healed now, it is said he still doesn't show movements beyond necessity conscious of the Achilles tendon.
'If it goes to a battle of attrition, would there be a chance of winning for me too.'
But I shook my head. That was also only possible against an opponent it would likely work on.
Rather, if it continues, I would hit the physical limit like today and end up collapsing.
Even when competing with Iris right away, eventually the side whose stamina fell first was me.
Ending it in a single breath is what the opponent wants.
I had to set the strategy well. Since Professor Baran is on the side wishing for me to leave.
"Do it taking it easy. You will collapse before even taking the re-examination doing that."
"Ah, Saintess."
In the midst of continuing fierce training, a familiar voice was heard.
Turning my head, there was Saintess Lily there.
I was a little flustered. Along with evening time arriving, everyone except me had left the training ground.
I had been continuing training alone all along, when did she appear?
'Since when was she there in the first place.'
It was a little chilling, but I shook my head. In the first place, Lily was a person who had continuously helped me starting from the banquet hall.
"Thank you previously at the Imperial Palace."
In a situation where conveying thanks wouldn't even be enough, revealing reluctant signs was against manners.
I immediately bowed my head and conveyed a greeting of thanks.
"There is nothing to be thankful for."
"Still...."
But the opponent smiled brightly and shook her head.
That there is absolutely nothing to be thankful for. Up to here, there was nothing strange.
It was a sufficiently possible matter.
"Because it is a natural matter in the first place. To dare treat Allen like that."
"Saintess?"
"I should have made him firmly realize his place back then, the problem was that I was too generous."
However, I couldn't follow the subsequent conversation at all.
Receiving a chilling feeling, I raised my head and looked at Lily.
Lily's expression was benevolent as usual.
To the extent I wondered for a moment if I heard wrong.
"By the way, what brings you finding here?"
I was also curious about the reason she came to this place, and changed the conversation topic to change the atmosphere.
Encountering the question, Lily smiled brightly and said to me.
"Oh my. I forgot that I have something to deliver to Allen."
"To me, you mean?"
Lily took out what looked like a medicine bottle from her bosom and handed it to me.
While my mind was distracted by the ominously bright red potion.
"Do you not want to win? Against Professor Baran."
A seductive voice unbelievable to be said by a Saintess was heard.
"I could help you though."
The benevolent appearance of a Saintess had disappeared.
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