Debutante
There's a saying that you only see as much as you know.
"Wooooah—!!!"
"Edwin! Edwin! Edwin!"
"Kyaaaaah!!! Sir Knight! Look over here~~~!!!"
The Blessing of Elysion is open to all, yet it grants no protection whatsoever to those without talent.
Among the common folk, many struggle simply to make ends meet and never receive proper training at all — which means plenty of ordinary people never receive a blessing in the first place.
How must our desperate struggle have looked through their eyes?
Just a crack! A flash! A clang! A boom! Probably.
Even I, standing right in front of it, could barely react to attacks that fast and threatening.
The spectators watching from afar would not have been able to follow the flow of the battle in the slightest.
They would have sensed only the oppressive atmosphere that weighed down the arena.
To them, a mythical battle of thunder and lightning had unfolded, and at its end only one result remained: Edwin Levan, without a single scratch on him, had won.
But—
...Don't look at me like that.
Those who had reached a certain level understood the flow of offense and defense.
They knew that I had been one-sidedly beaten without mounting a proper response, until Miss Seraphina finally exhausted herself and surrendered.
Frankly, as a knight, it was a rather unsatisfying conclusion.
But in Path of the Guardian, this was practically textbook play.
Why is status ailment resistance called "resistance" and not "immunity"?
Because it doesn't perfectly block every status effect — that's why the word resistance is used.
You push that number to its absolute limit, then inflate it further with items or buffs.
Only then do you finally cross the threshold into an immunity check.
Normally you endure with status resistance, and when the need arises you massively boost resistance to a specific attribute to secure immunity.
It's a sniper — or counter — build, extremely common among Guardians.
Since Miss Seraphina had brought Astrape, a weapon specialized for single combat, I simply prepared a sniper build to match.
This was a battle of spear and shield.
So stop looking at me with those cold eyes.
You bastards. This is the result you wanted...
Honestly, I felt a little wronged.
Miss Seraphina's red-rimmed eyes were probably fanning those stares even further.
At times like this, nothing beats reliable allies.
No matter how I won, the brothers and sisters of the Cretus Sect would clap and cheer for me.
I turned my gaze toward them, hoping to draw some energy — only to find them strangely quiet.
For some reason they were standing with people I had never seen before, all of them wearing hooded cloaks, so I couldn't tell who they were.
I could only guess that they were rather high-ranking individuals.
Even the Sect Leader, normally so composed, looked completely at a loss — which was quite the sight.
Social season stages usually begin in the evening, so I hurried over to the blacksmith.
The armor couldn't be removed without a blacksmith's help.
I barely managed to get it off and return to the castle, only to find that little time remained before the social gathering opened.
I rushed through my preparations and came back to find Miss Ariella — who had evolved from a wild rose into a proper rose — waiting for me.
Whoa...
She was normally the type to cover herself up tightly, but for her first social debut, hadn't she gone a little overboard?
The dress exposed far more than usual.
With this, she might even draw some of the attention away from me.
I tried to calculate that, but she was so beautiful that other thoughts kept intruding.
"H-how do I look...?"
Miss Ariella carefully gauged my reaction, mindful of the servants' eyes.
I looked her over just enough not to be rude, then slowly nodded.
"You look beautiful."
Any more description and it might become sexual harassment.
No more, no less — this was just right.
Miss Ariella averted her gaze slightly at my words.
An awkward atmosphere was inevitable.
"This is the moment you've been waiting for, is it not? Straighten your shoulders a little more."
On Miss Ariella's head sat Aria, looking particularly fired up today.
This was the stage that would overturn the reputation of Miss Ariella, who had suffered all manner of gossip in high society.
Aria seemed to understand that as well.
But Miss Ariella, still clearly nervous, couldn't calm down.
In that case...
"Haa..."
I let out a deep sigh and put on a deliberately apologetic expression.
"Why are you making that sorry face?"
"This was originally an event for you, Miss Ariella. But I can't help feeling that I, as your partner, am standing out too much... It feels as though I've thrown cold water on everything."
"...You actually did throw cold water on me."
I knew she'd respond like that.
With other people she just laughs it off with an "Ahaha...", but somehow whenever I say something, she always has to push back first.
Around me, she turns into a complete contrarian.
"You can't water a flower with warm water, can you?"
"..."
Her skin flushed slightly above the bold dress that left her shoulders bare.
Apparently it had reminded her of the grinding sessions in the cave to raise her spirit affinity.
Giggle giggle.
The ultimate technique for instantly drawing every eye in the room.
Aria, perched on Miss Ariella's head, covered her mouth with both hands and laughed softly.
It was such an innocent laugh that even the people watching couldn't help smiling along.
Swoosh.
I naturally stepped to Miss Ariella's side and offered my arm.
Miss Ariella quietly averted her gaze as she rested her hand on my elbow.
Today's protagonist was, first and foremost, Miss Ariella making her social debut.
I was merely the device meant to make her shine.
Keeping that in mind, I recalled the social etiquette Mother had taught me.
Slowly, leisurely.
We stood before the doors leading into the Remington Count family's ballroom.
"Presenting the young lady of the Remington Count family, Miss Ariella Remington!"
The murmuring died away.
Creeeak.
The music that had been flowing through the splendid hall paused for a moment, and every gaze in the dizzyingly vast ballroom turned toward us.
Squeeze.
A tremor ran through the hand resting in the crook of my arm.
And so—
"Isn't this easier than becoming a human plant?"
I had meant to restrain myself, but this much should be fine.
Squeeze squeeze!
See? It works, doesn't it?
Click click.
As Miss Ariella began to walk, the music naturally shifted and a new piece began.
"Is that... is that a spirit...?"
"My, how adorable...!"
"So those rumors were baseless after all? How vicious..."
Whispers rose from every direction.
Under the sudden flood of stares and attention, the hand gripping my arm trembled again.
But no matter how nerve-wracking this was, it had to be better than the moment she became a wild rose in the garden.
Without a single misstep, she walked with elegant strides toward the head of the ballroom.
There stood the Countess, the madam who had hosted this social gathering and the current head of the Remington Count family.
Those around the Countess quietly stepped back, and Miss Ariella offered a small greeting to her mother.
"Everyone. This is Ariella, who has just turned sixteen."
Receiving Miss Ariella's greeting, the Countess smiled gently and introduced her to the attendees.
Miss Ariella then lifted her skirt slightly and offered an elegant curtsy toward the gathered guests.
It was a perfect motion — hard to believe this was the same person who had been trembling with nerves moments before.
Aria, sitting on Miss Ariella's head, also managed a clever little bow while keeping her balance.
It was meant to match Ariella's, but it came out a bit clumsy.
The Countess's eyes trembled as she watched.
It was a gaze so full of emotion that I couldn't even begin to describe it.
One thing was certain, though: the look she briefly gave me was extremely favorable.
Even if she hadn't heard the full details about the secret techniques, she must have been told that I'd helped with the spirit contract.
I hope only good things come her way from now on.
— ♩♪♬
The music in the ballroom changed.
I naturally moved in front of her, offered my left hand with a formal bow, and inclined my waist.
"Would you do me the honor of a dance?"
"Of course."
Miss Ariella smiled softly and placed her right hand in mine.
There was no need to worry about matching our breathing.
We had already practiced together in that modest but perfect ballroom.
As today's protagonist of the social gathering began to dance, those around us naturally followed the flow and started dancing as well.
A current formed that never invaded each other's space, and at its center, Miss Ariella — making her first social debut today — became the shining focal point of the picture.
From high above, it would have looked like a single flower bud blooming into beautiful motion.
One dance continued, and just as the music was building toward its climax—
Fwaaah!
The flower buds the servants had placed throughout the ballroom all burst into full bloom at once.
A gentle spring breeze slipped through the closed windows, and flower petals rode the wind in a slow dance.
Some people were so captivated by the sight that they accidentally stepped on their partners' feet.
You've worked so hard. Truly.
The snow that had piled up through winter had melted without a trace, and full spring had arrived.
The ugly rumors that had dogged her would be gone, and the Remington Count family would face less gossip because of them.
Count Remington was still absent, and even the eldest son who would soon become family head was away...
For now, let's just smile this brightly.
If you've crossed one mountain, a knight should know how to unwind and enjoy themselves—
And even if autumn comes soon and cold winter follows, when spring returns, a noble young lady blooms brightly once more, does she not?
In that sense, you too are a noble young lady, aren't you?
The music in the ballroom ended.
We released each other's hands and exchanged formal bows.
Dancing more than twice in a row with the same person is something only fiancés or married couples can do.
So I carefully put some distance between myself and Miss Ariella.
Soon those who had been dancing flocked toward her.
Today was the debutante of the noble young lady Ariella Remington.
With the news that she had contracted a high-grade spirit now public, it was only natural that people would crowd in to greet her.
But while their bodies faced Miss Ariella, more than a few kept their eyes on me.
Mother is going to be very busy...
The rumor that I was a wastrel who had disgraced the family name by choosing Guardian ended today.
Now I was the second son of a frontier noble house who possessed the Guardian's secret techniques, and a young master with rather decent qualifications for a live-in son-in-law.
Many noble houses would surely set their sights on me.
I can't afford to get tied down just yet.
In five years, an event would occur that would erase the entire Kingdom of Silverion from the map.
Until I stopped that catastrophe, I had no room to worry about marriage talks.
Maybe I should at least pretend to be discussing things with a suitable family...
As I was thinking that, I felt one distinctly sour gaze.
It was Miss Seraphina, who seemed to have no interest in dancing and had quietly been filling her stomach off to the side of the crowd.
She appeared to have something to say, and casually started walking toward the terrace.
I carefully followed her out so as not to disturb those around us.
Creeeak, click.
Stepping onto the terrace, a pleasantly cool spring breeze greeted us.
Miss Seraphina rested her arms on the railing in a somehow pitiful pose.
"Lord Edwin."
The honorifics were back.
Perhaps the bond that had exploded with a bang might return after all.
"What is it, Miss Seraphina?"
"After my defeat, I thought about many things. Upon reflection, the Guardian's blessing is the vanguard that protects everyone. Just as a knight hones his blade before entering the battlefield, a Guardian preparing defenses to protect his body is the proper strategy for a vanguard."
Her expression suggested she didn't think that at all.
But this didn't seem to be the main point, so I answered with a small nod.
"Swept up in the atmosphere, I shamefully showed you discourtesy..."
She bowed her head.
"In this world, the process is as important as the result. I too had a reason I could not afford to lose, and so I also committed a fault without regard for shame. Please raise your head."
The acquisition condition for Impact Dispersion, the skill learned at Level 25.
It was an extremely demanding condition: having equipment destroyed one hundred times during combat.
Preparing a hundred sets of equipment to wear required enormous funds.
So it was a duel I absolutely had to win, and I chose the best move available to me.
Even if I rewound time a hundred times, I would have chosen the method with even a ten percent higher win rate.
But there was no need to go into all that.
I packaged the story appropriately, as a noble would, intending to let bygones scatter on the spring breeze like flower petals.
Yet Miss Seraphina still kept her head bowed.
She looked like someone who had committed a grave sin.
"Miss Seraphina? Please raise your head. I don't particularly consider it discourteous. Doesn't it simply mean you took the match seriously?"
But she still wouldn't look up.
How much time passed like that?
"L-Lord Edwin..."
"Yes, please speak."
"I-it is shameless of me, but there is one thing I wish to ask..."
After a long hesitation, the words she finally spoke were—
"You received the tournament prize money, correct...? I-if you have any to spare... could you lend me just a little?"
I truly had not expected that.
Wait, you bet on it too...?
Suddenly I felt an explosive sense of kinship.