Chapter 96
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Ring of Promise (5)
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The revelation was so sudden and bewildering that my mouth felt broken, and my reply came a beat late.
"Huh? What... what do you mean?"
Clemence chuckled softly.
"I've known for a long time that you've been hiding something. That story you just told me from your childhood must be part of it."
If I denied it, it would show plainly on my face, so I clamped my mouth shut.
Clemence gazed at me with warm eyes, as if she understood everything.
"It's okay. You don't have to tell me now. Later... when you come back safely, and you're ready, tell me then. I'll trust you and wait."
"...Yeah. Thanks."
With that, I'd admitted I was hiding something, but I simply couldn't lie to Clemence.
Her eyes were as clear as a mirror, reflecting me exactly as I was.
"Clemence, I'm going to see Wedin. Want to come?"
I asked as I stood from my seat.
Clemence, who had been staring intently at the glowing glass orb, looked up at me and nodded.
"Yeah. Of course."
Clemence took my hand and rose to her feet.
We didn't forget the glass orb as we left the room.
Kalia, waiting in the hallway, greeted us warmly.
Clemence apologized for startling her earlier, and Kalia expressed relief that Clemence was okay.
As we headed out the back gate toward the training grounds, Clemence cradled the glowing glass orb precious in both hands.
Its warm light brightly illuminated the dark path.
Training had long since ended. The grounds were dim under faint lantern light.
Two figures stood in the center of the training grounds, their outlines sharpening as we drew closer.
Two shadows clashing swords. It was Wedin and Shuren.
The fierce clash of wooden swords echoed through the quiet training grounds.
"Weddy!"
Clemence cried out in surprise at the sight, startling Wedin, who whipped around to look at us.
Shuren didn't miss the opening.
"Opening!"
Shuren's wooden sword struck Wedin's hard, sending it flying up, and Wedin staggered back with a dazed "Uh, uh," before tumbling to the ground.
Clemence rushed hurriedly to Wedin's side.
"Weddy, are you okay?"
"Stay back, Clemence. Don't interfere."
Wedin pushed away Clemence's attempt to help and propped himself up with his wooden sword.
His breathing was already ragged. His dirt- and bruise-covered body looked hard to control.
Even so, Wedin barely managed to stand on his own two feet and raised his wooden sword toward Shuren.
The tip still trembled, but his gaze challengingly met Shuren's.
"That last one doesn't count. Do it over."
"Isn't it time to stop? I've seen plenty of your grit."
Shuren, leaning on his wooden sword like a cane, sighed tiredly.
Dressed in training clothes, he'd clearly worn himself out sparring with Wedin for so long.
"You said you'd acknowledge me if I beat you."
"Fine, I take it back..."
"Yaaah!"
Before Shuren could finish, Wedin let out a shout and swung his wooden sword. It was baffling where such strength suddenly came from.
Shuren reflexively blocked, but his poor stance made him stumble a bit.
"You little...!"
Annoyed, Shuren quickly regained his footing and swung back at Wedin.
Wedin barely parried, but exhausted as he was, no one knew how long he could hold out.
Shuren's angry strikes came relentlessly.
"Both of you, stop!"
I gathered mana, shaped it into wind, and hurled it at them.
Whoosh!
Wedin and Shuren's bodies shot into the air as their swords clashed.
"Gyaaah?!"
Their screams erupted simultaneously.
The fierce gust swept everywhere, shaking the trees with terrifying creaks.
Clemence let out a short scream. Kalia rushed over and shielded her.
My robe fluttered upward. A circle of mana in the form of wind swirled at my feet.
Wedin and Shuren floated in the air, supported by air cushions below, flailing awkwardly without steadying themselves.
"Wha, whoa, what, what is this?!"
"Ugh, you... what the hell?!"
Wedin spotted me and yelled angrily.
I focused on compressing the air masses to lift them to my height and looked up at them.
"You two wouldn't listen, so I had no choice. Drop the wooden swords first."
"I was trying to stop."
Shuren grumbled as he let his wooden sword fall to the ground.
I turned to Wedin.
"Weddy, you too."
"Don't butt into my business! Who do you think you..."
I took a deep breath and lightly twirled my left hand.
Wind gathered around the resistant Wedin, spinning him once around.
Controlling wind, not my affinity, wasn't easy, but the hot spring nearby made it simple enough.
"Gyyyaaah! S-stop!"
After two spins in the air, Wedin's face paled, and he went limp.
"Ready to drop the sword and talk now?"
"Ugh... fine."
The wooden sword fell from Wedin's hand.
I sighed and slowly lowered them to the ground.
As I released the mana, my fluttering robe settled back down.
Shuren clicked his tongue and picked up both wooden swords.
Wedin, utterly spent, collapsed face-down, clutching his head and groaning nonstop.
"Weddy, are you okay?"
Clemence approached, asking worriedly. Amid his pained groans, Wedin mumbled.
"Does it look like I'm okay...? I feel like puking."
"That's what you get for being so stubbornly unreasonable."
I let out a small sigh and sat down in front of Wedin.
I'd spun him around out of irritation at his stubbornness, but he already looked so worn out that I was quietly concerned.
"You're one to talk... unnecessary meddling. You do whatever you want on your own."
"True enough."
I smirked and admitted it.
I was glad, even relieved, to see Wedin glaring resentfully at me. He hadn't even looked at me properly for days.
"Still, I wouldn't dream of beating Brother Shuren with swordsmanship. Are you an idiot or just reckless?"
"You're the idiot, you... idiot. He said he'd acknowledge me if I beat him with the sword."
"Brother, did you say that?"
I glanced up at Shuren. Standing beside me, he irresponsibly shrugged.
"Something like that, yeah? But it's impossible. Weddy, you're a holy mage who only learned swordplay as a liberal art."
"I just wanted to check if you had enough skill to protect yourself, since you want to join the Silver Moon Knights."
"So, how'd I do?"
"Grit: pass."
"That's not enough!"
Wedin burst out angrily, trying to rise, but dizziness kept him pale-faced and slumped against the ground.
Shuren sighed loudly and stepped closer to Wedin.
He crouched beside Wedin, who groaned while propping himself up, and looked down.
"Did you really think you could beat me? Don't underestimate knight training. But hey, grit passes, so... I'll give you half credit."
Shuren extended his hand right in front of Wedin's eyes.
"Train hard from now on, and you might earn the other half someday. If you want, I'll help."
Wedin blinked in confusion, staring at Shuren's hand.
"You'll help?"
"Yeah. They say even holy mages have to fight in the Silver Moon Knights. It's that dangerous. If you're still set on going, I'll help with everything I've got."
Wedin didn't hesitate long.
"...Yeah. Thanks."
With resolved eyes, he clasped Shuren's hand.
At that moment, Clemence started sobbing, tears streaming down.
"Wait, Clemence, why are you crying all of a sudden?"
Wedin panicked, while Clemence, face red, couldn't stem her tears.
"I-I don't want to cry, but... I can't hold you back from Weddy anymore..."
She pulled out that earlier scrap of wrapping cloth from her pocket and dabbed her eyes.
Didn't she throw that away in the parlor? I panicked and stopped her.
"C-Clemence, not that. Kalia, got a handkerchief?"
"Ah, yes. Here."
Kalia, flustered too, quickly handed one over.
I soothed the tearful Clemence and gave her Kalia's handkerchief instead of the wrapping scrap.
"Thanks, Lib, Kalia..."
"You all came to stop me from joining the Silver Moon Knights, huh."
Wedin said as he gripped Shuren's hand and struggled to his feet.
His voice was so stubborn that just hearing it conveyed, 'You can't stop me.'
I patted Clemence's shoulder and sighed softly.
"Gave up on that ages ago. I just... want to hear why you decided this, and what you plan to do."
"Obviously, because of you."
Wedin looked straight at me and nodded emphatically.
"What?"
I swallowed in shock.
Wedin jabbed a finger at me angrily.
"You said you're going to the Silver Moon Knights! A sickly guy like you... going somewhere you could drop dead any second, and I'm supposed to just sit as a holy mage?!"
"...There are a lot of parts I want to argue with, but can I?"
Flustered and mind racing, I blurted out the dumbest question first amid my pileup.
"No!"
Wedin yelled as expected.
"Don't nitpick! It's all because of you! I went to knight school, learned holy magic, wasn't planning anything grand. Just sick of merchant life, so use my talent a bit, make decent money, done."
Wedin's pent-up frustration poured out wildly, all genuine, making him sway.
"But you're off to die! Sending you alone would leave me restless, sleepless, and hey, Teacher Grain acknowledged me as a holy mage. Never planned on dangerous stuff. Feel some guilt."
"...It's suffocatingly heavy."
Each word weighed me down.
He growled, glaring.
"Try dying in front of me. I'll revive you, then kill you again."
"Nooo, Weddy, you can't kill Lib..."
Clemence, sobbing and half-missing the talk, sniffled.
Wedin turned to her in panic.
"No, Clemence, that's not what I..."
As Wedin explained to Clemence, Shuren beside us couldn't hold back laughter.
He burst out giggling and slapped our backs.
"Ah, you guys are awesome. Really awesome."
"I'm about to die of stress."
I muttered with a sigh, and Shuren snickered, slinging his arm over my shoulder. His weight settled heavily.
"Times like this, Lib, just say thanks. He's offering to be your dedicated holy mage? How grateful should you be?"
"Sure, but if Weddy gets hurt because of me..."
"It's fine! I'll take responsibility and make him useful. As long as you don't give up, Weddy."
Shuren extended a fist to Wedin, who nodded and bumped it back.
"No giving up."
What the heck? In the blink of an eye, they synced up like they'd made a pact.