Erika: My Friend Is Obsessed with Me
Chapter 45
* * *
The upper training grounds of the Holy Knights.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Pechenik strolled along the edge of the training grounds.
From the vast center came the endless clash and ring of blades.
Even without looking, he could tell just by the sound.
‘……It must be the 3rd Unit’s training session.’
Ever since coming to the temple to recuperate, he would drop by whenever he felt bored.
Normally, watching the Holy Knights train was against etiquette, but through the Saintess’s consideration, he was granted free access.
The Saintess had judged that Pechenik occasionally offering pointers would help the Holy Knights grow.
In truth, Pechenik did give them instruction to pass the time.
Pechenik chuckled softly at the memory.
After he had worked them hard the other day to fix some bad habits, the 3rd Unit now broke into cold sweats and didn’t even dare glance his way.
‘Still, they’ve got more grit than the 4th Unit.’
By now, he recognized most of the Holy Knights up through the 4th Unit.
Of course, the lower-tier units used the lower training grounds, so he wasn’t familiar with them.
But the Holy Knights using this upper training ground were all familiar faces now.
Among the sea of familiar faces crowding the training ground—
‘…….’
He immediately spotted one man who did not belong.
A man who was not even a Holy Knight, perched on the iron fence.
‘His name was…… Chaud, was it?’
Navy-haired Chaud.
A man who grew strangely irritating the more one looked at him.
A man daring to hover around his naive disciple.
“…….”
Pechenik continued walking and drew a sword displayed on the training ground wall.
Scrape. The longsword rasped as it dragged along the stone floor.
He even deliberately made his slow footsteps audible.
It was only natural that Chaud looked up at him.
When he turned his head, Pechenik was met with that expressionless face.
“Where is Erica?”
He asked the question foremost on his mind.
Pechenik had been searching for Erica, who had been missing for the past two days.
He had stopped by the training ground just to see if his tomboy disciple was tearing the place apart again.
“Erica told me not to follow, so I don’t know either.”
Chaud answered without emotion.
His voice was polite enough, but his eyes were completely devoid of deference.
Pechenik walked forward, gazing into those familiar blue-green eyes.
Step, step. His feet came to an abrupt halt right before Chaud.
“What is your family name?”
“I’m a commoner, so I don’t have one.”
“A commoner.”
Pechenik chuckled.
A man perched on the iron fence, looking down at him with such insolence.
He could not shake the feeling that this man bore an uncanny resemblance to someone he knew.
So he pressed with a few more questions.
“How long have you lived as a mercenary?”
“Long enough.”
“What is your father’s name?”
“Do I have to answer that?”
“Your face is familiar. You resemble someone I know.”
“I’m not sure what you expect me to do about that.”
Conversing with this insolent brat was getting him nowhere.
Pechenik gave the sword in his right hand a swift twirl. It caught the wind.
Pechenik’s presence transformed completely.
In an instant, his expression vanished, and with a sharp thrust, the fierce tip of the blade leveled right beneath Chaud’s chin.
“They say you are a Swordmaster. Let me see your skill.”
Bringing the blade even closer to his chin, he added,
“Before I die, my dream was to cross swords with that person once more. It would be nice if you could show me something even remotely reminiscent.”
“You seem to be mistaken. I don’t know what you’re expecting, but my swordsmanship is merely that of a lowly mercenary.”
“I will be the judge of that. Draw your sword and show me. That lowly swordsmanship of yours.”
“…….”
“If you need two blades, I will gladly lend you another.”
Chaud let out a short sigh.
He languidly lowered his gaze to glance at the ground.
“……I don’t know what you’re talking about, but,”
Push. With a single finger, he casually pushed aside the cold tip of the blade resting against his neck.
“I can’t spar with someone who is sick.”
Pechenik’s eyes narrowed.
What was this obnoxious bastard talking about?
What did he know to be spouting this?
“How could I point a sword at someone who lacks even the stamina to fight? What would Erica say to me?”
“…….”
“I don’t do anything that would make Erica hate me.”
Everything was Erica, Erica, Erica.
Pechenik blinked in silence, then slowly lowered his sword.
“…….”
His stiffened expression could not hide his turmoil.
Only one thing shocked him right now.
Pechenik gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.
“Erica…….”
What did Erica know? How much did she know?
His thoughts raced.
Even if it would take time, the only way to neutralize the curse was the Holy Grail.
And to obtain it, one had to become subordinate to the Imperial Family.
He had clearly refused, having no desire to prolong his life in such a manner.
“…….”
The hair on his entire body stood on end.
And his disciple, of all things, was a Swordmaster.
The fact that Tenearha was currently at the Great Temple of Light crossed his mind.
If Erica had found out everything…….
“Dammit.”
There was no way she would have made any other choice.
* * *
Pechenik was utterly furious.
In the quiet upper quarters, it was like a natural disaster. His energy expanded so violently that the hallway windows rattled.
When the door to the guest room where Erica stayed flew open, a fierce gust of wind blew into the room.
When Erica, startled, looked at Pechenik, both instantly knew.
“……Master.”
Erica had fully expected Pechenik’s wrath.
The only difference was that he had already figured it out and come storming in before she even had a chance to confess.
“Who was it?”
Pechenik had even brought his drawn sword.
“Who brought this up to you first? Hielia? Marquis Nokbel?”
A sharp, lethal edge coated the longsword, matching his chilling, fierce gaze.
His strength may have waned from the curse, but his swordsmanship and overwhelming intimidation had gone nowhere.
The light of Aura, leaking out when he failed to control his emotions, drifted like smoke.
Flustered, Erica stepped in front of Pechenik.
“Please calm down first, Master!”
She knew better than anyone that when her master lost his temper, neither mountains nor rivers were left standing.
As it looked as though his Aura might erupt at any second, Erica broke into a cold sweat.
If he demolished the entire Great Temple of Light, forget the Holy Grail, there wouldn’t even be a place left to recuperate!
“I already stamped the Tenearha contract! It’s done!”
“What?”
“It’s a Contract of Kinship, so it can’t be undone unilaterally! You know that, right?!”
“…….”
Pechenik was visibly struggling to suppress his rage.
That meant he was right on the verge of exploding.
“How dare they coax naive little you into—”
“What part of me is naive?!”
“To deceive someone so young… even if they are my close friend and former comrades, I will not forgive them.”
“No! I said I would do it myself!”
Erica hurriedly dashed over, standing with her back against the door and her arms spread wide to block him.
The Saintess and the Tenearha knights had done nothing wrong.
So that sword tip must not be pointed at anyone.
“Master, please calm down and listen. The Saintess—”
“Whatever Hielia told you is a lie. I am fine. There is no reason whatsoever for you to become the sword of the Imperial Family.”
“Actually, I wanted to join Tenearha!”
“Since when?!”
“S-since I was a kid!”
“Do not lie to me!”
“…….”
It’s not working, what do I do?!
Erica’s eyes darted about as her mind whirred furiously.
“……Erica.”
Pechenik let out a trembling sigh.
She had already signed the contract. It felt as if an axe had struck the crown of his head.
Even if he rushed to His Majesty the Emperor and prostrated himself to beg for the release of the Contract of Kinship, there was no way it would be granted.
“You truly did something so utterly pointless.”
It was a heartfelt lamentation.
His voice, seething with distress, reached Erica.
Erica bit her lower lip tightly before letting it go.
“How is saving you, Master, something pointless?”
“I never asked for such a thing. Do you even realize what you have done? Now, for the rest of your life, in Tenearha—”
“No, Master, I’m genuinely curious. What were you planning to do if not for me?”
Thinking about it, that was truly the case.
If his disciple hadn’t happened to awaken as a Swordmaster at just the right time, what would have become of this?
If she hadn’t joined Tenearha in his stead to secure the Holy Grail.
“Were you just going to cough up blood and suffer in agony every single day, only to suddenly… d-die? Were you planning to just die and leave me all alone in this world?”
