Chapter 32
Iri rose to her feet and glared at him.
"Good-nimida. Wet's spaw!"
But at Iri's resolute words mixed with firm determination, Morgan's sneer deepened.
"Hey, hey. Don't go cwyng that you didn't know anywetter-nimida? Anyway, what happens in the Twaining Haww can't be tawdled about behind backs."
"Yes. Doesn't mattew-nimida. You wanna spaw wight hewe wight now-nimikka?"
As if everyone thought she'd obviously back down, all eyes gathered on the two.
Morgan clenched his fist vilely and said.
"Mawtial awts cwass is soon."
"......?"
"Wet's do it then! That way you can't wetaliate!"
She'd never said anything about retaliating.
Morgan, scared of retaliation yet wanting to sort the hierarchy.
*'Supew supew cowawdwy fwiend!'*
She absolutely couldn't lose to a vile friend!
"Whatevew you want."
Wait for it, you rascal.
I'll discipline you with Taekwondo Form 3 that I've practiced every night!
* * *
After etiquette class ended, the next period was martial arts class.
Etiquette teacher Piona, returning to the Training Hall office, talked about Iri.
"Lady Iri was so polite and kind. Thanks to her, I could do etiquette class comfortably after ages."
But martial arts teacher Gerrun snorted.
"1-star purification sorcerer, right? Nothing special."
"No. Lady Iri is somehow special."
Purification sorcerers were healer types.
They tended to get teary-eyed and overinterpret even trivial things.
Especially the Grand Duke's youngest daughter raised in the soft South?
That said it all.
Gerrun rose to head to class and said to Piona.
"Piona, I won't go easy just 'cause she's young and weak."
In the North where monsters popped out everywhere.
If kids acted weak and soft for no reason, they'd get eaten by monsters constantly.
Harsh, but it was Gerrun's own educational philosophy.
He entered the Training Hall with a smirk.
But suspiciously, Iri and his prized disciple Morgan both stood up at the same time.
Kids standing during class, chattering, making noise, spitting, cursing, grabbing collars and fighting was extremely common.
But all other kids sitting neatly while just two stood was rare.
"What's going on?"
Then Iri bowed her head in greeting and said.
"Hewwo-nimida, Teachaw-nim. My name is Iwi Owtejo-nimida. I'm hewe fow a spaw. Mowgan wequested it."
"Pawdon?"
"Can we spaw-nimikka?"
"Yeah. I wequested it. That pea-sized kid accepted. Don't need teachaw's pewmission."
Gerrun shrugged.
Spar between five-year-olds? Whatever.
*'No big deal. North average, I guess. In other places, kids fighting is huge trouble, but here?'*
Northern kids causing accidents while playing was everyday stuff.
If the fight got too fierce or seemed like it'd cause serious injury, just lightning-stop it midway.
Then Morgan clenched his fist with a cracking sound and said.
"Hey, kids. Cweaw the desks."
......How's there such a villainous little kid spitting lines like that?
Gerrun took a real liking to Morgan.
He watched the two proudly with a grin.
"Begin."
* * *
Finally, the spar began.
Iri and Morgan clenched fists at opposite ends, glaring at each other.
But Iri addressed them with both fists clenched.
"Fiwst, befowe spawing, we must gweet each othew-nimida."
"What? Just wing it."
As Morgan raised his clenched fist to charge, Iri shook her head firmly.
"Keep doing that and I won't spaw-nimida."
"Ah, no. We gotta spaw! We agweed!"
"No whinning-nimida. The wowwd has things that don't go youw way too-nimida."
At Iri's sage-like words, Morgan ground his teeth.
With the force to wear down all his baby teeth.
But even for Morgan, he had no choice but to surrender to 'won't spar.'
"Fine. Do it then!"
He ground his teeth and brought both hands to the center.
Then dipped his head slightly.
"Done now?"
"Not yet-nimida. Have to do mowe-nimida."
"No, what now......"
Iri raised her eyebrows sharply.
"Sigh....... What now?"
"Fiwst handshake, and bow powitewy to the fwiends watching us-nimida."
"Ha......"
At Iri's words, Morgan shook hands with Iri and even bowed diligently.
"Now okay?"
Truthfully, Morgan was already a bit tired.
But Iri was still utterly faithful to sparring etiquette.
"Not yet-nimida. Befowe spawing, say youw thoughts on this spaw to youw pawents too-nimida."
"My pawents aren't hewe?"
"Stiww have to do it-nimida."
"Ah, whatevew, fine! Thanks, Mom!"
"Yes, good-nimida. Then I'ww give thanks to my Hammuni and Instwuctow-nimida."
Iri's thank-you speech lasted over 5 minutes.
What kind of thank-you was practically an epic novel.
By the time Morgan was completely drained into dead-fish eyes.
Iri bowed her head and said.
"Then now, wet's spaw-nimida!"
"Oh, good!"
His eyes gleamed. Finally, time to thrash the little kid.
"Now, begin!"
With those words, as Morgan thrust his fist into the air.
Iri yelled from her dantian loudly.
"Kyaaah!"
Normal Northern martial arts had a quiet, elegant vibe.
But......
"Kyaaaah! Hah!"
"Ah, no....... The sound is supew woud!"
Morgan was already intimidated here. But still, he was a martial artist.
Couldn't lose to that tiny kid!
Morgan's strength was speed.
*'Just end it quick!'*
Morgan sneakily tried to trip Iri's foot.
The world's vilest smile hung on his lips.
Was crisis finally upon Iri?
Even original Iri—no, Taekwondo girl Arin—would've panicked at such flashy tricks.
But current Iri was calm.
*'Me, I've had so many shocks lately that even if Morgan moves his foot however, it just seems pathetic!'*
......Thanks to North experiences, Iri had unexpectedly leveled up mentally.
Iri moved her foot smoothly without a hint of agitation.
In the end, after all his messy tricks, Morgan sprawled on the floor.
At that moment, Iri gathered ki and yelled loudly.
"Haaaap!"
Soon after, Iri soared into the air.
*'Vital point kick!'*
An incomprehensible, complex move never seen in martial arts history!
Morgan, sent flying by one kick, eyes widened hugely.
"Y-you, you, you......"
In the end, Morgan was slammed to the floor.
Iri still had a serene expression.
Meanwhile, the defeated Morgan glared at Iri, sweat beading on his forehead.
Unfortunately, his final words were set.
"I-I'm tewwing my mom!"
Iri looked down sternly and said.
"Go ahead. Tawtewtawe."
"......Wh-what did you say?"
"We spawed faiw and squawe, so tattle and you'we a tawtewtawe."
She said it as if obvious.
Morgan couldn't retort and curled up.
Tears welled in his eyes.
Gerrun, indifferent to etiquette and kids' bickering, ignored it.
Instead, he gripped his fist excitedly for another reason.
True to Northern martial artist style, he loved powerful spars.
And Iri's display fit perfectly.
*'Expert. A twue expuwt!'*
Suddenly Gerrun shot to his feet.
True to Northern man style, he showed zero courtesy to the loser.
"Wow, so stwong, Lady Iwi! Have you weawned mawtial awts befowe?"
"Yes! Twained hawd-nimida!"
Gerrun's eyes gleamed.
Piona's words flashed in his mind.
"Lady Iri is somehow special."
Lowest-grade purification sorcerer and Grand Duke's youngest daughter.
But a kid with decent martial knowledge.
*'Pwetty appeteewing?'*
Morgan was completely forgotten in Gerrun's mind.
But Iri was different.
Iri proudly flashed a victory V-sign.
Then extended a hand to Morgan sprawled on the floor.
"And if you won't tawtew, good wowk-nimida."
"Eh?"
"We, our feewings get huwt a wot. But Instwuctow said spaws end with wespect wike this-nimida."
At those words, Morgan's eyes shook hugely.
"So fwom now on, no buwwying me-nimida. Got it-nimikka!"
Iri, who pulled Morgan up by the hand, dusted her hands and yelled strongly.
As expected, countless kids watched Iri with sparkling eyes.
Cookie sent serious telepathy.
[That kid, well done! You took control!]
Now she'd befriend these kids and purify all their magi!
Imagining sticking a 'Purification Complete' sticker on the Training Hall spot on the Ortejo Castle map made her heart pound.
"Uhahaha."
Everything was going according to Iri's plan!
But there was one point Iri truly hadn't expected.
It was that Karhen, who saw Iri sparring, and Morgan, beaten and sprawled.
*'Heawt, pounding.'*
......Their hearts began pounding at the same time.
*'Supew cool!'*
Yes.
Average boys aged five to ten.
They were drawn to strong girls.
Especially Northern boys!
