Chapter 22
Fatima smiled, her eyes crinkling. When her large eyes narrowed, almost no white was visible. Eki found even this puppy-like quality endearing, and Eki liked pretty things.
Her appearance was one of the reasons Eki didn't dislike Fatima, who kept bothering her to join the club. Of course, the biggest reason was that she looked at Eki without being swayed by rumors.
"I'm the founding president of Wisdom. My gut tells me you're a real, real jackpot of talent. So, I have to stake my claim before other clubs notice."
"I don't know what you see in me, Senior."
"I watch the freshmen so diligently. I've seen almost all the duels and training! I even have a recruitment list. Of course, Cadet Ekinesia Roaz, you're number one on the list!"
"Who else is on that list?"
Eki asked with a snicker. Fatima's face brightened considerably at her interest.
"Well, I'm mainly watching three people, including you. I guarantee these three will be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the freshman rankings. Then you'll acknowledge my insight, right? First, there's Cadet Mikhail, the younger brother of Teresa von Fran Almary, the Giosa Owner..."
Eki barely managed to hide her agitation. Teresa's younger brother was someone she knew. She remembered killing him in Ajenka before her regression.
The image of the blonde female knight cradling the corpse of a boy who looked just like her, wailing, remained in her memory.
Fatima, unaware of her flinch, continued with a bright smile.
"And, Cadet Alice Winterbell, your roommate! She's really excellent too. A genuine talent. Though she seems to be in a bit of a slump right now."
"...A slump? Ms. Winterbell?"
"You two are roommates, but you call each other so awkwardly? Are you not on good terms? Well, you did duel on the first day."
Fatima tilted her head. As they talked, the women's dormitory came into view. Fatima pointed to the fir forest behind the dormitory.
"You know there's Training Ground 9 in the forest, right? Cadet Alice mainly trains there. If you go see, you'll understand. You really should go. I think you need to see it."
"I need to see it? Why do you think so?"
"From what I see, it seems like Cadet Alice is in a slump because of you."
At the unexpected words, Eki blinked in confusion. Fatima gave a strange smile and nudged Eki's back.
"Roommates should get along! You two would be a good match!"
A good match? Not likely. Before Eki could say anything, Fatima waved and ran off quickly.
"I gave you advice, so if you become friends, you both have to join Wisdom, okay? You wouldn't betray me, would you? I'll be waiting!"
"..."
Eki stared blankly at the receding braided hair. Then, she turned her gaze towards the fir forest behind the dormitory.
Eki had felt guilty towards Alice Winterbell all along. She had deliberately provoked her for her own convenience, had a half-hearted duel, and had shown her many bad sides. She didn't completely believe Fatima's words that it was because of her that Alice was in a slump, but...
[Are you going to go?]
"For now."
She stepped onto the path leading into the forest. She didn't have anything else to do anyway. Baraha was away, so she couldn't receive Squire training, and the Yuriene problem wouldn't have a solution until the Monster subjugation.
Regarding the source of the Demon Sword, she had sent a telegram to Nicole asking for detailed investigation updates. Until a reply came, there wasn't much she could do.
Training to prepare for the rankings battle was meaningless considering her skills.
Sunlight poured down between the fir trees that stretched lushly towards the sky. The inside of the forest was quiet. The deeper she went, the more the scent of the forest enveloped her. Training Ground 9 was located slightly off the path that crossed the forest, naturally situated as if it were just a clearing in the woods.
The academy had many training grounds. So, cadets didn't often seek out training grounds in such remote locations, without any special facilities. The only presence she felt nearby was one person.
Unlike other training grounds, the floor of Training Ground 9 was a field of grass mixed with weeds. In the middle of it, a woman in a sweat-soaked white shirt was moving her sword. Her navy cadet uniform jacket was casually hung on a nearby branch, swaying occasionally in the wind.
It was rude to eavesdrop on someone else's training. Eki deliberately didn't silence her footsteps or presence as she approached the training ground. However, Alice Winterbell, engrossed in her sword, didn't notice her approach.
Eki stood at the edge of the training ground, watching Alice's movements. She was swinging her sword against an imaginary enemy. Sunlight falling through the fir branches shattered over her short blonde hair. Sweat droplets scattered like rain along the trajectory of the sword.
Ekinesia was an unfairly talented genius. So much so that one might suspect that the misfortune given to her was the price for being born with such immense talent. The foundation for reaching the level of Master or higher, despite never having properly learned swordsmanship, was that talent.
Of course, her immense practical experience and the way she had internalized the movements of the Demon Sword also played a big part. The Demon Sword moved in the most efficient way for slaughter, and swordsmanship was simply the most efficient way to kill an opponent.
That's why she recognized it at a glance. What Alice's problem was, what the cause was, and even how to overcome it.
Alice's gray eyes had lost the dignity she originally possessed and were wandering aimlessly. Her sword had lost its way. And that, as Fatima had said, was Ekinesia's fault.
'It was because of the duel we had.'
Alice's sword was originally fast, accurate, and refined. She had only dueled once, but her swordsmanship was so clean that it felt elegant.
But now, she had lost that accuracy and was swinging her sword haphazardly. Her posture had become clumsy. Unsuitable, rough trajectories were mixed into her swordsmanship, disrupting even her existing strengths because they didn't suit her.
It seemed that Eki's sword had influenced her during their duel. The afterimage of that clumsy, almost reflexive sword, devoid of any personal style, could be seen in Alice now. It must have been shocking for someone like Alice Winterbell to experience a defeat against such a bizarre cadet, especially on the first day.
The solution was simple. Erase that afterimage and return to Alice's original sword. But if it were something that could be easily forgotten by trying to forget it, it wouldn't have remained as an afterimage in the first place. It would take quite a long time for Alice to break free on her own.
Eki hesitated for a while. Interfering with someone else's sword was rude. She wasn't a senior or superior, and she wasn't even close friends with Alice. In fact, they were on bad terms.
Eki, who had never formally learned swordsmanship, had naturally never taught anyone. Alice hadn't asked her for help either. If she tried to help, she might feel insulted or get angry.
No matter how she looked at it, the right answer was to turn around and pretend she hadn't seen anything. But Eki sighed softly and drew the cheap longsword she was carrying.
She carelessly threw the scabbard on the ground and stepped into the radius of Alice's swinging sword. She lightly blocked the blind blade that was slashing towards her side.
Clang, the sound of blades colliding rang out.
"!"
Only then did Alice, who had been so focused, notice Ekinesia's presence and jumped back in surprise. She seemed to have been quite concentrated. As she lowered the sword that had made contact, she stepped back. While Alice calmed her disordered breathing, Eki stood still with her sword lowered.
"...What are you doing, Ms. Roaz?"
Alice asked coldly. Eki smiled brightly.
"Let's have a sparring match, Ms. Winterbell."
"That's the most impolite sparring request I've ever received. You really are..."
Alice's face contorted. Eki, who was planning to do something even more impolite from now on, didn't care about her criticism. From the knights' point of view, what she was about to do was a near-miraculous stroke of luck, but she had no intention of asking for gratitude or reward for it.
'I'll be lucky if I don't get cursed out. Still, this is the surest and fastest way to erase my afterimage.'
Eki pointed her sword straight ahead. She raised one corner of her mouth in a mocking smile and said.
"Are you afraid of losing to me?"
Alice's eyes flashed. The ends of her eyebrows trembled slightly. The hand holding the sword tightened visibly. Alice gritted her teeth and retorted.
"Do you think someone who aspires to be a knight would be afraid of defeat? That's not the issue."
"Then just spar. Spar with me, Ms. Winterbell."
"I'm saying that your method is wrong! How can you call it sparring when you arbitrarily interfere with someone's sword while they're training alone and block it?"
"Ah, sorry about that. You were so focused that I felt bad calling out to you."
"Interfering is much more impolite than calling out!"
"I didn't realize that."
Eki blinked and replied. Of course, it was a lie. She had deliberately interfered to provoke her. If she had politely asked for a sparring match, it wouldn't have been very stimulating. As expected, Alice flared up.
"Do you really intend to become a knight? If someone who wields a sword doesn't observe etiquette or laws, how are they different from thugs in the back alleys?"
"I'll be careful from now on. Anyway, are you going to spar or not?"
She twirled the longsword she was holding on the ground playfully and asked. There was truly not a speck of respect for the sword to be seen. Alice, her face red with anger, gripped her sword tightly.
"Draw your sword."
"Thanks. Let's skip the tedious greetings, shall we? Then."
Eki decided arbitrarily and raised her sword. Without giving Alice a chance to adjust her posture, she immediately thrust forward. Taken aback, she received the sword in an awkward stance.
Starting with that, Ekinesia began to show a completely different side from the duel. Attacks poured in relentlessly. In a fast, accurate, and uncluttered manner.
The hem of her calf-length dress repeatedly wrapped around and unwrapped from her legs. The footsteps left by her slender women's shoes formed a steady rhythm.
Alice frantically blocked her attacks, and at some point, she recognized the rhythm. The trajectory of the thrusting sword, the movement of the arms, the handling of the gaze, the form of defense, the steps, the way she shifted her weight.
'No way.'
She felt like a completely different person from the duel. Clean and elegant swordsmanship. Well-refined movements. It was a very familiar style. Ekinesia was displaying swordsmanship that was exactly the same as Alice's.
'No, this is even more...!'
It wasn't the same. She had felt this way before. When she sparred with the knight who had taught her swordsmanship before coming to the academy. The feeling of seeing swordsmanship that was the same as hers but more complete.
