Chapter 135
A mock battle arena set up to be as close to real combat as possible.
The female executives of Arbol Frutal, excluding Francesca, are renting this place to train.
A striking woman with white hair dodges the hail of arrows raining down with agile movements.
As the shower of arrows halts momentarily, she shoots forward with explosive speed.
She swings a pitch-black sword.
Clang—!
Facing this, Emily barely manages to block it by drawing all of her mana and stamina.
She feels her arms trembling and her aura gradually being consumed, but she holds on until the end.
As Emily restricts the movements of the woman with white hair, Alicia, a fox-eared woman named Frieda rushes in from the side.
Frieda’s elongated claws surge toward Alicia.
The thin and dense aura surrounding her claws nearly touches Alicia’s delicate cheek.
But in that moment, Frieda realizes.
‘It’s an illusion.’
The figure of Alicia, pierced by the claws, disappears, and only black mist bursts out.
With an animalistic instinct, Frieda’s keen eyes pierce through the darkness and she quickly scans her surroundings, pausing in shock.
She feels the cold touch of a sword at her throat.
In that brief moment, perhaps out of consideration, the aura is not wrapped around her.
Just enough to block her movements.
The battle is already over.
“…I can’t take this anymore.”
Frieda slowly raises her hands, signaling her surrender.
Her outstretched claws retract quickly, emphasizing her lack of fighting spirit.
As this happens, the black mist enveloping them dissipates with the wind.
At last, their true forms are revealed.
Alicia, holding the now-black Naias in one hand, aims it at Frieda’s neck.
With the other hand, she positions the dagger she had taken from Emily’s grasp right in front of Emily’s forehead.
From a distance, Serena, who couldn’t join the fray, lowers her bow.
Alicia single-handedly defeated Serena, Frieda, and Emily.
Even considering this was a fight utilizing a relic with special permission, Alicia had become a woman so strong that even if these three combined forces, they would struggle to match her.
Emily, holding her breath, finally exhales and exclaims.
“Alicia is too strong!”
Depending on the circumstances, Serena thought she might have been able to challenge Alicia, but Emily and Frieda could not stop her advance.
Even within the Academia, Alicia boasted a growth rate rivaling that of Vargan and Liam.
Rather than slowing down over time, she was only accelerating.
Alicia helped Emily to her feet with a hand, returning the weapon she had taken moments before.
Emily showed a hint of frustration for her humiliating defeat but acknowledged Alicia’s efforts and talent.
“How strong do you plan to get, anyway?”
“Really?”
“It’s still a long way to go. I need to try harder.”
“Alicia always says that. She’s already working hard enough as it is. Oh, but…”
Emily suddenly remembers the previous combat and adds, “It felt like your sword was lighter than usual today. Is there a special reason for that?”
Alicia, who usually breezes through battles solo, appeared even more graceful and light with her sword today.
When Emily asked, Alicia struggled to show any reaction and tried to brush it off.
“Uh… maybe it’s just my imagination?”
“Come on, I’ve seen your swordplay enough times to know that can’t be it. What’s going on? Did something good happen that I don’t know about?”
As Alicia shyly waved her hands in denial, Frieda, who was watching closely with squinted eyes, spoke up.
“Something happened with Vargan, didn’t it?”
“Eh? Why would Young Master…! And what could happen between me and Young Master…? Nothing…”
“You’re lying.”
Emily agreed with Frieda’s assertion.
“Yeah, it’s a lie. Right, Serena?”
“……”
Serena, who had joined them unnoticed, nodded and answered in her stead.
Faced with their reactions, Alicia became visibly flustered and fumbled around, and amidst Frieda and Emily’s relentless questioning, she finally confessed the truth.
“I—I’m not sure if it’s because of this, but… actually…”
Though she insisted it had nothing to do with Vargan, everyone present knew exactly what was on Alicia’s mind.
She revealed that Charlotte had paired her with Vargan for a whole day during the festival.
As she spoke, her gaze remained fixed on the ground, her fingers fidgeting nervously.
Upon learning about the incident between Alicia and Vargan, Emily exclaimed, “Really? Wow, congrats, Alicia! Is there finally a sign of change in this relationship?!”
“C-congratulations? It’s not that big of a deal…”
Understanding Alicia’s attempt to hide her feelings, Emily adjusted her approach.
“Oh, my bad! You’re right, it’s totally nothing. …But wow, Vargan actually accepted a date proposal? That’s surprising.”
“It’s not even a date… We’re just going to be together at the festival…”
“I get it! Ha… Alicia is finally going on a date with that prickly Young Master, huh.”
“Ugh… do you actually know what you’re talking about?”
Alicia trembled, her voice shaky as she withdrew her hands protectively.
Watching her, Frieda let out a soft sigh and mused, “So Alicia is the biggest rival after all… I mean, I’d be okay conceding first place to Alicia…”
“What do you mean you’d be okay with that?”
In response to Emily’s question, Frieda explained, “I like Alicia too, and even if I lose my position as the main one, she wouldn’t flaunt it in front of the others. As long as I don’t end up suffering like a fool, I’ll be fine.”
“Frieda, you really don’t give up, do you…”
“Why would I give up? We haven’t even started properly yet!”
Frieda’s tail swished playfully as she thought that having Alicia take the top position instead of the betrothed Erica was better for both personal jealousy and strategic reasons.
But, naturally, she herself wanted to occupy the first position first.
“…It definitely won’t be easy, though.”
Frieda gazed at Alicia’s unreal beauty and continued, sounding deflated. “Do your best, Alicia. I won’t interfere. You definitely have a chance.”
“What do you mean by chance…? Why is everyone acting like this…?”
“You’re cute, but if you keep this up, I might just interfere?”
“Why do you keep acting like that? It’s just going to be a distraction!”
“Ugh…”
Serena tugged at Alicia’s sleeve, who was groaning without any reaction.
Serena, who usually remained quiet, surprisingly opened her mouth first.
In a clear and soft voice.
“Vargan cares for Alicia…”
“Serena?”
“It’s definitely true.”
The focus in Serena’s calm eyes was steady.
Alicia, facing that mysterious lake, felt a strange sensation.
*
⎯ Vargan cares for Alicia.
The words Serena had said kept swirling in Alicia’s head all day long.
Even during meals, classes, and training.
And now, while receiving an evaluation in Vargan’s room.
“Pull yourself together, Alicia.”
“Ah!”
As her mind cleared, Vargan’s sharp gaze was suddenly right in front of her.
Alicia felt an inexplicable emotion in her chest and shyly averted her gaze.
Vargan could not tolerate Alicia’s demeanor and forcefully held her face to make her meet his eyes.
“Ow…”
With no way to escape, Alicia squeezed her eyes shut.
She knew this wasn’t right in front of her master, but her pounding heart prevented her from looking at Vargan.
She felt as if she shouldn’t look.
“Isn’t this absurd?”
Vargan let out a derisive laugh and released her.
Expecting a harsh scolding, Alicia cautiously opened her eyes, surprised to see Vargan losing interest and backing away.
He summoned his familiar to check its status.
Alicia, recalling her blasphemous actions, quickly lowered her head.
“I’m sorry, Young Master! How dare I…”
“⎯ Enough. It’s probably due to some silly reason.”
“……”
Now that the process of checking her performance for the day was over, there was no longer any reason for Alicia to stay in this place.
Vargan, knowing she would naturally withdraw, began his own tasks.
However, when Alicia showed no signs of leaving, Vargan, still examining his familiar, shifted his gaze back to Alicia.
“Do you have something to say?”
“Ah, no. It’s not that, but…”
“It’s not? With such an obvious expression. Just go ahead and say it.”
Alicia opened her mouth carefully.
She still couldn’t meet his eyes, but taking this step required considerable courage.
“Young Master, on the festival day… is it really alright for you and me to be together?”
“What does that mean?”
“If rumors spread… them seeing us together on festival day will surely lead to bad gossip.”
“It’s nothing new for us to be seen together.”
“…Isn’t it a bit different on festival day?”
Alicia fidgeted, sweating in her palms.
Vargan realized that Alicia was worried about the implications of a man and a woman attending a festival together.
Furthermore, as Vargan was engaged to Erica, he was concerned about the potential fallout.
Yet, Vargan maintained his previous demeanor.
“So, it’s not new.”
“Excuse me?”
Alicia’s head rose slightly but quickly averted again upon meeting Vargan’s gaze.
Vargan continued the conversation while examining his familiar’s fur.
“Regardless, with you coming into my room every night, those who want to gossip will gossip.”
“Ah…”
“The more noticeable a person is, and the higher their status, the more they can’t avoid petty rumors. If I pay attention to every single one of them, I’d go insane.”
“If you keep worrying about it, you’ll probably go insane.”
In Alicia’s peripheral vision, she catches a glimpse of Vargan smiling. Wanting to capture the moment properly, she straightens her dodging gaze.
Vargan lifts one corner of his mouth, as if finding it amusing.
“And… does your master seem like someone who would care about such things?”
Alicia meets Vargan’s dark eyes.
Thump thump. Her heart is still pounding loudly.
She wonders if he can hear it too, making it hard to meet his gaze.
Alicia clasps her hands neatly, timed with her heart’s rhythmic pounding.
She’s really trembling…
Trembling, yet strangely reassured.
This contradictory feeling she senses within herself.
A small smile creeps onto Alicia’s face.
“Not at all…”
“Then stop worrying for no reason and go back to your training.”
His rough tone doesn’t bother Alicia at all. She knows the unrefined warmth behind it, allowing her to smile brightly.
“Yes, Young Master…!”
*
The chilly air makes the night feel like a tight hug.
Amidst the silence where all chirping insects have vanished.
The bones of an Ancient Dragon.
Before this monumental relic of history, a graceful blonde woman, Francesca, continues her research, a thick book spread open before her.
She waits for Vargan while diligently continuing her studies alone.
The end of her long research journey is slowly coming into view.
If possible, she wanted to ramp up the speed and secure more stability.
With Vargan’s knowledge of Familiar Magic and magic, today she could make another step forward with ease.
It had become routine to meet him now.
As Francesca flips through the pages, she recalls a recent event, which was linked to Vargan.
…In truth, she hadn’t been particularly curious about his identity.
No matter what kind of man Vargan was or what background he came from, as long as she could continue her research and receive help, it didn’t matter to her.
However… during the First Selection.
Seeing Vargan demonstrate skills equal to—no, beyond—Clemens, who she had never managed to overcome, made her a little curious.
So recently, Francesca had inquired with her ‘Assistant’ about the Ancient Dragon’s bones and also sought information on Vargan.
It was certain that Vargan approached her knowing all the truths he’d learned from the Assistant.
But the response from her Assistant was unexpected.
“He’s never mentioned the Ancient Dragon or me to anyone else…?”
The Assistant had no reason or motive to lie.
He surely hadn’t blabbed anywhere else.
So why, and how, did Vargan approach her?
Francesca sensed something odd from her Assistant’s answer, and while hiding the fact that Vargan was helping her, she tried to cover up her worry with questions.
What she was doing might also seem suspicious and sinister to others, yet Vargan felt even more unsettling.
“……”
As Francesca pondered over many things, she momentarily closed the book and stared at its cover.
This book was a testament to someone’s sincere effort and affection.
Francesca gently lifted the heavy book and cradled it in her arms.
Though the inanimate object felt no warmth, she desired to remain close to it.
From her emotionless lips, a sound slipped out with her breath.
“Dad…?”
Inside the tomb where no other soul existed besides her, the golden strands of Francesca’s hair glimmered softly under the moonlight pouring through the broken ceiling, as she bowed her head.
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