Chapter: 154
Frey? What’s he doing here?
He’s the one who always swings his sword at the training grounds and only starts showing up around lunchtime.
Is he seriously suggesting we spar right now? No way!
Not today. I just spent all my energy in that duel with Karl. I need a break, you know?
Well, “taking a break” is relative—I’m probably just going to jump into practice mode and roll around with Grandpa again. But my body needs some rest.
If you check my height, you can tell I’m still in a growth spurt!
Speaking of growth spurts, there’s no way I’m stopping here, right? Right??
Lucy’s parents are both above average height.
Benedict is a gigantic human who makes you question if he’s really human, and I remember Lucy’s mom was pretty tall for a woman, too.
So if my height stops here, that would be weird! There’s something called genes! If your parents are tall, the kids are supposed to be tall too!
So surely I can grow tall someday, right? I can’t keep looking up at everyone forever!
I daydream with hope in my head, but I know reality isn’t that simple.
First off, there’s the issue with the Mesugaki skill.
This little rascal won’t allow me to say or do anything that isn’t total Mesugaki-style. Will he let me grow?
Usually, Mesugaki characters are small and cute but cheeky. I doubt he’ll allow me to grow tall like a typical brat.
Plus, what if that perverted, pathetic god is watching me grow?
If there were a community, he’d be there spouting nonsense like, “LOL, look at that!”
“Lucy.”
Just as I was sinking into despair about how it’s a blessing if I even grow a single centimeter while attending the academy, Frey spoke to me.
‘What’s up?’
“Why so down? Pathetic knight.”
“Did you see me holding back during our spar?”
Huh? What’s with the sudden question?
Ah, did he catch me sparring with Karl just now? He probably noticed something was off.
My mindset is different when sparring with Karl compared to sparring with Frey.
After all, if I smack Frey like I do with Karl, he could actually get seriously hurt!
I want to grow alongside Frey, not smash him to pieces.
Since he picked up on that, it would be pointless to shake my head in denial—it’d only be deceitful to him, so I nodded instead.
‘Yeah, I was holding back.’
“Isn’t that obvious? Why would I go all out against some lame like you? You’re practically food waiting to be served anyway.”
Whoa there! Excuse me, Mesugaki skill?
I wasn’t planning to go that far with my words!
I just wanted to mention that I didn’t give it my all!
I didn’t intend to shove my mace into Frey’s ego!
Look! The usually dazed Frey looks serious right now!
“Did you just call me food?!”
How do I clean this mess up?!
Sure, I don’t need to worry about other people’s opinions anymore, but I still don’t want to make someone I’ve gotten close to hate me!
If someone who was close to me turns their back, it’s double the emotional damage!
Convinced that whatever I say will only make matters worse, I decided to keep my mouth shut.
However, despite my silence, the Mesugaki skill wouldn’t stop playing around.
It forced a grin to my lips, made a chuckle escape me, and gave me a look of superiority.
Now I just can’t help but feel like not answering would end up sending the same message!
Frey, with his slightly furrowed brows, glared at me and silently left.
‘Grandpa, what do I do?’
[What’s the problem? It’s true he’s pathetic.]
‘That’s not what I meant to ask!’
This is serious! Right?!
I mean, before I came to the Soul Academy, I didn’t like Frey at all because of his severe performance flaws!
But now it’s different! After entering the Soul Academy, Frey has been the one I’ve spent the most time with!
Every time we do something that involves moving, he’s always right beside me, so I can’t help but feel close!
Now I’m in a situation where I might make Frey hate me, and I’m expected to crack jokes?
Grandpa! You shouldn’t be so overjoyed that you have another way to torture me!
You want to discover what the term “mutual destruction” means, huh?!
[Well, think about it. During our regular sparring sessions, the things that came out of your mouth were probably worse than now, right?]
With Grandpa’s words echoing in my mind, I started recalling various things I’ve said.
He was spot on.
[If he was sensitive enough to be hurt by it, he would’ve run away from you ages ago.]
‘…Right?’
[So there’s no need to worry too much.]
Even though that was convincing, it didn’t erase the uneasy feeling gnawing at me.
Not long after Frey walked away, my meat and dessert were placed in front of me, but I couldn’t even enjoy them.
*
This morning, like usual, Frey was moving to train when he happened to spot Lucy and Professor Karl sparring.
It wasn’t unusual for those two to be practicing together since they’re close.
But the reason Frey couldn’t take his eyes off their duel was that the level of intensity was incredibly high.
A swift blade that wouldn’t allow the opponent to approach.
A steady shield always looking for its opportunity amidst constant attacks.
Between the two that were moving, there were so many strategies at play that Frey felt like if he blinked, he would miss the flow entirely.
Therefore, he decided to throw away everything he intended to do and ride the wave of their duel as a spectator.
The one controlling the entire flow was the swordsman.
He naturally held the superior skills, already teaching the other.
However, just because she was wielding a shield didn’t mean she was merely taking hits.
Lucy was desperately trying to find openings even while cornered by her opponent, moving closer in search of an advantage.
Watching Lucy and analyzing her, Frey suddenly thought:
Did Lucy ever act that way when sparring with me?
No.
Lucy was never that desperate.
Frey had sparred countless times with Lucy.
For there were only two people in the first year that could match each other.
Of course, they weren’t at the same level.
Lucy was higher up than him. The stark difference in their win rates proved that.
But Frey never viewed that gap as insurmountable.
He believed that with enough effort, he could eventually catch up to Lucy.
Yet in this moment, that belief shattered.
He realized the person he thought was just a step ahead of him was, in fact, leagues ahead.
The duel that had been miraculous to him was decided by Lucy’s bold judgment.
Ready to take fatal damage, she created an opportunity for attack, and that judgment landed precisely.
Watching the wall he never thought could break crumble under Lucy’s mace, Frey found himself clenching his fists.
It was strange.
She hadn’t mocked him, yet a red emotion settled deep within his heart.
Was he angry?
No, it felt different.
What was this feeling?
Am I just deceiving myself?
Yeah. That must be it.
Thinking it was probably just a misconception, Frey headed off to train, yet that red hue didn’t vanish.
That feeling firmly stuck in Frey’s heart lingered, intensifying.
Even after hearing Lucy’s confirmation, nothing had changed.
So it’s true then. Lucy doesn’t even see me as her opponent.
Maybe because Lucy had teased him, Frey could feel that red color growing deeper inside him.
Not understanding why she was feeling so lost, he thought,
Is there anyone who can explain this to me?
As he pondered, wandering around the academy aimlessly, Frey halted at the voice coming from the infirmary.
“I really wonder how the Alrn family trains, but doctors don’t refer to this as a bruise. It’s called a fracture.”
“What’s the difference? It’s just a tiny crack in the bone. I’ll be fine with a potion and a day’s rest!”
“Now you know why I dislike knights so much.”
The voices coming from inside were familiar to Frey.
One was the health professor. The other was Professor Karl.
…Right, if it’s Professor Karl, someone close to Lucy, he probably has a good understanding of unspoken red feelings.
Thinking that, Frey opened the infirmary door without a second thought.
Then he walked over to where Karl was staring blankly at him and spoke up.
“Professor Karl, I have a question.”
“Is it urgent, Miss Kent?”
“Yeah. Very.”
“Understood.”
Having found an excuse to escape the health professor’s nagging lecture, Karl hurriedly rose and whisked Frey outside the infirmary.
Despite the health professor shouting something behind them, Karl ignored it all.
Anyway, he succeeded in pocketing the potion he aimed for.
“Thank you, Miss Kent. So, what’s bothering you? Is it something about the sword?”
“No, it’s something different.”
As they strolled through the academy garden, Frey shared her troubles.
She now understood that Lucy had been watching over her.
And realizing that didn’t make the red feeling in her heart fade.
How do I make it disappear?
Frey’s explanation comprised of short phrases and disconnected words, hastily concluded.
After listening carefully to her entire explanation, Karl chuckled softly before answering Frey’s question.
“You’re feeling left out because the lady is advancing too quickly ahead of you.”
“Left out?”
As someone who doesn’t understand that feeling, Frey tilted her head, and Karl raised his eyes.
How should he even explain this?
No, is there even any need to explain?
As long as he could help her erase that feeling of being left out.
Right now, Miss Kent feels left out because she realized the lady is so much further ahead.
If he helps Miss Kent run further, that wouldn’t be so bad. It would even benefit the lady’s growth to have someone pacing her along the way.
“Miss Kent, I’d like to propose something. A way to erase the red feeling inside you.”
“What is it?”
“Would you allow me to teach you swordsmanship?”
At that question, Frey tilted her head.
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