Chapter: 404
After spending almost a month stuck in the dungeon, Frey returned to her territory, swinging her sword to feel the changes in her abilities.
Even though she had noticed some of her improvements while battling monsters in the dungeon, revisiting those changes after returning home left her astonished.
In less than a month of hunting monsters tirelessly, her physical abilities had visibly increased.
But that wasn’t all the change Frey felt.
Every time she swung her sword, she began to see paths for her strikes that hadn’t been visible before. In her mind, better trajectories for her sword emerged.
So, after returning home, she plunged into an intense training session, swinging her sword like a madwoman.
If her little brother hadn’t urged her to go to the academy early, she might still be swinging away.
When she first arrived at the academy, she grumbled at her brother, but upon passing by Lucy’s face, her thoughts shifted dramatically.
Lucy made it here early too?
Perfect! I wanted to show Lucy my growth anyway!
What would Lucy say if she saw me swinging my sword now?
She’d definitely praise me, right? Maybe even pat my head!
The current Lucy was genuinely smiling! Frey was captivated the moment she saw Lucy’s face, instantly brushing her brother aside and heading straight for Lucy.
Lucy showed a hint of annoyance at Frey’s sudden visit but didn’t refuse the sparring request. Looks like Lucy’s itching for a fight!
She wanted to test herself against someone more practiced!
After hearing Lucy’s provocation, Frey smiled brightly and headed toward the training grounds arm in arm with Lucy.
The training ground a week before the academy’s reopening wasn’t full of people.
In fact, those few present were practically residents of the training ground!
After seeing Frey and Lucy’s faces countless times, they paused their activities upon noticing the duo.
The fact that the two of them showed up meant they were sparring.
How much growth could these two—often referred to as the best talents of their generation—achieve over the break?
There must be a lot to learn from their duel, given how surprising their improvements would be!
While interested gazes fixated on the two, Lucy and Frey remained unfazed.
For them, the attention of others was merely a part of daily life.
“Lucy. Today’s going to be different.”
“You say that every time, but the only thing that changes is your number of losses, right?”
“Not today.”
“Oh, I sincerely hope so. It’s arduous being disappointed each time.”
As Lucy’s giggly remark reached Frey, she gripped her sword handle tightly with both hands.
She hadn’t fully internalized the growth she’d achieved in the dungeon yet. Even her father thought she still had plenty of room for improvement.
But that’s fine. If she wasn’t perfect yet, she could strive toward perfection through real combat.
“What are you doing, not charging at me? Suddenly feeling scared after being so confident?”
Having sparred with Lucy countless times, Frey realized Lucy was deliberately provoking her.
She knew Lucy was trying to get under her skin to draw her into her territory.
Still chuckling, Frey poured her magical power into her sword and charged forward.
Stalling would only lead her to fall for Lucy’s taunts.
So it was better to charge in before her emotions got the better of her.
That way, at least, she’d have the initial momentum.
Clang! The moment her colorless sword blade clashed with Lucy’s shield, a shockwave filled the training ground with a sharp sound.
“Whoa, you’ve gotten a bit stronger, haven’t you? I might just be able to give your hair a nice styling now!”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
Returning Lucy’s teasing grin, Frey grit her teeth and shoved against Lucy’s shield.
Her sword, perfectly infused with color energy, was as perilous as a giant’s punch.
“Actually, I should take back what I said~ It seems this puny sword couldn’t even scratch fuzz!”
But Lucy’s shield remained firm against her strikes.
Lucy’s miraculous shield skills, her overwhelming physical abilities, and the divine backing behind her perfectly neutralized Frey’s onslaught.
It wouldn’t be surprising to feel despair from witnessing the gap between them, yet Frey pressed on, observing Lucy’s movements.
She absorbed her actions through her eyes.
And then a question arose.
Something’s off. This version of Lucy is different from the usual.
Too many movements that the Lucy I’ve fought before wouldn’t do.
Comparing the Lucy she had fought in the past to the current one made Frey realize the differences between them.
The Lucy she had faced until now appeared as a completed knight.
Despite her playful demeanor, her efficient movements conveyed what kind of fights Lucy sought.
But not anymore.
The current Lucy was not efficient.
Each movement was filled with a hint of waste.
At a glance, it seemed almost like she had stepped back instead.
However, there was one thing—the movements Lucy displayed were far more beautiful and natural than before.
Even Frey, confronted with Lucy’s threat, couldn’t help but be drawn to her grace.
“What’s with that gaze?! Does ‘changed’ mean you went from being a fool to a pervert?!”
By stepping back a bit, Frey avoided Lucy’s swinging shield and based on the new info she’d just gathered, she found a path to victory.
She wasn’t sure why Lucy had abandoned her original style.
But one thing was certain—Lucy was clumsier than the old version.
Filled with conviction, Frey immediately poured all her magical energy into elevating her physical abilities to their limits.
She could not afford to give Lucy a chance to gauge her weaknesses.
If it were the Lucy she knew, she would immediately adjust her movements as soon as signs of defeat manifested.
As long as problems remained, she would knock Lucy down.
Frey would win against Lucy!
Boom!
Like a magical bullet shot forth, Frey targeted Lucy’s side, feigning a swing.
An experienced warrior like Lucy recognized Frey was merely trying to threaten her, yet her reaction felt clumsier than usual.
Seeing an opening, Frey channeled all her sincerity into the feigned strike.
The energy-infused blow sliced through the air and headed toward Lucy.
Boom!
Nonetheless, Lucy, being Lucy, attempted to counter Frey’s attack at the last moment.
However, she couldn’t mask the twist formed during her hurried movements.
“Ugh!”
Lucy’s face showed bewilderment as she blocked Frey’s combo attack.
Seeing that, Frey struggled to suppress her excitement.
If she missed this opportunity, who knew when she’d ever have another chance to defeat Lucy?
This could be her only opportunity.
Calm down.
Stay collected.
Be devoid of emotion.
Focus solely on toppling Lucy.
Sustaining relentless strikes to sap her momentum.
Targeting her right leg before delivering a decisive blow from above to throw her balance off.
“Cheh♡”
The moment Lucy clicked her tongue, her entire demeanor shifted.
The awkwardness and beauty vanished, replaced by coldness and efficiency.
The real Lucy—the one who was already a completed knight—had returned.
As Frey lifted her sword to strike, Lucy thrust her shield forward.
In an instant, Frey’s fully powered attack lost more than half its strength, easily blocked by Lucy’s shield.
“How cocky♡ you foolish swordswoman♡”
Faced with Lucy’s fierce gaze, Frey sensed she had missed her chance, yet rather than back down, she smiled defiantly and clashed her fierceness back at Lucy.
*
[I don’t think I can use this in real combat just yet.]
‘True. I almost lost to Frey.’
That moment had been genuinely dangerous.
Had I been just a tad slower, I would’ve had to roll on the ground from a blow by Frey.
No, Frey is seriously a cheating character.
Despite my techniques still being in their early stages, trying to flip the spec gap between us with skills was unexpected.
As long as Frey hadn’t raised her proficiency to the level cap, it was a certainty she’d grow even stronger.
Geniuses really are something else.
“Lucy, that’s unfair.”
Lying on the ground, Frey raised her head slightly, puffing out her cheeks in discontent.
“I could have let you win just once, you know.”
“I want to lose too, foolish swordswoman. But you’re just too weak to even let me let you win. It’s not my fault you’re weak!”
“I almost won!”
“Didn’t you think about how gracious I was? Seriously, you’re naive.”
“Ugh.”
Frey flailed her arms and legs in annoyance but couldn’t get up. She was half-exhausted from pouring everything into the duel just prior.
I was equally worn out.
In the sporadic bouts, I had to test new techniques and find areas for improvement, so it had been tough.
Should I rest a little? I’d probably have some time. After all, it would take Frey a while to get back up, and I could catch my breath until then.
Supporting myself against the shield, I took a deep breath before turning to Frey, gazing up at the ceiling.
“Foolish swordswoman. What brought you back to the academy early? Feeling lonely without me at the territory?”
“I missed you, Lucy.”
Caught off guard by Frey’s honesty, I hastily turned away, but Frey didn’t care and continued speaking.
“But that’s not all. My little brother caused a ruckus.”
“…Little brother?”
“Yeah. Parna. He just enrolled this time.”
“How?”
I wasn’t sure if I should say this aloud, but he didn’t seem that bright. How did he even pass the entrance exam?!
“He got in the same way as me.”
In other words, he enrolled with a martial arts specialty. After all, he’s from the Kent family. He might not be as good as Frey, but he’s definitely talented enough.
Wait a second. If he’s here, does that mean I’ll have to deal with Parna’s antics throughout my time at the academy?!
I mean, a day or two would be fine, but if this keeps up, I might actually lose my energy trying to avoid it.
“More importantly, Lucy. I…”
“Big sis Frey! Leaving me behind and wh— Aaaaah! Lucy-senpai!”
Hearing a joyful voice from behind made me jerk around and spot Parna, running over with a bright smile.
Seeing that grin, I could almost glimpse my future. There’s no escaping that positive energy.
…Wait? Didn’t I see that kid’s face somewhere before?
She looked kind of cute.
Ah! I remember now!
That’s the kid I saved—Newman’s son!
What on earth is he doing in such a disheveled state, being dragged around by Parna?
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