Chapter: 154
Frey? What’s she doing here?
Just dragging her feet around, wielding a sword at the training ground, and only arriving right around lunch time?
She’s not seriously asking for a duel right now, is she?
Not today! I just used all my strength dueling with Kal. I need to rest, you know?
Actually, “rest” just means I’m entering practice mode and rolling with Grandpa again, but hey, my real body needs some downtime.
You can tell by my height, but I’m still a growing girl!
Speaking of growing, is my height really going to stop here? No way, right?
Lucy’s mom and dad are both above average height.
Benedict is so huge I question if he’s even human, and if I remember correctly, Lucy’s mom was pretty tall for a woman in that fantasy I saw.
So it would be weird if my height stopped here. Genetics exist, you know! If the parents are tall, then the kid being tall is the norm!
So I’ll definitely grow tall someday, right? I can’t be looking up at everyone forever!
I wish I could draw the wings of hope in my head, but I know the reality won’t be that easy.
First off, it’s that stupid Mesugaki skill.
Everything I say, do, or write has to match her Mesugaki vibe. Will this little brat really allow me to grow?
Usually, Mesugaki characters are petite and pretty but sassy, you know? There’s no way they’d allow me to get tall without looking like a brat!
And there’s another problem. Is that perverted sloppy Lord Jushin really just going to watch me grow taller?
If there was a community, I can totally see that pervert saying goofy stuff like “kekeke” and “huuu”!
“Lucy.”
As I fell into despair realizing that growing even a centimeter while attending the academy would be a blessing, Frey called out to me.
“What’s up, Shoddy Swordsman?”
“Were you watching me during the duel with Kal?”
Huh? Why that out of nowhere?
Oh. Did she just see me sparring with Kal? Then she probably noticed something strange.
When dealing with a sword versus Frey, my mindset is totally different.
If I swing at Frey like I do with Kal, she’d get seriously hurt, you know?
I want to grow with Frey, not smash her to bits.
Knowing she picked up on that, I nodded instead of shaking my head, as it’d just be an act of deceit towards her.
“Yeah. I held back.”
“Isn’t that obvious? Why would I give my all against some sloppy kid like you? You’re nothing but easy pickings anyway.”
Uh oh! Excuse me, Mesugaki skill?!
I didn’t plan to criticize her that much!
I was just going to say that I didn’t go all out!
I didn’t mean to shove a mace into Frey’s pride!
Look! Frey, who usually has that slightly dazed look, is dead serious now!
“Am I just easy pickings?!”
How do I fix this?!
Honestly, it’s true I don’t have to worry about my favorability with others anymore.
But I also don’t want to make someone I’ve gotten somewhat close to hate me!
Just a little while ago, someone I was close to turned away and it felt like I took double damage to my heart!
No matter what I say now, it’d only get worse, so I decided to stay silent.
However, despite my silence, the Mesugaki skill was in no mood to stop its antics.
It forced up my mouth corners, made me chuckle, and cast that condescending glance.
At this rate, it’d just mean I didn’t even want to respond!
Frey glared at me with her slightly furrowed brows and then turned to leave.
“Grandpa. What do I do?”
[What can you do? That kid is sloppy, that’s a fact.]
‘That’s not what I’m asking about!’
I’m serious here! Hello?!
Sure, I didn’t like Frey before entering the Soul Academy because she had major flaws in her performance!
But now it’s different! The person I’ve spent the most time with since enrolling at the academy is Frey!
With her always by my side when moving, I’ve gotten used to her!
And I might end up making Frey hate me, yet I’m just joking around?
Grandpa! Isn’t this too optimistic given that I have a means of tormenting myself now?!
Do you want me to explain the meaning of mutual assured destruction?!
[No, think about it. When we usually spar, do you really think you’ve said worse things than today?]
Feeling wronged by Grandpa’s statement, I thought back to various things I’d said.
He was absolutely spot on.
[If she was the kind to get that upset, she’d have run away from your side long ago.]
‘…Right?’
[So there’s nothing to worry about.]
That statement was persuasive, but it didn’t make the uncomfortable feelings disappear.
Not long after Frey left, meat and dessert were set in front of me, but I couldn’t enjoy it at all.
*
This morning, as Frey moved to train as usual, she happened to catch Lucy and Professor Kal dueling.
It wasn’t unusual for the two to duel. They were pretty close anyway.
Still, the reason Frey couldn’t take her eyes off their duel was that their skill level was off the charts.
A swift sword that never let the opponent approach.
A shield that steadily looked for opportunities while taking everything head-on.
With each move they made, there were so many strategies packed within that it felt like if she looked away even for a moment, she’d lose the flow entirely.
So Frey abandoned everything she was going to do and rode the wave of their duel to watch.
The one controlling the overall flow was the sword master.
It was only natural since they were the stronger party and taking the teaching role.
However, just because one carried a shield didn’t mean they just took attacks passively.
Even in a situation where Lucy was pressured by her opponent, she kept trying to find a gap and pushed forward.
Watching Lucy move, Frey suddenly had a thought.
Did Lucy act like that when we sparred?
No.
Lucy wasn’t that desperate.
Frey had sparred with Lucy countless times.
Since only the two of them could match each other’s level in their first year, it naturally happened.
Of course, it didn’t mean they were on the same field.
Lucy was clearly above Frey. The stark difference in their win rates proved that.
Yet Frey didn’t see that as an insurmountable gap.
Being someone who didn’t doubt her own talent made Frey believe she could catch up with Lucy someday.
However, that faith shattered at this moment.
The person Frey thought was just in front of her was actually miles ahead.
What determined that awe-inspiring duel for Frey was Lucy’s bold decision.
She created an opportunity to attack, willing to take a fatal blow, and that decision hit perfectly.
Watching the wall that had seemed unbreakable crumble under Lucy’s mace, Frey clenched her fist unconsciously.
It was strange.
It wasn’t because Lucy made a fool of her, but a red feeling settled in her heart.
Was she angry?
No, it was different from that.
What emotion was this?
Was she just misunderstanding something?
Right. That must be it.
Frey thought it was just her misunderstanding and headed towards training, but that red feeling didn’t fade away.
That feeling had firmly stuck to her heart and wouldn’t let go.
Even now, knowing Lucy didn’t see her as an opponent didn’t change anything.
Was that it? Lucy didn’t see me as a rival, did she?
Maybe because she was provoked by Lucy’s taunt, Frey felt that red emotion swelling more within her.
Not being good at emotions, she couldn’t understand why she was at a loss now.
Someone. Is there anyone to explain this to me?
As she wandered through the academy lost in thought, Frey paused at a voice coming from the infirmary.
“I’m not sure how the Allen family trains, but doctors don’t call this a bruise. They call it a fracture.”
“What’s the big deal? It’s just a tiny crack in the bone. I’ll be fine after taking a potion and resting a day.”
“I must say this is why I dislike knights.”
The voices coming from inside were familiar to Frey.
One was Professor Yang-ho, and the other must be Professor Kal.
…Yeah. If it’s Professor Kal, someone close to Lucy, he’ll probably know about the red feelings Lucy caused.
With that thought, Frey opened the infirmary door without hesitation.
She walked right up to Professor Kal, who was staring at her blankly, and opened her mouth.
“Professor Kal, I have a question.”
“Is it urgent, Young Lady Kent?”
“Yeah. Very.”
“I understand.”
Having found a way to escape Professor Yang-ho’s nagging, Kal hurriedly stood up and took Frey outside the infirmary.
Though Yang-ho shouted something after them, Kal didn’t care.
After all, he had successfully pocketed the potion he was aiming for.
“Thank you, Young Lady Kent. So, what’s the matter? Is it a question about swords?”
“No. It’s something else.”
As they walked through the academy garden, Frey spoke about her worries.
She realized that Lucy had been paying attention to her.
Ever since she realized that, the red feeling in her heart wouldn’t go away.
How can I get rid of this?
Frey wrapped her short vocabulary into a brief explanation, and Kal listened intently before laughing softly and answering her question.
“You feel left out, huh? Since that lady’s leaped ahead so far.”
“Left out?”
As Frey, who knew nothing of such emotions, tilted her head, Kal rolled his eyes upward.
How should I explain this?
No, is there really a need to explain?
The thing is, if they just get rid of that feeling of left-outness.
Right now, Young Lady Kent feels left out because she realized that lady’s gone way ahead of her.
If he helps Young Lady Kent catch up, that wouldn’t be a bad idea. It’s best to have a pace maker for her growth.
“Young Lady Kent, I’d like to make a proposal. It’s a way to get rid of your red feelings.”
“What is it?”
“Can I teach you swordsmanship?”
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