“Oh my goodness…”
The elder couldn’t believe the scene before him.
Kwahhh!!
With an ogre’s roar, a club the size of a human torso came crashing down…
“Do you really think you can catch me with that?”
Leje sneered as she dodged the ogre’s swing with quick movements.
“Hah!”
Kwahk!?
At the same time, Leje ducked into the ogre’s embrace, channeling strength into her arm as she delivered an uppercut to the ogre’s jaw.
Thwak! With a dull sound, Leje’s fist connected with the ogre’s chin, sending the ogre’s body flying into the air with a sudden scream.
Following that, with a bang!, the ogre’s massive frame crashed down to the ground.
Uwooo!!
The ogre, having collided with the ground, fainted with its eyes rolled back white. Perhaps out of rage at seeing one of its kind downed, another ogre charged at Leje.
With a yell, it swung its club wildly.
But the attack never touched Leje.
Easily dodging the ogre’s assault, Leje charged back into the ogre’s arms and delivered a precise punch to its gut.
Gwoop!?
The ogre’s sagging belly caved in, and with a sound like bursting air, its massive body was sent flying backward.
“Oh goddess…”
The elder uttered a shocked voice as he watched the scene unfold.
It was unbelievable that a girl who looked like she was barely twelve was single-handedly taking on not just one, but two ogres that a dozen well-armed soldiers would struggle to subdue.
While he considered himself to have lived a long life, he had never seen such a spectacle.
Ewooo!! It hurts! I’m gonna eat you!!
“Try your best. As long as you don’t die.”
The ogre shook its head vigorously, rising and shouting, while Leje waved her finger as if daring it to try.
Seemingly realizing it had been provoked, the ogre charged at her with a roar, wildly swinging its huge club.
With a thundering sound, the ogre’s club smashed into the surrounding trees instead, while Leje wore a faint smile and clenched her fist.
“Clench your teeth!”
Kuhack!?
A faint aura shimmered around Leje’s fist as it struck the ogre’s abdomen, causing it to kneel with a whoosh of escaping air.
The massive club slipped from the ogre’s hands, and Leje spun around, bringing the club down onto the ogre’s head.
Crack! With the sound echoing, the ogre collapsed, bleeding from every orifice on its face.
“Phew. That feels good.”
Leje landed on the ground, shaking her hands off with a satisfied expression while stretching her body.
Indeed, when you’re angry, moving your body is the best way to relieve it.
Just as she was about to head back to the carriage, she heard…
“Miss! Be careful!!”
“…?”
With the elder’s urgent shout, Leje turned her head.
What met her eyes was the sight of another ogre, which she thought had fainted, rising with a huge club raised high.
“This is…!!”
Had she been too careless?
It was already too late to dodge.
Seeing the incoming club, Leje braced herself for impact.
But then, it happened.
Shiiiiiiink!!
Kwahhhhhh!?
With a sound slicing through the air, something shot toward the ogre’s chest.
It was a spear made of searing flames.
With a painful scream, the ogre froze, seemingly unable to comprehend the situation.
Simultaneously, the crackling flames rapidly spread, engulfing its body.
Uwooooorrr!!
The ogre, now covered in flames, began thrashing about in agony, and a few trees caught in the chaos broke apart with crash after crash.
Gwooooorrr…
Moments later, with a boom, the charred remains of the ogre collapsed lifelessly…
“Leje!!”
“Rudell?”
With a panicked voice, Rudell approached, and Leje looked at him with a puzzled expression.
What was he doing here?
In the midst of her thoughts…
“Oh my! Isn’t that you, young master!?”
“Hello, Elder Brennan.”
As the elder recognized Rudell and bowed his head, Rudell waved lightly at him.
“What brings you here?”
“What else could it be? I followed after you because I was worried.”
“Cheh. You sure know how to talk. Who lets someone go alone?”
As Leje asked, Rudell answered, narrowing her eyes and adopting a haughty tone.
“Well, it’s not like I have a right to complain…”
In reality, given Rudell’s position, he had every right to be silent.
But given that he had followed Leje, it was all Rudell’s fault from that moment on.
Arguing with her was bound to be unfavorable for him.
“Forget it. If anything, it’s my fault.”
“…?”
At that moment, Leje, exhaling a short sigh, looked at Rudell, who wore a confused expression.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Just checking… Are you not hurt or anything?”
Isn’t that what people say?
When someone does something they don’t normally do, it means they’re seriously ill.
It had been nearly seven years since she became friends with Leje, but Rudell had never once seen Leje apologize first.
“Ugh! I finally worked up the courage to apologize and you’re hitting me with that!?”
“Ow!? Leje! It hurts!! It really hurts!!”
At that, Leje blushed and began swinging her fist.
With a painful cry, Rudell dodged to the side, but Leje chased after him, continuing her assault.
She had likely tried to control her strength, but considering her physical abilities that far surpassed human limits, even her restrained punches held considerable power against Rudell.
“Sorry! I was just kidding! It was just a joke!!”
“Honestly…”
Unable to endure the pain any longer, Rudell shouted in surrender, and at last, Leje stopped swinging her fists.
“One little joke and I almost die…”
Rubbing his sore shoulders, Rudell let out a sigh of relief.
Maybe he should wear armor underneath his clothes.
If he wasn’t careful, he might get beaten to death by Leje.
Meanwhile…
“Uh… Young master…?”
Brennan, looking back and forth nervously between Rudell and Leje, finally opened his mouth.
“What’s wrong?”
“Uh, who is this young lady?”
If Leje could interact so casually with the noble Rudell, wasn’t it logical to assume she was also of noble birth?
For commoners, nobility was an unapproachable kind of existence.
Because of that, Brennan realized that the words he’d just spoken to Leje could have been seen as very rude.
“This girl? She’s…”
“I’m Leje El Lagrind.”
Just as Rudell was about to answer Brennan’s question, Leje stepped forward and introduced herself with a light bow.
Hooo!?
Simultaneously, Brennan gasped, turning pale and immediately prostrating himself on the ground in a bow.
The name of the Lagrind Dukedom was well-known even among commoners, so Brennan knew exactly who Leje was.
“Please forgive me! For the crime of offending the Duchess! I humbly beg you to end this old man’s life and spare the rest!!”
“Huh? Huh?”
Rudell looked at Brennan in disbelief at his extreme reaction.
What in the world had happened?
As if questioning the situation, Rudell stared at Leje, who simply shrugged her shoulders and walked up to Brennan.
“You don’t need to do that. Your advice was quite helpful.”
“R-Really?”
“Really.”
Leje nodded at Brennan, who spoke with a shaking voice.
“But, it’s a secret what we talked about. Got it?”
“Y-Yes! Thank you! I will take that secret to the grave!”
“Thanks.”
With her words, Brennan, looking greatly relieved, got up and hurried to the carriage.
“Then, I’ll take my leave now…!!”
“Travel safely!”
As the carriage started to move and Brennan waved as he disappeared into the distance…
“What on earth happened in the meantime?”
“Well, who knows what happened?”
As Leje answered Rudell’s question, she winked playfully.
Rudell groaned softly in response…
“I suppose if you say so, it must have been a ridiculous story.”
He shook his head and spoke.
“You are just asking for it! Do you want a beating!? Go on!”
Gahhhhhh-!?
What followed was an enraged Leje’s back-slap.
With a resounding slap, a painful groan escaped Rudell’s lips.
“Your mouth is always the problem!”
“L-Leave me alone…!!”
Leje, watching Rudell writhing in pain, started moving away with a haughty tone…
And Rudell shouted after her, following behind.
Thus, one winter day passed by.
