Chapter 96
---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------
Chapter 96
Mikhail was visibly tense. He held his sword vertically in the stance characteristic of his family, waiting for an attack, yet his lower lip trembled as he bit down on it. Echinacea observed his defensive posture for a moment before speaking abruptly.
"Why don't you attack first, Mikhail?"
"You don't know the Frang Almari swordsmanship? ...?"
Mikhail responded with exasperation, then awkwardly added formal speech. Echinacea raised an eyebrow.
"I do. The Iron Wall of Frang Almari."
Originally, she hadn't known. Among knights, the Frang Almari swordsmanship was so famous in the Southern Antwar Kingdom that it came to mind immediately, but Echinacea had never been a knight. She learned of Frang Almari's techniques after escaping the Demonic Sword, while investigating Giosa. To investigate Giosa, she inevitably had to learn about Teresa, who had been Giosa's owner until recently.
"Then why ask if you know? ..."
[Is he stupid? His speech is weird.]
The Demonic Sword muttered with curiosity at Mikhail's frown. Echinacea barely suppressed a laugh that nearly escaped her.
"Just because it's Frang Almari swordsmanship doesn't mean you shouldn't attack at all, does it?"
"You don't even understand it properly. Never mind that—just start the match already... ."
Mikhail gripped his sword's hilt tightly. His green eyes blazed with concentration, as if determined not to miss this time. She observed his stance quietly, then exhaled softly.
'I could just spar normally and gradually guide him, but... it will be slow, and nothing will change easily.'
The image of Teresa, collapsed in a pool of blood, cradling Mikhail's corpse and weeping, surfaced in her mind. Echinacea didn't even remember the moment she killed Mikhail. She had killed so many people, and his death wasn't memorable enough—but that was merely her own excuse. The justification that she hadn't wanted to kill him was not something she could say to the victim who had been murdered.
By resurrecting him, she had made at least a minimal apology. Still, with an apologetic heart, Echinacea drew her sword.
Today her dress was a pale sky blue, decorated with white frills and lace. The sky-blue skirt swayed lightly, and beneath it, lace-adorned shoes took a step forward. Her body half-rotated as her blade swept broadly and met Mikhail's sword.
Mikhail's sword left his hand, spun once in the air, and embedded itself in the Training Grounds floor. A déjà vu from the freshman ranking tournament. Mikhail stared blankly at his flying sword, then slowly turned his gaze toward Echinacea. She sheathed Amethyst at her waist and spoke calmly.
"With that approach, you'll never catch up to Teresa's heels, Mikhail."
Even as Echinacea bowed and said she was done, Mikhail stood there in a daze. Then, as she turned to leave, he raised his voice urgently.
"Wait, just a moment! ...!"
The other Club members were already discussing the match. Echinacea, who had been heading toward them, stopped and turned back to Mikhail.
"Just drop the formality. We're both first-years, even if there's an age difference."
"What do you mean by 'that approach'?"
[Wow, look at him dropping formality right away. He's really arrogant.]
Shut up, you cursed Demonic Sword. Echinacea turned fully toward Mikhail, grumbling inwardly.
"Are you seriously asking? This is the second time you're asking the same way?"
"Ugh...."
The boy's face flushed. Mikhail clenched his teeth and responded as if shouting.
"Yes, I don't know! That's why I'm asking!"
"Your shoulder is open."
"...What?"
"Your shoulder is exposed in your defensive stance. And you're supporting the sword with your wrist instead of your arm. That's why you couldn't withstand it when I struck upward between your guard and hilt while pressing close."
Mikhail was taken aback that she would answer so straightforwardly. The boy stammered his next question.
"So, if I fix that point, it'll work?"
"No."
"What? Are you mocking me?"
Mikhail's eyes turned fierce.
Before coming to the Club meeting, Echinacea had heard from Alice about the results of the overall ranking tournament held on May 30th, which she hadn't attended. She also heard about the Cadet Representative election held that same day, but she didn't know the elected representative well.
The Club members' ranking tournament results were: out of 146 cadets total, Baraha Islaf in 1st place, Alice Winterbell in 6th place, Fatima Toya in 14th place, Theo von Kreis in 28th place. And Mikhail von Frang Almari had placed 13th.
It wasn't a bad result. For a freshman to place thirteenth in their first comprehensive ranking tournament was genuinely impressive. Yet for Mikhail, it felt somewhat disappointing. From my perspective, he should have at least matched Alice Winterbell's ranking. Given his potential, that would have been the natural outcome.
'To improve, he needs to fundamentally change his swordsmanship style. But that's not easy. Especially since he's likely modeling himself after his older sister Teresa.'
"If you fix that point, you'll improve significantly. But that's where it ends."
"What do you mean?"
"Do you spar with Teresa often? Have you ever successfully landed an attack against her?"
"Sister is...."
Mikhail hesitated for a long moment before his voice cracked with emotion.
"How could I possibly win against my sister!"
"Who asked if you could win? I don't expect that. I'm asking if you've ever successfully landed an attack."
"Ugh...."
"You've never even touched the hem of her robe, have you?"
"W-well, from the start, sister only taught me to block attacks! Defense comes first, because the Frang Almari style is an impenetrable blade!"
Mikhail had been frail as a child. That's why Teresa had taught the boy only defensive techniques. It was self-defense rather than true swordsmanship. As he grew healthy, Teresa still hadn't properly recognized her younger brother's true talent.
Of course, I didn't know these detailed circumstances. All I understood was that Mikhail's sword style was extremely defensive, and that it didn't suit him.
"Next time you spar with Teresa, tell her you'll attack first and try attacking the way I did."
"...The way you did? You want me to attack? Will that actually work?"
As Mikhail asked uncertainly, I let out a short laugh. It was almost a scoff.
"Work? Do you really think Teresa—a Giosa Owner and an exceptional Master—would drop her sword like you would?"
"Damn it, then why should I do that? You've been spouting nonsense since earlier...!"
"What, can't you do it? Don't tell me you can't replicate an attack I've shown you twice?"
"You...!"
Mikhail ground his teeth and glared at me. The boy strode roughly toward his sword embedded in the Training Grounds, pulled it free, and swung it toward me with a wide step.
The blade rose in a semicircle, passing inches from my face before stopping in empty air. I didn't move an inch. The wind from the sword made my golden hair flutter and settle. The blonde boy laughed triumphantly.
"You think I can't even do this much?"
His movement was nearly identical to mine. He'd perfectly replicated the sword's trajectory from just two observations. As expected, the faster, more dynamic style suited him better. He'd master it more easily and naturally that way. And Teresa would probably recognize it immediately too. It would be better for Teresa to guide him rather than me. I smiled with genuine satisfaction.
"Yes, that's exactly right. Keep practicing. Many things will change."
The boy's expression went blank. I left him there and turned to rejoin the other Club members. Mikhail stood frozen, watching my retreating figure, then roughly ran his hand through his hair.
"Ugh, why do I keep doing this? I'm going crazy."
Beneath his disheveled hair, a faint blush colored the boy's face.
* * *
Two days after the Club meeting, I went shopping with Fatima and Alice Winterbell. There was some commotion before Alice agreed to come.
"Do I really have to go?"
"Alice, do you have something to wear to the banquet on the last day of the Sun Festival?"
"My cadet uniform...."
"You once told me to wear clothes appropriate for the Military Academy. So what do you think is appropriate for a banquet?"
"B-but you told me that clothing doesn't matter!"
"When did I say that? I said not to comment on my wardrobe, not that appropriate dress for the occasion doesn't matter."
Alice fell silent and looked down at me. I stood there shamelessly in my soft purple dress, head held high.
"I mean situations like funerals or weddings. In those cases, wearing whatever you want is disrespectful to others. But my dress at the Military Academy might not fit the setting, but it doesn't cause anyone harm, does it?"
"...."
"I just don't like training uniforms or cadet uniforms. They're not pretty. It's not forbidden by regulations anyway, and I find dresses quite comfortable, so I think it's fine."
What had begun as mere camouflage at first had gradually transformed into genuine pleasure as I grew accustomed to it. The soft silk, the elaborate lace, the rustling frills and glimmering ornaments—I adored such things, and adorning myself with them had been Echinacea Loaz's hobby before I ever wielded the Demonic Sword.
Having endured such prolonged self-denial, living almost as an ascetic, I wanted to savor everything I could now that I had the chance to enjoy life. Hadn't I refused to turn back time precisely so I could find happiness? So my words now were almost entirely sincere.
Alice pressed her forehead with her hand.
"Attending the banquet in a cadet uniform would hardly inconvenience others, would it?"
"Do you dislike dresses, Alice?"
"Not particularly."
"Then why would you wear something unsuitable for the occasion if you don't even dislike it? Why?"
"A dress is unbecoming of a knight...."
Alice stopped mid-sentence reflexively. Before her stood an exceptionally skilled squire dressed in a gown.
Echinacea's lord was none other than the Commander of the Changtian Knights, the very pinnacle of knighthood, and she had recently saved the Saint alongside her lord. It was a deed worthy of serving as an exemplar for all knights. Her swordsmanship required no mention, and her frugality.... Alice's gaze drifted unbidden to the Amethyst hanging at Echinacea's waist. A high-grade magical sword worth eight luxury mansions. A gift from the Commander of the Changtian Knights herself.
Somehow everything felt meaningless. If wearing a single dress made one unbecoming of a knight, then the Commander of the Changtian Knights should have renounced knighthood first. Yes, as long as it wasn't vanity exceeding one's means, it was acceptable. Alice resigned herself to this.
"...No, let's go."
"Thank you, Alice."
Echinacea beamed and linked her arm through Alice's, pulling her from the room. As Alice was led out, she asked.
"Is this something to be grateful for, Echinacea?"
"I wanted to go shopping with you. I thought it would be fun if we went together. Actually, I also wanted to see how you look when you're dressed up."
"You could have just said that from the beginning."
Echinacea stopped abruptly and turned to face Alice.
"You would have gone with me if I'd said that?"
"Yes."
"...Because we're friends?"
"...Aren't we?"
"No, no! I mean, yes, that's right."
Echinacea fumbled through her response and quickly turned her head away. Alice couldn't help but laugh. As Echinacea emerged with reddened earlobes and Alice giggling beside her, Fatima, who had been waiting at the dormitory entrance, tilted her head in confusion.
"What's with you two?"
"It's nothing. Let's go, Senior."
Echinacea urged hastily. Fatima rolled her dark eyes, alternating her gaze between Echinacea and Alice, then shrugged her shoulders and walked ahead.
---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------