Chapter 175 - Misgivings (5)

The woman who came looking for me had a rather elegant and modest impression. Her purple-black bob cut and red-painted lips gave off a mature aura beyond her age. And looking at the overall atmosphere, she didn't feel like just Ruscus' friend. My instinct told me their relationship was deeper than that.

"I'll step out for now."

Unlike her elegant face, her attire was remarkably bold. Her skirt was short enough to reveal half her thighs, and her top exposed bare skin down to below her collarbone to an embarrassing degree. Though such attire was supposedly common in the perpetually hot southern regions, seeing it in person made it difficult to know where to look.

Haley glared at the woman outside the door and said with distaste, "Hmm, since when did Ruscus have such a pretty friend~? Well, whatever, go ahead."

I left Haley and Zenia's gazes behind and stepped outside with the woman claiming to be Ruscus' friend.

"Let's go somewhere quiet."

She silently nodded and followed close behind me.

We settled on a wooden bench in a secluded garden corner of the campus.

"Who are you to come looking for me?"

Looking now, she wore a jeweled ring on her left ring finger.

"I'm Olivia, second-year in the Magic Department. I heard from Ruscus. That you were drawn as his sparring opponent."

"Yes. What exactly is your relationship with him that brings you here?"

"...To be precise, I'm Ruscus' fiancée. Though we're engaged at our parents' request, people around us don't know. Could you keep this a secret too?"

"There's no benefit for me in revealing it. But why did you come to find me?"

"I want you to definitively beat Ruscus."

"Why?"

Strange. Wouldn't it be better for everyone if her fiancé won and gained recognition while maintaining senior dignity? 

I could somewhat sense their relationship was painfully complicated.

Olivia sighed, looking into the distance with lifeless eyes.

"Because I hate that bastard. I liked him once. But not anymore. I want to see that disgusting bastard crumble and be humiliated."

I could tell she had her reasons, but I didn't want to hear all the details. Getting involved in others' romantic disputes would bring me no benefit.

"...I'll do my best to win on my own terms, but I can't guarantee victory. Above all, I have no intention of fighting for your revenge."

"Of course you have no grudge against anyone. I'm not asking you to take revenge for me. I came to help you. I'll be on your side."

"How can you help me, Senior?"

"Ruscus is strong. As a first-year, you'll struggle to win no matter what you try. That bastard is a magic swordsman. The kind you might find one of among a thousand knights. I'll tell you how to deal with him."

"...Are magic swordsmen that rare?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Is one in a thousand common?"

"Does Eternia allow magic swords in sparring?"

Olivia stood still in confusion before suddenly covering her mouth and bursting into laughter.

"Puhah! You... are you talking about those magic swords that Sword Masters carry? Really? If Ruscus could actually handle those magic swords, I wouldn't have come to you. You wouldn't even get close before fainting. Or you'd just die a horrible death."

"..."

"What I meant was a swordsman who uses magic alongside their blade. I had some expectations after hearing rumors about what you did in the Principality, but you still show your inexperience."

"What much could a first-year know?"

Olivia raised her lips triumphantly and said, "At least you know your level. That's good enough. I'll tell you Ruscus' fatal weakness and how to counter him."

Though it was a good offer, I hesitated.

"Thank you, but I'll decline."

She raised her voice as if not expecting rejection, "Why? It's an excellent offer! We're facing a common enemy together."

If this were a life-or-death battle, I'd use any means necessary to win, but this wasn't such a case. The main purpose of sparring was to check one's weaknesses through combat. Using tricks to win easily would teach me nothing.

Sure, winning might let me puff up my chest with pride, but it wouldn't help my growth. I'd train honestly and fight my own way. If I gave it my all and still lost, that had its own meaning.

"Just knowing my opponent's capabilities is enough. I don't want to win through underhanded methods."

My opponent would enter the match knowing nothing about me. So shouldn't I fight under similar conditions to be fair?

I stood up and left. Olivia urgently followed, pleading, "You can't possibly beat that bastard as you are now!"

I ignored her and kept walking.

"He knows you're favored by the Principality and is sharpening his blade even more. He knows beating you will raise his value, so he'll crush you even if he has to cheat."

Olivia ran in front of me, blocking my path with outstretched arms.

"And he'll use his father's connections to spread the news throughout the Principality. That he thoroughly crushed the Knight of the Platinum Shield."

"The Platinum Shield isn't given for being strong. So I might lose in battle. If I lose, that's my true ability."

"You're more inflexible than you look. Fine. Then... I'll help train you directly. I'll imitate Ruscus' magic style and be your sparring partner. That works, right? This is just strategy."

"...Why are you so determined to crush Ruscus?"

"That bastard isn't satisfied with just me. Well, handsome men with good abilities and strong family backgrounds rarely settle for one woman."

"..."

"Not only does he openly cheat, he even hits on first-year girls! His fiancée isn't even in another country—I'm in the same year! He says things like 'let's be together forever' and 'let's get married right after graduation'!"

"..."

"Honestly, I also approached you thinking it would piss him off to see me getting friendly with you. Plus you look decent enough."

I hated how well I could understand her feelings. My softening heart finally accepted Olivia's offer.

"Alright. Please help me with practice matches."

***

Olivia and I stood facing each other in a deserted forest at the foot of Mount Grace.

She looked at my armament with puzzlement and asked.

"What's your main weapon?"

"A sword."

"That's all?"

I had one steel sword at my waist and five daggers on my belt.

It was quite different from typical swordsmen's equipment. Even a longsword would lack reach against a mage, so what was I planning to do with those daggers?

"Yes, I use them all."

"Did you train with some assassination group?"

"..."

"Just kidding. Let's start sparring right away."

As soon as she finished speaking, Olivia drew up her mana. I drew one dagger.

She was very curious about my abilities as both a Knight of the Platinum Shield and Silveryn's disciple. She wanted to test if I had what it took to face Ruscus.

"Ruscus handles various types of magic, but fire element magic is his specialty."

Flames rose from both of Olivia's hands. She flung sparks around like sprinkling water on the ground and fallen leaves.

Fire immediately began spreading beneath her feet. I just watched quietly without attacking.

"Standing there blankly will get you in trouble!"

"..."

"Laura Mizia Glen!"

With her incantation, the sparks on the ground spread outward in lines.

I silently watched while holding my dagger.

Olivia concentrated her mana to move the flames in a circle. Waist-high flames surrounded me in a ring. It happened in just two or three seconds.

I was confined in a space too small to take even five steps.

"This is what happens when you give a mage time and space to cast."

It was a type of encirclement technique used against magic creatures. Once trapped in that ring of fire, the blazing flames and hot wind completely blocked external vision.

I could no longer see Olivia.

Now it was time to be toyed with by the mage.

She circled around to avoid revealing her position and silently summoned a fireball.

It rushed straight toward my back.

Swish.

A blade flashed for an instant. Though she thought she'd struck a blind spot, I drew the sword at my waist and cut through the fireball.

"...?"

It was a deadly response as if I had eyes on the back of my head. Thinking it was just luck, she moved positions and threw another fireball.

And again, I responded like a ghost, cutting the fireball in two.

"...Huh?"

Whoosh!

The moment Olivia made a sound, something quickly grazed past her ear.

"Eek!"

She hunched down and looked at what had flown by. My dagger was deeply embedded in a tree.

Her whole body broke out in goosebumps.

"Laura Enphacil...!"

Olivia forcefully drew up mana to raise the flame barrier even higher. Anyone trapped inside should be unable to move a step due to the heat.

The flames and hot wind should have completely blocked both sound and sight.

Whoosh!

But contrary to her expectations, another dagger flew through the flame wall.

Once again, it grazed right past her ear.

"...!"

It wasn't a coincidence. I clearly knew her exact position when throwing.

Another dagger grazed past the top of her head.

"Eek!"

Startled, she fell backward. As her concentration broke, the flame barrier dissipated.

As the red flames gradually died down, I slowly walked toward Olivia through the white smoke. Not a single hair was damaged by the fire.

I extended my hand to Olivia, who was clutching her chest from her rapidly beating heart.

Unable to take that hand, she spoke with a trembling voice, "You... what kind of person are you? Are you from a circus? How did you know my position?"

"...I'm just naturally sensitive."

She was shocked by my abnormal senses. Even more frightening was that I hadn't even shown my true abilities. She couldn't gauge just how skilled I might be.

***

Ruscus spoke while wiping his sword with a handkerchief in his private maintenance room, "What are you saying?"

His voice carried an irritated energy.

Olivia spoke in a slightly shrinking voice, "His senses are incredibly sharp. I'm not sure if magic disruption would work."

"Is that his weakness?"

"No. But you should know how strong he is..."

"I told you clearly. Use any means necessary to find out what he's weak against and what he fears."

"..."

Ruscus put down his sword and approached Olivia.

He slowly caressed her cheek as if treating a lover. Then his hand moved up, tapping her forehead with his finger.

"Think about how many mouths are parasitically attached to our family's money line. I can't sleep thinking about how much family money is being wasted on your family."

He was talking about Olivia's family.

"...I know. My family lives comfortably thanks to you."

"If you're receiving benefits, at least show some sense of responsibility in your mission. Hmm? Wouldn't it be good for you too, as my fiancée, if I become famous and gain the Duchess' recognition by beating him?"

"..."

"Go stick to him. Act like a fake lover, play the pitiful card, whatever it takes to dig up his weaknesses. Don't you want me to treat you nicely?"

"You can win without all that, can't you? Why..."

Though Damian had shown some skill, it was clearly insufficient against Ruscus.

"I need to crush him thoroughly to highlight my abilities more."

Olivia couldn't look up at him. She felt suffocated under the greed filling Ruscus' eyes.