Chapter 94

“Is your face okay?”

“Yes, after applying the medicine the infirmary gave me, it got much better.”

“It does look that way. But even if you put on medicine, you recovered much faster than I expected.”

“Yes, well… I did have good recovery abilities.”

At Lisa’s words, I shrugged my shoulders and answered roughly.

To be exact, I had poured water on my face earlier, and thanks to the effect of the Blessing of Water, it had healed quickly.

There was no real need to hide this from Lisa, but explaining it now felt bothersome, so I planned to tell her next time.

“Anyway, are you really fine not eating lunch?”

“Yes, I think it’d be better if I didn’t eat. If I’m going to fight, an empty stomach feels more comfortable.”

“Well, I think I get what you mean.”

“Is it alright if you skip lunch, Lady Lisa? Please don’t mind me and go eat if you wish……”

“It’s fine. I prefer staying like this with you alone rather than eating lunch.”

Lisa rested her head on my shoulder, and with that sight, I couldn’t help but smile.

For the record, it was lunch time, but as I said earlier, an empty stomach felt better, so I planned to skip it.

So Lisa and I were spending time together in the Disciplinary Committee room, just the two of us.

“Anyway, that means it’s you, Jason, and Sara left, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“That’ll make for an interesting match.”

Lisa nodded.

“One of you three gets to move up by default, so if possible, it’d be nice if it were you.”

“I’ll need some luck. That would be ideal.”

“If that happens, then Sara and Jason would be up against each other? Between those two… hmm……”

“Who do you think would win?”

“Sara will win.”

Without the slightest hesitation, Lisa answered immediately.

“Sara may not look it, but she’s a swordswoman of the Isrinbloom Ducal Family. And beating an Isrinbloom swordswoman in a one-on-one fight isn’t easy.”

“Is she that strong?”

“Yeah. Even I can’t beat Sara. Especially if Sara fights with full strength.”

“By full strength… do you mean using flames?”

“Right? Ah, now that I think about it, you’ve never fought Sara when she was using flames.”

“Yes, I haven’t.”

I had faced Sara before, but each time, she had only used swordsmanship.

She never used any of her other abilities.

“That’s probably because Luke told her something before we enrolled. It was the same when I enrolled.”

“What did the Instructor say?”

“Nothing special. Put simply, lots of first-years in Swordsmanship Class couldn’t properly use aura, so until midterms, fight with swordsmanship only, act with some sense… something like that. And Sara, well, she’s proud, so she followed it.”

I nodded at Lisa’s words.

Indeed, even in the game, until midterms, both the player and NPCs fought without using skills.

“Come to think of it, this morning Jason and Lady Sara both didn’t restrict themselves to swordsmanship.”

“Right. They both used their respective wind and fire. Jason, well, he probably used the spirit’s power when fighting the monster before, but Sara using flames… that’s the first time this semester, right?”

“Yes, it was the first time Lady Sara fought using flames.”

I had caught a glimpse earlier in the morning.

And that sight… was far more dazzling than what I’d seen in the game.

“Mm, there’s not much advice I can give. Sara is strong. Sure, she did lose to you once using only swordsmanship, but Sara using flames won’t be easy to deal with.”

“If I strike her with lightning, would I have a chance?”

“Lightning? Ah, you mean Peregrie’s power? If it hits… yeah. You’d have a chance. But from what I saw earlier, landing it looked quite hard. Do you think you can hit Sara? She’s pretty agile.”

“To be honest, I’m not confident I can.”

I responded with a dry laugh.

Dave had been mentally weakened, so I could hit him easily.

But anyone with a bit of composure would easily dodge my lightning.

And that was because simply noticing the gathering storm clouds would let them evade it.

‘And gathering the storm clouds and preparing the lightning also takes time… what an awkward ability.’

It definitely paid off when it hit, but the fact that hitting it was so difficult was regrettable.

Still, it was much better than having nothing, so I couldn’t complain too much.

“Then a way to beat Sara… Ah, now that I think about it, you can use Blood Energy now, right?”

“Yes, I can use it, but I still can’t control it well… So I probably won’t be able to use it in a spar with Lady Sara.”

I had managed to draw out Blood Energy by luck in the fight with Dave and used it properly.

But when I tried again afterward, it didn’t come out well.

I would probably have to refrain from using Blood Energy until I became more familiar with it.

“Once midterms end, I’ll help you.”

“Thank you. And speaking of Blood Energy……”

“Eh?”

I lifted Lisa slightly and sat her on my lap.

Then I turned her body so we could face each other.

“I think I’m a bit thirsty from using Blood Energy earlier.”

“Gi-Gideon? What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. So if you’d excuse me for a moment…”

I brought my mouth near Lisa’s neck and lightly bit her.

Startled by my sudden action, Lisa’s eyes widened.

“What… I’ve never heard of… th-this kind of situation……”

“Is it not allowed?”

“N-No, it’s… i-it’s fine. If someone’s going to drink… then mine is better than anyone else’s……”

Lisa squeezed her eyes shut and pressed the back of my head.

But then, as she felt nothing on her neck, she tilted her head and opened her eyes…

“Hehe, just a prank.”

She could see my face grinning.

Lisa froze for a moment, then puffed her cheeks and began punching my chest.

“Hey, you call that a prank… do you know how surprised I was?”

“Ugh? Ack, ow?”

She probably thought she was tapping me playfully, but from my perspective… it hurt more than expected.

So I quickly grabbed both her wrists and smiled awkwardly.

“M-My apologies. If it upset you, I’m sorry……”

“T-That’s not it. I was just a little startled… No, more than startled… um, it’s just that……”

Lisa avoided my gaze and trailed off, then spoke in a tiny voice, barely audible.

“I was just surprised because… it was the first time you came close to me first.”

“…Ah.”

“S-So you can do pranks like that anytime you want… Y-You get what I’m trying to say, right?”

“Pfft, yes. I understand.”

It seemed I had been keeping too much distance from Lisa until now.

Because of the difference in status, I had been cautious, but seeing Lisa speak like this, I felt I needed to change a little as well.

In that sense, I brought my lips to Lisa’s neck and lightly bit her once more.

Lisa trembled slightly at that, but soon she pulled me into a tight embrace.

We held each other for a moment like that before letting go.

As we separated, my eyes met Lisa’s, and seeing the red gleam in them, it felt as though a switch had been flipped.

“Gideon, I….”

“That won’t do. Please endure it at least until the midterm exam ends.”

“…Mm. Okay.”

Lisa clicked her tongue softly with a very regretful expression.

Seeing her like that, I let out a small chuckle and gently stroked her hair.

“May I ask you a little about Sir Jason as well?”

“Mm, I don’t mind. Come to think of it, we’ve talked only about Sara.”

“Yes. Anyway, if I end up going against Sir Jason, who would….”

“Jason will probably lose to you.”

Lisa answered immediately again.

“It’s absolutely not because Jason is weak. But from someone who has fought both you and Jason, I can say Jason’s speed won’t be enough to break through your defense.”

“So you got a bye?”

“Yes. I was lucky.”

I had been thinking about how to deal with Jason in my own way, but in the end, I didn’t get to face him.

Well, not that it was certain yet.

‘If Jason beats Sara and comes up to the finals, then we’ll fight.’

But honestly, I didn’t think Jason would win—just as Lisa had said.

Not only from seeing Jason fight with my own eyes, but even considering his portrayal in the game.

In the game, Jason wasn’t strong because of raw strength; his power lay in his immense information network and speed.

‘Well, still, you never know. Jason is a variable incarnate—he might show something unexpected.’

Many thoughts crossed my mind, but in the end, what mattered were Sara and Jason.

Between the two of them, one would soon become my opponent.

Which meant that since I got lucky with a bye, I should make the most of the chance and closely observe how the two fought.

“A lot of people have gathered.”

“Mm? Ah, yes. They have.”

At Lisa’s words, I looked around the spectators’ seats.

For reference, I had just come up to the 2nd floor spectator area with Lisa.

As she said, quite a lot of students had gathered.

“There weren’t few this morning either, but it seems even more now.”

“Guess the rumors spread. Sara, Jason, and you—three of the strongest 1st-year swordsmen. Of course everyone would want to watch.”

“That may be true, but is it really right for me to be put on the same level as Lady Sara and Sir Jason….”

“Gideon, the fact that you beat Dave this morning has already spread.”

Lisa spoke with a faint smile.

“Anyone who knows how strong the Bonscora Family’s warriors are will understand. Their rank may be lower than the Three Ducal Families, but everyone knows their martial prowess stands nearly equal.”

“Yes, I know that much.”

“You defeated a swordsman from such a Bonscora Family. People won’t see you as just the fallen baron’s head anymore.”

“…I’m not sure if I can live up to their expectations.”

I turned my head toward the center of the arena—toward Jason and Sara.

“If I end up losing in the finals, wouldn’t people be quite disappointed?”

“Don’t burden yourself too much. And don’t assume you’ll lose. No one knows what’ll happen, right?”

“You’re right.”

Yes, no one knew.

Nodding at Lisa’s words, I gazed back toward the arena.

Before worrying about my own win or loss, I had to watch theirs.

“Wow, Sara. It’s been a while since we fought like this. Doesn’t it feel kind of nostalgic?”

“I don’t think so.”

At Jason’s words, Sara replied without even looking at him.

From earlier, Sara had been staring only at one place in the 2nd floor spectator area—

The white-haired boy sitting there.

“…Haaah. I’m your opponent right now, you know. I’m not even in your field of vision, am I.”

“Sorry. Can’t help it. There’s someone I absolutely have to crush.”

“Well, I get it. You’ve been itching to beat Gideon since last week.”

“You know me well.”

Sara looked again toward Gideon, who was sitting with Lisa.

She was secretly pleased that he had reached the finals with a bye.

In front of all these people—right in the final match—if she utterly destroyed that man, she could completely restore the honor she had lost last time…

“But you know, Gideon is really a lucky guy. Lisa nuna, and you too. Two beauties looking only at him—how good must that feel?”

“W-what nonsense?! You think I look at that guy like that?!”

“If not, then fine.”

Jason spoke with his usual playful smile, then his expression turned a bit more serious.

“But Sara. I understand that you want to step on Gideon. But right now, your opponent is me. You have to beat me first if you want to go meet Gideon, right?”

“You won’t beat me. Even with that smart brain of yours, you should know that much.”

“Mm… I can’t refute that. Still—”

Jason drew his saber from his waist.

“I try to avoid fights whenever possible, but I do have my skill and pride. So don’t think you’ll win too easily.”

“I’ve never thought it’d be easy. Though in the end, I’ll be the one who wins.”

Sara also drew her rapier from her waist, smiling faintly.

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