Chapter 65 – Dalian

000

“Really. Aruru-sama is such a nice person, so it’s a mask.”

Kneeling down on her knees, Cecilia, the second-in-command of the swordsmanship department who was servicing her sword, opened her mouth as if dissatisfied.

Round glasses and neat uniform.

And not flashy makeup and neatly braided hair.

As Cleon said, she was a model student type of female student.

“Stop venting your anger, Cecil. Aruru-sama had no one to deal with in the same department, so it seemed like the incomplete combustion was continuing.”

The one who calms Cecil down is her friend, a male student in the swordsmanship department, who is in the same grade as Cecil, and his name is ‘Rail’.

Contrary to Cecil, who looks neat, she seems to like a little fancy decorations with her silver hair, although her chains and silver accessories stand out.

He seemed to be a son of an aristocratic family.

He was also a student who managed the discipline of the swordsmanship department along with Cecil.

In terms of position, it’s about ‘assistant in the second seat’.

Even to the students in the same department, he assisted Cecil, who was strict.

If Cecile was a whip, he was a carrot.

If there is one thing in common, it is that both of them are fans of Aruru.

And in terms of swordsmanship, it is said that it has reached a considerable level compared to the students of the same department.

However, even if those two attack Aruru at once.

To the extent that winning her ‘one round’ to her is almost impossible.

A huge wall of skill stood between Aruru and her other students.

“Huh. There’s no way the man Layla Flamewatch brought can’t compete with Aruru-sama. He said he’s also an unscrupulous man from the sex department?”

“Umm… I have friends in the sex department too. Isn’t that too bad there?”

Recalling his fresh friend with blue hair, Rail laughed bitterly.

Of course, since half of the stories I tell are related to sex.

It is true that there are some difficult parts even for ‘Rail’, who is in that age group.

However, Cecilia still frowned and let out a sigh of displeasure.

“Then, do you think it’s okay for Aruru-sama to be friendly with that man? You might get engaged soon!”

“Well, that’s up to her thinking. She thinks at least she has more people’s eyes than I do?”

“Of course. She is a descendant of the warriors who have defended the world for three generations. It cannot be compared to our `Clan of the Handmaid’.”

Both Cecilia and Leil were sons of the kingdom’s long-established noble families.

Compared to Aruru’s birth family, ‘Tromeia’, her status was too low.

In particular, the two families start training from an early age to assist the warriors produced by ‘Tromeia’.

It is a family that has been passed down as another `Trinity` different from the one advocated by the Order of Protection of the Holy Spirit.

“Then let’s trust Aruru-sama. Now, this side is over.”

“Now, wait a minute. I’m almost done.”

When the rail first finishes the maintenance of the tool and gets up from the seat.

Cecilia frantically moves her hand to finish her share.

Contrary to her straight appearance, she is not good at detailed work, but Cecilia is bold and courageous.

And, contrary to Cecilia, Rail has good hands and is good at detailed work, but lacks the power to act.

The two of them had no doubt that they would continue to be together on the road as the warriors of ‘Aruru’, as they had been until now.

Bang-!!

A sound loud enough to blow away both of those thoughts rang out in the practice room.

“What are you talking about-“

Kang! Got the card…! Thud!

When Cecile was started by the sound again, she stood up.

The sound came from where Aruru and Cleon were facing swords.

At some point, the onlookers formed a circle and were watching the couple fight with bated breath.

According to Aruru’s wishes, the swords carried by each of them are used.

It was a showdown between the holy sword of glass and the great sword of crimson.

Cecil and Rail passed between the students.

Somehow, from outside the borderline of the defense barrier the two had spread, I peered into it.

It blew away any common sense of sparring they knew so far.

It was a grueling, beautiful, and fierce dance of swords.

The swords of the two colliding on the ground could not withstand the impact and bounced back at the same time.

The sword of Aruru – the sacred sword of glass, ‘Arondite’ was shattered on the spot by the red sword, putting the word holy sword to shame.

This is the 42nd already.

Cleon does not hastily approach Aruru, who has left her hand empty, and quickly distances herself.

Aruru’s holy sword ‘Arondite’ is very sharp and light, but it is easily destroyed by impact as it looks.

However, that is the characteristic of Arondite.

If it is broken and injects magic power into scattered fragments, the fragments take shape as another Arondite.

Because she hadn’t grasped this beforehand, the blood still didn’t stop flowing from her cut arm.

“Is this the true power of the awakened holy sword?”

Recalling Alvein’s Caliburn, Cleon had no choice but to compare its strength.

Looking around, he was surrounded by dozens, maybe hundreds of arondites embedded in the ground.

All of them are genuine, and each one is a holy sword.

Therefore, what sustains them all is the magical power possessed by ‘Aruru’.

Aruru, who took a posture while bleeding from her right thigh, opened her eyes wide and raised the corner of her mouth.

Feeling joy at the existence of a suitable opponent for the first time, he was holding the arondite he had created and looking at Cleon.

The opponent is a swordsman. Also, he doesn’t have a magic sword.

However, Cleon said that he would match Aruru, and he did not use any magic other than strengthening his body.

The next moment, Aruru throws the transparent blue glass shard she was holding at Cleon.

Then, the flying glass shard changed its shape into a holy sword in the air, twisted into an impossible trajectory, and flew toward Cleon.

This is another tricky point of arondite.

It is possible to control its movement through her magical power even when it is away from her hand.

After Cleon quickly returned the sword to the scabbard, he pulled out an ultra-high speed Iaju accelerated through magic.

‘Shadow Tangle’

Rubera’s skill, manifested through the imprint, simultaneously struck a vital spot and shattered the incoming holy sword.

“That technique is really cool…! I got hit by that technique earlier and cut her leg, but I still can’t follow it with my eyes!”

Aruru echoes her voice of joy and accelerates the torrent of her magical power flowing through her body.

For some reason, Cleon looked at the unchecked look.

Although her appearance, personality, and swordsmanship were completely different.

A desire for strength and a genuine sense of admiration for the strong.

That much was similar to Aruru’s Tal Check.

And that would be the biggest driving force that makes the strong into the strong.

A one-step retreat.

Most of the skills that can be shown to each other have been shown.

Both sides were reluctant to come within range of each other.

Cleon’s sword, learned from Talchek, and Rubera’s assassination sword are freely switched.

Although the trajectory of the attack could not be read, and each one was heavy, it was an arondite that regenerated infinitely.

If you mismanage your strength and show a gap, you could win.

In contrast, Aruru’s swordsmanship is light and beautiful, like dancing.

Even without using the power of the Holy Sword, a quick sword that swung faster than the wind as it roamed the battlefield.

It was a bit slow compared to the fastest Iajutsu that Cleon could perform.

If you think that the blue flash has passed you, you have already cut it cleanly there.

“… Whistle with Aruru-sama…”

Cecilia looked at it, covering her mouth in disbelief.

Rail, too, must have felt something knowing that the scene in front of her was far beyond their level.

Clenching her fists, she couldn’t take her eyes off the two of them.

“Whoa…”

Cleon took a deep breath and returned the sword to the scabbard once again.

If you attack without getting into range, your opponent has the advantage.

The long-distance attack method this side has is only one technique of Talcheck.

Aruru felt her Cleon’s eyes glowing and she looked at herself.

A tingling sensation covers her hands and legs.

It seemed that a dark-eyed death god had come out from behind Cleon and was looking at him.

`Live…! Mr Cleon. You really…!`

Aruru feels a high sense of excitement to the point where she doesn’t know what to do with her partner’s appearance.

And when she raises her own sword against the sky.

The arondite, which was close to a bag stuck in the ground, was lifted into the sky by the control of magical power.

“Go! Arondaite!”

Along with Aruru’s booming voice, the arondites that danced in the air simultaneously poured toward Cleon.

It was obvious that Cleon’s body would change like a hedgehog if he didn’t accept this.

The battle became so intense that they did not care about each other’s lives.

Just before the torrent of holy swords engulfed Cleon.

That fleeting moment.

True!

A flash of red swords being pulled out and swinging as if wailing with a strange metallic sound.

A sword strike that swung from the ground towards the sky.

With one unshakable swing.

Jjaeok-!

With a clatter, he severed the ground, the barrier, and all the holy swords that attacked him on the spot.

And, the shock of that slash flew through space and rushed to Aruru.

“Aruru-sama!”

Cecilia’s voice called her name as she saw Aruru, who opened her eyes wide without avoiding it.

If you think it resonated throughout the practice room.

The arondite of the air that still remained became her shield and her wall as she was, protecting her.

Kwaji support!

An ear-piercing, crushing sound, like an iron plate being crushed, exploded in succession.

The slash that cut through the air destroyed the group of holy swords and moved forward.

Only one.

I stopped in front of the last Arondite guarding Aruru’s face.

The cleanly cut defense barrier eventually fails to maintain its shape and disappears.

“…That’s it.”

As if taking Cleon’s words as a signal, the two simultaneously returned their swords to their waists.

Even the students who were in awe were able to look around and see the practice room devastated by the fighting.

The floor was so messed up that sparring could no longer take place.

At some point, the string tying her hair came loose, and Aruru’s long hair became straight.

She looks down at her own hands.

Sacrificing Arondaite over and over again to withstand Cleon’s monstrous strength.

The skin of her hands is torn and blood is flowing.

The sweat running down her whole body rather clears her head.

How long has it been since you risked your life and death and crossed swords?

Even though he inserted the sword so cleanly that he was surprised.

The heat of the struggle that heated up my body was not going to leave my body.

The pumping of the heart, which pumps blood throughout the body, does not subside at all.

My legs, which had been the sensation of walking on the blade, were trembling little by little with excitement.

At that time, Cleon somehow steps on a normal place and approaches her.

When a large hand was extended, Aruru stared blankly at it in silence.

Even after waiting, Aruru’s hand her didn’t reach out, so Cleon said his intention her.

“… The sparring is over, so shake hands… Wait, your hand is hurt.”

It was only then that Cleon, who saw the wound on Aruru’s hand of her, borrowed Quon’s recovery magic and grabbed her hand of her.

Next moment.

Whiik! And Cleon’s body her was pulled.

Aruru covered Cleon’s lips.

Unable to react to Aruru’s sudden action of her, she opened her mouth.

Exchange your tongue for sticky saliva.

As Aruru’s fangs pierced Cleon’s upper lip, fishy blood gushed out.

“Hey, wait a minute, Aruru-sama!”

It seemed that he didn’t pay attention to the voice of the female student screaming loudly next to him.

Aruru coveted Cleon’s lips with burning eyes.

“Gee, calm down…! Aruru Tromeia!”

When Cleon half-forced her away.

It was only then that he suddenly came to his senses as if he realized what he had done.

“…”

Aruru opens her eyes wide as if surprised by her actions.

The surroundings were surrounded by an awkward yet heavy silence.

Stinging glares felt from all directions stab Cleon.

“Did it become strange from the excitement of the battle?”

Let’s talk to Aruru while Cleon heals his wounds.

Aruru then put a finger on her mouth.

He raised his eyebrows and smiled.

“It’s like that. It’s the first time I’ve experienced anything like this, so I think my body is mistaken. Mr. Cleon.”

“Mistaken…?”

Her tone and demeanor her regained her relaxed appearance from before.

Aruru’s eyes were looking at him with unwavering focus.

Somewhere, even fear was palpable.

“Yes. I mistook this beating of my heart for love for you. Instinct moved before reason.”

It was a story that Cleon did not understand well.

I hear the rumor that when a human life is threatened, the reproductive instinct is awakened.

Could this be that kind of behavior?

“…Anyway. Calm down. I have something I want to tell you.”

“Huh? Ahh… That’s right. Yeah. That would be nice. Then see you in 30 minutes. You can use the shower room with the swordsmanship department.”

Saying that, she turned and headed for the women’s shower room.

As Aruru moves away, the swordsmanship students around her are about to step forward with disquieting steps.

“Now! Instructor Cleon. I will guide you to the shower room.”

A rail that quickly strikes forward.

The other students hesitated at Rail’s actions.

Meanwhile, Rail leads Cleon to the shower room.

The gaze of Cecilia chewing her thumb nail from behind was frightening as expected.

001

Swordsmanship and the hallway of the building.

Cleon and Rail were walking a little apart in awkward silence.

Of course, it was a thank you for saving yourself.

Thanks to Aruru’s eccentricity a while ago, I have no idea what to say to the students.

“Don’t be so nervous. Instructor Cleon. Ah, I’m Rail. Cecilia- Along with that model student who greeted you for the first time, I’m second in the swordsmanship department.”

Rail glanced at Cleon and spoke with a smile on his lips.

Cleon nodded clumsily while looking at the rail.

“Aruru is…”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen you like that. We’ve known each other for over 10 years.”

As if he knew what question Cleon was trying to ask.

Rail lightly answers his question.

“…Is it.”

Then Cleon will no longer question her and will keep quiet.

It was hard for even Rail to endure that embarrassing silence, so he opened his mouth.

“Don’t worry. It’s not the Cleon instructor I just talked about, it’s because she was weird. You can ignore the other guys in the department.”

Cleon nodded somehow.

“More than that. How about the sex department? The atmosphere must be very different from the swordsmanship department, right?”

Regarding Rail’s talk about changing the topic, Cleon thought about something for a moment.

“No, the atmosphere… I don’t think it’s different. The work we do is, of course, as different as the sky and the earth.”

“Hoo.”

As if Cleon’s answer was unexpected, Rail made a noise.

“Students in any department should be called greedy for learning or energetic.”

“You’re energetic. As much as you’re in the sex department?”

“I’m not kidding.”

“Haha, I know.”

In the end, as if getting caught up in the atmosphere of Rail, Cleon also shows a smile.

“I have a friend in the sex department. He’s a bit strange, but he’s sincere, and above all, he knows how to be considerate of others.”

“Is it Demis by any chance?”

Reil turned to Cleon in surprise at Cleon’s answer.

“How did you know?”

“Because I get a lot of help from him.”

“Then, please be friendly with him. He said he was worried that he didn’t make friends because he didn’t have a lot of presence.”

Rail also asked Cleon with a smile similar to that shown by Demis.

Cleon listened to his request and nodded.

“And. Similar to that. Aruru-sama, please.”

“… Her?”

Rail shows a slightly different, lonely smile from before.

“She has been educated as a warrior following her father and grandfather since she was a child. Her natural body her and trained skills her. And thanks to the power of the Holy Sword, no one, including the students and teachers of the Swords Department, has considered her the best swordsman. Important… She never gave me anything called ‘tension’.”

At Rail’s long words, Cleon quietly listens to what comes next.

“That you were her first ‘match’ of her.”

“…Is it.”

“If you are, you will understand. How great the presence or absence of such an existence is for a warrior.”

Cleon nodded in deep understanding.

What she felt for herself was a feeling like a spark attached to the fighting spirit in her heart that had been empty for a long time.

Suddenly, the two stopped in front of the swordsmanship shower room.

“I’ll bring the towels to the changing room.”

Saying that, Cleon walked down the hallway and looked at the rails moving away for a while.

It was to wash myself in a hurry so as not to be late for the appointment time.

002

The place where the two met again was outside the building of the swordsmanship department.

It was a small teahouse with parasols and chairs.

Due to Rail’s consideration, I left the building without meeting the other students and headed for the cafe I was told about.

There, Aruru came first and was waiting.

However, that outfit was different from yesterday’s uniform and the active uniform she was wearing in the previous match.

It was a long white dress that suited her status to her.

On her head her, she wore a wide-brimmed hat that noble ladies would use.

The image of enjoying a cup of tea while quietly waiting for Cleon.

A little while ago, they violently clashed their swords like beasts.

He looked like a completely different person from the girl who had lost his temper and stole his lips to her.

“I’m sorry. Did I keep you waiting?”

“No. I just came too.”

Cleon sits in front of her while exchanging light greetings.

Then, Aruru smiled as if something was funny.

“Just like that. It’s like a scene from a love story.”

“…Sorry, I don’t read that well.”

“It’s a must-have line for a scene where a man and a woman meet on a date.”

It’s a date Looking at her face her, I can’t help but recall the kiss from before.

But Aruru’s expression was completely different from before.

Cleon somehow brought up the story, wondering if he was the only one who was conscious.

Of course, the story to be told to her was the consent to the use of the ‘stone gun’.

When I explained everything to her, Aruru looked like he was thinking hard about something.

It’s probably about whether you should agree or reject it.

Cleon thought so while waiting for her answer.

After a while Aruru opened her mouth again.

“It’s not difficult to give consent. However, if an accident occurs due to consent, you will only be responsible for it.”

Cleon nodded her head at Aruru’s words her.

The items to be used are national treasure level relics.

Of course, it was an issue inevitably causing a heavy issue of responsibility.

“Tell me if you need any repairs. I’ll make arrangements here if possible.”

Cleon lived a long life as an ‘adventurer’, basically consisting of a cycle of request and reward.

As is her habit, she talks to Aruru.

Then, Aruru looked at Cleon’s face for a moment and blinked her eyes two or three times.

“…”

“…What’s the matter?”

Cleon, feeling suspicious of Aruru’s attitude her, spoke.

Aruru is hot! She did and she grabbed Cleon’s hand hers.

Cleon looks surprised when he recalls the incident from earlier.

“Yes! There’s something I want you to do!”

“…Be gentle, please.”

003

“Eh.”

Quon dropped the plate he was holding with a sound he had never heard before.

Lila and Sasha are still in class.

Cleon broke up with Aruru and returned home first.

Finishing her lunch with Quon and tidying up her stuff while she was washing dishes in her kitchen.

Quon, who was talking to Cleon, who brought up the story of today.

The shocking story he told me made my hands run out of strength.

Fortunately, the plate wasn’t broken.

“How much nobles love arranged marriages.”

“Ha, but that’s right. Asking Cleon to pretend to be me, isn’t it a bit like that? In front of my real parents.”

When Quon speaks with a trembling voice, Cleon replies as if it’s okay.

“Well. If you spend a day or so acting, he will agree to use the ‘stone gun’ as chief.”

What Aruru asked Cleon for.

That is, dozens of times to ask Aruru to come back to her hometown her in order to betrothed to her aristocratic son her.

Eventually, when Aruru does not return, it becomes her real parents who have reached the limit of her patience with her.

She was coming to the academy.

Apparently, Aruru said she already had a boyfriend in order to reject her engagement her.

Cleon thought that it was the troubles and lies that an aristocratic girl of that age would do.

“Saying hello to your parents… Then it sounds like the real thing.”

At Quon’s words her, Cleon looked at her for a moment and then let out a light sigh.

“It’s not real at all, so it’s okay. Aruru also says that he’ll think of another way after this time.”

For a moment, silence passed between the two.

“…Well then. Later, why don’t you tell us about our hometown too? Cleon.”

“…To your hometown?”

At her sudden words of her, Cleon asked her back.

Quon replied with a blush on her face.

“Yes. To my mother… I want to introduce you to Cleon.”

Her mother her, who insisted on her family her love her and forced her to put Alban first.

She wanted to show her that she had Cleon.

“…OK got it.”

“Really? A promise?”

“Yes. Promise.”

Put your little finger on

Seeing Quon let out a sigh as if her heart had finally been put to rest.

Cleon was contemplating who to talk to next.