037 – Mock Sparring
—
[Put on the gloves, you b*tch, according to international rules.]
(Photo)
PUT ON THE GLOVES, YOU SHIBAL!!! I’m going bare-handed!!!!
[Comments]
– You are currently witnessing a pathetic adult male enraged by his defeat at the hands of a 15-year-old.
ㄴ (Writer): Don’t leave out the fact that it’s Lillian Isolde.
– You are currently witnessing a pathetic adult male enraged by his defeat at the hands of the 15-year-old Lillian Isolde.
ㄴ (Writer): Don’t leave out the fact that Lillian Isolde is a genius, either.
– You are currently witnessing a pathetic adult male enraged by his defeat at the hands of the 15-year-old magic prodigy Lillian Isolde… sigh… just go and die already.
ㄴ (Writer): ??? You shibal son of a b*tch, think you could win if you fought me?
– ㅋㅋㅋㅋ The fact that you even tried to win against Lillian Isolde in a 1-on-1 is even more despicable ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
– And on top of that, you’re telling Lillian Isolde to wear gloves to try and win? You cheap b*stard ㅋㅋㅋ FYI, you’ll still lose even with gloves on. I know from experience.
ㄴ (Writer): ?
ㄴ Seriously… how are you supposed to win… I still lost to Lillian Isolde when she was 17.
ㄴ (Writer): Idiot.
ㄴ Says the guy who lost to a 15-year-old.
ㄴ (Writer): You are currently witnessing a pathetic adult male enraged by his defeat at the hands of the 17-year-old Lillian Isolde, even after making her wear gloves.
– What difference does it make if a mage wears gloves, you morons ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ (Writer): Oh, right.
ㄴ Oh, right.
– At least this guy isn’t using the game as an eroge ㅋㅋㅋ You’re the best one here ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ (Writer): Lillian said she’d date me if I fought her and won.
ㄴ An adult male with kids confessed to a 15-year-old…?
ㄴ (Writer): Why is everyone emphasizing “adult male” so much?;
—
Ms. Ella stated that the Eloise family had been selected to handle matters related to the Midnight Auction.
Therefore, I was trying my best to distance myself from it…
—
[Eavesdropping] – Berian
“I don’t know the human trafficking ring’s main base, but I do know where they gather, a sort of dormitory? At least, I know the location of that.”
The eavesdropping I’d placed on the members returning to their lodgings after their shifts was still effective.
It was clear that having someone like me, who could survey the interior, would be more helpful, so I tried to be responsible to the end…
“Uh…”
Ms. Ella, looking rather taken aback, posed a question with extreme caution.
“Perhaps… was it your previous occupation?”
“Pardon?”
“No, it’s just… when you think about it, isn’t it? Mihyeon-ssi, you’re actually wanted by the Imperial Family as a vicious kidnapper, and…”
“Uh…”
“You also navigated that maze leading out of the underground with such… ease… like someone who’s been there several times before…”
“Hmm…”
Hearing it like that, I couldn’t deny it.
From Ms. Ella’s perspective, she might have even believed it if I said, ‘Actually, there was a time when I was called a monster rookie there, haha.’
‘I have no choice but to explain my eavesdropping skill-‘
‘Kidnapping’ was exposed, ‘Sleep’ was exposed, even the fact that ‘Mihail’ was my real name was exposed, and now I was about to reveal the existence of ‘eavesdropping’ skill.
“Umm…”
The eavesdropping skill itself…
‘Excuse me? You could peek while I was showering?’
‘You could peek when I went to the bathroom?’
“uuugh…!”
“…Mihyeon-ssi?”
Good.
Should I just say it was my previous job?
“It’s one of the spells I use… Of course, I cannot explain what kind of spell it is.”
My thoughts ran wild like this.
But if I said it was my previous job, Mihail would truly become that infamous kidnapper wanted by the Imperial Family…
I should just vaguely say that I couldn’t explain it either.
“Don’t use it.”
“Ah, …understood.”
“Like when you identified the doppelganger, you’re using Seoncheon-gi again, right?”
“…?”
For a moment, I thought Ms. Ella had gained a clue from my few words and realized I had the ‘eavesdropping’ skill.
Thankfully, it seemed she was misunderstanding in a different way.
‘How fortunate!’
The thief was startled by his own guilt.
I was truly relieved that my lecherous plan to eavesdrop on Ms. Ella while she showered hadn’t been discovered.
For now, I decided not to clear up Ms. Ella’s misunderstanding.
“You’re not going to use that spell anymore, right?”
“Of course.”
Of course, a lie.
To not use the utterly broken skill of Espionage, a no-risk, high-reward cheat, would be an act of utter foolishness.
Besides, only I could see the status window, so if I looked and then pretended I hadn’t, Miss Ella would be none the wiser.
I resolved to come to an agreement with myself: I wouldn’t peek when Miss Ella went to the lavatory.
“Let’s draw up a contract.”
Since the contract held no true binding power.
I looked forward with a joyous heart to writing a contract with Miss Ella…
*Swish*…
A sheet of paper fell from the pocket of Miss Ella’s skirt as she turned toward the desk to draft the simple agreement.
“You dropped some-.”
And so, I reached out at once to pick up the paper and return it to Miss Ella when…
– Marriage Contract –
Written on the paper were the words “Marriage Contract”.
And beneath, though I couldn’t make out the name, I could see the imprint of someone’s red ink seal.
In that instant.
*Snatch!*
“?”
Miss Ella swiftly snatched the marriage contract from my hand.
“…Did you see?”
Yes, I saw.
You’re marrying another man?
Am I to be a second option?!
Though, if it were the Eloise family, I suppose being a second choice wouldn’t be so bad.
‘Best not say that, though, right?’
This world allowed for polygamy, or even polyandry.
A world where only the strong survive, a world where one could be ambushed and killed at any moment.
Perhaps this was the instinctive choice made by humanity, to leave behind as many descendants as possible.
Furthermore, from a commoner’s point of view, just to be included as a choice for the Eloise family would be enough to make one bow one’s head, crawl between their legs, and express gratitude…
‘Now that’s a reward…’
In any case.
Judging by Miss Ella’s reaction, I realized the arranged marriage of the Eloise family must be kept top secret.
And so, I immediately spouted a well-intentioned lie.
“You grabbed it so quickly, I couldn’t have read anything even if I’d wanted to.”
Upon hearing my response, Miss Ella visibly relaxed, pushing the contract she was about to draft with me to the back of her mind.
“I… must go visit my family for a bit.”
She decided she would be going home for a while.
“Travel safe.”
And with that, Miss Ella promptly left the room.
“Heh heh heh…”
He embraced Isabella-ssi, a lecherous grin plastered on his face.
“What’s with you?”
Forgive me, Ella-ssi’s arranged marriage partner…
“Oh, right, I had something to tell the owner about the marriage contract—”
“Uhyo~ Look at me, first husband~”
Ella-ssi’s first husband couldn’t even manage to live with her, and here I am.
This was blatant NTR.
“I’ll happily take Ella-ssi’s first cohabitation experience~”
*Tsk tsk*…
Isabella-ssi, shaking her head from side to side as she looked at me.
Gently releasing her once more, I asked what she wanted to tell me about the marriage contract…
“Now that I think about it, what was it you were going to tell me?”
“I suddenly don’t want to tell you anymore.”
“?”
“No can do. If I tell you, this fun thing will be over.”
“??”
How petty!
There are two ways to irritate someone, and the first is to cut yourself off mid-sentence.
…
The second is to repeat the same thing over and over.
“I refuse.”
“Why?”
“…It’s clear I’ll be utterly defeated.”
The woman before me, who had been wanting to spar with me since the beginning.
Lilian Isoldé.
“Don’t lie.”
“…What possible benefit could I gain from lying?”
“I saw the notes you wrote to my father.”
“Did you?”
“I also know that you need overwhelming power to survive the doppelganger horde, considering the information you possess.”
“That’s not it, I tell you!”
This conversation was already our third time around.
I’m not that strong.
No, you are strong.
It’s a misunderstanding.
It can’t be a misunderstanding.
It’s not a lie.
It is a lie.
‘Agh!! I can’t exactly show her the bitterness of adulthood!’
The other party is Professor Layton’s daughter, so showing her the bitterness of adulthood…
“Ah, so I’d lose if we fought? Aha…”
Wasn’t an option!
“She really has a strong competitive streak…”
I didn’t know why she was guarding against me so fiercely.
But winning favor with Lillian Eisolde, the Mage Kingdom’s greatest prodigy, was a must.
“…Are you really that keen on sparring with me?”
“Yes.”
“Haa… …Then alright. But, there’s a condition.”
“What is it?”
I’d agreed to spar with Lillian Eisolde, making sure I wouldn’t die in the simulated duel.
‘Well… I’ve accumulated some Aether recently, too.’
Having eaten so much here and there lately.
I’d gained a little weight, and the amount of Aether I had to strengthen my body was substantial.
As long as Lillian Eisolde didn’t go all out, I shouldn’t die.
“I will do my best against you, Lillian Eisolde.”
“That’s what I want.”
“But Lillian Eisolde, you can only use exactly 10% of your total Aether.”
“..Excuse me?”
“That’s the only condition I have.”
If anyone saw this, they might question whether it was right for an adult to face a 15-year-old in a spar, imposing a restriction on the child while going all out yourself.
To those people, I would declare confidently.
It is right.
You’d understand if you ever experienced Lillian Eisolde firsthand.
If someone who could use magic was also a genius, it should be considered a calamity.
“…Alright.”
My condition was strange, but Lillian Eisolde readily accepted it, probably just to spar. She stepped onto the training grounds first.
‘Hoo…’
Watching Lillian, I steeled myself and followed her onto the training grounds.
And three minutes after stepping onto the grounds.
“Wow…”
“What do you mean ‘wow’?! Priest! Priest!!”
“So, arms can bend like this?”
“Healing Priest!! Quick…!”
My arm was bent in a direction it shouldn’t have been.
“It’s starting to hurt, would it be alright if I screamed?”
“Quickly!! Someone, please help!! Quick…!”
“I’m the one with the broken arm, so why is Lillian the one screaming?”
This is why…
This is why I didn’t want to spar with Lillian Eisolde.
‘But I lived, right?’