12. The Affectionate Sword
Relying on my own memories and the knowledge I had gained as a notorious villain fleeing across the Rosian Empire, I managed to shield Kephiel, who was at a disadvantage as an international student, during this early pen test. I won against a girl named Reiev, who seemed to have a strong opinion about both me and Kephiel.
But my moment of triumph might end here. The test that Lady Reti had set for us three at Rublyanka Academy was not just this “written exam.” It’s easy to imagine that the combative and skilled Rosians wouldn’t limit their efforts to just intellectual pursuits. So, after this, there would be a “practical” test prepared for the three of us.
In this part, I really couldn’t go all out. I wisely chose to retreat, letting Kephiel, who would surely win against Reiev, take the victory in a fair manner. As for the mockery I might face for being a slacker, it didn’t matter; after all, a dead pig fears not the boiling water—I had no shame.
That’s what I thought, however… there’s a saying: “Your wife thinks otherwise.”
The next day, in my dorm at Rublyanka Academy.
The winter in the Rosian Empire was truly a blizzard; even staying in my room was unbearably cold. Even my roommate, Goryachov, who usually wore just a tank top year-round, had surprisingly added a thin blanket for warmth that night.
Yet, in this situation where I could have lazed in bed all day, the door to our bedroom was suddenly flung open!
Under Goryachov’s terrified gaze, Kephiel yanked me out of bed.
“Get up, you slacker! Didn’t you promise me yesterday that you would ‘start’!? Why are you still in bed!?”
[Goryachov thought Ougilid was being urged to pay taxes.]
No, my friend, it’s not what you think.
I had planned to wisely forfeit the upcoming “practical” test, but after the written exam, Kephiel might have started to see me as “all-powerful,” and she was determined to drag me into an impromptu training session! Today, she was here to take me to the training grounds at Rublyanka Academy.
As the saying goes, sharpening the sword at the last minute is not a bad idea. However…
“Kephiel, I’m really planning to forfeit…”
My intention was for you to win against Reiev, not for me to win. It’s you, Kephiel, who has a bone to pick with Reiev, so it should be you who defeats her.
But… Kephiel didn’t think that way at all.
“No forfeiting! I have no extra thoughts about her; it’s you I need to make her understand that you’re not a slacker!”
Kephiel spoke with righteous fervor, and then she began rummaging through clothes to throw on me.
“Are you coming or not? Do you want me to carry you to the training grounds?”
“Okay… I’ll go, I’ll go, Lady Kephiel.”
Being carried there would be too embarrassing; I feared that by that afternoon, the entire academy would know I had bronchitis.
After a quick change and grooming, I had no choice but to muster my spirits and follow Kephiel to the training grounds. In the snowy weather, the outdoor training area at Rublyanka Academy was naturally unusable, so Kephiel and I headed to the indoor training facility.
Once we arrived, I felt even more of Kephiel’s inexplicable enthusiasm. It seemed that in this test, she was more concerned about whether I could win against Reiev than about her own performance! Not only had she specifically applied for a training area that was available only to the two of us, but she had also laid out a clear plan for the “practical” session.
With everything prepared, Kephiel handed me a wooden sword for training and pointed to the corner of the training area where the fairy Alsas was yawning and slacking off.
“The opponent is not some pushover, and we are definitely not just reckless hotheads, so Ougilid, you’ll take Alsas with you for assistance in the upcoming practical.”
“Kephiel, wait! If I use Alsas directly, I’ll end up…”
Turning into a female version of Alsas!
This statement was so embarrassing that I couldn’t even finish it, but even this was anticipated by Kefeier.
“It’s simple, just publicly declare that it’s your ‘ultimate move’.”
What is this? My ultimate move is gender transformation?
Kefeier didn’t care about this: “Compared to this matter, you need to cooperate with Alsace. If Alsace simply acts on your behalf, these clues might be discovered. Therefore, I plan to teach you some basic coping methods in the remaining time, so that you won’t be like a puppet being led by Alsace on that day.”
Then, Kefeier added expectantly: “You have a talent, I know it~”
No, Kefeier, that’s not called talent, it’s called a “script”. As for this kind of “training”, it’s completely unnecessary. After all, in a “one-on-one hard confrontation”, as long as the opponent doesn’t have some overwhelming, earth-shattering ultimate move that I can’t stop or escape from even if I know in advance, then…
I might not win such a match, but I definitely won’t lose.
However, telling Kefeier this secret is too embarrassing.
Just as I was about to find an excuse to skip this “practical” training that didn’t suit my attributes…
“First, you need to hold it like this.”
Kefeier suddenly hugged me from behind. To “teach” properly, her body pressed against mine, even her arms were pressed against mine.
I fell silent for a moment.
“……”
Then…
……
Hehe~ Training is great~ I won’t skip it, I’ll participate every day, Teacher Kefeier!
“Where are you looking… Don’t let your gaze wander, focus.”
Kefeier behind me didn’t notice my reaction at all. In her urgency, she used her own movements to guide me. Every action was accompanied by her clear movements behind me, making me even more speechless.
“Alsace can completely block the unnecessary moves for you, but during ‘sword fighting’, you at least need to know how to parry.”
Every breath that came with her words could be felt on my neck. Due to the distance and height, I didn’t need to think to know that Kefeier now looked like she was hugging me from behind. Probably only the focused Kefeier didn’t know, Alsace in the corner was already making throat-slitting gestures at me.
“Euclid, Euclid!? Even if we’re alone, focus! Can you do whatever you need to do after training?”
Called by Kefeier, I barely regained my spirit. But as soon as I moved, it naturally affected Kefeier, making her… her breathing became rapid for a moment.
It seems that Kefeier finally realized: what kind of position… no, posture we are in now.
“You… you were thinking about this… this all along…”
In her nervousness, Kefeier’s voice changed tone.
“Um, Kefeier, focus on training…”
“It’s not your place to tell me!”
No, it really is. If we continue to be so “entangled”, I’m afraid I won’t be able to control the situation.