39. Oh no, I fell again (3000 words)
Since I’ve already decided to resolve the dangerous script surrounding the elven saint Izalis, which is that clichéd “forced marriage” plot, I have no reason to continue being lazy and clinging to the script.
A “special training” session quickly commenced.
In this special tutoring session, the only student is naturally me, a rookie who, without the script and fairies, might not even stand a chance against a roadside goose. The teachers responsible for my instruction are none other than the absolute true protagonist of the script, the destined beautiful girl Kephir, who can do anything under the sun, and the owner of the fairies from the Rodmar Empire, Nilu, who carries a tremendous secret and is strong enough to rival Kephir on the other side!
With just one of them, Kephir or Nilu, teaching me would already be more than enough for a novice like me. However, the reason both of them are here at the same time is… well, there’s no other way. This is the only method to ensure that my two temporary teachers don’t start arguing before they even begin to teach me.
Moreover, this might also be considered their “precaution,” after all… this was originally just a tutoring class for me to cram at the last minute, but now, a troublesome presence has unexpectedly barged in.
The next day, at this moment.
Upon seeing the fairy saint Izalis indeed change into her shoes and waddle over, I had no choice but to ask, “Izalis, why are you following us?”
If she were just passing by, that would be one thing, but today, Izalis’s demeanor is clear; she’s eager and even prepared with her shoes, not floating around aimlessly. It’s obvious she’s come with a purpose, to “audit” the session.
Although we’re merely borrowing a quiet little garden not far from Izalis’s residence, under the guise of “playing” while Kephir and Nilu quietly educate me, if Izalis comes along and is discovered by outsiders, it could lead to trouble. As a fairy saint, every move Izalis makes must be cautious to prevent any rumors from spreading.
However, her reason left me speechless.
“But Lord Oujilid, if I don’t come along, how will you ensure my safety?”
Well, I can’t argue with you; I concede.
After all, I can’t continue to dawdle and waste time. As long as Izalis stays quiet and just remains there, it’s indeed, as she said, the safest way.
After reminding her, I returned to Kephir and Nilu.
My two “teachers” were already “fully armed” and had been waiting for a while. Perhaps because today’s events were interesting and fresh, both Kephir and Nilu were in surprisingly good spirits, even overlooking the fact that the fairy saint had stubbornly followed us again.
Then, Kephir spoke first. Given our relationship, she didn’t bother with pleasantries and directly said, “Oujilid, although you spoke with such confidence before, let me remind you that whether it’s strength or magic, improving these abilities is not something that happens overnight. Not to mention that you’re already at an age where starting over is somewhat inappropriate. Even if I were to replicate the training I received when I was younger, by the time the day comes for you to duel that obnoxious… cough, cough, Silver Knight, you still won’t see any improvement.”
“Constant effort leads to success, Mr. Oujilid. The essence of strength is just that. Even if an ordinary person suddenly gains immense power, the end result will surely be self-destruction.”
The two teachers launched into a strict education right away, and before I could respond, they proactively offered a solution.
“In my view, that Silver Knight at least has some ‘foundation.’ Since ordinary methods won’t work, you’ll have to resort to other means. Fortunately, Oujilid, you’re not exactly an ordinary person anymore. With the fairies’ power backing you, as long as you use it wisely, there’s no reason you can’t find a way to win.”
I understood Kephir’s reminder very well, so from the beginning, I certainly didn’t plan to confront that Silver Knight head-on. The combination of the fairies’ power and the omens from my own script would be enough for me to stand out. The key now is: how to use the fairies’ power in a way that seems reasonable, clever, and discreet, and… what exactly is the situation with my opponent, that flamboyant knight.
In the next moment, Nilu waved her hand, and in an instant, all the fairies that had come to this era with us transformed into their true forms and flew out! The colorful girls flitted about, creating a truly spectacular scene.
“Isn’t it enough for the master to just lend me to you for a bit? Wasn’t that how it was done before…”
The ice fairy Alsas proposed a method I was most accustomed to when facing enemies, “Anyway, with you holding me now, you should be able to last a while without collapsing, right?”
“Hmph~ Shallow.”
The leader of the fairies on Nilu’s side, the chaos fairy Claudilus, laughed out loud, “Are you suggesting that the ‘King’ should turn into a woman during the duel? Just think about it; that’s absolutely impossible. If we must focus on weapons, the master does have suitable fairies on this side.”
The dark fairy Ignis—this black-skinned midget stood up in response.
“Hmm… Hmm! Hmm!”
But all her actions, aside from a few “hmm” sounds, were just nods and shakes of her head; anyone who didn’t know would think she was signaling some sort of code.
“Ignis says she can attach herself to the ‘King’s’ weapon during battle to assist the ‘King’ in movement—doesn’t that sound much better than some lazy fairies?”
Huh? Miss Witch, can you understand this black-skinned midget’s string of “Morse code”?
However, before the hot-tempered Alsas could rush over to settle the score with Claudilus, my own fairy—the blood fairy Rose waved her hand.
“You’re thinking too beautifully, Witch. She’s a dark fairy, right? Unfortunately, the white-haired elf we’re facing is quite dull about everything, except for these strange and dangerous spells, which she’s very sensitive to. If we use them recklessly, we’ll probably be labeled as heretics before the duel even starts. Moreover, the silver knight in ‘this era’ can be considered a one against a hundred; rather than figuring out how to deal with it, it’s better to first look for weaknesses on the other side to avoid suffering losses later.”
Without the master’s unified command, these fairies were at odds with each other; no matter who spoke, there would always be another fairy trying to undermine them. Soon, this place became a cacophony of chattering fairy girls. Just at the moment I was feeling troubled, a voice suddenly came from behind me, which I could only describe as “relieving.”
“Lord O’Keelid.”
It was Izalis, who had been standing outside waiting since earlier.
“Since there’s no conclusion for the time being, why not start by understanding the style of that silver knight? Although I don’t have much contact with him usually, I still know a bit about the strength of the kingdom’s silver knight.”
“Thank you very much!”
I didn’t have time to get stuck in my thoughts; since I couldn’t come up with a solution on my side, looking for weaknesses on the opponent’s side was also a good choice!
Saying this, I readily agreed, watching as Izalis approached me slowly with a smile, taking steps that seemed unfamiliar.
Speaking of which, it’s quite a coincidence that Izalis would make this suggestion at such a time; it’s almost as if… it was prepared in advance?
However, before I could think much more, today’s fairy saint seemed to have no intention of giving me time to “hesitate.” Who knows if she was truly unaccustomed to walking or if there was some other reason or purpose, but in the next moment…
As she stepped towards me, her foot slipped, and just like that, she fell backward!
“Ah…”
I wanted to check the script, to confirm whether this fairy had truly encountered an accident or if she had “planned this all along,” but there was no time for that now! Not to mention, my body, uncooperative as it was, instinctively sprang into action.
The distance at which Izalis fell in front of me seemed so coincidental; I only needed a quick step to accurately, swiftly, and very “handsomely” catch her as she was about to fall, then with one hand around her waist and the other draped over her shoulder, I pulled her back, into… my embrace.
【Izalis…】
Just as the script was about to unfold, I snuffed it out myself.
Forget it, it’s probably better not to look, let’s leave a bit of last-minute anticipation, after all, Izalis’s series of actions is truly unsettling upon closer thought.
Moreover, in the next moment, what captivated me was not so much the softness of the girl’s body, but rather… her eyes, which were gazing up at me at that moment. Those eyes, no matter when I looked at them, were always so brilliant, as if they concealed something as splendid as flowers.
For a moment, everything around me seemed to quiet down, and all that existed in the world faded away, leaving just me and Izalis… how strange!
The silence around us was because the fairies who had been arguing just moments ago had all turned their attention to me!
Could they really be quiet!? This silence was starting to frighten me!
Then, my dear wife, with a “smile,” asked, “Ogilid, it seems you need to find a new ‘teacher’~”
I hurriedly released my hold; if I held on any longer, today’s lesson would surely turn into “how to cheer up your wife again.”
Once Izalis stepped away from me, Kefiel’s expression grew much more serious as she looked at Izalis, coldly reminding her, “Fairy Saint, don’t interfere too much with him. If something goes wrong on the day of the duel, it won’t be us who are embarrassed; in the end, it’ll be you who suffers.”
“Of course, I’m as aware of that as everyone else, so what just happened was merely an accident.”
Izalis cast her gaze towards me; though I found it quite strange, still…
【Izalis informs Ogilid about the Silver Knight.】
The content indicated by the script indeed matched what this fairy wanted to convey.
“I will tell you everything I know that is relevant. Moreover, I sincerely look forward to Lord Ogilid’s performance, for the sake of my own performance…”
Any oddities must just be my own illusion, right?
After all, the elven saintess before me is, in the script, considered a “key” character, and also one of the strokes of good fortune. Her attitude towards me is so clear; she wouldn’t do anything strange.
——
Everyone, let’s work hard as we return to work and school!
Illustration: Izalis