If Tillis were to take me on seriously, I wouldn’t last even a second.
However, she entered this place as an instructor. Her classes were conducted in a way that matched the opponent’s skill level. She would spar first, then point out weaknesses and areas for improvement.
That’s why even someone as weak as me could manage to last a fairly long time against her.
“Huup!”
A full-powered slash was blocked.
There wasn’t even any need for that pile of wings. Just something barely visible had effortlessly stopped my sword.
“Haap!”
I aimed a decisive thrust at the spot I had just attacked again.
That too was easily blocked.
What a shame… I was trying to exploit a weak point I’d softened up with earlier attacks, but I guess I just lacked the overall power.
“……?”
Eventually, Tillis who had been blocking my attacks without doing anything in return lifted an eyebrow in an almost hooked expression of amusement.
Don’t look at me like that. I was doing my best in my own way.
“S-Sir Johan, you can do it.”
From behind, I heard Ariel’s half-hearted cheer before she covered her face, as if she couldn’t bear to watch.
That just made me feel more deflated.
“……Let’s change tactics.”
After repeatedly striking at nothing but air, Tillis finally shook her head and dismissed the spirits she had summoned.
Did she finally admit that her method was dirty and underhanded?
Well, I guess ganging up on someone was unfair.
“I think this stage suits you better, Student Johan.”
With those words, Tillis drew a weapon she hadn’t used until now.
Twin swords that had been hidden under her loose-fitting robe finally revealed themselves.
Twin swords held in perfect balance on both sides. This wasn’t a case of using one as support. It was full-fledged dual swordsmanship.
“Could it be that I’m the first Cradle student to make you draw your swords?”
“…Ah, yes. That’s true. I handled the others using spirit magic.”
I had done something the others hadn’t managed to do.
Alright, let’s try to stay positive. What a great achievement this was.
Embarrassment lasts a moment, but pride lasts forever.
“Then come at me.”
“Here I go.”
I charged at Tillis with the mindset of trying to kill her.
Of course, I knew I couldn’t win, but at the very least, I could show her what I was capable of.
Clang!
Our swords clashed.
Though I was considered a poor student within the Cradle, compared to others my age, I was actually fairly accomplished.
“Your swordsmanship sticks to the basics.”
“I’m well aware I’m still far from reaching anything beyond that.”
“A commendable attitude.”
Tillis smiled slightly.
And yet, her dazzlingly swift twin blades made my vision blur.
There wasn’t a single opening, and her attacks came in fiercely.
Her attacks were just barely within my ability to dodge, and yet I felt breathless from the sheer tension.
She thrust, slashed, and deflected.
She quickly read the flow of battle, pulling me into positions where she held the advantage.
I focused on the basics, repeating them over and over, searching for an opening.
“Haaah…!”
My vision blurred, and breathing grew difficult. I felt that I was nearing the limits of what my body could endure.
But I welcomed it. Even though Tillis still had plenty of room to spare, she offered no comments during the match.
That meant I was doing well. At my level, anyway.
Clang!
In the end, I lost my grip on my sword.
I looked up in dismay at the blade spinning through the air.
And in that moment—
Tap!
I charged in.
Pouring every last bit of strength I had left, I closed the distance.
Dual blades were difficult weapons to handle.
There were several reasons why, but the weakness I was aiming for now was distance.
It was hard to respond to an opponent who pushed in close with a sword in each hand.
My swordsmanship was standard. I knew I wasn’t skilled enough to mix in anything fancy.
“Huh?”
For the first time, Tillis let out a startled voice.
Delighting in that single word, I drew the dagger hidden at my wrist.
My swordsmanship was standard and unrefined.
My magic was makeshift misdirection.
But there was one thing. I did have a trump card.
“Hup!”
It was a technique I learned from Safe Clown, the apex of assassins.
Just a simple thrust, trained to perfection so it could be executed in any condition. But it was the most flawless of secret moves.
A strike meant to catch her off guard. A move outside the boundaries of what she believed me capable of.
“That was a bit surprising.”
Clang!
That trump card was blocked by a pair of pure white wings, losing all momentum.
I was so out of breath I couldn’t even respond, and yet a smile crept onto my face.
This was a successful outcome.
“At this point, the only advice I can give you, Johan, is to increase your training.”
Tillis placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled.
At that moment, it felt as though something heavy was pressing down on me, and I squeezed my eyes shut at the sound of her voice ringing in my ears.
“But it’s hard to overcome the gap in talent.”
“……”
“If you want to grow stronger, there may come a time when you’ll have to abandon reason and use whatever means necessary. That ambush at the end was excellent… but your strength was lacking.”
Tillis’s special ability was “Charm”. It was an ability that made everything she said or did appear positive.
Truly, the devil’s whisper.
If I had been desperately seeking power, I would have naturally found myself listening.
“Is there something you wish for?”
“I have a dream.”
“Would you do anything to achieve that dream?”
“Maybe.”
I felt dizzy.
Having pushed my body to its limit, the soft words whispering in my ear now sounded almost sweet.
Even knowing what kind of person she was, it was hard to ignore her.
I steadied my breath and shook my head to cast off the charm.
“May the spirits bless someone like you, who has such a heartfelt dream.”
“……”
With those final words, Tillis removed her hand from my shoulder.
My entire body was drenched in sweat, and it felt unpleasant. A breeze brushed over me, sending a chill through my skin.
I couldn’t even tell whether what I was sweating was from exertion or cold fear.
Right now, I just wanted to rest.
***
“Sir Johan, are you alright?”
“Yes, well… I’m just a little tired. It’s been a while since I worked out, and it actually feels good.”
“Is that so?”
When I returned to my seat, the one who welcomed me most warmly was Ariel.
She had a subtle way of showing concern for others.
With both fists clenched in determination, Ariel cheered me on.
“Maybe I haven’t been seeing you clearly all this time. You’ve actually been working hard behind the scenes, haven’t you?”
“……”
Her head… was a flower garden—
No, let’s just say she was pure-hearted.
Still, it was a positive sign, wasn’t it? There was no need to ruin a compliment.
I simply remained silent.
Now she’d start making her own assumptions.
“Ah, Sir Johan. Will you be attending the next lecture as well?”
“No, I’ve got things I need to do.”
My objective had already been achieved.
I succeeded in getting Tillis to show interest in me, one way or another.
She probably believed she’d planted some kind of suggestion in my mind, so she’d be keeping an eye on my condition for a while.
See? Without any further effort on my part, I managed to keep Tillis nearby.
Sure, it was like inviting a crazy stalker into my life, but in the end, I had achieved my goal.
“Ah… right.”
Ariel trailed off as if she had just remembered that I was working on medicine to treat her.
I never noticed it before. Ariel was the type to be easily swept up by the mood.
She would probably be easy to scam someday.
When the time came, I’d have to make sure to give her some early education to prevent that.
With that thought in mind, I leaned back in my chair and rested in a relaxed posture until the lecture ended.
“Sir Johan. Where are you headed now?”
“Hmm. Today, I…”
Was she impressed by my efforts today? Ariel followed closely behind me as I left the lecture hall.
Normally, I would have headed straight back to the workshop, but it felt like I had drained more stamina than I expected.
Even if I went to the workshop now, my hands might be shaking too much. I could end up making a mistake.
I was still debating whether to just go back and rest or maybe wander around a bit to check on Tillis’s condition when—
“Ah.”
“Hello, big brother Johan.”
I ran into Emily in the hallway.
She was still stiff and awkward. She called me by that strange, uncomfortable title again.
Had she come looking for me?
For a moment, I thought so. But then I saw the person standing behind her and realized that wasn’t the case.
“Oho, if it isn’t Johan. As expected of a student of the Cradle. You seem to be maintaining the balance of both scholarly and martial pursuits.”
It seemed she had been moving around with Coran Lekias.
And since the dynamic between the two clearly leaned in Coran Lekias’s favor, it was unlikely that Emily had specifically come looking for me.
“Head Coran. Have you found Professor Georg?”
“He came back on his own at dawn. Were you worried, by any chance?”
“Yes, well… I suppose you could say that.”
“A thoughtful student who cares for his teacher. Professor Georg is lucky to have such good people around him.”
With that, my stock rose a little higher again.
“But, sir, what brings you all the way out here…?”
“Actually, I was considering letting Emily learn some self-defense. She can’t attend the Cradle’s official curriculum, but since this was an outside guest lecture, we received permission. However… judging by everyone coming out, it looks like the class is already over.”
I wondered if Coran Lekias realized that the person standing beside him could, within five seconds, turn every student here into ground meat.
Then again, if he did know, he probably wouldn’t have brought her here in the first place.
“The lectures tend to be short. Since Lady Tillis handles everything on her own, there’s no way they could run long.”
“I see. The Cradle students are highly skilled, so I imagine it’s physically demanding as well.”
Coran Lekias gave a slight nod, then let out a deep sigh.
“So that’s how it is. Emily.”
“Yes.”
Emily remained indifferent.
Or maybe she was secretly relieved that she wouldn’t have to deal with something troublesome.
“Then, Master, would it be alright if I stepped away for a bit?”
“Hmm? Do you have something to do?”
“Yes, something just came up.”
Emily stared straight at me.
Then, an utterly shocking statement came out of her mouth.
“I was thinking of going on a quick date with big brother Johan.”
“Uh… w-well, sure, go ahead.”
A date proposal, delivered as casually as saying she was stopping by a convenience store.
Caught off guard by the sudden announcement, Coran Lekias didn’t even manage his usual nagging and simply nodded.
“Sir Johan, did you two know each other?”
“We’ve just crossed paths briefly.”
“She said she wanted to go on a date.”
“Exactly. I’m surprised too.”
Ariel, who had been hovering nearby, unsure whether or not to interrupt, clearly hadn’t expected this sudden development either. She began tugging at my sleeve relentlessly and bombarding me with questions.
But honestly, the most bewildered person here was me.
Even a normal date proposal would have caught me off guard. But in this case, I even knew who the other party really was.
In every possible way, it was suffocating.
“If we don’t inform Sir Stan of this happy news quickly…”
Ariel muttered beside me. As if she were about to place an assassination request on me.
Stan Robinhood.
Like Ariel, one of Lobelia’s closest aides….and Emily’s brother.
Was she seriously planning to report his little sister’s dating status? To that crazy siscon freak?
If this got out, there was a good chance I’d end up as a corpse before long.
“…Please keep it a secret.”
“A secret relationship?! S-So that’s what this was? I see, if that’s the case…”
“No, it’s not. It’s probably just that she has something to discuss related to research.”
“Don’t worry, Sir Johan. I’m good at keeping secrets. I’ll take this one to the grave. Not that I have much time left before I get there anyway.”
It was suffocating dark humor.
And I couldn’t help but throw up my hands in the face of Emily’s sheer presence, which had turned the entire situation into a mess with just a single comment.
***
I took Emily to a nearby café for the time being.
She was the passive type. She might say she wanted to go on a date, but she clearly hadn’t planned anything at all.
Her sensibilities were different from the average person’s, so she was probably cautious herself.
She was an executive of Ex Machina, someone who viewed the world through a different lens than ordinary people. But she also wanted to live her life looking others in the eye.
That’s why, despite her being a key figure, I didn’t feel particularly on guard around her.
“Let’s talk over a drink first.”
Emily immediately began drinking the bubble tea I had bought for her.
Judging by the look on her face, she seemed to like it. Good.
As I watched her sip away without once taking her lips off the straw, I was just about to settle my nerves with a refreshing coffee of my own.
Then, Emily finally pulled her mouth away from the straw and said in a flat tone,
“Thanks, big brother Johan♡”
Even if a machine had printed out the same sentence, it would’ve felt more human than that.
She even tried to make a little heart with her fingers, as if that was her idea of being cute. But that just made it even scarier.
It was like… something pretending to be human.
Setting aside who or what Emily really was, the whole thing gave me chills, like a store mannequin suddenly talking to me.
“Wow. You’re no joke… seriously.”
You really are something else.
I seriously felt a wall go up between us.
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