“Strange. She’s colder than I expected.”
Awen murmured those words.
Her blonde hair was tucked into a detective-style hat, and she was even wearing sunglasses. A makeshift disguise, in her own way.
“Awen… why did you even drag me into this…”
“Just stay quiet, brother.”
Something felt off. Camilla’s dilemma definitely seemed like it had to do with romantic feelings.
But her current reaction looked more like she was growling quietly at the person in front of her.
“Is that the guy?”
“Yeah. For now.”
“No matter how you look at it, she doesn’t seem like someone in love.”
“…I think the same.”
At his sister’s careless comment, Aaron let out a low sigh.
He had hoped he was wrong, but just as he suspected…this was another one of Awen’s misunderstandings.
How did things end up like this, Awen?
Something changed in her after puberty.
She used to be the sword-obsessed girl.
Awen Damir, once even called the Sword Fiend of House Damir, now acted like her entire brain was filled with the word romance.
“I always thought it didn’t make sense for the eldest daughter of the Bliss family to be interested in men, Awen…”
“Huh? But Camilla’s still a girl her age….it’s normal to be interested, right?”
“Have you forgotten already, Awen? Back in first year, Camilla—”
“Huh? Did something happen?”
She answered without even looking his way, making Aaron frown slightly.
Don’t tell me she didn’t know.
“Honestly, I don’t really know. I was practically at the bottom of the class in first year. I only became Camilla’s roommate last winter. That’s when the Knight Department students moved dorms.”
“The eldest daughter of House Bliss was a transfer from outside the capital. For her to reach this level of respect…”
“Hmm. Oh? Camilla’s leaving!”
She wasn’t listening at all. Aaron rubbed his forehead and gave his sister a warning.
“Awen… seriously…”
“Come on, let’s follow her!”
Of course, there was no way Awen would listen.
She even set down her fork mid-bite and jumped up in a hurry.
Wasn’t she making too much of a scene? It felt like they’d already been found out. Judging by the reaction over there, it looked like they had.
I should apologize later.
Aaron Damir.
Known for being rigid and inflexible, with rumors even saying he disliked women… but when it came to Awen, he had no chance of winning.
Not because he found his little sister cute.
But because when someone is out of their mind, no amount of reasoning will get through to them.
In some ways, Awen Damir might still be the strongest of all the Damir children.
Awen hurried outside, hunching over and pulling up her collar. She was trying to hide her face while tracking the pair who had just disappeared.
“There! If they’re heading that way… maybe the cake shop?”
“They’re just passing by. Doesn’t look like it…”
“Oh! Then maybe the theater troupe? That guy’s got some moves…trying to create common ground!”
“…A play for a first date? Regardless of taste, they’re heading somewhere else.”
“Hmm…? Th-Then… Ah! Look, over there, big brother. They’re heading into an inn alley… in broad daylight? Seriously?!”
“Awen. A lady shouldn’t say things like that.”
“Then what?! It’s not like they’re going there to take a dump, right? Unless it’s someth—mph?!”
“…Awen!!”
Camilla Bliss. And the handsome young man with ash-gray hair.
At last, the two arrived at a place completely contrary to Awen’s expectations.
“…Huh?”
Awen, who had been eagerly following them in high spirits, found herself stunned by their unexpected destination.
Aaron followed her gaze.
At the end of their line of sight….it was there.
A small, old training hall.
“…A private training ground?”
***
A signboard read: “Dirgin Training Hall.”
Maybe it had once been popular.
Though old, the interior still looked decent, and the calligraphy on the sign was skillfully written.
Now, however, only traces of its former glory remained.
The signboard was crooked, the training hall’s roof had mostly peeled off, and even the mailbox was falling apart.
It seemed like not only were there no customers. There weren’t even any signs of people.
And in the center of that deserted space—
“Draw your sword.”
“…You’re really going this far, huh?”
Camilla’s eyes burned with a blue aura, as if ignited by fury.
And I stood across from her, staring right back.
“Are you mad? That’s rich. I don’t get why you’re the one angry right now.”
“That’s what I want to say. I’ll admit there were problems with how I contacted you. But trampling on someone’s sincerity like that…what about that?”
“Sincerity? Don’t you mean manipulation? It was offensive.”
In short, Camilla and I were fighting.
And it had all started from something minor.
I had suggested we still go to the restaurant I had reserved, figuring it’d be a waste otherwise, and Camilla agreed, saying she’d at least listen to what I had to say.
But after we left the place and began walking together…
Camilla clearly showed she didn’t want to be near me.
She even wrinkled her nose in disgust when we passed the dessert shop we used to visit back when I was still Adel.
A face full of scorn.
So then, was she only staying quiet before because I was her younger brother? Why didn’t she say anything?
Caught up in those tangled thoughts, we ended up scrapping the dessert shop.
With the plan now derailed, we were wandering aimlessly, and at some point, I had tried to switch places with Camilla as we walked.
It was a habit, really.
A mannerism of stepping to the roadside so the woman wouldn’t have to walk closer to the street.
I’d moved instinctively, seeing a carriage pass nearby…
But as I stepped closer to her, Camilla immediately became extremely wary.
She made it very clear, “Don’t come near me.”
What, am I some kind of filthy thing to her?
It’s hard not to get irritated when someone rejects you that harshly.
Still, it was fine up to that point. I couldn’t let all my efforts so far go to waste.
The real problem came near the theater.
“You must be the one who made the reservation, Mr. Adel, correct?”
“Ah, yes.”
“…Adel…?”
I’d completely forgotten. The reservation was still under the name Adel. And Camilla had heard it.
The very next moment, her expression went cold.
What is this? From earlier until now… has she been mocking me?
I tried to deny it quickly, but it was no use.
One thing led to another, we started arguing. And before I knew it, we’d ended up here.
“I had my suspicions from the beginning, but I didn’t think you’d go this far. My brother was right to warn me about Harunsdel.”
That hit a nerve.
Sure, I was the one who told her to be careful of Harunsdel. But today, I hadn’t done anything.
“What methods? Have I done anything disrespectful to you today?”
“You’re pretending not to know? That shamelessness is unbelievable.”
“What? Pretending not to know what? I even asked you to speak up if anything bothered you, and you kept quiet.”
“…It’s obvious you were trying to win me over with cheap tricks. Was reserving under my dead brother’s name supposed to stir my emotions? Did you think if you gave off the same scent, I’d lean on you?”
“What? Not at all. It’s just a coincidence…we happened to have the same name…”
Camilla gave a scoffing smile.
The sneer on that beautiful face… it made my heart sink.
“How strange. The card you gave me clearly said aide ‘Dellan’. And now it’s just a coincidence?”
“……”
“Your act is so sloppy it’s almost laughable.”
I had nothing to say.
Seriously, that damn Menemen bastard. Useless as ever.
Sure, I was the one who told him to use that name…but still, I’m pissed.
Maybe I should just kill him. After all, I was a player once.
With the right runes and drugs, it wouldn’t be impossible…
“Draw your sword.”
“…Ah. Fine. I will.”
I know I’m pushing it a bit.
But for some reason, whenever I’m standing in front of Camilla, I just can’t keep my emotions in check.
Screw it. Whatever.
I know in my head that the right move is to calm things down and try to win her over…
But I just can’t bring myself to do it.
“Your stance is sloppy. Are you really the one from that record?”
“Haha. And if I’m not, what then? Gonna call it off now?”
“…You really know how to pick the most irritating things to say.”
At this point, I’m going all out.
The kind old man at the gym lent us blunt practice swords, so it’s not like our lives are in danger.
Crackle—
◆ [Shape Transformation] activated.
◆ Partial Manifestation (30%) – [Rage Demon]
◆ [Total Magical Structure Analysis] activated.
◆ High-rank Magical Tool – [Leviathan] is now on standby!
◆ Available Mana: [25,590 (+10,000)]
◆ Blood flow accelerating.
My vision started to turn red, and iron plating grew over my right hand.
The practice sword that felt a little unbalanced before now felt as light as plastic. It didn’t matter anymore.
“Enough talk. Bring it on, Camilla. I’ll just overwhelm you with raw skill.”
***
“Camilla?”
Arriving at the gym, Awen let out a small gasp.
Even from a distance, the sharp tone of voices echoing from the empty interior was unmistakable to her.
“…Looks like they’re really going to fight. We need to stop them, oppabrother.”
“Hmm…”
Aaron let out a low hum as well.
And then, right before his eyes, the battle began.
“Trying to stop them would be useless. Both of them are way too emotionally charged right now.”
“…I’ve never seen Camilla that on edge before.”
“Me neither.”
Aaron silently watched the clash of their swords.
He was, after all, a third-year in the Knight Department. With that level of training, he could read the intentions behind each movement in their swordplay.
“…I never thought the Ice Princess Camilla would swing a sword with that much emotion.”
“Ice Princess?”
“…Yeah, long story. She used to be called that among the third-years.”
Dodging the slip of the tongue with a vague excuse, Aaron turned his focus back to their duel.
Still… something about that guy’s fighting style feels familiar. But… it must be my imagination.
The only one who ever learned that style from Adel… was Adel himself. And he was dead. So it had to be a coincidence.
Claaaaang—!
The clash of metal echoed through the gym.
And from the center of the explosion, a figure was thrown back, skidding across the floor.
Aaron focused his mana on the figure. It was Camilla Bliss.
…That opponent must be quite skilled too.
Still, both were swinging their swords with emotion.
There were clear openings to go for the body, yet they chose to clash blades instead…as if trying to knock the swords out of each other’s hands.
At least they’re not trying to kill each other… But why is Camilla so shaken?
What came to Aaron’s mind was the Camilla from their first year.
Not the composed and commanding presence she had now, but the one who used to radiate a cold, deadly aura.
I thought she’d improved a lot since those days… Ah.
Could it be… that Adel’s death had brought her back?
Back to that version of herself.
Back to the Ice Camilla who had once mercilessly crushed a senior during an interdepartmental exchange.
***
…Don’t come any closer…
Camilla forcibly pulled the blood rushing to her face down using mana.
This person is a stranger. He’s not Adel.
But he looked too much like him.
The familiar scent. The way he moved, the way he spoke.
Everything reminded her of Adel.
He approached me pretending to be Adel. Camilla, get a grip.
He must’ve pulled this stunt knowing Adel was dead.
The man standing in front of her was clearly awful.
“Is this all you’ve got? What happened to the skilled fighter who used to control the record down to the smallest detail to win?”
“…Are you trying to provoke me? It’s not even funny.”
“……”
Her younger brother was at the Tower, learning magic…or so she’d been told.
So the man in front of her had to be someone else.
And yet, why?
The way his lips moved, his gaze, his gestures, his scent…even his breathing patterns.
…Is it even possible for someone to be this identical?
She’d been furious when she first heard the name “Adel” from him.
Because she realized he was using her brother’s image.
She had rejected him before, too. It was because she didn’t want new memories overwriting the ones she had of that precious place. That was who Camilla was.
…I’m overthinking it. What matters now is that he insulted Adel!
She clenched her teeth and forced herself to focus.
An indomitable will that had never faded, not even before the Great Demon, was now being used for something as trivial as silencing stray thoughts.
But then, it happened.
Claaaang—
The moment their swords clashed.
Just for an instant, their hands brushed as they gripped their hilts.
“..…?”
Her eyes widened at a sudden, unmistakable sensation.
…Magic Disabled?
She didn’t know why, but that was the thought that flashed through her mind.
For a brief moment, she could clearly sense the mana flow within his body.
“……”
She swung her sword, aiming a feint at his forehead.
“Kh!”
And just as he successfully dodged—
…A horn.
Through the strands of his slightly lifted hair, she saw it.
A trace. Like a horn was about to sprout at any moment.
That was when it all changed.
The moment Camilla’s gaze shifted.
…You…
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