I was curious about what kind of real-life battle Possell had prepared, but I had to warm up first.

 

I started running with my mace and shield as usual.

 

Almost three weeks have passed since I started my physical training.

 

Recently, I felt that my physical strength growth has been slowing down.

 

I must have reached the limit of level 0.

 

Since Soul Academy’s abilities, like proficiency, have a certain limit for each level.

 

In order to become stronger, I needed to level up.

 

I now have about two months left.

 

Considering how much I could train and increase my abilities during that time, I would probably want to reach level 10 at Evans’ dungeon.

 

But how would I know that I had leveled up in this world without a status window?

 

…

 

Hmm.

 

This is difficult.

 

In order to be most efficient in Soul Academy, I needed to adjust my level up to some extent.

 

Just getting a high level isn’t a good thing.

 

But right now, I can’t even level up because I’m not hunting monsters.

 

This can’t be happening.

 

If this happens, I’ll have to give up on many events!

 

That’s difficult.

 

In a situation where it’s unclear whether I’ll be able to return to the world I used to live in, I have to take everything I can.

 

Isn’t there a way?

 

Even if I can’t see the status window, I have to find out my level.

 

While I was pondering over a serious problem, a pair of footsteps followed me from behind.

 

“Miss Lucy, it’s been a while.”

 

“Hello, sloppy.”

 

Karl laughed even after hearing the word sloppy.

 

I was embarrassed by the reaction that seemed to be pleased with being called sloppy.

 

I understand that you swore to be a loyal knight from now on, but that doesn’t mean you should be happy to be called sloppy.

 

Are you going to become a masochist from now on?

 

“You’re going into the dungeon tomorrow. Have you practiced combat a lot?”

 

“Of course. I’ve grown a lot.”

 

“Ha, of course. You have grown more than I could ever imagine.”

 

There’s a saying that goes,

 

“If it doesn’t work out, keep going until it does.”

 

Possell made the words come true semi-forcibly.

 

How hard it was because of Possell’s mindset that if you’re not good at fighting, you should just roll around in the dirt until you get good at it.

 

Thanks to that, I was able to become a completely different person compared to a week ago, but I wasn’t grateful.

 

Every single day was really horrible.

 

It was the first time I felt happy during Harne’s class.

 

“I see, then I’ll look forward to entering the dungeon.”

 

Karl said that and started running forward alone.

 

How can he be so stable in his breathing while carrying that heavy thing and running faster than me?

 

That guy is a real monster.

 

How long will it take me to get to that level?

 

I don’t know.

 

This wasn’t a game, this was reality.

 

After meeting the quota for running, I headed to the training grounds and saw Possell standing next to the mobile cage.

 

Was that the real thing he prepared for?

 

What’s in there?

 

Did he catch a monster?

 

“You came quickly, miss.”

 

“So, what’s the test?”

 

“It’s a secret.”

 

Huh?

 

Anyway, I’ll find out once I look inside, so what’s the secret?

 

When I opened my eyes, Possell snickered.

 

You’re going to play a joke, right?

 

Got it.

 

I’ll play along.

 

‘You’re as sneaky as you look.’

 

“Idiot Possell, you’re as sneaky as you look”

 

“Miss, what does ‘you look’ mean?”

 

“You look like a pervert… I mean you look like a creep”

 

“A pervert!”

 

When I actively used the Mesugaki skill to taunt, Possell’s face turned red and blushed.

 

Over the past few days, I’ve learned something about the Mesugaki skill while sparring with Possell.

 

The Mesugaki skill’s provocation effect increases the less help it receives from the Mesugaki skill.

 

In other words, the more I talk like Mesugaki, the better my provocation becomes.

 

Now, I’ve stopped at the point of being annoying because I still have a conscience, but if you speak and act like a real Mesugaki, Possell will get angry.

 

Of course, I’ve never provoked him more than that.

 

When Karl exploded, I felt my life was in danger, but if Possell exploded.

 

Who can stop this big guy?

 

I don’t want to die yet.

 

Possell, who had shouted once, coughed a few times as if he realized that he had been rude to me and changed his words.

 

“I was joking, take a look inside.”

 

Possell led me and stood me in front of the iron bars.

 

The inside of the iron bars smelled like wild animals.

 

The protruding fangs and the sticky saliva flowing down them.

 

The eyes were clearly excited, and the skin looked much thicker than a human.

 

It was my first time seeing it with my own eyes, but I knew what it was as soon as I saw it.

 

The thing tied up with rope inside the iron bars was definitely an Orc.

 

The moment my eyes met the Orc’s, I took a step back without realizing it.

 

The raw murderous intent I felt from the beast sent a chill down my spine.

 

“It’s an Orc.I caught one of the ones living in the nearby forest. This is the actual battle I’m giving you before we go on an expedition. Take down this Orc.”

 

This?

 

Me?

 

I blinked and looked at the orc inside the iron cage.

 

It was completely different from what I saw on the monitor.

 

When I met Orcs in the game, I thought of them as nothing more than trash.

 

I used them to gain experience points in the beginning, but later I considered them to be annoying enemies to even meet.

 

However, reality was different.

 

That Orc was a living, breathing being.

 

It was a beast ready to destroy everything for its own survival the moment the restraints were released.

 

“Miss Lucy.”

 

I shivered at the sound of Possell calling me.

 

“What.”

 

“Don’t be nervous. I’m here. No matter what happens, you won’t get hurt.”

 

Nervous?

 

I was nervous.

 

After hearing Possell’s words, I realized that fact and laughed without realizing it.

 

Ha.

 

Nervous while dealing with an Orc.

 

There really is no answer.

 

I have to play Soul Academy with this body, so what am I going to do if I am scared of Orcs?

 

That guy is just a beginner mob.

 

From now on, I will have to face countless more threatening opponents than that guy.

 

I patted my cheek with both hands and looked up at Possell.

 

“I am ready!”

 

“I understand that you are mentally prepared, but first, put this on.”

 

Possell picked up what he had left next to the iron bars.

 

It was an armour made of iron.

 

It was not the size that ordinary knights would wear, and it was clearly small armour that was made to fit my body.

 

“It is a gift. I prepared it for you, young lady.”

 

“When did you make it?”

 

“Didn’t your maid measure you a while ago?”

 

Yes.

 

I remember it was the day after I started sparring with Possell.

 

The maid came with a tape measure saying that she needed to measure me.

 

I had just accepted without thinking much about it, but was it to make this armour?

 

“Please don’t scold me too much. I gave it as a present.”

 

When my expression cooled slightly, Possell defended himself in embarrassment.

 

Don’t worry.

 

I don’t plan on scolding you too much.

 

I just thought you might be a little more mischievous than usual.

 

When I smiled silently, Possell gave a bitter smile.

 

“I’ll teach you how to wear the armour. When you’re at the mansion, someone else will put it on you, but when you enter the academy, you’ll have to wear it yourself.”

 

The armour made to fit my body was heavier than I thought.

 

If it had been Lucy when she first possessed me, she would have collapsed on the floor just by putting on this armour.

 

But not now.

 

Having trained desperately for so long, I didn’t collapse under the weight of this armour.

 

Rather, I just thought the moderate weight that covered my body felt good.

 

“How is it? Does it fit well?”

 

After hearing Possell’s question, I moved my body around.

 

I tried walking, running lightly, and even moving my shield and mace.

 

It was okay.

 

It was comfortable.

 

“It’s not bad.”

 

“That’s good. It’s worth leaving it to a skilled blacksmith.”

 

In the game, armour is automatically adjusted to your body when you wear it, but that’s not the case in this world.

 

Wait a minute.

 

Then what happens when you acquire armour items?

 

Do you have to go to a blacksmith’s shop to reforge them?

 

But armours like mithril or orichalcum can’t be reforged at a regular blacksmith’s shop, right?

 

I’ll have to think about that too.

 

“How about putting it on? Do you have a rough idea of what to do?”

 

“No. I have no idea.”

 

‘No’ was a bit of an exaggeration, but it was true that it was confusing.

 

If the method of equipping armour was this complicated.

 

There was a reason medieval knights carried squires around.

 

It seems impossible to do it alone.

 

“Haha. That’s normal, young lady. The method of putting on armour is so complicated. Let’s keep practicing until we enter the academy.”

 

“I should do that.”

 

I was fully armoured, holding my shield and mace, and stood in front of the iron bars.

 

“Are you ready?”

 

When I nodded, Possell opened the iron bars with an unexpectedly serious expression.

 

As soon as the iron bars opened, the Orc trapped inside got up and ran forward, but Possell blocked him.

 

“Stop.”

 

After that, when he firmly spoke, the Orc stopped moving and flinched back.

 

That must be an intimidation skill, right?

 

A skill that scares monsters that are a certain level lower than you and makes them run away.

 

A skill that you acquire when you’re high level to avoid fighting trash mobs.

 

You have to be in the later stages of the game to master that skill, but how strong is Possell?

 

The Orc, overwhelmed by Possell, stood there trembling, unable to move.

 

Possell watched him, untied the rope tied around the Orc’s arms, and stepped back.

 

“Lady. Now, when I give the signal, the Orc will rush at you.”

 

“I understand.”

 

The hand holding the mace tightened.

 

Possell said to take that Orc down.

 

That means to end that Orc’s life with my own hands.

 

Does he think I can do it?

 

I don’t know.

 

I’ve never killed anything in my entire life.

 

The worst I’ve ever done was twisting a chicken’s neck with my own hands in some remote village.

 

Even that was so disgusting that I didn’t touch a chicken for about a year after that.

 

Of course, I’ve never hunted before.

 

To me, the word hunting meant nothing more than watching Bear Grylls on X-Tube and thinking how amazing it was.

 

Could I, who was like that, break that Orc’s head?

 

“I’ll count down from three. Three.”

 

Possell didn’t give me time to hesitate.

 

“Two.”

 

Can I?

 

No, that’s not it.

 

I have to do it.

 

It’s something I’ll have to do again and again.

 

“One.”

 

This is just the beginning.

 

I took a deep breath and braced my shield.

 

“Let’s begin.”