Yoon Si-woo was absentmindedly reminiscing about what had occurred during lunch break.

To be honest, he originally followed Captain Martina simply because he thought it would be nice to at least catch a glimpse of Scarlet’s face.

However, not long ago, after attending a matchmaking event with the help of his friend Marin, something unexpected happened.

“I’m not thinking of just waiting here after coming all this way, right? I’ll create an opportunity for you to talk one-on-one with Scarlet, so hurry up and eat!”

His friend was offering him a chance to be alone with the girl he liked.

Feeling embarrassed at receiving encouragement like that for the first time, he couldn’t bring himself to turn down such an opportunity, even if it meant being the subject of jealousy.

“Si-woo, what are you zoning out for? Aren’t they calling for you in front?”

When the two who had set the stage for him left, leaving him alone with Scarlet, he didn’t have many expectations.

He simply wished to talk with her and spend some time together.

“There was a really tough class not long ago… During that time, I kept thinking of you.”

Was it because of that?

The moment he heard her say that, he felt as though his heart had stopped.

His heart raced crazily, making it feel almost like it wasn’t beating at all.

“Yoon Si-woo, thank you. I was able to push through because of you.”

She said it.

Thank you, and that it was because of him that she was able to keep going.

“Si-woo, can’t you hear me? They are calling for you up front!”

He had always dreamed of this.

He had wished to become someone a girl could trust and rely on, and had continually worked hard toward that goal.

However, he often said it was no big deal and that he did it because he wanted to, but honestly, there were times it was quite hard.

There were moments he struggled with the pressure of meeting people’s expectations and doubted whether what he was doing was truly the best choice.

“So, you should also keep your chin up. I believe in you more than anyone else in this world.”

Thus, her acknowledgement of that was, in itself, a reward.

With those words and the smile she gave him, he could forget all the hardships he had endured until now.

A single drop of rain found in the desert wouldn’t provide him with as much sweetness and happiness, he thought.

He could never have imagined he would hear such words, to the point where he was confused, wondering if he was dreaming.

But her voice, which the Holy Sword of Truth continuously reminded him of, made him realize that this was reality.

She truly said she believed in him more than anyone else in this world.

He was just too happy about it—

“Si-woo!!!!!”

Lucy’s shout startled him back to reality.

Curious about what was happening, he glanced around and saw the children staring at him with puzzled expressions. He cautiously asked Lucy.

“Um, Lucy? Is something going on?”

Lucy replied in a voice that conveyed immense disappointment.

“…Hah, just now your superior called for you. She said to come forward.”

True to her words, he saw Martina crossing her arms, waiting and looking this way.

Before it got any later, he got up from his seat and approached the front, where Martina muttered with a slightly dissatisfied expression.

“…Yoon Si-woo. Even though you’re just here to assist in class, you shouldn’t be so lost in thought.”

“…I’m sorry, Captain.”

Apologizing for Martina’s critique, Si-woo sulkily complained to Lucy in embarrassment.

“Couldn’t you have called me just a little earlier…?”

“Didn’t you ignore me even after I called you several times? Being so distracted by a girl… You’re pathetic.”

Of course, he received only more ridicule, having failed to even get his money’s worth.

However, while he was acknowledging his mistake and apologizing quietly to Lucy, he heard Martina’s voice.

“Anyway, Yoon Si-woo, it’s a sparring match with this student here. Make sure to control your strength, but let it be as realistic as possible for experience. Got it?”

At those words, he looked at the student standing next to Martina and felt his face turn red.

The girl with the red hair, whom he had been thinking of just moments ago, was staring at him intently.

Just making eye contact made his heart feel like it would burst. And now he was being asked to spar with her?

Momentarily flustered, he realized he had no choice but to go through with it.

There was no way he could say to his superior, “Captain, I find it hard to spar with her because my heart races so!”

So he nodded his head, but suddenly he began to feel worried.

He had a bad memory associated with sparring her.

During an incident in the past, her hand had become covered in blood during their training, and just as he hesitated over these memories, Martina grinned and said.

“The teacher Eve will be here to help, so you don’t have to worry about getting hurt. Let’s have a proper fight.”

That eased his worries.

This time, unlike when he had sparred in the reality where accidents could happen, it seemed like nothing bad would occur.

Of course, even if it was in a fantasy, the pain still felt real, but he thought that if he adjusted properly, he could ensure she wouldn’t get hurt.

Thinking of that, he looked at Scarlet, who was giving him a slight smile and bowing her head in his direction.

“Sparring, I look forward to it.”

“…Yeah.”

Honestly, he thought maybe he should be more worried about whether his heart would handle this rather than the spar itself.

Standing opposite Scarlet, Yoon Si-woo glanced around.

Since only the two of them were within the magic circle, the surroundings were quiet.

Though they would be watched on a screen from outside, with just the two of them alone, he struggled to calm his racing heart as Scarlet readied herself and spoke.

“This time will be different from last time. I’ve been practicing hard.”

He had never seen her speak with such confidence, and it felt new.

But what he needed to focus on right now was sparring, not reminiscence.

Inwardly muttering to his heart to not act up, he pulled his sword from thin air.

As he gripped the sword, his wildly beating heart calmed down, and the tremor subsided.

Finally, he looked at her not as the girl he liked but as a sparring opponent and opened his mouth.

“Feel free to go all out; it’s okay to give it your all.”

This wasn’t a boastful remark.

Even though Scarlet had grown strong, he was still quite powerful compared to other heroes.

She surely knew that fact, which is why she silently raised her spirit.

Through his enhanced senses bestowed by the Holy Sword, various information flowed to him about his opponent before him.

Normal people would get nervous facing someone stronger than themselves, but she was different.

Her eyes, breathing, and aura told him.

She was going to come at him with everything she had from this moment on.

In response to that aura, he set a stance and pointed his sword tip toward her.

Their gazes met and,

In the next moment, just as promised, they both dashed towards each other simultaneously.

The attack commenced, and as she attempted to deflect the side of his sword with her fist, he retracted his weapon and swung with another sword to exploit the opening.

If it were previous times, this strike would have decided the winner.

However, she didn’t take her eyes off the sword, reacting to the attack and successfully evading by leaning slightly backward.

She had clearly improved.

With that in mind, he gave her a slight smile, and she responded as if she was aware of it, curving the edges of her mouth into a grin.

Swinging his sword as a compliment, she deftly avoided it once again.

As their exchange continued, he could definitely feel her progress.

Although he was going easy on her, how many students could react to his attacks like this?

He was smiling while watching Scarlet narrowly and definitely evade his strikes when she took a step forward and closed the distance.

He defended against her punch wrapped in flames with his sword.

Immediately after blocking, she released her sword from her hand and leaped back to put some distance between them.

He was using a sword, while Scarlet was using her bare hands.

If even a slight gap formed, it would be overwhelmingly disadvantageous to her.

As he wondered how she would deal with that, she smiled and extended her left arm forward.

From the palm of her prosthetic hand, a dazzling red light shimmered.

The condensed flames shot forth, engulfing their surroundings.

“Wow… you really have gotten strong.”

After the flames swept by, Yoon Si-woo walked out, releasing the protection he had created with the Holy Sword of the Guardian.

Mumbling in admiration, Scarlet on the other side responded with a beaming smile.

“I told you, I’ve been working hard. I want to fight alongside you one day, to be strong enough to help you.”

Those words had caught him completely off guard.

He never imagined she had those thoughts.

Yoon Si-woo envisioned a scene where she fought alongside him.

He didn’t want her to get involved in dangerous battles.

But how could he feel displeased that she wanted to become strong enough to help him, wanting to fight by his side?

If that day ever came, he would simply protect her so she wouldn’t be in danger.

To be honest, just hearing those words made him so happy he was at a loss.

Initially hesitant, he now felt grateful they were sparring.

In the midst of suppressing a smile that was threatening to break free, he heard Scarlet’s voice.

“But I really don’t think I’ll ever be as strong as you. Just now, my attack was meant to be my best shot.”

She brushed her hand over her body, which bore no scratches at all.

At that, he thought, oh no.

Fearing she might feel self-conscious, he was about to tell her she was strong enough, but then she murmured.

“I’m really glad. That you’re strong enough that even if I exert all my strength, I can’t win against you.”

The way she said it, she smiled with a truly satisfied expression.

As she slowly nodded while looking straight into his eyes, she opened her mouth.

“From now on, don’t hold back. Let’s truly treat this like we would a real fight.”

Immediately after those words, Scarlet charged towards him.

Towards his sudden advance, he swung his sword first as he had done earlier, using the distance between them to gain the upper hand.

Either she would have to evade or counterattack.

But her response was completely different from before.

Without defending or dodging.

With relentless speed, she ran right at him.

“Ugh…!”

At this rate, at least one of her arms would get severed, so he retracted his sword and brought forth the Guardian’s Holy Sword to block her attack.

Her flame-wrapped fist collided with his barrier, creating a tremendous sound.

Using the recoil, he launched himself back, yelling at her as she engaged in her perilous act.

“What are you doing…!”

“I said we’d treat this like a real fight.”

Scarlet replied in a calm voice.

Then, with a quizzical look, she tilted her head, asking him.

“Are you really going to hesitate or hold back in a real fight because you’re worried I’ll get hurt?”

“What on earth are you…”

“You can’t do that.”

Muttering those words, she lunged at him once more.

As he blocked her attack with a resounding clash, she looked directly at him at close range and stated.

“In a real fight, you can’t hesitate or pause.”

Swinging her fist once more, she murmured.

Her eyes, her breathing, her spirit told him.

If he only defended, he wouldn’t be able to keep up with her.

“That’s not a way to survive.”

As Scarlet closed in, he found himself bewildered, not understanding why she was acting so strangely.

Just when he was confused, she came close enough to whisper softly, barely audible to only him.

“You remember our promise, right?”

At those words, his heart sank.

The promise he had made with her once flickered across his mind.

And then, with a loud crash, an impact occurred against his protective barrier.

He withstood the series of attacks.

Defense, defense, defense.

But she continued undeterred.

She didn’t stop and kept charging at him, as if demanding something of him.

He realized what it was she sought from him.

But there was no way he could do that—

As this thought crossed his mind, she murmured in a sorrowful voice.

“I’m trying to keep my promise. Won’t you do the same?”

The conversation they had during lunch time came flooding back to him.

Her words, about how she was striving with all her might to be happy while keeping her promise to him.

And simultaneously, he heard Scarlet’s murmur.

“I dislike people who make unkeepable promises.”

He gritted his teeth.

Then, withdrawing his shield, he swung his sword directly ahead.

With a “pop”, blood spurted from the spot met by the blade.

Yet Scarlet merely smiled, her eyes crescent-shaped, as if satisfied.

“Yeah, just like that. But it’s not enough.”

Scarlet charged forward.

He swung his sword to halt her.

Blood burst forth from his arm.

But he didn’t stop.

“More.”

He swung his sword again.

As her legs were cut, she staggered but didn’t stop.

“More.”

The girl with the red hair approached him, her entire body dyed in red.

His hands trembled.

No, was it he who was trembling?

She stepped closer, her voice a whisper.

“If it’s too hard, let’s practice. I’ll show you how.”

One step closer.

Pointing to his own heart, the core of life.

“Just stab here. If you do, it will stop.”

One further step.

She grasped his trembling hand.

With the sword in his hand, aiming at his own heart.

“Can you do it?”

The last step.

The sword she guided pierced through, echoing in his ear.

Thud.

A sensation of piercing something.

The feeling of someone’s heartbeat gradually ceasing.

Something warm and red, like a girl, flowed down his hand.

Yoon Si-woo stared absently at his blood-stained hands, then lifted his gaze to her.

Toward him, the girl whispered.

Beaming brightly.

“Indeed, you are a reliable person.”