As the identity of the boy Mezzlen had fallen for remained unclear, my life continued as usual, including my magic swordsmanship classes with Ethan. After a week of rest following our return from the dungeon, I was feeling in good shape. Unfortunately, so was my sparring opponent.

The only issue: my opponent was in just as good shape as I was.

The moment the bell rang, Natalie, one of the Four Elite of the swordsmanship division, came at me with rapid, precise thrusts of her rapier. She might not have been able to use magic like I could, but her swordsmanship was on an entirely different level.

“-Whoosh! Whizz! Whoosh!”

"Aaah! Agh! Ugh!!"

I was barely managing to dodge Natalie’s relentless strikes, each one aiming for a fatal blow. She was clearly still frustrated by the one victory I had eked out against her two weeks ago, when she wasn’t at her best. Now, both of us were at full strength, but even then, I knew there was no way I could match her skill head-on.

“Where’s the fighting spirit you showed two weeks ago, Lilith?! Are you just going to keep dodging forever?!”

Is she seriously still bitter about losing that one match?

Her eyes were full of fierce determination, far more than usual. Natalie was clearly taking our sparring session very personally. I couldn't help but think that maybe I should have gone easier on her last time. I mean, after losing 99 out of 100 matches, isn’t it fair that I got to enjoy at least one win?

As her strikes came closer and closer, it finally hit me—this was getting really annoying. Here I was, putting in the effort to keep up with Ethan in swordsmanship classes, and I had to deal with Natalie’s over-the-top competitiveness on top of it all.

Why is this even happening? I'm in the magic department, not the swordsmanship division!

While I was pondering how unfair my situation was, I suddenly saw something strange—a clear trajectory of Natalie’s next attack, as if drawn in the air right in front of me.

What’s this...?

It was a perfectly aimed strike heading for my right shoulder. My eyes had never been able to keep up with Natalie’s movements before, but now, in this one fleeting moment, I could see it clearly.

I have to deflect it!

Without thinking, I raised my left-hand dagger to block the trajectory I saw. My blade met hers just before it would have skewered me.

“Clang!”

“...!!”

“Hmph.”

Natalie’s eyes widened in shock. She clearly hadn’t expected me to block such a precise strike. I didn’t understand how I’d done it, but I knew one thing: this was my chance.

I followed through, launching my right-hand dagger directly at her, aiming for her chest. It wasn’t a tactic I used often, but this situation called for something different. Natalie was too fast and skilled for me to win by normal means, so I had to force an opening.

“Ching!”

“Ah, damn...!”

Natalie blocked my first attack, but my left-hand dagger was already making its way toward her side, the real target. She didn’t have time to react.

“Clang! Clatter!”

Her training shield shattered, signaling the end of our match.

“Hah... hah... hah...”

I had won. Against Natalie, the main heroine of the swordsmanship division, I, a student of the magic department, had claimed a victory. It was a clean win.

“Well fought.”

“Hah... y-yes, well... fought...”

Natalie, looking displeased, offered her hand, which I shook while still catching my breath. I may have been victorious, but I was definitely more exhausted than she was. Still, a win was a win.

Ouch!

"Ah! Ngh?!"

“I won’t lose again in our next match.”

"Y-Yes...”

Natalie squeezed my hand painfully hard before walking away. Her normally cheerful demeanor was replaced by a cold, steely gaze. Losing to me twice—once during our spar two weeks ago, and now again—clearly didn’t sit well with her.

Great... she’s going to come at me even harder next time.

Still, despite the impending doom of a future rematch, I couldn’t help but feel proud. Winning against Natalie twice in a row wasn’t something to be taken lightly. If I had a recording of this moment, I’d probably save it as my greatest accomplishment.

“Lilith, you.”

"...Yes?”

My brief moment of celebration was abruptly interrupted.

“Meet me in the training grounds after dinner tonight. We need to have a private conversation.”

“...Excuse me?”

“I’ll let Ethan know. Make sure you’re there.”

"....."

Wait, why me?

After dinner, I found myself standing in the swordsmanship training grounds, confused and already tired from my earlier match. I had no idea why Harold had summoned me here. What could he possibly want to discuss?

I approached cautiously, spotting Harold waiting with his sword in hand, just like during class.

“You’ve come, Lilith.”

“Yes... Harold... Professor...”

It was hard to decide what to call him in this context. Should I address him as “Professor” since we were at the academy, or “Master” because of my other relationship with him? It didn’t seem like Harold cared either way.

“You showed good form in your duel with Natalie today.”

"...Thank you?”

“Draw your sword. Show me the same spirit you displayed in that match.”

"...Excuse me??”

“Pick up your weapon. Now.”

Wait, what?

I hesitated, trying to figure out what was going on. Was he really asking me to spar with him without any explanation? The situation seemed completely absurd.

“Professor Harold, I don’t understand why—”

“If you won’t pick up your sword, I’ll come to you. If you want to live, stop talking and start fighting.”

“Wha—?!”

Before I could process what he said, Harold dashed toward me with terrifying speed, covering the 20-meter distance in an instant. I had no choice but to instinctively grab my daggers from beneath my skirt.

Clang!

“Kyah!!”

I barely managed to block his strike. If I hadn’t reacted in time, I would’ve been cleaved in half. My heart pounded in my chest as the realization of how serious Harold was set in.

"Professor?! If I’ve done something wrong, please tell m—!"

"...Talk with your sword, Lilith. Isn’t that how swordmasters communicate?”

Whoosh!

“Uwaaah!!”

What is wrong with him?! Harold was coming at me with full intent to kill, even though I wasn’t even a swordsmanship student. I couldn’t do anything but dodge as he swung his sword with deadly precision.

Without thinking, I unleashed a shockwave spell at the ground beneath us, using the rebound to launch myself out of his reach.

Boom!

“Ugh... haah... haah...”

Harold continued to advance, completely unfazed by my desperate attempt to keep distance.

I could feel my anger rising. He had summoned me out here for some cryptic reason, and now he was attacking me without any explanation.

Fine. If that’s how it’s going to be...

I wasn’t going to sit back and take this. If Harold wanted a fight, I’d give him one.

No matter who it was—whether it was Harold or anyone else—I wasn’t going to let someone push me around for no reason. If Harold wanted me to fight, I’d fight, and I’d make sure he regretted it.