"AAAHHH! I don’t know!!!"

Yulia screamed and ran away.

"Yes! The seat’s free!"

"..."

Charlotte quickly ran over and collapsed onto the mat.
As a result, the earth spirit, Heuk-Heuk, who had been thrown into the air, had no one to catch it.

[KYAAAAAAAH! DAMN KID!!!]

Heuk-Heuk screamed as it fell,
and then there was a heavy thud.
The sound echoed like an artillery shell hitting the ground, and the grass was deeply gouged as dirt flew everywhere.

Well...
It wasn’t like I planned to scold anyone for playing around.
But the size of the marks left in the grass was on a completely different scale than when Yulia was around.

"Hehe! Sometimes, it’s nice to just lay back like this!"
"Weren’t you supposed to be busy training?"
"Even if I’m busy, I can’t miss moments like this. It’s not often that you’re out here, and the weather’s perfect for it. I wish every day could be sunny and warm!"
"..."

Charlotte giggled and rubbed her cheek against my thigh.
In a flash, she kicked Yulia out and took the spot, which was so unexpected it made me laugh helplessly.
I had been thinking about going inside because it was starting to sting a bit, but now I found myself staying longer than planned.

"So, how’s the research going? Is it coming along?"
"I’m not sure. I think I’ve lost my way. It feels like I’m fumbling around, so I came out here to clear my head and take a break."
"Hehe. It’s just like you. I’ve been feeling stuck too. I used to feel like I was getting stronger every time I swung my sword, like my body was getting used to it. But now, every day feels the same."
"Everyone goes through a plateau. If you keep at it, you’ll eventually find a way forward again. The important thing is whether you’re ready to seize that opportunity when it comes."
"Looks like the only way to get through this is by sticking with the training! I can’t keep relying on my knight sister’s lessons forever!"

Charlotte clenched her fist, determined.
Meanwhile, Silvia, standing behind her, couldn’t hide her surprise.

‘Is Silvia’s growth stagnation affecting Charlotte, too?’

Recently, the frequency with which Silvia had been overseeing Charlotte’s training had dropped significantly.
The reason was partly because Silvia had started focusing more on guarding me.
But the bigger reason was that Silvia’s growth had hit a wall.

After getting the new sword made by Jacob, Silvia had grown quickly, reaching almost swordmaster-level strength.
But paradoxically, her growth had stopped there, and there was no sign of her getting any stronger.

On the other hand, Charlotte absorbed everything from Silvia’s teachings, growing at an incredible pace.
When Silvia’s growth stagnated, Charlotte’s progress slowed too.

"I wanted to take you further, Charlotte... But my growth couldn’t keep up with yours, and I’m so sorry for that."
"Ah! No! You’ve told me before! Every swordsman eventually reaches a crossroads! After that, we have to walk on our own, without relying on the teacher’s help! I’ve come this far thanks to you, so now I have to get stronger on my own!"
"Heehee..."

Moved, Silvia sniffled and held back tears.
But even so, there was no hiding the bitterness in her expression as she bit her lip.
Seeing that, I couldn’t help but smile.

‘Is she feeling competitive as a disciple? I’m glad she’s not content with being close to swordmaster level.’

One of my biggest concerns was that Silvia, having gained strength close to that of a swordmaster, might settle for it and stop striving for more.
She’d become so strong so quickly that it would be easy to think she had reached her limit.
But seeing how she felt when Charlotte caught up to her, I think Silvia realized she couldn’t afford to stop here.

Silvia, guiding Charlotte and pushing her forward.
Now, seeing Charlotte not just catch up but surpass her, Silvia was surprised and started pushing ahead again.
It was a great cycle of growth.

"By the way, Aslan. You know that Yuria... right?"
"Why do you ask about her?"
"Do you have a special attachment to her? You seem to meet with her more than anyone else in the Vermont Security."
"..."

I felt a lump in my throat as I heard Charlotte’s unexpected question.
Could it be that she figured out Yuria’s identity?
I couldn’t read any emotion from Charlotte’s eyes.
I forced myself to steady my trembling lips and spoke slowly.

"Not really. She’s just exceptional among the staff, which is why she gets called upon often."
"I see... So you’re not particularly interested in her?"
"Of course I am. She’s like a treasure to the company."
"Ugh. Can you set up a private meeting with her? I have something I want to talk to her about."
"...!"

Charlotte’s voice was full of frustration, and I felt a wave of pain wash over me.
A private meeting? What does she want to talk about?

‘Has she developed an interest in Yuria...?’

Yuria, a boy of the same age, attending the Imperial Magic Academy, excelling academically,
and also working as a security guard for Vermont Security, already making a name for himself.
Just listing off Yuria’s credentials shows how impressive they are.

He had once complained in a letter that the letters from noblewomen were overwhelming and annoying...
I had nearly written back with a scornful reply at the time.
With how popular Yuria was among his peers, it wasn’t surprising that Charlotte would take an interest.

"You want to talk to her? About what?"
"Ah, well... it’s something I can’t share with you..."
"..."

[Kali, the Demon God, comforts you, sensing the hurt in your heart.]

Charlotte looked away and muttered softly.
She can’t share what it is with me...
It felt like a sharp sting.

This isn’t good.
I’ll have to tell Charlotte the truth about Yuria’s identity.
I’ve tried my best to keep Yuria’s secret,
but Charlotte keeps asking, and I have no choice.

I’m not doing this out of jealousy,
but since Charlotte asked, I’ll just tell her.

"As for Yuria, if I had to say something about her... she’s very cute."
"C-cute!?"
"Pretty and feminine."
"Pretty!? Feminine!?"
"I shouldn’t have said this, but... she looks great in women’s clothing."
"Ahhhh!"

Charlotte froze, her hands clutching her mouth as her eyes widened in shock.
It must have been a huge shock to her.
Yuria, whom she had always seen as noble and handsome, was actually into cross-dressing and looked great in women’s clothes.

From this moment on, Charlotte’s opinion of Yuria would plummet.
Even if it rose again, it would no longer be in the context of admiration for a boy.
After hearing my assessment, Charlotte would no longer see Yuria’s masculinity.

"Ah, so you... you think of Yuria like that... It’s a bit shocking..."
"So, you don’t want to have that private meeting anymore, right?"
"No. I still want to meet her. I think the meeting might take longer than expected..."
"...!?"

[Kali, the Demon God, is in utter disbelief at the unexpected truth!]

I felt like I had been hit hard on the back of the head.
Ah. Could it be...?

I had been under the impression that Yuria's identity was a well-kept secret,
but now I wasn’t so sure.
The shock was overwhelming, and it left me uncertain about what was happening.

‘Did she... really figure it out? Or is it something else?’

My mind raced, but I couldn’t come to a clear conclusion.
What should I do now?