***
A few hours later.
At the training grounds near the Academy's main building.
I was having a light spar with Golden Boy in this familiar place after almost three months.
You might be wondering why.
I had been cooped up in the mansion all break, and my body was stiff.
And since I had a personal punching bag right here... I figured I might as well get so exercise.
The sound of fists cutting through the chilly air filled the air.
-Whoosh!
A fist ca flying towards .
I dodged it effortlessly with a simple turn of my head.
"Tsk... You're annoyingly good at dodging!"
Golden Boy clicked his tongue in frustration.
Despite his string of failed attacks, he continued to press forward relentlessly.
I maintained a safe distance, calmly countering his moves.
Normally, I would have kept him at bay with long-range sword attacks.
But this spar was different.
We weren't using weapons.
It was a pure hand-to-hand combat spar.
Creating distance was not a good idea, especially when your opponent was a brute like Golden Boy.
"Co on, take a hit!!"
He lunged forward, his movents exaggerated.
At first glance, it seed like he was losing his cool and attacking recklessly. But that was a trap.
If I mistook it for an opening and attacked, he would catch off guard and throw to the ground.
Despite his appearance, Golden Boy was quite clever.
Our spars were always a battle of wits.
This ti, however, I saw through his plan.
"Haaah!"
I let out a loud yell, pretending to attack with my fist.
I saw the corner of his lips twitch as he assud he had right where he wanted . But that was just another feint.
My real attack wasn't my fist.
It was the roundhouse kick I had been setting up this whole ti.
-WHAM!
My kick landed squarely on his abdon.
"Oof...!!"
Golden Boy let out a gasp and stumbled backward.
He staggered for a mont before collapsing to his knees.
"Ugh, I give... Urgh..."
He admitted defeat.
I took a mont to catch my breath.
As I wiped the sweat from my forehead, I heard his voice, weak and defeated.
"Ugh... You're a beast... Your physical abilities are sothing else..."
He looked utterly pathetic.
It was strange.
He seed weaker than the last ti we sparred...
Maybe sothing was wrong.
"Are you feeling alright?"
"How did you know?"
"I could tell. So, what's wrong?"
"Well~ If I told you your lifespan just got shortened by about 1,000 years, would you believe ?"
"Stop being ridiculous..."
He clearly didn't want to tell .
And I couldn't force him to.
I sat down next to him.
He was lying sprawled on the ground when he suddenly asked,
"By the way... Did you get hurt during that incident?"
"That incident?"
He was talking about the Academy invasion that had occurred right before the break.
I gave him an incredulous look.
"You're asking that now...? After three months?"
"Well~ We haven't seen each other since then, have we?"
He scratched his head sheepishly.
"You didn't even ask if I was okay."
"I didn't need to."
"Why not?!"
"Because I know what you're capable of. I doubt you'd die in a little skirmish like that."
"Oh... Well, when you put it that way..."
"Don't get cocky."
He stared at with what seed like gratitude.
I shoved him lightly and stood up.
I had been at the training grounds for three hours. It was ti to head back.
The others would be waiting for at the dormitory.
And after I unpacked, I needed to check if Margaret had arrived safely.
"I'll be going then."
"See ya."
He waved off.
I found his carefree deanor irritating, but I didn't have ti to argue.
As I turned to leave, he called out to .
"Oh, right... Maniac!"
"What is it?"
"You're coming to the thing next week, right?"
"Thing?"
"Don't tell you forgot."
Forgot what?
I had just arrived at the Academy. I hadn't received any announcents yet.
I stared at him blankly.
He sat up and spoke, his usual playfulness replaced with a somber expression.
"Next weekend... There's going to be a morial service for the victims of the attack."
"Ah..."
Victims.
I hadn't allowed myself to think about that word.
My breath hitched in my throat.
Choose your tier by clicking the 'Support ' button!
Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel.
Reviews
All reviews (0)