No matter how you looked at them, they were the Sword Master and the Archmage---two people with entirely different lifestyles and seemingly opposite personalities. Unlike my calm and composed grandmother, Jenna was lively.
"Hmm? Are you curious about those old stories, my little puppy?"
My grandmother looked a bit surprised by my question, as if she hadn't expected it. I nodded and replied.
"Yes, I'm curious. You two seem so different, both in personality and lifestyle, yet you're still very close."
-I'm curious too!
Kyros chid in, just as intrigued as I was. Grandma and Jenna exchanged glances.
"We hit it off from the very first ti we t,"
Jenna said confidently, smiling.
But Grandma shook her head.
"No, Jenna."
"Huh? No?"
Jenna's eyes widened in surprise at Grandma's who nodded yes in response to the question.
'It seed like their mories of that first eting aren't quite the sa.'
Jenna's expression faltered while Grandma remained calm and composed. Seems that Jenna didn't give a very good impression on the first eting.
'It feels like I'm in the middle of a lovers' quarrel.'
Before the atmosphere could turn awkward, Grandma broke the silence.
"That first eting...."
"It was amazing."
"I hated it so much."
Their simultaneous but contradictory responses left
speechless. Jenna clearly enjoyed their first eting, while Grandma remained unbothered.
"Huh, huh? Helena, you didn't like it?"
Jenna asked, her eyes wide with disbelief as if she had never expected that answer at all. Grandma nodded with a
gentle smile.
"No, I didn't."
Jenna's pupils trembled as if Helena's words had just caused an earthquake.
-This is getting interesting.
Kyros said excitedly, though I felt awkward, caught between the two of them.
'Should I not have asked them?'
I worried, wondering if my curiosity might damage their long-standing friendship.
"No way, really? Was my first impression that bad?"
"Yes."
"Why? Why would you feel that way? I loved eting you!"
Jenna exclaid, clutching Grandma's arm. Grandma smiled warmly and stroked Jenna's hair.
"I didn't like it back then, but I don't feel that way now. Don't worry."
What on earth happened between those two? As I stared at my grandmother with those eyes, she opened her mouth.
"When I first t Jenna, I was ten years old."
Grandma began, her gaze drifting into the distance as if recalling a far-off mory.
"At the ti, I was learning basic swordsmanship. My older brothers were much more skilled, but I worked hard to catch up to them."
Hearing that Grandma had older brothers was new to ---it wasn't even ntioned in the ga's lore. I listened intently, intrigued.
"I was determined to surpass them, even at that young age. So, I headed to a villa in the countryside to train. There, I practiced swordsmanship and learned mana breathing. That's where I first t Jenna."
As Grandma spoke, Jenna snapped her fingers. Cups of tea floated over to us, and the teapot poured tea into each cup. Grandma took a sip of the warm tea and continued.
"Back then, Jenna appeared to be my age, so I assud we were the sa age. When I found out her real age, I was shocked. Anyway, Jenna approached
with a blank expression---so different from how she is now---and asked
this."
Grandma continued speaking with an indifferent expression, as if copying Jenna's expression at the ti.
"'Why are you learning swordsmanship? Even if a woman learns it, she won't succeed'. That one sentence ruined her first impression for ."
"I'm sorry, Helena. I didn't an it that way."
"I know, Jenna. Back then---almost 60 years ago---the social environnt was completely different. Won didn't even touch swords, and those who did were often ridiculed."
"...Those were foolish tis,"
Jenna replied with a bitter smile.
"Yes. So, I felt bad the mont I heard Jenna's words. But I honestly replied, 'Because I want to.' After that, Jenna started visiting
every day. That's how our relationship began."
In other words, Grandma's bad first impression of Jenna stemd from her seemingly dismissive words. But for Jenna, Grandma's answer left a strong impression.
"I fell in love with Helena's attitude back then,"
Jenna said, leaning on Grandma's shoulder.
"Of course, at first, I approached Helena because she was so adorable. Isn't that right? Your grandmother was the cutest when she was young!"
"Jenna, please,"
Grandma said, touching her forehead in exasperation at Jenna's boastful tone. Jenna burst out laughing.
"What's wrong? I'm just telling the truth. You were so adorable. Back then, you were what, ten? And I was about the sa age as you are now, Levi. But how could I not fall for that diligent cute little girl practicing swordsmanship with such determination and an upright attitude?"
Honestly, if I were Jenna's age, I'd probably feel the sa way. Grandma must have been truly special back then.
-Wow, those kids must have been so cute.
Kyros chid in, clearly entertained by the story with a hint of laughter in his voice.
"Actually, back then, I suggested Helena learn magic. I wanted her to be my disciple,"
Jenna said, looking at
with a hint of regret.
"She told
she had staked her life on the sword."
Hearing that, I turned to look at Grandma again. I'd always known my grandmother was incredible, but realizing she said sothing so profound at such a young age made
admire her even more.
"So what could I do? I had no choice but to watch."
"Just watched? You ca by every day to hang out."
"Well, I stayed quiet and didn't interfere with your training."
"That lasted for about a few monts. Then you couldn't hold it in and kept asking when it would end."
"That's...because you trained without taking any breaks!"
The two began to bicker, but it always ended with Grandma's smile. When Grandma laughed, Jenna would laugh along with her, without any more words.
"But Helena was truly incredible back then. She eventually defeated all her brothers and beca the head of the household. Of course, she's still amazing now."
"That's right."
"From that point on, the number of female knights on the Continent began to increase. Your grandmother paved the way for a new era. You should be proud."
Jenna praised Grandma's achievents as if they were her own. I nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes. Grandma has always been amazing, but hearing her story today makes
admire her even more."
"It's not that big of a deal, Levi,"
Grandma said with an awkward smile, but both Jenna and I knew how remarkable Helena Holden truly was.
'I never really thought about the characters' lives beyond what was shown in the original story.'
Through Grandma's story, I felt a surge of emotions. Even characters who didn't take center stage in the story had their own childhoods, their own dreams, and worked tirelessly to achieve them---ultimately changing the world in the process.
They were pioneers of their own lives, even if they didn't appear prominently in the narrative.
And now, I was part of their lives.
Suddenly, it struck : perhaps this world isn't just a ga.
'It feels too real for that.'
But that thought quickly passed. After all, this was the world I had chosen to enter.
"Now that I think about it. I rember when I first t your husband."
"Oh, during my coming-of-age ceremony?"
"Yes. I secretly used invisibility magic to hang from the chandelier."
"That's right! Because of that, I couldn't enjoy the party properly---I had to keep an eye on you the whole ti."
Jenna laughed heartily at Grandma's words.
'If Grandma had her coming-of-age ceremony, Jenna must have been over 100 years old.'
Jenna was truly a one-of-a-kind person.
"Honestly, you should have dealt with that bastard husband of yours without anyone knowing."
"Haha! Why do you hate my husband so much?"
"I didn't like the look in his eyes."
"Why? I thought it was cute."
"No. I'm telling you! When you weren't around, he'd treat
like I was his rival!"
"But you did the sa, Jenna."
"He was worse!"
"But isn't it fine now? My husband has passed away, after all."
"That's true. In the end, I was the winner."
The two of them talked and laughed loudly. I, on the other hand, couldn't join in their spicy conversation, so I just stood there sweating nervously.
At that mont, Jenna's bright eyes turned to , and for a mont, she looked as if she had just realized I was still there.
"Oh! Oh my, I almost forgot about you."
"Oh, I'm fine. Please, continue talking."
I replied with a polite, sales-like smile. But Jenna shook her head firmly.
"No, no. Listening to two old people chatter must be boring. Why don't you go check out the Magic Tower instead?"
"Are you sure, Jenna?"
"Of course! You're my guests,"
Jenna said, smiling warmly.
With a snap of her fingers, there was a loud thud. A black object flew toward us, accompanied by the sound of flapping wings.
The crow, which had been nothing more than a decoration monts ago, now moved with uncanny life.
'Wow...this is aweso.'
I thought, goosebumps rising as I watched its vivid, lifelike movents.
"Did you call, Master?"
the crow croaked.
Its voice was raspy, but its words were clear.
"Crow, show this cutie here around the Magic Tower. If there's anything he wants, just give it to him."
"By 'cutie', you an..." the crow began.
Its gaze shifted to Grandma, who shook her head and pointed at . Only then did the crow turn its sharp eyes to .
"Oh, it's you. Nice to et you. My na is Crow."
"Oh, yes. My na is Revelof Holden."
"Aha, Holden! That ans you're related to Lady Helena... Well, in that case, I shall serve you with even greater sincerity."
For so reason, the crow seed genuinely happy.
"Levi, have fun exploring."
"Yes, Grandmother. And thank you, Miss Archmage."
"Ayy it's not a big deal."
I bowed to both of them and stood up.
"Okay, let's go!"
With that, I followed Crow and finally escaped from the Archmage's room.
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