Lua was facing Hailey Baroun, holding her wooden sword.
“Be careful not to hurt each other.”
Instructor Diana Frenhall’s nonchalant voice echoed, but Lua did not lose her concentration and slowly examined Hailey’s movents.
“I’m counting on you.”
Hailey, who was indebted to Philip, bowed slightly to Lua with an awkward expression. Seeing this, the students tilted their heads.
‘To think that the son of the Count bowed his head to the commoners… ?’
No matter how close he was to Phillip, it was hard to happen, so it was natural for the students to gossip.
“Thank you for accepting the spar. Hailey.”
When Lua smiled and said that, a smile briefly crossed Hailey’s lips, but it quickly disappeared. He had sparred with many opponents throughout his life, but it was the first ti he had ever seen such a bright opponent.
‘Attack the kid who smiles like that?’
An innocent and cute face would make anyone feel guilty by re prospect of pointing their swords to her.
Lua’s innocent and endearing expression made Haley hesitate. Despite the harmless appearance, he knew Lua was a first-year student with remarkable growth potential.
“Okay. I yield the first move.”
“huh!”
When Hailey said that he would give up the first attack, Lua nodded and traced the gaps in his stance.
Philip observed Lua and Hailey’s sparring with a tense deanor.
‘The disparity in skill is still quite significant.’
While Lua’s talent was undeniable, Hailey was also one of the prodigies of his ti. Hailey, who had wielded sword when he was just a toddler, surpassed Lua’s current abilities.
Presently, Hailey’s prowess was slightly below that of seasoned instructors.
“….”
A shift occurred in Lua’s gaze. There was no discernible gap in Hailey’s defense. With so reluctance, Lua resorted to employing techniques she had used when engaging with Philip.
Taking a bold step forward, Hailey positioned her sword to parry Lua’s incoming attack.
In that instant, Lua’s balance shifted conspicuously to the left—portending an imminent powerful strike.
‘… Huh?’
Curiously, Lua’s focus and footwork seed awry. While her eyes honed in on the right side of Hailey’s neck, her feet were subtly aiming for the left side of Hailey’s ribs.
It was a level of deception beyond Lua’s usual repertoire.
However, in the final mont, Lua’s concentration wavered ever so slightly, enabling Hailey to react just in ti.
“Ah!”
Driven by urgency, Lua’s exertion caused her grip to falter, and their blades collided. Lua let out a startled cry as her sword slipped from her grasp.
With agility, Philip leaped and intercepted the airborne sword.
“Are you alright?”
Hailey, who had no intention of inflicting harm, approached Lua with concern. Lua cradled her tingling palm, and her eyes moistened.
“I’m fine…”
Despite her assurance, her pained expression belied the words, prompting Hailey to gulp nervously and exchange a glance with Philip.
Philip found himself unconsciously staring at Hailey before quickly averting his gaze. It didn’t seem like Hailey did it on purpose.
On the other hand, two girls, Olivia and Anise, were openly giving Hailey sharp glares, their eyes fixed on him. The intensity of their gazes was palpable, forming an unspoken tension in the air.
“Alright, that’s enough. The bout is over. Instructor Oswald, could you please ensure the well-being of the injured student? As for the rest of you, prepare yourselves for the upcoming lecture.”
“Yes, Instructor!”
As the sester neared its end, the students’ resilience and discipline were comndable. Truth be told, Philip’s contribution had been minimal; the one who truly reigned in the situation was Diana Parenhall.
With Diana guiding the students back towards the classroom, Philip approached Lua with a gentle expression, his concern evident.
“May I have a look at your hand?”
Lua nodded hesitantly, offering her injured hand for inspection.
The aftermath of the collision had left Lua’s palm slightly swollen. While it wasn’t a major injury, the presence of a rather sizable thorn presented a challenge.
A soft sigh escaped Philip’s lips, his empathetic gaze montarily eting Lua’s. He almost found himself smiling, reminded of Lua’s adventurous spirit from her childhood days spent on the mountains. Surely, this wound wasn’t the worst she had endured.
Lua’s current display of lodrama and youthful vulnerability was not entirely unwelco. It seed the trust and reliance Lua and her twin brother, Luen, had placed in the figure known as ‘Uncle’ had gradually shifted towards Philip.
In such endearing monts, it was only fitting to respond with patience and understanding.
“This must be quite painful.”
With a delicate touch, Philip carefully extracted the thorn from Lua’s palm and proceeded to cleanse the wound with fresh water. As he deftly cut a piece of bandage and wrapped it around the injury, the makeshift treatnt ca to a close.
Lua’s voice held a hint of distress as she spoke.
“It seems Hailey possesses remarkable strength, Instructor.”
Philip’s lips curved into a reassuring smile as he ruffled Lua’s hair affectionately.
“Well, Hailey has been wielding a sword since he started to walk. It’s only natural. You, on the other hand, have been honing your skills for just a few months. Winning would have been an unexpected feat. However, had you maintained a touch more composure, Hailey might have found himself in a rather embarrassing situation.”
“That’s not acceptable. After all, Hailey is a close friend.”
“But isn’t winning what you desire?”
“Though that’s true, there’s more to it…”
Philip found himself unable to untangle the contradictions she was about to face. After escorting Lua to the lecture hall, he made his way to seek out Diana.
“I believe I need to pay a visit to the Magic Departnt briefly.”
In response, Diana grinned knowingly at Philip’s words.
“Are you planning to see the Instructor of the Magic Departnt? Rumors have been circulating that the two of you have been eting frequently lately. I inquired with an acquaintance among the Magic Departnt, and they described her as remarkably beautiful.”
“Haha, it seems we share a similar age, so it’s not as unfamiliar as it might seem. While it’s true that she and I are on friendly terms, it’s not exactly what you might be imagining.”
Diana made a sly expression at Philip’s response.
“People often start that way. Hehe.”
‘I wasn’t originally this kind of character.’
“I will tell Felicia that soone called you, and you went out to et them.”
Upon hearing Diana’s words, Philip gave a nod of appreciation.
“Thank you.”
* * *
Without bothering to knock, Philip opened the door to the staff dormitory where Priscilla was staying.
Having been explicitly told by Privia not to bother knocking as she was too lazy to answer, Philip let himself in. She had been engrossed in experints all night, rendering today a day off for her.
“Hello, Privia.”
In response to Philip’s greeting, Privia’s voice exuded a sense of annoyance.
“What’s the issue now?”
A spontaneous idea struck Philip – perhaps he should tease her a bit.
“I simply had a yearning to see you, Privia. Can’t I?”
Privia, who had reclined on the bed, sprang to her feet in an instant.
“Well, well, it seems the audacious youngster has finally lost fear. Do I appear to be in such a leisurely mood that you assud I would indulge in a eting just because you wanted to see ?”
Her voice carried a hint of anger, yet Philip could discern that it wasn’t entirely genuine. Privia brushed her tousled sapphire hair over her shoulder, fixing Philip with a penetrating stare.
“… Let’s be honest, you’re not exactly swamped with work, are you?”
As Philip’s remark struck ho, Privia evaded his gaze for a fleeting mont.
“Ahem, no, I’m quite occupied. So, have you truly ventured here solely for the purpose of seeing ?”
“Not quite. I have matters to discuss and inquiries to make.”
Privia was a dragon who refrained from extending direct assistance, but she had no qualms about sharing her knowledge and wisdom. Furthermore, there was an underlying pleasure she derived from Philip’s subtle reliance on her.
“Firstly, as soon as sumr break comnces next week, I intend to acquire a leaf from the World Tree in the realm where the elves reside. Among my acquaintances is a rchant who conveniently happens to be embarking on a journey to the Elphenia Forest.”
“Those arrogant creatures wouldn’t part with their cherished World Tree leaves, which they value more than their lives. Hence, it appears that you’ll have to venture forth and secure them yourself. Yet, even with your personal involvent, there’s no guarantee they’ll yield any.”
Privua paused montarily, lost in thought.
‘I’m beginning to find this situation sowhat frustrating. Shall I offer so assistance?’
Philip’s ongoing involvent in local events had been frustrating for her.
“If it’s the Elphenia Forest we’re discussing, then we’re in luck. The dragon who safeguards the elves there is an old friend of mine. By accompanying you, obtaining the leaves should prove a rather easy task.”
Philip was taken aback and queried, “You’re suggesting you’ll accompany ? However, this commitnt has already been established, and instantaneous transportation via a portal isn’t possible. We’ll need a couple of days to travel by carriage. Furthermore, there are complexities intertwined with this journey.”
A playful glint danced in Privia’s eyes.
“Complexities, you say? Enlighten .”
“Well, you see…”
As Philip gradually unveiled the impending clash involving the heir to Joseph Association and the intricate political entanglents intertwined with their journey, Privia’s gaze beca more and more lively.
‘What? A secret struggle of sorts among the heirs?’
The prospect of a political showdown of Lisriel with her estranged sister, a lifelong rival, proved to be an irresistible and enthralling prospect for Privia, who thirsted for such dramatic stimulation.
She suppressed the growing anticipation and extended her hand as if nothing happened.
“It’s okay. Do you really think I would pay attention to such matters?”
“No, I don’t think so. A human affair would be of little concern to a powerful dragon.”
Philip answered with a wry smile. He didn’t dislike the idea of going with Privia. She was, in a way, his superior, but not difficult to deal with.
Being with her had more advantages than disadvantages. She was the type to take action if sothing bothered her. Of course, if it didn’t bother her, she wouldn’t take the initiative.
“Oh, and I received this in the morning.”
Philip took sothing out of his pocket. It was a letter with crooked writing and a small, iridescent bead the size of two fingers.
The contents of the letter were just one line.
[I am sorry for the last ti – Yuna.]
It felt like a reflection written by a five-year-old child.
The sentence was written in phonetic characters, the common language spoken aloud.
Philip vaguely knew that the person who wrote this letter was a fairy nad Yuna. However, he didn’t know what the iridescent bead was used for, so he ca to Privia.
“Wow.”
Privia exclaid unexpectedly as she took the bead. It was an item even she rarely saw.
“… What is this bead for?”
“This is a part of the core that makes up the fairy Yuna. To give you sothing like this, she must have been quite anxious. Think of it as if, in human terms, she gave you a third of her heart.”
“Was I too harsh?”
Upon hearing those words, Philip briefly wondered if he had been too harsh on her. However, it only served as a reminder that he hadn’t been harsh at all.
“If that’s the case, what can I do with this?”
“You can do a lot of things with it. It would probably be most helpful to strengthen your Spirit Sword, the one you possess.”
“Huh? You an Neria?”
Privia nodded her head.
“Originally, fairies and Spirit Swords shares many similarities in their origins. Both erge from certain phenona. Fairies are born from natural phenona, while Spirit Swords are born from the actions of humans or other higher beings. If you lt this bead and infuse it into your sword, your Spirit Sword’s essence will beco even more robust, and it might awaken other powers as well.”
‘Stronger essence? Stronger than it is now?’
Philip hesitated briefly at this point.
——-
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