"Why do you want to spar with ?" Instead of answering, Charlie asked in return.
"You're stronger than before. Your eyes used to be caral-colored, but now they're a srizing blue… And there's a glowing mark on your chest that spreads to your cheeks."
After Aiz said this, all eyes turned to Charlie, noticing the faint green glowing pattern beneath his shirt that extended to his cheeks.
Tione, Lefiya, and Loki were the ones who had interacted the least with Charlie compared to the others. Unlike Aiz and Tiona, who had t him several tis before, they hadn't had many opportunities to observe him up close.
Because of this, when Aiz ntioned the changes in Charlie, they didn't imdiately notice. Tione only felt that sothing was different but couldn't explain what it was. Lefiya, who was more sensitive to magic, began to sense sothing unusual about the glowing green mark, but it was still hard to grasp.
Loki, who was usually sharp in reading people, only now truly paid attention. She observed the changes in Charlie's eyes, which had once been caral-colored but were now a bright blue, and the faint glowing green lines on his skin.
"What really happened to you, Charlie? We've only t a few tis, but your changes feel abnormal. How can soone change this much in such a short ti?" Tiona asked with a curious expression.
"Well… certain things happened."
Charlie's vague answer clearly didn't satisfy them. However, before anyone could ask further, Aiz spoke again.
"I want to spar with you."
This ti, Charlie didn't beat around the bush. He simply shrugged and nodded.
"Alright."
After the agreent was made, the two headed to the grassy yard in front of the house. The area was spacious enough for a fight without disturbing anyone.
Lefiya cupped her hands near her mouth and shouted enthusiastically,
"Aiz-sama! I'm sure you'll win! Show your greatness!"
On the other hand, Tiona sided with Charlie.
"Charlie! Don't lose!"
However, Tione imdiately shook her head, disagreeing with her twin sister.
"Tiona, don't be ridiculous. Aiz will win. This is a fight between a Level 5 and a Level 2 adventurer. The gap is too big."
"That's not certain! This is just a spar. Aiz will only use swordsmanship, so there's still a chance for Charlie to win." Tiona argued.
While the girls were busy discussing, Astraea noticed Loki's displeased expression.
"What's wrong, Loki?"
Loki crossed her arms and snorted.
"I don't like Aiz-tan being close to that man. I feel like Aiz-tan will be stolen from ."
Hearing this, Astraea could only shake her head with a faint smile.
"You haven't changed. Your obsession with Aiz Wallenstein is still as strong as ever."
"Hmph!"
Loki just snorted in annoyance without refuting. Everyone knew Aiz was her favorite child in her Familia.
◆━??????━◆
Aiz and Charlie stood facing each other, about five ters apart. Aiz drew her rapier from its sheath, its tip gleaming sharply under the sunlight. On the other side, Charlie raised one hand, and in an instant, ice began to gather in his palm, forming a long sword with a sleek design and a surface as smooth as crystal.
Aiz stared at the sword for a mont, then asked flatly, not feeling underestimated, "Why not use a real sword?"
Charlie swung the ice sword once, testing its balance, then replied casually, "Damocles is badly damaged. It's impossible to use in its current condition."
"Then why not use another sword?"
"Forget it. This is just a spar."
"I see…"
Aiz found that reasonable. In fact, the rapier she was using was only borrowed from the Goibniu Familia's blacksmith. Her main weapon, Desperate, was undergoing maintenance after returning from the expedition.
'It's too risky to reveal Est's power. It would surely attract the attention of the gods if it were known.'
Even though Est was by his side, Charlie felt no need to show his power as a Sword Spirit. After all, this was just a spar, not a real battle.
"Can we start?" Aiz asked impatiently.
"Yes." Charlie nodded.
As soon as the answer left his lips, Aiz disappeared from sight.
*WHOOSH!*
Only the sound of wind accompanied her presence as she dashed forward with incredible speed. The tip of her rapier thrust straight toward Charlie, creating afterimages as if multiple swords were attacking him at once.
*CLANG!*
A sharp clash rang out as Charlie's ice sword accurately deflected the attack.
*CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*
*CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*
*CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*
Aiz didn't stop. She continued attacking without pause, a flurry of rapid thrusts coming from various angles—straight, diagonal, even from the side with a spinning motion. Each attack carried perfect precision, as if programd without gaps.
Yet, Charlie remained firmly in place.
The ice sword in his hand moved with a finesse that was almost invisible, anticipating every thrust and deflecting them with absolute precision.
Six Eyes made Aiz's movents appear like a slowed-down recording. Every angle change, each shift in weight, even the micro-expressions on Aiz's face as she prepared her next attack—all were laid bare before his eyes.
His ice sword never moved more than necessary, but every swing was always on target.
*CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*
Clash after clash continued to echo across the grassy yard, marking the intense exchange of attacks.
Aiz sped up her movents, her feet spinning in light steps, then suddenly dipped low before launching an upward thrust.
*CLANG!*
Charlie simply tilted his sword slightly, deflecting the attack as if it carried no weight.
Aiz didn't stop.
*SWOOSH!*
With a spinning motion, she swung her sword sideways in a horizontal slash.
*CLANG!*
Charlie parried it with one hand, the friction between tal and ice producing a sharp sound.
Aiz leaped back, her eyes growing sharper. In a split second, she dashed forward again, changing the rhythm of her attacks by combining rapid thrusts and diagonal slashes at random.
*SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!*
Yet, Charlie still didn't budge from his position.
*CLANG!*
His ice sword continued to block every attack with perfect accuracy.
Aiz finally leaped into the air, spinning before launching a vertical slash from above.
*SWOOSH!*
Charlie looked up, his ice sword rising slightly.
*CLANG!*
A powerful clash occurred in mid-air.
Aiz landed lightly on the ground, her eyes still fixed on Charlie, who hadn't moved an inch from his original position.
"You really are stronger than before."
Aiz tightened her grip on the rapier, her eyes not leaving Charlie.
She still rembered their previous sparring session clearly. Back then, although Charlie's swordsmanship was exceptional, his technique was still rough. Even if they ignored the level difference and only fought using pure swordsmanship, Aiz could still pressure him with absolute superiority.
But this ti was different. Charlie not only held his ground against her attacks—he completely outclassed her.
Right now, Aiz had been seriously using her swordsmanship, unleashing her best attacks with perfect speed and precision. But Charlie? He hadn't even moved from his spot.
Charlie's movents were so efficient, every deflection and parry he made felt as if it had been predicted before Aiz herself realized her intentions.
Frustration gnawed at her heart.
Not because Charlie was superior to her in swordsmanship.
Not because she was losing this spar.
But because she realized how slow her progress had been.
All this ti, Aiz had trained relentlessly, striving to beco stronger. Yet in such a short ti, Charlie had grown so much, enough to surpass her in what she prided herself on the most—swordsmanship.
'How can soone improve that quickly?'
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