She should be telling him to stop such reckless behavior, not to worry people, and asking if he couldn't see her crying.
"Marie-Chez Inglet."
Alkerto whispered softly. Marie-Chez suddenly realized that the door was locked, she and Alkerto were close, and they were alone.
Even though they weren't touching, a creeping sense of embarrassnt rose within her.
"W-why...?"
As she barely managed to speak, Alkerto chuckled. His hand ca close to her cheek as if about to touch it, but when Marie-Chez flinched, he lowered it.
Taking a step back as if to maintain a safe distance, he asked:
"So why did you co?"
"Well, to ask if you wanted to go sledding together..."
"Ah, sorry. I don't think I can join you."
As Alkerto turned away, Marie-Chez finally exhaled. He unlocked the door and opened it.
"Well then, enjoy your evening."
"Alright."
Barely managing to respond, Marie-Chez fled from the room. Once outside, she felt her temperature finally cooling down. Without looking back, she returned to her room where Sigrid was waiting.
"Marie, you're back?"
"Huh? Y-yeah."
"Marie? Your face is red."
At Sigrid's words, Marie-Chez fanned herself and said:
"I think it's too hot in here."
"Is it? Oh, what about Alkerto?"
"That's right! What happened to Alkerto?!"
Marie-Chez raised her voice, startling both Sigrid and Lowengrin.
"What about Alkerto?"
"What happened?"
"His face was a ss."
"A ss...?"
Lowengrin furrowed her brow.
"I don't know. His eye was cut, his lip was split—"
She bit her lip. Sigrid said, "Ah."
"I heard he dueled with Karsus. I'm jealous—"
"What's there to be jealous of! He's so hurt!"
"But opportunities to duel with a Master are rare, and even rarer if the opponent is a wanderer. It's a once-in-a-lifeti chance for a swordsman."
Sigrid casually countered Marie-Chez's outburst. She was used to Marie-Chez's ups and downs by now.
"But he says he's going to win."
"No one picks up a sword thinking they'll lose."
"...But still—"
Marie-Chez mumbled again. Sigrid was strict when it ca to swords and duels.
"If Alkerto said he's fine, then he's fine."
Sigrid said firmly, changing the subject. It was a clear sign that she wouldn't discuss it further.
"So, Marie, are you not going sledding?"
"...I'll go."
At Marie-Chez's words, Sigrid nodded and smiled.
"Then let's go downstairs. Everything's ready."
"Okay."
Marie-Chez nodded, and Lowengrin quickly grabbed a fur hat and placed it on Marie-Chez's head.
"There, all done. Let's hurry downstairs."
She smiled and pulled Marie-Chez's hand. Dragged along, Marie-Chez went downstairs. In front of the entrance stood an ornate sleigh with four lanterns attached.
Sigrid quickly climbed onto the driver's seat and said:
"Both of you, get in quickly."
"Oh my? Siri, are you driving?"
"Yes."
Marie-Chez and Lowengrin carefully climbed into the carriage. There were heated stones under their feet, making it warm and cozy. As they covered themselves with blankets, Beramund waved and said:
"Fortunately, there's no wind tonight, and it's not too cold. Have fun and co back safely."
"We will."
Sigrid flashed a smile, waved back at him, and urged the horses to start with a shout. The bells on the sleigh jingled rrily.
As the lights of the mansion faded away, everything around them beca quiet. It was a strange feeling to be racing across a plain covered in fresh snow where no one had been.
The tinkling of bells, the large moon hanging in the sky, twinkling stars, silence, and the snow-white field.
Both Marie-Chez and Lowengrin were overwheld by the beauty and remained silent.
Wooo-wooo—
"Oh my goodness!"
Marie-Chez cried out in surprise at the distant howl of wolves, and Sigrid burst out laughing.
"It's alright, they're very far away."
Lowengrin exhaled a long breath and marveled:
"But this place is really amazing."
"It is. Everything's white, and you can't tell things apart, but you can still find your way back ho, right?"
"Of course."
Sigrid replied as if asking what did they take her for. Lowengrin looked around and asked:
"Is there a lake too?"
"Yes. It's completely frozen now, and with the snowfall, we need to cut the ice to fill the ice storage."
"I see."
Lowengrin nodded, rembering that Sigrid liked ice. The sleigh glided smoothly over the snow without any bumps.
As they picked up speed, Marie-Chez forgot her worries and let out a scream-like laugh. Lowengrin, feeling uneasy, gripped the armrest tightly. After racing excitedly for a while, before the heated stones at their feet could cool, Sigrid turned the sleigh back towards the mansion.
"You know—"
Marie-Chez spoke softly.
"I really do like Alkerto."
"We already knew that, didn't we?"
At Lowengrin's words, Marie-Chez let out a heavy sigh. Her white breath flowed away quickly like a cloud.
"Yes. But seeing Alkerto hurt today, I realized how much I truly like him. So, I'm going to think about it more."
Hearing Marie-Chez's serious tone, Lowengrin nodded. She wasn't sure what exactly Marie-Chez was going to think about, but hopefully, it would lead to a good conclusion.
'Though I can't imagine Marie-Chez living poorly.'
"Ah, I can see it."
At Sigrid's cheerful shout, the two looked up. The lights of the mansion were visible straight ahead. Sigrid said:
"It feels good to see the lights on at ho like that. It's like, ah— I really have a ho to return to, that kind of feeling."
"And there's also a loved one waiting there?"
Marie-Chez asked teasingly, to which Sigrid replied "Yes" without a hint of shyness. If anything, Marie-Chez felt more embarrassed for having asked.
"Yes, yes. I'm glad you're both happy."
Marie-Chez nodded with a sigh. Lowengrin chuckled.
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The next day, Alkerto's injuries had increased again.
When they gathered for lunch, Marie-Chez ran out of the dining room as soon as she saw Alkerto. Lowengrin stopped Sigrid from following and went after Marie-Chez herself.
Sigrid glared at Karsus, who, unable to find a place to look, said:
"I feel like I've beco the villain here."
"You are the villain."
Beramund said bluntly. In the silence, only the soft sound of cutlery could be heard. Finally, Beramund stood up and said:
"Karsus, you co out. And Alkerto too— hmm, Siri, you co too."
The last words were delivered with a bright smile to Sigrid, who tilted her head in surprise, saying " too?" Alkerto and Karsus stood up awkwardly, and Beramund said:
"Let's have a match."
Those words were directed at Karsus, who pointed at himself asking "?" and Beramund nodded. He said:
"There's no rule saying others can't help, right?"
"Well, that's true, but."
"What rule?"
When Sigrid asked curiously, Beramund glanced at Alkerto before answering, "There's such a thing," and then said to Karsus:
"Are you coming out or not?"
"I'll co."
"You want to watch too, right, Siri?"
A duel between a Dark Knight and a Wanderer?
Of course.
'So that's why he told
to co out too.'
Sigrid jumped up from her seat, then muttered as she looked at the table:
"But Seria made this..."
"We can eat it later."
Beramund said, then glanced at Alkerto.
"You obviously have to co too."
"Of course."
Alkerto said with a sigh. Karsus was grinning despite saying, "This seems disadvantageous for ." As the four of them left together, Sigrid called a maid to inform Lowengrin and Marie-Chez of their whereabouts.
Beramund headed to his training ground. As he was doing light warm-up exercises, Alkerto muttered:
"I told you to be careful of your face."
"Even if you know, you still get hit."
Beramund replied with a grin.
"Face?"
Sigrid finally took a proper look at Alkerto's face.
"Did you get punched? Or hit by a poml? Or did you not use real swords?"
"Fist."
"That's... impressive."
Sigrid muttered unconsciously. It's a fight between swords. In any fight, distance—that is, the gap—is important. A sword is quite long. Compared to a sword, an arm is much shorter. So for a fist to co in during a sword fight...
"It ans he's willing to risk cutting off his own arm."
"Wow— Countess, I can hear you, you know?!"
Karsus cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted from across the field. Alkerto made a bitter smile and said:
"It just shows how clear the gap between us is."
"No, it's not that, his swordsmanship is weird."
Beramund said as he drew his sword. Karsus also unsheathed his sword. The curved blade caught the eye.
"It still looks peculiar no matter how many tis I see it."
Sigrid muttered. Beramund signaled for them to step back, so Sigrid and Alkerto retreated to a safe distance.
"Well then."
Karsus grinned and lowered the tip of his sword to the ground. Beramund took a deep breath and—
The two clashed.
Sigrid's eyes widened.
'Fast.'
It's fast. Sigrid herself uses speed-based swordsmanship. But not like that, not as unpredictable as Karsus.
"What the—"
How can a sword's trajectory curve like that? Is that person's arm muscles and joints okay?
Clang—! Screech!
Sparks flew as the blades collided and slid against each other. Moreover, because Karsus was using a curved sword, the sound of it cutting through the air was no joke. Sigrid could now understand the sound she had heard before.
'And he's almost always deflecting.'
He doesn't block Beramund's strikes, but deflects them all. In a way, it was similar to her own swordsmanship. Sigrid also avoids everything by smoothly deflecting like that to overco differences in strength and physique.
But she doesn't do it so flashily.
"Ah—!"
She couldn't help but let out a small cry. The blades ca close together—that is, the distance narrowed—and then Karsus continued to slide his blade while trying to strike Beramund with his elbow. Beramund barely avoided it and counterattacked in the opening as Karsus turned his body.
Karsus, who had been kicked in the side by Beramund's knee, retreated while coughing loudly.
"Wow, you really kicked
without holding back just now."
"I avoided your kidneys."
Karsus grumbled at Beramund's cold words. He raised his hand lightly and said:
"Can I surrender due to injury?"
"If you wish."
Beramund answered and glanced back.
"Do you understand?"
Sigrid's scarlet eyes sparkled as if sparks were flying. Karsus flinched and hunched his shoulders. Sigrid quickly approached and said:
"Lord Rian. Please duel with
too."
"Well—"
"I don't mind if it's not formal."
Seeing Sigrid's eyes sparkling as if they contained stars, Karsus found himself answering before he knew it.
"Alright."
Sigrid barely restrained herself from cheering out loud. She quickly drew her sword. Karsus said "Uh—" and asked:
"You an now?"
"Yes."
"...Alright."
Karsus picked up his sword and glanced at Beramund. Beramund was standing with his arms crossed, looking askance.
"Don't mind him."
"Pardon?"
Karsus turned his head at Sigrid's call. Sigrid smiled and said:
"You can attack
as much as you like. Punching is fine, kicking is fine too. Don't worry about Ber."
Even if you tell
not to worry, Karsus thought as he raised his sword.
And the mont he exchanged the first blow with her, Karsus realized that it wasn't a matter of not worrying, but that he couldn't afford to worry.
'No wonder she's the Silver Knight.'
Karsus completely erased his assumption that she might have been ranked just three places below him as the first female Master.
Sigrid's sword was delicate, and that delicacy was so extre that it felt almost like a kind of madness. Yet each step she took forward was a clean, decisive strike.
She was a tricky opponent.
Sigrid, too, had almost abandoned relying solely on her eyes. It was completely different actually clashing with him compared to watching from the side. It was impossible to predict the angle at which Karsus's curved sword would co in as usual. She had to react spontaneously, and if she tried to follow with her eyes, she would certainly be cut by the sword the mont she saw it.
She reflexively caught up with his sword, deflecting and pushing it away.
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