169 - Duel
*
"I leave for a few minutes, not even 15 and you guys are already covered in tears... I guess you are kids after all..." (Iyori)
As Cress helped to wipe my tears off, knowing my hands are pretty much immobile, I managed to squeeze out a smile. Though there was a sniffle or two, it didn't affect my messaging so I wasn't as affected by it as Cress was. My speech was completely uninterrupted, this messaging method may as well be the best in the universe. It was undetectable to any magic or skills and bypassed any restrictions that could possibly be posed.
"And what would that be?" (Iyori)
"Wha... Why are you~ blushing? You're the one who brought this on all of us! Plus I didn't hear anything about this! " (Cress)
"... Fine. But there will come a time when you get sick of it and start getting embarrassed... " (Cress)
Facing Iyori, I gave my best smug face I could produce. My facial muscles stretched unbelievably much, until it went beyond what I usually used it for and cramped. Unexpectedly, my facial muscles had complete recovery and even went beyond my normal expressive capacity. There was an added effect due to the stiff creaking of my neck, like an unoiled machine, it spasmed ominously to face her.
"...Hahah.. . I guess we all need a way to celebrate. Anyway, I've bought the cake. It was a large tiramisu!" (Iyori)
Needless to say, being fed by Cress was the best. Her pale delicate fingers wrapped around the spoon, causing the glint to be reapplied. It scooped softly, dug into the fragile icy texture of the cake, before the familiar grey metal surfaced back out. Wobbling on the spoon was an appropriately sized mouthful, it jiggled as Cress's perfect proportioned fingers waved it through the air, approaching my expecting lips. My life flashed as if I was waiting for this particular moment the whole time.
"Lilith, stop staring and open your mouth. We're celebrating your recovery here!" (Cress)
The soft texture entered my mouth, the sweet velvety cream instantly melted on my taste buds, spreading across a potent sweetness. At the same time, it was contrasted by the layer of coffee powder at the top, the bitterness melding into the overall taste to give a harder punch for the next serving. The slight coldness hinting at the freshness at which it was taken out of the fridge, the creamy goodness that fought with the coffee flavour to forge the ultimate combo. Truly, this was an enjoyable and unforgettable moment.
"You'll just have to take this instead. The other one is way too embarrassing!"
(Cress)
"There goes any significance of the smug face you pulled just now." (Iyori)
***(Next day)
Walking towards the nostalgic school gate, it had been a year and even more since I've last been here. Roughly a third of the 2nd year had already passed, before I finally step foot into the classroom. Around a month passed since my recovery celebration. Though my soul cries out in desperation, I had reached my limit on gaining back my mobility.
I was able to freely manipulate up to the second joint from the other side. In other words, I could move the back half of my arm and legs but not my forearm and below the knee. In other words, at this moment, I was not actually walking but mimicking its motions by using anti-gravity. Though, it was more of a formality. A courtesy. To walk through the magic detectors in the front gate, and subsequently teleport into my seat.
My jet black hair had grown long and reached my waist. To deter it from affecting my battles, I tied it into a ponytail with a velvety purple ribbon string. I was back in my sailor uniform, albeit the inner part of it had a hood attached for all the students, in case of rain. The collar ribbon of the suit donned a deep maroon red similar to that of blood, while the rest of the top boasted a clear black coverage with the same maroon lines. The skirt was a dark grey with a similar maroon red theme, it reached above thighs, allowing for ease of movement. Under the skirt, I had a translucent grey legging on, caressing and protecting my skin from the cold.
Oddly enough, the uniform was paired up with a standardised white pair of shoes. The contrasting look stood out among the various uniforms of other institutions. The main purpose of these schools was to help students prepare for the guild entry test, to register as an adventurer. Better schools are recognised by the guild, allowing the student to skip ranks from C to A. Rarely do people actually reach S rank, even among the graduates of this school, the reputedly best in the Kingdom and possibly the whole continent. Well, there was quite an obvious reason for this development. It can be observed with the eyes alone.
In front of me stood a male of similar age. His dark hair waved in the morning wind, looking closely there were hints of a blue shading in his hair. It was an extremely dark blue that was pretty much black like ink. However he had a unique trait that could be observed from any distance. His dark red irises, similar to the maroon red of our uniforms, the whole of his atmosphere fitted a dark theme.
In the middle of those dark red irises were shining black pupils. They stared piercingly into me, as if waiting for this exact moment. If he could wait this long, he was truly the perfect rival.
Sakase von Zakwin, his hair had been slightly longer than the last time I saw him. It seemed that it was maintained only quite recently. His facial features were slightly more chiseled than before, like a statue, the curves of his cheeks and face can be observed. A resolute will resided in his chest, his composure not budging an inch at my appearance. Was he excited? Was he displeased? Or was he unfeeling towards my return? Well, I would find out the next moment anyway.
"I don't know about your condition, only that you're sick and still recovering... But it is precisely this moment that I should strike. Have a duel with me after school, I've been waiting for more than year." (Sakase)