28

In reality, there were no lingering injuries, so I could've been discharged immediately. I knew my body better than anyone, and I wanted to leave right away. But my boss, my friends, the academy, and even the city's higher-ups, who needed time to investigate the demon attack and manage public opinion, all insisted I stay for a week. As a result, I was stuck in the infirmary for a week, unable to move.

At least I was given a private room, and with daily visits from people, boredom wasn't an issue. However, the stiffness in my body was unavoidable. And despite the academy's prestige, hospital food, no matter how high-quality, tasted bland. There was a time when I'd have been grateful for any meal, but after getting used to the academy's dining options, this felt like torture.

So now, having finally been discharged, I headed to the training grounds, eager to stretch and regain my freedom.

Originally, I planned to do some light exercises on my own, but as soon as I arrived, I found Cilly waiting for me. It seemed she had anticipated my visit. So, we ended up training together.

We started with some warm-up exercises and basic strength training, which naturally led to a sparring match. Up until that point, everything seemed normal.

But then—

Swoosh.

...What just happened? One moment, we were facing off with our swords, the bell ringing to signal the start of the match, just like always.

The next moment, however, things were different. The exchange of blows between us was unlike anything I'd experienced before. My swordsmanship hadn't changed, but Cilly's... it was on a completely different level.

Her sword was at my throat, just like in previous sparring sessions, but this time, the process leading up to it was entirely different. I had never seen this side of her before.

It reminded me of the time I sparred with the academy's sword instructors—those with far more skill and experience than I could ever hope to match.

Cilly's swordsmanship had evolved to the level of the academy's masters. It was absurd to think that she had reached such a level in the one week I was hospitalized. Her sword was tempered with an immense amount of experience.

That's when I realized how much she had been holding back during our past matches.

Of course, I had always known she was stronger than me, and I figured she was going easy on me. But I hadn't realized just how wide the gap between us truly was.

"Let's go again. Pick up your sword."

Cilly pulled back her blade and returned to her starting position with calm, measured steps.

I stood there, dazed and confused, while she waited patiently for me to prepare myself. She wasn't rushing me, just waiting for me to take my stance.

I couldn't just stand there forever, so I picked up my fallen sword and faced her once more.

The second round began, and this time, I was disarmed even faster. Within five moves, my sword had flown across the training ground, and once again, Cilly's blade was at my throat.

Once might have been a fluke, but twice? That was no coincidence.

The overwhelming difference between us was palpable, and I felt a flood of emotions.

It wasn't something I could define with a single word.

While I struggled to process my feelings, Cilly spoke softly.

"Elys, I'll always protect you. But I know the kind of person you are. You'll continue to throw yourself into danger to protect others, treating your own life like it doesn't matter."

After defeating me, she didn't focus on the outcome. She simply returned to her original position, just as she had before.

"I can't accept that. I won't ever allow you to fall apart in front of me. So you need to get stronger, Elys. Strong enough that no one can take what's yours. Strong enough to utterly destroy anyone who dares threaten those you care about."

She turned and looked at me.

"Don't just catch up to me. Surpass me. Use me as a stepping stone."

She raised her sword once more.

"Because this is the only thing I can offer you."

The emotions I felt weren't just frustration at how much she had been holding back or jealousy over her overwhelming talent and skill. It wasn't even despair at the seemingly insurmountable gap between us.

No, the strongest emotion I felt was something else entirely—anger at my own weakness, excitement at how far I could go, and a determination to one day stand as her equal.

That's why, when Cilly demanded a response, I answered without hesitation.

"No. I refuse."

I grabbed my fallen sword from where it had been flung to the edge of the training ground.

"You think I'll accept using you as a stepping stone or relying on you to handle everything?"

I pointed my sword at her again.

"Maybe right now I'm not much help to you."

And this time, I was the one to charge at her.

Clang!

Predictably, she blocked my attack. But I didn't stop.

Just like when I faced Valikan, I kept moving, even though I knew all my attacks would be blocked. When she countered, I forced myself to dodge or, when I couldn't, gritted my teeth and endured the impact. It wasn't a real sword, so I could afford to push myself like this.

Clang!

Even if my entire body ended up covered in bruises, I refused to stop. Eventually, through sheer persistence, I managed to knock her sword aside and point my own at her. It was a reckless and clumsy move, but I didn't care. This was my resolve, my truth.

"We're getting stronger together."

Maybe it was my absurd approach, maybe it was the fact that I had actually landed a counterattack, or maybe it was my response. Whatever it was, Cilly stared at me for a moment, then broke into a small, amused smile.

"That's the Elys I know."

She seemed satisfied with my answer. She walked over to where her sword had landed and picked it up, mirroring what I had done earlier.

"Well then, are you ready?"

"Of course."

"Just so you know, I won't go easy on you."

She grinned widely.

After taking quite a beating, we finally finished training.

Personal training was one thing, but after being discharged, I had my first real class and realized a harsh truth.

That week I spent in the infirmary had seriously impacted my grades.

On the surface, there didn't seem to be any major issues. Since the academy had been at fault for my absence, they ensured I wouldn't be penalized for attendance, and I was given extensions on the assignments I had missed. The work that couldn't be postponed had been graded based on the minimum requirements.

But while I hadn't lost any points, I also hadn't gained any.

My plan for the first semester had been to stay in the top tier so I could secure a scholarship in the second semester. With Cilly as the overwhelming candidate for the top scholarship, I had aimed for one of the partial scholarships given to a few students below her.

Of course, I wasn't the only one aiming for those scholarships. Plenty of other students were competing for top grades, and there were other commoner students like me who needed the financial support.

And because I missed a week's worth of extra credit opportunities, I was now teetering on the edge. The students I was competing with had moved ahead of me, and on top of that, I still needed to catch up on a week's worth of missed lessons.

An alarm bell was ringing in my head.

This... this could end very badly.

It wasn't a joke. My second semester was in serious jeopardy.

My only hope now was how much compensation Fresia managed to wring out of the academy, but there was no guarantee of how much she'd get. I couldn't rely on that alone.

No, I had only one option left.

Starting today, I was going all out with my studies.