Chapter 35: Preparations

The worst thing about nightmares is that you can't escape them even if you close your eyes.

So was the dream that Yuria Greyhounder had every day.

[Young Lady, why… Why?]

The restless voices of the dead constantly echoed in her ears, the smell of blood lingers on her hands, and the pieces of flesh at her feet that she didn't even recognize anymore.

Corpses formed a mountain.

And everything was her doing.

The gardener who cultivated a small bonsai with her, the housekeeper who made her favorite carrot cake for dessert with a warm smile, and the maid who always gives her a nagging but is worried about her wellbeing.

All of them.

She cut down everyone. 

Just because they were within 'three steps' of her.

"…"

She screamed at the top of her lungs. 

She didn't mean to. She didn't want this to happen. 

No, never. 

Shedding tears of blood, she pleaded while vomiting. 

However, not a single word is reached.

Her mouth won't open.

Everyone glared at her with resentful eyes, wishing upon her curses as they morph into a cold corpse.

Then, she saw a man emerging from the sea of bodies. 

A robe of pure gold. A pure white wand. A swinging rosary.

A man boasting a perfect beauty as if he's meticulously created by a God. 

Yuria knew who it was.

The Pope. The pinnacle of all religious figures in this era.

[Are you still hoping for someone to save you?]

An eerie sound, like a jade bead rolling on a tray, echoed out.

[Are you still hoping to get close with someone?]

However.

To her, it was the voice of a 'predator' that made her body shake just by hearing it.

[You cursed apotropaic.]

She dreams of this.

Always.

[You will be alone until you die.]

It ended with the Pope's whisper. 

●

"…!"

Her eyes opened with a shallow scream.

Her whole body was drenched in cold sweat.

"…"

Yuria Greyhounder rubbed her face and looked out the window.

Fortunately, she hadn't overslept.

Her day always started at a regular time.

Living a self-sufficient life in a place far from people, even a refined greenhouse flower would get accustomed to the life in the wild.

Through the window, she caught a glimpse of the Academy building.

A civilized society filled with vibrant energy.

"…"

Yuria averted her dry gaze from that direction. 

She had no time for such places. She had mountains of tasks to accomplish.

She needs to reinforce her tent, check the traps and snares she set up to catch prey, and also wash the clothes she's been wearing for a week.

That was her life. A savage living in a place completely disconnected from society, no other human interaction. 

A sparkling and brilliant civilization awaits her, and it was only half a day's walk away. However, she was never a human who could approach it.

Curse of Severance. The bondage of a lifetime of isolation.

She just needs to do her role and today is no exception. 

Yes. That's how it should be. 

"Are you awake?"

"…"

That's what would have happened if it had not been for this strange man suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

A masked face, an altered voice.

'…Uh?'

She knew this person. More precisely, she recognized that familiar mask. 

This is the person who visited her once before and gave her delicious snacks.

And, he also said that he knew something about herself and her 'sister'.

Recalling such information, Yuria instinctively calculated the distance between herself and this man with sleepy eyes. 

Three steps, then.

He came closer! 

"…!"

Again, she violently drew her sword out against her will.

Her face turned pale seeing the sword lunging towards the man at lightning speed.

This time, once again.

She's about to kill someone again against her will.

"That's right."

However, the man pulled out the sword he had prepared as if he had been waiting for this.

Then, he effortlessly parried her attack.

Continuing on, he stood his ground and blocked her successive strikes.

As if he had intended to do so from the beginning.

After the continuous exchange of blows, he swiftly went outside the three-step range when he slowly started getting pushed back. 

"…This should be enough. Enduring it is worth, and I'm getting closer…"

He mumbled something with a satisfied tone.

As if her attacks were worth receiving.

"…"

Yuria was stunned for a moment as she alternately looked at her sword and the man.

It wasn't the first time she'd seen someone 'receiving' her attack. Especially if it's about three steps.

The way her sword works is the closer the opponent, the more her combat abilities increase. Likewise, the farther the opponent within her range, the less powerful her attacks are.

The problem is...

'This is the second time, isn't it?'

On their first meeting, this man also got attacked after closing the distance. 

That's why, afterwards, when he completely disappeared, she understood.

"…"

-You will be alone until you die.

These words that she always hear in her dreams echoed in her mind. 

That's right. She knows very well that it is her destiny.

After all, who on earth would want to get entangled with someone who'll slice you up if you get even an inch closer than permitted. 

"Okay. Judging from your swings, you seem healthy. Have you been well?"

Except for this strange man in front of her.

As Yuria looked at the man perplexed, he slumped down and caught his breath.

It seems that the intense exchange they just had has exhausted him considerably.

[…What is, what the hell?]

Characters formed by manifesting divine power floated before her eyes.

As someone afflicted by the Curse of Severance, she couldn't use her vocal cords. Hence why she's communicating this way.

It was a question filled with complex doubts.

What is the point of doing this? What the hell are you doing? 

Last time, he just disappeared and didn't come back for a while. Then now, he suddenly came back with a sword and competed against her.

Moreover, he skillfully maneuvered within her "danger zone."

As if he knew about her curse.

'…No, what is it really?'

Truly, his existence is just incomprehensible.

"Didn't I tell you before? I'll occasionally come to bring you food."

However, the other party simply replied like so.

In fact, along with those words, a lunch box filled with food slid towards her.

"Eat. I'm taking my leave. Someone will get angry if I stay for too long."

"…"

Yuria blankly stared at the man leaving.

What kind of person is he, really?

The day passed just like that.

She spent the rest of the day pondering over thoughts of that man while attending to her tasks.

'What's going on? What kind of person is he?'

She was accustomed to the solitary life. She had plenty of time for thinking.

'It's probably just a whim.'

In the evening, just before she's about to sleep, she successfully came to that conclusion and wore a satisfied smile. It was the result of thinking only of him for 9 hours.

Yeah, that's right. He hadn't shown himself for a while after visiting her once.

It will probably be the same this time.

[…You're here again?]

However, the next morning, the man came in the same way.

At the same time she woke up, with the same sword, and at the same distance.

Briefly engaging in combat, and then withdrawing. 

Finally, he threw her some food and disappeared.

"…"

Yuria pondered as she stared at the lunchbox left behind by the man.

Yesterday, it was 9 hours. Today, it was 12.

Her brain, which had rarely been put to use due to living a monotonous savage life, was being pushed to its limits.

'Could there be something special he wants from me?'

She thought of a reasonable hypothesis. 

The first time they met, he said he was 'asked' by someone to take care of her. It seems that there has been a recent change in that regard.

'…But what's with the sword fight?'

In the end, she couldn't reach a conclusion until she fell asleep. 

"Are you awake?"

The next day, the man came again.

Following the same routine, he threw her a lunchbox.

"Hey, do you know?"

But this time, he didn't leave right away and engaged in small talk with her.

It was simply trivial conversation.

He talked about the happenings at the Academy, the current nice weather, and something he found amusing recently.

Really, it was a dreary story with no value whatsoever.

She didn't even respond. She didn't know anything, so she had nothing to give back. Meanwhile, the man just tells his stories as he pleased. 

"…"

However, for Yuria, who has not had the opportunity to interact with people for a long time.

For the first time in a long while, she felt like she had a "human" conversation.

"Hey!"

However, perhaps because the man stayed longer than usual, someone came to pick up him up. 

It was someone Yuria knew, President Atallante.

The person who provided her a place to hide and stay.

"I warned you not to stay for too long! How many times have I told you that if someone like you gets hurt, it will cause a big problem…!"

"It's a bit too rude to just exchange swords and then leave. And it's not dangerous if you chat a little farther away. I'm just being friendly, what are you getting so antagonistic about?"

"Student always like to talk misleadingly! I'm telling you not to stay long because I'm afraid you'll cause an accident while talking nonsense!"

"…That, I can't argue."

Yuria heard such a conversation in the distance, as the man got dragged away by Atallante. 

Perhaps they thought Yuria wouldn't hear them, but it was futile because she was keenly listening.

'A student, huh.'

She managed to gather a few fragmented pieces of information.

He obviously knows about her curse.

He's a student at the Academy and someone impressive enough for Atallante to personally take care of.

And yet...

He wants to be friends with someone like her.

"…"

-You will be alone until you die.

Once again, that sentence came to mind. Yuria chuckled to herself.

She knows. She knows it too.

That's why she had no intention of harboring such futile hope of it actually happening.

She's just curious, that's all.

Like what could they be thinking?

And so, she spent almost the entire day thinking about that person.

Continuously, endlessly.

About the mysterious masked student.

'…I don't know anything.'

Similar days followed with the same pattern.

An bout of swords, giving her a lunchbox, engaging in small talk, and then disappearing immediately.

She doesn't understand why he keeps wearing a mask, nor does she have an idea on who asked him to come give her food every day.

Even more, despite fully knowing the viciousness of her curse, he kept entering within her range.

Saying 'I want to be friends' while getting stabbed felt incomprehensible.

She doesn't know anything for sure.

Even after contemplating for 22 hours, sacrificing sleep, she made no significant progress in her mind, just a headache. 

'Will he come again tomorrow?'

On that day, she had this thought before going to bed.

As if, even just a little.

She was hoping for his return.

"…That wasn't too bad, right?"

I mumbled while taking off the mask. 

The fastest way to mastering any skill, like I said before, is engaging in real combat against strong opponents. 

In that regard, Yuria confidently ranked at the top in what the players call a "Skill Grinding Optimization NPC".

Because despite her being ridiculously strong, you can end the fight by controlling the distance.

Through constant battles, you can rapidly increase your Attribute level.

Moreover, since the closer you are, the stronger Yuria becomes, once you've accumulated enough proficiency to withstand the current distance, you can simply get closer and further accelerate the growth of your Attributes.

That's what I've been doing.

'There…'

It is risky as she comes straight for your life, but from my point of view, the more dangerous it is, the better my stats. So it doesn't really bother me that much.

Because even if I have a swordsmanship attribute, if my stats are lacking, I won't be able to use it properly. Given my horrendous stats that barely allows me to swing a sword, let alone wield it, this is actually a cheat.

'…And, well. I've got safety measures in place.'

Thinking so, I looked at the illusion mask in my hand.

This is the same mask I wore the first time I met her.

It is a must-have item for the so-called 'Yuria Skill Grinding Mechanic'.

This is a tip that only veteran players know. Due to the Curse of Severance, the automatic attacks are slightly less powerful if the opponent had their face covered.

'There should be a reason for it.'

If used properly, it's helpful in the finale of Chapter 2, but I can't remember what it was.

It looks very trivial, yet it is so important…

'…I'll think about it later.'

I'll definitely remember it when the time comes to use it. 

But for now, I have other matters to attend to.

[ Inspection Successful! ]

[ Attribute: Tristan Style Swordsmanship Proficiency Increased. ]

[ Proficiency Upgraded! ]

[ Attribute Grade promoted from 'Basic' to 'General'! ] 

< Mastery Info >

[ Attribute: Tristan Style Swordsmanship ] [ Grade: General ]

[ Current Proficiency: 0% ]

[ Master Sword Technique of the Tristan Duke Family. ]

[ ■ Can exert a certain level of power regardless of weapon. ]

[ ■ When equipped with a longsword, can use 'Deflect'. ]

[ ■ When equipped with a longsword, can partially ignore the opponent's defense and inflict damage. ]

"…"

The speed of progression is unusually fast.

Even though I had some prior accumulation of proficiency, going from Basic to General proficiency in just 7 days is a crazy achievement.

Wasn't it supposed to take at least a month?

'And the listed effects…'

Deflection is a common parrying technique in the game. By timing the defense against the opponent's attack, you can negate the damage and gain a turn to counter-attack.

The ability to ignore defense and inflict damage. 

It is exactly as described. It's simple yet powerful. 

'…Alright, then.'

With these two things, it should be sufficient. I can consider all the preparations done.

< Gift-related Character Notification >

♥ Elnore Elinalise La Tristan

[ Love Level 1 ]

[ Exclusive Quest 'Curse Inheritance' has been created! ]

[ D-1 until Exclusive Quest-related events occur ]

▼ Gideon Galestead La Tristan

[ Curiosity Level 1 ]

[ Exclusive Quest 'Curse Inheritance' has been created! ]

[ D-1 until Exclusive Quest-related events occur ]

To get the results I want in tomorrow's 'Class Observation' event.

"…I should go to bed early today.'

The accumulated fatigue in my body from fighting Yuria every day is no joke.

I fell asleep as soon as I got back to the dorm.

Then...

[ Skill: Fatal Charm Activated! ]

[ The Villain's favor has greatly increased! ]

[ Target 'Yuria's' favorability raised to Interest Level 1! ]

[ Rewards are added to the Gift tab! ]

I was greeted by such a message the next morning. 

"…"

What the hell is this?