(One)
One.
Dawn without dawn.
Ibella secretly left the dormitory.
It was partly because I woke up earlier than expected, and partly because I felt frustrated for some reason.
Also, fortunately or unfortunately, her roommate, who was supposed to share a room with her, was hospitalized due to worsening health.
As a result, Ibella was able to use her room alone for the time being and was able to leave the dormitory without being noticed by anyone.
Hung! Whoa!
The sound of the wind heard in a deserted forest.
It was the sound of a wooden sword cutting through the air.
Whenever she was angry or frustrated, she always swung her sword. Afterwards, her mood seemed to calm down.
“Whoa.”
But it seems not today.
No matter how much I swung the sword, the frustration wouldn’t go away. No, actually, this wasn’t just a problem for today.
‘Why on earth is this happening?’
Ibella, who used to swing her sword every morning, felt like she had hit a wall at some point.
How do I explain this?
Did you feel like a large chunk of rock suddenly fell on the road you had been traveling smoothly? So it felt like I couldn’t go any further.
‘I want to overcome it somehow…’
It wasn’t easy at all.
The walls were high and the rocks were large.
However, I felt even more frustrated when I let go of the sword, so I had no choice but to swing the sword anyway.
But at that moment.
thud! Coooooo!
The ground rumbled not far away.
You can feel the popularity right away. Someone was coming here. After a while, the blurry shape appeared quite bizarre.
Its body was slightly larger than that of a human, but its arms were excessively long. Like a log.
‘What is that?’
Surely it’s not a demonic beast?
A sudden guess occurred to me, but I quickly shook my head. There’s no way a witch could come out of the academy or near the dormitory.
But you don’t know what’s going on in the world.
Ibella held on tightly to the wooden sword to prepare for any emergency. And at that moment, someone appeared through the bushes.
“······uh?”
To conclude, it was not a magic beast.
He was just a young man with his upper body completely naked, carrying a large log on his shoulder.
The moment I faced him.
Ibella realized the young man’s identity.
“ah! you are······.”
A barbarian warrior seen in the Battle Trials.
Talented individuals who passed the entrance exam with top honors.
It was Ulan.
2.
After jumping out of the dormitory window.
Ulan only planned to take a short walk and then return. But as he walked, he wanted to run, and as he ran, his body became itchy.
‘Let’s just do some strength training and then go back.’
Immediately after making a decision.
After uprooting two reasonably thick trees, they were made into logs. And they each carried it on their shoulders and ran.
Then I ran into Ibella.
We looked at each other in silence for a while.
Ulan spoke first.
“Are you okay?”
“······Uh, yes?”
“My nose is bleeding.”
Ibella was startled by those words.
It’s not because of the nosebleed. Before I heard this, I realized that I had been looking at his body as if I was fascinated without realizing it.
Muscular body soaked in sweat.
Firm breasts, forearms thicker than her waist, and even flawless abs.
How can you just go around showing off your body like that?
Even if the stimulation is severe, it is too severe.
Ibella hurriedly looked away.
After a while, when the nosebleed finally stopped, Ulan spoke again.
“It’s good to focus on swordsmanship, but do it while considering your health as well.”
“Well, I will.”
thank god. Because I didn’t pay attention.
After breathing a sigh of relief.
“Well, by the way…”
Ibella glanced at Ulan.
Strong muscles were muscles, but there was more I wanted to ask than that. This is the log that Ulan is carrying on his shoulders.
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“What are you doing now?”
“Strength training.”
A calm answer came back.
It certainly seemed like it would help with muscle strength. Of course, only for Ulan. If an ordinary person did that, they would just be crushed to death.
On the other hand, is it because of repeated gazes?
Ulan narrowed his eyes as if on guard.
“I can’t give you this.”
“yes?”
“If you need to, make it yourself.”
“No, it’s okay. I do not need it.”
I guess I thought you were going to ask for a log.
So I shook my head and Ulan turned around as if relieved.
“Then excuse me.”
“Oh, yes.”
“Just finish practicing your swordsmanship.”
After answering, Ulan turned around.
At that moment, this thought suddenly occurred to me.
If Ulan is much stronger than himself, wouldn’t he know a way to break down this frustrating wall?
Ibella hurriedly spoke.
With the feeling of grasping at straws.
“Hey, over there…!”
“······?”
“Well, have you seen it?”
“what?”
“My swordsmanship.”
Of course I saw it.
Because Ulan has good eyesight.
“I saw.”
“How was it?”
“It looked like they were dancing.”
The moment Ulan gave his answer.
Ibella looked surprised.
‘Huh, how did you know?’
As he said, this is a sword dance passed down from generation to generation in the family of Count Deorg. A sword dance used to add excitement when there is a banquet.
It is the only swordsmanship she received from her family.
‘The intention may have been to not hold a sword unnecessarily, but to dance with a sword when there is a banquet…’
Ibella was not satisfied with sword dancing.
Although she was born in sword dance, she spent a lot of time and effort improving it.
And as a result, her sword dance was reborn as a truly powerful swordsmanship.
‘I never thought I would recognize this at a glance.’
He probably also has deep expertise in swordsmanship.
After hesitating for a moment, she immediately looked at Ulan with a determined look on her face. Then, Ulan opened her mouth first.
“Is there anything you want to say?”
“Oh, yes. “That’s me…”
It seems like his expression was read.
Ibella, who was slightly embarrassed, soon composed her expression. She then said with a serious face.
“If you don’t mind, could you please let me know if there is anything I need to improve in my swordsmanship?”
“I don’t know swords.”
As soon as Ibella finished speaking.
Ulan flatly refused.
It may sound a bit cold-hearted, but you can’t help what you can’t do. It was true that Ulan was illiterate in swordsmanship.
Ulan, a born warrior.
He learned how to fight from birth, but he couldn’t teach anyone else.
Swordsmanship, archery, spearing, martial arts, etc.
Ulan learned and used skills that other people had to learn from someone to use, just as naturally as breathing in and out.
So, I couldn’t tell you what needed to be fixed in Ibella’s swordsmanship or how to improve it.
Is it because of this firm answer?
Her complexion soon darkened. Ulan, seeing this, comforted her tightly closed lips.
“but······.”
There is just one piece of advice I can give.
Advice I can give because I was once a colleague of hers.
“If you don’t mind giving me some short advice, I’ll give it to you.”
“yes! are you okay.”
A complexion that brightens in an instant.
Ibella brightened as if she had never had a dark expression on her face. And Ulan immediately recalled memories of her past life.
When was that?
I think it was probably a particularly sleepless night. Ulan lit a bonfire with Ibella and Delia and had a great conversation.
A trivial topic and a trivial story.
Meanwhile, this story came out.
‘If you could have a conversation with your younger self for just one minute, what would you say?’
Ulan responded that he would not let his brother die, and Delia said that she would prevent him from learning magic.
‘And Ibella…’
He spoke about his sword.
“Honestly, my family’s swordsmanship wasn’t good enough to hold onto my talent. So, if you get the chance, would you tell me to abandon my family’s swordsmanship first?”
Thinking back to her words at the time.
Ulan repeated as he said.
“For now, give up your family’s swordsmanship.”
“······yes?”
“You have a talent for swordsmanship. “But your family’s swordsmanship is not good enough to hold onto the talent you have.”
Give up your family’s swordsmanship?
Ibella made a strange expression.
It was natural. It was very rude to tell someone from a noble family who valued honor and respect to give up the family’s swordsmanship.
If the person here was Himel, he would have challenged him to a duel right away. Of course, Ibella didn’t care because she had no affection for the family, but it meant that it was a sensitive statement anyway.
‘I can’t believe you said this without hesitation…’
Ibella was shocked.
Meanwhile, whether she was shocked or not, Ulan continued to relive memories of her past life.
“Next, I’d like to say that I don’t have enough power to put on the sword. Geomro (劍路) has a lot of redundancy, and I would like to tell you to correct your excessively long breathing.”
“And I don’t have enough strength.”
“Hey, strength?”
“Increase the power you put on the sword and reduce unnecessary things. “Take a short breath.”
This is pretty realistic advice.
Ibella engraved every single piece of Ulan’s advice into her mind.
“Finally, find a sword technique that only you can do, not something that belongs to your family. Then you will reach the level of master much earlier.”
“Ma, the level of a master?!”
Turquoise eyes widened.
Of course, as someone who walks the path of the sword, it was a level I had set as my goal, but I did not think it was realistically possible.
Even in the empire, there are only five knights who have reached the level of master.
‘Furthermore, all five are from great noble families.’
An elite of the elite who devoted himself solely to swordsmanship with enormous support from his family.
On the other hand, Ibella is an illegitimate child of humble origin.
There was no support hole anywhere, and there was no platform to climb up.
Is that why? Suddenly I had this feeling.
‘Are you making fun of me?’
The fine eyebrows furrowed.
But I realized that wasn’t the case.
Because his eyes were too serious for just teasing.
“You can do it.”
“······.”
“You will definitely reach the level of master. “The only variable that exists in the path of your sword is timing.”
Ibella closed her mouth.
When I saw the eyes full of strong confidence, I was momentarily speechless. There is no doubt in my eyes that I will definitely reach the level of mastery.
Ibella bowed her head in response to that strong belief.
It’s the first time I’ve ever looked at you.
Even when I was a child and stayed with my mother. Even when he first entered the count’s family, he received attention like no other.
So I closed my mouth and lowered my head.
Because I don’t know how to react. Fortunately, Ulan didn’t mind this.
“This is the end of my advice.”
Ulan closed his mouth and turned around.
Then, carrying the log back, he leisurely disappeared towards the men’s dormitory.
How long has it been like that?
Only after Ulan’s presence had completely disappeared, Ibella slowly raised her head.
Slightly flushed cheeks. A dazed expression.
After a while, she began swinging her sword as if possessed by something. It was a sword dance different from before, incorporating Ulan’s advice.
Put a little more force on your sword.
We boldly cut out any unnecessary elements that slowed down the movement even slightly.
Each breath was also short.
A considerable amount of time had passed since then.
Her sword pierced the air.
Faaah!
A sword strike fired like a flash of light.
Looking at the sword stretched straight out without any obstruction, Ibella let out the breath she had been suppressing.
“Whoo, whoo!”
Breathing suddenly became rough.
Beads of sweat formed on my forehead and ran down my chin.
It was so hard that I felt like I was going to collapse at any moment, but the feeling was the best. Because it felt like the wall that had been frustrating her for so long had been breached.
“······Interesting.”
I only changed a few things.
I never thought I would break through this easily.
“As expected, you have a deep knowledge of swordsmanship.”
This is not advice that someone who does not know swordsmanship can give. Even though he was humble, he was too humble to say that he didn’t know swordsmanship.
“I wasn’t the top candidate for nothing.”
After expressing my honest feelings.
Ibella’s cheeks flushed. This is because the words she heard from Ulan came to mind once again.
“You can do it.”
You will definitely reach the level of master.
When I heard this, my heart swelled without me even realizing it. Because I felt like my talent was recognized by such a strong person.
“Hi-Hi.”
Ibella’s mouth opened softly.
A small laugh. Instead of a stiff expression, a bright smile bloomed at the corner of his mouth like other people his age.
Then, I realized something late.
“Oh, right. “You forgot to say it out loud.”
Ibella knows Ulan’s name, but he doesn’t know his own name.
Still, there is no need to worry. Since we are classmates, there will definitely be a chance to meet again someday. Ibella thought so.
“And let’s stop talking.”
For some reason, I was overwhelmed by the look in his eyes that seemed older, so I raised my voice without realizing it, but when I thought about it, there was no need to do so.
For Arsene Academy, only those under the age of 20 can apply for the entrance exam. In other words, no matter how old you are, you are still nineteen.
“I hope we can meet again.”
At that time, I want to make a proper statement and say thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to wash away the frustrating feeling and overcome the wall.
It was around that time when I started laughing again.
Suddenly, a voice was heard echoing through the forest.
-Notice from the Faculty of Magic.
A business-like voice that resonates throughout the academy. It was a school broadcast.
-Ulaanbaatar, Dilia Arpen. Both students, please come to the Dean’s Office on the 9th floor of the Magic Faculty Headquarters Building immediately.
Ulan was suddenly called.
However, Ibella paid attention to the name called with him rather than Ulan.
‘Dilia Arpen.’
The person who passed the second post after Ulan.
And I heard at first glance that he is one of the most famous people among this year’s freshmen.
‘It’s a call from the chief and deputy chief.’
Are you planning on giving me some kind of reward?
I turned around with a trivial thought in mind.
Whatever the reason for calling her, it probably had nothing to do with her passing in 99th place.
‘still······.’
To be honest, I was a little jealous.
The position of second chair seemed like a qualification that would allow him to proudly stand next to Ulan. So, I secretly wanted that position.
But envy only lasts for a moment.
She faced reality straight away.
Clap clap!
I came to my senses when I tapped my cheek.
“Let me do my best too.”
It ended with a murmur full of determination.
Ibella took a step forward.
Blue-green eyes that burn straight. It was the look in the eyes of someone who had a new goal.
Chapter 8. lets be friends
fantasy,
