Chapter 511

Bear-san, Having A Match With Cereille.

We ended up having our match in the corner of the grounds where Shea and her team were practicing.

Students from the royal capital had also stopped practicing and were looking towards our direction.

U~u, don’t look too much.

There was no way such a wish would reach them, and their eyes glued on us. But if you look closely, the line of sight was directed at Cereille. It was as if they were observing Cereille in order to know what she was capable of.

I have to win inconspicuously, as I originally intended.

Cereille and I took a little distance away from each other.

“Whenever you’re ready.” (Cereille)

Cereille was holding her wooden sword.

Now then, what should I do?

I’m in trouble.

It’s easy to win this. But it’s no good. It would be troublesome later on to win while wearing a uniform and having my face known. The ideal situation was winning while matching Cereille’s movement.

“If you won’t come, then I’ll come to you.” (Cereille)

Since I didn’t initiate the action, Cereille made the first move.

When we were close to each other, Cereille swung her wooden sword at me in the front casually. I parried it lightly with my wooden sword. Cereille looked surprised at this.

I just took it head-on.

Cereille’s facial expression tightened, and she attacked me with a right and left swing. I moved and dodged in rhythm.

That’s a beautiful sword muscle. I don’t know if I would call it smooth. She didn’t just swing her sword. She handled the sword swing properly herself.

With a heavy sword, just swinging it down can drag your body with it. To put it simply, it’s like holding a large hammer. If you swing it around, it’s difficult to control. If I, who’s not strong enough, try it, I would be dragged around (personal experience).

However, a wooden sword was lighter than a real sword. Moreover, even a wooden sword will lose its balance if it gets hit. But Cereille, even if her wooden sword got bounced back, did not lose her balance and kept striking a follow-up.

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-Cereille’s POV-

My name is Cereille.

I am the daughter of the noble Forinz family.

When I was a small child, I hated conflict, never held a sword, and was too afraid to approach anyone who wielded a sword. But one incident changed me.

It was when my mother was killed. I wanted to become stronger after my mother died.

I have learned the sword and also learned to protect myself. I also started learning magic after finding out that I had a background in magic. I, of course, studied hard and thought I had grown up as a lady of the Forinz family without being embarrassed.

I was also happy to be chosen for this magical exchange.

I wanted to practice magic to live up to that, but right now, the school grounds were being used by students from the royal capital, that’s why students from Euphalia could not use them.

Unable to practice magic, I decided to explore the city.

I love this city that my mother loved. The lake was beautiful, the streets were clean, and I am proud of it. I love to stroll around the city.

As I was walking along, looking at the lake, I saw a girl walking backwards. She does not notice me. When I tried to avoid her, she tripped and almost fell backwards. I quickly caught her.

In my arms was a cute little girl, about 10 years old, with a surprised look on her face. I recognized her from somewhere, but could not immediately recall where.

“Have we met somewhere?” (Cereille)

I asked, and she looked at me. I looked back at her.

……Ah, I remember.

“Are you, Cereille-sama?” (Noa)

“Noire?” (Cereille)

We said each other’s names almost simultaneously.

Yes, she’s Noire, the daughter of the Foshuroze family.

Noire also seemed to remember me.

We have met only a few times. The last time was probably at His Majesty the King’s birthday banquet.

That was only a light greeting. I did not talk much with Noire, who was younger than me. If anything, I talked more with her sister, Shia, who was closer to my age.

That noblewoman, Noire, said she came to the city of Euphalia without an escort.

To be precise, a young girl, a student, came with her as an escort.

Her name is Yuna.

Yuna was a pretty girl, short for her age of 15, with long hair. She doesn’t look that much, but it looks like she could not protect Noire in the event of getting attacked by monsters.

At first, I thought that perhaps Noire’s family did not know about this, but both her parents, Cliff-sama and Eleanora-sama, actually did. I couldn’t believe it.

I offered to escort Noire while she was in town. The city was safe. But if anything should happen to the daughter of the Foshuroze family, it would tarnish the reputation of my father, who’s the lord of this city.

Yet Noire refused my offer, saying that this girl, Yuna, was strong and will protect her.

Still, Noire really seemed to believe in her from the bottom of her heart.

However, even though she’s a student of the royal capital, she has not been selected as a member of this magical exchange meeting. I wondered if her sword’s ability was high, but her arms and palms were soft, it wasn’t the hands of someone who swung a sword before.

Sorry Noire, but I don’t think she’s strong enough.

“I don’t think you can be Noire’s bodyguard, as someone that was not chosen for the magical exchange and hands that had never even held a sword before.” (Cereille)

When I said so, she retorted.

She pointed out that I, a noblewoman, was walking alone.

This city was safe. However, I have to escort Noire just in case. After all, I can handle swords and magic to some extent. I was also chosen for this magical exchange.

When I told her this, she said that we should have a match, and if she beat me, she would like to be recognized as Noire’s escort.

Theoretically, she’s correct.

I couldn’t withdraw, so I accepted the challenge.

Her magical powers were such that she was not chosen for the magical exchange, and her hand did not seem to have held a sword before. A little bit of company may satisfy her.

And now I have a match with her.

I thought that if I struck a little harder from the front, the wooden sword in her hand would fly away from her hand, and the match would be over. But she easily parried my strike.

I was surprised at that. When a sword collides with another sword, there would be an impact. It’s the same with a wooden stick. But she took it lightly with that soft hand of hers.

I moved closer a little and tried to hit her with a right and left swing this time. But she easily blocks it. I increased my power and speed.

But she blocked even that.

Amazing.

Regarding the offensive and the defensive side, the attacker has the advantage, and the defender would be at a disadvantage.

It’s not as easy as swinging your sword down where you want and catching your opponent’s sword knowing where it will hit unless you have a difference in ability.

Furthermore, the defender would often be afraid of being attacked, and her body would not move as it should. But she’s looking straight at me with her beautiful eyes, not even blinking nor panicking. It’s as if she can see through everything.

The first time Sensei struck me, I was so afraid that I could hardly prevent his strikes. But on the contrary, Sensei blocked all of my attacks.

To successfully block an attack, you must watch your opponent’s movements in detail. Of course, not only the sword but also the arm, the hand, and even the opponent’s line of sight. Moreover, you have to look not only up but also down. Where they step and how heavy the step was.

When sensei taught me that, I immediately told him that it was “impossible”. But Sensei said was, “you have to look at every movement of the opponent”. That’s impossible, you know. I can’t help but focus on the sword that was slashing at me.

Even so, with practice, I gradually became able to do it.

However, she’s performing what sensei once said right in front of me. She can see everything. She has such eyes.

Still, I kept launching attacks. Yet, she easily deflects them.

Interesting. It’s making me smile.

There are no girls among the students who can compete with me. Not even the boys.

Normally, she would have panicked after that big strike, but she handled my sword calmly and swiftly.

I can see that she was holding back. She would have performed a counter when I attacked her if she were serious. But she didn’t. She seems to be thinking about something. I don’t know why. She was just deflecting my attacks.

Then how about this one?

I swing down as a feint. She blocked it. However, when she did, my sword moved to the right. I tried to strike her unguarded torso, but she quickly recovered her sword stance and blocked my attempt.

Amazing.

I paused, inhaled a bit, then exhaled.

Noire is right, she is strong. She is definitely stronger than me. With hands so small and seemingly untrained.

The word “talent” comes to my mind.

There is an insurmountable barrier in front of me called “talent”.

But that doesn’t mean I’ll easily lose.

“I’m sorry. It may hurt a little. But we have an infirmary, so don’t worry.” (Cereille)

Thrusts are forbidden in practice. The only way to deal with a thrust is to avoid it. It is difficult to catch a thrust with a sword. Even if you manage to deflect it a little, it will still hit you somewhere in your body.

I’m not going to make an assumption. If she’s really that good, she’ll avoid it. She will avoid it to the left if I strike a little to the right. That’s where I’ll have a chance.

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-Yuna’s POV-

Of course, she’s not stronger than the Knight Commander (I forgot his name and face) that I fought during that school festival. So it’s easy to deflect Cereille’s attacks.

I blocked the wooden sword that Cereille was swinging down at me.

From the outsider’s perspective, I must be seen as being cornered, unable to do anything against Cereille’s attacks.

It’s about time to launch an attack and make it a seemingly lucky win.

I was just trying to make it look like she was slightly stronger than I am.

When I thought so, Cereille paused for a moment and opened her mouth.

“I’m sorry. It may hurt a little. But we have an infirmary, so don’t worry.” (Cereille)

It looks like she’s going to do something.

Then just let it loose and be done with it.

Cereille thrusts out a wooden sword. But it was slower compared to the thrust of Jubei-san from the Land of Harmony. I ducked her thrust. However, knowing that she was probably going to lose, Cereille spun her body with the same momentum.

Oh, was the thrust just now a decoy?

By rotating her body, her wooden sword attacks from the opposite direction.

I extended my bear puppet, grabbed Cereille’s right arm, used the momentum of her spinning body, hooked her leg, and made her fall. Then I placed the wooden sword on Cereille’s neck as she fell.

“It’s my victory, isn’t it?” (Yuna)

“Yes, I’ve lost.” (Cereille)

Cereille easily conceded defeat.

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Author’s Note:

As expected, Yuna won.

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