Chapter 18: It was a night that seemed to have come to an end, but hadn’t at all (Part 1)

After that, Ren left the room to do some work that Mireille had asked him to do.

A little while later, we all had dinner together.

Originally, Lithia should have eaten and we should have done so afterwards. But Lithia, instead of caring, let everyone sit in the same room and sometimes turned her hunter-like gaze on Ren.

(If I’m not careful, I’m going to get kidnapped.)

Ren finished his meal ahead of the others and left the dining table, saying something plausible like, “I’m going to check on the horses”.

But I’ve never taken care of a horse before.

I gave it some hay and it ate happily, which made me feel happy.

“What to do?”

Ren muttered, looking up at the night sky as he left the replacement shed, since there was no stable—

I was once again thinking of Lithia’s underwear that I had stolen.

“No, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

The fact is, it’s practically impossible to return it.

Earlier, I was so caught up in ethics that I couldn’t respond calmly, but now I had no choice but to get rid of it.

…… No choice. Let’s go burn it now.

I deeply regret that I used the thief’s magic sword so thoughtlessly and I’ve made up my mind that I’ll never do such a thing again.

So I hope she’ll forgive me just this once.

As I was making this decision, Lithia’s voice suddenly reached my ears.

“So, you were here.”

Lithia was waiting outside the hut.

Ren realizes that she’s in a white dress and that made his cheeks flush.

 “Is this the so called after-meal exercise?”

“As expected. Since you know, it’ll make things faster.”

“Won’t it be hard if you sweat by this time of the night?”

“I don’t mind. I have to take a bath even before going to bed to get a good night’s sleep.”

Lithia with a carefree smile on her face was fantastic in the moonlight.

However, when she threw her sword at me as she did in the day time, I wanted to avert my gaze from that dainty smile.

“I think it would be better not to do it because Weiss-sama will get mad!”

“Too bad. I’ve already asked Weiss for permission, so it’s not a problem. And your parents as well.”

“Eh—-?”

That knight commander, he was talked into it!

Lithia has a way with words. She also convinced her father, Baron Clausel, that she was a talented woman and he let her come all the way to such a remote village.

As for my parents, there was nothing they could do.

When you’re asked to do something by the daughter of a Baron, you have no choice but to accept.

(I must have made the wrong choice too…… I shouldn’t have gone outside…..)

But Ren was brilliant.

(Hey, why don’t I just not take the sword?)

That way, the fight would never take place.

I was relieved when I thought that.

“If you don’t take the sword, you’ll stay longer than planned.”

‘I won’t forgive you’ she meant.

Then the answer was obvious.

“Actually—-I was in the mood for some exercise.”

“Mysteriously, I’m a little annoyed ……Why are you rejecting me so much?”

(I would never say that.)

Lithia shook her eyebrows when she saw Ren, who answered with a dry smile.

But when she saw Ren holding the sword in his hand, she seemed to have lowered her spirits a little.

“Okay? If I win, you’ll tell me why. Also, you’ll go to clausel with me, so be prepared.”

“By the way, what happens if I win?”

Asked back, Lithia narrows her eyes.

“Then —- I’ll come back to this village!”

The light vanishes from Ren’s eyes as he realizes that he’ll lose no matter which way it goes.

In my surprise, my one-handed grip on the sword became weak.

Lithia, on the other hand, was still roused and pressed on.

The first time I saw her, I thought she’d made a perfect move, but now the sword she swung down was easily blocked.

“How could you defend against it! It wasn’t so weak!”

“No, even if you put it that way.”

The first time, even if it was only one time there was a rivalry, the second time, which is now, he’s even more efficient than the first time in parrying her attacks.

(It doesn’t matter if she can’t beat me!)

I’m well aware that she is a person of rare ambition.

The only obstacle for me is that she is a genuine competitive person.

But given my ability, if I lose on purpose, I’ll surely be found out. And it’s inevitable that she will be offended.

If that happened, I’ll probably be kidnapped this time.

“Why do you want to beat me so badly?”

“I told you, I hate to lose! And as the “white saint,” I don’t want to lose to a boy my own age!”

The two crossed swords many times and continued their conversation in the midst of it.

“I don’t understand what being the “White Saint” has to do with this!”

“My “White Saint” is a skill that is blessed with aptitude for swords and physical abilities! I can also use sacred magic, but to lose to you is very, very frustrating!”

In other words, it’s a skill that combines swordsmanship, physical ability, and sacred magic into one.

Sacred magic is especially powerful.

It combines the strength of white magic, which has the power to heal wounds, with the strength of holy magic, which has the power to counteract the undead, curse, and detoxify. Other abilities unique to sacred magic, as well as the ability to use buffs on oneself and one’s party members, tended to make the event battles in which Lithia participated much less difficult.

“I’ll be serious from here on! I’m going to beat you for sure!”

Lithia’s movement changed.

She was enveloped in a dazzling light for a moment, then her speed increased even more. The sword that was crossed with mine gave the impression of a different person’s physical strength.

(is it Sacred magic……!)

It’s the blessing of the main god Elfen, and since it’s different from physical ability UP, the effects overlap.

Probably, Lithia’s physical ability UP is (small) like Ren’s. This is because she’s still young, and as she grows up, it should change to (medium) and then (large).

(She’s indeed very strong when she gets like this.)

Ren’s complexion changed.

“You should have used it a while ago!”

“I know! But if I use it without Weiss’s permission, he‘ll get angry!”

(Which means —-)

Conversely, she got his permission.

(She has a sweet tongue for a young lady!)

I’m a little miffed at the fact that the discussion was being made without my knowledge.

Ren furrowed his brow and said, “If that’s the case.” He put some strength into the hand that held the sword. Lithia was surprised to find he was becoming slightly more dominant.

And —-

“………… Impossible.”

The final fight ended a moment later.

Lithia found herself facing Ren.

Before she could even get her sword into a defensive stance, Ren’s sword was pressed against her neck.

“I win.”

He said, staring at Lithia, so close that she could almost feel his breath and count each of his eyelashes.

“……….. I haven’t lost yet.”

Is she nervous or embarrassed?

(Well, I hate to lose as well……)

In the end, I put down my sword and moved away.

This time, she didn’t seem to be able to pursue further and she was still surprised at the fact that she had been driven to defeat by the moment.

Then the sound of applause echoed through the room.

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