Chapter 59:

Chapter 59:

Lua was facing Hailey Baroun, holding her wooden sword.

“Be careful not to hurt each other.”

Instructor Diana Frenhall’s nonchalant voice echoed, but Lua did not lose her concentration and slowly examined Hailey’s movements.

“I’m counting on you.”

Hailey, who was indebted to Philip, bowed slightly to Lua with an awkward expression. Seeing this, the students tilted their heads.

‘To think that the son of the Count bowed his head to the commoners... ?’

No matter how close he was to Phillip, it was hard to happen, so it was natural for the students to gossip.

“Thank you for accepting the spar. Hailey.”

When Lua smiled and said that, a smile briefly crossed Hailey’s lips, but it quickly disappeared. He had sparred with many opponents throughout his life, but it was the first time he had ever seen such a bright opponent.

‘Attack the kid who smiles like that?’

An innocent and cute face would make anyone feel guilty by mere prospect of pointing their swords to her.

Lua’s innocent and endearing expression made Haley hesitate. Despite the harmless appearance, he knew Lua was a first-year student with remarkable growth potential.

“Okay. I yield the first move.”

“huh!”

When Hailey said that he would give up the first attack, Lua nodded and traced the gaps in his stance.

Philip observed Lua and Hailey’s sparring with a tense demeanor.

‘The disparity in skill is still quite significant.’

While Lua’s talent was undeniable, Hailey was also one of the prodigies of his time. Hailey, who had wielded sword when he was just a toddler, surpassed Lua’s current abilities.

Presently, Hailey’s prowess was slightly below that of seasoned instructors.

“....”

A shift occurred in Lua’s gaze. There was no discernible gap in Hailey’s defense. With some reluctance, Lua resorted to employing techniques she had used when engaging with Philip.

Taking a bold step forward, Hailey positioned her sword to parry Lua’s incoming attack.

In that instant, Lua’s balance shifted conspicuously to the left—portending an imminent powerful strike.

‘... Huh?’

Curiously, Lua’s focus and footwork seemed awry. While her eyes honed in on the right side of Hailey’s neck, her feet were subtly aiming for the left side of Hailey’s ribs.

It was a level of deception beyond Lua’s usual repertoire.

However, in the final moment, Lua’s concentration wavered ever so slightly, enabling Hailey to react just in time.

“Ah!”

Driven by urgency, Lua’s exertion caused her grip to falter, and their blades collided. Lua let out a startled cry as her sword slipped from her grasp.

With agility, Philip leaped and intercepted the airborne sword.

“Are you alright?”

Hailey, who had no intention of inflicting harm, approached Lua with concern. Lua cradled her tingling palm, and her eyes moistened.

“I’m fine...”

Despite her assurance, her pained expression belied the words, prompting Hailey to gulp nervously and exchange a glance with Philip.

Philip found himself unconsciously staring at Hailey before quickly averting his gaze. It didn’t seem like Hailey did it on purpose.

On the other hand, two girls, Olivia and Anise, were openly giving Hailey sharp glares, their eyes fixed on him. The intensity of their gazes was palpable, forming an unspoken tension in the air.

“Alright, that’s enough. The bout is over. Instructor Oswald, could you please ensure the well-being of the injured student? As for the rest of you, prepare yourselves for the upcoming lecture.”

“Yes, Instructor!”

As the semester neared its end, the students’ resilience and discipline were commendable. Truth be told, Philip’s contribution had been minimal; the one who truly reigned in the situation was Diana Parenhall.

With Diana guiding the students back towards the classroom, Philip approached Lua with a gentle expression, his concern evident.

Privia was a dragon who refrained from extending direct assistance, but she had no qualms about sharing her knowledge and wisdom. Furthermore, there was an underlying pleasure she derived from Philip’s subtle reliance on her.

“Firstly, as soon as summer break commences next week, I intend to acquire a leaf from the World Tree in the realm where the elves reside. Among my acquaintances is a merchant who conveniently happens to be embarking on a journey to the Elphenia Forest.”

“Those arrogant creatures wouldn’t part with their cherished World Tree leaves, which they value more than their lives. Hence, it appears that you’ll have to venture forth and secure them yourself. Yet, even with your personal involvement, there’s no guarantee they’ll yield any.”

Privua paused momentarily, lost in thought.

‘I’m beginning to find this situation somewhat frustrating. Shall I offer some assistance?’

Philip’s ongoing involvement in local events had been frustrating for her.

“If it’s the Elphenia Forest we’re discussing, then we’re in luck. The dragon who safeguards the elves there is an old friend of mine. By accompanying you, obtaining the leaves should prove a rather easy task.”

Philip was taken aback and queried, “You’re suggesting you’ll accompany me? However, this commitment has already been established, and instantaneous transportation via a portal isn’t possible. We’ll need a couple of days to travel by carriage. Furthermore, there are complexities intertwined with this journey.”

A playful glint danced in Privia’s eyes.

“Complexities, you say? Enlighten me.”

“Well, you see...”

As Philip gradually unveiled the impending clash involving the heir to Joseph Association and the intricate political entanglements intertwined with their journey, Privia’s gaze became more and more lively.

‘What? A secret struggle of sorts among the heirs?’

The prospect of a political showdown of Lisriel with her estranged sister, a lifelong rival, proved to be an irresistible and enthralling prospect for Privia, who thirsted for such dramatic stimulation.

She suppressed the growing anticipation and extended her hand as if nothing happened.

“It’s okay. Do you really think I would pay attention to such matters?”

“No, I don’t think so. A human affair would be of little concern to a powerful dragon.”

Philip answered with a wry smile. He didn’t dislike the idea of going with Privia. She was, in a way, his superior, but not difficult to deal with.

Being with her had more advantages than disadvantages. She was the type to take action if something bothered her. Of course, if it didn’t bother her, she wouldn’t take the initiative.

“Oh, and I received this in the morning.”

Philip took something out of his pocket. It was a letter with crooked writing and a small, iridescent bead the size of two fingers.

The contents of the letter were just one line.

[I am sorry for the last time – Yuna.]

It felt like a reflection written by a five-year-old child.

The sentence was written in phonetic characters, the common language spoken aloud.

Philip vaguely knew that the person who wrote this letter was a fairy named Yuna. However, he didn’t know what the iridescent bead was used for, so he came to Privia.

“Wow.”

Privia exclaimed unexpectedly as she took the bead. It was an item even she rarely saw.

“... What is this bead for?”

“This is a part of the core that makes up the fairy Yuna. To give you something like this, she must have been quite anxious. Think of it as if, in human terms, she gave you a third of her heart.”

“Was I too harsh?”

Upon hearing those words, Philip briefly wondered if he had been too harsh on her. However, it only served as a reminder that he hadn’t been harsh at all.

“If that’s the case, what can I do with this?”

“You can do a lot of things with it. It would probably be most helpful to strengthen your Spirit Sword, the one you possess.”

“Huh? You mean Neria?”

Privia nodded her head.

“Originally, fairies and Spirit Swords shares many similarities in their origins. Both emerge from certain phenomena. Fairies are born from natural phenomena, while Spirit Swords are born from the actions of humans or other higher beings. If you melt this bead and infuse it into your sword, your Spirit Sword’s essence will become even more robust, and it might awaken other powers as well.”

‘Stronger essence? Stronger than it is now?’

Philip hesitated briefly at this point.

——-

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