Chapter 166

Chapter 166

Lucia's thrusts rushed towards me.

Thud!

"Kuk!"

At the same time as immense pain rushed from my abdomen.

The ground jerked up and smashed into me.

Physically impossible, you say?

No, it's quite possible if you think a little differently.

...That's right. My body collapsed.

As a result, my body smashed into the ground.

"What? Already over?"

Lucia poked my head with her wooden sword.

"Keke, not stopping the attack even on a fallen opponent. The reputation Lucia has built up until now will cry."

"Is this an attack? It's a life check."

Aha, I see. So you do a life check by poking someone?

I learned one thing. I must use it next time.

"So, are you done?"

"Keke, I can go all day."

"Your spirit is good. I hope your skills are too this time."

As soon as she raised her sword, the duel started again.

The duel was difficult at first, but as I learned one by one, I gradually came to enjoy it.

However, that was also gradually reaching its limit.

It could be because I only lose every day, or because I feel the lack of progress myself, but the biggest reason sapping my motivation is...

'I don't see a way to clear the quest.'

The one-month period has already dwindled to just one week.

I discovered the secret hidden in the [Fleur Family Style] skill and raised my stats a bit, and I've become quite accustomed to the duels.

But forget finding a way to gain Lucia's recognition, I couldn't even find a small hint.

So it was only natural for me to feel frustrated.

Clack-! Clang!

It's the same now. Lucia blocked my attack all too easily.

The tight schedule, the skills that don't grow easily, the unseen path, the skin(?) becoming rough due to stress.

There are many problems, but recently, the biggest problem arose.

That I've come to think I will never be able to clear this quest.

The biggest problem.

"Lucid's fifth secret technique, Sky..."

"Opening!"

Poof!

"Your movements are too big! I told you how many times, connect the techniques naturally! Will you fight like this in real combat?"

The big movement to use the technique, and Lucia's blow that pierced through that gap.

Perhaps because I was hit in the solar plexus, I couldn't even let out a groan of pain.

'This is really too much. Be a little lenient! You're an 8-star knight! What happened to when you said blocking is annoying and only dodged!'

That's right. Lucia's changed attitude.

This was the biggest problem.

Previously, she would swing her sword while yawning, and duel until my stamina ran out and I collapsed.

In other words, she used to go easy on me and teach through the duels.

But after the night she met Caron.

'She changed.'

There was no more going easy. Each attack, each defense. There was no case of letting it slide easily anywhere.

Even if I wanted to duel for a long time, I would get hit and collapse, so I couldn't fight for long.

'Even her body got better.'

Her muscles became firmer and she lost a lot of weight.

To the extent that I could tell just by looking with my naked eye.

Just three days of training and such changes occur?

Then in 5 days, by the time of the pop quiz, what kind of monster will she become?

I don't know the details, but one thing was clear.

'That she will get even better than now.'

That much was certain.

'It was good to have Lucia join the subjugation team, but...'

I didn't expect it to cause a butterfly effect that would make the quest I'm working on even more difficult.

As expected, it's a damn... no, the best game.

*

[You have diligently performed the Fleur Family swordsmanship. Considerable concentration.]

[Matching rate 31.3%.]

[As a reward, Strength stat increases by 0.3.]

"Phew."

I wiped the sweat flowing on my forehead.

Already the third notification today.

The pace is good. If I'm lucky, I might achieve a new record of five times a day...

"......"

I was thinking I could do it.

The face of a girl with an unknown smile entered my sight.

One of the protagonists of the game... no, the damn kid who ruined my image.

Miss Yuridia.

"You're finally looking this way?"

"Keke, that's right. I wish I had never seen you in my life."

"Such a sad thing to say! If you knew with what heart we came, you would surely regret it!"

We, you say?

Only after looking around did I understand what that meant.

Alex and Raymon. Those two had come together.

"T-This witch hag has two friends! No way!"

"Hmph! No matter how much you deny it, you can't change the truth. I have three friends. Unlike you who has two!"

"T-Three, you say? Who's the other one?"

"There's Parrot. It's always with me in my heart!"

"T-The parrot was my friend too! Zero, Alex, Yuridia, and the parrot. T-Then I have four!"

"Why is the parrot your friend! Zero is my friend too! Take this!"

Luna went behind Raymon, grabbed his waist, and bent it.

"German Suplex!"

"Aaaargh!"

Bam!

Thus began a wrestling match.

A wrestling match where Raymon was one-sidedly beaten by Luna.

'...Raymon's trait should be that his evasion rate increases the closer the distance, but she's ignoring that.'

Perhaps our Luna is a much more amazing kid than I thought.

I spoke to Yuridia, who was blankly watching their fight.

"Keke, did you become friends with Raymon?"

"Ah, no I didn't! He's just a member of the Yuridia faction. Ru-Ruler. Yes! You could say it's a ruler-subject relationship."

"Did Alex and Raymon join the Yuridia faction?"

"Well, we hang out together sometimes, so wouldn't it be okay to say so?"

It's a misunderstanding typical of Yuridia.

Alex is a noble wolf, and Raymon is an uncontrollable child.

In other words, it's impossible for Yuridia to control those two.

"We are steadily expanding our forces. How about Zero joining us too?"

"Keke, you'll accept even a Kraken. It must be quite a large force."

"Oh my, are you the type to care about such rumors? I guess Zero is a man with a smaller heart than I thought."

Oho, it's been a while since I heard Yuridia's unique way of speaking. If I were to interpret it.

You're petty. Are you sulking over something like that as a man?

...That's what it means.

"Keke, it makes me want to extend my tentacles to Yuridia."

"I politely decline. Zero has a fiancée, right? And this won't do. I came to help Zero and Luna."

To help us, she says.

I could tell what Yuridia was trying to say.

"I'll specially provide it to you."

Yuridia took a big step forward and whispered secretly in my ear.

"The information I obtained about the pop quiz."

Hey kid, that information...

I know it better than you.

Much better at that.

--TL Notes--

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at /MattReading