CH 104.2

“Hm, I think it will only invigorate her to work harder. She has instances of going off track, so a reality check would do her good.”

“Don’t you think she might get crushed internally, instead?”

Crushed internally?

I suddenly remembered those days we waltzed about the Giant Root Dungeon.

Those days when she only slept for three hours a day and studied combat and magic at the same time.

I chuckled ruefully.

“She isn’t that weak.”

Even when her vocation transitioned from a scholar mage to a battle mage, she carried on in stride.

How can someone like that be broken so easily?

“I don’t understand what you mean, but I can pick up that you trust Eri. Honestly, I am jealous.”

“Then work as hard as she is doing and show the results. Don’t you have the opportunity right in front of you?”

“You mean the administrative work? Um, yeah. Fret not, you will soon find yourself putting your trust in me.”

“I will remember these words.”

The conversation lapsed.

As I smiled at the thought of the amount of administrative work currently piling up as we spoke; Katarina sitting next to me said in a tired voice.

“You guys are really… I feel sorry for Miss Eri.”

Katarina shook her head.

I cocked an eyebrow.

“Why the sudden sympathy? I thought you were the one among us disrelishing the idea of me having more female teammates the most.”

“Because I’m not as twisted as you guys?”

“Nah, Katarina. Just the weakest.”

“…I’m just not too strong.”

“Then list the names of individuals among the ones lodging in this inn whom you can fight and win?”

Katarina’s mouth fell shut.

She muttered in a small voice as she darted about her gaze.

“Miss Ophelia..?”

“You’re choosing a saintess candidate, really? I’m sorry to say this, but do you have any conscience?”

“Ugh…”

As Leslie questioned, Katarina’s face scrunched in embarrassment.

I shook my head.

“The thing seeking importance here is not conscience. It is that she can’t defeat Ophelia too.”

“…what? No way. No matter how much you guys trivialize me… isn’t this a bit too much?”

“I am not trivializing you. Rather, I highly value your potential. For the record, do you know you’re the only human being who can communicate with spirits?”

“Then why are you saying I can’t win?”

“There is a big difference between high potential and reality. What is the level difference between you and Ophelia right now? How vast is the actual combat experience?”

It stood true that Katarina was definitely superior in potential sector.

If Ophelia can wield a mace, Katarina is good at irregular sword dance and the use of ki.

But the overwhelming spec difference is unavoidable.

What if Ophelia, in seriousness, applies a buff on herself and lunges to mace Katarina?

She would be dead, minced meat.

Not joking, for real.

“If it’s combat experience, I…”

“Our party’s standards doesn’t count brigand subjugation as a bullet point in the combat resume.”

“…”

In the end, Katarina’s mouth was completely shut.

However, she hadn’t fully accepted the reality. I supposed it must be because of the pride she held in mastering her mother’s prolific sword dance.

‘I guess I’ve been avoiding this too.’

It seemed high time to awaken her sense of reality.

For that, real-life combat is the best.

Pitting against Katarina… Neria is probably the best, right?

Both are swordswoman.

“But Neria didn’t come down today. She hasn’t come out since yesterday morning.”

“Neria? Didn’t she not come out only for breakfast, but also for lunch and dinner? If I’m not mistaken, she seems to have confined herself to the room this whole time.”

“What? The hell, actually?”

“Uh, are you serious?”

“I think I’m..?”

“No, I thought she was practicing in her room. Just like Miss Eri is researching…”

“Where in the world have you seen a knight who trains while foregoing sustenance?”

I said that and put a big sausage in the plate. She would be famished, so I picked the thickest and longest one.

“You guys eat. I’m going to Neria’s room.”

Leaving them behind, I went upstairs and knocked on Neria’s door.

-…

There was no reaction.

And so I knocked again.

“Neria? Are you sleeping? Can I come in?”

There was no response this time either. Was she not inside? Just when I was about to open the door in puzzlement.

Sounds were heard from inside the room, and at the same time, the door that had been slightly open was slammed shut.

“Neria?”

– Cloud? Wh..Why?

“What why? You haven’t been out since yesterday. I came up because I was worried.”

– Worried..? Why are you worried about someone like me?

“Someone like you? What are you saying now. It’s natural to be concerned if my teammate’s behaving strange.”

– Ah… that’s right… we were teammates…

“Yes, right. So stop talking nonsense, and let me come in. I have something to ask of you.”

– Yes? No, wait! Hang on! I’m coming out!

When I pushed the door with force, Neria hurriedly shouted. She let out a sigh of relief as I relaxed my hold.

I waited patiently for her.

After a while, the door opened and Neria walked out of the room with an awkward smile.

“Did I make you wait long?”

“Not really… More than that, what’s wrong with your complexion?”

Neria’s condition was incomprehensible.

Maybe… she had slept? Because her eyes were slightly wide, her pupils cloudy and her hair disheveled.

There…

“Why are your eyelids so swollen? Were you crying?”

“Huh? Oh no. Something just got into my eye.”

“No? It looks very swollen.”

“It’s not… ah, you said you have something to ask of me. What’s it?”

Neria shook her head and changed the subject.

She had the attitude that told — even if I asked more, she wouldn’t answer. I waved my hands.

“It’s okay. Looking at your condition, I can’t ask. Just eat and get some rest.”

“No. I’m fine. It’s really okay, so ask me anything. I’ll help you with anything I can.”

She pushed, and I refused, we did so several times more, but I could tenaciously hold off only until Neria suddenly grabbed my arm.

As if she had to do me a favor.

I had no choice but to step back and given in to her stubbornness.

“I was thinking of asking you to spar with Katarina.”

Stupid Neria.

I sighed.

“I know, a match-up is hard while…”

“I will do it.”

“Don’t overexert yourself. You should get some rest and we can schedule it for later.”

“Nope. I want to do it today.”

Neria’s eyes were filled with the will and want, and I was about to say something, only to just endure it. What to do…

“Thanks. Come’on, eat some. You’ve starved yourself.”

I held out the meal I had brought. She smiled as she picked up her plate.

“Oh, thank you…”

That smile stiffened at the sight of the sausages on the plate for some reason. Not only that, her body quivered like an aspen tree.

“Ahh!?”

She threw her plate away.

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OMG, what the f**k?

I hurriedly snatched the plate and caught the falling sausages one by one. Catching all of them, I turned my gaze to Neria in disbelief.

I was thinking of scolding her for her doing.

I almost did…

“Woo-wook..! Kkeek..!”

Only to see Neria vomiting her gastric juices out, and that thought disappeared.

…were the sausages spoiled?

I smelled, it didn’t seem so.