The Extra Saved the Terminally Ill Princess and Ran Away - Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Finn and Lili (6)

***

The cadets surrounding Irene and me probably didn't understand the reason for her outburst.

Some might have attributed it to her frustration at being unable to land a blow, despite her continuous attacks. Others might have pointed to my calm, almost serene, expression as I dodged her every move.

It didn't matter.

Regardless of their speculations,

As long as they witnessed her losing her composure, her anger creating an opening, as I intended, I didn't care.

I had no intention of actually harming Irene.

Even if she presented a glaringly obvious weakness, like now.

Who was she?

Ideologically… I didn't know. Honestly, her ideals were a confusing mess to a modern person like me.

But considering the historical context, a time of witch hunts and religious persecution, perhaps her worldview wasn't as warped as it seemed.

So, despite her reputation for being aggressive, she probably commanded a certain level of respect.

Simply put, she and I were like oil and water, completely incompatible.

But her swordsmanship was undeniable.

She was undoubtedly one of the strongest, most physically capable students in the academy.

Even now, she was holding her own against dozens of opponents, despite me not fighting seriously.

In a purely physical contest, I would lose.

My body was still that of a young boy.

And yet,

She was showing such an obvious weakness? So easily?

It had to be a trap.

Even if she wasn't cunning enough to set a trap, taking advantage of such an obvious opening was a gamble.

If my attack landed, I would win instantly. But if it failed, even by a fraction, I would lose just as quickly.

This wasn't my kind of fight.

So, I chose a different approach, a way to win without resorting to brute force.

It was cowardly, but the outcome of this spar wasn't decided by us.

As always, I had to use every advantage I could.

So, I cast Mirage.

On everyone except for her.

Creating an illusion of my sword pointed directly at her vital point.

And then,

Clang!

"Match over!!"

The instructor, who had been observing our spar, stepped between us, his voice low and laced with a hint of annoyance.

As if to say, such a ruthless display of aggression wasn't acceptable in a practice session, not a tournament.

"…The winner is Cadet Berry."

"…! What…!"

Irene started to protest, but the instructor cut her off, gesturing towards the surrounding students.

"Does anyone disagree with my judgment?"

"…."

"…."

Irene was probably seeing the same thing I was.

The cadets, knowing her pride and her temper,

Were either looking at her with pity, or with disdain for her inability to accept defeat.

She and I both knew we hadn't been fighting seriously.

But how could she say that now? How could she accuse me of cheating, of knowing the truth, when we had been locked in a seemingly intense battle just moments ago?

"…Understood."

'As expected.'

Her fists clenched, her knuckles white, the blood rushing to her hands, turning them red.

Yet, despite her frustration, she bowed her head, acknowledging her defeat, her principles unwavering.

"…Thank you for the lesson. I accept my defeat."

"Likewise."

"………Excuse me."

Unable to hide her frustration, she turned and left without another word.

We watched her go, our gazes filled with a mixture of emotions.

Despite our brief exchange, her ideals, her way of thinking, remained a mystery.

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts, and turned to Grace, who had been observing from a corner of the training grounds.

She, too, was a source of constant headaches.

She lowered her head slightly, meeting my gaze. I walked towards her as the instructor announced the end of the class.

Like Ian's awakening, Grace's awakening also required a catalyst.

In the original story, she awakened as a Saintess during the winter of their first year, her divine power reacting to her desire to heal Ian, who had been gravely injured by Bifrons.

The problem was that the story didn't provide many details about her awakening.

Was it triggered by her love for Ian?

Or was it simply a reaction to her desire to heal someone in mortal danger?

Unlike Irene, I could experiment with Grace.

In Academy Demon Hunter Chronicles, even major characters suffered serious injuries quite frequently.

I could easily test her reaction to various life-or-death situations.

So, there was no need to rush things, to create artificial scenarios… except for one thing: love. I needed to plant the seeds of love beforehand.

She couldn't fall for Ian. That would lead to her self-inflicted, eternal damnation.

And I couldn't be the object of her affections either.

I had no romantic interest in her, and Finn, despite his power as the Sword Saint, wasn't a major character.

His role in the story was minimal.

The main characters only heard stories about his legendary feats. They never actually met him.

…As far as I knew.

Since I had taken over Finn's body before he reached old age, I didn't know if he had ever met Ian or Selina on the battlefield.

'Or… maybe he knew Evangeline.'

I recalled a minor character, a young girl, probably around seven or eight years old.

A girl whose role, heroine or extra, was unclear. A girl who would later join Ian's party.

A girl who survived even the latter half of the story.

My inherited memories from Finn were limited to his swordsmanship.

I didn't have access to his entire life story.

So, I didn't want to risk Lili's misunderstanding, or her jealousy, by getting too close to Grace.

What had Lili said?

-…Look at her hair, it's like silk, isn't it? Don't you think so, Berry?-

She had said that in the cafeteria, asking me to touch Grace's hair.

-I hope you end up with Grace. She's a bit clueless, but she's perfect otherwise. And you're in the same party.-

She had said that, too, warning me to stay within my limits, pointing out Grace's obliviousness.

'…Who's the clueless one here? Not that I can say anything.'

And now, I was supposed to pretend to be interested in Grace, to teach her about love, or to set her up with someone?

I couldn't imagine the disastrous consequences.

So, this was the perfect opportunity. A chance to lay the groundwork without risking rumors or Lili's wrath.

Thud.

Grace, hearing my approaching footsteps, raised her head, meeting my gaze.

I glanced at her.

"…Berry, women are surprisingly sensitive to gazes, even more so than knights. Especially when it's directed at another woman. And even more so when it's the gaze of someone they love…"

She looked at me, as if to say, You know what I mean, right?

Damn it, wasn't it natural to look at something that was moving conspicuously?

Anyone would, not just men, but I had to apologize.

It was good advice. I had to be more careful around Lili.

"…I'm sorry. I'll keep that in mind."

"There's no need to apologize. No one has ever looked at me like that… oh."

"Hmm?"

"Except for one person. A man who looked only at my eyes, even while facing me."

"…."

I knew who she was talking about, so I turned and pointed at the figure waiting for me in the distance.

"That guy? Ian?"

"Yes, Ian."

What was with that guy? How could he defy basic human instincts?

I didn't have time to ponder such mysteries. Lili had told me to focus on what I could do, not what I couldn't understand.

So, I offered some advice, the kind only I could give.

"Just out of curiosity, are you… seeing anyone?"

Thud. Faint footsteps approached.

I assumed it was just another student heading back to the dormitory… I waited for her answer.

Her eyes widened momentarily at my question, then she looked at my chest, her expression returning to its usual serenity.

"Unfortunately… no. I've always been curious about love, but…"

"Sigh. Is that so?"

I sighed in relief.

I didn't know when or where Grace and Ian had met, but,

If she was already infatuated with him, it would have been too late. She would have been on a one-way ticket to hell.

It would be a shame to see someone I knew, even if only slightly, suffer such a fate.

So, to ensure our high-powered blessing dispenser remained dedicated to her duties, I asked for a small favor.

"It's getting late, so… could you come to the next sparring session? The Divine Arts Department isn't that far. It'll only take about five minutes."

Her gaze returned to my chest.

…Was she a pervert or something?

Saintess… perhaps it wasn't the kind of "saint" I was thinking of…

A shiver ran down my spine, a sudden chill despite the summer heat.

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