A precise thrust was headed right for me. While I could have tilted my head to avoid it, instinctually, I knew it wouldn’t be enough. I immediately retreated, and the sword cut through the spot where my windpipe had been just a moment before.
I see, she predicted that I would dodge it, so she turned her attack from a thrust into a sideways sweep. However, she had used so much force that her entire body went with it. I grabbed her left arm and lightly yanked it, then swept her legs out from under her as she was about to fall forward. Once she fell to the ground, I pressed my wooden sword against her neck.
“I-I surrender.” Cuphea regretfully capitulated. She held out her empty left hand, and I helped her up.
“That last attack sure was something.”
“You usually just barely dodge out of the way, so I thought I’d try to take advantage of that.” Anticipating your opponent’s dodge and using that to make sure the next attack hit was a simple yet effective strategy.
“That tactic would definitely work against some enemies, but it isn’t without its own issues.”
“Yeah, I was so focused on the follow-up attack that I wasn’t keeping in mind how my body would react.”
“Exactly,” I replied. “It gets bad for you if you fail to finish things with that blow.”
“I need to make sure all my moves flow together while still trying to outsmart my opponent...”
We were at the academy’s outdoor training grounds after class. We used to do most of our training at the orphanage, but with the recent additions to our squad, we’d started doing it on campus. The former bully, Agrimonia, was training with the princess as they were both holy women. Although I couldn’t see them right now, things seemed to be going well. They were still figuring out how to work as a team, but it was only a matter of time. The cool beauty with androgynous looks, Hypericum, was studying the mock battle between Cuphea and me.
“Can we go one more round?” Cuphea asked.
“Sure thing.” We put a little distance between us, then began another mock battle. I deftly parried Cuphea’s incessant onslaught. While she was the type to learn by feel, she was also good at putting her actions into words. She would use training to test out stuff she felt worked and then she’d improve by discussing the results. Repeating that process allowed her to learn quickly.
“By the way, Albert.” Cuphea spoke to me as we crossed swords. Multitasking was another aspect of our training. Focusing on the battle sounded good in theory, but it meant you lost sight of what was going on around you. Concentrating too hard would get you cornered by curions, so staying aware of your surroundings while analyzing the battle was critical. Although there were probably some duos who preferred only the holy woman to stay vigilant, it was best for the holy knight to stay on their toes as well. The idea was simple. If you could maintain a conversation while fighting, then you could split your focus between fighting and remaining alert while engaged in real combat.
“What is it, Cuphea?” To test whether I could really handle both combat and conversation together, I went on the offensive. I knocked Cuphea’s sword away, then unleashed a downward swing before she could recover her stance. Using the momentum of her swing, Cuphea put distance between us and successfully evaded my attack.
“You met Mama Edel in town the other day, isn’t...that...right?!” she asked, approaching me a second time with three consecutive swings. Behind the clacking of our wooden swords, there was a tinge of unhappiness in Cuphea’s voice.
“Yeah.”
“What did you talk about?”
“She didn’t tell you?”
“She said you two met up and left it at that.”
“I see.”
“Well, she did tell me and Linum about her past.” Though Cuphea’s sword was moving as fast as ever, she had a sad expression on her face. It seemed like Edel had told them the story of how she’d lost her holy knight.
“And?”
“It’s sad that she lost her holy knight, but I’m glad she survived. I’m forever grateful to her holy knight.”
“Did you tell Edel that?”
“I did, but she seemed to have already moved on without us saying anything.”
“Is that right?”
“She also told us she’s been worrying about us again. Linum and I agreed to do everything we can to survive so we don’t make everyone sad.”
“Sounds like a good story to me.” All the characters were good people and beautiful women. It was quite pleasant on the ears. I could practically picture it in my head.
“But!” Cuphea’s assault grew more forceful.
“But?” I asked, calmly dealing with the raging fire assailing me.
“She’s been talking about you nonstop ever since!” It seemed Edel and I had really closed the distance between us.
“I’m honored.”
“You didn’t lay a hand on Mama, did you?!” Cuphea shot me a sharp glare. Somehow it felt sharper than the swings of her sword.
“You’ll have to ask Edel.”
“I did! And she laughed me off, so now I’m asking you!”
“I see, I see.”
“Well?!”
“No need to worry; nothing like that happened. She isn’t the type of woman to abandon her kids just to meet up with a man.”
“Th-That’s true, but...”
“Of course, a woman taking care of all those children needs some comfort and excitement in her life. Nothing would make me happier than being the one to provide it.”
“Albert.”
“Yeah?”
“She may be my foster mother, but Mama Edel is a real mother to me.”
“Yeah, I know.” I’d spent more than enough time at the orphanage to know how much all the children loved Edel.
“And you said you wanted to get intimate with me in two years.”
“I remember. I’m practically counting the days.”
“Yet you still hit on Mama?”
So that’s it. She’s torn because the guy who promised to go on a date with her is hitting on her foster mother. “Don’t worry. I’m confident I can cherish both you and Edel.”
“That’s not the problem!” With an angry shout, she brought her wooden sword down on mine with so much force that they both broke in half upon impact.
“Whoa, that was a good one.” It was a pretty powerful swing. Cuphea seemed to be the type whose strength increased with her emotions. It was also excellent that despite being emotional, she had remembered her previous defeat and managed to retreat without exposing any openings. However, without our weapons, that was the end of the mock battle.
“You’re getting stronger and stronger,” I told her. I’d never had a chance to appreciate it before, but it made me happy seeing young people with bright futures ahead of them. Well, at least when it came to women. Maybe it was proof of my age.
“Don’t try to brush it off by praising me.” Her shoulders heaving, Cuphea was clearly still angry.
“C’mon, don’t get so mad.”
“I knew you were a womanizer, but Mama too?!”
For a so-called womanizer I’d been entirely celibate since arriving in the city. I missed the maids from the princess’s mansion. That said, I had certainly been hitting on any attractive women I saw. “I really didn’t do anything, but if you’re that serious about it, I can stay away from Edel.”
“Huh?” Cuphea seemed to be taken aback by how easily I had given in.
“I wouldn’t wanna be responsible for the relationship between you two taking a turn for the worse. Besides, I promised you first.” Although I wanted to get intimate with women, I didn’t want to do it at the cost of their happiness.
“It’s too late now. She’d get sad if you kept your distance from her.”
“Then what do you want me to do?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll never forgive you if you make Mama cry.”
“I know.” I took her feelings for her mother seriously.
“A-And if you make me cry, Mama won’t forgive you.”
“I know that too.” She almost sounded like she was pouting. Naturally I had no intention of making Cuphea cry.
Cuphea let out a big sigh. “Of all men, why did it have to be one with zero control around women...?”
“You sound like an old granny.”
Cuphea glared at me before her expression softened. “Mama’s been more cheerful lately, and I think that’s probably because of you.”
“I see.” That was probably what had been really on her mind initially. However, deep down, she was unsatisfied with the arrangement and had decided to hit me with that first.
“You’re always helping me and my family, huh?” I’d helped the old lady and the kids with the thug before, Cuphea and Linum with their bullying problem, and then Edel the other day. Now that she mentioned it, it did seem to keep happening.
“It’s just a coincidence.”
“Still, thanks,” she said with a sweet smile befitting a girl her age.
“You’re welcome.” Somehow we’d managed to close things on an amicable note. However...
“Are you two dating?”
“Eek!” Cuphea jumped in surprise. Apparently she’d forgotten Hypericum was observing our training session. Although Cuphea had grown a lot, it seemed she still had a ways to go.
“No, we’re not going out. I’m not interested in girls under eighteen,” I answered.
“I see,” Hypericum replied.
“That reminds me, you’re over twenty, right?”
“Yes, I’m twenty-one.”
“So, what do you think of guys like me?”
“The diligent study I can see in your swordplay consistently astounds me. I would absolutely like to have you train me as well.”
“Thanks. I’d be happy to, but I was asking what you think of me as a man—”
“Albert?” Having recovered from her shock, Cuphea stared at me with vacant eyes.
I smiled back at her. “Don’t worry, Cuphea. I cherish all women—”
“Have some restraint!”
Our eventful academy life continued on. We’d be going on a curion extermination mission in a few days. We were supposed to bring salvation to the remaining curions in Luzarigue, the city that had been home to Hector the Pestilent Guardian Dragon, and free the city.
Although it was relatively safer now that the guardian dragon was gone, we still couldn’t get careless. On top of that, completely clearing out the city would require multiple trips. Still, it’d be valuable experience for the students and our first chance to work as a squad.