However, Fie knew that getting angry wouldn’t reflect well on her maturity. After all, Knight-Captain Yore would not get riled up at a few verbal barbs from some squires. And that was why Fie found them pitiable, and smiled.
Finding that they were now the ones being ridiculed by Fie’s cold, demeaning smile, the squires’ faces turned red.
“Y-You! You think you’re so smart, picking at people’s words...!”
“Yeah, just like one of them poor folk!”
“Hmph.”
Fie didn’t exactly remember picking apart their words or engaging in foul play, but at the same time, she felt a little silly for engaging with the youths, who seemed to only endlessly repeat their small menagerie of insults.
“Could you please get out of the way? I feel like I’m getting stupider just talking to you.”
Although Fie had no longer wished to interact with them in any way or form, the two youths blocked her path. They stared holes into Fie’s head, but they did not actually seem to have the guts to physically strike her.
Just then, an enormous silhouette surfaced from behind them.
“What the hell are you guys doing?”
The speaker had a built and muscled body that one would not think belonged to a young squire. He had a gorilla-like, strong-edged face. Gormus.
Upon seeing Gormus, the two youths’ expressions transformed into one of glee.
“Hey Gormus! This little thing here is gloating about his first bout even though he lost to you! He thinks he’s so great, being assigned to the 18th!”
“Yeah that’s right! Please teach him a lesson!”
To come all the way here but not have the courage to raise a fist for themselves — such were the pathetic souls of these boys. Fie thought it was a miracle that people like them had managed to pass the test.
However, she was cognizant of the situation — if Gormus had joined in, there was no way she could win. If it came down to it, Fie was prepared to grit her teeth and fight them off, but Gormus was a different story. She had fought him in the bouts personally, so she knew of his strength. Although she had a wooden sword, Fie could not beat him. And if they were to engage in fisticuffs, Fie would have virtually no chance of winning.
Seeing an opportunity, the bullies moved to surround Fie — not that this intimidated her. She was prepared to make their lives difficult.
Glancing up at her opponents, Fie tried to gauge their movements, when her eyes met with Gormus’. And then Gormus grabbed the two youths by their collars, and summarily lifted them off the ground.
“Why do I have to listen to what the two of you punks are saying? I’ll kick your asses.”
In the face of Gormus’ strong stare, the youths made their escape, crying as they did so.
Fie looked up at Gormus in spite of herself. He was grinning — the very same grin he had given her when they first met.
“Hmph. You find them anywhere, don’t you? Like weeds. Idiots who are small and insignificant, and don’t know how to pick fights.”
“Seems like I’ve heard those words somewhere before...”
Not used to Gormus’ familiar tone of speech, Fie eyed him warily.
“Don’t be stupid. That was me making fun of you because I’m strong. It wasn’t because you’re small.”
“Yeah. You’re strong, all right.”
Fie had no choice but to admit that. Through a string of coincidences, she had managed to go far in the bout, but it would not have been strange if she had fallen by his hand right away. Even with luck on her side and hard work on Fie’s end, she could not win against him.
“Hahaha. So you admit it, huh. I’m really strong. Of course I’ll win.”
Folding his arms, Gormus laughed haughtily, before pointing to a bandage stuck onto his forehead with a single finger. That was where Fie’s sword had hit him with all her might.
“But... the one who gave me the most trouble was you, even though you lost to me in the first round. Your irritating movements, stubbornness, and your little petty tricks. You’re really the worst.”
With those words, Fie suddenly understood Gormus’ acknowledgment of her skills.
“I see, so the one who gave you the most trouble was me.”
“That’s right. So don’t care about what those two idiots say.”
“Yeah.” Fie let out a happy but embarrassed laugh in spite of herself.
Sitting down in a chair next to Fie, Gormus spoke, a serious expression on his face.
“It was my bad for calling you a kid and asking you to go home. You did all you could. There’s guts in that.”
“Yeah... Don’t worry about it. Also... I’m sorry for calling you a gorilla.”
“Yeah... Maybe you could give that a rest. Don’t wanna think about that too much...”
Upon remembering the infamous gorilla incident, Gormus took on a relatively sullen expression. Although remorseful, Fie explained that she was merely returning the favor at the time, and insisted that he didn’t quite look like a gorilla at all. However, in her heart, Fie felt that even if he really did look like one, Gormus would be a cool gorilla.
Reassured by Fie, Gormus’ normal expression returned to his features, and he held out a fist in Fie’s direction.
“Well, the next time we fight it won’t be so easy or convenient, so you had best prepare yourself. The next time, I’ll blow you away with a single hit.”
“Then I’ll find new ways and tactics to mess with you. I’ll work hard and think of them every day!”
“Hmph... Punk. First, go learn how to swing your sword...”
Fie’s response, without a single shred of chivalry in it, turned Gormus’ face an unhealthy shade of blue.
“So... since you came out top in the finals of the test, does this mean you’re the strongest amongst all the squires?”
Having registered Gormus as a friend, Fie reverted back to her usual self, casually posing the question to Gormus.
“Of course! ...Is what I would like to say, but the aspirants for that test are split into many small blocks. There is no way to know. There were 11 more people who made it to the finals. Although... I’m probably the strongest.”
“I see... So you’re just in the top 12, huh?”
“Oi, you!”
Suddenly stripped of his title of strongest candidate, Gormus stared daggers at Fie intensely once more.
“Ahaha. Both you and I have to work hard, Gormus.”
“Ahh. That’s right.”
And then the two of them turned to face each other, and laughed heartily.