Chapter 17

Sivar’s impromptu duel with Elvin ended quickly. But despite the brevity, it left a significant impact.

Elvin was someone whose reputation had spread ever since before entering the Academy. A promising talent recognized for his exceptional abilities.

In an academy where meritocracy prevailed, being well-known meant one was strong.

However, Elvin’s attacks never landed a single hit.

If he were just defending, it might be understandable, but Sivar dodged every single one of Elvin’s strikes.

Dodging requires remarkable visualization skills and agility.

At the very least, it implied Sivar was several levels above Elvin in terms of agility.

“Did you really break it with your mouth earlier?”

“I saw it clearly. Just how strong is he?”

“Strong or not, it’s impossible for a human.”

His beast-like movements were impressive, but Sivar’s behavior was the center of attention.

A human’s teeth have clear limits, even if infused with magic power. No one would attempt such a thing anyway.

But Sivar broke a sword with his teeth. Just absorbing an attack with his mouth was astonishing.

Can we really call him human? Even barbarians wouldn’t do something like that.

People who witnessed the duel couldn’t help but think of Sivar as a beast in human skin.

“Did you know he was that strong, Luna?”

“······ A little.”

Luna, watching the duel from the stands, replied to Grace’s question.

She had suspected it since the moment he swiftly defeated the monkey and fought against Ratatosk. How strong Sivar truly was.

That’s why this duel felt like Sivar was ‘playing around.’ Light, playful taps back and forth.

Having grown up in the countryside, she understood the kind of play animals engage in. Bears are known for such playful antics.

Sivar showcased exactly that behavior. While Elvin put in all his effort, Sivar looked utterly relaxed.

‘He posed no threat at all.’

Elvin’s skills were impressive, enough to even astonish Luna, who was the top student. His swordsmanship was clean and swift.

It was clear he had diligently mastered the basics. If she had fought him directly, she would have struggled quite a bit.

But Sivar not only dodged Elvin’s attacks but broke the sword with his mouth.

Such feats are impossible without a significant gap in skill.

“Since Jerkha Young-shik was effortlessly defeated, the attention will surely shift to that guy. It might be difficult to approach him with the Chancellor around, though.”

“······ So, Grace, are you also interested in Sivar?”

“I can’t say I’m not.”

Grace replied with a teasing smile. Luna’s expression stiffened at that smile.

For some reason, she felt a strong premonition that she might get tangled up in this. She wasn’t entirely oblivious.

Moreover, she was worried about Sivar. Though he was currently with the Chancellor, one can never tell what might happen.

Perhaps a group that had taken note of his strength might play tricks. Luna was most concerned about this.

“Sivar knows nothing about civilization. He can’t speak or read.”

If anyone tried to exploit Sivar, she would desperately try to prevent it. His power was far too dangerous.

Though she hadn’t properly witnessed the battle against Ratatosk, she felt the ripples quite clearly.

If that power were to be used for malicious purposes, it could lead to horrific outcomes. That was something she had to prevent.

“Then why does he follow the Chancellor’s orders so obediently? That makes me curious.”

“Though he can’t speak, he can still communicate to some extent.”

“Hmm.”

At Luna’s response, Grace turned her gaze forward. Medical staff were coming in to check for any injuries.

Neither of them appeared to have any injuries. Sivar had handled it all so neatly.

Grace stared blankly at Sivar, who was standing there, and then spoke to Luna.

“If communication is possible, can’t you develop a friendship with him?”

“Excuse me?”

Luna replied with a startled expression. She was unsure what that meant.

Seeing her reaction, Grace responded with a familiar smirk.

“Isn’t it fine? If communication is possible, you can express to that guy Sivar that you want to be friends.”

“······ I don’t see what I’d gain from getting close to Sivar. He’s not a barbarian; he’s a wild man.”

It seemed like she was putting Sivar down, but it was an accurate description. A wild man might be treated even worse than a barbarian.

Everyone only showed interest, but hardly anyone approached like Grace did.

The things one could gain from him were far too uncertain. It would end with mere curiosity.

Getting involved recklessly could lead to troublesome situations, so avoiding it was natural.

“I think I understand what you’re worried about, Luna. But I guarantee there’s nothing for you to worry about. I’m genuinely curious about that man.”

“If that’s the case, then I don’t mind…”

“By the way, it’s strange. Why are you defending that guy?”

Grace’s sudden question threw Luna off guard. She blinked at the question.

“Me?”

“Yes. It sounds very much like you’re trying to protect him.”

Luna rolled her eyes at the comment and fell into thought.

She was only trying to prevent Sivar from being exploited…

‘Ah.’

She realized it a bit too late. Grace, having noticed Luna’s expression, had a gleam of interest in her purple eyes.

Then, she smiled meaningfully and asked in a voice full of certainty.

Perhaps it was because of her demeanor, but Luna felt a significant pressure.

“Is there something even more incredible than that?”

“··· ···”

“I don’t know what that is, but I’ll be looking forward to it.”

Grace stood up with a bright smile. Luna watched her leave, feeling a bit empty inside.

‘I’ve been caught.’

And it felt like it was a solid catch.

She had only tried to prevent Sivar from being used.

But that inadvertently hinted that Sivar held some secret.

From now on, Grace would surely approach Sivar. At least she felt reassured that Rod would be around to protect him.

‘This won’t be easy…’

Even simple conversations drained her energy. It hadn’t even been a day, but so many events had occurred.

Sighing, she looked towards the dueling arena. It seemed people, including Sivar, had already left the arena.

Staying here wouldn’t achieve anything. Since it didn’t seem like she could train either, she planned to rest at her lodging.

“Hey. You there.”

“··· ···”

“Yellow hair. I’m talking to you. Don’t pretend you can’t hear me.”

What now? Luna’s brow twitched at the voice calling her as she stood up.

Grace had at least used honorifics, but this one went straight for informal speech. Even as a commoner, she understood manners.

Luna thought that as she turned her head. Upon seeing the identity of the caller, she softened slightly.

“You are…”

Short red hair of a reasonable length. Green eyes reminiscent of a dense forest.

With cat-like eyes, she exuded a wild aura, and her bronzed skin made her stand out as a beautiful woman.

Her outfit was incredibly casual. It was spring, with a chilly atmosphere, yet she wore nothing but a black tank top.

Moreover, her bronze skin was accentuated by various scars marked across her arms.

Rough. That was Luna’s first impression upon seeing the woman. And she knew exactly who this person was.

‘A barbarian… no, the Tartar princess?’

She was the newest student currently garnering significant attention at the Academy.

A princess from ‘Tartar,’ a nation founded after years of nomadic and pillaging lifestyles.

However, due to her dramatic background, many referred to Tartar’s people derogatorily as barbarians.

The Academy was no different. Even though she was technically a princess, they often looked down on her as a barbarian.

Each time, the woman in front would cause quite a stir with her explosive reactions.

‘I think her name is…’

Kara.

She didn’t know her surname, but she remembered that was her name.

“What business do you have with me, Your Highness?”

Upon Luna’s question, the Tartar princess, Kara, turned her gaze back to the dueling arena where Sivar and Elvin had already left.

She then looked back at Luna and spoke with a sharp tone.

“I heard that you brought the guy who faced off over there. Is that true?”

“And if it is?”

Luna replied curtly. With such casualness from the other side, she saw no reason to be courteous.

Kara didn’t seem to care either way; she spoke her mind sharply to Luna.

“Could you tell me where that guy is staying?”

“··· ···”

If she had known this would happen, she shouldn’t have brought him from the forest. Luna sighed internally at the continued interest.

She would rather respond cheekily. But the manners she learned from her mentor prevented that.

Besides, making an enemy of them wouldn’t bring any good. The more enemies, the worse it could get.

“Sivar is with the Chancellor. It will be difficult to meet him.”

“I don’t care. I was just curious.”

“Then why are you interested in Sivar?”

Luna asked, hinting at what the meaning behind it was. Kara shrugged her shoulders in response.

“Because he looks strong.”

“Excuse me?”

“Because he looks strong. That’s all.”

When she heard that response, Luna was momentarily taken aback.

“By the way, you said you were the top student, right? Since you’re the top student, you must be strong. Are you stronger than him?”

“······ No?”

“No need to be that humble.”

That wasn’t humility at all. She should have seen Sivar and Ratatosk fight to understand.

Had she gotten involved, she might not have been present at this moment. That much she was sure of.

“Oh, right. What’s your name? I only know you’re the top student.”

“I’m Luna Estelle. What about you, Your Highness?”

“Just call me Kara. I’m off now. Bye!”

She left the conversation with a lively goodbye, contrary to the rumors about her being violent.

Luna watched Kara’s retreating figure, lost in thought. Did she feel that Kara noticed her gaze?

Kara paused momentarily, turned, and looked back at Luna. Luna felt a jolt as their eyes met.

Then, Kara flashed a pearly smile, revealing all her white teeth.

“Do you like me?”

“Excuse me?”

“I said I like you.”

With that incomprehensible statement, Kara left. Luna remained in a daze until she completely vanished.

What a whirlwind of a woman. The way she spoke only what she wanted to say gave off such a strong impression.

Yet, oddly enough, it didn’t feel unpleasant at all. It seemed to emanate a charm unique to Kara.

“Sigh…”

Luna let out a long breath while gazing at the sky.

It felt like plenty of time had passed, yet the sky remained bright blue. Today, it felt like time was crawling by.

‘······ I want to go home.’

She was genuinely excited about what events might unfold in the future.

Truly.

*****

Even after the duel ended, I didn’t head straight back to my residence. Rod briefly called Elvin for a chat.

I stood by, just munching on candy while observing. He handed me a piece of candy, probably to keep me from wandering off.

It seems Rod thought he could handle me with just a piece of candy.

For now, I planned to go along with it. It’s absolutely not because of the candy.

Really.

“······ Did you ask for a book suitable for children?”

“Not just books, but I also want a wordbook prepared. I’ve never raised a child, so I don’t know what’s good.”

“I haven’t raised one either…”

“Don’t you have any siblings?”

“I do, but I don’t teach them myself.”

It seems he’s asking me to find books suitable for my reading level.

Well, at this age, I never thought I’d be reading fairy tales. I should be learning words instead.

Regardless of whether I grumbled internally, Elvin glanced at me, looking bewildered.

“Is it possible to find fairy tale books at the Academy?”

“There are professors who live with families, so I imagine they exist.”

“How many do you need?”

“Something everyone would likely have read.”

Elvin must have caught on. He realized Rod was sending him on an errand to teach me how to read.

Elvin glanced at me again, nodding. The errand itself wasn’t likely to be difficult.

“Thank you. Is there anything else you want?”

“No, nothing in particular. Just that I’m a little worried about that Sivar character.”

Why suddenly? Is he upset over losing the duel?

While I blinked in confusion, Rod, sensing something off, questioned Elvin.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I just realized through the duel earlier. If that power is directed at someone…”

Ah. So that was it. I think I understand what they mean.

Rod must have grasped Elvin’s intent and responded firmly.

“That’s why I’m keeping him close.”

“What if that power were directed at the Chancellor?”

That would never happen. No matter how dumb I am, if I faced the Chancellor, I would simply die.

The title of Sword Saint isn’t just an arbitrary nickname.

If I fought directly without exaggeration, I’d die without even realizing why.

“Hmm…”

Rod looked at me after hearing Elvin’s comment, fixating on me for a while. I just munched on candy, almost melting away.

Then, he smiled gently before speaking a chilling truth.

“Since ancient times, they say you can tame a disobedient child with proper guidance. But a beast must be tamed with a club, they say.”

“··· ···”

“I firmly believe Sivar is a disobedient child, not a beast.”

I made up my mind to become a well-behaved child.

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