Chapter 189

As Luna watched the duel between Rod and Sivar, she realized one thing.

Smack!

“Ugh!”

“Looks like this spot is open.”

Even with similar physical abilities, if there’s a difference in skill, then it was no contest.

Right now, Rod was essentially babysitting Sivar during his power control training and duel.

While Sivar floundered, struggling to rein in his own strength, Rod was only doing exactly what was necessary.

The stark contrast between Rod’s clean, no-nonsense moves and Sivar’s excessively wild ones was glaring.

Considering Sivar’s situation, one had to admit Rod’s skills were overwhelming.

‘He really is strong, no doubt about it.’

And Rod wasn’t even fully recovered yet. Still, he toyed with Sivar.

If he were to recover completely, how strong would he actually be? Even with Sivar and Kara teaming up, it seemed impossible to win against him.

As for her, well… she was still growing, so let’s brush that aside. It’s just that everyone around her felt like monsters; she wasn’t weak by any means.

‘Just about right… right?’

She wanted to believe that. If school started, she’d check out her classmates first.

Of course, if there was a gap in skill, physical ability wouldn’t matter much. This was already confusing her.

Was physical ability important, or was skill more vital? Luna’s mind was getting tangled.

‘There’s nothing to do but work hard.’

She’d stick to the training methods she received from ReZero and learn skills from Kara and Rod.

That was all she could do for now. But Luna couldn’t shake off a little anxiety.

Could she really fight a demon like this? When the demons attacked, would she be able to cope?

She knew little about how strong demons were. Still, it remained unchanged that they were foes to be wary of.

‘I should ask Sivar. And also…’

She had plans to inform him about her eyes. It was quite the resolution.

There were several reasons behind it. First was Sivar’s connection.

For some reason, ever since Sivar got hurt, he had been in this state. It must be related to him.

Second, they were essentially in the same boat. He knew the future, and she was running around in preparation for it.

Eventually, as time went on, they’d end up sharing secrets, so it would be better to confess now.

The last reason was Sivar’s abnormal devotion. He was practically adored by Chaos.

Even if Chaos showed some quirky traits, he wasn’t an evil god. He just liked to play pranks and had a mischievous side.

‘I hope he doesn’t get into bad trouble.’

Sivar stirred up all sorts of incidents, but people, including Rod, didn’t seem to resent him at all.

If you compared it to an animal, it was akin to a cat knocking over a water bottle on the table.

Even if he caused accidents, his essence was still good. Luna knew this well.

‘It wasn’t in my dreams, but…’

Still, she felt a bit uneasy. The dream where Sivar went around slaughtering people.

What on earth turned him into a murderer? And what happened to the others?

That aspect nagged at her, but she had made her decision long ago. Since it had come to this, she’d fully commit to being in the same boat.

“That’s enough for today. You did well. You’ll quickly get a grip on power control.”

“Thank you.”

“Haha, indeed.”

It looked like the duel had just wrapped up. Luna turned her gaze in that direction.

She caught sight of Sivar bowing slightly and Rod smiling kindly at him.

It was as if a grandfather and grandson were dueling and greeting each other. It felt warm and cozy.

‘If Sivar becomes like that… the Headmaster or the Saint will intervene, right?’

Strong power is quelled by even stronger power. It’s the most effective and efficient means.

If Sivar became a killer, those two would surely do everything they could to stop him. Luna firmly believed that.

Just as Sivar was about to head inside, Luna followed him in.

“Where are you going?”

“Huh?”

“You ought to duel too.”

Then Rod called out to Luna. She paused for a moment.

Should she duel Rod or follow Sivar and have a more private conversation?

After a quick internal debate, the decision came swiftly. There was still plenty of time left.

So, she nodded and accepted cheerfully. Gotta take full advantage of this.

“I look forward to it.”

“Sure.”

Dueling with Rod was bound to be enriching. After all, it’s the teaching of the Sword Saint; it would be odd if it weren’t beneficial.

Moreover, Rod, if you think about it, was on a similar journey.

Not quite in the same boat as Sivar, but still a strong ally.

Smack!

“Right there, a gap.”

“Ugh!”

“Your abdomen is often open. Be mindful of that.”

“Yes… Ack!”

Of course, aside from that, the process of the duel was harsh. To Rod’s eyes, she was probably full of holes.

But thanks to her natural talent, she could correct herself instantly. Rod was impressed by this.

“Every time I see it, it’s amazing. How can you learn everything I teach so quickly?”

“Um… I’m not sure?”

“Looking forward to your future. Anyway, that’s all for today’s duel. Good work.”

“Thank you.”

The long yet short duel concluded. Luna bowed her head, just as Sivar had done earlier.

Rod smiled with satisfaction as he placed the wooden sword on the ground. It seemed he was about to take a break.

Just as Luna raised her head to wipe the sweat away, she suddenly received a message.

Congratulations on your excellent duel! Agility and Stamina increased!

“Huh?”

Luna was taken aback by the unexpected message.

At first, she had no clue what it meant. Her agility increased just from a duel?

She blinked in shock and pulled up her status screen. She was used to it by now.

[**Luna Estelle**]

• Muscle Strength: 72

• Agility: 92

• Stamina: 94

• Magic Power: 85

• Luck: 54

• Faith: ??

Her agility and stamina had indeed increased, and Luna blinked in surprise.

It was puzzling that her physical abilities rose from just a duel, but then she remembered.

This was Rod, the Sword Saint, after all. Even a light sparring would be packed full of substance.

‘…But I can’t really feel the difference.’

Since the numbers were minor, she couldn’t quite tell. She would have to take her time to feel it out.

Still, the proof of her growth was evident, so it did lift her spirits. With a hum, Luna headed inside.

Inside, she found Sivar sitting on the sofa, munching on the food laid out on the table.

“Sivar.”

“Hmm?”

Upon hearing her call, Sivar turned around.

His cheeks were stuffed like a hamster, and crumbs were sprinkled around his mouth.

He really had quite the appetite. Luna stifled a laugh at his appearance and softly said, “I need to discuss something with you, can you come with me? Just the two of us.”

“Mumble, mumble. Wha?”

“It’s not urgent, but opportunities are rare. So, will you come?”

“Sure.”

Sivar, stuffing the last bit of bread in his mouth, stood up. As he got up, Luna began to walk.

She didn’t forget to grab her notebook and pen for a more detailed explanation.

“I’m just going out for a moment.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m just going to gather some herbs.”

Just in time, Rod left the room. It was a perfect opportunity for Luna.

Though, who knows? Someone might come looking for them midway.

She headed to the backyard, which was vast enough to be close to an open space.

Luna glanced around before setting her gaze on Sivar. He was still mumbling, trying to finish his food.

“Do you know why I called you here? It’s simple. We’re on the same team now, right?”

“We’re on the same team?”

“Uh… what I mean is, we’re doing the same thing. You know the future, and it’s related to demons, and I’m here to stop that. Get what I’m saying?”

“Uh-huh.”

Sivar nodded, thankfully seeming to understand, as he was sharp-minded.

But when it came down to actually speaking, her tongue felt tied. She wanted to show him her message window, too.

That would help him understand better, she thought. She hesitated for a moment but finally mustered the courage to speak.

“Actually… I need to tell you something. You know about the problem with my eyes last time, right?”

“Bloody tears?”

“That, plus some strange things have happened with my eyes since then. Just a sec.”

Luna began jotting down something in her notebook.

The message screen she had seen earlier. She didn’t know what to call it, but for now, that would do.

“This.”

“……?”

When Luna showed Sivar her notebook, he blinked a couple of times. Then he tilted his head in confusion.

He seemed to be wondering what this was. His eyes widened in surprise, showing that he was actually quite shocked.

“This isn’t all. When I examine certain objects, it shows me information about them too. Do you understand what that means?”

“Uh… I’m not sure?”

“Ever since you got hurt, my eyes have had issues and this came up. The ability to sense objects has been with me, but this is something new.”

“….”

Sivar was staring intently at what Luna was writing in her notebook as if deep in thought.

“Are you listening?”

“Sure.”

“Okay. I might be overstepping, but I think it could be related to you. If not, then it could be the eyes causing issues.”

“Uh…”

“The reason I’m telling you this is simple. We’re on the same team, so sharing secrets shouldn’t be bad, right? Plus, I know your secret.”

Luna found herself explaining in a surprisingly logical manner, which was uncharacteristic of her. Maybe because it was serious.

From her perspective, she wanted Sivar to stand strong against demons. He had been really helpful, and keeping close was crucial.

Otherwise, it felt like that dream where he slaughtered people could come true. The anxiety lingered in her heart.

“Now that I’ve shared my secret, I hope you trust me. It’s alright if you don’t. Do you have any questions?”

“About that. Can it work for other people too?”

“Are you asking if I can sense other people’s stuff? Oh, I can.”

“Mine too?”

“I can see yours, but…”

Luna trailed off. It was no issue to peek at other people, even Rod.

But Sivar felt different. The moment she tried to look, it felt like her eyes would overload.

Heck, she even cried blood the last time. After a moment’s deliberation, she decided to be honest.

“It’s weird, but it’s hard for you to look. The time I cried blood? That was because of you.”

“So you did look?”

“Yeah. Your muscle strength is around… was it 300 or so for faith?”

Luna noted everything she remembered in her notebook. She believed all his stats were quite high.

Once she was done writing, she showed it to Sivar. He stared blankly at his own figures.

By the way, her stats were also noted in that notebook, so a comparison was inevitable.

“Luna.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re still weak.”

“….”

Luna’s eye twitched. It felt like a button had been pressed.

It was true she was weaker than Sivar, but his blunt wording stung.

If she had been a bit calmer, she would have questioned Sivar’s use of ‘still’.

But those thoughts didn’t cross her mind. She swallowed her urge to yell and opened her mouth instead.

“….I know. Kara is mostly around 120. But just because you and Kara are strong doesn’t mean I’m weak.”

“Hang in there.”

“….”

She wanted to give him a good smack. Particularly that look he wore.

The expression that was both distant and pitiful. The one that foretold of tough times ahead.

It was surprising to see Sivar wear such a face! Yet, annoyance bubbled within her.

To quell her rising anger, Luna sighed and then spoke quietly.

“Anyway! That’s all I wanted to say. Any other questions?”

“Not yet?”

“Got it. Thanks for listening.”

Swipe—

Luna extended her hand. It was a handshake request.

Sivar looked at her hand, then shifted his gaze to her face.

She couldn’t help but chuckle at this. Each of his little actions appeared rather cute.

“It’s a handshake. Just like how you did before.”

“Okay.”

“Let’s work well together going forward.”

Sivar grasped Luna’s hand and shook it up and down.

Unlike that time when he had trouble controlling his strength, it was a perfectly normal handshake now.

In that moment, it truly felt like they were on the same team. Luna felt a strange emotion.

‘For now, I have no choice but to get stronger.’

Having finished the handshake, Luna headed inside with Sivar.

After a brief rest, they were to return to their respective dorms. They had nothing else to do anyway.

Knock, knock, knock—

“Excuse me. Are you in there?”

At that moment, someone knocked on the door. A voice followed the knocking.

It was Grace’s voice. Luna felt puzzled by her unexpected visit, yet she stood up.

Creeeak—

“Oh. Miss Luna.”

“Hello. The Headmaster isn’t here at the moment.”

“I didn’t come looking for the Headmaster. I came looking for you, Miss Luna.”

“For me?”

“Yes.”

Grace’s expression was serious. Her gaze could be somewhat intimidating.

Whatever the reason, it felt better to let her in. Grace glanced at Luna and then stepped inside.

Once inside, she was greeted by a dazed Sivar, who was sitting on the sofa.

Grace briefly smiled at Sivar, but then her serious expression returned as she looked at Luna.

She wore a face that suggested there was something amiss. For Luna, it was utterly baffling.

“Well, it’s convenient that Sivar is here too. I had a question for both of you.”

“What is it?”

“As you both might know, Sivar might have to share a dorm with me as my escort.”

That was something they were all aware of. The chaos surrounding it was unforgettable.

The shady contract that Grace was trying to push through, and Sivar revealing the truth.

Luna hadn’t paid that much attention to the issue and had completely forgotten it.

“Today I went to the administrative office to get permission. But for some reason, I found that Sivar has received demerits.”

“Demerits?”

“Yes.”

“Sivar is prone to causing trouble.”

It wasn’t surprising that Sivar had amassed a lot of demerits. After all, he managed to make up for it through tests and such.

But that wasn’t the problem. Grace shook her head, dismissing it.

“That’s not it. There’s a demerit that absolutely should not exist.”

“A demerit that should not exist?”

“Yes. This may make living together effectively impossible.”

“What could that possibly be?”

Now, Luna was intrigued. What on earth could be so severe that living together became impossible?

Moreover, Grace came from a noble family. One would think she’d receive some leniency because of her background, yet she was met with a rigid rejection.

With a complex expression, Grace looked between Luna and Sivar before letting out a deep sigh.

She then asked, her voice subdued and laden with concern, “It’s a little intrusive, but… Miss Luna.”

“Yes. What is it?”

“Have you ever slept in the same dorm with Sivar? In the same dormitory?”

Luna’s answer was very straightforward.

“Yes. During the freshman welcoming party.”

“Ah…”

And then Grace exclaimed, “We’re screwed!”

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