Chapter 293

Bathing, first time, consideration. Words that anyone would mistake for the fresh yet intense love story of a boy and girl.

Damn that Damien brat.

Of course, rumors started spreading that Damien and I had… done it in the bath of Faelun Castle. Not just idle gossip, but spreading like a shot arrow.

After the defeat at the northern wall, the gloomy atmosphere that had settled over the castle was shaken off as people eagerly sought out entertainment. For them, this rumor was like rain in a drought.

“Hey, did you hear? Count Medean, with a boy two years younger, in the bath… and it was his first time!”

“Having his first experience in a public bath? How passionate!”

The young maids, blushing, chattered away, spreading pink rumors mixed with what they had seen and heard. As the rumor passed from mouth to mouth, I had somehow become a virgin who had spent dozens of minutes entwined with Damien in the hot spring.

“Didn’t Sir Damien have a girlfriend? That green-haired knight lady.”

“She got stolen! Typical of the Ka`har plunder spirit… no mercy even among friends!”

Even Milia’s existence fueled the rumors. It was obvious to anyone watching that Milia liked Damien.

A girl who had quietly harbored feelings for her childhood friend, only to have him stolen by a more aggressive friend.

A dramatic and sensational development that would have been popular even in the original world, let alone this one. In the spreading rumors, Milia had transformed into the tragic heroine betrayed by her friend and lover.

Once the fire of rumor was lit, it didn’t stop at the maids’ gossip. Some maids in relationships with knights started telling their lovers about this interesting story, and soon the knights were also buzzing about it.

“A beastman devourer with a taste for younger boys… no wonder she rejected all those proposals. It seems she wasn’t just devouring beastmen.”

“They were close since the academy, but who would have thought they were that close? I heard it was more of a mentor-student relationship.”

“Haha, but they make a good pair, don’t they? A knight and her young disciple in love… whether it’s impure or enviable, who can say?”

Spreading baseless rumors was something a knight should avoid to protect one’s honor… but since the knights who were there confirmed it as true, they had no qualms. From knight to knight, to the soldiers who overheard, and even to the nobles who heard it secondhand.

The misunderstanding-filled rumor spread like a winter wildfire. Within two hours, everyone in the castle knew.

“Pfft, ahahahaha!”

Leonor, hearing the rumor through the grapevine, laughed so hard she nearly fell over. Freide, waking from a long sleep, had to wonder if she was still dreaming. Once she realized it was real, she couldn’t stop laughing either.

And Milia…

“No… that can’t be…”

At first, Milia chuckled at the absurdity of the rumor, but as more and more testimonies came in, her face grew paler. She tried to deny it, but her legs started trembling. Some maids looked at her with pity.

After standing silently for a while, Milia rummaged through a drawer, pulled something out, and left the room with her head half bowed.

“Hey. Can I ask you something?”

“Eek! M-Milia?”

The maid who turned at the voice stepped back in shock.

“Where are Damien and Hashalleur now?”

Milia, seemingly indifferent to the maid’s reaction, asked calmly in a voice devoid of emotion.

“Th-they’re in the training room…!”

“Thanks.”

Nodding, Milia passed the trembling maid and headed to the training room. Her expression was hidden by the shadow of her hair, but the corner of her mouth visible bore a chilling smile.

====[Training Room]====

-Kwaaaaang!

A roar like the sound of a battleship’s cannon. The wall of the training room, stacked with boulders, shattered, sending fragments flying everywhere.

“Ugh…!”

Damien, who had been thrown like a javelin and embedded in the wall, groaned as he slumped down. The shock had left him half-conscious.

But there was no time to rest. No, there wouldn’t be.

“Get up, you idiot!”

A kick followed, slicing through the air aimed at Damien’s head. A direct hit would have smashed his head like a watermelon.

“W-wait…!”

Damien quickly dodged. The missed kick pierced deep into the already shattered rock wall.

The rock was like butter…

A crushing blow that dug all the way to the ankle.

Damien, who almost had his head blown off, was dripping with cold sweat.

“If you dodged it, don’t just stand there frozen—counterattack!”

With a sharp hand chop, Damien swung his left arm. He raised his greatsword to block, but unable to withstand the impact, he was sent flying backward, tumbling over and over.

“Ugh…”

Damien gritted his teeth and staggered to his feet. His bright blond hair and delicate face were now a mess, covered in dirt and dust.

His broken left arm hung limply, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

“Ugh…! Hey, Ha-shal-leur…! I get that you’re mad, but this is a bit much…!”

“Do I look like I’m doing this just to vent? This is a sparring match, a proper sparring match! Who knows when the beastmen will attack? You still haven’t even reached the level of a master!”

Shouting over Damien’s complaints, she lunged at him.

Damien hurriedly raised his greatsword.

It seemed his strength had improved somewhat, as he now handled the heavy chunk of metal with ease using just one arm.

…But that still didn’t change the fact that he hadn’t reached the level of a master.

No, even Ophelia and Leonor have already achieved that level. Why hasn’t he yet…?

He’s clearly put in enough effort. Was my training method too lenient?

Filled with frustration and resentment, she swung her sword at him.

The longsword and greatsword clashed, sending shockwaves rippling through the area.

Unable to withstand the force, Damien’s knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the training ground floor.

“Th-that’s… easier said than done…!”

Damien muttered weakly.

He looked like a punished child, kneeling with his arms raised.

“Who told you to make excuses?!”

“Ugh…!”

She kicked him in the side, sending him flying.

Damien slammed into the wall once again.

[…Isn’t this just venting?]

……

Can’t really deny that.

‘So what, you got a problem with that?’

[Of course not! Go on, keep at it! That brat’s still standing, isn’t he?!]

Hersela cheered as if she were enjoying the show.

See? I knew she’d like it.

“Ugh…! Ha-shal-leur! I messed up, okay?! Please, just give me a break…!”

“We’re not done yet!”

Aside from his left arm, he was still moving just fine. How dare he ask for a break already?

I was even being careful not to inflict any serious injuries.

With the training longsword resting on her shoulder, she charged at Damien, who had just gotten back up.

Damien’s face darkened with despair.

—

The sparring match, meant as both punishment and a test of skill.

Since her stamina hadn’t fully recovered, she wasn’t fighting by expending her aura… but Damien couldn’t use his aura either. So, how could he possibly win?

Thanks to his recent battles with the beastmen, his skills had improved.

Unlike before, when he couldn’t even lift a hand or foot and was completely overwhelmed, he was now able to block reasonably well and even counterattack occasionally.

But still, he couldn’t last more than five minutes. After taking one solid hit, it became a one-sided beating.

After flying around like a soccer ball for thirty minutes, Damien fainted as soon as the sparring stopped, foaming at the mouth.

She would’ve loved to keep pounding on him for hours, but… that was physically impossible now.

[What a shame, there’s still so much more to beat.]

‘…If I hit him any more, he’ll be bedridden for a while.’

She looked down at Damien, who was twitching with broken limbs, and wiped the sweat from her face with her sleeve.

…At least he didn’t drop his weapon. Maybe I should give him credit for that.

“Please heal him.”

Florence, who had been watching the sparring nervously, cast a healing miracle on Damien.

A ray of holy light descended on the boy’s body, beginning to mend his broken form.

“Lady Medean, wasn’t that a bit too harsh…?”

“…He needs to be hit.”

If you were in my position, you’d have beaten him too.

For now, we have to prepare for the battle with the beastmen, so I’ll let it slide this time. But I plan to keep beating him in the future.

“Even so, for a sparring match, that was a bit…”

“Well, it’s because this guy…”

Just as she was about to explain to Florence, who seemed unaware of the full story, why she had done this…

*Knock knock.*

A knocking sound on the training room wall interrupted her.

…Who is it? I had asked to borrow the training room for a while to avoid anyone getting caught up in this.

“…Ha-shal-leur, are you there?”

Ah, it’s Milia.

Milia…

…This is bad, isn’t it?