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“Today, the sword feels even better, doesn’t it?”

As the Celestial Festival approached, Anne increased her training fervor. I helped her practice, and while my skills were improving at a rapid pace, it seemed pointless to distinguish between victory and defeat now. However, today, the gap seemed even wider.

“Is that so? It definitely feels like the sword is sticking better, huh?”

Not wanting to show my open admiration for Anne, I feigned humility, but honestly, her words were the ones I felt most acutely myself.

It had only been one day since yesterday, yet the trajectory of my sword was exceeding the span of just a day’s practice.

Even yesterday, I had no time to wield my sword due to event rehearsals.

“Whoa!”

Anne, who had been completely sprawled on the floor, sprang up with a lively movement.

“Next up is Yuli and Linne!”

Not showing any signs of fatigue, Anne immediately pointed to her next opponents.

Although Linne’s power had certainly diminished since leaving the Old School, she still possessed a formidable strength thanks to Yuli’s talents.

Bang! Bang!

Under the guise of sparring, Anne was recklessly destroying the stage using her unique brute strength.

She brought her Great Sword crashing down, splitting the training ground, and swung her sword to send shards flying.

It’s not an everyday sight, but watching it made me somewhat understand why Academy tuition fees were so high.

“El.”

While I was observing Anne’s match against Yuli and Linne, Selian, the first person I had sparred with, called out to me.

“Huh?”

Still focused on Anne’s duel, I turned my head slightly later than my response.

“Would you like to spar with me while you wait a moment?”

Thinking back, it had been quite a while since I sparred with Selian.

Due to my support for the only contestant Anne, I always ended up practicing with her rather than anyone else.

I glanced over at Anne again, and it didn’t seem like her match was ending anytime soon.

“Alright then, let’s give it a go after a long time!”

I steered away from Anne and headed to a completely different training area.

Facing each other, Selian and I stood ready.

“My skills have improved a lot recently, you know? If you underestimate me, this time you might actually lose.”

“I don’t underestimate El. However, thinking you can defeat me, a Sword Master, is a bit early to claim.”

With no signal exchanged, we charged at each other as soon as the words left our mouths.

Clang!

The sound of metal clashing echoed, and Selian and I immediately withdrew to create distance.

That initial clash was merely a taste test—a greeting to signal the beginning of our duel.

Thus, the attacks following would be the real deal.

Bang!

I managed to block Selian’s flash-speed attack while keeping my jaw tense enough to react but without stiffening up.

Her strikes were so swift that the sound cutting through the air arrived late.

However, Selian’s attacks, like light, didn’t stop after just one wave; they kept darting toward me.

Whether I dodged, parried, or blocked, she relentlessly pressured me while maintaining the flow of her sword.

If I recalled our previous duels with Selian, easily long forgotten by now, managing to defend at all was significant improvement.

But my growth didn’t end there.

Despite the one-sided aggression of neglecting defense, I thrust my sword through the seemingly flawless gaps in Selian’s rapid attacks.

Generally, Selian’s sword would have reached me first before my blade could touch her, but I adapted my assassin’s steps.

Swish!

In a duel usually reserved for the clash of swords, the movements of an assassin flowed into my actions as though they were second nature, protecting me from Selian’s blade.

Selian’s sword narrowly missed, and my sword arrived at her body.

Thunk!

Perhaps taken aback by my enhanced skills since yesterday, I managed to jab Selian’s abdomen.

Ordinarily, that would deal a lethal blow, but with practice swords lacking sharp edges and Selian enhanced by her Sword Master aura, there were no significant injuries.

Even if there were, it would likely just result in a bruise.

Crash!

However, as I thrust forward, I loosened my grip and dropped my sword.

The duel came to a halt.

Seeing Selian take a step back, I bent down to reach for my fallen sword.

My outstretched hand trembled slightly, not from lack of strength, but I had stiffened up from the tension of sparring with Selian after such a long time.

Not knowing if I should continue sparring with my sword still on the ground, I looked back at Selian.

It seemed the duel was over; instead of taking a stance, Selian just stared at me intently.

“El….”

Noticing my attack had landed more sharply than expected, Selian’s expression had stiffened.

Even though I had dropped my sword, I had conclusively scored an advantageous hit.

My thrust had been clean and well-placed against Selian’s abdomen.

“Ugh…!”

But then, out of nowhere, a sharp pain surged through me.

The icy sting I felt during my bath yesterday returned.

“El!”

Feeling intensified pain, I clutched my chest, struggling to stand, I dropped to my knees.

What started as a jolt of pain was evolving to an unbearable level.

Surely this pain would continue until I pulled out the sword buried within my chest.

I had to remove the blade that’s lodged so close to my heart quickly.

But just as I reached to grasp the sword, my hand continued to flail through the air uselessly.

Maybe I had lost too much blood, but my vision began to blur, and breathing felt difficult.

Damn it, I need to pull it out fast…

“El! Focus, El!”

Even amidst the overwhelming pain, a familiar voice pierced through my ears.

But it didn’t matter who the voice belonged to.

What mattered was removing the sword.

If I die like this, what about next…

What comes next?

“Selian…?”

“Yes! It’s me! Your friend Selian!”

Right. Just like last time, the voice cutting through the pain belonged to Selian.

Thank goodness. Just like before, Selian was safe…

“Focus, El! Nothing is tormenting you! It’s all an illusion! Please focus!”

Illusion…?

What does that mean, Selian?

There’s no way this vivid pain coursing through my body is an illusion…

?

“Gah!”

As if the prior statement of not being able to breathe had been a lie, I gulped air desperately, filling my lungs to the brim.

Whether it was sweat or something else, liquid dripped down my face, hitting the ground.

I quickly ran my hands over my chest, but naturally, there was no sword embedded there.

“What on earth…?”

What the heck just happened?

I had struck Selian successfully, the duel stopped, and then suddenly, pain hit.

When I was struggling in agony, Selian said something, and the pain that had been squeezing me just moments ago vanished as if it had never existed.

All I retained was the memory of that horrific pain.

The sweat drenching my body screamed that the pain I had felt was no mere dream.

“El….”

The tone of Selian’s voice calling my name was laden with emotions that couldn’t be defined as just one feeling.

“El, look at me.”

Gripping my shoulders with both hands, Selian spoke firmly.

Under her command, I gazed up at her face as if under a spell.

Her eyes, wet but not shedding any tears, looked straight into mine.

“Have you been experiencing strange happenings lately? Any memories that seem different from reality…?”

“No…? Nothing like that…”

What does Selian want to say?

If anything, it feels less like memories returning and more like something I’m forgetting.

I’ve indeed been having odd dreams lately, but asking about dreams can’t be the case…

How long had we silently stared at each other?

After realizing I wasn’t lying, Selian released a soft sigh and loosened her grip on my shoulders.

“If anything comes to you, please tell me. It’s important.”

“Is it… about Heroes or the Holy Sword?”

“…If I must specify, then yes. So you absolutely must not forget and tell me. Do you understand?”

“I get it. If it’s about Heroes, you’ll know more than I will anyway.”

I replied openly, but some doubt still lingered.

I just suddenly felt an inexplicable pain, but how could this pain be related to the Hero?

Yet, my doubts remained unvoiced, lingering silently within me.