Chapter 75

Chapter : 75

My body had grown to a point where it could not even be compared to when I had first possessed it. Beyond arm strength, muscular endurance, and lung capacity, every small detail had visibly improved compared to before. It was something to be happy about, but not all of it was good.

Training changed. Heavier than before, faster than before, longer than before.

With the same training volume as before, I could no longer push my body to its limit. So Katarina worked me harder, for longer.

Today was the first day of that training.

Even when I had just possessed this body and started exercising, I did not think it had been this bad. I endured the unbelievable intensity of the training while dry-heaving again and again. When Katarina declared it over, my hands and feet trembled.

With a sensation as though my whole body had been hammered with a mallet, I returned to the dormitory, washed, closed my eyes, and rested my body. That was when it happened.

“Are you inside?”

At Jefrin’s voice, a signal ran through my body, which had finally begun to relax.

My hair stood on end.

It was fine. He probably had not come to fight. The time was awkward for that. If he had been aiming for an assassination, he would have come more stealthily. Still, would it not be better to take my sword?

After hiding my sword beneath the bed, I opened the door and received Jefrin.

“I apologize for coming so late. I have something urgent to tell you.”

“What is it? Come in first.”

“Do you remember what happened at the ball?”

“The ball? Yes, I remember. I received a medal.”

“You know that is not what I am referring to. This is about Lady Bishot.”

“Speak.”

“At that time, Lady Bishot intended to expose the things you had done. It was to retaliate against you.”

“Yes, I remember.”

Jefrin blinked for a moment as though recalling Bishot at the ball. His pupils shifted upward.

“I do not know how it was done, nor who did it, but Lady Bishot’s mouth was closed by an external force. Thanks to that, the medal conferral continued as though nothing had happened.”

“That is true. So what?”

“Lady Bishot probably will not give up. So why not confess your crimes first? Would that not be better than having your crimes come from Lady Bishot’s mouth?”

“What if I do not?”

“It may be needless concern, but you and I will have to fight.”

I laughed faintly, pretending to be confident. As though it did not bother me at all, I shrugged and jerked my chin.

“So what? I am confident.”

“Yes. I think you have more than enough skill to be confident. But if I fight with my life on the line, it will be difficult for you to remain unharmed as well.”

“I am not sure whether that is a warning or a threat. You are simply saying that is how it is, I suppose. You do not want that either.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

I bit my lower lip. What if I did as Jefrin said, and Bishot was satisfied with that? Was that worth trying?

If I followed Jefrin’s words, I could gain safety for now. I would be freed from the fear of death that had followed me ever since I possessed this body. Just imagining it made my mouth water.

Then what would I lose in exchange?

Quite a lot, but among them, the most painful would be human relationships. After falling into this place, I had gotten to know many people. Among them were people I could call friends, and others who were close to something similar.

My relationships with them would break.

Leaving the Academy and such would be secondary issues.

I would have to build a wall forever between myself and the fairly decent people I had met here, and the things Raphael had done would follow me for the rest of my life like a tag.

That is dreadful.

“I do not want to do that, so what am I supposed to do? You are saying this because you do not want to fight me either, because you are afraid. Use your head a little. Do you think there is no way to resolve this peacefully?”

“Peacefully... that seems difficult. Still, I will think of a method.”

“Thank you for that.”

From Jefrin’s perspective, staying silent would have benefited him.

Giving me information like this was the same as provoking me. It might become the trigger that made me, who had stayed quiet until now, move. Yet he had stepped forward. I was inwardly pleased, but that was separate from accepting Raphael’s crimes.

Jefrin studied my expression and spoke.

“It seems you have no intention of doing that after all.”

“No. We will probably fight.”

“Train hard. I too will do my best.”

“I will work hard. You take it easy.”

---

A shared class in the Swordsmanship Department.

Something like that had happened yesterday, but both Jefrin and I attended just fine. There was no one who would say anything if we skipped one class like this, but we still came. I called Leo over and pointed at Jefrin with my finger.

“Ask him to fight again.”

“Uh, hmm... Did I not lose like that not long ago?”

“This time will be different. Smash him! Knock him down!”

“I will... try.”

“If you win, I will deduct ten thousand gold.”

“I will turn him into pulp and come back!”

I had to let Jefrin know that I had many friends. I was different from Jefrin and Bishot, who were loners even at the Academy.

At my request, Leo challenged Jefrin to a sparring match, and the two picked up Wooden Swords. Seeing that, I confirmed that he had a chance of victory.

There were broadly two kinds of swords used in sparring. Wooden Swords and Training Swords. If it was a Training Sword, which was metal with only the edge dulled, Jefrin could use Sword Aura.

But with a Wooden Sword, using Sword Aura was impossible. Leo had a chance.

Leo emitted fire from his eyes and charged at Jefrin. It was different from the sparring match where he had fought while using Magical Power Flow last time. Back then, Leo had lost emptily.

Why? Because he did not know how to use his strength. Unable to control his strength, he had swung his sword recklessly, and his center of gravity had shaken along with his blade. This time, he had improved. Through practice, he controlled his sword, and the power of Magical Power Flow itself had grown stronger than before.

BOOOOM—!

His strategy was good as well. Rather than dividing his sword forms into several exchanges, he clashed heavily once, then again, maximizing the difference in physical strength. A shadow fell across Jefrin’s face.

“Wow.... That makes no sense.”

Watching their clash, I was amazed. There was a scene that made me wonder whether something like that was possible.

Jefrin’s Crescent Slash.

I had told Leo about it in advance. I advised him that he could never see and dodge it, so he had to pressure Jefrin aggressively and prevent him from using it.

Leo followed that advice and advanced endlessly without taking even one step back, but Jefrin clearly displayed the superiority of his swordsmanship skill itself.

He stepped and moved his body to the side, creating space. Then he swung his sword, aiming for Leo’s temple.

It was Crescent Slash. Only after Jefrin’s sword had fully swung did I recognize it.

Leo was different. Was it the power of Magical Power Flow?

SWISH—!

Watching the sword approach, Leo bent his body backward.

Both Jefrin and I opened our mouths in surprise. To see that and dodge it was impossible. It was monstrous reflexes and tremendous speed.

As Jefrin’s Wooden Sword brushed over his head, Leo extended his own Wooden Sword in return.

BOOM—!

The Wooden Sword, whose force had not been controlled, struck Jefrin in the pit of the stomach. Jefrin fell backward as he was, clutching his chest and breathing hard.

Wow, that worked.

Magical Power Flow was an incredible buff. I knew that. But even if he had obtained it, could Leo beat Jefrin? Even while knowing it was theoretically possible, I had doubted it.

Why?

Leo was a character whose name had not even appeared, and Jefrin was a main character. Was it not only natural that Leo could never beat him?

The difference from the original was that this was reality. As long as the conditions were met, even a nameless Extra could beat a main character.

Though those conditions were difficult.

Leo had won this sparring match because of the absence of Sword Aura after all. If Jefrin had used Sword Aura, Leo’s sword would have been sliced cleanly apart. Sword Aura was that absolute.

But if Leo matched Jefrin’s realm?

It was close to certain victory.

---

Ian had said this about Agares’s concern. Modifying the contract between Amadeus and Agares was impossible, and breaking it was extremely difficult.

That day, I had only confirmed that breaking it was possible and reported it to Agares.

Today, I went to Ian again to hear how to break the contract.

“When I say it is difficult, I mean meeting the conditions is difficult. The method itself is simple. Agares’s recovery comes from borrowing Amadeus’s power. So you continuously pour attacks with enough power that Amadeus cannot endure them. Then Amadeus will not be able to maintain the contract.”

In short, it meant Agares had to be hit extremely hard.

I think he will hate that.

“Is that the only method?”

“As far as I know, yes. Even if you look for another method, it probably will not differ much from this.”

Ian smiled brightly.

“If the contract breaks while he is being attacked, could he not die?”

“You have to hit him carefully so he does not die.”

“Hahahaha.”

After confirming that, I went to find Agares. His face looked much brighter than yesterday.

“Is your body a little better?”

“Of course it is. I told you, did I not? I know my body well. Haha, why are you treating me like a patient? I am fine.”

“It is because this is such a serious matter. What do you intend to do, Your Grace? You said there was something you had to finish before cutting off the contract.”

“Hmm. That is right. I need to make one final circuit around the territory and sweep away the monsters. Since I went into that passage and swung my sword a bit, the frequency with which passages form has decreased. Perhaps because of that, the number of monsters has grown smaller. Still, before I lose my power, I intend to clean it up one last time.”

“Do you plan to leave for your territory right away?”

“No. I intend to wait just a few more days.”

I nodded and explained to Agares the method for breaking the contract that I had heard from Ian.

“Your Grace’s regeneration and recovery ability come from Amadeus, do they not? They say Amadeus’s power is actually used to restore you. So if attacks that Amadeus cannot withstand are inflicted on Your Grace, the contract will break.”

Agares blinked and said,

“If that goes wrong, could I not die?”

“Yes. That is why the force must be controlled well.”

Ian would probably take the role of attacking Agares.

An attack even a Devil could not endure.

A power that could destroy the body by the second was necessary. Only magic made that possible, and Ian was the greatest mage.

“So I have to entrust my lifeline to that mage bastard?”

“He will do well.... Probably.”

“Hahaha! What a ridiculous situation. Yes, but what else can be done? I have no choice but to accept it. Understood. I will keep that in mind.”

Agares laughed as though acting bold, but looking at his expression, he did seem uneasy. If Ian tried to kill him, would he not be able to kill him? Ian would not do that, but if I were Agares, I would certainly be trembling too.