The Author's POV

Swoosh-! Swoosh-!

A sword streaked through the air, cutting through it in a swift manner and giving rise to a whistling sound. Sweat trickled toward the ground, quickly evaporating the moment it touched it.

Swoosh―!

Amanda swung her sword again.

'You're not fitted for the sword.'

Her grip on the hilt tightened, and she found herself swinging with even more force as her teeth clenched tightly.

'Bastard.'

She wanted to refute his comments. They were denying her efforts and the blood, sweat, and tears she shed to get where she was.

It was denying her efforts.

Every time she thought back at his face and the condescending look he gave her as he said those words, Amanda found herself hating him more and more.

…It's just that.

'What if his words are true?'

She stopped swinging the sword and lowered her hand.

What if, the words he said weren't a lie and were the truth?

'But how's that possible? There's no one within my age group who is as strong as me. There's no way what he said is true…'

She was trying to convince herself, but thinking about the strength that he displayed, Amanda found herself starting to doubt herself even more.

She looked at the sword in her hand.

'Perhaps…'

Clank―!

The door to the training ground suddenly opened, and when Amanda turned her head to see who had entered, her face crumbled.

It was him.

***

'Someone looks a bit hostile.'

I could feel Amanda's glare from the other end of the room. She didn't look all too pleased with my presence.

"What are you doing here? This training ground is occupied."

"Oh, I know."

I nodded my head and continued to move forward. Amanda was dressed in a form-fitting uniform that accentuated her curves beautifully, and she had her hair pulled back into a ponytail.

However, even though she looked very alluring at the moment, the thing that caught my attention was the sword that she was holding in her hand.

"You still haven't changed your weapon?"

I was hit by a more powerful glare.

"Who are you to tell me what I should do, and what I shouldn't do?"

"Haha."

I found myself laughing at her tone.

She was being incredibly cute at the moment.

"Is there something funny?"

If looks could kill, I'd probably be dead a million times over.

…Sadly, looks couldn't kill.

'Hmm, maybe when my charm levels up… That'd be interesting.'

"No, don't mind me. I just think that your reaction is quite cute."

I extended my hand, and my sword appeared in my hand.

Amanda frowned at my words and took several steps back. She had a sudden look of understanding.

is? Did you purposely say that I'm not fitted to the sword so that I would develop some sort of

at me in

then I suggest you give up. I have no interest in

"Uh?"

found myself freezing

the spot? Were you actually trying to use this chance to

increased, but I didn't care. At that moment,

me a squid

"Ah."

for my chest as I felt something prick

It hurt.

squid

I'm sure she's just saying

it had to be

only

"Huu…"

deep breath and recovered my

not fall for her taunts. She's clearly

sword from my sheath. Amanda's eyes narrowed when I did so, and she

you doing? Were you so hurt by my words that you

mouth twitched, and I

of the sort. I'm just going to spar with you and let

another deep

say what I said back then just to insult you or flirt with you… The reason why I said what I said is because I truly do think

she was too weak, the moment that she broke into rank, she would definitely come

a dead giveaway—or perhaps not

it. Who was it that

he wasn't yet rank, I could only attribute it to the fact that he was

serious for a moment.

on by pointing my sword in her direction. She didn't seem convinced regarding the spar, so

the strongest man in this world. I'm sure you can set aside some misgivings to learn from

while narrowing

that my words are

have done the trick. Instantly, Amanda unsheathed her sword and aimed it at

as cold as

"Fine."

stepped toward me and swung

as expected. She's really not talented with

the second time that I sparred with her, and it became even

Clank—!

"Too obvious."

Amanda lose her balance. Landing softly on the

Clank—!

"Too wide."

Clank—!

"…Your movements are wrong."

Clank—!

is more flexible than you. Your movements are

Clank—!

"Really?"

on, yet at the same time, I found myself enjoying every bit of

It was really fun.

just continued to spar on and on and on. It was only after

"Haa…haaa…"

faint, I

enjoyed herself. I'm

next to her. No matter how different she was from

"Convinced yet?"

"Nope."

shook her head. Unlike before, her tone wasn't

I massaged my forehead.

"Ugh, you're really stubborn."

"Get used to it."

"Haha."

was quite the

my memories with

grinned when I thought that

"Hey."

"Hm."

to look at

"What is it?"

smiling like that? Are you thinking

"Oh?"

raised my brow. How did she

at her, I soon