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.

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

looked at me

your goal, then I suggest you give up. I have no

"Uh?"

freezing on the

spot? Were you actually trying to use this chance to

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

just call me a squid looking

"Ah."

found myself grasping for my chest as I felt

It hurt.

squid looking

I'm sure she's just saying this because

it had

only be

"Huu…"

breath and recovered

fall for her taunts. She's clearly

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

Were you so hurt by my

twitched, and I

anything of the sort. I'm just going to spar with you and let you understand why I said

took another

flirt with you… The reason why I said what I

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

may not be the same Amanda from my world―her current personality being a dead giveaway—or perhaps not even be real, but I felt compelled to

Who was it that

Amanda's swordsmanship, but thinking that he wasn't yet rank, I could only

be serious for a moment. Show

her on by pointing my sword in her direction. She

powerful than the strongest man in this world. I'm sure you can set aside some

while narrowing my eyes at

that my words

Instantly, Amanda unsheathed her

face was as cold as

"Fine."

me and swung

really not talented with the

her, and it became even clearer to me

Clank—!

"Too obvious."

the blade, making Amanda lose her balance. Landing softly on the ground,

Clank—!

"Too wide."

Clank—!

"…Your movements are wrong."

Clank—!

flexible than you.

Clank—!

"Really?"

more disappointed as time went on, yet at the same time, I found myself

It was really fun.

but we just continued to spar on and on and on. It was only

"Haa…haaa…"

throughout the training grounds. Though faint, I could see that

must've enjoyed herself. I'm

down next to her. No matter how different she was

"Convinced yet?"

"Nope."

head. Unlike before, her tone wasn't

I massaged my forehead.

"Ugh, you're really stubborn."

"Get used to it."

"Haha."

laughed. She was quite the

I can share my memories with Amanda. I wonder how she'll

grinned when I thought that

"Hey."

"Hm."

turned to

"What is it?"

like that? Are you thinking

"Oh?"

my brow.

I looked at her, I