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.

I'm not fitted to the sword so that I would develop some sort

at

suggest you give up. I have no interest in a squid looking man like

"Uh?"

freezing on the

I hit the spot? Were you actually trying to use this chance to flirt

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

me a

"Ah."

my chest as I felt

It hurt.

squid

I'm sure she's just saying this because she's angry

had to be

only be

"Huu…"

a deep breath and

fall for her taunts. She's

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

by my words that you now want to silence

twitched, and

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

took another deep

insult you or flirt with you… The reason why I said what I said is because I truly

moment that she broke into rank, she would

Amanda from my world―her current personality being a dead giveaway—or perhaps not even

to think of it. Who was it that told her to

odd that Edward didn't notice the flaws in Amanda's swordsmanship, but thinking that he wasn't yet rank, I could only attribute it to the fact that he was simply not yet

a moment. Show me

her direction. She didn't seem convinced regarding the spar, so

to spar against someone who's far more powerful than the strongest man in this world. I'm sure you can set aside some misgivings

purposely stopped while narrowing my

you afraid that my words are

Amanda unsheathed her

was as

"Fine."

stepped toward me and swung at

expected. She's really not

I sparred with her, and it became even clearer to me that this

Clank—!

"Too obvious."

Amanda lose her balance. Landing softly on the ground, she

Clank—!

"Too wide."

Clank—!

"…Your movements are wrong."

Clank—!

more flexible than you. Your movements are way too

Clank—!

"Really?"

more and more disappointed as time went on, yet at the same time, I found myself enjoying every bit of the

It was really fun.

more, but we just continued to spar

"Haa…haaa…"

faint, I could see that the edges of her mouth

must've enjoyed herself. I'm

down next to her. No matter how different she was

"Convinced yet?"

"Nope."

Unlike before, her tone wasn't as

I massaged my forehead.

"Ugh, you're really stubborn."

"Get used to it."

"Haha."

She was quite the

come back, I can share my memories with Amanda. I wonder

I thought

"Hey."

"Hm."

turned to

"What is it?"

you smiling like that? Are you thinking about

"Oh?"

my brow. How did

I looked at her, I soon found myself