Free Web NovelI stared at Reisir for a moment, then withdrew my gaze and silently continued my meal.
No, I intended to do so, but I had no choice but to put down the spoon I had just lifted.
"Myaat...!"
"Hyeek...!"
It was because Yor and Ríolíkin were still doing that.
According to the old saying that even a dog should not be disturbed while eating, Ríolíkin was currently being treated worse than a dog.
Setting aside the pathetic sight of him cowering from a mere glare, he looked a little pitiable.
The baby dragon had volunteered to play the villain and threaten others for my sake.
Even I, who not only knew that fact but felt grateful for it, thought it was a bit much for a moment, so how much worse would it seem to others?
I worried that the Readers' opinion of Yor would turn negative at this rate.
It was also true that Yor couldn't properly enjoy his meal.
"Yor, do not mind such things during mealtime and eat comfortably."
So that my words would not sound like a scolding, I lightly stroked Yor's back and spoke.
Fortunately, my intention was conveyed without being misunderstood.
Yor let out a cute meow, withdrew his gaze from Ríolíkin, and focused on the delicious food in front of him.
Only then could Ríolíkin finally start eating, but he could not keep his eyes on his food, as he was too busy glancing at Yor and reading the room.
Even the hand holding his fork was trembling.
'Doing all that and still managing to participate in this meal gathering.'
It was a wonder he didn't run away.
Since the place he ended up after running away was by Karvaldr's side, was he forced to remain here because he had nowhere else to go?
Or perhaps he simply stayed because he lacked even the courage to run away?
'Ah, again, this sensation as if time has stopped...'
The moment I realized the Thought Acceleration Skill had activated, I tried to feel the flow of Ether, but the skill deactivated before I could.
Still, since I had expected it wouldn't be easy, I wasn't particularly disappointed.
I just had a headache. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
'Worry about it later. Eat first.'
If my mind wandered elsewhere during the meal, the meddlesome original protagonist would ask whether something was wrong and try to interfere.
Or perhaps he would feel sorry and not know what to do, wondering whether my physical condition was still poor.
Since neither reaction was particularly welcome, I shook off my stray thoughts and resumed eating.
Was it because Ríolíkin still looked terrified?
The atmosphere at the table was gloomy, unlike usual.
On the bright side, no one interrupted their conversations about trivial topics to ask for my opinion.
But since it was a nuisance for the people eating together, it seemed I would have to tell Yor to restrain himself during meals.
'Of course, not now but later. If I bring it up in front of Reisir, it's obvious he'll point out that I'm being considerate.'
After finishing breakfast.
Excluding Helga, who was not participating in the martial arts tournament, we headed to the Training Tower.
It wasn't because we had decided to do joint training from the morning, but because Vigdís and I had the swordsmanship instruction promised during the engagement annulment contract.
And Reisir and Ríolíkin were there to use their respective personal training grounds.
Although it should be obvious, I should point out just in case that Ríolíkin's personal training ground was not rented by me.
His parents must have spent a large sum to rent it, expecting him to grow into a strong knight, since Ríolíkin enjoys training his body.
Surely they never imagined that their son, who boasted such a sturdy physique, would be afraid of even sparring.
"Myaang, myaaa~."
When we arrived at the Training Tower, Yor suddenly jumped down from me, walked over to Ríolíkin, and meowed.
"Are you saying you'll follow Ríolíkin and watch his physical training?"
"Yaong!"
At Yor's cheerful answer, Ríolíkin's face turned pale.
I decided to accept Yor's choice, thinking not of Ríolíkin, but of the parents who had placed their hopes on their son.
Then Reisir stepped forward as well, saying he would go to Ríolíkin's personal training ground.
'Should I call this unexpected, or obvious...?'
At this rate, I wondered whether Reisir might encourage Ríolíkin and take him along when he withdraws from school.
Although Ríolíkin was troublesome in many ways, I did not wish for him to die young.
But the problem was that I had no justification for stopping Reisir.
If I intervened recklessly, I would only invite suspicion that I had shifted my obsession from Vigdís to Ríolíkin.
For now, I had no choice but to watch.
Thus, Yor and Reisir followed Ríolíkin toward his personal training ground.
I headed to Vigdís's personal training ground alone with her.
"......"
"......?"
"......"
"...If you're looking at me like that because you have something to say, then just say it."
There was something I wanted to ask Vigdís, but since I was only silently observing her in accordance with Clause 4 of the contract, she spoke first with a mildly annoyed expression.
"Yor isn't here. Will you be okay?"
"Yes...?"
I am not Karvaldr himself, the man who obsessed over his fiancée, but Vigdís knows that I and that fiancé are the same person.
So I asked because I wondered whether she would feel uneasy being alone with me in an enclosed space.
However, perhaps Vigdís could no longer even remember such concerns, because she merely tilted her head as if she had no idea what I meant.
'There's not even a hint of tension.'
Whether it was because she trusted me.
Whether she trusted her own ability because she felt she could easily suppress me after sparring with me during martial arts classes.
Or perhaps both.
I knew I couldn't get an exact answer without asking, but there seemed to be no need to go out of my way to do so.
"If you do not know what I mean, then never mind."
"Yes?"
"More importantly, today, instead of directly learning sword movements, I want to observe and analyze the movements of a swordsman. Would that still be okay?"
"Not just watching my training while taking a break because you got tired of learning swordsmanship as usual, but for the entire morning today?"
"Is there a problem?"
"No, that's not it."
Her tone, which had become even more straightforward than when we were together with others, sounded somewhat dumbfounded.
It felt as though she was saying there was no longer any reason to be nervous around me, nor any need to be wary of me.
No matter that we sat together and ate every day.
That she taught me swordsmanship every Sunday.
That the last time, under Reisir's initiative, we all went out together, took sticker photos, and even played board games.
Even so, there were still the things this body's original owner had done last semester.
It felt far too soon for her to have opened her heart and become comfortable around me.
'Surely Vigdís hasn't also been influenced by Reisir and come to believe I'm a tsundere...?'
Not only did I lack the courage to ask, I wouldn't even know how to bring it up.
So I kept my mouth shut, went to the edge of the training ground, and sat down with my back against the wall.
"First, I need to warm up, so I'll show you the basic movements after stretching."
Vigdís spoke comfortably, without any hesitation in her voice.
According to the original novel, she had admired a female knight who served as her escort during childhood and had copied that person's manner of speaking.
'Wasn't it said that the female knight was dismissed not because it was inappropriate to assign a male escort to a young girl, but because she had filled Vigdís's head with unnecessary ideas...?'
The recollection did not last long.
Because Vigdís began moving.
One should not dismiss it just because it was only stretching.
To secure enough mental space to pay attention to the flow of Ether while continuing to predict the opponent's next action.
It would be advantageous to grasp things such as habitual movements, center of gravity, range of motion, and joint flexibility beforehand.
"Excuse me..., your gaze feels extremely burdensome today...?"
As I stared intently at her stretching, extending her slender limbs and rotating her joints in various ways, Vigdís spoke up, looking slightly embarrassed.
I must have been observing her so openly that she felt I was watching with unusual determination.
However, I had no desire to share information about the Thought Acceleration Skill by explaining the reason.
If I told her, Reisir would learn about it as well, and if that happened, the curious original protagonist would use 【Truth Reading Eye】 and omitted hereafter.
Thus, I shamelessly insisted otherwise.
"It only feels that way because you cannot focus."
"Hearing that, perhaps that's true. I don't immerse myself during stretching the way I do when practicing swordsmanship. But is there really a need to observe even stretching so enthusiastically?"
"You are mistaken. What better opportunity is there than stretching to examine /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ the range of motion of the joints? Why would you neglect it?"
"Ah...! That's actually true!!"
The beginning had been an excuse, but the explanation I added afterward was a sound argument in every sense.
Instead of questioning my words or becoming suspicious, Vigdís simply brightened at having learned something new.
For a moment, I almost thought that expression was cute, but I overcame it by recalling Yor, whose cuteness was overwhelmingly superior.
"If you're done stretching, begin the basic movements. As slowly as possible."
"Yes!"
Vigdís answered energetically, her excitement still apparent.
But that mood did not last long.
The moment she drew her sword, she quickly calmed herself and armed herself with cold reason.
Even though they were merely basic movements for warming up, there was not the slightest sense of carelessness or laziness.
Fulfilling my instruction to move as slowly as possible, her conscientious personality showed itself in the way she poured her entire heart into every single motion.
This time as well, I focused solely on dissecting her movements in detail without analyzing them.
Whereas before I had only watched sword movements to prepare for combat against a swordsman, today I paid close attention to many more things in order to analyze the individual known as Vigdís.
Not only the movements of her limbs, but also the angles of the shoulders, waist, and pelvis connected to them.
I even carefully examined the movement of her rib cage as she inhaled and exhaled, as well as the timing of her breathing.
I could not confidently say I had seen everything, but I saw far more than usual.
"Now I'll begin practicing swordsmanship in earnest."
In this world inside the novel, there are no concepts such as secret family sword arts or exclusive techniques passed down through bloodlines.
A famous martial family might possess certain know how, but that was all.
It was not only swordsmanship that worked this way. Other weapon arts were the same.
'That's why the basics are all the more important.'
Even when using the same weapon, differences in style ultimately stem from differences in the individual.
Whether one prioritizes offense or defense, and how much deception one incorporates.
Such elements formed a person's unique combat style.
Then what was the swordsmanship Vigdís said she would now demonstrate in earnest?
It could be described as conducting a virtual sparring match by reviewing situations she had experienced during beginner swordsmanship classes and correcting her weaknesses.
So I would analyze Vigdís's movements and—
If she defended, whether she blocked or deflected. If she evaded, what kind of attack she was avoiding and how. If she attacked, where she was aiming.
—I simply had to infer the answers.
'If I do that, the Thought Acceleration Skill will activate.'
