Chapter 2.3

She wondered for a moment if she had some kind of foresight ability.

But after a few seconds of pondering, Agnes figured out the answer.

It was a very simple problem.

‘Ha, seriously. How many times have I watched this to end up like this?’

It was because she had watched Kallion’s sparring videos too many times.

That’s right.

Aside from magical tool development, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say Agnes spent all her time fangirling over Kallion.

If she could even anticipate the opponent’s moves, that was proof of just how many times she had watched those videos.

‘If it’s like this, did I even need to be dispatched to the Swordsmanship Department?’

She felt a pang of regret.

Agnes wondered if she could back out even now, but soon gave up.

‘That would be even more suspicious.’

If she made a sparring magical tool based on Kallion’s swordsmanship without being dispatched, that would only make people more suspicious.

‘That would basically be advertising that I’m stalking him.’

Still, being able to see most of the action patterns was a good thing.

It meant data collection was progressing much faster than expected.

In other words—

‘Haah, just look at those muscles.’

She could now focus more on admiring Kallion’s physique.

‘That pectoral muscle really doesn’t get captured well on video!’

Humans really were creatures of adaptation.

Partly because she was watching from a bit of a distance.

Just a short while ago, she had been saying the real thing was overwhelming, but now, Agnes was enjoying seeing him in person more than anyone.

Her hand moved naturally over the notebook she had brought to record patterns.

Scratch, scratch—

It was because she regretted not being able to capture that perfect body on video.

Where else would she get a chance to watch from this close?

‘At least I should leave a drawing.’

Agnes observed Kallion’s body every morning and stored videos in her magical tool.

Even so, she felt she had to draw him now.

The reason was simple.

‘Kallion’s body changes every single day!’

That’s right.

Today’s Kallion and tomorrow’s Kallion would be different. She hadn’t even recorded this morning.

Agnes’s eyes shone sharply.

She could even catch the slightest muscle pump in Kallion’s body.

Agnes was sure. Today was the best she’d ever seen.

‘Is it real that I can’t capture this on video today? It’s so frustrating.’

Clearly, finishing the Dralon, which could record remotely, was urgent.

If she had Dralon, it would automatically capture this amazing sight up close…

As these thoughts filled her with regret, Agnes’s hand never stopped moving.

Especially, her concentration peaked when she was drawing Kallion’s rectus abdominis.

She kept replaying the shape of the muscles she had just seen in her head, focusing on the delicate touch of her fingertips.

Scratch, scratch—

That’s why, unfortunately, she didn’t hear the sound of Alex’s sword dropping with a clatter.

The sparring had ended faster than expected, and Kallion was approaching Agnes.

“What are you doing?”

“…?!”

Before she knew it, Kallion was looking down at her drawing over her head and asking.

Agnes’s mind went completely blank.

‘I’m doomed.’

A developer who was supposed to observe the training and collect data, not doing her job and instead drawing his body with personal interest…?

It was the worst.

Flustered, Agnes blurted out whatever came to mind.

“Uh, uh, well! The upgraded version of the sparring magical tool is going to be humanoid, so, um, I needed a model!”

Her rambling excuse was so jumbled even she didn’t know what she was saying.

“I thought maybe I could make it resemble you, Kallion, so I just, you have the best physique in the Swordsmanship Department! Ah, but, of course, if you don’t like it, I won’t do it!”

She added that she would cancel it immediately if he hated it, even tear up the drawing, and really tried to rip it up.

But then—

“You like my body?”

Kallion stopped her hand and asked in a low voice.

“Of course…”

Of course, Agnes liked Kallion’s body.

But even if the question skipped a lot of context, surely the intent wasn’t exactly as it sounded.

Agnes hurriedly added,

“I just think no one in the Swordsmanship Department has a better body than you, Kallion. If you don’t like it…”

Thinking she had to escape the situation somehow, Agnes nodded.

Then Kallion made a declaration.

“So if I don’t do it, you’ll use someone else as the model?”

And his voice clearly showed he was displeased.

‘Someone else?’

That question felt strange to Agnes.

There was no such person.

Agnes had not the slightest, tiniest bit of interest in any man other than Kallion.

Contrary to Kallion’s assumption, there was no way she would use anyone else as a model.

Besides, the suggestion itself had just slipped out as an excuse, an impulsive thought created on the spot.

But how could she explain that?

She had already said she needed a model for the humanoid version.

“Uh… I guess so?”

In the end, Agnes gave an answer she didn’t mean.

“Then are you going to observe and draw someone else like this too?”

Kallion’s follow-up question was openly dissatisfied.

He was clearly upset that she had drawn him like this without permission.

“That’s…”

Agnes couldn’t give a proper answer.

If she said no, it wouldn’t make sense, but if she said yes, he’d really think she was weird.

‘He must think I’m some kind of pervert or shameless girl.’

Kallion definitely remembered everything from before.

It was truly the worst.

Not only had she drawn his body without permission, but now she looked like a pervert who went around observing and drawing other men under the pretense of needing a model.

That must be the image of her in Kallion’s mind.

What would he say next?

‘Criticism? Contempt? Or maybe he’ll just leave without saying anything.’

As she waited nervously for his words—

Yeah, I knew it would turn out like that……

“…Hmm? Huh?”

What?

Agnes doubted her own ears.

“I said I’ll do it. The model.”

She thought she must have misheard, but Kallion kindly repeated it for her.

“You said, my body is the best.”

It sounded a bit strange, but… Agnes was in no position to correct him.

In fact, it wasn’t wrong.

Unable to deny it, Kallion sat down next to Agnes with a thump.

The heat radiating from his body, warmed by the recent sparring, swept over Agnes.

Beads of sweat formed on his smooth skin, coming into her view.

She could smell Kallion’s unique scent, something she hadn’t noticed even in the morning.

It was similar to the refreshing earthy smell one could find in a forest heavy with midsummer humidity.

“So, it’s decided. What do I need to do?”

His pleasant voice, asking right next to her, sent a chill down her ear.

All her senses except taste were suddenly filled with Kallion.

She thought she had built up some immunity by watching from afar.

But really, when he was this close, Agnes just froze up.

“What do you mean, what do you need to do?”

She barely managed to move her only unaffected tongue to squeeze out a short question.

She thought, if she ever kissed Kallion, her whole body might just stop working.

‘That’s never going to happen, though.’

She gave a self-mocking smile at her own ridiculous imagination, when Kallion’s answer came.

“You said you needed my body.”

But lately, Kallion’s questions kept sounding strange to her.

Agnes blamed herself and tried desperately to think straight.

“Huh? Th-that’s true! But it’s fine! Just giving permission to use you as a model is enough. After that, I-I’ll take care of the rest myself.”

Agnes waved her hand and shook her head at the same time.

She declined any further involvement.

She couldn’t get more entangled with Kallion than this.

“Kallion! Come over here for a second. Reynold wants you to check his posture.”

At just the right moment, Alex called out to Kallion from a distance.

Kallion clicked his tongue briefly.

“Hurry up and go. They’re calling you.”

Agnes, seeing her chance, urged Kallion.

“Anyway, if you need my body, just tell me. I’m always ready.”

Turning away, Kallion lifted one corner of his mouth into a smile.

‘Ugh, dazzling.’

Agnes thought that facing that smile head-on was almost blinding.

‘Isn’t there some way to get used to these close-range facial attacks… Wait?’

Left alone, Agnes suddenly thought that making a sparring magical tool modeled after Kallion might not be such a bad idea after all.

‘This might actually be a good idea.’

Welcoming the real Kallion in person was just too dazzling. It wasn’t that she disliked it, but the stimulation was so overwhelming her body could hardly handle it.

But a doll modeled after him?

Of course, it wouldn’t measure up to the real thing, so it probably wouldn’t overload her heart or eyes to look at it.

Besides, if she built up some immunity with this, she’d probably be much better at facing him up close later on.

She also liked the idea of being able to legally own a Kallion doll (?!) now.

‘Besides, the Swordsmanship Department students would feel more nervous if their sparring opponent looked like Kallion.’

In the end, she even came up with a perfectly reasonable justification that this was all for the Swordsmanship Department.

‘Alright, let’s try developing it?’

It was something she agreed to on a whim, but Agnes started to burn with enthusiasm for the project, thinking it was actually a pretty—no, a very good idea.

***

Agnes Belle Lemanche, who lived her life so thoroughly obsessed with Kallion.

At this point, anyone would be curious.

How did she end up like this?

The answer to that question lay in the previous year.

To be specific, it all started at the end-of-year party in her first year.

Unlike in the basic studies department, where everyone was underage, in the main department, alcohol was always present at such gatherings.

Looking back, that might have been the root of all these events.