Chapter 29
“Well, I guess I’ll have to go, but we don’t really do anything together.”
“I see. So, is your mother going with you?”
“Oh, my mother isn’t around. She passed away when I was eight.”
Elena and Cedric had only known each other for about a month. They hadn’t shared much about their personal lives during that time.
That was likely why Cedric had asked such a casual question without realizing its weight. But Elena, who was used to it, answered without hesitation.
However, Cedric didn’t seem fine. He looked startled and quickly apologized.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. That was thoughtless of me.”
“No, it’s okay. It doesn’t bother me, so don’t worry too much.”
Elena quickly changed the subject, fearing Cedric might continue to feel bad.
“What are you doing during the break?”
“Me? I think I’ll go to the villa with my parents and siblings. It’s by a lake, and in spring, flowers bloom everywhere. We take a boat out to see the flowers. Oh, right.”
Cedric clapped his hands lightly.
“Why don’t you come too?”
“Me?”
“Yeah. My siblings would love it if you came.”
“Thanks for the invitation, but isn’t it too far? My family estate is at the southern edge, and the Kaine estate is in the north. Spring break is too short.”
Spring break was only a month long. Traveling to her home, then the Christian estate, and finally the Kaine estate wouldn’t leave enough time.
“Really? That’s a shame. Then how about summer break?”
“Yeah, I’ll think about it then. Oh, I should start wrapping up now.”
“Give me the wooden sword. I’ll put it away.”
“Thanks.”
Elena handed the wooden sword to Cedric and headed toward the dormitory—or at least, she tried to. A voice from behind stopped her.
“Elena, wait a moment.”
It was Felix. He had been practicing alone in a corner of the training ground while Elena and Cedric were in class, tidying up his wooden sword now.
Since the day Elena first started learning swordsmanship from Cedric, Felix had ignored her presence in the training ground.
This made his current behavior highly unusual.
“What is it?”
“How’s your practice going?”
Was he calling me over just to tease me?
While Felix never acknowledged her directly, he often watched her practice.
She knew because their eyes occasionally met when she glanced at him.
Felix was skilled, on par with most swordsmanship students, so he probably knew her progress was stagnant.
Her tone sharpened instinctively as she answered.
“Did you call me over just to mock me?”
Ignoring her words, Felix extended his hand.
“Let me see your hand for a moment.”
“Why?”
“Just let me see it.”
Elena checked to make sure no one was watching them before holding out her hand.
Felix clicked his tongue at the calluses on her palm.
“You’ve got a lot of calluses.”
“You’re not about to say something narrow-minded like ‘women shouldn’t have calluses,’ are you?”
She narrowed her eyes at him, but Felix frowned even more than she did.
“What are you talking about? Who cares about that? It’s just…”
He trailed off.
“Just what?”
“Never mind. Anyway, how are you going to learn self-defense at this rate?”
Ugh.
While she knew it was true, hearing Felix point it out stung.
“Maybe someday I’ll get it.”
“And when will that be?”
“Are you teasing me right now?”
She expected him to admit it, but Felix surprisingly kept his mouth shut. Instead, he pulled a small dagger from his bag.
The dagger was only as long as her palm, with a blade so dull it could hardly be called a weapon.
“Hold this.”
“Why?”
“Just do it. Why do you always need an explanation before doing anything?”
Grumbling internally, Elena obediently took the dagger he handed her.
It was certainly lighter than the long wooden sword.
“What is this for?”
Instead of answering, Felix moved behind her. She could feel his firm body against her back.
His warm breath brushed against the nape of her neck, making her hair stand on end. She instinctively held her breath.
She had been in a similar position with Cedric while learning swordsmanship. It was the only way for him to correct her posture.
Even then, she had felt tense. It was only natural—Cedric was a man, and despite the valid reason, it was her first time being in such close contact with one.
But this time, the person behind her was Felix. Her childhood friend, practically family.
She had never thought of him as a man before. Well, biologically, he was a man, but she had always treated him almost like a peer.
That’s why she could casually visit his dorm room—something she wouldn’t do with other boys.
Yet, despite Felix being like family, she felt just as tense as she had with Cedric.
No, maybe even more so.
It’s Felix. The person behind me is Felix!
Unaware of her complicated emotions, Felix reached out and grabbed her hand, which was holding the dagger. Startled, she dropped it.
“Why are you grabbing my hand?”
“Why are you so startled?”
Felix picked up the dagger and placed it back in her hand. His warm breath brushed her ear as he spoke.
Felix seemed unaffected, but Elena felt flustered and annoyed at herself for being the only one uneasy.
Trying to act as nonchalant as possible, she asked,
“So, why are you holding my hand?”
“Watch closely.”
But contrary to his words, Felix didn’t do anything. He just held her hand still.
“What are you…”
She was about to ask coldly what he was doing when the dagger suddenly began to glow blue. She quickly realized Felix was channeling mana.
Only then did he guide her hand to move.
“You said you’re learning self-defense because of Anguis, right?”
“Yeah.”
“No matter how much self-defense you learn, you won’t be able to beat someone like him.”
“But if he lets his guard down…”
“Even if he does, your strength isn’t enough. Trying to aim for a vital spot will only make him angrier. Didn’t Cedric tell you that?”
Cedric had never said anything so discouraging. He always praised her, telling her she was doing well.
Cedric gave her hope, while Felix bluntly told her the harsh truth.
She wasn’t sure which approach was better.
But since Felix’s words aligned with her own doubts, she asked in a worried tone,
“Then what do I do? Just let it happen? Wait for someone to save me again?”
Recalling that moment made her voice rise without realizing it. Felix shushed her.
“I didn’t say that.”
“Then?”
Perhaps because of her sharp tone, Felix’s reply sounded slightly annoyed.
“I’m trying to teach you what to do.”
Teach me what?
Elena stared blankly at the glowing blue dagger.
“Elena, I may have been harsh back then, but you’re a student at Verka Academy, which is hard to get into. You’re capable.”
Hmph. She grumbled internally, thinking it was too late for compliments, but she couldn’t deny that being acknowledged by Felix felt good.
“So use your specialty—magic.”
“How?”
“Gather mana into the dagger, or any object nearby. If there’s nothing, even your hand will do. Striking a vital spot with mana-infused force will have a much greater impact than relying on physical strength alone. If the opponent has low magic resistance, they might even faint.”
Felix guided her hand downward with both of his.
But Elena was more focused on their posture than his instructions. With both his hands on hers, it felt like he was embracing her from behind.
Her face grew hot. She didn’t need a mirror to know her cheeks were red.
“Remember this feeling. Gather your mana into one spot. It’ll be hard at first, but with practice, it’ll become easier.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“What kind of response is that?”
Elena quickly pulled her hands away and stepped out of his reach.
“Why is your face so red…”
“It’s because it’s hot! You just finished practicing swordsmanship, didn’t you? Your body’s really warm.”
Felix’s body was warm, but that wasn’t why her face was red. Still, she used it as an excuse for both herself and Felix.
“Thanks for teaching me. I’m too hot, so I’m leaving now!”
Grabbing the dagger Felix had given her in one hand and her bag in the other, Elena ran toward the dormitory.
She didn’t think she could face Felix again anytime soon.
***
Felix watched Elena’s retreating figure as she moved farther away. She had her back turned, so she couldn’t see it, but Felix’s ears were slightly flushed as well.
He touched his tingling ear, recalling the warmth he had felt from Elena just moments ago.
Her wrist seemed so fragile that it might break if he gripped it too tightly. Even after more than a month of learning swordsmanship, Elena’s petite frame showed no signs of growing stronger. It seemed she was naturally not inclined to build muscle.
At first, he thought she would give up quickly and left her to it. But Elena turned out to be surprisingly tenacious.
Well, that explained why she always ranked first in written exams.
Since she showed no signs of quitting, Felix decided to teach her a different method.
A method Cedric couldn’t teach her—one only he could.
A method that was more practical for Elena than Cedric’s lessons.
Initially, he hadn’t thought much of it when he grabbed Elena’s hands from behind. There wasn’t even the slightest hint of ulterior motives.
Channeling mana was more complicated than it seemed, and it was far more effective to let her experience it directly rather than explain it in words.
But it wasn’t until he held her hands with both of his that he realized their posture was a bit… unusual.
The warmth radiating from Elena in his arms. The faint floral scent wafting from her. The sound of her breathing, vivid and close.
All of it made his mind hazy.
To the point where he couldn’t even understand himself.
“I must be crazy.”
The person in question was none other than Elena. There was no way he could see Elena as a woman.
So, the heat coursing through his body right now had to be from the swordsmanship training.
Convincing himself of this, Felix returned to the dormitory.