Zeke's Sword (1)
The next day.
Cool eyes. An indifferent face, devoid of any expression.
'Kill me…'
Since dawn, Zeke had been surrounded by the maids, enduring their ministrations as they dressed him up like a doll.
Having learned about his morning appointment with Selena, the Yohaiden maids had rallied, even dragging themselves out of bed.
"Sir Zeke, today's concept is 'Cold Capital City Gentleman'."
"This definitely suits you better than what you wore for the Entrance Ceremony."
"Are you a winter cool tone?"
'What is that? What does that even mean?'
Of course, even Zeke could tell that his current attire was far more refined than the ridiculous clown outfit he had worn before.
He donned a black trench coat over a white shirt and black tie, resembling a well-tailored version of his usual military uniform.
However, even this outfit wasn't spared from the ostentatious gold chains.
"This is getting in the way."
With the painful experience of the previous time, Zeke had gained a bit of experience and pointed at the gold chains with his eyes, attempting a protest.
But the maids paid no heed.
"Hmm, then how about your face… Shall we go with this feeling?"
"Let's have your hair half-down. It'll evoke curiosity, making people wonder, 'What kind of man is he at the academy?'"
"Hehehe. I'm getting excited! There's nothing as rewarding as this!"
"This is getting in the way."
His desperate second attempt. Yet, they still ignored him, as if his words were mere whispers.
'Hello? Can you hear me?'
In the end, Zeke gave up his feeble resistance.
He surrendered his body, feeling like a lifeless corpse drifting in water. Only after a grueling hour was he finally released from their clutches.
Thud.
As the maids left, Zeke collapsed onto the rocking chair in the dressing room.
'Haa… I'm completely drained.'
He was already exhausted before even stepping outside.
It reminded him of the time he was tormented by the succubus' tentacles, a subordinate of the fake Demon King.
Were all the men in this world like this? Spending over an hour every day just to get dressed? He felt a newfound respect for them. Truly.
Being the male lead in a romance fantasy was an even tougher job than he had imagined. It was an incredibly demanding and challenging profession.
Knock, knock.
"Instructor, are you ready?"
"Yes, I'll be out soon."
At Selena's bright voice from beyond the door, Zeke rose from his seat.
He instinctively reached up to brush his hair back, but then stopped, remembering the effort that had gone into styling it.
It was all so bothersome.
Zeke stepped out with Selena, heading towards the academy district.
Selena was adorned in a dress even more dazzling than the one she wore for the entrance ceremony.
However, despite her exquisite attire, she moved with the stiffness of a wooden doll today.
He wondered why she was like that again, and then it dawned on him that it was probably because of yesterday's incident.
'I hugged her out of the blue to comfort her, but thinking back, it must have been embarrassing for her. It was no big deal, really.'
After all, it was just a soldier's salary.
Even if he had lost it all, it would probably be a drop in the bucket compared to the allowance of the Duchess of Yohaiden.
And he had been whining like an office worker who didn't want to work on Monday morning.
She must have realized how much she overreacted over something so trivial after she went back to her room.
'I get it, I get it. I understand. Getting sentimental late at night, doing things you wouldn't normally do, and then kicking your blanket in regret. I've been there.'
He chuckled, imagining Selena kicking her blankets in the dead of night.
"Selena."
"Y-yes!"
Selena jolted in surprise as Zeke called her name.
"Let's finish what we need to do first and then look around."
"Yes. Yes. Let's do that."
It seemed like Selena, still feeling awkward, would need more time to compose herself.
***
'Gulp. Hmm… Oh. Ah. What is this? Seriously, what is this? How can someone become more handsome day by day…'
Glance.
Selena stole furtive glances at Zeke, her thoughts straying into territories unbecoming of a princess.
She had thought she had become immune to Zeke's dressed-up appearance after the incident at the entrance ceremony.
It was a secret that she had sat by his bedside when he fainted that day, staring at his face for hours on end, analyzing every detail.
She had even personally shaved his stubble when it started to grow.
And the whereabouts of those shaved whiskers? Another secret.
But today. Today was beyond description.
Selena had always had a preference for men with a bad boy aura, those with sharp eyes and a cold demeanor.
If the concept for the entrance ceremony was to showcase a captivating charm with a touch of warmth, today was the ultimate amplification of his strengths.
He exuded the aloofness of a northern wolf, yet it wasn't harsh but rather a chillingly controlled restraint.
His sharp gaze was further enhanced, sending shivers down her spine with a single glance.
His eyes, particularly dark and deep today, lent him the air of a brooding, intellectual beauty.
'This man. What am I going to do when he goes to the academy?'
Gulp.
The embarrassment she had felt from crying her heart out yesterday was instantly washed away by the sheer impact of his appearance.
This was going to be a problem. Without a doubt.
There would definitely be students who would be so mesmerized by his looks during the demonstration class that they would choose their minor on a whim.
'Should I put a paper bag over his face and just cut out holes for his eyes, nose, and mouth…?'
Selena's mouth went dry at the thought.
'Gulp. But he doesn't seem to be in a good mood today? Well, yesterday, that, that, female general…'
Having spent a significant amount of time with him, Selena had become somewhat adept at reading his emotions, even through his usual impassive expression.
She recalled Zeke's confession from yesterday.
Grit.
She clenched her teeth.
That faceless female general.
Of course, Selena could empathize with the woman's desperation, having to watch Zeke from afar for so long.
Especially since he, with his personality, probably wouldn't have shown any interest even if he liked her.
So when he suddenly announced his retirement, she must have panicked.
And in her desperation, she must have resorted to using her superior rank to force herself on him.
Selena could sort of, maybe, understand her feelings, but even so, her methods were the absolute worst.
'No. Don't think about it. That woman. When I meet her later, then. I'll make sure she pays.'
Selena turned her attention back to Zeke's face.
'Gulp. He looks really tired…'
Although they had spent a lot of time together, it had mostly been focused on studying, and she hadn't had the chance to simply enjoy his company.
Selena wanted him to have a good time with her, now that they were out together like this.
As she pondered how to make him enjoy their outing, she remembered the one thing that had elicited the biggest reaction from him in the carriage.
'Hmm. It feels a bit materialistic, but…'
"Ins- Instructor."
"Hmm?"
"H-here you go."
With the shyness of a young girl handing over a love letter, Selena reached into her bag and pulled out a heavy pouch.
Clink. The sound of metal clinking against metal emanated from the pouch.
"This is…"
'Don't tell me.'
Zeke felt a shiver run down his spine.
"I haven't had a chance to give this to you since you've been confined to the mansion, but I did promise to reward you for saving my life."
"…There's no need."
The moment Selena's dazzling wealth was unveiled like a hidden treasure finally revealed, Zeke found himself genuinely wanting to accept, unlike the time he had deliberately refused in the carriage.
She was probably just trying to be considerate after hearing his embarrassing confession yesterday, and wouldn't it be against the warrior's code to refuse her kindness?
But his pride got in the way.
'Hey! Body! Just take it, please! Take it! Why are you refusing?'
Selena noticed how Zeke's eyes were glued to the money pouch despite his verbal refusal. His reaction brought a smile to her lips. He was so high-maintenance.
"Instructor, the Yohaiden Dukedom never takes favors lightly."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Please don't treat the life you saved so lightly."
"…If you put it that way…"
"This is merely a just reward. So please, don't refuse."
"…In that case…"
Overwhelmed by Selena's sincere request, Zeke finally relented, his hand reaching out to accept the pouch.
He peeked inside, only to find it overflowing with gold and silver coins, the mouth of the pouch struggling to close.
'Oh. Oh. This. Is. Is this for real? Selena!!!!'
Gulp. He swallowed hard.
Noticing his reaction, Selena added, "Ah, as expected, this is too little, isn't it? Compared to the debt I owe you and what you shared with me yesterday, my offering might seem insignificant."
"N-no, it's not."
"I'll give you this much every month while you're staying at the Yohaiden Dukedom."
"But… Gulp… Thank you…"
Every month! A monthly salary declaration! His affection for Selena skyrocketed.
Zeke's eyes sparkled.
In his mind, he saw a field of blue violets in full bloom.
Against this backdrop, Selena sat on a throne, a languid smile gracing her lips.
In his imagination, Zeke knelt, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand.
'You damn traitorous body, acting all proud just now. What, you couldn't resist such a large sum of money either?'
With trembling hands, Zeke accepted the money and tucked it safely inside his coat.
The addition of a single pouch to his person felt like donning a bulletproof vest, such was the sense of security it brought.
He wasn't kidding, he would even consider capturing the fake Demon King again if Selena asked him to, after receiving such generosity.
With this newfound wealth, it seemed more fitting to prioritize a visit to a certain place, rather than his original errand.
* * *
Clang! Clang! Ca-clang! Cling! Clang!
The destination Zeke led Selena to was the weapon district.
The sharp sound of hammering metal pierced their ears from all directions.
This cacophony was the reason why this district was situated away from the academy, in a remote area. It was where the most renowned blacksmiths of the Empire gathered.
As Zeke listened to the symphony of sounds, he felt his heart pound with anticipation.
Thump. Thump. Thump… Pfft.
But his excitement was short-lived, deflating like a man bowing his head in defeat.
"Tsk, their skills are rather underwhelming."
"I-Is that so?"
At Zeke's level, he could gauge a blacksmith's skill just by listening to the rhythm of their hammering.
It seemed the Empire's weapon crafting hadn't advanced much, likely due to their overwhelming dominance over neighboring nations.
"Should I pick one decent place from this lot…?"
"Um… Are you looking for a sword to use during your classes, Instructor?"
"No."
Zeke shook his head, a dissatisfied frown on his face.
"Then…?"
"Selena, I brought you here to have a sword made for you."
"!"
A rapier.
He had to personally choose the rapier Selena would wield.
The standard rapiers were too cumbersome for her, given her lack of compatibility with swords.
She needed a weapon with the right balance of weight, hardness, and sharpness, tailored specifically to her.
It would likely be something between a rapier and a small sword.
Originally, he had planned to run his own errand first, but after witnessing her kindness, he wanted to reciprocate immediately.
With that in mind, he scanned the weapon shops, his sharp eyes scrutinizing every detail, but none met his standards.
'Hmm. I was going to settle for a blacksmith who could at least hammer decently, but there's nothing worthwhile here.'
"Are these all the weapon shops here?"
"Uh… I believe so… Ah! There used to be a weapon district in the old town, right next to this area. Not all of them moved here, so there might be some left there."
The Ramielli Academy had expanded its influence, partnering with skilled blacksmiths and gathering them in one location.
"But if they couldn't make it here, it means they didn't meet the academy's standards… Their skills are probably even worse."
"That might not necessarily be the case. We should check it out. This place is hopeless."
"But you don't have to go that far just for my sword, especially when you need one, Instructor!"
Zeke turned to Selena at her words.
"Selena, I was the one who broke your sword."
"Ugh…"
"I have a rough idea of how long you've held that sword, how you trained with it."
"But…"
"So I have to take responsibility."
Boom!
Selena felt like something exploded in her head.
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Lmfao holy shit she's delusional on another level.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chapter
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