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Episode 71

She knew that "giving it their all" meant different things to different people.

The problem was that Luna's "all" was far below Janet's.

Their sparring match ended in about a minute.

Clack, clack, clink!

After exactly three exchanges—

"Eek!"

Luna let out a shrill scream, dropped her sword, and fell backward.

The flying sword headed straight for Janet, but she twisted her body to avoid it.

"Ugh."

A fragment of the wooden sword grazed her face—a small cut, nothing serious.

"Janet!"

Theo, who had been lost in thought, rushed over as soon as he saw the sword flying toward Janet.

He climbed onto the ring and checked her cheek.

"Are you alright, Janet? Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"Yes, I'm fine. It just grazed me."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. Don't you trust me?"

At Janet's confident question, Theo smiled weakly and nodded.

As far as he could see, there were no other injuries besides the one on her face.

But seeing even that small scratch on her face irritated him.

And the opponent was a highly suspicious woman.

Theo stood beside Janet and looked down at Luna with cold eyes.

"Hing, it, it hurts……"

Luna, sprawled on the ground, rubbed her tailbone and whimpered.

"Are you okay?"

"You alright, Luna?"

Moved by her pitiful state, the boys who usually favored her rushed over to help her up.

"Hmm. It hurts, but I'm okay. Still, that was too much, Janet. You didn't have to swing so dangerously during a spar……"

Pouting, she scolded Janet as if she'd done something wrong.

Her complaints drew sympathetic nods from the boys around her.

As if Janet had truly done something wrong.

Among them was Samuel.

"If you lack talent, you should at least be humble. Just because you swing a stick doesn't make it a sword—tsk!"

He said loudly, wrapping an arm around Luna's shoulder.

Of course, Janet didn't spare him a single glance. After all, there was no need to react to every dog that barked.

But—

"Luna. Didn't we agree to give it our all?"

"Luna gave it her all, though……?"

"……Really? Okay. If you say so."

Nodding, Janet extended her hand to Luna.

The customary handshake after a match. After clasping hands and giving a light shake, Janet turned away.

But—

"Hey, you! Aren't you going to apologize to Luna?!"

Samuel roughly grabbed Janet and stopped her. Forced to halt, Janet turned back with an annoyed look.

"Let go."

"Hah. Why don't you apologize first? If you hurt someone, you should say sorry!"

Samuel raised his voice threateningly.

Luna, on the verge of tears, nodded meekly behind him.

But Samuel's threat didn't last long.

"Gwaah!"

"Didn't you hear—let go?"

Theo, barely holding back his anger, grabbed Samuel's wrist with force and pulled it away.

In pain, Samuel flailed pathetically.

Tsk.

Theo clicked his tongue and released the wrist he'd been holding. A dark bruise in the shape of Theo's hand had formed on Samuel's wrist.

"Y-you, you!"

"You have something to say? Go ahead. I can do anything if I'm willing to die."

At the intimidating presence, Samuel flinched and stammered.

He sensed danger instinctively.

He felt that if he said another word, something terrible would happen.

"Theo. Don't be too harsh."

"But……"

"It's okay. I can handle this much."

Janet smiled and stopped Theo.

She was grateful for his concern, but she could handle this herself.

"Samuel."

"W-what!"

"You won in your Group 2 match, didn't you?"

"Of course. I'm me!"

"Then choose me as your opponent in the next round."

"Huh? What? You want me to fight a scrawny woman like you?"

"Unless you're afraid of losing to a scrawny woman."

At Janet's provocation, Samuel's face turned red. How dare she mock him in front of so many people?

"Fine. You asked for it—don't regret it. I won't go easy on you just because you're a woman."

"That's exactly what I want."

Smiling lightly, Janet turned her gaze to Luna.

"Luna."

"Hmm, Janet."

"I have no intention of apologizing to you. I don't see why I should."

"……What? No, I got hurt because of you!"

"If I'd deliberately hurt you, I'd apologize. But this happened during a legitimate spar."

In fact, the only one who'd actually bled was Janet, not Luna.

No matter what, you must never drop your sword.

If it flies, it could hurt others nearby.

It was Luna who had broken the professor's repeated warning.

If anyone should apologize, it was Luna, not her.

Janet wasn't one to bend on what was right.

She had no intention of apologizing for something she hadn't done, just to soothe Luna's feelings.

"Janet, you really……"

Just as Luna was whimpering—

"What's this commotion?"

"Is there a problem? Why is everyone gathered?"

Richard and Henry, who had stepped away briefly on the professor's errand, approached the source of the noise.

"R-Richard……!"

Spotting Richard, Luna finally burst into tears.

"Luna?"

"Hing. Brother. Ja-Janet did…… hweeeh."

Trailing off and sniffling, Luna's display made Richard stop in his tracks.

Instead of approaching Luna, he turned toward Janet. It was better to hear the explanation from the calmer person.

But—

"……You're hurt?"

Noticing the scratch on Janet's cheek, he was drawn toward her as if spellbound.

"B-brother?"

Luna's flustered call went unheard.

"It's nothing, just a light scratch."

"A scratch is still an injury. Go to the infirmary."

"Huh? No, it's nothing……"

Janet tried to say she was fine, but Richard's stern expression made her nod.

She had glimpsed a hint of worry in his blue eyes.

"Then I'll be right back."

"Go."

Janet bowed to Richard and headed to the infirmary with Theo.

Richard stood firmly in place, watching them go.

'What's this? Why is he worried about Janet first?'

He was completely unaware of the expression Luna was making behind his back.

---

Janet returned with a small bandage on her face.

The onlookers who had witnessed the earlier commotion glanced at her and whispered.

"Nothing better to do."

Theo muttered with annoyance and took his place beside Janet.

"Why are you here? You're in Group 2."

At Janet's question, Theo smiled and drew a line between them.

"Janet is in Group 1, and I'm in Group 2. So I'm exactly where I should be."

"……What kind of logic is that."

It was absurd, but a laugh escaped her.

Soon, Professor Diamonde announced the second round of practical sparring.

As previously announced, the second round pitted the winners of Group 1 against those of Group 2.

"I won't let you off."

Samuel glared at Janet and growled. When Theo glared back, he quickly lowered his eyes.

"He's more scared of you than his opponent."

"Those who don't know their opponent are the first to die on the battlefield."

Theo glanced at Janet.

They sometimes practiced swordsmanship together during free time.

Though it was mostly Theo teaching Janet.

'Janet has plenty of talent.'

She had good stamina, strength, reflexes, and an eye for reading sword trajectories.

It was as if all her senses were wide open.

She'd never learned formal swordsmanship as a child, so her fundamentals were a bit weak—but today's match was a "practical spar."

'That actually works in Janet's favor.'

He genuinely predicted Janet's victory.

"Alright. I'll go win."

"I'll be cheering for you."

Theo playfully held out his fist, and Janet smiled as she bumped it.

Just as Janet was lightly warming up before the match—

"Um, Janet……"

"Luna?"

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