hotmtlnovel Chapter 411
Chapter 411
Ethan and I reached a compromise: instead of him earning rewards by defeating Harold in sparring, I would earn them by managing to defeat Ethan.
But, of course, this agreement alone didn’t solve our... reward situation. Ethan would only reward me if I could genuinely win against him in a sparring match.
...That won’t be easy.
I knew Ethan’s swordsmanship better than anyone, and that knowledge only heightened my doubts. Unlike my bouts with Harold, where I sometimes managed to pull off a victory through luck or trickery, I had never once claimed a proper win against Ethan.
There was always the chance that Ethan might hold back just to give me the reward, but I had my pride. I would refuse any victory that came too easily.
It was my idea, after all. If anything, I’d rather Ethan put his all into it and treat me like a serious opponent.
As far as timing went, this wasn’t so bad. Around this term, I’d found myself wanting to close the gap in skill between us. With all the free time from the extended breaks, I’d sparred enough with Ethan to clearly recognize the difference in our abilities, which only fueled my desire to improve. Even though my primary talent lay in magic, it was crucial to be adept with a sword, especially in emergencies.
It would definitely help to be proficient in swordsmanship for self-defense when I pursue a life as an adventurer.
The day after I proposed this idea to Ethan, we both entered the training ground once more. An hour later, I was sitting on the ground, exhausted, my hand struggling to maintain a grip on the sword.
“Ha... ha... ha...”@@@@
“Lilith, do you want to take a break? You’ve been at it for nearly an hour without stopping,” Ethan suggested.
“Huff, huff... Thirty seconds is all I need, Master Ethan.”
“You should rest longer. Last time, you almost hurt yourself when you got up too soon.”
“...Fine, then. I’ll take a minute.”
Though Ethan’s expression suggested he thought even a minute was too short, I wasn’t willing to extend it any longer. It was nearly time for lunch, and considering the afternoon’s tasks, I wouldn’t have many more chances to spar in the morning.
Today isn’t the only day, but I can’t help feeling anxious. If I’m this exhausted, Ethan must be feeling it, too.
With that thought in mind, I stood back up, pushing through the fatigue that was starting to weigh me down.
“Let’s continue, Master Ethan.”
“Alright, Lilith. But make sure to hold your sword tightly.”
Even though my body craved more rest, my determination drove me to start again.
Clang!
Several times, I fell for openings he left “on purpose.” It was frustratingly clear that he could predict my moves well before I made them.
Whoosh!
“...Huh?”
“...That’s enough, Lilith.”
Thud!
Thinking I’d spotted a flaw, I threw myself into an attack. But Ethan twisted away as if he knew exactly what I’d do, knocking me down with a tap of his sword hilt. I tumbled forward, my body off-balance from the overcommitment.
Splat!
“Haah... haah...”
Ethan gave me a guilty look as I lay sprawled on the ground, covered in dirt. He had shown concern the first couple of times I’d fallen during training, but after I’d scolded him for it, he simply watched me in silence when it happened now.
I’d told him once that if he kept worrying about me during sparring, neither of us would be able to fight seriously. The look on his face was empathetic, but his form remained guarded, offering no gaps—if anything, he was even more difficult to read than Harold.
It’s like he knows exactly what I’m going to do.
It wasn’t just a difference in the use of magic or physical prowess. I had barely managed to trick Harold, a true master, with magical feints, but Ethan seemed to anticipate my every move.
While Harold might have had an edge in pure skill, Ethan’s familiarity with my technique made him a more formidable opponent in some ways.
Tap, tap.
“Let’s go again, Master Ethan.”
“...Alright, Lilith. I’m always ready.”
Ethan’s face remained calm and composed, as if he could easily handle me, no matter how hard I tried. At this point, I didn’t care so much about the reward anymore—I just wanted to wipe that look off his face.
Clang, clang, clang!
“Keep at it, Lilith! Hold firm with your left hand! Remember, block with your right!”
“You don’t have to keep repeating it! I know...!”
Ethan continued to offer advice, his tone casual yet encouraging, while I threw myself at him with all my might. After five more rounds, each ending in defeat, our sparring session finally came to an end.