The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent – 134
EP.134 Secret (2)
Summer vacation, strictly speaking, was like a break for working people. Of course, compared to a worker’s holiday, it was significantly longer, and children who had the social status to attend the academy often spent their vacation relaxing without any particular worries.
Claire and Leo were no exception to this privilege. However, both of them had an extraordinary drive for improvement. Neither Leo nor Claire hesitated to dedicate their entire vacation to rigorous training to hone their swordsmanship skills.
Moreover, during the semester, they had met none other than the Sword Saint. Though the time they spent learning from him was brief, it was enough for both of them to be acknowledged as his "disciples." He even told them they were welcome to come and learn from him whenever they had the time.
The vacation period was naturally a perfect opportunity for this. With that in mind, Leo and Claire planned to head to the North immediately after the visit from the two princesses concluded.
Of course, life would be far simpler if everything always went according to plan.
“Claire, you’ll stay behind.”
As expected, things didn’t always turn out the way they wanted.
“Mother?”
No matter how much they hoped, things didn’t always go the way they imagined.
“Inheriting the Grace family’s swordsmanship is a good thing. If you have an excellent mentor like the Sword Saint, it’s only right to be grateful and dedicate yourself to mastering your skills. Opportunities like this aren’t granted to just anyone.”
“Then, Mother—”
“But.”
Baroness Grace exhaled lightly and looked at Claire.
“Claire, it’s about time you started preparing for marriage, isn’t it?”
“...Pardon?”
Claire’s expression froze. She stared at her mother with her mouth slightly open, her face clearly showing, ‘What are you talking about?’
“I’m not saying you need to get married immediately. It’s something you can think about slowly after you’ve come of age. But even so, you should have the basic knowledge in advance.”
Hearing this, Claire’s face began to flush a deep red.
“At the very least… you need to refine your behavior and learn to carry yourself properly as a lady. This vacation, we’ll focus on that aspect of your education.”
“But, Mother—”
Claire protested with a look that suggested she was on the verge of throwing a tantrum, but Baroness Grace’s thoughts seemed firm.
“Claire, you’re a daughter of the Grace family. When you marry someday, you must be properly prepared to avoid any disgrace. I believe it’s essential that you receive the right education.”
Her words were laced with an undeniable affection.
Claire was left speechless.
Seeing her daughter’s bewildered expression, the Baroness smiled faintly.
“Still, if you can improve your manners enough to represent our family during this vacation, I’ll allow you to go to the North for swordsmanship training this winter.”
“Really?”
Claire’s eyes widened as she heard those words.
“Do you mean it, Mother? Really?”
Watching Claire bounce in excitement, the Baroness let out a small sigh.
“...Yes, but first, let's do something about that reckless behavior of yours."
*
“Haha…”
After hearing Leo’s story, Sword Saint Frederick let out a hollow laugh.
“No matter how much time passes, it seems people’s perspectives don’t change easily.”
He shook his head slowly and added,
"It's surprising that even a family as progressive as yours could think like that."
Frederick, murmuring to himself, said,
“Well, even if she doesn’t care about such things, society expects nobles to behave a certain way."
He nodded to himself, as if coming to terms with why one of his disciples hadn’t come.
"Alright, then. I'm sure that kid will rise to the challenge. Let’s look forward to winter when I can teach both of you properly.”
Frederick unfolded his arms and added, “For now, let’s begin by calming the mind through meditation.”
“Understood.”
Leo nodded earnestly and sat down.
That was how the events of late July unfolded.
*
A month under the Sword Saint’s guidance was an incredibly short time. The Sword Saint had spent his entire life—decades—perfecting his swordsmanship, and to learn his entire repertoire would require an equivalent amount of time.
Still, the month wasn’t without progress. Leo had become more composed and focused in his approach to swordsmanship, and his sword strikes had grown significantly sharper and more precise. While his skill level had been nearly identical to Claire’s before, he now felt he might have a slight edge over her.
Living in a cabin perched on what was nearly a cliffside had also been beneficial. Surviving in a structure that barely shielded him from the wind, located in a treacherous area, was a form of training in itself. Despite the physical discomfort, Leo felt a deep sense of satisfaction as he could clearly sense his own growth.
“Hmm.”
As he was meditating as usual to calm his mind, he heard the Sword Saint let out a thoughtful hum.
Opening his eyes slightly, Leo glanced up at Frederick. The Sword Saint was stroking his chin, his gaze fixed on the thin wall of the cabin. Of course, he wasn’t looking at the wall itself but at something beyond it.
“It seems we’ve got an uninvited guest,” Frederick said, reaching for the basket of herbs sitting on the table.
“Could it be Miss Jennifer?” Leo asked.
“No, that’s not her footstep. If it were, she’d brazenly make her presence known without bothering to hide her movements. And she certainly wouldn’t feel this... unstable.”
Frederick’s eyes narrowed. The sound of the footsteps was unfamiliar, yet it didn’t seem to belong to anyone skilled enough to pose a threat to him.
At the same time, he felt almost no killing intent. Usually, those who are unskilled fail to hide their murderous intent, inadvertently scattering their presence everywhere and failing in surprise attacks. If the intruder were truly skilled, they would conceal their killing intent, approach, and swiftly end their target with a single stab."
So, is it really just a visitor? Perhaps someone who had climbed the mountain for fun and gotten lost?
Well, it doesn’t matter anyway.
Frederick thought as he gripped the basket tightly in his hand.
“…...”
The unexpected visitor strode confidently to Frederick’s cabin door and flung it open without hesitation.
Frederick, having timed the door’s opening perfectly, hurled the basket in his hand. The basket, scattering herbs everywhere, flew through the air and struck—squarely—the forehead of the young girl entering the cabin.
“Eek!”
The high-pitched, startled cry caught Frederick off guard, and he blinked. Leo, too, turned his upper body toward the door, still seated cross-legged, his expression equally dumbfounded.
The girl, who now sat on the floor rubbing her forehead where she’d fallen, appeared delicate at first glance. That didn’t mean she lacked any feminine charm, but her frail appearance stood out.
With tears welling up at the corners of her eyes, the girl rubbed her forehead when—
“Sylvia?”
Leo asked in a slightly dazed voice.
The girl, called Sylvia, blinked as if only now realizing she was sitting on the floor. For a moment, she even seemed to forget the pain in her forehead.
As she sat there, momentarily blank, a look of surprise suddenly flashed across her face.
“Again!”
She shouted.
*
No matter how many times I’d been hit in the forehead by that damned basket, I always forgot about it. Of course, it had been months since I’d last visited, so it wasn’t surprising. But still, it was embarrassing. Not just because of the Sword Saint but because Leo had seen me like that too.
“Phew.”
I rewound time a few seconds, steeling myself, and opened the door again.
With a creak, the poorly fitted door—clearly not the work of a professional—opened, its hinges squealing in protest. And, just as before, the first thing I saw was a basket flying straight for my face. This time, I raised my free hand, the one not gripping the door handle, and caught the basket mid-air.
Thunk.
Fortunately, it seemed Frederick hadn’t thrown it with the intent to harm me, as I managed to catch it rather smoothly.
“Oh?”
Frederick let out a sound of genuine surprise, one I’d heard him make a handful of times before.
“Sylvia?”
This time, Leo’s voice held no confusion or hesitation—just surprise.
Feigning calmness, I carefully placed the basket on the nearby table.
“Sylvia, is it?”
Frederick mused for a moment, then curved his lips into a faintly menacing smile.
“So, you’re the one they say performed admirably on the battlefield last time.”
…What was this?
Why did it feel like his reaction was different from when we’d first met?
For a moment, I worried Frederick remembered me, but fortunately, that didn’t seem to be the case.
Instead—
“If you’re a friend of my disciple, it wouldn’t hurt to test your skills.”
He reached for his sword.
Wait. Hold on.