Chapter 306: I Could Almost Cry

Up in the spectator stands, the noise was overwhelming. People were shouting over each other, throwing out praise and cheers for Carine’s flawless run, while a loud minority were shouting about how they threw down coins, betting on Attila, and that she better win.

Naturally, the few Class A members I had around me had unanimously thrown their weight behind Attila as well, seeing as she was our classmate.

“Take her down, Attila!”

“Show the Honors snobs what Class A can do!”

I let out a tired, barely audible sigh through Feyt’s lips, gently rubbing the bridge of my nose. Yeah, this was exactly why I hated hanging around the stands as Feyt when matches were going on.

It was too loud. Though I said it myself that the crowd wasn't purely chaotic back during my match against Marine... I genuinely couldn't think of a better word to describe the mishmash of voices I heard from up here. With Feyt’s ears, the crowd’s voices were practically vibrating inside my skull.

I really should invest in some earplugs...

If they even worked on these ears, at least.

Suddenly, a heavy pat landed on my shoulder, nearly making me jump.

“Hey, Feyt!” One of my classmates leaned over from behind me with an eager grin, shouting over the roar of the crowd. “Who’re you putting your money on, man? You cheering for Attila, or what?”

I blinked, taken aback.

…Right.

To everyone around me, this was an impossible conflict for me. Carine was my aristocratic employer, the lady whose family sponsored my very presence at this academy, and someone the entire school was convinced I was secretly pining over.

But Attila was my direct classmate, and a close friend from Class A who I regularly hang out with.

Cheering for Carine would make me look like a class traitor to the commoners. Cheering for Attila would make me look like an ungrateful, disloyal bodyguard to the nobles.

It was a catch-22… if I decided to cheer, that is. But I had no intention of cheering in the first place.

“Well…” I scratched the back of my neck as Feyt offered a shrug. “I just want to watch them fight in earnest. They’re both incredible. I’d rather just see how it plays out.”

My classmate blinked, clearly caught off guard by the diplomatic non-answer. He stared at me for a beat before letting out an awkward chuckle. “F-Fair enough.”

I offered a weak nod, turning my gaze back down toward the sands.

Leaning back, I quietly closed Feyt’s eyes, letting out a heavy exhale as I fought to tune out the deafening roar of the crowd.

This was a duel I had genuinely looked forward to. I didn't want to cheat it by eavesdropping on Attila’s breathing or muscles from the stands.

Then, the announcer cleared his throat. Little by little, the crowd’s voice slowly faded as they drew in their breaths in anticipation. So did both of my bodies.

“Three… Two… One… Begin!”

The moment the announcer started the match, a cloud of dust was kicked up behind Attila, and the second thing I noticed was that she was launching herself at me at explosive speed.

A bit too fast, aren’t you?!

I didn’t expect her to detonate forward like that, as I was preparing to sprint forward on my own.

Instinct and sheer panic took over one of my wheels. I drew the line where her raised sword was aiming, and in one quick motion, raised my sword to meet it.

I wasn’t trying to meet it head-on. I still valued my wrists, after all. Instead, I angled the sword upward at a hard slant, letting the heavy timber slide along the edge.

The moment her sword met mine, the force was enough to push me back, driving my boots ever so slightly into the sand. Even with the deflection, the shockwave shuddered up my arms and up to my neck.

She didn't let up for a millisecond. Before the first rebound could settle, her hips twisted, and she turned the weapon back around for a horizontal sweep.

I drew a line that arced all the way from the tip of her blade up to my left shoulder.

I took a quick, panicked breath as I leaned back just enough that the tip cleaved the air in front of my chest, the wind whipping both my hair and dust into my eyes. But I kept them both open, as I couldn’t risk missing the opening I was waiting for.

Alright, this is my chance!

Usually, a swing that massive from her would have pulled her off balance. I would’ve seen several openings that were guaranteed to win me this match.

However, my eyes screamed at me to move.

What the—she didn’t overcommit?!

There were no openings I could easily exploit. She had planted her heel and angled her shoulder, ready to attack again. Without missing a beat, she converted the missed swing into a rising diagonal strike.

Panicking all over again, I snapped my blade down into another rushed parry. The force of our blades meeting was enough to push me back and nearly knock me off balance to the side.

I quickly adjusted my balance and turned to Attila. We were back at neutral range. She didn’t give chase; she just stared at me while holding her sword firmly, leveling the tip at me, while she wore a confident smirk.

I took the chance to catch my breath. I flexed my fingers and felt them slightly throb and ache, and my forearms felt numb. Even after everything I had trained for, my arms still couldn’t hold weight against Attila’s strikes.

Either I’ve been slacking off on my physical training… Or this girl keeps improving her strength with each passing day, even faster.

But even after spending the entire opening act nearly being flattened by Attila’s hunk of wood, I couldn’t help but feel… excited.

After fighting a tryhard in my first match as Carine.

And a coward on my second.

On my third match, I had finally found it.

This is it…

This is the fight I wanted!

For the first time since I left the northern office… I felt I could finally, truly, push that Nicholas guy out of my head, and just focus on something that brought me joy. A genuine battle, against a genuine opponent.

I drew in a long, steady breath, settled my weight on my foot, and locked my grip tight around the hilt of my sword. As I leveled my sharp glare across the sands at Attila, a thin, genuine smile broke across my face. It was as thin as a hair, but it was a true smile.

Even though I’d promised myself not to underestimate Attila, she still managed to exceed my expectations.

If she had truly patched up her habits, waiting around for another sloppy overcommitment would be nothing short of suicide. Her raw strength was a threat I couldn’t risk playing with too much; my wrists and stamina would give out long before she made a fatal blunder on her own.

So, what should I do if she wasn't going to hand me an opening?

Simple. I’d just have to force her to build one for me.

A basic feint wouldn't cut it against someone with her instincts. She’d either ignore it and blast straight through me, or adjust mid-swing. I had to offer her a real, irresistible target. Something that looked so obviously advantageous that her body would commit to it before her brain could hesitate.

That way, the opening wouldn't just be something I reacted to; it would be something I already knew was coming.

I let out a mild scoff as I settled the plan into my head. Then, I pushed myself off the sand and sprinted towards her.

Seeing me take the initiative, Attila’s eyes flared with excitement. She raised her blade, winding up for another heavy yet fast swing. But right as I entered her range, I deliberately shifted my center of gravity a bit to the left, angling my blade slightly outward.

To her, and to everyone, it looked like I misstepped.

Through my eyes, I saw her attention shift to that opening I presented; her smirk widened for just a moment.

Hook, line, and sinker!

Knowing she took the bait, I felt confident enough to push through.

Attila didn't hesitate. She threw her entire weight into the gap, ripping her blade downward in a vicious arc meant to punish my exposed right side. But because I was the one who drew that target, I already knew the trajectory down to the millimeter.

With a slight pivot of my right foot, I pulled my right side just far enough out of the blade's path. Her wooden blade whistled harmlessly through the air, grazing past my uniform by a hair’s breadth.

I didn’t even need to look at her body and analyze her, as I immediately pivoted and swung, striking her back with the flat side of my sword with a sharp thwack.

Attila’s eyes went wide as the impact drove the air from her lungs, pushing her forward into an awkward stumble across the sand.

“And that’s a clean strike! The first point goes to Carine of Class Honors!”

For the first time since this tournament began, I finally felt genuine pride in a point Carine had won.

…I could almost cry.