Chapter 62: My Father Who Dislikes Me (1)

Chapter 62: My Father Who Dislikes Me (1)

In the training grounds of the Academy at lunchtime.

Students who had finished their classes walked toward the cafeteria while talking about the events of the day's lessons.

The content of the lesson was difficult.

The professor always spouted nonsense.

Students grumbled that the professor expected too much from them.

Among them, a group of female students with bright smiles were engaged in girlish chatter.

-Michail, wasn't he just amazing today?

-Exactly, in the duel with the professor he was evenly matched, and oh that moment! When he sighed deeply and wiped the sweat away, how sexy he looked I got scolded for gawking at him by the professor.

-You were staring quite blatantly.

-But I still filled my Michail quota for today!

-Puhaha!

Michail quota.

This was the students' own code for appeasing their weary eyes marred by the burly male students of the swordsmanship department by gazing upon the handsome Michail.

"Sigh"

Hanna let out a long sigh as she observed the giggling group of female students.

Instead of studying'

Hanna felt out of place among the group.

Hanna passed by the female students and walked towards the training grounds, preferring to swing her sword even during meal times rather than eat.

She wanted to advance her swordsmanship skills further than now, and not wanting to waste meaningless time, Hanna was crazy about practicing.

I will have to brag to the butler'

Her goal had strangely shifted.

Hanna lacked social skills. She was more focused on swordsmanship than on making friends.

Even before meeting Ricardo, Hanna gave more weight to swordsmanship than to friends. Additionally, as the youngest person ever to awaken her Aura, she was not viewed favorably by her classmates.

It was always the case.

Envy towards someone who is successful.

Hanna didn't pay much attention to such gazes.

Rather, she encountered a different problem.

I'm going crazy. I can't stop thinking about him!'

Recently, Hanna's mind was filled with the red-haired butler. When practicing swordsmanship, when attending lessons, she would think of the butler she met not long ago, preventing her from concentrating.

-Why do you think you can't beat Michail?

-You can do it, Miss Hanna.

She constantly remembered the butler who had looked at her with unwavering belief.

-Giggle! Ah~ I want to see Michail again.

The female students were excited.

They were oddly thrilled, having heard that Michail had awakened his Aura and saved them in the dungeon.

Hanna let out a deep sigh as she watched them.

"Did I used to be like that"

As someone who once had a crush on Michail, Hanna didn't exactly see the girls' behavior as endearing.

Although she didn't pick up a dropped towel and vow to treasure it for life like a girl in front of her had over Michail, she had observed him from a distance in a similar fashion.

It was not a wish to continue closer relations.

She had admired Michail, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that she was no different from them.

Ugh'

Hanna shuddered at the memory of her past self.

"I should just practice."

There was nothing better to rid herself of these idle thoughts than practice.

Hanna quietly grasped her sword and swung it in the empty training grounds, where everyone else had left.

I wonder what the butler would say if he saw me.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

-What are you doing without eating? You're going to harm your body It's all done in the service of living, isn't it. Hurry up and come back. If you don't, you'll be scolded by the young lady.

Thats what he would say.'

Hanna smiled to herself, but then shook her head as if to rid herself of the thought.

I must be crazy, thinking of him again!'

In Michail's benevolent swordplay, Hanna felt emptiness; she could sense his nature of not truly aiming to harm but rather appearing to take it easy on the opponent.

-You're thinking too basic. Below. Above. The side. Even after ten matches, my grandmother could predict the next attack.

-Isn't building from the basics important?

-The basics are just that, the basics.

Ricardo, who had trampled over Hanna's past pride in her swordsmanship.

Without any concessions for being a woman or holding back, he knocked her down and picked her up, then knocked her down again, helping her find a swordsmanship style that suited her.

And then.

-As long as I'm with you, you won't die.

They had even engaged in battles that demanded their all.

The Michail Hanna looked at now did not invoke those feelings. He was using an indecisive swordplay as if waiting for a hero and employing only passive techniques, which felt tedious to her.

Michail attempted to harness his Aura.

His Aura shone with a golden light, appearing like a mirage.

""

It was clumsy.

For sure, Hanna's past self must have been the same, but Michail senior's Aura neither seemed frightening nor potent.

Disliking the notion that he was not seriously trying to defeat her, Hanna frowned and confronted Michail.

"Senior. Are you not taking this seriously?"

The desire to face him waned. She thought awakening his Aura meant he'd be a decent sparring partner

This was neither a labor of love.

Disappointed in Michail's performance, Hanna put down her sword and said.

"I don't want to."

"What?"

"What are you trying to do? You don't aim to win, no sharp attacks Are you just a guard wandering the streets? What kind of swordsman focuses merely on overpowering?"

With no instinct for the kill, Hanna's flat swordsmanship made her turn away and leave the spot.

Michail stood vacantly at the training grounds, gazing hollowly at the sword in his hand.

***

After class and under the setting sun.

Hanna stared vacantly at the crimson sunset and let out a deep sigh.

-A birthday present for you.

It just won't leave my head.'

Whenever she saw the sunset, memories of that day surfaced.

The sunset dyed red.

The warmth of the butlers embrace, who easily defeated a powerful adversary she met for the first time and protected her against her father's demand to drop the sword, still felt warm as if lingering around her.

"Hah"

Maybe I should have taken a leave of absence.

She wanted to see the butler.

Hanna looked at the letter in her hand.

[Histania Rowen]

It was a letter from her father.

She knew its contents without opening it.

It's dangerous, put away your sword.

It's the same letter that comes each time.

Even after proving herself, her father refuses to believe in her, and even though she awoke to her Aura faster than he ever did, his indifference only answered with urgency. Hanna's sigh grew with each reminder from her pressing father.

"How annoying."

Every time like this, she cant help but think of the butler.

Most people would think of their parents when troubled but for me

Hanna stroked her pallid face and heaved a deep sigh as she got up.

Rising from her spot while looking at the red sunset.

-Ding.

-A quest has emerged.

[Q. If he had never been there]

A strange blue window appeared right before her eyes.