Chapter 24: Club Activities (5)
“Hello, everyone. I’m Skaya, your instructor. Though… it seems none of you need my teaching.”
The girl with the sky-blue hair introduced herself as Skaya.
She exuded the aura of a seasoned expert, yet after glancing around at us, she claimed she had nothing to teach. It was oddly anticlimactic.
“Some of you have completely destroyed the training dummies, and others have crafted swords with magic… Honestly, I feel like I should be the one learning here.”
She fidgeted with her scabbard awkwardly before her expression brightened with an idea.
“In that case, how about you all interact with one another? Given your talents, you might learn more by sharing your swordsmanship techniques than from me teaching you.”
I had braced myself for endless practice swings like in a typical swordsmanship class, but instead, we were expected to mingle. The thought alone made me sigh in exhaustion.
…The other students flinching around me wasn’t my fault, I swear.
“Since no one seems to object, we’ll proceed like this moving forward unless something changes. If you need help, don’t hesitate to ask.”
Compared to Jessica, Skaya was much easier to approach—both in appearance and demeanor. But there was no way I was going to be the lone dissenter here.
The other students had already started forming groups naturally.
I hadn’t thought much when walking over with Anastasia earlier, but seeing clearly skilled students line up behind me now made me wonder if this was all some elaborate prank.
They were undoubtedly experts, which made me question if I truly belonged here.
Dogeon had praised me enthusiastically, but it felt more like flattery than anything sincere. Even if he were right, I couldn’t shake my dissatisfaction.
“Anastasia! You’re not only beautiful but also incredibly strong! Ah, I’m so envious!”
“Anastasia, you’re amazing! The rumors about you tearing through monsters must be true!”
“Anastasia, are those runes engraved on your sword?”
—Anastasia this, Anastasia that.
The busiest spot in the room was, predictably, around her.
Roughly a third of the questions were related to swordsmanship, but the rest were blatantly attempts to curry favor.
Sorry, Anastasia. I’d love to help, but people terrify me. Good luck out there.
Surrounded by people, she seemed unsure of how to respond. While part of me envied her, she also looked somewhat pitiable.
Meanwhile, Dogeon was here in the same advanced group, hovering near Anastasia like the harem protagonist he was.
So you’re just like Goldsun, huh? Another guy obsessed with girls.
When he created a sword out of magic earlier, he’d seemed cool. But now? Not so much. He just looked like a guy trying to hit on someone.
As a former man myself, I could understand his behavior—but that didn’t mean I enjoyed watching it.
Just like I didn’t enjoy this boy suddenly approaching me.
“Hello, I’m Kaya. I was wondering if you could teach me the swordsmanship you demonstrated earlier. Would that be alright?”
He introduced himself and immediately asked me to teach him swordsmanship. How could I not be suspicious?
He didn’t even look convincing, not like Dogeon, and his attempt to cozy up to me was almost pitiful.
I didn’t want to be harsh, but I really wished he’d disappear.
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll have to decline. I’m not skilled enough to teach anyone, and frankly, what I displayed wasn’t proper swordsmanship.”
“Wasn’t it proper? It felt like I was watching the culmination of a lifetime’s swordsmanship.”
What nonsense was this? There was no way he genuinely believed that. He was just trying to flatter me before making his next move.
“Are you pretending to know everything after watching a few swings?”
“…Apologies. That was presumptuous of me.”
“If you understand, then leave. I won’t say it twice.”
Watching him slink away like a chastised puppy finally put me at ease. My father always said that all men were beasts and should be kept at a distance.
Dogeon might’ve been an exception. After all, I’d come to this academy specifically to observe him. There was something about him that disarmed people’s defenses.
Sure, he was circling Anastasia like a hyena now, but whenever he came near me, he transformed into a docile puppy. He didn’t feel nearly as threatening as someone like Goldsun.
Speaking of Goldsun, he was still staring at me. He wasn’t even trying to hide it.
I couldn’t understand why he was so fixated on me. Whatever he wanted, it wasn’t going to happen.
“Family, huh? I haven’t given it much thought. But why do you ask, Lady Anastasia?”
I heard Dogeon’s voice and realized he was talking about family again.
What was going on? Was Anastasia really the type to ask about something like that? She might’ve lacked some common sense, but she’d never struck me as eccentric.
Why had she brought up family—not just to me, but to Dogeon as well?
Still, Anastasia was far better company than those extroverts who lacked any consideration for people like me. Everyone has their quirks. The difference is whether they’re hidden or visible. Anastasia simply chose to show hers.
“…You need to value family more.”
“…Pardon?”
Dogeon looked baffled, but Anastasia had already moved on, speaking to someone else.
When she passed by me, I noticed the confusion still lingering on her face.
“Ah, Hoyeon.”
“Things aren’t going well for you, are they?”
Though I’d intended to tease him slightly, Dogeon had tried to comfort me earlier, so I decided to return the favor.
“…Did something upset you?”
“No, not at all. I just thought, ‘Oh, he’s just another typical guy after all.’”
“I’m sorry.”
“What are you apologizing for? I already said it’s fine.”
***
Something had felt off since Anastasia started acting slightly hostile toward me. And then came the talk about family.
It wasn’t in her nature. Had something happened that I wasn’t aware of?
Could it be because of Hoyeon?
No, that was too far-fetched. She and Hoyeon had only met yesterday, and nothing significant had occurred.
So, what could it be?
I didn’t have time to dwell on it as Hoyeon approached.
“Ah, Hoyeon.”
However, her next words made my headache worse.
“Things aren’t going well for you, are they?”
Her expression wasn’t one of comfort but mockery. She looked like she was enjoying my struggles.
“…Did something upset you?”
I had no clue what was behind her behavior, so I asked, hoping she’d explain.
“No, not at all. I just realized you’re a typical man, after all.”
She’s jealous that I spoke to someone else.
I’d encountered women like this a few times before, and I knew how exhausting it could get if I didn’t appease her now.
“I’m sorry.”
Normally, I’d have just cut ties, but with Hoyeon, that wasn’t an option. So, I decided to play along.
“What are you apologizing for? I said it’s fine.”
She clearly wasn’t fine. And the idea of dodging her while trying to interact with the other heroines for the next few days felt overwhelming.
Leaving her alone wasn’t an option, but keeping her nearby might hinder building connections with the others.
Exhausting, but I’ll just have to work harder.
First, I needed to calm her down.
“No, really. I’m sorry.”
That seemed to make things worse.
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
She had no intention of letting this slide. It felt excessive for such a minor mistake, but at least I’d learned something valuable.
“Understood.”
Anastasia’s earlier reaction and Hoyeon’s warning had both hit their mark. I couldn’t build any real rapport with Anastasia, but at least Hoyeon wasn’t in serious trouble.
The first club session ended without much to show for it. As we walked back to the dorm, Hoyeon spoke up.
“…I let it slide yesterday, but you’re still following me today.”
Because if I leave you alone, this continent could be in danger. But I didn’t say that aloud.
“I don’t have anyone else to walk with.”
That was true enough. I knew no one else, and it was only the second day at the academy.
“No friends? You?”
She sounded genuinely incredulous, as if the idea of me being friendless was absurd.
It was almost insulting, considering how quickly people dismissed me the moment I tried to approach them.
“Other than you, there’s no one I could call a friend. Can I consider you one?”
I wasn’t looking to argue, so I kept my tone soft. Plus, framing it this way gave me an excuse to keep following her.
“Me… a friend?”
She repeated the word like a broken record, as if trying to process it. Had I said something wrong again? Before I could
overthink it, she muttered:
“If we’re… friends, then… Can I speak casually?”
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