Extra in a Romance Fantasy

Chapter 47

47 – Change

After the fight with Ethan.

I returned safely to the villa, back to my companions.

It seemed like my companions were quite worried; they hadn’t even sat down but paced around the villa waiting for me.

And when I finally showed up, their reaction was one of considerable surprise.

Understandably so. At that moment, I was practically a wreck, looking like I’d been through the wars.

I managed to calm them down by showing them that despite my appearance, I was indeed unharmed, and that somehow helped bring the situation to a close.

Although my companions seemed eager to know what had happened in detail, naturally, I didn’t divulge all the particulars.

I vaguely mentioned some incidents, and my companions couldn’t pry further with their puzzled expressions.

And so, the eventful day finally came to an end, and we welcomed the next day…

“…Why are you here?”

An unexpected visitor had arrived at the villa.

“The first words spoken upon seeing my face were that. Seems he’s a guy without affection.”

The one complaining with a sullen face was none other than Edan.

I hadn’t thought he would come looking for me again.

His purpose was to face me, and that purpose was achieved as of yesterday.

So, I didn’t think there was any reason for him to come looking for me again, but here he was, openly seeking me out.

Unable to guess the reason, I looked at him with puzzled eyes.

“Well, take it.”

Edan suddenly threw something at me.

Naturally, I reflexively caught it.

“This is….”

“A sword. You can tell just by looking, right?”

As Edan with his sullen demeanor said, the identity of the object he threw at me was a sword.

A remarkable sword, visible at a glance, embedded in a pitch-black scabbard.

“Why would you give this to me?”

“You told me to get you a sword. So, I brought one.”

…Now that I think about it, I did say something like that.

But it wasn’t a genuine request for him to bring one.

It was just a thoughtless comment without any real intention.

The sword I used to have was just an ordinary iron sword I bought from a local weapons store, and with my wealth, I could easily buy another one anytime.

However, at that moment when I made that comment, Edan, who had initially reacted with disbelief, had actually brought a sword for real.

Moreover, an unusual sword at a glance.

“Draw it.”

“….”

Following Edan’s words, I slowly grasped the handle of the sword.

Srrrk—

With a pleasing metallic sound, the silver blade revealed itself under the radiant sunlight.

“…Can I really accept this?”

Those words naturally escaped my lips as I gazed at the unveiled sword.

I recognized it immediately.

This sword was certainly not of the ordinary level.

“Take it. It’s a sword that can’t even be called a famous sword.”

Ethan said so as if it were nothing, but I couldn’t agree with that.

While this sword might not be a renowned masterpiece, I had seen enough to recognize that it belonged to the category of famous swords.

Firstly, the material itself was not ordinary iron.

I couldn’t precisely identify the material, but even the sensation it transmitted was different.

Moreover, from its craftsmanship to the center of gravity, it conveyed the dedication of a skilled artisan.

To buy this sword, it would likely require more than a handful of gold coins.

At the very least, it would be in the triple digits.

Considering that a typical iron sword doesn’t even cost a single gold coin, this was truly an exorbitantly expensive item.

“….”

Thunk.

I sheathed the sword back into its scabbard and extended it towards Ethan once again.

“Even if that’s the case, this is too much.”

If it were an item reasonably priced, it might be acceptable, but this exceeded all bounds.

Receiving just a single broken iron sword for such an excessive price was beyond reason.

Hence, I tried to return the sword.

“Enough. Don’t return it.”

Ethan didn’t accept the sword.

“But…”

“I won’t use this sword anyway. If I keep it, it’ll just gather dust. So, take it.”

“…Then, can’t you just sell it?”

“Why would I bother selling that? It’s not like I’m short on money.”

…Now that I heard it, that made sense too.

“If you try to return it again, I’ll just throw it on the street and leave.”

In his firm and resolute voice, there was no room for further consideration.

“Fine, I’ll make good use of it.”

In the end, I had no choice but to accept the sword willingly.

“You should’ve done that from the beginning.”

Observing me in that state, Ethan displayed a satisfied smile.

“By the way, what were they up to since morning?”

As I gazed at him with subtle eyes, Ethan changed the subject as if he wouldn’t talk about swords anymore.

Since I couldn’t forcefully redirect the conversation in that direction, I also turned my gaze along with him.

There were two familiar faces there, engrossed in a lively exchange of swordplay.

It was Aira and Cedric.

“Are they sparring?”

“Yes.”

Lately, they had been engaging in sparring sessions frequently.

The timing… I remember it was probably after we arrived at the Blunoa family mansion.

Since that day, Aira had shown a newfound enthusiasm for training and discipline, going to Cedric herself and requesting sparring matches.

Cedric, in his usual stoic and imposing manner, accepted her proposal willingly.

Though he always appeared indifferent or brooding, he was genuinely committed to the sword, more so than what met the eye.

Anyway, their sparring became a routine, almost like a daily morning ritual.

At first, our group watched with fascination, but now we hardly paid much attention.

Honestly, the spectacle of their sparring wasn’t particularly captivating to me.

I had already seen it twice with my own eyes.

And the dynamics of their sparring were more one-sided than I had anticipated.

However.

The spectacle of the current sparring unfolding before my eyes was different from what I had seen before.

“Wow.”

Ethan let out a short exclamation.

“I thought, aside from exceptions like you, there wasn’t a single underclassman who could match that arrogant guy… but.”

A faint smile played across his lips.

“There was?”

“…”

I didn’t express any agreement with his words, merely silently observing the two engaged in their sparring.

The current sparring between Aira and Cedric was significantly different from the duels at the academy.

Cedric was undoubtedly a genius.

Excluding cases like mine, Cedric’s talent would likely shine unmatched before anyone in the academy’s combat department, not just limited to the first year.

Exactly how talented he was, I couldn’t say for sure, but judging solely by the magnitude of his talent, there probably wasn’t anyone in the entire combat department who could rival Cedric.

It wasn’t for no reason that the giant known as Geomsung took him as a disciple.

It was because he saw potential in Cedric.

Even though Cedric was someone frequently associated with a kid like him, and academically, he ranked second only to Cedric, to be honest, the gap between them wasn’t that narrow.

Even though Ail had undeniably a genius talent and skills that were overwhelming compared to his peers, there was a flaw compared to Cedric.

In fact, in the two sparring sessions that took place during the first semester of the academy, Ail lost both times.

To someone unfamiliar, it might have seemed like an outstanding sparring, but in reality, it was different.

Cedric consistently maintained composure, not revealing his full power, and still emerged victorious over Ail.

Watching those two sparring sessions, I had thought that catching up to Cedric wouldn’t be easy for Ail unless something extraordinary happened.

But.

At this moment, a change came to that thought.

Clang! Clash!

A clash of swords.

And leading the situation there was none other than Ail.

He had the upper hand against Cedric.

Of course, Cedric wasn’t completely cornered.

But it wasn’t a relaxed situation either.

Cedric, who had never lost composure against Ail in sparring at the academy, was now losing that composure.

“Such talent exists as well? Indeed, the world is vast.”

Watching their sparring, Edan had a cheerful smile on his face.

“…But with such a firm foundation in swordsmanship, you don’t seem to be from an ordinary household, are you?”

Saying so, Edan glanced at me briefly.

His gaze was clear in its intention, so I immediately spoke up.

“I am the daughter of the Guardian Knight.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Edan widened his eyes and looked at Ail again.

“Well, that makes sense.”

He nodded lightly.

“Do you know each other?”

Considering the time Edan started his activities, it wouldn’t be surprising if he had met Gale Librion, the Guardian Knight.

So, with a sense of anticipation, I asked.

To that question, Ethan replied.

“Only once, we’ve met.”

From Noble mtl dot com

With a calm voice, he answered.

“Roughly… it’s been about ten years? It was still a chaotic time on the front lines.”

As if recalling something, Ethan’s gaze drifted into the distance.

“Back then, whether it was me or that noble, we were both unknowns, but I could sense it the moment we met. It wasn’t just about skill.”

“So what did you do?”

“Well, what could I do? I suggested we fight.”

… It seems that Ethan is the same then as he is now.

“And the result?”

“I lost miserably.”

Ethan laughed heartily.

“At that time, I hadn’t reached the level of determination. And looking back now, that noble was already on the level of determination.”

It’s not surprising that Gael Liberion reached the level of determination.

Considering his achievements, holding off a demon legion alone and defeating a calamity-level demon single-handedly, it’s natural that he reached the level of determination.

After all, the only ones who can face a calamity-level demon single-handedly are at least ten-sword level warriors.

“If she’s the daughter of that noble, it makes sense that she has such talent.”

For a moment, Ethan’s gaze, which had traveled to the past, returned to the duel between the two.

Then, nodding lightly, he added.

“Quite impressive. The physique, strength, and it’s a one-sided disadvantageous condition.”

In the world of martial arts, physique is even more critical than one might think.

Just having a large physique can bring several advantages.

The most representative of these is distance and strength.

Simply put, it’s natural that the larger the physique, the stronger the strength. And due to the elongation of arms and legs, the distance naturally increases.

In this world where a hand’s breadth of distance can snatch away a life, it was a considerable advantage.

And from that perspective, the physique suitable for mastering the art of the sword is not quite appropriate for a girl like Ai.

Already at a disadvantage in strength and physique compared to men, among such girls, Ai’s build is quite small.

However, Ai was pressing Cedric as if she had no such penalty.

“Indeed, quite impressive…”

Ethan, who was watching Ai’s movements with interest, opened his mouth.

“It’s not over yet.”

And at that moment, the dynamics of the sparring changed.

Clang!

“…!”

Cedric interrupted the flowing movements of Ayra, which had been like a raging torrent.

From that point on, it became Cedric’s flow.

Cedric didn’t miss a single opening, and as time passed, the situation favored him.

Even in the midst of that, Ayra struggled, at times aiming for a counterattack.

“…I lost…”

She couldn’t change the outcome of the fight.

“….”

Cedric glanced at Ayra, his face showing a hint of anger, and he sheathed his sword.

“Good. This will be a great stimulus for both of us.”

Watching that scene, Edan chuckled once again.

“Yes, it will be.”

I agreed with his words.

For some reason, Ayra had changed.

Whether her dormant talent awakened or she completely transformed into a different person, it was evident that Ayra’s skills would improve rapidly. This would undoubtedly be beneficial for Cedric as well.

Although a race without pursuers provided a sense of stability, it could also make the participants complacent.

They would become mutually beneficial rivals.

Thinking so, I nodded.

“The sparring is over… Oh, looks like a guest has arrived.”

As the sparring between the two concluded, Alexis, as if perfectly timing it, opened the door of the mansion and stepped out. She looked in our direction, more precisely, at Edan, and raised an eyebrow.

Then, starting with Alexis, the rest of the party revealed themselves outside the mansion.

“You shamelessly stuck your neck out again.”

Estelle shot Edan a disapproving look.

“…Hello.”

“….”

Mary greeted with an unusual expression on her face, and Rachel, without saying a word, glared at Edan.

“…Why do you look at me so strangely?”

Perhaps sensing the group’s gaze, Ethan scratched his cheek with a nonchalant expression.

“…Well, there was something that happened yesterday.”

The reason for the group’s reaction was somewhat anticipated.

My return to the villa yesterday hadn’t gone over well with the boss.

“No, this is unfair. You weren’t really hurt, were you?”

“…No, not really.”

I genuinely wasn’t hurt much.

Just a few torn clothes and a bit of a mess on the surface.

I tried explaining that to the group, but it seemed it didn’t erase Ethan’s feelings about it.

“…Well, endure it.”

That was all I could say.

No matter how much I defended his innocence, it didn’t seem like it would change the group’s perception.

“I can’t believe this…”

Ethan, with a truly unjust expression, trailed off mid-sentence.

And in an instant, that expression froze.

I didn’t ask him suddenly why he was acting that way.

My face, too, froze just like his.

“Why are you suddenly like this? With such a heavy expression.”

Estelle’s voice, filled with puzzlement, was heard, but neither Ethan nor I turned our gaze toward her. Instead, we looked in the direction behind us, towards the lake.

“Wade? What’s wrong?”

“Wade, sir?”

Mary and Rachel’s voices followed, but there was no room in us to pay attention to them.

“……”

Ethan and I remained silent, both staring at the lake and the island in its center.

For a while.

Splish─

Accompanied by a sound of something splitting.

Crack!

A sound echoed through the air.

Not metaphorically, but literally.

“What…?!”