Chapter 138: Sparring Match [2]

"Having fun yet?"

Alice stared at me, her lips parting in surprise.

Then she laughed.

"Hahah....!"

A full, genuine laugh—soft but clear, breaking the tension like sunlight through storm clouds.

"...You’re not bad," she said, adjusting her grip again. "Let’s go one more round."

She said that while gripping her rapier tightly—and let me tell you, that rapier wasn’t just any weapon you’d find in the Draken family’s storage room.

That was Valkrath—the first Draken sword she pulled out from the underground vault.

It was originally a broadsword, but it could shift its form. Alice preferred using it as a rapier—sleek, precise, and faster than it had any right to be.

...Also, since this was just a sparring match, I wasn’t allowed to go all out. Otherwise, I could’ve used the deadly skills that once made her lose to me in the Grand Northern Martial Tournament.

Yeah. That happened.

But right now? I couldn’t use Blood Magic. Couldn’t use Shadow Pin. And most of my favorite Ghoststep variations? Banned.

Technically, I was allowed to use Ghoststep. It was a movement art, after all. But being an S-rank skill, it ate mana like crazy.

Yeah, even now, just thinking about using it made my core ache.

Even with Silent Fang, the consumption of Ghoststep was brutal. It filtered the flow, refined it, sure—but it didn’t reduce it. It just made it manageable. Barely.

I couldn’t spam it. Not unless I wanted to pass out in the middle of the match and give Alice something to really laugh about.

So I stuck to what I could do.

Read. React. Adapt.

Alice twirled Valkrath once, then settled back into stance—low, relaxed, but coiled like a viper.

"You’re hesitating," she said softly.

"I’m thinking," I shot back.

That earned a grin.

"I like it when you try hard."

She vanished.

Not literally—but it felt like that. One blink, and she was already halfway to me, rapier whipping around like a silver lash.

I slid back, bent low, pivoted—and struck.

Steel rang against steel.

For the first time, I wasn’t entirely on the defensive.

We clashed, again and again. Her technique was tight, masterful. She barely wasted movement—but now, so did I.

We were dancing in circles, blades kissing and repelling, breath after breath, step after step.

But I couldn’t keep this up.

Not forever.

Not even for long.

Even with adrenaline pumping and Silent Fang whispering through my veins like a second heartbeat, I could feel the slow crawl of fatigue creeping in.

Alice noticed.

Of course she did.

Her eyes narrowed, lips curving upward.

And then, she pushed.

Her strikes grew bolder—wider arcs, deeper thrusts. She was forcing me to commit. To gamble.

A faint there. A slip here. She wasn’t just fighting anymore.

She was cornering me.

But—

I gritted my teeth, slid inside one of her over-committed sweeps, and jammed the dagger toward her wrist again.

She twisted—just fast enough to avoid it, but it cost her footing. A stutter-step, the tiniest falter.

I didn’t hesitate.

Ghoststep.

The world blurred.

Mana surged—burning hot through my core, my lungs, my bones.

I blinked past her, appeared at her flank, dagger already in motion.

Her eyes widened—

Clang!

She blocked it.

She blocked Ghoststep.

The sheer force of her reaction threw me back a step, knees nearly buckling from the recoil.

"That," she breathed, eyes wide with a spark of excitement, "was that annoying foot technique of yours, wasn’t it?"

I didn’t respond. I simply raised my dagger and lunged again.

I’ve used Ghoststeps on her so many times in the past, she’s become familiar with it.

But that doesn’t mean it’s over for me.

This is just a sparring match—we’re not allowed to go all out with every ability at our disposal. The same rules apply to Alice.

Still... that doesn’t mean we can’t use artifacts.

Both Valkrath and Silent Fang are artifacts, after all.

So, I decided to go with an old trick that had worked on her before.

While we danced around each other in the sparring ring, I quietly summoned the [Echo Rod] from my dimensional storage ring.

First, I needed to close the distance—and neutralize that damn armor.

Clang!

Unfortunately, my brilliant plan was crushed before it even started.

Cough—!

"Where do you think you’re going?" Alice said sharply. "Trying to touch a lady’s armor again? You think you can keep getting away with that?"

I was completely caught off guard.

Normally, a rapier isn’t the best for blocking—it’s fast, yes, but the narrow blade doesn’t offer much coverage. I assumed she wouldn’t be able to respond to a close-range feint.

"I’m best with a rapier, sure," she said calmly. "But in the North, it’s basic training to wield a broadsword too."

And just like that, the rapier in her hand shifted—morphed—into a broadsword.

Its broad blade, wide enough to shield half her body, easily blocked my golden rod while doubling as protection.

But it was too early to give up.

I still had Silent Fang in my left hand.

Clang!

"I surrender. I’ve lost," I said, raising both hands in defeat.

Alice frowned, clearly unimpressed.

"Giving up already? Show a little more backbone."

She looked genuinely disappointed.

But switching from a rapier to a broadsword mid-spar, then parrying my dagger like that? That was cheating, plain and simple.

For someone like me, who relies on mobility and sudden strikes, fighting someone with her adaptability is a nightmare.

Without my artifacts—Echo Rod and Silent Fang—how could I possibly beat her?

Sure, I have other skills and abilities. But this is just a sparring match, not a life-or-death battle.

"Why get so worked up over a little loss?" I said with a shrug. "Save your strength for the real fights."

"You’re as annoying as ever," she muttered.

When I subtly brought up my win over her in the martial arts tournament, she gave me a bitter smile and sheathed her sword.

"Still, you made the most of your gear. I felt completely outmatched for a moment there."

Her swordsmanship—fluidly switching between broadsword and rapier—felt like a wall I couldn’t climb.

Maybe if we kept sparring, I’d eventually adjust. But right now, I could barely dodge her strikes.

"Pity," she said, brushing back her hair. "There are still some tricks I haven’t shown you yet."

"Oh? Sounds like you’ve got more up your sleeve."

Of course she did. A weapon like that wouldn’t be considered legendary if that was all it could do.

"Mind telling me what else it can do?" I asked.

She smiled, the kind of smile that made you feel like prey.

"If you’re that curious, why don’t you make me show you?"

The message was clear.

If I pushed her hard enough in a fight... she’d show me the rest.

But no thanks.

The day is just started and I have other duties to attend as her attendant.

For example.... Feeding to that lion pup.

That Little thing is growing too fast for my comfert.

I mean, he eats a lot’s and still don’t do anything.

What wonderful life....I wish I had transmigrated as lion pup instead of Julies Evans.

At least then, I don’t have to do any work.

... Right?

Clap—! Clap—!

While I was in middle of thought, someone clapped their hands.

"Wonderful! It was really great sparring match."

Turning my head towards source of voice, I found Amelia Frost, Alice childhood friend.

...Now what she’s doing here?