In the training field, I faced Celsia with a weapon in hand.
Why did we end up like this?
As I made my way to the training field, she suddenly said to me, ‘Prepare your sword. You are going to fight me.’ She should have at least given me some explanation.
Even though she is the main heroine, she is being too authoritarian.
“Why do I have to fight you? Tell me the reason.”
“The reason is to dispel the doubts I have. The other reason, I will tell you after this battle ends. I am serious. Don’t let your guard down.”
Ah, I understand now.
She wants to clarify the doubts she had in the last battle with Ash. She wants to know if I am pretending or if I am truly just an ordinary student.
For her, being strong is her raison d’être as the daughter of a noble family. I can understand her desire to appear strong, but I don’t understand why she would want to show weakness.
She is sincere. Once something worries her, she will continue with the uncertainty until she is satisfied. It is better to confront directly instead of continuing to worry.
“Very well, but this will be the first and last time we face each other.”
“Thank you. Then, here I go.”
The battle began with Celsia taking the first step. I blocked her charge with my sword and immediately distanced myself.
“It seems you have good vision.”
“Seeing and moving are entirely different things.”
The speed increased and she launched a stronger blow than before.
I received her blow with the sword, changing the direction of the force to deflect the impact.
“Ahh!”
Celsia fell flat on her face.
And that made me even more nervous.
I can’t believe she didn’t flinch in response to that.
“Oh, you surprised me. Your move was so skillful that I couldn’t react.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m not hurt.”
When she got up, she seemed embarrassed in some way.
Even if she nullifies the damage with a magical artifact, she must have felt pain.
“By the way, what was that?”
“That’s my only skill. I’m not good at attacking, but I’m better than most at deflecting attacks.”
“So you were able to block Ash’s Break Arts by pure chance?”
“I could only react by pure chance; in the end, I was overpowered in strength. I felt embarrassed, so I hid it.”
Yes, I think this will be enough to deflect suspicion.
There, I barely managed to defend myself, but it was futile. At least, that’s how I made it appear.
She suspects I am hiding something. So, why not reveal a secret to her? Of course, everything I would say would be a lie.
“First of all, a simple student shouldn’t be able to deflect a Break Art so easily. How is that possible if you don’t have a great hidden talent?”
“There are people who can. I know someone like that.”
“Hmm, I see. Well, my doubts are starting to dissipate. Shall we continue then?”
“Of course.”
Once again, the swords clashed. Every collision sparked and metallic sounds echoed.
As we had established some trust, her movements were more agile and smoother than before.
I deduced that she was paying enough attention to deflect the attacks since her movements were more subtle and quick, without major strikes, focusing on smaller actions.
Although there is something I don’t understand. If her doubts have dissipated, there doesn’t seem to be a need to continue fighting. Could there be another reason?
I decided to stop defending and began to counterattack.
“An Counterattack?!”
I struck her sword forcefully.
She, who had been receiving my blows gently, was visibly disturbed by my sudden strength.
Then, she switched from attacking to defending and retreated. It seems her doubts have not completely dissipated.
Quickly, her face turned pale, and she drastically reduced her attacks. She even overreacted to small feints and kept longer distances.
“Ah!”
The sacred sword fell from her hand, crashing to the ground.
This is something that would have been unthinkable for her a moment ago. Dropping her weapon because she felt overwhelmed.
“Ah, I, still…”
Her hand was trembling.
It was clear she was not in her usual state.
What was emerging inside her was fear. She was afraid of the opponent she was facing.
“It’s the first time you feel it, isn’t it? The fear of fighting.”
“Why now?!”
“I suppose you are not used to fighting someone who surpasses you in strength. You don’t know how to defend yourself.”
She sighed as if resigning herself.
“I guess. You see, the reason I asked you for this. It’s because I don’t have friends I can speak openly with. I don’t have anyone who is an equal that I can talk to without worries. That’s why I decided to turn to you, Will-kun, for advice. But my problem is difficult to explain in words. I’m afraid they’ll laugh at me if I say I’m afraid to fight. So, I wanted him to see it for himself first.”
“I wouldn’t laugh. It would have been better if you had told me from the beginning.”
“I’m sorry.”
I knew her problem well.
Celsia Rains was exceptionally talented in everything she did. Furthermore, she had been loved and pampered by her parents since childhood. She didn’t know failure. She didn’t know defeat. She had come this far without knowing pain.
And facing other students at this academy was enough to sow fear within her.
No one in the Rains family would seriously attack the young lady. Much less would they strike a charming, obedient, and smart girl.
A sensible adult wouldn’t do such a thing. Celsia’s training focused on how to defeat opponents beautifully and efficiently, without defeating them unpleasantly or seeking a dirty turn of fate.
Fear dulled Celsia’s senses. Her thoughts and emotions.
And so, she gave up the fight.
“Wouldn’t it be better to consult Theodore instead of me?”
“…Theodore? Why do you mention his name?”
“I don’t know.”
“Will-kun, you are truly interesting.”
The truth is, I just changed the course of things. Celsia was supposed to turn to Theo to resolve her fears and concerns, but instead, she came to me.
What should I do?
It’s no longer about solving a simple problem; my actions could only create distance between Theo and Celsia. I would prefer them to be together, as they were my favorite couple in the game.
But here’s the issue: if I let it go, the problem might not be resolved, and the situation could become irreversible. She’s an important companion who supports the protagonist simultaneously with the main heroine. Even considering the event of death, I don’t want her to retire in any way.
“I know a way to eliminate fear.”
“Really?!”
“In exchange for teaching you, promise me you won’t run away, no matter what.”
“I promise. Please tell me how to do it.”
It’s settled.
I’m going to impart the method Theo used in the game, but this time in my own style.
I will not only help her overcome her fear, but I will make her stronger than she is now.
***
“Take this.”
“Huh?”
I hand her a knife.
Right in front of us, a five-meter tall Red Flaming Bear growls.
She, with a ponytail hairstyle and dressed in a gym uniform, has her eyes wide open.
“I’ll take care of your Sacred Sword. You can only use lower-level magic as well. From now on, you’ll have to face that guy with just the knife and water balls. If you lose, you’ll be seriously injured, or worse, you could die. If you don’t want to be food for this animal, fight it and defeat it!”
“Just with this?! Will, this isn’t right!”
“Call me master! And the answer is; Yes, sir!”
“Yes, sir…?”
Fear is replaced by the fighting spirit.
The true fighting spirit doesn’t emerge in a lukewarm battle. It’s forged at the boundary between life and death.
She has to fight, feel every breath, value life; I know she can do it.
“Grrruaaaahhh!”
“Aaaahhh!”
And so, Celsia began the battle to overcome her fear.
