Chapter 19. I Can Teach You

The next day was a Friday.

Behind S Academy was a courtyard. It was afternoon, and all of the students were eating their lunch in the cafeteria. However, the sound of metallic sparks had roared consecutively, making a sharp contrast amidst the surrounding student's laughs. There were clean and precise impacts.

These were the noises of someone sparring with a sword.

"Are you done yet?" An impatient yawn groaned amidst the sword's clamouring.

"Give me ten more minutes." A grunt came.

A young teenage boy was swinging his sword. His entire forearm had a bunch of sweat coated onto it, making him appear as if he was doused in a bucketload of peanut oil.

"Ten more?" The impatient young boy was frowning. "Gilg, you should really rest."

"You don't want me to rest, but rather you want to rest yourself, am I right?" Gilg, the teenage boy continued swinging his sword. "Tetra, as long as I continue swinging my sword, you're not allowed to rest!"

Tetra, the impatient teenage boy, had frowned upon that idea even more.

"Are you serious?" He whined. "I know that it is almost the swordsmanship tournament, but you don't need to go this far to prepare for it, right?"

Gilg glanced at him with one eye.

In a low whisper, he spoke, "You know what's going to happen there."

Tetra paused. Suddenly, his expression went dark, "You too know what's going to happen there, right," A smile arose from his face. "Member of M?"

*****

When school ended on Friday, the cheer of several students of nobility had rung in the atmosphere. They were all running back to their mansions, ready to celebrate a feast with their families.

Meanwhile, Daphnne was disheartened.

Thinking of the rickety inn she has to live in... and the pungent smell of alcohol lingering in the dark corners... she couldn't help but shiver. However, remembering that Azalea, her childhood friend was also living next door... yeah, that thought comforted her.

"Where are you heading?" A familiar voice rung out behind her.

Daphnne met the curious eyes of Lucilline Rubius. Behind him was Percival, who stayed next to him after school.

"Back home." She smiled.

"Home?" Lucilline's eyebrows furrowed. He remembered the inn that Azalea and Daphnne lived in. It looked like the place might collapse any time soon.

"You can't call that a home!" He huffed. "Come here. I'll give you and Azalea a sum of money. Use it wisely to go rent a proper home nearby school."

Daphnne was stunned. "But-"

"There are no buts!" Lucilline retorted. "I don't care."

He fished out a bag of silver coins, dumping it into Daphnne's hands. "Take it. There are no take-backs, and you're absolutely not allowed to give it back!"

Daphnne had no idea what to do.

The bag of money in her hands felt strangely hot. "You take it!" She threw the bag of money into Azalea's hands, surprising the latter.

"Me?" Azalea was stunned.

"Mhm." Daphnne nodded.

On the sidelines, Lucilline watched the two of them toss the bag of money around to each other. Why do neither of them want to hold the money?

"Young Master." Willow and Augustine were standing next to him, picking him up from school. "Are you sure you still want to associate with... them?" Willow's question had a deeper meaning. She meant, Are you still willing to be friends with them, even after knowing that they're fated to kill you in the future?

"Of course." Lucilline smiled.

His unblemished face was pale, and hints of his black eye circles were visible. However, the joy in his golden eyes managed to conceal the fatigue shown on his face.

Willow was reassured. "Then I suppose I don't have to worry."

In the end, Azalea was forced to stuff the bag of money in his school bag.

They walked past many shops. Lucilline was tempted to purchase a few jewelry, but after meeting the curious gazes of his two friends, the great villain resisted his temptation and continued running along. Having rejected many jewelry shops already, Lucilline began to sulk.

"Does Lucilline like jewelry that much?" Daphnne was puzzled.

She was a girl, but even she didn't have such a strong temptation to jewelry as Lucilline.

"Huh?" Lucilline snapped out of it. "I don't like jewelry." He laughed. His mouth curved upwards in a gentle arc. Even though Lucilline appeared happy, he didn't look like he was with them—in fact, he looked like as if he was living in another moment.

"It's my father who likes jewelry." Lucilline answered.

Daphnne was surprised. "I didn't think that adult men would like jewelry."

Lucilline paused. He hesitated, then pursed his lips. "Same."

As they continued walking, Azalea stopped. He stood rooted on the spot.

"What are you looking at, Az?" Daphnne was confused. Percival also turned back to look.

It turned out that on the streets were two little boys. They both held sticks in their hands, then swung at each other. Their sticks clashed against one another, but the excitement in the two little boys' eyes had grown stronger.

"Oh? You want to practice swordsmanship too?" Lucilline understood.

Azalea's hair was like a nest of white feathers, fluffy and harmless. He quickly nodded, with a tint of excitement visible in his amethyst purple eyes.

"Then, shall we get someone to train with you?" Lucilline smiled.

Azalea tilted his head. Huh?

The next thing he knows, Azalea found himself holding onto a wooden sword. He was inside a gymnasium, with the smell of sandalwood permeating all around. In front of him was Willow, who also held onto a wooden sword. They pointed their wooden swords at each other. The atmosphere was stagnant, as if someone froze it still.

"Um," Azalea was the first to speak up, "Lucilline, are you sure you want me to do this?"

In contrast, Lucilline was puzzled at the male lead's puzzlement. "This gymnasium is under my father—Duke Rubius' rent, therefore, we are not stealing or intruding on another person's property. Additionally, these wooden swords are quite sturdy, so they are a good material to train with. Is there any problem?"

Azalea, "..." Only the most important problem was left unsaid!

He asked, "Why are you letting me train against your maidservant? Are you sure that this is a good idea..."

"That's because you haven't seen her capabilities." Lucilline fumed.

Lucilline didn't let the male lead talk anymore. "Willow, go easy on him!"

He and the rest of the group sat back, and watched the two white-haired citizens duke it out. Daphnne was a bit puzzled. "Is Willow that strong?"

"Mn." Augustine answered. He couldn't forget the strength of the frail little maidservant.

Percival was puzzled, but didn't ask.

They turned their attention back to the training.

Willow and Azalea stood there, rooted on the spot. Neither of them made the first move. Their hair were both the same shade of lily white, as if snow had drizzled down upon them. Willow's sleeves were rolled upwards, and she'd long abandoned her heels. Meanwhile, Azalea had untied his sweater, with only a shirt covering his top.

The two stared at one another.

"Who do you think will win?" Lucilline was bored, and asked the heroine.

Daphnne had no idea. "I believe that Az is strong, but since Willow is your underling... she must have some trump card hidden under her sleeves! I... really can't pick!"

"Oh," Suddenly, Daphnne came back to herself. "They've started...!"

It was Azalea who made the first step. His slender yet masculine figure had dashed across the gymnasium, and arrived before Willow in merely seconds.

Clash! The two wooden swords crashed upon each other.

Willow defended herself from the attack, while wearing an indifferent expression. Her legs strengthened, and she pushed herself forwards, throwing Azalea's wooden sword off from her own.

Azalea stepped back, positioning himself for another attack-

Willow had long since advanced.

Her small figure was nimble and agile, as she swung her sword. The wooden sword slashed in several angles, all aiming for Azalea's critical areas.

Azalea gritted his teeth. He knew not to underestimate this maidservant now-

He blocked all of Willow's advances, but his wrist began to shake.

"Willow is so strong!" Daphnne squealed on the sidelines. She watched the maidservant uphold domineering strength. Willow looked as if she was merely toying around with Azalea, but was already on the verge of pulverizing the teenage boy.

The more Daphnne watched, the more she admired the white-haired lady.

At that point, her iris blue eyes were already shining with adoration.

Azalea defended himself from Willow's continuous attacks. His wrists shook from the maidservant's brutal strength, and he couldn't even counterattack!

Gritting his teeth, Azalea held his breath. In that keen sense of moment, he quickly darted out a kick. His right leg swung at Willow's hands, knocking her wooden sword out of her hands! Willow was stunned, having underestimated the male lead's power.

Her wooden sword was kicked, spinning in midair.

If she wanted to, she could directly leap upwards, grab onto her weapon, then plunge straight downwards—dealing a lot of damage to her opponent.

But...

Willow caught the ambition revealed in her opponent's amethyst purple eyes. It reminded her of a scene in the fragrant spring, when everything had been alright—when the flowers smelled of gentle sunlight and not of her parents' blood, and when in the afternoon, she would call her younger brother over to eat honey dew underneath the warm abode of theirs—which only ashes were left of.

"You win." Azalea stopped in his tracks, not believing the words that the maidservant had blurted out.

Willow was indifferent. "You win." She repeated.

Her wooden sword had fallen, and dropped onto the wooden gymnasium floor with a soft clang.

"I didn't think you would limit yourself this far, Willow." Lucilline in the back had applauded for the good show. "I think that you can help Azalea improve to greater heights."

Willow didn't say anything. She just bowed her head.

Meanwhile, Azalea bowed respectfully. "You are really strong; as befitting of Lucilline's underling. I think that I have learned a lot of things from this one battle."

All of a sudden, Willow sneered. "You? Learned?"

Her face was cold and indifferent. "To me, it seems like you haven't learned enough. Let's fight again."

The entire afternoon, Lucilline, Augustine, Daphnne, and Percival had watched the two white-haired citizens train with their swords. By the time they finished, beads of sweat had coated the wooden gymnasium floor.

Azalea panted.

He was ready to drop to the ground.

"Willow is such a good training coach!" Daphnne squealed in delight. She enjoyed watching the exhilaration of the battle.

"Yes, she is." Percival agreed. He was a nobleman, and had many training coaches himself. But neither of them could compare to the experience Willow had to offer.

"Willow trained me herself." Lucilline informed. "I think anyone undergoing her training can become strong."

Daphnne slowly fell silent.

Her blue iris eyes were fixated on the white-haired maidservant. A bubbly feeling seemed to be covering her heart, and her chest felt heavy. Daphnne still remembered how her wrist was grabbed by those bullies back in the alleyway, and how her childhood friend protected her...

But... for once, she also wanted to become stronger.

"I can teach you." All of a sudden, as if an angel was granting her wishes, Willow smiled over at her.

Huh? "Did I say that out loud?" Daphnne blurted. Her cheeks were flushed in sweet cherry blush.

"Mhm." Willow nodded.

The two girls stared at one another for a long time. In the back, Azalea was puzzled at the stare-down.

"Are you going to take up on Willow's offer?" Lucilline probed the heroine. "Not everyone can get a good teacher like her."

Daphnne blushed even more.

The more she looked at the maidservant, the hotter her cheeks felt.

"I want to learn from Willow!"

*****

Lucilline, Willow, and Augustine had left back to Duke Rubius' manor. They planned for a session of training every day after school with Willow. Azalea and Daphnne agreed. Meanwhile, Percival was roped in their planning.

The sun was setting.

Lucilline and his two servants arrived at the front gates of Duke Rubius' manor.

Willow had bowed her head. It took a long time before she spoke, "I am ashamed."

Lucilline: ??? You're ashamed, even though nothing happened?

Even Augustine had gawked at the maidservant. "...what are you ashamed of?"

Willow lifted her head. Her once indifferent expression seemed to be drowned in undignified sorrow, with rushing waters spewing out from the dam. "I have a younger brother—he is three years younger than me. He's gone missing when he was five. I've always been trying to find him..."

"I am ashamed that I didn't recognize him until now."

She bit her lips. "And I am even more ashamed that he did not recognize me."

Author's Note: ( '﹀' ) Who could possibly be Willow's younger brother? Are there any guesses? Feel free to add a comment. It's so lonely here.