Chapter 499: Farewell

「Shall we do it now then?」

「Nn!」

Fran and Amanda face each other with a sharp gaze in front of the pedestal. It’s been just a few minutes since we met again for a long time, but they’re really going to do a mock battle right now huh…

Fran is ready to go and holds up the magic sword made of phantasm pyroxene that she had been using for a while. Amanda’s whip was a terrifying whip with the scary name of 『Demon’s Torment』. It was not the Divine Dragon’s Beard Magic Whip, which was broken in the martial arts tournament. It was her spare whip that was used in the finals.

Name: Demon’s Torment

ATK: 721

MP: 616

Durability: 720

Mana Conductivity: B-

Skill: Stretch, Pain-stacking, Paralysis

Name: Divine Dragon’s Beard Magic Whip

ATK: 1030

MP: 1800

Durability: 1000

Mana Conductivity: A

Skill: Stretch, Weight Manipulation

It’s weaker than the Divine Dragon’s Beard Magic Whip, but it’s still pretty strong. The pain-stacking skill is also a nasty ability.

「Let me give my newly acquired whip a test, okay?」

「Nn, bring it on!」

「Fufu, then, here I come!」

At that moment, the battle began. It may look so sudden for outsiders, but it’s not for the two of them. It’s started when they held their weapons.

「Shaa!」

「Muh!」

「Haaa!」

「Nnhh!」

While dodging Amanda’s whip, Fran slashed at her. After a few minutes of this kind of repeated attack and defense, Amanda smiled in admiration.

「You’ve changed your stance, huh?」

「Nn!」

「I see, I see. You’re aware of the use of sword techniques now, huh?」

Amanda saw through at her easily. While looking at her, I realized that Amanda’s stance was naturally woven into her whip technique.

「Shii! Haa!」

In between the dancing whip attacks. The whip dives into the ground, it strikes Fran like a spear from the ground and turns into a horizontal attack.

She must have made good use of the 『Madness Water Lilies』 whip technique to attack her opponent from below, incorporating vertical attack with its horizontal movements. This not only disrupted Fran’s evasive timing but also forced her to constantly pay attention to the ground below her.

Other than that, Amanda’s whip technique was also amazing.

The whip, which was once flicked by the sword, attacked Fran again with an impossible movement and blocked her pursuit. The whip moved and took her by surprise even when Amanda didn’t move her arm at all, showing once again the usefulness of martial techniques.

『So that’s her aim huh…』

In the end, Fran was pushed aside by the storm of whip attack and her sword was flicked away. Amanda was so strong after all.

「Muh…」

「Well, don’t lose your spirits yet okay? If we continue to use this approach, you’ll be able to become quite strong. And it seems that your martial arts skill itself has already surpassed mine」

「Nn!」

「Besides, it would definitely be in Fran’s best interest to fight without Master’s support. And I’m not just talking about your attack power and magic control, if you can’t consult him in battle, you’ll have to think for yourself, right?」

「…Understood」

Fran looks frustrated, but she nods her head in agreement with Amanda’s advice. This honesty is what supports Fran’s growth potential.

Although she never loses her stubborn side, she was surprisingly straightforward when it came to asking for lessons in combat and the like.

「Then, shall we go on the next one?」

「Nn!」

Well, there’s no way she’ll be satisfied with just one round huh.

After that, the mock battle between Fran and Amanda continued until the sun began to set.

「Uwaah, that’s was one of the best mock battles I’ve had in a while!」

「Nn…」

Fran didn’t even win once in the end. Even though she hadn’t changed her stance and was mainly using sword techniques, she looked terribly frustrated. Maybe she thought she could win at least once. But without me, the difference in strength was obvious. No, it wasn’t a difference in strength, but a difference in experience and skill handling.

Nevertheless, in the second half of the mock battle, she was able to react to Amanda’s whip, and I think she will be able to compete well with her as her training progresses.

「Well, I’m going back to Alessa for now. I’ll come back here in four days」

「Understood」

「Fran-chan. Won’t you miss me when I’m gone?」

「I’ll be fine」

「R-really?」

「Nn」

「Really, really?」

「There wouldn’t be a problem at all」

「Really――?」

Amanda, just go back already!

***

At dinner time.

Fran and Urushi were biting into a huge piece of meat. Fufu, even Fran won’t eat curry every day. Well, she had curry for breakfast and lunch today though.

This meat is from a stray fang boar that had wandered it, and I made a whole roast of it

「Munch munch…This will be delicious like this」

「Grff grff! Woof!」

Fran holds the manga meat in her hands and chewing on it, while Urushi chews the meat off the bone, and he’s happy to bite into the thick bones. They seemed to be more pleased with the chewiness than the taste.

「Well then, I’d better go to sleep」

「Nn…」

「Woof…」

I’ve already explained to Fran and Urushi that Fenrir needs to sleep. But they are sad to be told again by him. Unlike Amanda, she doesn’t know if she’ll see him again.

「Don’t make a face like that. I’ll just sleep in Master. Both of you, good luck with your training」

「Thank you very much」

「Nn」

Fran and Urushi straightened their body and bowed their heads. It’s a completely different attitude than the one they have towards Amanda, but I guess they feel she’s like their good friend or sister, while he’s their favorite teacher even if he only taught them for a while.

「What was that, Master and I are the same. As Master’s partner, Fran is not a stranger to me either」

「But you’ve taught me a lot」

「Woof」

「Besides, I need Fran to do her best to help me regain my power」

「Nn! Just leave it to me!」

Fenrir smiled gently at Fran’s firm words.

「Yeah, I’ll count on you. See ya」

「Nn, see ya」

Then, Fenrir puts his hand on Fran and Urushi’s head. As an illusion, he couldn’t touch them directly, but they still look happy. After a few moments of watching at Fran and Urushi’s expressions, he smiled lightly and disappeared without a trace.

I can feel Fenrir falling asleep inside me.

『He fell asleep, huh? Well, we’ll meet him again someday』

「Nn! I’ll do my best!」

「Woof!」