Chapter 10

~ Chapter 10 ~

After working up early in the morning, Psychke was already prepared to go out.

She wore a neat grey shirt with ankle-length pants.

She tied up her silver hair which reach up to her waist. She didn’t wear her wrists guards* this time around when she always wore them always.

(TN: Wrists guards are used to protect the wrists against injury into a fall onto an outstretched hand. -from Google)

Because today was not practice day, but a real sparring match.

‘How long has it been?’

It has been a year since she put a sword against a neck of a real person.

Yzhar called me out to practice my swordsmanship.

Despite that it would a good thing for her, it only means that she have to defeat all of her opponent all day long.

‘It was hard.’

Sparring was not the thing that’s hard.

In order to beat Yzhar.

It was difficult to control her hand which always ended up in his vital point that would result to his death.

In addition, he acted like my skills were lower than him.

But Yzhar, who has a good eye, seemed to have noticed that she was better than him.

After they sparred and learned that she was better, he asked Lenox or Knights as his opponent for his swordsmanship.

When people asked him why he seemed to stop doing it with his sister, he came up with excuses such of he couldn’t raise his sword against his fragile sister’s body.

People who listened to him disdained her.

Those who did not know the behind of his excuse, thought that the foolish princess’ sword skills were too low to be used as his practice opponent.

‘I don’t live like that anymore.’

I will never hide my skills just for their sake.

She was ready to go out after putting pins in her baby hairs so that it won’t fall down. Psychke picked up the teacup which originally Yzhar’s that Melissa left behind.

Then, I was about to throw it away in a vase.

“…?”

She paused as she was about to do it. Until a few days ago, the freesia in her vase was still new and fresh, but for some reason, it became dried and twisted. The color of it turned to brownish as if it had been poured poison.

Was it just her, or the color of the flower was actually the same as the tea?

I slightly touched its dried flowers with a finger.

And as expected, it became powder and crumbled into pieces. This means that it did not wither naturally over time.

Psychke’s face which was alternately looking down at the powdered flowers and teacups, turned pale.

***

The Hall was no less noisy than usual.

“No matter how much we don’t know, it turned out to be like that. How can you say that words?”

“I know ignorance is not a sin, but that’s a bit…“

“I don’t think that way.”

Perhaps they came to see the sparring match, and the soldiers were dressed lightly gathered in twos and threes.

Noticing all of their stingy eyes and their occasional conversations, they seemed to be cursing her.

Psychke ignored all of them and grabbed a wooden sword.

I can guess why they reacted like that.

‘Lenox must have twisted what I said at the café.‘

In fact, the soldiers were not a bit interested in Psychke.

They shared the same Hall, but that’s all. Not anyone from the soldier approached the solitary princess who was not well-received by the public.

The only thing new for her was the soldier who was practicing alone and stared at her.

So she thought maybe there was no one who wants to fight with her.

The Princess asked for a sparring, but if someone hurt her, it could mean death to him.

But with this atmosphere, they’ll fight each other, as if silencing the Arrogant Princess’ nose.

It wasn’t bad.

I’m used to being cursed at.

“I’m sure everyone heard about it.“

When did he come? As usual, Yzhar who was dressed in neat uniforms, spoke.

The Hall quickly became quiet.

The fine morning sun which melted into his short silver hair was dazzling. Psychke looked at her Older Foster Brother with a frown.

Not feeling the gaze, Yzhar looked through the angry soldiers with insensitive eyes.

Maybe it was because I’m doing something that isn’t my real intention. There was no light in her eyes.

“Psychke says he wants to fight one of you.“

As soon as a finished speaking, a soldier raised his hand.

“The princess might get hurt, right?“

They weren’t worried about her getting hurt, rather it was about the punishment they would receive.

In this case, it’s usually ‘How dare you fight the Princess?!’ or ‘It’s ridiculous, It would have been common for the Duke to let the Princess return to her room.’

He felt the will of the soldiers. Lenox seemed to get mad at the soldier’s words, and put weight to the sword he was holding.

“Psychke is not a princess. She’s being punished.”

The eyes of the surprised soldiers were noticeable. She heard a lot of murmur everywhere.

Psychke looked down at the wooden sword with her calm face.

She made up her mind to leave the family that treated her unfairly. She felt like it was meaningless to do her best in the past when her family didn’t have the slightest desire to recognize her.

It felt like someone was digging her chest with an awl. To control her emotion, she gave all her strength to the wooden sword.

The wooden sword trembled upon her strength.

“Thus no one will be responsible if she gets hurt.”

The man who had brought the Lord into the Hall finished his answer leisurely.

In the meantime, if anyone wants to fight, he instructed them to step forward.

However, the soldiers, who had been grumbling and complaining until Yzhar appeared, hesitated and did not step forward.

It was quite shocking that it happened, and finally, a man stepped forward.

“I ask for a sparring with Psychke.“

A serious voice fell into her ears. Psychke knew the face of who just spoke.

The thin breeze swept through his brilliant golden hair. Bright red eyes which resembled fireworks intertwined inside his eyes.

‘That person is…’

Aiden… his name was similar from that one.

Only the name came to her mind vaguely, but I couldn’t remember his last name.

The reason Psychke, who was not interested in soldiers, knew his name, was because he was one of the few aristocrats.

I heard that he got along well with other soldiers when he was from aristocrat and they’re commoners without any trouble.

His swordsmanship skills were also outstanding, but no one know why he applied as a private soldier instead of being an Imperial Knights Templar.

He was also popular with maids because of his refined features and handsome face.

‘As far as I know, it hasn’t been long since he came to Silkisia.’

Psychke stood facing Aiden, reflecting on the rumors.

“I look forward to your kind cooperation.”

“I look forward to your kind cooperation too.”

I thought he’d underestimate me. He looked serious as if dealing with his colleague.

“Psychke, you can step out first.“

Originally, I was going to finish him all at once. But I didn’t want to fight him with my sword because he was someone who ignored me.

However, I changed my mind when I saw Aiden treating me as someone arrogant.

“Of course.”

There was a dust. Psychke, who attacked first for consideration for the weak, flew away.

The moment Aiden, who was quite surprised by her fast movement than expected, prepared to defend himself.

Ddak–, with a loud sound, two wooden swords collided.

A small groan came out of Aiden’s mouth.

“Ugh.”

He was embarrassed by her power, but it didn’t last long.

His opponent, who did not fit her age considering her skills, pushed him away with a strength unbefitting of her thin body.

Psyche swung her sword at an angle, letting her attacks flow. Because she won’t use her mana.

‘If it’s a simple power fight, I’m at a disadvantage.‘

She slipped slightly to the side and approached him using her small body. Her silver hair tied together moved quickly along her trajectory.

She floated for a while in the air and then landed on the ground swiftly. His red eyes honey sharply.

It was a sharp attack from her, but he skillfully avoided her and did not relax. In the meantime, he tried to take the lead in attacking by tying the tip of their swords.

However, Psychke immediately pulled out her sword and launched her next attack.

That was how their sparring went back and forth.

“Why is he being like this when their match is going to be over soon?”

“…Wait. Look over there.”

It wasn’t long before those who had criticized Aiden shut their mouths. All of them were enthralled, they observed a rivalry between talented people, which was not often seen.

“What did he do just now?”

Some people who were eager to imitate what they had seen can’t helped but to feel itchy.

“That kind of attack from that soldier…”

People witnessing such scene in front of them calculated the position of the two people stepping on the ground, or the distance from each other’s swords from the previous attacks they made and engraved it on their mind.

The Hall was quickly filled with the heat of the two people sparring.

Surprise, excitement, and shouting—

Although each had a different feeling. Everyone’s faces were bright.

Even Psychke and Aiden, who were fighting, smiled at each other.

There was only one person who was not surprised or happy.

It was only Yzhar.

‘Why?’

What in the world that child has that she started to walk out of the dark place to a sunny place?

I knew Psychke was better than me.

That’s why I was wary. He pushed her into the pit of sparring in hopes that it would make me reach up a bright place, however it only caused despair, dropping my hope.

However, he kept his glimmer of hope so that he would not give up everything, and kept her in a desperate state.

The larger the shadow, the greater the light. Psychke had to be his shadow. She shouldn’t be superior than him.

Now it was only a small trouble, but I couldn’t erase the feeling that it was just the beginning.

Yzhar clenched his fist. My neatly arranged nails left a half-moon-like wound on my palm, but I didn’t even know it hurt. He stared at the two and thought fiercely.

And when he was unable to get out of his dark emotions.

Ta-ang!

With a cheerful sound, a wooden sword that lost its owner drew a long parabola in the air.