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"Better candidates?"
Allen smiled and nodded, looking at Reida. The latter was silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, but ultimately found nothing.
"Who?"
Allen replied.
"My younger sister, Eris Boreas Greyrat."
Reida frowned.
"Eris Boreas Greyrat was sent to the royal capital's noble academy to study, but was soon expelled for causing trouble. Knowing of your return to the Fittoa territory, I made some inquiries. Your sister, she was still expelled from the local noble school after returning, and later studied Sword God Style under Ghislaine."
"Allen, do you think that's appropriate?"
"What's inappropriate about it?"
"An Intermediate Swordsman?"
"Since I went to Boreas, she is naturally already an Advanced Swordsman."
"She's Sword God Style."
"I am also Sword God Style."
"You are not Sword God Style by birth."
"But she can be Water God Style."
Reida silently looked at Allen. Allen smiled back at her.
After a slight pause, he continued.
"Garl Farian, the Sword God, one of the Six Great Powers, doesn't acknowledge the concept of master's full transmission. Ghislaine's disciples are no different from stray dogs to him. Eris can naturally become a disciple of our Water God Style Dojo."
[Persuasion] ended.
The two looked at each other for a long time, not saying a word.
After a long silence, Reida's expression clearly softened. She asked the final two questions.
"Voiceless Sword of Light?"
Allen raised his hand, forming a blade with his palm.
"Already mastered."
The moment his words fell! A fierce wind rose! Clothes flapped wildly!
Only a noisy instant.
Then the wind subsided.
Because the palm-blade was already hovering steadily an inch above the tabletop.
His sleeve, pulled up by inertia, fell back to his wrist. Strands of hair, blown up from his forehead, slowly settled back above his brows.
Allen retracted his palm-blade.
"I taught her personally. Eighty percent of the true essence. She's extremely talented in Sword God Style."
The air around Reida, however, was undisturbed by the wind from Allen's 'blade.' The wind was suppressed by Flow Ougi around her.
"Advanced swordsmen of the Sword Sanctuary all know this technique. We, as Water God Style, will find it inconvenient to use. If we rely on the Voiceless Sword of Light, using Sword God Style to defeat Sword God Style, the ownership of the Sword Sanctuary should still belong to Sword God Style. This is not convincing at all."
After Reida spoke, Allen's expression became even more relaxed. He propped himself up on his knees and stood, then turned sideways, making an inviting gesture.
"But that's precisely why, in this place called the Sword Sanctuary..."
"My sister, Eris Boreas Greyrat."
"Is unrivaled."
"Since you're not at ease, it's perfect; I've brought her. Why don't we go see?"
Reida nodded at his words, pushing herself up from her knees.
"Alright."
Allen stepped forward and pushed open the door, waiting for Reida to go out first, then followed.
But just as he stepped out, he froze.
Outside the door, through the dense foliage, the spot where Eris and the others had been standing was empty.
And the door to the junior dojo was open. Inside, Fols poked his head out, looking furtively at the advanced dojo opposite. Then, the moment Allen looked his way, out of a student's natural alertness to a teacher's gaze, and having also caught the sound of Allen opening the door, he quickly turned his head. Seeing that it was Allen and Reida emerging from the Direct Instruction Dojo, his expression turned to horror, and he immediately shrank back inside.
Meanwhile, a sound of fierce wooden sword clashes came from the 'small dojo' on the right.
"Bang!"
In Allen's perception, he even heard faint sounds of wood tearing.
His face stiffened.
What had happened after he entered the Direct Instruction Dojo, he could now figure out even without thinking.
Damn it, that wild Eris actually went and raided the dojo.
Sylphy and Rudy couldn't stop her, but couldn't Isolte stop her?
Thinking of this, Allen's eye twitched wildly. The image of Isolte 'appeasing' his sister-in-law with doting affection at the dojo entrance flashed through his mind.
She would only indulge Eris; she clearly loved Eris so much that she overlooked her faults.
Allen's face grew even uglier. He had just confidently guaranteed to Reida that everything was reliable, and before his words had even landed, this unreliable scene was thrown in his face.
"This is an un..."
"You must be laughing at me."
Reida merely glanced at the large and small dojos, then stepped down the stairs.
"These two years you were gone, Isolte's nature was very polite, so the 'main' dojo lost some discipline. After Isolte left the royal capital to find you, Dantolis himself lacked strength and authority."
Allen blinked, looking eagerly at Reida's back.
The latter walked down the stairs. Seeing Allen hadn't followed, she glanced sideways at his figure standing on the steps.
"No need to blame yourself. I'm not scolding you. Leaving the royal capital was your choice. Not informing me was fine; this old woman isn't so petty. Otherwise, I wouldn't have granted you the Water Saint rank and sent you word."
Allen cleared his throat, walked down the stairs, and silently followed behind Reida.
Feeling a little embarrassed.
To be honest, Allen was incredibly lucky to have Reida as his master. In the royal capital's cesspool, sitting at the pinnacle of the Water God Style, wielding the privileges granted by the monarchy, anyone else would have acted wantonly.
But she hadn't.
When not wielding a sword, she was full of warmth. Although her verbal expressions always carried the tone of an old-school noble, with a cold, distant air. In her heart, black was black, white was white, and logic was logic; she never put on airs as a senior.
In terms of strength, unlike Allen's cunning approach, using the simplified, time-limited version of Deprivation Sword Realm, which he performed with Twenty-Strike and his limited Dragon Saint Battle Aura.
She wielded the complete version of Deprivation Sword Realm, and Allen even suspected that Reida could already unleash this devastating technique, virtually unrivaled below the Seven Great Powers, without needing the Golden Sword.
Even so, she didn't wield this sharp weapon with murderous intent.
In a way, she was the most suitable martial guide for Allen's personality among those with power below the Seven Great Powers.
Oh? You ask about North God II? No, North God II was fine, but the problem was Allen really didn't want to be a ninja darting up and down, flying everywhere.
As for Garl.
He had charisma.
But his mouth was truly foul.
If Allen had started in the Sword Sanctuary with low status and weak power, he probably wouldn't have lasted two days before drawing his blade and fighting that scoundrel to the death.
Unlike Reida.
He was currently immersed in his plan, completely forgetting about his unannounced departure. His master, however, had already found a way out for her disciple.
Footsteps echoed between the blue flagstones, a large and a small figure moving through the cypress trees.
Tree crows watched the master and disciple from above the trees.
"For this return to the royal capital, I trouble you, Master."
Allen cleared his throat and spoke.
"Hmm?"
"When I returned just now, I heard Dantolis say you had spread the word beforehand. It saved me a lot of trouble."
Thump, her footsteps paused. Reida seemed somewhat touched, then continued walking.
She was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"A dead man returning... It's too shocking, so this old woman found a suitable, less absurd reason."
Allen, still lost in thought, casually replied.
"What reason?"
"Eloping."
"Mm, elop..."
"...What the...?!!!"
Allen looked up in surprise at Reida. The latter placed her empty fist to her mouth and lightly coughed.
He didn't know if it was his imagination.
But she was walking even faster.
"They're gone."
Five minutes earlier, at the entrance of the junior dojo.
Everyone respectfully watched Lilfa and Sinos leave.
Sylphy patted her chest, looking at Isolte's chin, and said somewhat nervously.
"They're finally gone. Those... two are so intimidating, just like Allen... Thankfully, they didn't clash."
Isolte, meanwhile, watched the direction where the two Water Emperors had disappeared through the main gate.
"Martial Uncle Lilfa, Captain of the Dawn Knights' Order, Water God Style Emperor rank. Martial Uncle Sinos, the King's Royal Guard, Water God Style Emperor rank. Both are Grandmother's junior disciples. It seemed they had a bit of... a verbal skirmish with Senior Brother Allen just now, but thankfully nothing happened."
Rudy said in surprise.
"Then logically they're martial uncles, so why did it seem so tense?"
Isolte shook her head.
"Strictly speaking, they are no longer members of the Water God Style Dojo."
"I see..."
Dantolis also shifted his gaze from the Water God Style's main gate, but he didn't look at his sister. Instead, while everyone was watching the dojo's main gate, he subtly sized up Sylphy.
He turned and glanced at the empty door of the Direct Instruction Dojo, his tone steady and very polite.
"Allen is prudent in his actions, so no need to worry. While Allen is going to meet Grandmother, please come to the advanced dojo, and let me extend our hospitality."
Eris immediately twisted around and charged towards the junior dojo. She had no interest whatsoever in the petty squabbles of the royal capital.
The child just wanted to fight.
Isolte quickly took two steps to catch up with her sister-in-law, walking beside her.
Sylphy and Rudy followed closely behind.
Ariel and Derrick Redbat then greeted and thanked Dantolis. The three followed at the rear.
Soon, they reached the entrance of the junior dojo, accompanied by the sound of birdsong.
The door was slightly ajar.
Isolte saw Eris step forward, and quickly moved ahead of her.
She had pretty much figured out the little lioness's personality by now. If ignored, the child might very well kick the door open, and then, under the gaze of dozens of people inside, loudly declare with crossed arms.
"I've come to challenge the dojo! Who's first?"
That would certainly be entertaining.
Of course, others would be entertained, but she, who had been the chief disciple of the Water God Style Dojo last winter, would be the one being made fun of.
This wouldn't do.
Lost in thought, she reached out and placed her hand on the doorknob, about to pull it open, but then she froze.
Words from inside, through the crack in the door, clearly reached them outside.
Isolte's perpetually gentle smile noticeably stiffened.
In an instant, the smile vanished.
She slowly turned to look at the others behind her.
Eris looked at her with raised eyebrows. Sylphy and Rudy stopped, listening to the words from inside, their expressions quite remarkable, their level of surprise and awkwardness no less than when they had returned to the Greyrat household in Buena Village after leaving Roa and overheard Paul's 'three-person world.'
However, this time, it was Rudy who was enjoying the show.
The awkwardness had shifted to Sylphy.
The white-haired girl swallowed, staring at Isolte's impassive face, and mumbled.
"They're... what are they saying...? Mess... messy things... having babies... it's too early..."
Isolte did not answer Sylphy.
She simply turned and silently opened the door.
Sunlight from outside cast a moving shadow on the wooden floor, streaming into the room.
Within sight.
Two men, seemingly about Isolte's age.
One with slicked-back hair, the other with ear-length noble-style long hair.
Were tugging at their sleeves, pulling at each other.
Their voices, neither loud nor soft, combined with their actions, made it very clear.
These two were acting.
It possessed the flamboyant lifestyle flair of Asuran nobles.
Currently, it was reaching its climax.
"Let go!"
"I won't let go! Allen Boreas Greyrat! Stay! I can't live without you! I'm already pregnant with your child! Stay in the Fittoa territory! Our child and I can't live without you!"
"Pregnant?"
The slicked-back haired man frowned tightly, his expression surprisingly bearing the 'arrogant' charm Allen had when he first arrived in Buena Village.
He swung his hand and slapped the long-haired man in front of him.
"Lies. I know my battle aura; when have I ever been unable to hit the target directly inside? Didn't you always have to hold it in your mouth in the end??"
"Wuwuwu..." The long-haired man whimpered twice, but then his face changed dramatically. He began frantically pulling at the slicked-back haired man before him, his feigned female voice losing its composure.
"Wait! Wait!!"
And behind him, a crowd of junior dojo colleagues, who had been watching the spectacle—the 'Dojo Beauty: She, He, and Her' drama—with wide, entertained eyes, reacted the same way. All of them gaped, then quickly turned away, some wiping their wooden swords, others touching their faces, still others coughing.
A few even clapped their hands, trying to warn the slicked-back haired man.
But unexpectedly, the slicked-back haired man grew even more excited, suffering a sudden flare-up of his artistic pretensions from watching the play.
With a toss of his head.
"I can't wait!"
He fiercely grabbed his colleague, who looked like he was about to die, and stared at his face with deep affection.
"Listen, there's a girl who grew up with me. Her grandmother is my master, and my master is her grandmother. We are senior and junior disciples. Everyone thought I would marry her, and she thought so too. We secretly pledged ourselves to each other, and became engaged."
He shoved his colleague to the ground, then turned, sat on the floor with his eyes closed, resting his index and middle fingers against his nose bridge.
In a breathy voice.
"I was happy with you, but it ends here. I faked my death to escape marriage and came to this countryside. My master, Her Majesty Reida, gave me two years to properly see 'outside' before marrying. The 'outside' world was indeed wonderful. You, the Almar sisters, were indeed very... um... very charming."
His colleague lunged forward, looking terrified at Isolte standing outside the door. He reached out to cover his mouth, his face screaming 'Please, for the love of God, shut up!'
The slicked-back haired man, having only recently become the chief disciple of the junior dojo after Isolte's promotion to Water Saint last winter, managed to grab his hand without opening his eyes, placing it against his own crotch, and stroking his hair with his eyes closed.
"But, last night. I suddenly realized something. It turns out, Master, she actually wanted me to leave the dojo. She would never let me marry her granddaughter."
"I am a noble, and my junior sister, she, Isolte Kureel, my sin, my soul, the light of my life, the fire of my desires. She is to succeed as the next Water God."
"The rules of the Water God Style state that the Water God's other half cannot be a noble."
"This is a complete conspiracy."
"I have to go back to the dojo. My apologies. I never intended anything long-term with you; I was just out to have fun."
"If you run into trouble, don't come looking for me either. Let's just cut ties. I am hers, and she is mine."
"I owe you what I can't repay. I'm sorry."
Slap!
The slicked-back haired man slapped himself.
He then shoved his colleague, who was almost choking, onto the ground.
A freeze frame.
Silence for a moment.
Clap, clap, clap, from in front, someone was clapping.
The slicked-back haired man smiled. He then took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes.
"This is the prodigal son Senior Brother Allen's story of turning over a new leaf... sto... sto... Senior... Sister!?!"
Very quickly! The Advanced Water God Style swordsman sprang up like a flash of light.
Gulp.
In the huge dojo, his swallow was so obvious, terribly awkward.
In front of him, Isolte slowly applauded, her smile slowly spreading across her face.
Her curved brows, however, radiated a blade-like sharpness.
Chilling.
Then, she stepped back, turned, and moved aside.
Opening a path.
The red-haired girl's figure emerged in the sunlight.
"Faltz, two months apart, and you're still so 'spirited.' It just so happens, someone has come to challenge the dojo."
"It's up to you, the newly appointed chief disciple of the junior dojo, to meet the challenge."
"How about it?"
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