It had been about a month since Isolte became a Water Saint, and since then, our spars had become even more important, as it was a time when I could both give her advice on Mirror-Cutting Current, and train my combat prediction.
And that was what we were currently doing, the two of us taking turns attacking, with me focusing on reading her movements while she trained in her Flow technique.
At least, that was before we were forced to put our training to a stop.
"Vince, Isolte. Come join me in the guest room. I have someone for you to meet," Master Reida said, putting the spar to an immediate end.
It was rare for her to interrupt our training together… so it was probably something important.
The two of us exchanged a quick glance, wondering what exactly she was calling us for, before we followed her back towards the main house.
As we headed towards the guest room, before we even opened the door… I sensed it.
Someone in there was strong… incredibly strong.
Not to the level of Gal or Master Reida… but closer to them than anyone else I had met.
"Now, while this guy isn't one for proper etiquette, make sure to be polite," Reida said as she opened the door. "It would be troublesome if things got out of hand."
And there, sitting on the couch, taking a sip of tea… was a man.
He was wearing a rainbow-coloured coat, and looked to be in his early thirties.
He had red eyes a few shades lighter than mine, white hair set in an odd shape, and a tattoo on his face of what seemed to be a… peacock?
To put it simply, he was very eccentric, and looked extremely out of place in the dignified, orderly setting of the guest room.
"Oh? So is this the one?" he said, placing his cup down as he revealed a wide smirk, looking directly at me. "He's… pretty small, no?"
Wow… I think this was the first time I had been insulted because of my height in this life.
After all, I was quite tall for an eleven-year-old… but then again, that didn't mean much.
"Indeed. This here is Vincent, and the one behind him is Isolte Cruel, my granddaughter," Reida said, motioning to the two of us. "And as for this man… he's someone I asked to help in your training."
Well, that certainly explained why he was so powerful.
"It is quite rare to receive a request from the Water God, so I definitely had to accept, if not for my own curiosity," he said, standing up. "I am Auber Corvette, a North Emperor. Pleasure to meet you two."
…What?
What was this guy doing here?
I didn't recognize him immediately, as he hadn't appeared in the anime by the time I died, but… I knew this guy from the novels.
Not only did he help train Eris in the Sword Sanctum, but later, he was also contracted to assassinate Princess Ariel upon her return to Asura, and would later be killed during her returning banquet.
But that was far into the future.
For now, he was just an incredibly strong swordsman… and one that would apparently be helping in my training.
"Nice to meet you. As Master Reida said, I am Vincent. A Water Saint and Sword Saint," I said, lightly bowing my head.
"And I am Isolte Cruel, a Water Saint," Isolte added.
Auber acknowledged Isolte with a nod before he turned his gaze over to me.
"I see… so he really is a dual saint…" Auber muttered, looking at me with narrowed eyes.
It honestly scared me a bit, to have someone like him looking at me with such interest… but at least I knew Master Reida was here to protect me.
"Sir Corvette… may I ask what exactly you were asked to help us with for our training?" I decided to ask, breaking the silence.
"Ah, you can just call me Auber, no need for that formality," he said, waving his hand. "And as for what I'll be doing here… well, your master can probably answer that question better than I."
Isolte and I then turned to Master Reida, who had crossed her arms with a displeased expression.
"Haa… I asked Auber to come over for two reasons. First, he will act as your sparring partner, Isolte. Use this as an opportunity to get used to the North God Style, and all the possible tricks you can see in combat against a skilled practitioner," she said before looking over to me. "And as for you… well, he'll be teaching you more of the North God Style. If everything goes perfectly, you might even become a Saint rank in all three styles by the time he leaves."
Wait, a North Saint?
Really?
They thought I could get to that level?
"But a North Emperor isn't someone even I can hire easily, so he'll only be here for a week," she said. "Obviously, you'll need to make good use of this time, so your regular training will be put on hold for the meantime. This is a rare opportunity, so don't waste it."
And in only a week at that…
"Understood," Isolte and I said in tandem.
"Good… just make sure you learn quick," Reida said, walking away. "Feel free to use wherever, just make sure to not make too much of a mess."
With her leaving the room, only the three of us were left behind, as Auber continued to stare at me with interest.
It was getting a bit creepy… but thankfully, he eventually stopped.
"Well… no time to waste," Auber said, clapping his hands. "Vincent, right? Let's get started on your first training session."
"Okay… please guide me well," I said.
"Of course! That's what I'm being paid for, after all!" he replied with a light chuckle.
We then left the main house, and after Isolte and I guided Auber to a secluded area, we began our first session.
"Now… do you know what qualifies someone as a North Saint?" Auber said, smirking down at me.
"Uh… no," I replied, shaking my head. "I thought there wasn't one, since the style is so…"
Well… is it rude to say in front of a North Emperor?
"Unorganized? Yeah, that's not wrong, and if you can prove you're strong enough you don't really need it… but there is a certain skill that practically all North Saints have," he said, resting his hands on one of his four swords. "You can sense battle aura, right? Draw your sword and watch."
I drew my sword at the same time as he did, and as he swung towards me, I found myself confused.
His body was completely coated in battle aura, like most swordsmen past the Advanced rank, but his sword… it was completely normal.
No battle aura… not even a hint.
But as soon as his blade met mine… I was sent flying backwards, tumbling across the ground a couple of times before I came to a stop.
What… what just happened?
"Most won't be able to do it to that extent… but you see what I mean, right?" he said, still smirking as I lifted my head. "Internal battle aura manipulation… not for performing a specific technique, but for concealment and deception. Pretty nasty, no?"
I see… so this was what Kale was talking about.
How the North God Style was difficult to handle, even though battle aura wasn't supposed to lie… as I just saw, that wasn't exactly the case.
Internal battle aura manipulation… I already learned how to conceal it to reach the Advanced rank of the North God Style, but when I concealed it, I was just locking it away… it wasn't meant to be usable in a fight.
But as Auber had just shown… I guess that wasn't exactly the case.
"Yep. Making an opponent think you're weak when you're strong…" he continued, his blade being engulfed in battle aura as he struck a nearby tree. "And making them think you're strong when you're weak…"
Striking a tree with that much battle aura would instantly cut it in two, or at least destroy it, even if you didn't strike with the edge of the blade.
But despite the overwhelming power in his sword, once it struck the tree… it just bounced off, as if it was a toy.
"That's the main principle of the North God Style. Make your opponent question you, make them question themselves… and then kill them when they're in the midst of their confusion," he said, twirling his sword in his hand before sheathing it. "So… are you ready to learn, little genius?"
Hearing that, there was only one thing I could say in response.
"Of course," I replied, getting to my feet. "And… I'm not little."
His smile made it obvious that my words didn't really have an effect on him.
"Sure, kid… anyway, for the basic exercise, I'll need you to take off your shirt," he said.
I easily followed his instructions, though I did notice Isolte's gaze focus on my torso as it revealed itself.
Well… she was going through puberty, so I suppose it's natural to be curious about a boy's body… though she was staring awfully hard.
"Now, this will be quite simple. You're going to close your eyes, and when I poke a certain spot on your body, you'll move your battle aura to focus on that spot," he said. "Make sure that you don't cheat and activate your battle aura across your entire body. It should only be in the exact spot I choose."
"Understood," I said, closing my eyes.
And thus… my training began.
—
"Huh… well, I heard you were talented, but I didn't expect this," Auber said, looking down at me with a slightly surprised expression.
Only a couple of hours had passed since we began our first exercise, and already, I was able to move my battle aura directly to where he poked me.
It was quite easy, to be honest.
After training my battle manipulation in order to become a Water and Sword Saint, and the previous skill I had from my mana manipulation, moving it across my body was quite a simple thing.
The only reason that I hadn't trained it before was because… well, there really wasn't much use.
After all, if you could enhance your entire body with it, why would you settle for just enhancing one part?
"Well… at least that saves us some time. It means we can get to the main thing faster," he said, crossing his arms. "Being able to move your battle aura around is good and all. Useful. But it's just the first step to being able to conceal your battle aura… and that is a much trickier thing."
Yeah… hiding your battle aura… I wasn't even sure where to start with that.
"How do you do that?" I asked.
He tilted his head, thinking over the question for a few moments.
"For others? I'm not sure… but I'll teach you what got me to become a North Saint," he said, extending his sword. "This doesn't have battle aura, right?"
"No… it doesn't," I said, narrowing my eyes at the blade.
"Well… look again. Take a really good look," he said, smirking.
I did as Auber asked, walking over to look closely at the sword.
At first, I didn't see anything but a regular blade.
But then… I saw it.
Or, more accurately, I sensed it.
There was a thin layer of battle aura coating it… so thin, it was practically imperceptible… but I felt like that wasn't all.
"Now… keep focusing on it," Auber said, the thin veil of battle aura slowly dissipating.
This would mean that the blade truly would become a regular sword… at least, it should have.
Instead, it was now completely covered in battle aura, as if he was ready to cut a boulder in half.
Did he just move it to be there?
Or… no… no, it was just always there…
Then that thin veil…
"Is it… like a false wall?" I asked, trying to explain my thoughts. "A thin layer of battle aura, focused only on concealment, while behind it… that's where the actual battle aura is."
Auber's smile widened.
"What a scary kid… you got it in one," he said, sheathing his sword. "Now, some North God practitioners are able to fully conceal their battle aura just by… well, I'm not sure how they do it, but they do. The only issue with it is that the battle aura wastes energy trying to be concealed."
Right… if having the battle aura focus on 'concealment' was it just being activated with that thought, then there would be no room for it to focus on defence or offence, leaving it to just be regular battle aura.
"But with the thin layer… you could focus it for purely concealment, while having the rest of your battle aura be used for combat… right?" I asked, looking up at him.
He nodded, confirming my thoughts.
"Exactly," he said. "So… you ready to learn how?"
"Yes. Please teach me," I said, lightly bowing my head.
If I could master this… I knew how useful that would be.
"Well, there's no better way to learn than in the heat of combat. So, I'll be sparring with both of you," he said, motioning over to Isolte, who looked very confused at our conversation. "Although, Vincent, you'll take some time off to focus on training that technique… try to use me as an example."
"Understood," I replied, already attempting to form a thin veil like he had.
And with a new method of applying battle aura in combat, I began my training once again.
—
"Your battle aura is leaking. Make the first layer your priority, then focus on your strength," Auber said, deflecting my hidden strike to his side. "Also, if you want to sneak up on someone, make sure to pad your steps. Watch the environment for branches and fallen leaves."
I quickly righted myself, circling Auber to stand next to Isolte.
"He throws his swords as a distraction… I can't make any sense of it," she said, panting hard from exertion. "Shouldn't a swordsman never part with their weapon?"
She was obviously frustrated.
"Yeah, it's unconventional… but that's why you're learning to deal with it," I said.
"Right… then, let's try again," she said, moving in.
I waited a moment before I leaped to the side, wanting to strike his blind spot with a surprise attack.
Look at the environment… conceal my presence, not just my battle aura… and of course, focus on the thin layer of concealment.
I waited until Auber spun around, juggling his swords in the air as he deflected another one of Isolte's attacks, leaving his back open.
Now!
I ran in, the wind howling as I kept low to the ground, preparing to strike with a Longsword of Light.
But due to needing that layer of battle aura for concealment… it wasn't nearly fast enough.
In fact, it was only as strong as a Longsword of Silence.
But with it being a hidden strike… well, hopefully that wouldn't matter.
My sword stretched outward as I finished my movement, my body rotating in perfect symphony.
But instead of striking flesh, or even his coat… I was stopped by a sword, Auber having reversed his grip to block me.
And with my momentum stolen, he easily whipped his body around, delivering a kick to my side that sent me rolling across the ground yet again.
"That was much better… but you're still leaking some battle aura," he said, turning to look at me, having already sent Isolte flying back. "That might work as an initial surprise, but if someone senses it, it'll be useless for the rest of the fight."
"G-Got it," I said, getting to my feet.
Auber Corvette really didn't pull any punches… but I could already feel that I was improving.
Both with my battle aura control, and also dealing with the North God Style.
Thanks to my previous North God Style training, and my skill in battle aura manipulation, learning how to create the thin veil of concealment was quite easy.
But doing so while having battle aura underneath it… that was the difficult part.
Not only did I need to manage two different layers at once, each with different focuses, but I also needed to ensure they were properly balanced, so the concealment was enough to actually hide my battle aura while also being thin enough to not get in the way of it.
It was a delicate balance… like walking a tightrope while juggling… but as I continued practicing, I was getting noticeably better.
Let's just hope this rate of progress continued for the rest of the week.
—
"My, my… to think you would get it under control in a single week… that's some monstrous talent," Auber said as he watched me.
I was doing my normal training routine, but doing the entire thing with my battle aura concealed.
Thankfully, since swinging my sword and controlling my battle aura was natural to me at this point, all I needed to focus on was the layer of concealing battle aura.
There were two aspects to it.
The first was maintaining the thin veil across my entire body, and the second was activating the concealment properly, which required constant focus.
Both of these alone were fairly simple, as I had done similar things before, but doing them at the same time in the heat of battle, maintaining it perfectly the whole time… that was where the difficulty lay.
And of course, all while maintaining a good balance between the two layers.
My technique still wasn't perfect, as I still needed some training to get more comfortable with it… but I could do it.
"Good thing you finished in time… okay, stop for now," Auber said, causing me to pause my practice. "Well… congrats, kid. You can call yourself a North Saint… though I wouldn't recommend it."
"What do you mean?" I asked, turning to the man as I sheathed my sword.
Was it because it wasn't something to be proud of?
I know the North God Style was the style primarily used by vagrants and assassins, it wasn't to the point where it was seen as a complete judge of character.
After all, Paul had learned the style, and he was a good man… at least, if it didn't come to women… okay, maybe the North God Style being a judge of character had some merit.
"Well, if you go against an opponent while introducing yourself as a North Saint, they'll expect some form of trickery. But if you don't mention it…" he said, smirking. "Well, that's quite the powerful trick to have up your sleeve."
Ah… yeah, that made sense.
And for that reason, I didn't plan on concealing my battle aura for the entirety of my future fights, and probably not at all for most battles.
Not only was it still too difficult, but I could keep it as a sudden surprise attack for when I was having trouble with an opponent.
"Yeah… that makes sense," I said, nodding my head. "Thank you again for training us."
"Y-Yes, thank you!" Isolte added, bowing beside me.
"Don't mention it. It was a request from the Water God, after all," he said, turning around as he waved to the two of us. "Well, it's about time I head back. See ya."
And with that… he began walking away.
Just as suddenly as he had appeared, he departed without any fanfare.
But this week really had been useful… not only had Isolte and I increased our ability to deal with the North God Style, but we had also picked up a couple of tricks to increase our adaptability.
Before, Isolte would have never thought of pretending to fall over in the middle of a spar, but now… well, let's just say she had finally won a spar between the two of us.
And then, with my training in battle aura concealment, not only did I learn how to do it, but from watching Auber's examples, I had increased my battle aura perception as well.
I didn't think I could sense disguised battle aura passively, of course… but if I really focused on someone, I would likely be able to now.
With Auber's form disappearing into the main house, likely to gather his things and leave, I was left alone with Isolte.
"Vince… good job. You've reached the Saint rank in all three styles… that's amazing," she said, praising me with a smile.
"Yeah… I'm surprised too," I said, turning to her. "But don't count yourself out. You even defended against his… what was it again, Nebulous Cross? Even I couldn't defend against that."
Honestly, I still had trouble with how to deal with that move, where Auber performed a quick slash with both swords.
Not only was it near the speed of a Sword Saint's Longsword of Light, but he also used it out of nowhere, completely surprising me before I could react.
But Isolte… she had been able to deflect it… although it was only one time.
"T-That was just luck… and my Secret Art is good for countering it," she said, her face flushed. "But either way… we've gotten stronger, right?"
"Definitely," I answered, returning her smile. "So… should we spar?"
"I… think we should talk to Grandmother first," she said.
"Ah… right," I replied.
Needless to say, Master Reida was quite pleased to hear that I had earned Auber's recognition as a North Saint.
—
A couple of months had passed since Auber's visit and my graduation to a North Saint.
In that time, the season had shifted into fall, painting the landscape in the rich hues of autumn as the trees shed their summer green for warmer colours.
Currently, I was resting in Isolte's room, the two of us relaxing on her couch after our horse riding, a tradition that we had kept up for most of the time I had been here.
"Care for some tea?" Isolte said, sitting down beside me.
"Well, I did heat up the water," I said, smiling at her.
She sent me a mock glare.
"You didn't need to mention that… but I'll take that as a yes," she said, pouring out a cup for each of us. "So, Vince… do you miss home?"
"Hm? What brought this on?" I asked before I took a small sip.
Mmm… perfect.
While my mother had brewed tea in the Sword Sanctum, I wasn't the biggest fan, as it always tasted too bitter.
But here in the capital, or at least in the Water God dojo, there was sugar and honey that I could add to it, which meant I could enjoy tea just like I used to in my past life.
Isolte's smile widened as I took another drink.
"Is the tea good?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Yeah, perfect. Thank you," I replied.
Just the first sip had filled me with a feeling of calm… yeah, tea really was wonderful, as long as it was sweet enough.
"Good… and as for your question, well… it's been nearly two years since you left, right?" she said, rubbing her cup with her thumb. "I was just wondering if you have begun to miss it… after all, you have a good relationship with your family… and that girl you mentioned…"
It was more like one and a half years… but she was right.
"I miss it a little… and I'm interested to see how Nina has changed… but I'm fine," I said, noticing how Isolte's eyebrow twitched at my friend's name. "After all, I'm going back once I turn 15, so it's not like I'll never see them again."
"Right… you've mentioned that before…" Isolte muttered. "Will you return here after that?"
Hmm… that was a good question.
"Unless I feel like I have to train in the Water God Style more… probably not," I said, leaning back into the cushion. "Actually… I'll probably be leaving here earlier than that."
"You will?" Isolte questioned, eyes wide. "W-When?"
"Well…" I said, thinking about the teleportation disaster.
I wasn't quite sure exactly when it would happen, but I knew it was near the start of next year, ten years after Rudeus had been born.
I still planned on rescuing Aisha and Lilia.
Not only to see more of the world, but I also wanted to do something good with my strength.
And then there was Ariel, who I had somewhat promised to help after some time had passed, despite initially wanting nothing to do with her…
Really, things had gotten quite complicated as I grew older.
At first, when I initially left the Sword Sanctum, I wanted basically nothing to do with the characters in this world, not wanting to get involved with the main story and any trouble that might come with it.
While I had thought of the idea to rescue Aisha and Lilia on the way, that was mostly a selfish way to alleviate my guilt… to do something good that wouldn't affect the main story too much.
But after interacting with more people I knew from the story, like Isolte and the Water God… and especially Ariel and her two guardians… it was hard to view them as just characters in a story.
Even if it might get me in troublesome situations… I wanted to help Ariel, the vulnerable princess that had been forced to fear for her safety her entire life.
And the same went for Lilia and Aisha… they were a nice mother and her innocent, intelligent child. They didn't deserve to be captured for over a year in an unfamiliar castle.
I didn't want to save them just to say I did something with my knowledge of the upcoming tragedy… I wanted to save them because they were people who deserved to be saved.
So yeah… now, my decision to leave was cemented, so…
"Probably by the start of next year," I said. "I plan to travel south, to the Shirone Kingdom… but after that, I might come back here."
At least until Ariel left…
"What!?" Isolte shouted, slamming her cup down. "N-Next year?"
She had even spilled some tea…
"Yes… there's something… no, I want to explore more of the Central Continent," I said, shaking my head.
"B-But…" she muttered, her face downturned. "What about me…?"
She looked over, reaching out to grab my hand.
"I'm… without you… it would be so lonely here," she continued. "Is there… can't you just stay here, and explore when you're older?"
Ah… so she was scared of being lonely.
I thought that she would be fine, considering that she wasn't worried about being stalled in the sword anymore… but it seems that wasn't the case.
"Unfortunately not… otherwise, I would definitely stay," I said, squeezing her hand back. "You know I like spending time with you, right? It's just… this is something I want to do."
"B-But… you promised," she said, staring into my eyes. "You promised you wouldn't abandon me."
Oh… right.
Somehow, I knew that promise would come back to bite me.
"Isolte, I promised to not abandon you if you didn't grow stronger… you're already a Water Saint, so it's invalid now," I said, shaking my head. "And besides… I still won't abandon you. I'll come back after. It's just a small trip."
She averted her eyes as she bit her lip, thinking in silence for a few moments.
"T-Then… I'll go with you!" she said, looking back into my eyes. "Down south, wherever… we'll go together!"
"Sure, you can come with me," I said, nodding my head despite my dismissive tone.
When the time eventually came, I doubt that Isolte would actually leave… after all, it would mean stopping her training here.
And even if she ended up wanting to go, I doubt that Master Reida would let her… in fact, now that I thought about it, she might not even let me go.
I guess that was something I would need to be prepared for.
But anyway, I might be able to bring Isolte with me to the Sword Sanctum afterwards, since Reida had sent her there to learn more about the Sword God Style in the original timeline… but then again, after training with me, Isolte already learned how to deal with the Sword God Style, so Master Reida might not even let her do that.
We sat together for a bit longer, the two of us finishing our tea in silence, as Isolte seemed to be deep in thought.
"Well… I think it is about time I go to bed," she said, standing up.
We usually did studying after this, but I guess she was too tired.
"Yeah, it is getting late… I'll see you tomorrow," I replied, making my way towards the door.
At least… that was before my hand was grabbed.
Hm?
"Isolte?" I questioned, turning back to look at her.
She averted her gaze, looking down with flushed cheeks as she twirled her hair with her other hand.
What was with this… bashfulness?
"Y-You know, Vince… I haven't had much love in my life," she started.
She took a breath before looking back up at me, her blue eyes shining in the dim candlelight.
"My parents are focused solely on their political endeavours, and I couldn't make any friends here due to my skill and age," she continued. "The only one I could count on was my grandmother… and while I know she loves me, I also know that she is the Water God first and foremost, and she can only afford so much time with me because she expects me to succeed her in leading the style."
Her cheeks losing some of its previous red hue as she took a step closer to me, her hand still holding onto mine.
"At least… that was until I met you… you care for me, just because I'm me. That's… something I've never really felt before… and I cherish it so, so much," she said. "So… since you plan to leave me… can you at least hold me?"
"Hold you?" I asked, confused. "Like… a hug? I can do that-"
"No!" she refused, shaking her head as she looked at me with upturned eyes. "W-Well, I wouldn't mind a hug, but… I meant… can you hold me while I… go to sleep? Just… just so I can have good dreams…"
Hearing those words, I couldn't help but take another look at the girl pleading before me.
With her white nightgown giving off an air of innocence, her long blue hair flowing down her shoulder and across her growing chest, and her bashful expression cast in the faint glow of the lantern light… I found myself slightly enraptured.
How dangerous… if I didn't have more self-control, I would have instantly folded in front of her beauty.
Luckily, I was able to bring myself back to normal by reminding myself that she was still a girl… a girl who didn't get nearly enough affection in her life.
Despite acting so vulnerable… I knew it was innocent… so if it was just holding her…
"Okay… but I'm leaving once you're asleep," I said.
"You don't have to…" she said, a smile creeping onto her face. "But okay. T-Then… come on."
She pulled me towards her bed, quickly finding her way under the covers as she patted the spot beside her.
I would have preferred staying above the covers… but I suppose it was okay.
The nights were starting to get cold, after all.
With the blanket pulled up to cover the two of us, I settled my head on the pillow, taking in the feeling of the soft bedsheets against my skin.
I know that they were probably ridiculously expensive… but after experiencing it like this, I couldn't help but think that the price might be worth it.
With Isolte reaching over to put out her bedside lamp, the room was then only lit by the dim moonlight, the soft glow highlighting Isolte's figure as she moved closer to me.
She took a few hesitant glances over my way, reaching out her hand a couple of times before pulling it back.
You went all the way to ask me to hold you, and now you were getting embarrassed?
Haa… what a troublesome girl.
I reached over, pulling her close as her head rested on my shoulder.
"Eep!" she squealed. "V-Vince!"
"What, didn't you ask for this?" I said, closing my eyes as I kept my arm wrapped around her. "Just… go to sleep."
"O-Okay… goodnight, Vince," she said, cuddling closer as she settled in.
Thankfully, she didn't do anything else to distract me… other than wrapping her legs around my right one.
Well, whatever… it's not like I hated it.
In fact, it was quite the opposite… which was the problem.
Soon enough, I felt her breaths calm into a deep and steady rhythm, her arms having somehow found themselves wrapped around my torso.
She said she wanted me to hold her… so why was I the one being treated as a stuffed animal?
With the girl asleep, I turned to look at her, thinking about the parting gift I had given Nina before I left.
Yeah… I had a feeling that I had gotten myself into some relationship trouble in my brief time in this world… but if I made this bed, I might as well lie in it.
Literally, in this case.
Leaning over, I stopped for a moment in front of her face.
"Sweet dreams, Isolte," I whispered before I pressed a kiss against her forehead.
Leaning back, I prepared to make my exit, gently removing Isolte's arms from my body… only to find myself in a difficult situation.
She wasn't exactly squeezing me too tight… but her grasp was solid.
It didn't even budge when I tried to move away.
In fact, it just got tighter, and her legs wrapped around my bottom half squeezed closer as well.
Uh… okay, this situation was not the best… especially since these sheets were so soft… and her warmth was so comforting… and her breath so soothing… like a white noise machine…
Wait, no… why was I getting so drowsy all of a sudden?
Struggling to stop my eyelids from closing, I felt my body begin to go numb.
I needed to stay awake… otherwise… otherwise, well… would anything even happen?
I mean… not really… right?
We're just sleeping, after all… and it's just… too comfy…
—
Blinking the sleep out of my eyes, I found myself staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling.
What?
No, wait… this room… it wasn't unfamiliar.
I instantly remembered what had happened last night, as I instantly shot up to sit upright, taking in the rest of the room.
And sitting at the vanity, combing her hair… was the very owner of this room.
"Isolte?" I asked.
"Hm? Ah, you're awake," she said, turning around with a smile. "I was going to wake you up, but… your sleeping face was simply too cute."
Okay, why wasn't she embarrassed?
Even I was feeling flustered from the situation, but not only was she completely ignoring it, but she even said something sweet like that!
"Well, I'm going to go wash up. I would suggest going back to your room to change before our morning training," she said, getting up from her seat. "Ah, and… thank you, for sleeping with me. I had a very good sleep."
And with that, she left into her bathroom, slowly closing the door behind her.
I slowly got out of the bed, putting on my shoes as I walked out of her room and towards my dormitory, ignoring the surprised look of the maid that I passed on the way.
Instead… I was focused on the girl that I had accidentally spent the night with.
Okay… I was a bit confused.
I knew that Isolte had a little crush on me… I had known ever since she gave me that kiss on the cheek.
But this… this was something else.
Not that it wasn't innocent, it just felt very… real.
Again, I knew Isolte liked me, but I thought it was just a childish crush… a mix of admiration and thankfulness for my support, spurred on by the isolation where we were each other's only friends.
After all, she was young and didn't have any romantic experience, making her easily fall for me despite it not being actual love, as she wouldn't even know the difference.
But now… I wasn't so sure.
I reached into my shirt, pulling out my necklace as I ran my fingers over the roughly carved sword.
I had kept it for the two years since receiving it, although I usually took it off when I was training… and each time I remembered it, I was reminded of the girl who gave it to me.
Despite the time passing, I still remembered Nina like we had parted just yesterday… although I do wonder how she had changed since we last saw each other.
And also… I wonder if she still loved me like she said she had.
Both Nina and Isolte… I knew I liked them, even loved them… but I was still hesitant to imagine a future together, when I knew that young love could so easily change.
Especially if the 'fate' of this world tried to bring things back to normal by taking away their feelings for me.
But after last night… I couldn't wave away their feelings as a simple childish love… no, I had to admit the possibility of there being something deeper.
But that only brought up a new problem for me.
If how Isolte felt for me was that of actual love… and if Nina ended up being the same… my romantic situation might be even more complicated than I had previously thought.