On the day of the match between Ilya and Grayson.
Irene wasn’t the only one who was stimulated by the two gladiators.
Judith returned to her personal training centre with a stiff face as soon as the match was over and Bratt Lloyd raised his sword to aid her.
A few days passed like that.
Seeing her working hard and training so much the blue haired man said.
“Look here.”
“Huk huk… what?”
“It is meal time.”
“… really?”
Judith looked up at Bratt’s words. Suddenly the darkened sky came into her view.
She nodded and walked to the bench in the corner.
She was going to eat the bread and sausages she had prepared beforehand but then heard a voice.
“Not that why don’t we go out and eat today?”
“That…”
“That’s a shame we don’t have time for that bullshit.”
“What? You jerk…”
Judith raised eyebrows. For her who was already sensitive Bratt’s words were unbearable.
However Bratt continued to speak.
“Why are you making so much time?”
“What?”
“What are you gaining with the time you save when eating? Is it because you get to be strong or because you like to hurt yourself like a pervert addicted to pain? The latter? Do you want to suffer a little more?”
“Why are you getting mad?”
“The one getting mad isn’t me. Judith I am only going to say this once so listen.”
Bratt Lloyd took a step closer to Judith.
As he approached he reached out towards her and then looked into her eyes and said
“First what you have been doing till now is meaningless training all day without concentrating on a single thing. Second eat a proper meal shake off your unnecessary emotions and focus on swordsmanship.”
“…”
“Which one? Decide quickly.”
“… second one. Sorry.”
Judith apologized.
Seeing her mild reaction Bratt sighed.
He had been with Judith for nearly 7 years so he knew her very well.
Perhaps the negative emotions were boiling inside and were on the verge of bursting. Of course Judith was still trying to move forward…
‘This time it’s a little different.’
Ilya Lindsay.
And Irene Pareira.
Bratt actually sighed when he thought of the two names but he managed to hold the sigh in.
They were themselves.
And he was himself.
And Judith was Judith. Bratt knows that no matter how hard it gets he will move up.
However a little help along the way…
He wondered if it would be okay to say a word.
‘Right. It isn’t like I have any particular thing I am selfish about.’
Bratt nodded.
The reason he found a pretty decent place and a dessert shop to visit was so that Judith could rest.
And if she could continue her efficient training through this that was enough.
“What is it? You’re just standing dumbly.”
Judith said that while looking at Bratt who was lost in thought.
Bratt controlled his expression.
“Nothing. Let’s wash up and then go eat. It is a good place.”
“Are you paying?”
“Yes.”
“Expensive one?”
“… yes.”
“Oh I look forward to it.”
Judith seemed much brighter now.
And the expressionless face of Bratt had a faint smile on it.
Of course that didn’t last long. He smiled and then looked at another place.
And there stood Irene Pareira.
“… when did you come?”
“Just now. Did something good happen?”
“… I was just reminded of a funny incident.”
“I see.”
Irene nodded his head.
He didn’t doubt what Bratt said.
Bratt exhaled and Irene asked.
“Is Judith here too?”
“Yes. Why?”
“I wanted to have dinner together. I have something to say and something to ask.”
“…”
“Uh? Did you guys already eat?”
“… No. Let’s have it together.”
Bratt nodded and went into the building to wash himself.
“…”
Irene felt that strange feel again.
But it didn’t last for long. Rather it was because he was focused on what he wanted to say to them.
After a while the three trainees of Krono went into the place.
“…”
Irene’s shocking words made the heavy air awkward.
‘You never learned to operate Aura… not at all?’
‘Then what have you shown till now all alone?’
Silence.
In the midst of that Bratt thought about Irene’s words.
When he thought it made sense.
Since Irene was a pre-trainee for five years after selection he was confined in another world.
And he didn’t have someone he could learn it from.
Nevertheless Bratt never once thought about it because Irene’s swordsmanship and the Aura operation were natural.
As if someone had taught him.
Just those thoughts made goosebumps rise.
‘This extent of self-learning without anyone teaching and the Krono type Aura operation theory added…’
There was nothing unique about the Krono style Aura.
It was just putting in a few unique interpretations into commonly known first three sets and the second half three sets.
And there was a high chance of Irene already learning that.
However there was a clear difference between building up a framework based on theory for many years and accumulating from experience and then adding this and that without a system.
Perhaps…
If Irene could learn the Krono theory now…
It was when Bratt’s thoughts deepened.
Gulp.
“Oh it is a little hot inside I will get some fresh air.”
“…”
“I’ll be back soon so wait for me. Bratt don’t eat mine.”
Judith walked out after downing her glass.
Irene looked at her back with a complicated expression.
Bratt too had a similar expression on his face.
He looked in the direction Judith had disappeared and then at Irene before he got up.
“I will be back in just a moment.”
“Huh. I will wait here.”
Bratt moved out before Irene could even complete his sentence.
‘Where did she go?’
He came out and looked.
However Judith was nowhere to be seen.
It was a short time but it wasn’t easy to find someone who had already mixed into the crowd.
Damn it.
Maybe it would have been easy for Bratt if he had a sorcerer’s instincts.
Thinking to himself Bratt wandered around the street whether he intended or not people were looking at him and he thought.
Is she fine?
She probably isn’t.
So what should he do?
How many times did he have to keep doing this and play the bad person to her?
He didn’t like this much.
But it was true that there was no other way so Bratt moved faster and prepared to be hated by her.
10 minutes passed?
He saw Judith sitting on a bench in a dark place and he pushed back the thought of grabbing her.
Bratt watched her hot tears run down to her knees and Judith spoke.
“Defeating Ilya that was a lie.”
“…”
“It makes no sense I know that too. It is ridiculous Irene spoke all that so he talks about nonsense so casually so… I didn’t want to lose to him so I said the same thing but I knew that it wouldn’t work. Not just me even Irene knows that as well. But…”
Judith who spoke up to that point paused.
Tears were still flowing. She exhaled and continued.
“Isn’t that absurd? To win over a Master doing it in 4 years is hard enough but to do it in 4 months even if I work 7 years from now and become a Sword Master at 25 I will be a genius Sword Master. And be on the same level as schoolmaster Ian… it will be a great thing to hear. But it is nonsense. Honestly this is ridiculous. All a waste.”
“But Irene that bastard really challenged all that ridiculous stuff.”
“When I doubt it and don’t believe it and pretend to work hard.”
“When I pretend to practice because I feel inferior and am unable to focus on training.”
“He is actually seriously thinking about defeating Ilya looking for a way constantly trying…”
“Before considering talent I was no match because of my mindset. Euuu! Euuu! Gasp! Euuu! Fuck…”
“Calm down.”
Judith’s emotions grew stronger. Bratt walked over and reached to comfort her.
Her tears didn’t stop despite him patting her back and the story wasn’t over yet.
“You know what is even more pathetic?”
“…”
“Me… when Irene talked about Aura operation for a second I thought that I shouldn’t tell him.”
Bratt wasn’t surprised.
It was a possible thought.
People tend to be like that no matter how friendly they are the mind would sometimes turn narrow when their pride gets trampled on.
Even more so for strong people like Judith.
So he could understand the pain she was going through.
Although she had a dirty personality lived a life constantly swearing and making people angry…
Judith Bratt knew she was a straight person.
It means that she was not someone who could be defeated by dark feelings.
“…”
A gloomy atmosphere sunk in.
Patting her back Bratt thought.
What should I do?
How to console her?
He couldn’t think of anything. Not a single word came to his mind as if he was suddenly an idiot. His face grew anxious.
At that time.
Unexpected words came out of Judth’s mouth.
“Teaching Irene I’ll do it.”
“… you?”
“Uh. I will do it. Definitely.”
She wiped her face with both hands. But it was no use as tears were still flowing.
Still she looked better than when he found her.
At least for Bratt she looked better.
“If I carry on with this narrow heart I don’t think I will get much success. So… I’ll do it.”
“…”
“Do you understand? Uh? Uh? Answer me.”
Judith raised her head looked at him and then made a fist.
The force she use wasn’t much just a simple tuk-tuk on his body and it wasn’t painful so Bratt nodded his head.
‘I came here to be the bad person and cheer her on but I am getting hit.’
He looked at Judith who kept hitting him.
Looking at the puffy eyes which are unsightly his lips took a smile.
“Your face is ugly. Well it was normally like this.”
“You crazy bastard…”
Puck!
Puck!
This time the force in her fist was stronger. And so strong that it was hard to pass off her punch as a joke.
Still Bratt didn’t stop smiling.
It was a strange thing but…
It was much more comfortable to be hit.
“If you don’t follow it properly you will be taken down by the Krono method. Put your mind to it.”
Seeing Judith roaring at him Irene was surprised.
Because he assumed it would be Bratt who would teach him.
‘What is he thinking?’
He looked him in the eye but couldn’t figure it out. The mixed thoughts and emotions were too complex to interpret.
But there was one thing he was certain of.
Right now he had to do his best.
If I get a little lazy… I will be caught right away.’
It wasn’t about Ilya Lindsay.
Nor was he conscious about Bratt and Judith.
“I will try my best.”
“Yes. You should be doing that.”
And so the 27th batch trainee Irene Pareira started Aura operation of Krono type a little late.
40 days have passed since then.
