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Chapter 9
Kata raised her sword and aimed for Sorem’s neck.
The moment Sorem tried to tilt his head away, she hooked her leg firmly behind his left leg. At the same time, the green sword aura wrapped around her blade vanished.
Understanding came quickly. Kata was using the length of her sword to topple him.
Damn it!
Sorem tightened his grip.
With their legs entangled and their faces suddenly close, a sharp tearing sound was followed by a suppressed groan.
“Ghk!”
Sorem staggered back without realizing it.
He glanced at the sword that had fallen to the ground, then slowly met Kata’s eyes.
That sword wasn’t his.
“Ugh… kuh….”
Even so, he couldn’t hide his shock.
Kata swayed violently once before forcing herself upright. Dark red blood dripped from her mouth.
As the golden sword aura embedded in her back faded, blood suddenly gushed from the wound.
“You clearly said… you would only use sword aura through a blade…”
“……”
Kata couldn’t even finish her protest. Each breath came out ragged, and soon her knees gave way.
Her round head hit the ground with a heavy thud.
* * *
Sorem felt troubled.
For a moment—just a moment—he had lost control of his sword aura.
And Kata Renetia Donovan lay collapsed in blood on the floor, as everyone could clearly see.
Damn it. This had escalated.
He could already imagine the captain’s reproachful gaze and the vice-captain exploding in anger.
“There’s a limit to training a recruit! Who told you to nearly kill her!”
Sorem clicked his tongue in irritation.
“Donovan? Kata Renetia Donovan.”
He nudged her head with his foot, but only her pale hair shifted—there was no response.
What a disgrace. Not only had he dragged the spar on too long, he had even lost control of his power.
As he pressed down on her head again with his foot—
“Move.”
A voice cut in.
Zenon bent down and stepped between them, shielding Kata’s head. His usually calm face was frozen cold.
Sorem raised an eyebrow at the disrespect in those blue eyes.
“‘Move’? Since when does a recruit—”
“She needs to be taken to the infirmary. I’m sure you don’t want this situation escalating further either.”
Zenon’s throat moved as he forced down his anger.
The attitude annoyed Sorem, but this was not the time to escalate things.
“…I’ll take her.”
Zenon was essentially a witness. If he spread word that Sorem had lost control against a recruit, it would cause trouble.
Damn it.
Sorem stepped aside with a dark look.
Zenon lifted Kata into his arms, bowed briefly, and walked out of the training hall.
Sorem’s gaze cooled as he watched them leave. It had been a long time since he felt this irritated.
Leia spoke carefully.
“Sir, shall I prepare a bath since training is over?”
“…”
“Sir Sorem?”
“Shut up.”
Leia immediately closed her mouth. When Sorem was like this, it was best not to provoke him.
He glared at the dried blood on the ground.
“She’ll be in the infirmary for a while, but it was only a brief burst of aura. I avoided vital points—she won’t be in critical condition.”
“Yes, she should recover quickly.”
“That girl also bears responsibility for recklessly trying to match me without knowing her place.”
“Yes…”
“Damn it… a mere first awakening!”
Sorem threw his sword down in anger.
Leia lowered her gaze in silence. Remembering the overwhelming green aura made her mouth turn bitter.
* * *
Pale dawn light spilled into the room.
Zenon stood still, looking down at Kata lying on the bed.
“The body just needs rest until the technique fully integrates.”
The healing had gone well. Kata’s breathing had stabilized.
But Zenon did not feel calm.
He was angry.
Angry at Sorem for going all out against a recruit, and angry at Kata for recklessly charging into a fight that should never have escalated that far.
He was also angry at Kata for cutting off her own aura to avoid injuring Sorem… and at Sorem for still managing to pierce her back anyway.
Sunlight slipped through the bars and fell across Kata’s body.
Zenon watched the light spread over his shoes.
What angered him most was himself—because even then, he had been analyzing her.
Her strike speed. Her range. Her technique.
He had been comparing her growth to his own out of habit.
Back when she was eleven and had barged into his household like an unwanted guest, he had never once properly defeated her.
“…Ugh…”
Kata groaned faintly.
She was unconscious, but clearly trapped in a nightmare. Cold sweat clung to her hair.
Zenon observed her quietly.
He could have called a healer—but he knew this wasn’t a physical problem.
It was a dream.
He crossed his arms, staring down at her face as it twisted faintly in discomfort.
“Hetashi…”
The broken syllable made something oddly hollow settle in his chest.
Three years together. Six years since then.
And she still couldn’t escape her nightmares.
Silence filled the room.
Kata’s head slowly rolled toward him.
Zenon took a step forward.
Then he slowly knelt beside the bed.
He looked at her face bathed in faint light.
And for a moment, he remembered.
There had been a time like this before.
When they had climbed a mountain and collapsed onto the ground from exhaustion.
Kata had insisted on lying down comfortably, and he had reluctantly followed.
He had watched her sleeping face for a long time… until her head slowly tilted toward him.
Zenon pressed two fingers against her temple.
A careless, almost childish gesture.
Kata’s head slowly turned away, falling toward the wall.
What had once been a face that pulled attention now showed only the back of her head.
The air felt heavy and still.
* * *
Kata broke into a cold sweat.
She felt nauseous.
Her injuries were not minor, but she regained consciousness within half a day. If not for the healer’s strict orders, she would have returned to training immediately.
“There’s still time before the technique fully integrates! If the wound reopens, we’ll have to treat you again!”
Intimidated by the pressure, she stayed in bed—but her mind still felt uneasy.
scratch… scratch…
“…Zenon?”
Zenon Korel sat in the chair beside her bed, peeling an apple with unnervingly precise movements.
For a moment, it even looked like faint sword aura shimmered along the knife.
The apple was peeled in one continuous motion, leaving only smooth flesh behind.
Without a word, he pierced a slice with a fork and held it out to her.
“…I just… eat it?”
Silence.
Kata hesitantly took it. Once she finished, another slice was already waiting.
The apple was crisp and slightly sour.
When she finished that too, he mechanically offered another.
Munch, munch.
Before she realized it, Kata was waiting obediently for the next piece.
The final slice looked especially sweet—juicy, almost glowing.
Thud.
The fork pressed down into it with sudden force. Juice splattered sharply.
“…Kata Renetia Donovan.”
“Yeah?”
Zenon stared at her.
“Why are you like this?”
