The first time I participated in a swordsmanship tournament was when I was ten years old.

The reason I entered was simple. I wanted to become stronger, and I wanted to fight warriors with far more achievements and experience than myself. Looking back now, I must have been quite an arrogant and precocious child.

Wouldn't you agree?

The swordsmanship tournament, held every year during the Chrono King Festival, had no basic age restrictions. From children to the elderly, anyone could participate. However, in reality, the tournament was filled with battle-hardened warriors who had spent years—decades, even—on the battlefield. For a child like me, it was natural to participate in the morning division, which was dedicated to young contestants.

But I refused. Ignoring the objections of my father, my mother, my sister, and everyone else who worried for me, I insisted on competing in the real swordsmanship tournament held in the afternoon.

"If I want to be strong like Clay, then I have to fight in a real tournament!!"

My words were ambitious, even grandiose. Truly, I was a precocious child. But mere words meant nothing.

At worst… no, even with the special power of Bloodline Magic, a mere ten-year-old wielding a sword against grown adults wouldn’t get away with just minor injuries. In the worst case, it could be as painful as death itself. Even so, I entered the tournament.

As for the result—well, of course, I had no chance of making it through the preliminaries. If anything, the other contestants went easy on me, and I suffered a crushing defeat.

"The afternoon division is too soon for you, little lady. Next year, stick to the morning tournament."

"—!!"

Brushed aside effortlessly by a single swordsman, I was eliminated in the preliminaries. I had never felt such humiliation before—at least, not since my duel with Clay, where I was utterly and completely defeated.

From that moment on, I trained relentlessly.

Year after year, I entered the tournament without fail, steadily and surely gaining experience. Then, last year, I finally made it through the preliminaries and entered the main tournament. I even placed third. That moment made me truly happy. Of course, I still felt frustration, but more than that, I felt like I had proven that my efforts had not been in vain.

—Well, not long after entering the academy, I realized how naive that thinking was…

Even so, I had built up my own strength, step by step, in my own way.

After enrolling in the academy, my training intensified. The experience I gained in mere months was equivalent to years' worth of progress. Fueled by my desire to catch up to him, I fought desperately in the Rank Advancement Duels. There were times when I stumbled—when I thought I might never reach the Fourth Rank. I even shed tears.

"Then, why don’t you join my faction?"

So when he invited me to his faction, I was so happy I nearly cried. I forced a smile to keep up appearances, but honestly, it was a close call.

Thus, we formed a faction—one that could be called the strongest among the first-years. Despite facing extraordinary circumstances, we fought our way through the Rank Advancement Tournament and secured a place among the Pentagram. Compared to when I first dueled him, I was practically unrecognizable.

And perhaps because of that, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

Where am I now, as a swordsman named Freesia Greyfrost?

From the day I swore to stand beside him and support him—just how close had I gotten to that goal? How much of my sword, my feelings, could reach him now? I wanted to find out in this swordsmanship tournament.

And yet, because he's so reserved and dislikes drawing attention, he rejected my invitation. As always, things wouldn’t be that simple. That’s why I had to take the direct approach.

"I will win. No matter what."

If I do that, he will have no choice but to accept my challenge. That’s why I cannot afford to lose—no matter who my opponent may be.

Summer vacation.

Staying at the Bradley estate, the first thing that struck me was the undeniable fact—he really is a noble. Not just any noble, but the heir of a marquis household, one of the most powerful in the kingdom.

A grand mansion, a beautiful garden. There weren’t an excessive number of servants, but each one carried themselves with absolute professionalism. It was my first time seeing a real maid—I was honestly amazed that they actually existed. But above all, what stood out the most was the backyard.

—Yeah, no wonder he never wants to leave the house.

As expected of the residence of the Supreme Commander of Military Affairs, the backyard was as vast as the academy’s training grounds. Compared to the backyard at the dorms, it was an entirely different world.

During his childhood, he once said, "I spent all my time training here, never leaving the house," and now I completely understand why. With such well-equipped facilities, someone like him—who prioritizes becoming stronger above all else—would have no real reason to go outside.

—And besides, he has the best master.

He never explicitly states it, but it’s obvious how much he respects his master. It’s clear from his usual words and actions… and even more so from the way he behaves after returning to the mansion.

I can understand that feeling.

Experiencing his roots firsthand has been an incredibly stimulating experience. I had assumed I would hit a plateau soon, but my growth is still ongoing—I can feel it myself, and that alone is remarkable.

—But all of this is thanks to his master… Fade Bard—no, Granger now—whose teaching ability is simply extraordinary.

He once harshly described this nation's hero as "absurd, reckless, and violent." At the time, I thought he was exaggerating, but after experiencing it firsthand, I completely understood.

Even without the excitement of being trained by the legendary Crimson Blood Demon Emperor, just one week under this old soldier’s tutelage could turn a complete novice into a respectable knight-in-training. That’s how insane his training is. And now, after more than a week under this grandmaster’s instruction, a thought has taken root in my mind.

—Just how well would I fare against Clay now?

I know it's arrogant to even entertain the thought. I’m well aware that, as someone who only just started proper training after entering the academy, I am nowhere near his level.

But once curiosity ignites, it cannot be stopped. I am a man too—I want to challenge the strong, and if possible, defeat them.

—Besides, I can’t stay stuck in admiration forever.

When I voiced these thoughts to the grandmaster, he laughed with great amusement.

“If you're that curious, why not challenge him yourself?”

That response left me with a strange feeling.

He was right—if I wanted to know, I should just challenge him directly. But the reality was… probably, no, almost certainly, Clay wouldn't take my challenge seriously. We've only known each other for a few months, but I’ve already figured that much out.

In everyday life, he always seems to hold back, as if restraining his power. It’s not out of arrogance or looking down on us—I don’t think that’s it. Rather, I believe he has a clear goal, and unless something directly relates to that goal, he refuses to exert his full strength.

Why? I don't know. But for some reason, he always looks like he's afraid of something. Despite his overwhelming strength and the mental fortitude to overcome any obstacle, deep inside, he always seems lonely and scared… or at least, that’s how it feels to me.

“Well, you’re not entirely wrong. That guy is strong, but at his core, he’s an extreme coward.”

The grandmaster said this, as if he could see right through everything—or rather, because he knew it was true.

“Because he’s afraid, Clay chose to become strong.”

It might sound like a simple concept, but in reality, it’s incredibly difficult and painful. I know this because I was the same way in the past. That’s why I want to confirm it even more.

How close have I gotten to his strength? How close am I to becoming someone he can rely on?

Perhaps it’s selfish of me—just my own ego getting in the way. Maybe it’s even a nuisance to him. But still, I can’t help but want to find out.

"That’s why I have to win this tournament no matter what."

This is my one chance to fight him at his full strength. No matter what powerful opponents stand in my way, I cannot afford to lose.

Even if one of them is Freesia, the partner and fiancée he trusts most.

With all the preliminaries concluded, the four competitors advancing to the main tournament were decided.

The results were as expected—nothing surprising—but that final strike from the woman in the flowing attire was impressive. Now, after a thirty-minute break, the highlight of this swordsmanship tournament, the main event, was about to begin.

The once-blazing sunlight had begun to wane, casting the surroundings in hues of dusk. With two acquaintances advancing to the main tournament, even as a spectator, my emotions were different this time.

What kind of conclusion awaits this tournament? I was already looking forward to it.