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nCh. 100: Interruption after Successful Bid

nAfter looking on for a while, Loren started thinking that they were lucky not many people used the training ground.

nIt was because the bidding between Klaus and Ivy was getting quite heated up.

nLoren didn’t care what the results were, but to the ones who were bidding, the one who couldn’t knock it down would be in a very unfavorable position, so they were that serious about it.

nWhat started at copper coins soon moved to silver, and the amount of silver coins increased rapidly was well.

nLoren thought that it would keep going, but because Lapis had limited to what was in the contesters’ wallets, the one who had more money would be the winning side, so Ivy successfully bid at twenty silver coins.

n“I had a bad feeling about today…”

nIvy said with heavy breathing, as if the excitement hadn’t left her yet, as she looked at Klaus droop his shoulders in the corner of her eyes.

n“Good thing I trusted my instinct and held onto more money than usual.”

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nLoren honestly thought that she was lucky.

nIt was because Loren thought that although there were many felt intuitions, only a few could follow it and be successful.

n“If you’ve had enough of this, don’t bet the keys to your room so lightly.”

n“Are you interested Loren? The keys to my room?”

nAs Ivy asked him, not seeming like she had enough, all Loren could do was shrug lightly.

nRealizing that Lapis was glaring at her very coldly, Ivy quickly retreated from the spot.

n“Loren, I guess I have no choice but to beat you to get her keys.”

n“You’re not giving up either, huh…”

nLoren sighed as Klaus raised a wooden sword used for mock fights with newfound determination.

nGetting serious for his own desires so straightforwardly was something that could be respected, but his motivation was too impure.

n“Alright, let’s start this!”

n“I guess…but what about my weapon?”

nWhen Loren asked Ivy, she made a startled face.

nSince it was a training ground, there were of course a selection of weapons that could be used for mock fights.

nThere were swords of many different shapes and sizes, as well as things like maces and staffs.

nThere were different kinds of bows as well as arrows with blunt ends.

nBut there weren’t any great swords that Loren could use.

nLoren’s weapon was so large and heavy that ordinary people couldn’t use it, so there was no way someone would want to use something similar for mock battles.

n“Wouldn’t Loren be at a disadvantage?”

nIvy made a difficult face when Lapis asked that.

nThere were adventurers that used unique weapons.

nIn that case, they would usually be allowed to cover the blade to kill the sharpness.

nIf it were a blunt weapon, they would allow the use of it and if heavy injuries were suffered the guild would treat it, but the lethality of Loren’s weapon wasn’t something you could get rid of by putting a cover on it.

nBut if Loren used something else, he would be taking the exam on an unfamiliar weapon, so he would be in an equally unfavorable position.

n“So would this mean we’ll reschedule this after we think of some way?”

nAs Ivy stayed silent with a difficult look on her face, Klaus lowered his weapon, thinking that there wasn’t a way to make it work.

nEven Lapis thought of cancelling it and there was no other way that redo it, but with conditions that made it more favorable for Loren, but Loren took off the great sword from his back, leaned it against the wall, and casually took a wooden two handed-sword that was hanging from it.

n“I’m not that confident on these, but I guess it can’t be helped.”

n“Are you sure?”

nIt seemed that Loren was going to go against Klaus with that sword.

nAs Ivy asked him, worried that it would be too difficult for him, considering that Klaus used long swords on a daily basis and was quite an experienced iron rank adventurer, but Loren nodded.

n“It’ll be hard to find a replacement for Klaus, anyway, so the conditions won’t change much whether it be now or later.”

n“Are you looking down at me a bit, challenging me on an unfamiliar weapon?”

nTo a swordsman like Klaus, Loren using an unfamiliar weapon meant that it was enough for the likes of him, so a steepness mixed with his frivolous expression.

nLoren, on the other hand, checked out the sword by swinging it around lightly a few times, faced Klaus, and told him.

n“The chances of you winning goes up, you know?”

n“Loren, I’d like to thank your consideration.”

nAs Klaus attitude turned around immediately, Lapis and Ivy’s shoulders sunk.

nIt meant that the keys to a girl’s room came before his pride as a swordsman, but since it was so much like him, they didn’t even feel like complaining.

n“Alright then, please start and get it over with.”

n“Well, looks like you just threw everything a them.”

nLapis pretty much left everything up to them, as if she didn’t care anymore, and Ivy signaled for them to begin.

nAs they looked on, Klaus raised his word with one hand, but Loren did something strange.

nAlthough he had been holding the sword normally, he suddenly turned it upside down, directed the tip towards the ground, and pushed his hands, which were on the handle of the sword, and pushed in against his chest.

n“What’s that?”

n“Don’t worry about it. It’s something I learned from the person who taught me how to use the sword that helps ease the mind.”

nAfter answering, Loren quickly gripped his sword properly again, and aimed it at his opponent.

n“Are we starting?”

n“Yeah, Bring it on. I’ll let you have the first hand.”

nBecause Loren was a lower rank than he was, along with the fact that he was using an unfamiliar weapon, Klaus raised his weapon again and told him to start.

nAgainst it, Loren didn’t seem upset at all, but instead raised his sword above his head, and swung it down towards Klaus head on.

nLoren was someone who used a very heavy weapon.

nThe wooden sword’s weight was nothing compared to his great sword, so the speed that he raised it and brought it down was faster beyond comparison as well.

nBut still, it was a head on downwards blow.

nIt was too visible to Klaus, as he blocked it diagonally with his sword, and let it slide past him.

nKlaus tried to retaliate immediately, but his body couldn’t step forward, but instead he jumped back, trying to gain distance between them.

nChasing after him, Loren swung his sword diagonally upwards, and feeling the wind that it caused, Klaus clenched his teeth from the shiver that went down his spine, knowing that it was a wooden sword.

n“Are you familiar with that sword too, actually?”

n“No. Far from my best.”

nA weak laugh escaped Klaus’ mouth, hearing that even with the speed he saw was far from his best.

nIf he had stepped towards him unprepared, Loren’s swords would’ve caught him straight on, and although it was wooden, he would’ve been rendered unable to move.

nAlthough Loren’s attacks weren’t as sharp as when he was swinging his great sword, his movements were one of someone who trained with the sword long enough, so Klaus became warier of him.

n“You still going to let me be on the offensive?”

n“No. My turn now!”

nAs Loren taunted Klaus, who hadn’t attacked a single time yet, Klaus shook his head slightly and immediately took a sharp step towards Loren along with a swing of his sword.

nLoren’s sword could be used with either one or both hands, and although it was smaller than a great sword, it was longer and wider than the one-handed sword Klaus was using.

nSo it couldn’t make a sharp routing, so it would be used like a great sword, as Loren had done just before.

nLoren most likely had selected it thinking it was the closest thing he could use like his normal weapon, but Klaus’ sword, although losing in power, its speed and routing should have been quicker.

nUsing that advantage, Klaus attacked Loren, focusing on speed, but Loren blocked and dodged his attacks calmly, with the smallest movements possible.

n“I guess it indeed is different than what he’s used to.”

nLapis said as she watched the fight between Loren and Klaus.

nLoren’s usual fighting style was dealing blow after blow, using his weapon’s weight along with his strength to ignore his opponent’s defenses, but since his current weapon was wooden, he couldn’t get past Klaus’ defenses.

nOn the other hand, Klaus moved quicker and weaved in between Loren’s attacks, dealing attack after attack repeatedly.

nBut he couldn’t get past Loren’s skillful defense, so the battle continued on, with both of them not being able to land a single blow on the other.

n“If they were using real swords, Klaus would have died a few times over already though.”

n“Loren’s incredible.”

nLapis’ evaluation impressed Ivy, but her face stiffened at what Lapis said next.

n“If Loren could use his great sword, the number of times Klaus died would already be up to two digits, I think.”

n“Let’s let them continue for a bit longer, and if neither of them can find an opening, let’s stop it.”

nKlaus couldn’t get past Loren’s defenses, but although Loren was on the offensive sometimes, his attacks were dodged or parried, which cut off his chain of attacks, letting Klaus retaliate.

nAlthough Ivy didn’t think it was hopeless, she understood that even if it were to go on, it wouldn’t go anywhere.

n“I think that would be the best…Hmm?”

nLapis agreed to Ivy’s suggestion, but her eyes narrowed as if she noticed something.

nAs Ivy wondered what she noticed, the next moment, she saw a small shadow run in between Loren and Klaus, who were trading blow after blow, and shouted.

n“No!”

nThe moment the shadow ran in was right when Loren and Klaus were both in the middle of letting out attacks.

nIf one went in between, he would be receiving both attacks at once.

nThe shadow was small as well, most likely a child, and it was hard to believe that a child could survive a blow from Loren as well as Klaus.

nBut the result that Ivy expected didn’t happen.

nLoren and Klaus stopped with their swings completed.

nThe wooden swords in their hands didn’t have a blade, and close to the handles were jagged marks, and a heartbeat later, the blades, which most likely had been snapped off, spun down from above their heads and landed on the ground.

n“What!?”

n“What are you doing?”

nKlaus was surprised at the broken sword in his hand.

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nLoren threw the useless sword on the ground and asked the being that interrupted them.

n“Well, you were doing something that looked fun, so I thought I’d interrupt. You guys are adventurers, no?”

nTalking in a slightly arrogant manner, the being that put her hands on her waist was a girl that was way smaller than Loren or Klaus.

nHer clothes were made from quality material and was tailored well, like clothes worn by nobles, and it wasn’t something to be wearing when interrupting two adventurers in a battle, and she didn’t hold a weapon either.

nShe had long, blonde hair, and it was clean and glossy, making it obvious that it was taken care of quite well, and the word princess fit her perfectly.

nBut it was clear that she had somehow snapped both Loren’s and Klaus’ sword, and they didn’t know what she did, which made them wary of her.

nThe girl circled around and looked at all of them, as if not noticing their wariness.

n“I’ve come to request a job. Hear me out.”

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nAt the girl’s imposing manner, Loren and the rest of them all nodded without thinking.

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