“What kind of test?”

Eric asked with a puzzled expression.

But Alicia, without answering, smiled brightly and picked up a wooden sword that had fallen on the floor.

“May I use this wooden sword?”

“Sure. But what for?”

“Edward!”

Edward, who had been talking with some knights, spotted Alicia and ran over.

“Elder sister, what brings you here?”

“I was curious how you’re doing. Shall your elder sister take a look?”

“Sure.”

Edward grabbed the wooden sword, seemingly familiar with Alicia’s words.

Eric, Allen, and the other knights watched the two with confused faces, not knowing what was going on.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

Alicia and Edward took their stances, holding wooden swords.

Edward’s stance was the basic sword stance used in the Imperial Knights, but Alicia’s was a bit different.

‘What’s that? I’ve never seen that stance before.’

Just as Eric was wondering about Alicia’s stance, she quickly dashed towards Edward and thrust her wooden sword.

“Oh!”

“Lady Alicia?”

Edward quickly blocked with his sword and attempted a counterattack.

“You’re putting a bit more strength into it than before?”

“I’ve been working hard too, you know.”

“Is that so?”

Alicia withstood Edward’s sword, then quickly moved to the side and attacked from the flank.

Her movements were fast and graceful, looking almost like a dance.

“Ugh!”

Edward barely managed to block the attack.

“As expected, elder sister is too fast.”

Alicia’s swordsmanship was light-footed and quick, making it difficult to block. The best method would be to find an opening and overpower with strength, but finding that opening was not easy.

After parrying Edward’s sword a few times as he tried to create an opening, Alicia quickly moved in.

“Ah!”

Startled, Edward stepped back and tried to knock away Alicia’s sword, but lost his balance and fell on his behind.

As Alicia took a step towards Edward and swung her sword, Eric blocked it with his wooden sword, and other knights stepped in front of Edward.

“Wait, wait. Alicia. Calm down.”

“What is it?”

As Eric hurriedly tried to stop Alicia, Allen and a few knights hugged Edward and shouted.

“Why are you doing this to our child!”

“Our child?”

Eric turned around with a dumbfounded expression.

“Our child who shouldn’t even be hit with flowers!”

“Since when did Edward become your child?”

“Captain, what are you doing? Why aren’t you stopping her!”

“What?”

“Why are they really acting like this.”

Edward laughed awkwardly, seemingly embarrassed.

Alicia pouted at the knights’ disgruntled outcry.

“What did I do wrong?”

“You were too harsh on the kid.”

“I’ve always done it this way, you know. Edward should be used to it by now.”

“What? No, more importantly, you’ve been doing this all along? So you knew how to handle a sword?”

“Yes, a little.”

“Then why didn’t you say anything?”

“You never asked.”

Eric stared at Alicia’s nonchalant face, dumbfounded.

“Is there anything else I should know about?”

“Hm? I don’t understand your question.”

“Don’t tell me you can use divine arts too? You said you like mathematics.”

“Come on, Eric. That requires being born with magical power.”

While that was true, Eric had a feeling that Alicia might be able to use divine arts anyway.

“You really are a woman I can’t let my guard down around. You keep catching me off guard.”

“Pardon?”

“No. Nothing. Just talking to myself.”

While Eric was talking with Alicia, Allen helped Edward, who had fallen, to his feet.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Really.”

“He’s not hurt that badly.”

Unable to stand by any longer, Alicia spoke up, causing Allen and the knights to glare at her.

Alicia grumbled, seemingly displeased.

“Aren’t you being too overprotective? You brought him here to train, didn’t you?”

“I have nothing to say about those guys either, they do seem that way.”

“He’s really okay, right?”

“Of course. I have my own teaching methods, so I’d appreciate it if you’d respect that.”

“But he said it wasn’t hard at all. He only said it was fun.”

“It’s better to enjoy learning at first so you don’t get bored later. Besides, even if the basics are boring, you need to establish them well early on.”

“That’s true, but.”

“Anyway, this is my domain, so I’d like you to trust me a bit? Didn’t you agree to leave it to me?”

“…Alright.”

“Your expression says otherwise.”

“I said alright.”

Seeing Alicia reluctantly answer, Eric grinned and adjusted his grip on the wooden sword.

“Since you’ve come this far, how about sparring with me?”

“Spar with you?”

“Yes.”

Honestly, Eric was curious about Alicia’s skills.

It was a footwork and swordsmanship he had never seen before, so he was even more curious. He wondered what level she was at.

“I won’t attack, so let’s give it a try.”

“Aren’t you being too lenient? It hurts my pride.”

“Going all out against you wouldn’t be right, would it?”

“Ah, I see.”

Alicia seemed to understand as she took her stance, then closed her eyes for a moment before opening them.

Unlike when she was talking with Eric, her momentarily focused gaze pleased him.

‘Here she comes. Oh!’

Alicia’s movements were faster than expected.

As Eric blocked with his sword, Alicia quickly turned to the side and brought her sword down.

Although Eric was only defending and not attacking, her movements were fast and precise.

Unlike when she was sparring with Edward earlier, as the exchange went on longer, her footwork finally became visible.

Her steps were light, and her stride was shorter than in conventional swordsmanship, making it look like she was dancing.

“Wow.”

“Amazing.”

Exclamations of admiration flowed from the watching knights’ mouths.

“Our lady is incredible.”

“Wow. Go on, go on!”

“Give the Captain a good hit!”

The knights’ dissatisfaction from being severely tormented by Eric, who had been living in the training grounds recently due to malingering, turned into cheers for Alicia.

“Those guys.”

Eric glanced at his subordinates.

“That’s what you get for not treating them well usually.”

“Where can you find a superior like me?”

“Everyone thinks they’re a good boss.”

“Hmm. I feel a bit hurt now. Shouldn’t you at least be on my side?”

“Did you forget I’m an employee too?”

“Ah, right. Sometimes I forget who the boss is.”

“What are you saying.”

Eric effortlessly blocked all attacks while conversing with Alicia.

“I can tell the difference, but honestly, it doesn’t feel great.”

Alicia pouted, and Eric laughed.

Seeming more annoyed by Eric’s laughter, Alicia shot him a pretty glare.

“You said you wouldn’t go all out, but you’re not even letting your guard down.”

“It’s a bit difficult with my student watching.”

“Tch.”

“Shall we stop?”

“This is the last one.”

Alicia quickly dashed towards Eric, pointing her sword.

“Oh-”

After deflecting Alicia’s consecutive attacks, Eric put a bit more strength into the last one.

As Alicia staggered and was about to fall backwards, Eric instantly wrapped his arm around her waist.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Sorry. I unconsciously put in some strength.”

“Is this perhaps a compliment?”

“Of course.”

Eric smiled.

“Booo-. Ill-mannered Captain-.”

“To treat even his fiancée like that, he has no consideration!”

“Step back! Booo-.”

“Those guys.”

Eric turned his head to glare at his subordinates’ jeering.

At that moment, Alicia grabbed Eric’s shirt collar with her left hand, arched her back further, planted her right foot, instantly flipped the wooden sword to hold it in reverse, and placed it against Eric’s neck.

“Oh my.”

“You let your guard down, didn’t you?”

“I surrender.”

“Isn’t that surrender too quick? Don’t you have pride as the Captain of the Knights?”

Alicia pouted, seemingly dissatisfied, and Eric grinned.

“I don’t mind surrendering to you.”

“What’s this, if you say it like that, I can’t do anything.”

“Surely you weren’t really going to do something?”

“It’s just a figure of speech. As if I’d really do something?”

The two stared at each other, smiling with their eyes locked.

“Booo-. What are you doing in the sacred training grounds.”

“Thanks to someone, we don’t even have time to find lovers, this is too much!”

“You shouldn’t do this in front of minors.”

“Moreover, doing this in front of your younger brother is not right. Edward. Let’s cover your eyes for now.”

Allen covered Edward’s eyes.

“What did we do!”

Eric shouted in bewilderment.

Meanwhile, as Eric still wouldn’t let go, Alicia tried to straighten her posture but didn’t know what to do with his arms holding her so firmly.

“What are you doing?”

Eric asked, feeling Alicia rustling in his arms.

“Well, you won’t let go.”

“Ah.”

Eric released his arms in embarrassment.

Finally able to stand properly, Alicia fixed Eric’s shirt collar that had been crumpled when she grabbed it earlier.

“It’s fine. It was already wrinkled from training anyway.”

“Still.”

Even while saying it was okay, Eric stood still as Alicia touched him.

“Booo-. Stop rubbing salt in our wounds.”

“Don’t you know that dating is forbidden in the training grounds? You have no conscience-.”

“It’s so noisy I could die. If you don’t want to see, go run 10 laps and come back.”

“Eeeh? That’s too much-.”

“Evil Captain!!”

“What are you complaining about when you’ve been playing around watching until now. Hurry up and go.”

It was true that they had been playing, and they had teased the Captain plenty, so the subordinates started running while giggling. Edward, who had been watching from the side, also started running.

“Edward, you-”

“Just let him run. He can actually run more.”

“You’re unexpectedly strict, aren’t you?”

Ouch.

Alicia recalled Edward’s grumbling that Eric should know about his elder sister’s aggressiveness.

Feeling embarrassed, Alicia picked up the wooden sword she had put down.

“In the end, I couldn’t attack properly.”

“Still, you were excellent. To the point where I want to recruit you into the Knights.”

“What’s that. I can’t tell if you’re joking or being serious.”

“Me neither.”

“?”

Even as Alicia looked at him quizzically, Eric turned away without further explanation and began giving instructions to his subordinates.

‘Maybe-‘

Alicia thought for a very brief moment that if she joined the Knights, she might be able to see him even after the contract ended.

Since they would have to see each other for work, it wouldn’t be a violation of the contract.

Suddenly, Alicia bit her lip.

It was troubling.

The fact that she was unconsciously looking for ways to violate yet not violate the contract like this.

[This is the timeline separator]

The subordinates began tidying up the rolling wooden swords and training equipment according to Eric’s instructions.

Eric walked over to Edward, who was groaning while carrying a heavy pile of equipment.

“Edward. Just leave that. It’s probably too heavy for you.”

“It’s okay. I can still carry it.”

“If you get hurt, it’ll be a big problem.”

Eric stopped Edward and lifted it instead.

“Oh, thank you.”

Edward followed Eric closely as he walked carrying the equipment.

Glancing at Edward following him, Eric carefully opened his mouth while handing him some water.

“Edward. About earlier.”

“Yes?”

“Those guys were just being mischievous and teasing, I wasn’t really trying to do anything weird-”

“Ah, that?”

Edward looked straight into Eric’s eyes.

Strictly speaking, he hadn’t done anything wrong, but feeling oddly guilty, Eric anxiously waited for Edward’s next words.