213: Judith’s Choice (1)

Even as he entered the swordsmanship school, right away, Airn was filled with thoughts of meeting Ian.

He felt bad for Judith for a second. However, after hearing the stories which came in, he thought differently.

Khun’s disciple?

For the sole purpose of defeating Ian, he didn’t take in disciples or have kids and even separated from his wife to continue his training, but the fact that he was teaching something to someone, and moreover, taking an official disciple, came as a shock to him.

Besides, to say that she was a disciple, didn’t Judith have a say in it?

‘She just came back to Krono, so was…. Was it necessary to go under Khun as a disciple?’

He didn’t understand.

So, he wanted to know more.

What happened? Did something special happen while he wasn’t there?

But he couldn’t know.

The attention of the over-excited students of the school was rather focused on the romance between Judith and Bratt.

“Quickly! Say it!”

“Ah! I am losing it! Say something, will you? We are too shocked!”

“So. The two of them were fighting every day… ha! There must have been some signs before. Airn, you must know something. Right?”

“Uh…”

Right. Airn remembered what happened in Durkali.

Judith, who seemed to hate Bratt’s courageous confessions and his aggressive behavior, still kept staying with him.

After that, the two of them returned here alone, so there was a chance something had happened between the two of them during that time. Having recalled till there, he slowly thought about what he saw and heard.

There was a concern within him, whether it was okay to tell other people’s stories without asking them, but he dismissed it because all the swordsmen present there seemed to know the relationship between the two.

‘No, I am the only one who didn’t realize it, right? What exactly happened?’

Seeing the twinkling eyes of his mates, and somehow, even his younger sister seemed to be interested in this for some reason, Airn made up his mind.

Just like before, Airn knew that Bratt would have expressed his feelings in a moderately playful manner, where he was half-sincere with his words, and Judith would’ve been aggressive… so they wouldn’t have hidden it that well.1

There had to be something more.

Airn nodded and told everyone everything he knew, and then asked.

“I told you everything, so now it’s your turn.”

“Our turn?”

“What happened after those two arrived? Between Khun and them. I am curious too.”

“Oh…”

“Ohh…”

His mates were shocked at his words.

Airn, not realizing the reason for their reaction, asked.

“What? What is with that reaction?”

“Nothing.”

“We…”

They looked at each other. As if confirming they are one the same idea.

Airn felt a strange feeling, one of them opened his mouth.

“I thought you wouldn’t be interested in this kind of thing.”

“Huh?”

“Right. We didn’t think that you would ask something like this since you only seem to be having strong feelings about swords…”

“It’s a little strange to see you taking an interest in other people’s love stories.”

“Well, you were always different from us. I guess now is the time for you to be interested in this.”

“…”

Airn looked around. Even his sister and Lulu were nodding their heads.

He said nothing, and after being silent for a while, he just urged them, thinking that he wouldn’t be able to convince them, even if he made an excuse.

“… so, what happened?”

“Hm, so where do we start…”

Before Airn Pareira’s party arrived at the school.

In an empty lot at night, Judith continued to ponder with a serious expression.

She didn’t want to turn down his offer. But it was too sudden, that was for sure.

She only heard rumors, but Judith had never met him. Ian was the best teacher on the continent, and if he was the one who had asked her, she wouldn’t feel this anxious.

But now, she was feeling it.

But…

‘Those eyes.’

Judith recalled the look in Khun’s eyes.

She remembered what he said and the scorching heat around him, and his figure, which made her feel scared and stimulated at the same time.

The same as back then.

The day her future changed.

The moment when she decided to become a swordsman while she was living in a slum for the first time, the same feeling Judith felt at that moment, while looking at Khun.

She made up her mind. Even if she belonged to Krono, she still wanted to be the disciple of Khun at the same time.

So, what was troubling her?

Both people had ties with Krono, so it wouldn’t be a problem, and unlike in the past, now she could have good conversations with everyone.

Schoolmaster Ian, who felt like a grandfather to her, and Keira Finn, who was strict yet the most caring person.

The seniors who helped her and motivated her. And Airn Pareira, that bastard, whom she could never get angry at yet.

Ilya Lindsay, whom she didn’t like at first, but became close enough to open their hearts to each other.

And…

“Bratt Lloyd.”

Judith mumbled the name and kicked the stone on the floor.

Right.. all of these people who she thought were good… she could handle not seeing them.

If it was two years or maybe longer, she could handle it and control herself. Because she could run after what she wanted.

But not with Bratt Lloyd.

‘Sigh.’

It was absurd. She had never liked him. He was richer than others. And he had too much confidence.

And he was someone who had the talent to handle his peers and also knew his own strengths the best.

‘And his looks aren’t my type either. That bastard looks too sassy.’

But.

Now she liked him.

It didn’t matter who confessed and who expressed it. Judith herself wanted to see him.

She wanted to spend time with him. But she couldn’t.

Judith sighed at the thought of Khun, who would become her teacher.

‘I told you, you can’t go out into the world for the next two years.’

She knew they wouldn’t be empty words.

He was a man who gave up everything, including his wife, for the sake of the sword to get over Ian.

There was no way he would be considerate for his disciple. And Judith still didn’t understand why he had asked her to be his disciple.

If it weren’t for his sincere eyes, she would have thought that he was just making fun of her.

After all, her remaining time with Bratt was… just a few days more before leaving this place.

‘We can manage to go on one date before then.’

Judith smiled, looking more usual.

That was what Bratt told her.

‘Let’s head out for a date tomorrow, and rejection isn’t accepted.’

They were together on their way back here, but it was Judith’s first time going out for an official date, so she was a little excited.

A lot excited

And she was kind of depressed too.

That this could be their last.

It wasn’t long before she realized. And she felt embarrassed as she had never properly expressed herself.

… the fact that there was a good chance that things might not go the way she wanted it to, made her sink into that feeling even more.

“… let’s just go to sleep.”

Judith kicked the ground in frustration and went back to her room.

It had been a long time since she went to bed early without practicing the sword. And she couldn’t sleep.

And the next day dawned.

“… Do you like this?”

“Uh. The weather is nice? When the weather is this nice, walking out seems so nice. And it is better than staying inside.”

“The weather is nice, but it is kind of cold.”

Bratt grunted as usual, and Judith was being stingy with her words like usual.

But it was a little different today.

Unlike when they first left Krono to explore the world, these two were walking through Alcantra with their hands held together.

And that wasn’t the only difference.

Since the two of them were different in everything, there were so many fights in the beginning of their trainee days. But now, it was rare to see them fight.

When Judith wanted to see the street circus, Bratt would follow.

And when Bratt wants to see Ice Sculpting, Judith would move with him.

It was the same throughout the day.

The two went on a date without any objections or fights, or arguing.

It was because both of them knew.

That today was too short to waste on something like arguing.

Even if that wasn’t the case, they’d have been the same.

Finishing their meal, the two looked at each other.

There was an alcohol bottle on the table, and neither Bratt nor Judith paid attention to it.

“…”

“…”

In that noisy place, the two of them just stayed silent, looking at each other.

Judith was worried, seeing the familiar expression on Bratt’s face.

What should she say?

What should she say to make Bratt and her own heart feel more comfortable?

There was nothing that came to her mind. Judith wasn’t the kind who would think and do something.

That was something Airn and Ilya did, not her.

‘This idiot has to be similar to them.’

Judith just glared at Bratt’s mouth.

He flinched a little, indicating that he was thinking of saying something.

That he was trying to choose the right words. She felt terrified and curious at the same time.

What would it be?

What was he trying to say?

She couldn’t get herself to wait. ‘Just say something’ was what she wanted to scream.

Anything.

In a little while, the day would be over, and their sweet relationship could potentially end.

That made Judith sad. And it made her look into her own mind and not Bratt’s.

‘Am I fine with this?’

She shook her head. It was difficult and painful to think about.

She wanted to be the strongest swordsman.

She wanted to be stronger than Airn, Ignet, and anyone else… and to do that, she had to be a disciple of Khun.

But that wasn’t all.

Before all this, something else was growing in Judith’s heart.

What was it?

She couldn’t figure it out.

No, she actually knew. But she was too shy to say it out loud and accept it.

“I…”

“…!”

It was then.

Before Judith could sort her mind, Bratt’s lips moved.

Until she organized her thoughts, cleared her mind, and put her lips together to make the words she wanted to say.

Bratt Lloyd decided to wait since she too seemed like she wanted to say something like that.

The moment it crossed his mind, Judith’s arm moved. And she grabbed Bratt’s collar.

He was shocked and flustered.

And the next thing he felt were her chapped lips.

Judith just acted. She just moved before she thought about it.

Pulling the opponent towards her, she pursed her lips with his. And her eyes were telling him to shut his mouth.

“Huh!”

“Uh, wow!”

“Woahhh!”

At the same time, the Krono mates who were hiding in various places couldn’t believe what they saw!