7. not giving up (4)

Theodora occupies more than 80% of Maxim’s memories of the academy. Maybe it’s all occupied. There was no reason to recall memories that did not include her.

And, about 30 percent of the time Maxim spent with Theodora was spent sharpening his sword with her.

He did not skip mixing swords even for a day. For Maxim and Theodora, it was like a habit or pattern of life outside of obligations or hobbies. On weekends when going out or staying out was allowed, when going out was unwilling, we locked ourselves in the gym all day and shared swords. There were times when they sparred lightly with wooden swords, and there were times when they competed seriously with sharp swords.

If there are deficiencies, they are supplemented, and if there are points to be corrected, they are corrected. Their swords shared a similar ethos, and just as the more time they shared, the more they resembled each other’s personalities, the more swords they shared, the more their swords resembled each other.

“It would have been nice if you had learned our family’s swordsmanship.”

These were the words Theodora said while lying next to Maxim one day. Sunday morning. Sunlight was filtering through the curtains.

“Shall we just kidnap her into my house? How’s your son-in-law, Maxie? And you will join the knights of our family.”

affectionate titles and words. Maxim was looking at Theodora, who was looking up at him cutely from her arms, with the same eyes as hers. Although she did not usually feel it, Theodora was small in Maxim’s arms. Maxim sensed that fact and answered while carefully tucking Theodora’s hair.

“Deril’s son-in-law isn’t bad either, but…”

Maxim smiled shyly.

“I think living together would be much better. Succeed as a knight, regardless of family.”

“yes. In fact, me too.”

“Rather than that, how would your father react if he heard that…”

Maxim laughed mischievously, and Theodora smiled and said,

“Then I will protect you. So, do you want to get a son-in-law? I’m fine with that too.”

“If you tell me that much, I’ll think about it.”

As Maxim stroked her hair, Theodora rubbed her head against Maxim’s hand like a cat. Thinking that the little girl was so adorable, Maxim hugged her tightly. so that you don’t have to go anywhere. So that their relationship will continue like this.

—

“As for vice-captain Maxime Appart, I will deal with him myself.”

It was a cold voice. Maxim looked at Theodora as she walked down from the podium. The memory that came to her after she said she would deal with herself was one Sunday morning. Unknowingly, Maxim was caressing his own chest. It felt like a throbbing scar that wouldn’t hurt.

“Come forward.”

Maxim walked out slowly. The plate boots groaned as they hit the floor of the training ground. To keep his calm mind from being disturbed, and to keep his breathing and rhythm from getting messed up, Maxim kept fixing the hilt. Opposite Maxim stood Theodora. He was wearing a uniform without armor, and holding the sword he used for practice in his hand.

The two stared at each other. But Maxim could not guess what Theodora was thinking right now. Does she even recall those days, even a little bit? Is it just his own greed, he must also kill this damn lingering attachment. Maxim sighed.

visor.

Theodora’s sword was pulled out of its scabbard. The dead blade did not shine sharp, but Theodora could cut mountains and seas with a knife with that dead blade. Maxim drew his sword. There was not even a sound of the foot that was not quick. Maxim let his sword hang loosely once and fixed it with both hands.

“Leone…time.”

Theodora turned to the wizard and asked.

“all right.”

The mage accepted her mission without hesitation. Leone Becker looked at Theodora and turned to Maxim. Maxim could see that the eyes of the other knights were also fixed on him. It felt as if I was asking if you were qualified to cross swords with the captain.

Maxim decided not to be conscious of their stares. All he has to focus on is himself. I didn’t even have to ask if I was ready. The two knew each other’s swords too well.

A chilly wind swept across the training ground. The sky roared as if it was about to rain. The training ground was as quiet as a dead mouse. When even the wind became calm and the trees fell asleep, the two knights kicked off their seats and ran at the same time.

Maxim’s first attack was an extremely simple longitudinal cut. Steel’s sword fell straight and abruptly, like the first raindrops before a shower.

Took.

The blade of the sword descended vertically like raindrops falling on the back of his hand,

Chae Ae-Aeng!

They collided with Theodora’s sword, which struck diagonally and diagonally in the air.

Hook, and the sword wind spread in a circle around the two knights.

Through the oblique blade of the sword, Maxim saw Theodora. She, too, was convinced that he would be looking at him now. Theodora’s dark-cloudy eyes met Maxim’s golden ones.

couldn’t read Maxim could not read the meaning of those maze-like complex eyes.

Took.

Raindrops fell on the gauntlet holding the sword. Starting with him, raindrops began to fall, knocking on Maxim and Theodora.

Kang!

It was Theodora who ended the confrontation. She shook her sword vigorously and pushed Maxim back. Maxim obeyed Theodora’s intention and stepped back.

“Maxim Appart.”

“Yeah.”

Theodora called for Maxim. Maxim answered in a calm voice.

“Even if I succeed in lasting 15 minutes in this competition and remain as a member…”

Raindrops ran down Theodora’s cheeks.

“If it is judged that your skills are not suitable for being vice-captain, I will immediately revoke your position as vice-captain.”

Maxim closed his eyes for a moment and fixed his sword. The rain was pounding on Maxim’s armor, making a loud noise. Maxim’s eyes opened again.

“understand.”

After Maxim’s answer, Theodora closed her mouth and glared at Maxim. And, without warning, it approached Maxim again.

Kang!

Maxim quickly raised his sword to block it, but felt his palms vibrate. Theodora was able to wield a much stronger sword than before.

‘You’ve gotten a lot stronger.’

Maxim, who wanted to say that, kept his mouth shut. Instead, he changed the words he wanted to say into moans in agony at Theodora’s approaching attack, and let it flow into the rain.

visor! visor! visor!

Theodora swung her sword. Her sword was fast yet precise, heavy yet unhesitating, sharp yet refined. Every time Theodora’s blade collided with Maxim’s blade, a sword wind burst out with raindrops.

throw it away

Maxim said to himself. Maxim was fighting all the swords flying from all directions. There was no gap in the counterattack. Theodora’s sword, which was almost completed, was forcing the consumption of physical strength simply by blocking it.

throw it away

Maxim said to himself once more. If you couldn’t see a gap, you had to make it. Maxim decided to forcibly twist the flow of the offensive that continued like water.

‘The next vertical slash is shed and I aim for the ankle.’

A sword fell from above Maxim’s head. Instead of widening the distance, Maxim held his sword crookedly and dug into Theodora’s gap. Red sparks flew on the side of Maxim’s cheeks with a terrible sound of metal scraping.

Maxim quickly retrieved his sword and switched to stabbing his ankle. Theodora stepped back. And when Theodora was bitten in the foot, Maxim’s only chance was to launch an attack.

Caring is not necessary. Maxim’s concern for Theodora’s safety was a deception, an insult, and arrogance toward her.

The sword aiming for her ankle bounced up like a spring and tried to cut Theodora from underneath. An attack like an viper that spews poison, Theodora blocked it without blinking an eye. In order not to stop the sword, Maxim used the collision to retrieve the sword and continue with the next slashing attack. The moment he stops his sword and enters a stalemate, his defeat is virtually certain.

Maxim’s sword danced. The sword was seen as one branch, and sometimes it was seen as dozens of branches. All of the attacks, which might seem light at first glance, had deadly sharpness. But to Maxim, even that sword dance was simply a trick for exploration.

throw it away

Maxim’s sword began to get heavier and heavier. The tip of the sword, which flew lightly and scattered raindrops, fell along with the raindrops carrying its weight. Theodora was following. No, rather than following, he was aiming at Maxim’s sword.

throw it away

Maxim was barely raising his power. Except for the swordsmanship to kill someone, everything that could be pulled out was pulled out. It’s a pity that I couldn’t find a sense of the sword in advance because of the former leader? Maxim, now, did not even have time to think of him.

The longer the swords faced each other, the more Theodora’s expression hardened. Maxim was deeply disturbed by that fact, but he had no choice but to exclude it from the flow of his thoughts for now. Theodora closed her eyes, then opened them again. It was a look that determined something.

Empty!

Maxim reacted late to Theodora’s sword, which caused an instant counter-resilience. Maxim was pushed away, splashing with standing rainwater.

Maxim lamented inwardly. A bright light was coming from Theodora’s sword.

Aura Blade.

The strongest skill that the best knights can wield wrapped around Theodora’s blade. The sword Theodora was holding gleamed in platinum, just like the color of her hair.

Maxim gritted his teeth and corrected his posture. I wasn’t ready to face the Aura Blade yet, but I had no choice but to try.

“…Are you not taking it out?”

“uh?”

A stupid voice came out of Maxim’s mouth. I hadn’t even imagined that Theodora would speak at this timing.

“Aura Blade.”

Maxim felt as if he had been hit in the head with a hammer. All this time, Theodora had assumed that Maxim was not using his full power. Maxim sighed and bit his lip. The fishy smell of blood filled his mouth and nose.

throw it away

Maxim did not answer Theodora’s question. Instead, he gripped the sword with a steady hand. The aftermath accumulated due to the competition made Maxim’s mana shake, but Maxim’s hand was firm.

“okay.”

Theodora raised her sword high. Maxim wanted to cry out that it wasn’t, that it wasn’t the situation you thought it was. But Maxim could not make excuses. Ignoring the scar that was beginning to ache, Maxim rushed towards the aura blade first.

“…Did you think you’d see something different if you rushed at it like that?”

Theodora mercilessly cut off Maxim’s sword. The one who swung the sword and attacked was Maxim, but the one who took damage was also Maxim. Maxim’s sword became sharper and more sophisticated than the first one, but it was not enough to deal with the Aura Blade.

Maxim inevitably gnashed his teeth. He began to gather mana in his heart to form the Aura Blade.

‘Do not work too hard.’

‘Then, I’ll protect you.’

throw it away

Kwa-dung-!

Lightning struck and thunder roared through the sky. In the end, Maxim was unable to pull out the aura blade. The light faded from Theodora’s sword and disappeared.

The raindrops got thicker. The pouring rain runs down Maxim’s, Theodora’s hair, and down her face.

“After all, you…”

What Theodora’s lips were saying, Maxim watched in a daze. Lightning strikes again. Theodora’s twisted lips returned to normal. The torrential rain was making a mess of her fine platinum hair.

Kwa-dung-!

Thunder struck. The sky rained harder and harder.

“Captain, time is up.”

I heard the voice of Lyone Becker. Theodora continued to look at me with those dark cloud-colored eyes.

“Maxim Appart, you have passed.”

The voice heard was dry. There was no congratulations, no joy.

“The position of vice-captain is…”

The sound of rain was loud. Maxim’s vision was blocked by the rain.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t reappoint you.”

Through the sound of rain, Theodora’s sentence was heard.

“I will elect a new vice-captain when I go to work tomorrow.”

Theodora returned to her original position. Maxim stood in a daze and lined up among the knights who were hesitant.

“Thank you for your effort. Starting tomorrow, we will be starting activities with new members, and since we are gathered for the glory of the kingdom, I hope you get along well without rejecting them.”

Theodora’s voice sounded tired. She gave up and returned to headquarters. The rest of the knights congratulated each other and started to walk down the hill in the pouring rain.

Maxim approached the main building with precarious steps.

“Kuh…!”

The scar, though not overdoing it, was painful. The aftermath of quitting while trying to form the Aura Blade must have had some effect. Maxim’s legs gave way and he knelt down at the main entrance door.

“…flaw….”

Whether it was moaning from the pain or the pain after facing Theodora’s attitude, a cry of unknown origin leaked from Maxim’s mouth.

“…Vice-captain.”

Maxim raised his head. Christine, Christine, who had been caught in the rain as well as Maxim, stood a step behind Maxim. Raindrops were dripping from her golden hair, which did not fade even when wet.

“…Christine.”

“I will help you.”

Christine’s green eyes were filled with pity. Maybe because of the rain, it looked like it was wet and glistening. Maxim did not refuse Christine’s help.

Maxim stood up, holding Christine’s outstretched hand. The rain seemed to have no intention of stopping.