5. Preparing for a duel – 02

“… Is this right?”

A few days after that, Altina was standing in front of the door of the hospital room with the class materials from the past few days in her arms.

It was because the homeroom teacher of Class A had made a separate class material for Jin, who had not been able to attend class at all because he had been lying in the hospital room for the past few days, and had asked Jin to bring it.

[jin]

Judging by the nameplate in front of the hospital room, this must be the hospital room where Jin is currently lying.

In fact, since she had already asked the nurse at the counter several times, there was no way she could be mistaken, but even so, Altina couldn’t calm her pounding heart for some reason.

Why do I feel so strange? He is nothing more than a teacher’s request to bring overdue class materials.

But why do you keep caring about him so much? Why does my heart tickle so much whenever I think about him?

‘Altina!’

And why did he look at himself with those eyes and call him that way?

I feel like I’m going crazy. Just the thought of him lying in the hospital room instead of her made my head feel so complicated that it felt like it would explode.

How can you care so much about a man you’ve only known for two days? Did he really turn around?

A woman named Altina von Rudel Serias was not a cheap woman who could be so easily seduced by someone else.

“Oh really!”

Take a deep breath. Yeah, this is really nothing.

I am a descendant of the proud Serias family. It’s absolutely ridiculous that I’m so flustered that I can’t even open the door to a hospital room like this.

I just came here to deliver class materials, and no matter where the man was injured or how long he was lying on the bed, that had nothing to do with me!

That’s how Altina made up her mind and opened the door to the hospital room vigorously.

“Now, oh, try it. ah-“

“Well, since I have hands, I keep trying to feed them.”

… And the moment she saw that scene, Altina felt a deep rage.

In Altina’s eyes, Jin was lying on the bed in a good mood, and Claire, clinging to him and carefully scooping up food as if she were feeding chicks, was reflected.

And the moment she saw that scene, Altina deeply regretted herself.

I’m crazy, why the hell did I worry about a human being like that for a moment? If I had known that I would be playing nobles like that, I would never have come here.

But why was Claire taking care of that man with so much care?

I’ve been wondering lately that he’s disappeared somewhere as soon as the class bell rings.

“Ah, Altina. Come on.”

“What, why are you here?”

When Altina enters the hospital room, Claire greets her with a wide smile, while Jin asks why she is here with a gruff expression.

… I-I’m like that guy who’s not cheap. My head is so complicated because of you that it’s about to burst, but the only thing you say when you see me like that is why are you here?

“Do not worry about it. I didn’t come all this way because I wanted to see you.”

“then?”

“The homeroom teacher asked for it. Give me data on the classes you skipped while you were locked up in the hospital room.”

Saying that, Altina had already taken her hand once and put the class materials, which were organized so that they could be looked at, gently on the bed where Jin was lying.

“Well, thank you. But I don’t think it’ll help me even if you bring me something like that.”

Jin, who still has a crooked posture, spits out rude words.

“No, it is not. Altina, thank you very much. For caring so much.”

Rather, Claire, who was next to Jin, bowed her head toward Altina with an annoyance.

… What the hell is this? Since when did Claire become that man’s spokesperson?

“I do not know. While you’re talking, take him with you. Even if you tell me that you don’t need to stay next to me anymore, you won’t listen to me even if I dry up and wear out.”

“Ha, but the healer said that. I still need more stability. And did you forget On the first day, you couldn’t even go to the bathroom properly without me?”

“… Why don’t you stop talking about that? Because I feel ashamed and going crazy.”

Jin grumbles but accepts Claire’s story well, and Claire smiles brightly at Jin.

Watching the two people talking like flowing water without any blockage somewhere, Altina felt that her heart was blocked for some reason.

… But why the hell am I feeling this way? Now that I’m doing this, it feels like I’ve lost that man to Claire. Actually, I have nothing to do with that man.

“You two seem to have become very close over the past few days?”

However, when he said that without showing such feelings, Claire tilted her head.

“Well, actually, there are so many younger siblings in our family. I’m usually helping out with the sense of taking care of my younger siblings. It’s a familiar feeling to me, so it’s not that hard.”

“Hey, since you say it’s a helper, the tone is a bit like that. Call it nursing care.”

“hehehe, is that so?”

I’m not feeling good. I get an unpleasant feeling, like something creeping up from a corner of my heart.

Claire must be Altina’s precious friend, but the time she spent with Claire must have been longer than the time she faced that man.

Why on earth is he feeling this way? Why did Claire, who was sitting face-to-face with that man, feel so disgusted? why?

“Yeah, by the way. Do you know that there will be a duel evaluation soon?”

This is not good. Having judged that, Altina hurriedly changed the subject. As a topic that the two of them can no longer talk about.

“Duel evaluation? what is that?”

When Jin tilts his head, Claire, who was next to him, kindly explains.

“In Nineveh, quarterly duels are held between students, and points are awarded through them. In a way, it’s a more important evaluation than midterm or final evaluation.”

“yes? That’s amazing.”

Jin talks like it’s someone else’s business. Altina was stunned when she saw Jin like that.

“But I don’t think right now is the time for you to be so relaxed?”

“me? Why me?”

“Hugo is making a public announcement that he will point you out for this duel evaluation.”

“Hugo? Who is Hugo? Are you class A?”

As if he really couldn’t remember the name Hugo, Jin stared blankly at Altina.

“… Do you really not remember?”

“You’re asking because I don’t remember?”

“That big kid who played with you as soon as you entered school. His name is Hugo. Hugo Bright.”

“… Oh, that pig? What else am I saying?”

As if he had just remembered it, Jin looked tired and laughed, while Claire, who had been sitting still next to him, showed a restless expression.

“Well, isn’t that a big deal then? As far as I know, Hugo aspires to be a knight, so he is said to be in the top 10 in the first year in martial arts.”

“I’m fine, but why are you worried? Did you forget already that he got scared and stepped aside as soon as he saw me?”

“Ha, but you are very weak. And the other kids said that you must have done something strange to get Hugo to the side… .”

“What? tenderness? creation?”

“Hee!”

When Jin looks at Claire in bewilderment, she recoils as if she is guilty.

“Hey! Why are you talking to Claire!”

And Altina, who seems to have seen a kill angle, rushes in at once and embraces Claire.

Of course, Jin was just dumbfounded. Ji is a beaten wife, what is it? Why do you cower when I stare at you?

Because you react like that, it’s as if I hit you all the time when people aren’t looking!

“… It’s okay, and I don’t care if that pig is after me or not. I didn’t learn anything after I entered Nineveh anyway, and since then I’ve been lying in bed all the time.

“You said you were going in?”

“… What?”

“My homeroom teacher said that earlier. Since we will definitely include you in the evaluation of this duel, the test date will be scheduled according to your expected discharge date.”

At those words, Jin’s face was distorted like a piece of tissue paper.

It’s like these goddamn tops. You’re so blatantly fucking shit to take this opportunity to look at my bottom.

“Yes, if you’re uncomfortable with that, can I nominate Hugo for a duel in advance?”

“nomination? What does that mean?”

“In the duel evaluation, you can basically point out the opponent you want. Even if Hugo plans to point you out, if Claire points out Hugo first, the duel with you will not be established.”

At Altina’s kind explanation, Jin finally understood what Claire meant.

To put it simply, it was as if Claire had volunteered to become Jin’s Dark Knight.

“But will you be okay? He said this wasn’t just a simple duel, but a kind of evaluation. I don’t think it would affect your score that much if you duel with such a low level guy.”

“Ha, but it was my fault that you got injured like this. So help me to take responsibility until the end-”

“done. Even if it’s my nursing care, I don’t want to involve you in anything else.”

Through conversations with Claire over the past few days, Jean also learned about her various circumstances.

For example, why did Claire use such powerful magic in the previous practice, why did she participate so enthusiastically in class, why did she have to go to Nineveh for that reason, and so on.

It doesn’t matter if Jin’s school grades are bad or if he is suspended, but Claire is different. She has a reason why she must achieve excellent grades.

Forcing Claire to suffer a one-sided loss just because it was annoying to duel with that piglet was never what Jin wanted.

“Well, I’m like that, but you? Who are you planning to duel with?”

To Jin’s question to blatantly change the topic, Altina replies that there is nothing to say twice.

“Erekaya del Pendragon.”

“Sir, can you duel with Kaya?”

“yes. We’ve been rivals since long ago, and if I don’t duel with Erekaya’s level in the first place, I won’t get a high score.”

Just as Claire was watching with admiration, her mouth wide open, a gruff voice echoed from beside her.

“At your level? If you challenge Erekaya with just that much skill, you will definitely lose, right?”

“what?”

In an instant, Altina became furious at Jin’s remarks.

“You seem very arrogant about getting over the wall a bit recently, but with that kind of skill, it’s impossible to beat me, let alone Erekaya. Did you know what changed just because you realized that you were at least awake?”

“You’ve just finished talking-“

But that was the time.

Jin stretched out his finger toward Altina.

His outstretched finger wasn’t very fast. No, rather, it was so slow that even Claire, who did not know much about martial arts, could easily grasp its trajectory.

As such, from the perspective of Auror user Altina, Jin’s fingers were as if they were suspended in midair. Altina tilted her head slightly to the side to avoid his fingers-

“… uh?”

Took.

Jin’s fingers touched Altina’s forehead before she knew it. I tried to avoid it, no, I definitely avoided it, but it reached me before I knew it.

I mobilized my senses as an aura user, but I couldn’t avoid the fingers of ordinary people who didn’t use aura.

Why? Why did this happen?

“I told you. You can’t even defeat me, let alone Erekaya.”

A voice that sounded like a laugh. But to that voice, Altina couldn’t answer anything.

“So it would be better to change the duel opponent instead of talking nonsense. If you want to get a grade similar to mine, I won’t stop you.”

Jin said that in the coldest tone he could.

The current Erekaya possesses advanced skills two years after she awakened her Aura. For Altina, who had just awakened her Aura, it was almost impossible to win against Erekaya.

After a lot of hard work, he crossed the wall and awakened his Aura, but the opponent he thought of as a rival was already far ahead of him.

No matter how hard you try, no matter how much you stretch out your hand, the opponent is already positioned beyond your reach.

Although they are looking at the same place, the position they are currently standing at is never the same. Rather, he is just looking down at himself from above.

It wouldn’t be a very pleasant feeling. Because Jin has already felt countless emotions while watching the people called ‘genius’ for over a hundred years.

It would be better to hate oneself and make one hate oneself than to be envious of a person with unattainable talents and ultimately to despair.

– You… I really hate Altina.

‘Because there’s nothing I can do for you other than this.’

Even if Altina hated him for this incident, it didn’t matter.

Because the villain was a role he was familiar with.