'Why is it that you're suddenly good with the sword?' Elaine had once asked.

Elaine, as the closest person to Ori, had noticed the change in Freya's behavior. Naturally, she was suspicious and still wouldn't let go of the oddity she was feeling. Thus, she asked her questions from time to time to determine whether or not her suspicion was real or not. 'As far as I can tell: you never once practiced with the sword. Yet, all of a sudden, you're a master of it. You're able to beat the knights employed to protect you and managed to stand your ground fighting against me. How is it possible?'

Funny, that Freya had never thought about such question before. All this time, she had thought that the only reason why she was able to use the sword and won against Dunnford (whom at the time was still known as the noble to Freya), was because Ori had herself training in using the sword and her own body remembered the movements. However, Elaine seemed to be suggesting that that wasn't the case.

When Freya had taken a wooden sword and jumped to action to interfere with the killing attempt to an innocent commoner, she wasn't thinking much. She just took the wooden sword as she saw it fit and deflected the noble's swing just like that. Why was she good with the sword? She never questioned it.

'... Feelings I suppose?'

***

Ray, sitting on the ground, back leaning on a wall, had successfully gave himself first aid with the magic Dunnford had taught him. With the help of that first aid magic, the wounds he had received from Tatz shouldn't end up fatal. It was as if a tension was relieved inside him when he knew he wouldn't die from the wounds.

However, as much as he would like to close his eyes to rest. To just sleep and leave the problem to the trust-worthy Freya who had managed to defeat Dunnford, Ray couldn't afford to sleep yet. Why would he do so? When being unconscious would be the best course of action to let himself rest and heal? The reason was simple: Freya was going to fight Tatz. He couldn't possibly miss the fight. Not when he could learn so much from it.

Tatz was an Extinct Formulae Magic user. His inscriptions on his body allowed him strength, agility, and durability. The challenger however, was a girl with a sword who couldn't use magic. To make things worse: the challenger didn't even unsheathe her sword to reveal the blade and used it like that. Ray had utter faith that Freya would win.

The question being: how?

In a way, how the battle started was surprising. Freya stole the initiative and attacked Tatz with her sheathed sword. Her attack was shocking, not because it was an attack which made impact, but because it was an attack which made no impact. Freya simply gave Tatz's right shoulder a tap with her sword, left the sword touching his shoulder, and that was it. Although the battle had began, everything still looked peaceful. Until Tatz threw a sharp and fast left hook.

Freya didn't move to dodge the blow. She simply stood still and stared at her opponent without flinching. Tatz had gauged the distance wrong and hit the empty air right in front of Freya's face. To which Freya responded by giving Tatz yet another quick light tap. On the head this time however.

Ray couldn't understand the move Freya was making at all. If however, her intention with those two taps was to provoke Tatz, she had managed to do so splendidly as his anger was written all over his face.

Freya then gave a tap on Tatz's right thigh and placed the tip of her sword there. To which, again Tatz continued with a sharp and fast left hook which hit the air, again. She then gave his right shoulder a quick light tap. Ray, confused, still couldn't see the significance of those taps.

***

Tatz, who experienced the taps first hand, could understand the intention behind those taps.

It was indisputable that Tatz was strong and fast. It seemed to Tatz that the lady in front of him knew of that fact well. Because of those reason alone, she came up with an answer: the taps.

Logically, it made sense. Tatz was strong. Were he to attack her and were she to block, regardless of the durability of the sword, his blow would connect as the lady's strength couldn't possibly withstand and block the blow. Tatz was fast. Were he to attack her, he should be faster and she would have a hard time dodging his rapid attacks. The answer she came up with to solve the problems were those taps.

At a glance, those taps were just taps. In truth however: it was a preemptive attack used to defend herself. When Tatz first striked, the tip of the sword which was placed on his right shoulder ruined his sense of distance and made him miss his attack. His second attack, was supposed to be a kick, but that was stopped because of her placing the tip of her sword on his thigh, which ruined his rhythm and made him switch to a left hook which missed horribly.

Tatz was impressed, however, at the end of the day, that was just a cheap trick.

Again Tatz tried to throw a kick, however it was stopped again by her placing the tip of the sword on his right thigh. This time however, instead of throwing a left hook which would surely miss, he tried grabbing the sword.

His opponent, the swordswoman, had anticipated such move and pulled her sword before he was able to grab it. That movement where she pulled the sword was his chance to attack, however his attack was stopped by a quick light tap to the forehead which ruined his rhythm. 3 repetitive failures to attack had caused frustration to grow within him. But, he could see the path of the battle.

The battle had gone theoretical. The lady's option to respond to his attacks were those preemptive attacks and if he tried out different moves, he would surely find a hole to work with. In fact, every time he tried to throw a kick, her response would always be the same. Tap the thigh to ruin his rhythm and stop the kick. Sooner or later, she would get repetitive, and Tatz should be able to figure out a pattern to her defense.

Needless to say, it was his victory. Eventually.