Ethel didn’t wait for the teacher to finish his speech and immediately turned around to leave. His stare made her uncomfortable and besides, he wouldn’t mind her skipping right? After all, classes had ended almost an hour ago. There were also history and weapon maintenance to attend, but she hadn’t attended a proper class since she was in third year. Fortunately for her, classes weren’t mandatory to attend if you had a good grade.

Albright and Porte decided to come with when they realized she was once again skipping. They had always followed her wherever she went, like ducklings. The three of them, or rather the two young men, heatedly discussed about Vyron’s loss.

As the three of them rounded the corner to the Black Tower, there was a yell behind them. She turned around and was surprised to see Vyron, whose brows furrowed while he ran to catch up with them.

“What seems to be the matter?” Ethel questioned as her hand rested on the hilt on her belt. She was not close with Vyron, a noble whose arrogance and stubbornness rivaled a god. And neither did she plan on changing that anytime soon. In her head, she could not see the two of them getting along as friends.

Vyron, despite being a sixth year like her, was still a 5th class swordsman. And she hated how he keeps clinging on the zweihander for dear life like he can’t live without it.

“Have you got any time?”

Albright narrowed his eyes at Vyron’s words. Since when had this arrogant jerk ever cared about Ethel’s schedule? From what he knew in the six years they’ve been together, Vyron had only ever glared at Ethel’s direction. Never had he seen even a smidge of kindness exude from this proud guy.

Granted, if he was given the opportunity, he would've wanted to pummel him in a duel. However, rules allowed the opponent to refuse the duel, and no matter how many times Albright had taunted him into giving in and nearly getting him to agree, Ethel had always been there to keep him in line.

Porte would’ve laughed loudly if he found out that his prideful senior, who always boast about being brave and wielding that large broadaxe, tightly kept on a leash by Ethel. It was the reason why hardly anyone wanted to hunt with him in the forest.

He reckoned that the reason Ethel puts up with him is because she gets the added benefit of hunting alone without having to persuade the guards every time, as it had been mandatory for students to have at least a companion when venturing to the forest.

Almost in sync, the two young men had shared a look and surprisingly slung their arms over each other’s shoulders.

“If it isn’t Ugly Vyron! And what did this proud figure need of our friend’s humble origin? Surely not inviting her to be your partner in Baron Kapfem’s class? Or has your face thickened in the time we haven’t seen each other?” Albright’s voice dripped in sarcasm.

Porte, although pretended to elbow him in the side, had a sardonic smile threatening to bloom on his face, which he tried to cover up with a light cough.

Vyron now stood inches away from the two, who had forcefully invaded his personal space. They knew how to get on Vyron’s nerves quite excellently, Ethel found herself thinking. It was also a good thing that she had made no enemies inside the institute, or so she liked to think. She never managed to figure out what she did to make Vyron glare at her like she had done him an injustice. It wasn’t like she constantly pestered him to spar, on the contrary, she tended to veer away from anyone she deemed least to like her.

“It is none of you two’s business. Now if you will excuse me, I was talking to Ethel.” Much to the shock of them, Vyron ignored the underlying insult and maneuvered to the right of Porte, skillfully evading Albright’s hand that had reached out to grab the collar of his tunic.

“Hey!”

“How did you–?”

The both of them wanted to protest but Ethel beat them to it by declaring, “Excellent flexibility.”

The words the two young men wanted to yell had died in their throat as they stared quite disapprovingly at the back of Vyron’s head. They had no comments about Ethel’s obvious passive stance at Vyron’s incredulous question.

Had she forgotten the way he treated her since they were third years? Had it not been for her sharp instinct, she would’ve long been left to die in the forest of Dispan. It still managed to infuriate Albright when he remembers the incident.

And of course because his father is a noble, he got off a light punishment of being given a measly detention for a week. He had gotten off even lighter for a major offense than students who were forced to clean the horse stable’s because of a measly incident of accidentally spilling water all over a particularly grumpy teacher.

Ethel hadn’t managed to miss the slight redness of his ears. Was he embarrassed? Or had it been a trick of the light? A trick of the light? But she had excellent eyes, there was no way she would mistake it. But the question is why didn’t he hate her? Even if he didn’t, then that doesn’t explain why he tried to kill her in their third year at the forest.

“Why did you even come to Ethel? Are you going to target her because Baron Kapfem took an interest to her?” For such a petty reason, Porte struggled not to take a swing at the back of Vyron's head.

“Have you come to kill her again?” Albright questioned quite aggressively.

“Al!” Ethel's face darkened as she yelled, scaring the wits out of the three men. Vyron, who had already turned around, felt an abrupt pressure on his chest. Albright and Porte, on the other hand, were in a much worse state than him as he saw them turn several shades whiter, their lips quivering as they clutched their chests and sank to the floor.

In a few seconds, he could see them cough up blood that made Vyron’s hairs stand up on its ends. Goosebumps traveled all over his arms as he felt a shadow looming over him.

For the first time in his life, he wanted to grovel on the floor and beg for mercy. Contrary to the terrible incident that he had so-called inflicted on poor Ethel, it had been a subordinate of his who had wanted to play a harmless prank on her. Unfortunately, in order to keep friendly relations with his subordinate’s family, he had to take the blame rather ungracefully.

It was the perfect situation for that subordinate. Out of rage, after several plans with his father, he had plotted the downfall of his subordinate and made sure he would never be able to show his face in Ernon.

“Stand up,” she commanded. And immediately as she spoke, the pressure released and Vyron no longer felt like he had been crushed by an anvil. He turned around, albeit quite slowly, and saw Ethel’s face had turned to normal, not sporting her toothy grin but nevertheless a normal poker face.

“Ethel, we’re sorry we didn’t mean to –”

“That was a slip of the tongue please –”

“Just leave,” she murmured, barely a whisper, but enough for the two of them to hear.

Realizing it was futile to keep apologizing, their shoulders drooped as they turned around to leave. Before disappearing out of sight, Albright made sure to cast a grudged look towards Vyron, who still couldn’t quite get over what happened.

His gaze dropped down on her worn-out sword belt. Her hand had been clutching the hilt of the strange weapon that loosely hung. Ethel ignored his gaze and straightened her posture again. As the both of them stood in front of the Black Tower, the clouds loomed over the dull, grey sky. There was a foreboding sense of danger that continued to pester Vyron in the pits of his stomach, but he blamed it on the strain of his lost match earlier.

“What brings you to approach me?”

His head snapped up. For a moment, he had forgotten what to say. What did he want to say? Sorry for what happened three years ago? Would she believe him if he had said that he took care of it? Or would she be willing to help him, practically the only person who openly expressed animosity towards her for the last five years?

In the end, he only managed to croak out, “I’m sorry.”

He closed his eyes shut, afraid of the words that would come out of her mouth. Would she hit him? No, she didn’t. But what she did caused him the biggest shock of his life.

Ethel patted him on the head, not at all minding the built up sweat and grime. Not even minding that his shiny hair had lost its original luster. It resembled a sword that had been left to rust in an abandoned shed.

It was precisely this reason that Vyron had been extremely sensitive about his hair. The hair that he inherited from the Slojak Family resembled the shine of a sword, a trait that they had been extremely proud of. And so it had stuck on him that his hair had to be in perfect shape. He didn’t want to be resembled to an old sword, he wanted to be the sharpest sword that shone the brightest.

'A severe complex,' Ethel thought.

Vyron, who had braced himself for what was to come, least expected the kind of treatment Ethel was graciously showing him.

“It wasn’t your fault. I know.”

For the first time in his life, Vyron didn’t know what to say. The main reason he felt hostile towards Ethel was her love for sparring. She was undignified, so unlike the women he had come across with. And most of all, she was better than her. However hostile he may seem to be, he isn’t bold enough to wish for her death.

Granted, he also had to curse his looks. He was handsome, but his brows were sharpened in a way that made him look meaner, add that to the fact that he also had arrogance embedded in his bones. Althought that didn’t mean his actions are excused.

“Then how did you know?”

Ethel tilted her head. “The headmaster had told me the night I was brought to the hospital wing.”

“Then, you also know that –”

“That you don’t really hate me? And that was all for show because that bastard Silf held the upper hand against you at the time. Then the act stuck on you, added to the fact that you have a naturally mean look, it just so happened you got used to acting that way that you never thought to change. And I presume you also feel guilty about this?”

Vyron was dumbstruck. Was she a mind reader?

“What about why I approached you?”

“Let me see.” Ethel thoughtfully said as she stroked her chin. “You were probably working up the courage to apologize and just so happened that Baron Kapfem required partners at simboca, so now you planned to kill two birds with one stone.”

Vyron suddenly felt embarrassed.

“Oh but don’t feel bad. I don’t mind. I was actually pretty annoyed with you too.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ve been swinging a zweihander since we were second years. It’s obviously not meant for you, I don’t know why you keep clinging to an incompatible sword.”

“Then... are you willing to help me?”

Ethel put a hand on her hip as she bluntly replied, “In normal circumstances, no. Besides, this sudden shift of attitude gives me the goosebumps. Imagine the person who despised you suddenly changed and ask you of all people to help.”

“I never despised you,” Vyron protested, his brows furrowing as his lips curled in a frown.