“Eh... Is he asking me for advice?”
Veronica looked away in a bit of a panic. She coughed twice, trying her best to put on her Saintess airs.
“The person who taught you to train like this might be an extremely outstanding warrior. But she is absolutely not specialized in magic.”
“In fact, in her own combat system, magic only plays the most basic supporting role.”
Lynn nodded in understanding.
Come to think of it... Sena that gorilla really was a total musclehead.
What did a musclehead know about magic? Her Tier 4 Mage cultivation was full of hot air compared to a true Archmage who dedicated themselves to the path of magic!
Anyway, Sena couldn't hear him, so Lynn happily and boldly slandered her to his heart's content in his mind.
(Sena: I feel targeted.)
“Well... that's understandable. After all, whether it's the magical path or martial arts, mastering even one requires immense effort. Let alone mastering both simultaneously.”
“ε=(´ο｀*))) Sigh~ Only a woman like me, who possesses both talent and beauty, can handle both~”
Lynn: ...
Why was this shorty suddenly acting so smug?
“Ahem~ I got sidetracked. Simply put, you made a crucial mistake during your practice—”
She crossed her hands, making a “no” sign.
“And that is—you treat swordsmanship and magic as two separate entities.”
“Just like... here.” She picked up a branch from the ground and snapped it into two pieces.
“Your swordsmanship is this longer branch, and your magic is this shorter one. And your practice—”
Veronica pressed the broken pieces back together.
“—is just clumsily forcing these two branches together.”
Watching Lynn listen so intently without saying a word, Veronica felt a surge of pure satisfaction.
Her sense of accomplishment was skyrocketing!
You smug guy, you still have to listen to this young lady obediently!
At this thought, Veronica—now thoroughly inflated with pride—felt like she was on top of the world again. She crossed her legs and rested her chin in her hands.
“Next—” She dragged out her words, leaving him hanging like an author who deliberately cuts a chapter short.
Her long eyelashes fluttered lazily.
“I must say, everything I'm telling you are secrets I worked incredibly hard to figure out.”
“So, classmate Lynn~ shouldn't your attitude be a bit more respectful? For example... changing how you address me first?”
Oh? I was wondering why this shorty was being so kind.
Turns out she was waiting for me here!
Without a second's hesitation, his shamelessness completely overtook his pride. He cupped his fists and dropped to one knee.
“I, Lynn, have drifted for half my life, never meeting a wise mother. If you do not spurn me, I am willing to bow to you as my foster mother...”
“Stop, stop, stop—!” Veronica almost spat out the water she had drunk earlier.
“There's really no need for that... Just calling me teacher is fine.”
“Teacher Veronica!”
Looking at Lynn, whose gaze was resolute and who didn't blush in the slightest, Veronica suddenly lost her enthusiasm.
Sigh, how can this guy's skin be so incredibly thick?
She got back to the main topic.
“Instead of trying to connect the broken ends of two branches, you might as well bind them together.”
Right in front of Lynn, she held a branch in each hand, leaned over, and began drawing on the muddy ground.
“The same goes for magic and swordsmanship. Instead of separating them, you should perform them at the same time!”
“This is what is known as—Parallel Chanting!”
Having said her piece, she clapped her hands, showing off the result of her drawing on the muddy ground—
Her left hand had drawn a perfect circle, while her right hand had drawn a neat square.
“Want to try? Start with this little multitasking exercise.” She threw him a provocative look, tapped her lips with her index finger, and dragged out her voice.
“Or is it... that you... can't do it?”
Dammit! How could a man ever admit he couldn't do it?!
Lynn flew into a rage. He stood up angrily, and then—
He really couldn't do it.
Looking at the crooked ellipse on the left and the misshapen rectangle on the right, Veronica found it incredibly difficult to hold back her laughter.
Oh, my dear young master Lynn~ there are actually times when you fail so miserably~
“It's definitely the branch's fault. Let me switch to another one!”
An ellipse and a triangle (?).
“This mud is too dry. I need to add some water!”
An ellipse and a rhombus.
“Again!”
“Aga—”
“Pfft, hahaha~” Unable to hold it in any longer, Veronica burst into roaring laughter, clutching her stomach.
“Don't laugh!”
“I'm going to laugh anyway!”
“Don't!”
“You're mad! You're getting mad~!”
The Cathedral Saintess and the future Grand Duke rolled around, wrestling on the muddy ground with absolutely no regard for their image.
When the playful fighting subsided, the two of them—one pinning the other down, the other biting the other's hand—suddenly froze.
Their noses brushed against each other, and they could even feel the warmth of each other's breath.
They instantly sprang apart as if they had received an electric shock.
Veronica turned her face away, a faint rosy blush spreading across her cheeks.
Lynn picked up the branch again and resumed his tedious practice.
Rustle, rustle—
For a moment, only the sound of the branch scratching against the mud and their pounding heartbeats could be heard.
Veronica hugged her knees, burying half of her blushing face in them. Watching the focused Lynn, she puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
She then mischievously poked him with her finger.
Poke, poke~
“Don't touch me, shorty.”
“Women will only slow down my learning speed.”
When you need something, you call me Teacher Veronica, but when you don't, you call me shorty?
Veronica's face grew even redder—this time out of sheer anger.
She sneered, “This is all training to help you focus. Do you expect your enemies to stand still and do nothing in battle?”
“...”
Seeing that the boy had nothing to say, the girl took it a step further and nudged his waist with the tip of her toe.
She spoke softly, “Tell me... what do you think about the hunting competition?”
“I look at it with my eyes.”
“...I'll be participating too.”
“No duh. Why else would you be here?”
“I mean—” Veronica stared at the youth's focused profile, emphasizing every word, “I will win!”
...Oh girl, do you know that people who say that usually lose?
Before Lynn could reply, she continued on her own, “I will return that humiliating defeat from back then to you!”
“Lynn! You are the challenger now!”
“...Whatever makes you happy.”
Lynn pursed his lips, feeling a bit puzzled. Defeat? Was there such a thing in the plot?
I beat the Saintess before? How come I don't remember? If that's true, would I still be reduced to a minor side villain?
He racked his brain to recall related events... but he could only remember the series of disagreements that had gradually driven them apart over the past few years. As for anything before that...
Why couldn't he remember?
His memories before the age of six were hazy, like looking at flowers through a thick fog.
Furthermore, in the plot of Dawn, Lynn was never this deeply involved with the Saintess. They should have become strangers long ago, thoroughly sick of each other.
“...Though we're still thoroughly sick of each other now.”
For the rest of the night, the two of them did not speak another word.
Until—
【Parallel Chanting - Elementary (Green) has been generated.】
The system's cold, mechanical voice interrupted Lynn's movements.
Looking at Veronica, who was sleeping peacefully beside him, he murmured softly, “...She fell asleep?”
He stopped drawing and looked at the circle and square on the ground, which were finally starting to look decent.
【Parallel Chanting - Elementary (Green): You have gained a basic understanding of Parallel Chanting. When casting, focus is increased by 50% and casting speed is increased by 30%.】
【This trait was acquired through the host's own practice and can be upgraded through cultivation.】
Finally!
This was a small step for Lynn, but a giant leap toward escaping his death flags!
This is the first trait I've obtained purely through my own 'hard work', right?
What? You're saying this Parallel Chanting was only possible thanks to the super comprehension provided by my two previous Gold traits?
Then let me ask you: is the sweat I spilled from diligently farming Lilian's Emotion Points not sweat?
Lynn nodded in understanding.
“Indeed, my cultivation up to this day has relied entirely on my own painstaking efforts!”
Rate on N.U.
