Female Leads Obsess Over a Counter-Attack Character with Narrow Eyes

Click, click.

A beautiful girl enters the mansion with measured steps.

A girl with refreshing sky-blue hair that’s pleasant just to look at.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Astorius. Welcome to the Dibos mansion. I am Chloe Frelia of the Frelia Marquis family.”

Chloe welcomes her with a smiling face, her orange hair fluttering.

“Oh, this is completely sign—”

Chloe’s fist landed in my side as I was purely admiring the harmony of colors.

“Ugh… Nice to meet you. I am Sion Frelia. As you can see, I’m just an ordinary student at 1-star level, so there’s no need to remember me specifically.”

At my light greeting, the blue-haired girl slightly bowed her head and greeted me.

“Thank you for welcoming me. I am Sheena Astorius, a child of the Astorius Duke family. I’ll be intruding for the next 3 days.”

“We look forward to having you.”

After the simple greetings, Sheena looked around widely and said.

“This is truly a beautiful mansion. It doesn’t fall short at all compared to our Astorius family mansion.”

“Oh, really? I’d like to walk around with you and introduce this mansion, would that be alright?”

“Of course. I was just about to ask about that sculpture over there.”

Chloe led Sheena and they strode through the mansion. About this painting and that sculpture.

Though I was just listening to her explanation one step behind, I could gauge how hard Chloe had prepared and practiced the mansion introduction.

To be honest, I wanted to jump in and crack a few jokes, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

Let me tell you in advance. If you make frivolous jokes like that when you first meet her, I might really kill you.

That was because of Chloe’s savage warning. Though I’d like to see her embarrassed expression, my life is more important.

“Lady Frelia, you’re truly knowledgeable in artistic fields. That’s impressive.”

“I graciously accept your kind compliment.”

The reason Chloe treats Sheena with such respect, even going as far as threatening to kill me, is simple.

First, because she’s an exchange student from the Kirinus Empire, which has stronger national power than the Praon Kingdom.

Second, because Sheena is a child of the noble Astorius Duke family.

“I am nothing compared to Lady Astorius. You’re the younger sister of the great hero, Megan Astorius.”

“The great one is not me but my brother. I’m still far from that.”

And finally, because Sheena is the only sister of the hero Megan Astorius.

She was born with more than a diamond spoon – a titanium spoon from birth.

For Chloe, who was born with a golden spoon as a marquis family in the Praon Kingdom, it’s inevitable to feel burdened by Sheena, who has a diamond spoon.

Of course, for me who has seen her face countless times while clearing the game numerous times, she just feels familiar.

“The reason I decided to temporarily transfer to Luin Academy is to broaden my horizons and quickly follow in my brother’s footsteps. If it’s not too presumptuous, could you possibly give me some guidance?”

“…What?! Me, sparring with Lady Astorius?”

Chloe’s eyes trembled at Sheena’s request, barely maintaining her composure.

“I’m just an ordinary student who has just reached the 3-star level. I wonder if I can truly provide guidance to Lady Astorius through sparring.”

Sheena grabbed Chloe’s trembling hands and said with sparkling eyes.

“Not at all. I’ve heard rumors that Lady Chloe is a spirit magician who borrows the power of spirits. Sparring with a spirit magician… I think it will surely be a great learning experience!”

Well, well, it seems Sheena, who was famous for being sparring-obsessed even in the game, has properly started up.

With her always straightforward and proper personality, she values learning and loves sparring, which is one of the effective training methods.

“I think it will be great!”

“…Let’s go easy, shall we?”

Chloe eventually turned her head and sighed at Sheena’s passionate gaze.

And when they arrived at the sparring arena, Sheena and Chloe, who had drawn training swords, distanced themselves and faced each other.

“I request your guidance.”

“I think that should be my line…”

Chloe, who had unnecessarily tightened her grip on the sword, called out boldly.

“Here I come!”

Crackle!

The power of lightning is imbued in Chloe’s rapier.

Chloe charges forward, loading magical power into her legs and kicking off the ground.

Clang!

“Good skills.”

Chloe’s rapier was blocked by Sheena’s sword.

“Your strength is sufficient, but your speed is slightly lacking. If you could incorporate lightning into your body to move swiftly, you could make notable progress.”

“Thank you for the guida…nce!”

She withdraws her rapier and pulls her arm back.

Then follows a series of quick thrusting attacks.

To counter these attacks, Sheena infused her sword with magical power and swept through the air.

Clang-clang-clang!!

The magical power that remained in the trajectory of the sword hardened in the air and defended Sheena from the rapier.

Many exchanges of offense and defense followed. But the number of times Chloe landed a hit on Sheena was only twice.

Although Sheena just defended, Chloe quickly became exhausted.

“Huff… huff….”

“It was a good study.”

Sheena approached Chloe and held out her hand.

For a moment, Chloe’s expression hardened, but seeing Sheena’s satisfied face, she slightly shook her head and then smiled and took her hand.

“No. I was the one who gained great learning.”

Chloe was a swordswoman with excellent skills for her age.

In particular, she was slightly surprised when lightning climbed up her sword. If she had coated her sword with magic power at that time, wouldn’t she have been able to block the lightning…

Sheena reflected on herself while recalling their recent sparring.

She always reflects on herself after each sparring session to use it as nourishment. It’s one of Sheena’s habits that she’s cultivated since childhood.

After finishing her reflection, Sheena slowly opened her eyes.

‘But, it’s still a bit lacking.’

Despite having just finished sparring, Sheena wasn’t completely satisfied.

Sheena slowly looked around as if something was missing, and her gaze fell upon a man.

The man who introduced himself as Sion Frelia.

Despite being a child of a marquis family, he has an atmosphere as if he would fly away with the wind.

‘He seems to be hiding something.’

He introduced himself as a 1-star swordsman.

However, Sheena’s instinct wasn’t telling her that he was an ordinary 1-star ability user.

When gauging his body and amount of magical power, his level was certainly that of a 1-star ability user, but something, something was different.

As if two special powers were swirling around him.

‘…Is it just my feeling?’

But looking at that frivolous face, it also feels like a misconception… Should I request a sparring match?

If I cross swords with him once, the lingering doubt might be resolved—

“Um… Lady Astorius? Why are you looking at me?”

Just then, Sion noticed Sheena’s gaze and turned pale.

“Could it be that the sparring earlier wasn’t enough, and you’re targeting me as the next sparring partner? I clearly told you that I’m just an ordinary 1-star student! Do you perhaps have a hobby of bullying the weak?!”

No, while she was indeed planning to request a sparring match, Sheena felt somewhat wronged.

‘I have a hobby of bullying the weak…?’

Sheena’s face, who had always taken pride as a member of the grand Astorius Duke family of the Kirinus Empire, slightly distorted.

For her, who had always been an object of admiration, “a hobby of bullying the weak” was quite shocking.

Gritting her molars slightly, Sheena tried to smile and answered.

“That’s not the case. As a member of the Astorius family that always pursues justice, I always strive to protect the weak—”

“Wouldn’t it be more like bullying rather than protection for a strong person like Lady Astorius to request a sparring match against a weak person like me…”

Crack.

Sheena smiled mercifully.

“Ugh. But how dare I, Sion, refuse the request of Lady Astorius, the jewel of the Astorius family? Although I’m scared, I, Sion, will muster courage for Lady Astorius. I request your guidance!”

Crack-crack.

Sheena smiled generously.

“Whew, if someone were to ask me about the most frightening experience in my life, I would answer without any hesitation that it’s right now. Lady Frelia, am I trembling?”

A man who has a considerable talent for scratching others’ insides, but what’s more irritating is that he doesn’t speak directly.

“…It seems you’ve seriously misunderstood. I hope this opportunity can resolve our discord well.”

Sheena, whose head had heated up, composed her breath and spoke to the trembling Sion.

Then she grabbed a training sword and moved to create distance.

Sion also grasped a training sword and moved slowly.

However, his manner of retreating backward was so unnatural that she asked out of simple curiosity.

“May I ask why you’re hesitantly retreating like that?”

“N-no particular reason! I’m definitely not doing it because I’m afraid of Lady Astorius, who has a hobby of bullying the weak, so please be assured.”

“Ah, no. There’s no need for—”

“Oh, if Lady Astorius feels uncomfortable, I’ll even whip my leg muscles to show you that I can move properly!”

Crunch.

Sheena momentarily felt as if her vision was spinning. It felt like she had developed high blood pressure that wasn’t there before.

‘Whew, let’s calm down…’

She closes her eyes and focuses on her sword. She calms her inner self.

Cooling her head, she stares at the two powers of her opponent that stimulate her senses.

Even if the opponent is 1-star, she must not be careless; underestimating those two unknown powers would lead to trouble.

She’ll give it her all from the start of the sparring.

It’s a judgment made considering the variables the opponent possesses. There’s no personal emotion involved. Probably.

“I’m ready.”

“I’m not yet… but I can’t dare keep Lady Astorius waiting, so I’ll also consider myself ready.”

“No, there’s no need for that—”

Sion charged forward immediately without even pretending to listen to her words, and the force applied to Sheena’s sword became stronger.

And after carefully observing the opponent’s movements, she spotted the moment when his body balance and breathing didn’t match!

“Hah!!”

Sheena’s precise sword struck at Sion, who showed an opening—

At that moment, Sheena’s spine suddenly chilled.

One of the two powers in Sion that Sheena’s instinct had been talking about suddenly revealed its presence more than ever.

Her intuition was shouting. Withdraw the sword right now.

If she continues like this, she’ll be caught without a chance to act.

‘Dangerous…!’

But that presence didn’t last long.

Like a shooting star that momentarily flashes and then suddenly disappears, Sion’s power.

Thwack!

Without any mishap, Sheena’s training sword struck Sion’s forehead.

Thud.

Then, like a deflated balloon, Sion lost strength and collapsed in place.

“?”

Sheena stared blankly at the fainted Sion.