The Academy’s Crude Pink-Haired Martial Artist

Knock knock.

Bang!

“I’ve entered.”

“…Why did you come in without permission? And also, what do you mean by ‘I’ve entered’ when you’re already in here?”

“Lady Ellie, you wouldn’t give me permission to come in, would you?”

“You came in knowing that?”

“That’s why I entered.”

“How did you even unlock a locked door?”

It might be a bit rude to Lady Ellie, but unless I did this, I wouldn’t be able to see her face, so I had no choice but to push my way in.

“It’s confidential. By the way, Lady.”

“…What now?”

“It’s fine.”

I wanted to say that children grow while fighting, but I held back knowing that Lady Ellie hated being called childish.

“What do you mean it’s fine… No, forget it. I get it, just leave. I’ll get out when I’ve sorted my thoughts.”

“It’s already been four days since you said that. The head of the family and Miss Julie are very worried. Lady Yurasia asks about your well-being all the time, too. Kerian is leaving the day after tomorrow; wouldn’t it be nice to at least say goodbye?”

Four days.

Since the sparring with the head of the family and Mr. Kerian, Lady Ellie hasn’t stepped outside her room.

The reason?

I heard that she seemed plagued by guilt after showing a bloodthirsty attack during the spar with Yurasia Espirot.

I can’t completely understand how hard it must be for her, but to some extent, I can relate.

I had similar experiences when I was younger.

Even in ordinary fights, not just sparring.

So, while I may have wandered a bit off course, I can’t let her end up like me.

“Lady, what happened wasn’t your fault.”

“…What do you mean? Stop talking nonsense and just leave.”

“It’s just something that was beyond your control. Everyone else says it’s okay, so all you need to do is cheer up.”

Lady Ellie, who had been silently staring at me, closed her book and stood up.

“Just because others say it’s okay doesn’t mean I feel okay.”

Her little hand peeked out shyly from her sleeve.

It’s sad that after working so hard to train with that cute little hand, she fell into such a deep despair over a single mistake.

I heard from Yurasia that she voluntarily withdrew her last attack.

That means she exercised self-restraint.

Yet, she is still riddled with guilt.

She’s fragile.

And possesses an excessively kind heart.

Her inner feelings were utterly unexpected based on her past conduct.

Lady Ellie, the descendant of the hero Eliaernes Eustetia, must have wanted to be like her ancestor, Arisa Eustetia.

In pushing herself with such effort, did she eventually burst?

If so, what should I do?

What can I do to make her smile again as her personal attendant without hurting her delicate heart?

Would telling her that taking such a long break would lead to muscle loss make her move?

No. That’s not something to say to a girl like her.

Then, what if I gave her the longsword she so desperately wanted? The one I have, would that lift her spirits even a little?

Again, not something to say to a girl, but with a sword of that caliber…

Maybe.

“Lady.”

“Yeah.”

“I have something for you.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a sword.”

“…A sword?”

“Yes. I was… keeping it for someone’s request, but since they transferred ownership to me, it’s now mine. I don’t need it, so I’m giving it to you. Haven’t you wanted a longsword for a while now?”

Cherry blossoms bloomed in Lady Ellie’s eyes.

“What kind of sword is it?”

“It’s a two-handed sword made of mithril as a base and forged with adamantium for the blade.”

“That’s… definitely a good sword. You just gave it away for free?”

“…Yes.”

“Oh wow, that person’s crazy. Are they dead?”

But that realization was fleeting.

Like a strong wind shaking a cherry blossom tree, her spirits withered in an instant.

“…Forget it. I probably wouldn’t be able to use that sword anyway. I don’t need it.”

“About that, I’ll ask the head of the family. Also, Lady, you did win in the spar, didn’t you? You have ample justification.”

Having listened to my words, Lady Ellie pondered for a moment, then sighed and grabbed the ends of her twin tails.

“No. Even if I wanted to, it’s impossible now. That sword… just sell it and get Sara to buy what she wants.”

And then, she made a truly horrific joke.

Something that even the head of the family wouldn’t joke about as she burrowed under her blankets.

After that, laughter began to bubble out, giggle, giggle.

Ah.

This is not normal.

Lady Ellie is in a lot of pain.

With that one remark, a red alarm went off in my head. My voice faded, and my tongue raised a white flag.

Having lost all power as her attendant, I clenched my fist in frustration and bowed my head.

“…Understood. The sword… I’ll give it to you whenever you ask. And you are not a sinner. You are a precious cherry blossom of the House of Eustetia.”

“Is that so?”

A little adorable hand popped out.

Her fingers wiggled and waved.

“Anyway, I’ll leave when it’s time, so don’t worry too much.”

“…I’ll be waiting.”

Chewing on my deep sense of helplessness, I headed straight to Miss Julie.

*

As Sara said, it’s not my fault.

I didn’t choose to be born a chimpanzee.

I simply received attacks instead of a chimpanzee and survived, now becoming one.

“Ugh…”

I let out a sigh that came from my Dantian and stepped out from under the blanket.

I no longer need a sword.

It’s become unnecessary.

I had thought that since it was mithril and adamantium, maybe it could withstand my mana, but I’m sure it won’t.

Maybe if it were a holy relic, but a regular weapon would definitely break.

My mana doesn’t match the nature of what I can hold.

I’ve even tested it.

In the quiet hours when everyone was asleep, I sneaked to the training grounds and swung a few weapons, but the speed at which they broke seemed to increase with each swing.

Two minutes, no, not even one minute, and they shattered.

Now, it’s enough just to have mithril and adamantium scraps to swing.

If I keep going like this, I’ll soon be unable to even hold a weapon.

“I’ll just finish reading what I was reading.”

With a bitter expression, I opened the book I had been reading.

A thick book about the size of my body.

The title was ordinary.

[The Hero’s Tale.]

A novel version of that damned fairy tale, even worse than the original.

Still, the novel version was somewhat enjoyable.

Of course, I had to picture Arisa when I saw it.

“Every time I think about it, I get angry. Why does my reputation have to go to Arisa? That chimp wouldn’t do that on purpose. What kind of idiot wrote this?”

As I chewed that thought over, I skimmed through a part I found amusing.

[On the day their journey reached the five-year mark, the hero party successfully defeated the first Legion Commander, Greed’s Krahal.]

[It was a long battle that continued for over two weeks. However, the hero party never uttered a single complaint and quietly fulfilled their objectives.]

[They were truly majestic and holy, so sublime that ‘hero’ didn’t even begin to describe them.]

-Did we defeat it?
-Ack! Crazy woman! Don’t you know that saying that brings it back to life?!
-Really? Well, since Luna is a saint, she might be able to revive the dead commander. What if she actually resurrects him…?
-What kind of nonsense are you spewing, chimpanzee?
-Huh? No? No matter how saintly, can’t a dead commander be revived?
-What am I even talking to you about? That aside, Paulo. Is that guy really dead?
-He’s dead.
-Are you sure? That bastard, the one with Greed’s what…
-It’s the Cup of Greed, Ronan. Contrary to the Holy Relic of Restraint that Luna possesses, it’s an item only the Demon Race can hold—
-Shut your mouth while healing, Kaloso. How are you still talking with a hole in your lung?
-True? Kaloso, where are you talking from?
-Oh, this is a new magic I made. It’s a method of transmitting sound through air, designed to prevent the incantation from being halted when a lung is pierced—
-Heal faster, keep your mouth shut.
-Anyway, about that Cup of Greed. Didn’t he selfishly hoard his life, thinking he could survive forever?
-That might be true, but this time he’s really dead.
-How do you know that?
-Humble told me.
-If a holy relic said it, then he’s definitely dead. Let’s wrap things up and drink quickly. Since we’re this far, I want to drink on top of his corpse.
-Not yet. We still can’t drink.
-Why? Didn’t they confirm he’s dead?
-I’m about to pass out, so I can’t drink.
-What does your fainting have to do with us not being able to drink? And why are you even passing out?
-His last blow crushed my liver. I can feel my consciousness fading.
-Yikes, without a liver, drinking isn’t going to work. Just pass out instead. I’ll miss you a bit, but we’ll be fine without you. Hey! Luna! Paulo can’t drink because he lost his liver. Hurry and get Kaloso. Let’s drink that tiny bit of alcohol the emperor gave us. I was wondering who the hell could use such a tiny amount!
-Kaloso also passed out. And all of his divine power is gone? I guess it’ll just be me and Arisa drinking. What a pity.
-No, Luna. I’m not passing out yet. But at this rate, I think I will, so please let go of me.
-Oh my? I suspected, but this bastard can still talk even when choked! Magic really can be a pain. Ugh.
-Magic, is, annoying, but, great. Just, that, that now, die, die, once.
Aack! Luna! Kaloso is foaming bloody?!

At that moment, Kaloso passed out, and Paulo, who was drinking despite having a crushed liver, spent the next three days groaning.

And during that time, we drank even more expensive alcohol.

Luna choked Kaloso out again.

Damn him. If I had known he would betray me, I should have killed him then.

But is this what a sublime group of questers looks like?

What if the world found out about this? That would really be a riot.

As I chuckled at the tales of days gone by, I…

Met the second Legion Commander.

The third Legion Commander.

And the fourth.

Skipping over my death scene, I absorbed the final moment of the novel.

[In the end, having overcome countless sacrifices and deaths, even after losing their dear companion, the martial artist Ronan, the hero party dramatically succeeded in sealing the Demon King, realizing their wishes.]

[And when the hero party returned to the Empire, they never forgot the martial artist Ronan who sacrificed himself for them. With heavy hearts, they mourned his sacrifice.]

[To this day, the day Ronan departed is commemorated throughout the Empire, ending in grand festivals he enjoyed.]

“Bullshit.”

Successful? What kind of success is sealing the Demon King when we couldn’t even kill it?

And I’m supposed to be honored?

If that’s the case, the word martial artist beside my name should be omitted.

“And on the day I died, why the hell are you having a festival?”

That festival.

That damned festival. I’ve never attended even once because I’m afraid I might really turn it upside down.

What do they mean by having realized their wishes?

Did they hide their identities to retire quietly?

Those who loved showing off so much?

“There’s never been such stupidity.”

Whoever wrote this must have a dart lodged in their head.

If they didn’t, I’d personally embed one for them.

“Ha.”

Just reading the last moment raises my blood pressure, but I foolishly keep reading.

“Am I getting as foolish as a chimpanzee as well?”

Groaning out my frustrations and grinding my teeth, I finally closed the book.

[The Hero’s Tale.]

A title that I’ve read dozens of times, ending in a happy ending catches my eye.

Again, I flipped to the cover page.

I read the first line of the novel.

[In the future, the hero Paulo Prandis and Ronan Luzarack were born in the same hometown and set out on an adventure with the same goal.]

[They were inseparable friends, mentors, and pillars of support for each other.]

[They were sure that this role would last until the end of their long journey.]

“They weren’t born in the same hometown, they met in an orphanage. And they didn’t set out on an adventure, they were two kids with sticky fingers teaming up to rob a rich neighborhood.”

Still, well.

They did share the same goal.

I continue to have that same goal today.

“To kill the Demon King.”

To kill the Demon King and rob the rich emperor’s treasury and treasure house.

“Heh…”

I finally closed the book.

I stood up and looked in the mirror.

My pink twin tails, reminiscent of spring, hung messily.

After not washing for four days, I looked haggard, and from skipping exercise, my body felt even more soft.

However, within my eyes, cherry blossoms were in full bloom.

Four days.

It may be a short time, but for someone like me, who lives life in small segments, it was quite a long time.

It was ample time to sort my thoughts and feel the talent I possessed.

I have talent.

It’s frighteningly exceptional.

If I just let go of the weapon.

If I could just close my eyes and drop the weapon.

I’m certain I’ll become much stronger than I ever was in my past life.

At first, I denied it, was angry, and felt depressed.

But now, I don’t feel that way.

“I’m not a chimpanzee.”

I can fight well, think reasonably, cook fairly decently, and if I set my mind to it, I can use weapons too.

I could swing a blade and manage to get by.

No, even if I don’t want to do that, being born as a direct descendant of the Duke, I could still live comfortably. I have no siblings.

But that won’t kill the Demon King.

I can’t even kill a Legion Commander, let alone the Demon King.

No matter how hard I try, I can’t even use 20% of my prime abilities.

Furthermore, even if I could reach my prime abilities, I wouldn’t be able to kill the Demon King.

I have to get stronger.

Stronger than in my past life, stronger than Ronan Luzarack, much stronger.

And I already know how.

So there’s no time to hesitate.

Whether I’m a chimpanzee or a monkey or whatever, I have to sharpen and polish the talent given to me.

Of course, I may have shorter limbs, be smaller in height, and have weaker strength than other chimpanzees.

“That was also the case in my past life.”

I couldn’t fight as well as Paulo.

I had less mana than Kaloso.

I lacked the divine power that Luna possessed.

And I was also inferior to Arisa in managing mana.

Still, I stood by them.

By their side, behind, and in front.

I killed the most demons.

I personally took the heads of two Legion Commanders.

I was given talent that I cannot diminish with such shortcomings.

So.

From today, my fists will be hammers.

My toes will be spears, and the edges of my hands will be swords and axes.

Not a chimpanzee.

But that absurd Weapon Master.

“So, those who dare call me a chimpanzee will have their heads smashed by my hammer.”

Who would dare call the Duke’s daughter a chimpanzee openly?

But with a chuckle, I headed straight for the bathhouse, only to pause in my tracks.

If I’m going to bathe anyway, wouldn’t it be better to sweat first?

“Should I do that?”

I quickly changed my clothes and let my twin tails free.

My hair, now so messy, was hastily gathered and tied, and I put on a hat.

Then, with a thump-thump, I moved with completely light steps toward the auxiliary training grounds.

“Yurasia! Let’s spar!”

Yurasia, who saw me for the first time in four days, wailed, Waaaah!

During our spar, she called me a chimpanzee and got hit hard by my custom hammer.

This time she wailed, Hiiing…

*

The next morning.

The moment Ellie entered the restaurant, receiving everyone’s concern and attention, she was tearing into a massive piece of beef just like any other day, casually announcing she would be going to the Demon Realm when she turned an adult.

Turius couldn’t comprehend the sudden change of heart, and a piece of lettuce fell from his mouth.

Wine spilled from Kerian’s lips.

However, Julie simply wore her usual refreshing smile, as if she expected such behavior from Ellie.

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