Chapter 10 | The Assassin Gains the Hero’s Confidence
After I avoided Epona’s first attack, I glanced at the professor. Sure enough, that wasn’t enough for him to call the match.
This mock battle was only going to end when a hit connected. Evidently, my knife bruising Epona’s arm wasn’t enough. Things would’ve completed painlessly if that had counted.
“Here I come!”
Epona charged at me with his next attack, his face flushed red with excitement. He seemed to be enjoying this fight. I was surprised. I didn’t think he had that kind of personality.
Epona’s greatest weapon was his ridiculous physical strength. That alone overwhelmed all the skills I’d spent years building up.
He wasn’t without weakness, however. His preparatory movements for each attack were exaggerated and obvious, making it very easy to tell where he was aiming. He was also unskilled at moving his body, so it took him a bit to transition from one attack to the next.
Simply put, his strikes were too basic.
The more skilled a fighter you were, the more you realized that fights didn’t always go as you expected. For that reason, you had to become able to read your opponent’s moves, use feints, and adjust your movement throughout the fight.
Epona did none of that. The windup on everything he did was excessive, and every one of his movements betrayed his intent.
I dodged a second and third attack, getting more used to his pattern each time. Seeing the hero’s speed and bad habits was incredibly valuable, and I was beginning to notice a few weak points.
The hero’s physical ability defied all norms, and his ability to see objects in motion was also superhuman. But on that latter point, my Tuatha Dé eyes were even better. That was an important discovery. Unfortunately, such information was completely useless if I couldn’t survive our sparring match.
“This is amazing! Why can’t I hit you? You’re slower than me!” Epona exclaimed.
My head felt like it was going to split. My brain was crying out from overuse. I’d only been able to evade because of how hard I was pushing myself. I wasn’t going to be able to maintain this for much longer.
Every time I dodged a lethal attack, I erupted in sweat and felt like my life span was shortening.
Exhaustion was setting in. Rapid Recovery restored my stamina and mana, but its effect didn’t replenish mental energy or concentration.
Even so, I fought to maintain my composure. Hasty choices weren’t going to make the situation any better. They’d only provide Epona with a window to strike.
“What are you doing? You have to attack, Lugh. If you don’t, then how could we even call this training?!”
I know that. But the moment I devote any of my energy to offense, my evasion will slip. If even a single blow connected, it could mean serious injury for me, regardless of how I defended against it. My only option was not to get hit at all.
I just have to last a little longer. My eyes were adjusting, and I’d memorized Epona’s rhythm, habits, and attack pattern.
Epona was getting irritated. Each of his swings was getting more aggressive.
“Why…can’t…I…hit…you?!”
His frustration was causing him to try to move even faster and force more power into his attacks. His motions were becoming more monotonous as a result.
Now that I’d pushed Epona to such a point, he was turning to his most effective attack. It was the same one he’d used to defeat the commander of the Royal Order: a simple step forward and uppercut.
Instead of reading his preparatory motion as I’d been doing, I made my move as soon as Epona entered his attack motion.
I saw this strike coming. Actually, that’s not the most accurate way to put it. I’d forced Epona into this action. Understanding your opponent’s habits and rhythm enabled you to guide their actions.
If I hadn’t spent so long dodging the hero and reading his movements, I would never have been able to create the timing needed for a counter. That this kind of strategy could beat Epona was his greatest weakness.
…If you were to use this same tactic against an opponent of decent ability, they would’ve simply switched to a different pattern. Epona didn’t have the experience or levelheadedness to do that. Even though I moved before he’d even started his attack, he rushed recklessly at me, swinging his fist upward.
I barely managed to remain outside the range of his fist, waited for his arm to extend, and then responded. At the beginning of the match, I’d only been able to get Epona to punch one of my knives, but this time, I brought my weapon down on him.
The blade made a dull breaking sound, and I was immediately blasted out of the ring from the air pressure of Epona’s attack.
Unable to angle myself for a graceful landing, I hit the ground multiple times before I came to a stop.
…I guess this is what’ll happen if I try to hit the hero head-on. I got blown out of the ring despite being the one to land the blow. It was absurd.
“Lugh wins!”
The professor had watched closely and noticed that I’d scored a valid strike before I’d gone flying, so he awarded me the victory.
“Lord Lugh, that was incredible!” Tarte praised.
“Wow, I can’t believe you were able to defeat the hero!” Dia agreed.
“I already thought very highly of him, but even I didn’t expect this. Finn, do you feel like you could do what he just did?” Naoise asked.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I wouldn’t have confidence in my ability to dodge Epona’s attacks, much less land a counter… Lugh Tuatha Dé has incredible vision and the ability to read his opponent. I hate to admit this, but I would have no chance of beating the hero, and I don’t think I could beat Lugh, either. What about you, Naoise?”
“I agree. That’s why I want him. With you and him at my side, I could accomplish anything.”
My classmates were chatting excitedly about my triumph.
…I somehow managed to win while concealing what exactly had enabled my victory. My Tuatha Dé eyes enhanced my ability to see objects in motion, but that wasn’t something an observer could’ve noticed at a distance.
I tried to get up and failed.
My breathing was ragged and my legs were shaking. Sweat had soaked me through. The fight had taken more out of me than I’d expected. I was exhausted more mentally than physically, however.
Just thinking about what would have happened if that had been a real battle was horrifying.
I was utterly spent, and the blow that won me the match had ended up cracking a bone in my arm. All Epona had to show for it was a light bruise on his forehead. I would have died if he’d grazed me with a single fist, but my counter barely damaged him at all. It was infuriating.
I have to kill him?
Epona walked over to me and held out a hand. I grabbed it, and he pulled me up.
“I’m glad I met you, Lugh. I want to fight with you again,” Epona said.
With those words, my fear that he enjoyed fighting grew. An interest in fighting explained why Epona had said something as vaguely dangerous as, “It seems like you won’t get hurt.”
“I’m surprised. I didn’t take you for the type who enjoys combat,” I replied.
“It’s not that I like it. I have to get stronger because I’m the hero and because I promised Mireille. I need to train as much as I can to fulfill that promise, but everyone I fight gets hurt. I want to become stronger, but I can’t.”
There weren’t many people who could go toe to toe with Epona and survive, even if it was only a practice match.
“I’ve been anxious that I’m not going to be strong enough to defeat the demons. But because I can trust that you won’t get hurt, Lugh, I can properly train. I won’t even have to hold back when we practice. I can finally become stronger. So can you spar with me again sometime? You’re all I have, Lugh!”
Epona’s movements were probably so unskilled because he’d never been able to train correctly. There were many things you could only learn through actual battle experience, but Epona had never had anyone capable of showing him the way.
Evidently, he didn’t have any particular love of violence, but felt obligated to improve because he was the hero. He’d also mentioned a vow to some person named Mireille. If I accepted Epona’s request, then I’d become an irreplaceable presence in his life, and we’d develop a deep bond.
Unfortunately, it also meant risking my life. If I did this kind of thing repeatedly, my body wasn’t going to last. What other choice did I have, though?
“I’d be glad to. I have plenty I can gain from it, too.”
There was no doubt I would also get stronger through these life-threatening battles.
I’d be able to study the hero up close, and I’d grow stronger and gain his trust in the process. Such boons were worth risking my life.
“Okay, then I’ll ask the professor to make you my opponent for all my mock battles!” Epona declared.
“Ha-ha-ha, that would be an honor. But it would be unfair to hog all the chances to fight the hero to myself. You all want to try fighting Epona, too, right?”
I looked to my classmates for help, but they all quickly turned away. That included Tarte and Dia. They all understood that even sparring with Epona was a life-and-death struggle.
“Looks like no one has a problem with it. I won’t lose next time!” Epona said happily.
And just like that, I was going to be struggling for survival daily. I needed to mentally prepare myself for the likelihood of serious injury. I’d have to take great care to avoid any permanent damage.
Later that day, after classes ended, Epona begged me to help him with all the things he didn’t understand. After that, I conducted Dia and Tarte’s training and then finally returned to the apartment.
As I tutored Epona, I got the feeling he was relaxing more and more around me. Accepting his request had definitely been the right call.
After returning to my room, I sent a request to investigate the person the hero referred to as Mireille. My assassin’s instinct was telling me they were the hero’s biggest weakness. After that, I had Tarte undress, checked her body’s condition, and then decided on her future training regimen.
A knock came at the door.
I looked at Tarte, and she hurriedly dressed herself and opened the door.
It was a boy with blond hair.
“Good evening, Lugh. You were marvelous today. I brought you a snack to thank you for putting on such a dazzling performance.”
“Naoise. I’m exhausted, so would you mind leaving?”
“Ah-ha-ha-ha, come now, you don’t need to treat me like that. I come with more than just this little gift. I have information you’ve been looking for.”
“Is it about Epona?”
“That’s right. She has a secret.”
“…You said ‘she.’ So Epona is a girl.”
Epona had been reported to be a boy and had entered the academy under that guise as well.
“You sound like you’ve been suspecting as much for a while,” Naoise deduced.
“Epona’s clothes disguise it, but her skeletal structure is female. Your interactions with her also gave it away. I’ve been trying to get close to Epona as a friend and equal, but you’ve been approaching Epona romantically,” I stated.
“Ha-ha-ha, so you noticed that. Love would be the easiest way to get in her good graces. All you have to do with girls like her is show a little kindness, and they’ll fall for you instantly.”
Tarte glared at Naoise after he said that. She had a pure heart and didn’t appreciate hearing that kind of thing.
“Tarte, darling, don’t look at me like that. I’m not just toying with her. Any way I can win over the hero will get me closer to my goal. If we form a real romantic relationship, I’ll stay with her until the end and love her with all my heart. I’m serious about that, even if I have an ulterior motive,” assured Naoise.
“Really?” Tarte remained dubious.
“Am I correct to assume the reason you’re sharing this with me is that your advances have proven difficult?” I probed.
“That’s exactly right. You seem to have stolen her heart with your performance earlier… My plan would still be on if I could prove to her that I can also safely fight her. Unfortunately, I am not capable of that. I don’t know how you were able to deal with her speed,” Naoise admitted.
“Trust me, it wasn’t easy,” I answered.
“In any case, that will make romance difficult for me, so I’ve decided I should get close to her as your friend. This means the closer your relationship is with her, the better. Now, for the main topic. As for why she was raised as a boy…”
I listened carefully to Naoise’s explanation. It turned out to be largely what I’d expected. There were few reasons to raise a noble-born girl as male.
“Thank you, Naoise. I think I’ll be able to use this to get even closer to her,” I stated.
“I’m glad I could be of help. All right, I’m leaving. This is probably too forward of me, but I recommend you don’t get too familiar with her.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Unlike you, I don’t plan on approaching Epona romantically.”
Keeping some amount of distance was probably the best decision. I didn’t want the hero to get overly attached.
Tarte was visibly relieved after I’d said I didn’t intend to court Epona. Not wanting to make her or Dia sad was one reason I didn’t like the idea.
“Naoise, can I ask a favor? We have tomorrow off. I have something I need to take care of and won’t be at the academy. Can you watch Epona for me?” I requested.
“You want me to keep an eye on her? Sure. I don’t feel the slightest need to keep that promise, but I’ll do it… In exchange, can I borrow Tarte for a day? I want to take her out for a date.”
“If that’s your condition for accepting the request, then no,” I responded without hesitation. I would never use Tarte that way.
“That’s disappointing. Let’s pretend I was joking. Please don’t be mad at me. I only mentioned that because I genuinely like Tarte. All right, I’ll settle for you owing me one. I’m heading out.” With that, Naoise made to leave.
“Thanks. Sorry for the imposition,” I said.
My asking Naoise to watch Epona had possibly revealed more than I would’ve liked.
Under my dad’s orders, I was cooperating with the school to deal with an assassin aiming for Epona’s life. This was possible because the duke who knew the secret of House Tuatha Dé made certain preparations for us. The academy had likely told Naoise about things as well.
“Lord Lugh, um, thank you for that… I would have gone if you told me to. But I would have hated it, so I’m very happy you refused him for me,” Tarte said shyly.
“Of course. You’re an important member of our family, Tarte.”
“…! I’ll work even harder for you from now on, my lord!”
Tarte looked at me with fire in her eyes. I felt a little awkward, so I looked away and changed the subject.
“By the way, where is Dia? I haven’t seen her since training,” I mentioned.
“She said she had something she wanted to check at the library. After practice, she changed and went straight there.”
“The library here is awe-inspiring. Okay, that’s fine. I’ll tell her later. I have a request for you, Tarte. Can you make a boxed lunch for our day off tomorrow? I’m thinking about going out for a picnic.”
“Ah, that sounds nice. I’ll make something special for us.”
The innocuous outing would help Tarte and Dia de-stress while also enabling me to test the new, deadly technique I’d been working on. I hoped to also use the picnic as a method to trap the assassin after Epona.
The site of our little getaway was a secluded spot a short distance from a major road. There, I’d be able to make as much noise as I pleased without any unwanted attention.
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