strictlysupreme Chapter 382 [Illustration]
Chapter 382 [Illustration]
Chapter 382 [Illustration]
The training with Tana was extensive, and continued until after sunset.
Tana sparred one-on-one with Ellen, one-on-one with me, and we even ran scenarios where both of us worked together against her.
Ellen and I faced Tana, wielding Lament and Tiamata respectively. Naturally, we couldn’t even come close to matching her.@@@@
It would have been difficult enough if Tana were at the level of a Swordmaster, but she surpassed even that. Even Lament’s blade managed to reach Tana, it was simply repelled by the recoil.
The training went on and on until we were both utterly exhausted.
“That’s enough for today. Go back and rest. We’ll meet here at the same time tomorrow,” Tana said, seemingly determined to oversee our training unless something urgent came up.
Ellen and I were so exhausted that we had to head to the infirmary to recover. The sun had long set, and it was past our usual bedtime.
This training was in preparation for potential battles against much stronger opponents.
Ellen looked serious. Was she thinking about the possibility of fighting demons that were difficult to handle?
“I’m hungry,” she said, looking at me intently.
“...”
She was just thinking about food.
“Alright, let’s eat something.”
Our days were usually packed with physical activity, but our training that day had been more about taking hits than exercising.
‘Let’s eat something hearty and get some rest. We’ll probably get beaten up again tomorrow.’
***
Ellen and I grilled four large beef sirloins to eat. Not exactly the kind of food to eat late at night, but then again, nothing we regularly made and ate at night was suitable for nighttime consumption.
Om nom nom nom.
Ellen usually ate a lot, but when she was hungry, she really ate a lot. She ate a lot, but not greedily. She kept chewing, her small mouth working at a constant tempo, from start to finish.
This routine had been going on for quite some time—spending the day sparring with Ellen and then making something to eat at night...
There were days we skipped this, but Ellen and I eating something substantial before going to bed had to be the most frequent occurrence at the Temple.
“I’ve been thinking, maybe our real talent is not getting acid reflux despite eating like this at night and then going straight to bed.”
‘Eating something every night before bed without suffering any stomach issues must be a talent, and since I always eat with her, I must have it too, right?’
Ellen and I might not be the strongest in the world in terms of skill, but when it came to our stomachs, we might be the strongest.
“...?”
‘Judging by her clueless expression, she probably won’t ever have any digestive issues in her life.’
In the end, I ate one steak, while Ellen devoured three.
“Want more?” I asked.
“No, I’m good.” Ellen shook her head, indicating she was satisfied.
Seeing her refuse food was a rare sight. Well, she hadn’t really refused; she’d already eaten three steaks, after all. Thinking that this was her version of refusing food made me realize how accustomed I’d become to Ellen’s eating habits, which was a bit surprising.
“Let’s get some rest then. Despite having physically recovered, it feels like the psychological pain won’t go away.”
Ellen had gotten beaten up pretty badly, and so had I. But Ellen always managed to make some last-minute move to minimize the amount of pain she would suffer when she knew that she was going to get hit, something I couldn’t do.
My Qi Sense let me sense the danger and see the path of each attack, but I just couldn’t react to it.
The physical pain had subsided, but I was mentally exhausted and badly wanted to rest.
“Hey,” Ellen said quietly as I was about to get up.
“What is it?”
“I’ve been thinking... I might be able to handle a Master.”
Her sudden statement left me speechless.
“Huh? Really?”
“Yeah, come with me.”
Ellen got up and led me to the training grounds.
***
“... This?”
“Yeah.”
She offered it to me so casually that, for a moment, I couldn’t understand what Ellen was doing.
‘You’re giving this to me? Why? Why to me?’
Ellen smiled softly. “You need it more than I do.”
She was giving up one of the two conditions that gave her powers akin to a Swordmaster without hesitation, merely saying that I needed it more.
She probably meant that, since I was weaker, I needed it more.
In reality, I did need it more. Many people were going to turn against me, and to protect myself against them, I needed a shield more than a weapon.
The Sun God’s Cloak would undoubtedly serve as that shield. I had to accept it. As Ellen said, this was something I truly needed. There was no way Ellen could know, but with this, I could overcome many crises.
Ellen was smiling. She seemed genuinely happy to be able to give me something. Without explaining anything, without saying anything, she was always willing to give. She was happy just to give.
I needed to accept it. Even if it might look a bit awkward, accepting it was the best choice.
“No.”
“...?”
“How can I accept this?”
I pushed the cloak back towards Ellen.
“This is something your parents gave you out of concern.”
I couldn’t accept something like that. I knew Ellen had her own struggles. Giving me something that her parents had given her out of concern for her safety would mean disregarding their concerns.
Yet, she had decided to give it to me, hoping to keep me safe. And I had refused it.
“...”
Ellen had to know that it wasn’t an easy decision for me. She lowered her eyes and dismissed Lapelt.
“Still, thank you.”
I hugged Ellen, who seemed a little crestfallen. She seemed surprised for a moment, then hugged me back.
It was something I needed, but I wasn’t going to accept it. I couldn’t receive any more than this.
“I’m serious,” I reassured her.
Even to me, my voice sounded shaky. I hoped she understood the sincerity behind my refusal.
Would she have the faintest idea what I was giving up by not accepting it?
“I know. Thank you,” Ellen whispered softly as if she understood, all while holding me tightly.
[Special Achievement Unlocked – Turning Point in History ‘Ellen Artorius’]
[The future has changed significantly.]
[You have gained 1000 achievement points.]
‘What’s this? The future has changed?’
Not accepting Lapelt had somehow altered the future.
I hugged Ellen a little more tightly. I gently stroked her head, and she trembled slightly in my arms.
I couldn’t quite grasp how it had changed, but two possibilities came to mind.
Not accepting Lapelt might lead to my death.
Or, not accepting Lapelt might mean that I would survive a situation in which I should have died.
“Hey,” I said softly to Ellen.
“... Yeah?”
“You know I like you a lot, right?”
Ellen flinched noticeably, and she quietly buried her face in my chest.
“Yeah,” Ellen added in a trembling voice. “I... I like you a lot too.”
We stayed there, holding each other quietly for a long time.