The high-level combat training ground we used was an enormous facility, but it wasn't a place that granted access to just anyone.
Within the area we had chosen to use, only the two of us had clearance due to secrecy and security measures. Of course, the facility was equipped with amenities such as showers.
Once we came here, we'd be so exhausted, as if we had gone on a scouting mission, so we'd shower before leaving. That's why we always brought extra clothes, not just one set, but several.
Having arrived early after breakfast, it was only around noon.
It was time to eat lunch, but since we'd be training after eating, we planned to spend the whole day here, engaged in combat training.
However.
"Let's call it a day."
I had finished showering first and returned to the waiting room when Ellen came back and said that.
She didn't seem upset. Her lips weren't protruding, after all.
Would she really not train tomorrow if she insisted on not training today?
Unknowingly, my words seemed to have made Ellen think of something she had never considered before.
It was as if, for the first time in a year, she thought that she too might be smelling my sweat, just as I had been smelling hers in our countless clashes.
She might have thought that since I never said anything, it didn't bother me. But in reality, I might have been sick of smelling it all this time, and that's what she seemed to be thinking.
Ellen stared at her white toes in silence, wearing her slippers, not saying a word about what was on her mind.
"No... Hey..."
"..."
"I just meant... like the smell of sweat..."
"Don't..."
Ellen's voice was trembling.
"Ah, don't say anything... Just don't say anything..."
Her head hung low, and Ellen's cheeks were flushed a bright red.
With one careless slip of the tongue, I had shattered Ellen's mental state.
I had forgotten, but in the end, Ellen was only eighteen years old.
At that age, she would be sensitive to such things...
Ellen's composure had been broken by a single mention of the smell of sweat.
What's worse, Ellen couldn't even blame me because she had brought it up first.
Somehow.
We didn't fight for any other reason, but would we really not be able to practice swordsmanship together from now on just because of the smell of sweat?
I really didn't mind, you know? It wasn't a situation where I could care about such things.
But in this situation, anything I said would be disastrous.
Me - I'm sorry for saying that.
Ellen - So you're saying it did smell?
Apologizing would lead to a bad conclusion.
Me - I said it didn't smell, okay?
Ellen - Then why did you say that earlier? It must have smelled after all. You're only saying that because you're sorry. So it did smell, right?
A very high possibility of the same outcome.
Me - Yes, there was a smell of sweat. But isn't it natural for sweat to smell when you're sweating?
Without even considering her response, I realized that this was the worst thing to say.
In the end, the situation was such that it would inevitably shock Ellen's mental state, no matter what was said.
And so, I sat there, unable to do anything, while Ellen seemed on the verge of humiliation, her head bowed.
Oh, our calm and collected Ellen.
In the past, she would have said something like, "When this kind of thing happens, I'd be sweating, and it would smell of sweat."
But she had become a young lady.
And now, she fidgeted with her toes, not knowing what to do.
How adorable.
As cute as it was, I couldn't leave her like this, her mental state turning to dust.
And as I thought that, a sense of guilt surged up like a backlash.
I had to tell her.
Now, I had to tell her.
But my lips wouldn't part.
"Reinhardt."
Ellen called me, fiddling with her toes.
"Uh... Yeah."
"Lately, you've been acting strange."
It seemed that Ellen wanted to stop at that, perhaps because she sensed something. She carefully turned her head towards me.
"Is something wrong?"
There was no way Ellen wouldn't notice my trembling sword tip.
So she must have been holding back until now, asking me finally.
I had to tell her.
"..."
But in the end, I couldn't say anything.
I didn't know how to broach the subject.
Ellen stared at me silently, then approached and gently embraced my neck. The scent of her hair and nape tickled my nostrils.
"It's natural to be anxious."
Perhaps she thought that I was tense because the showdown with the Demon King was approaching, and the intensity of our training was increasing.
With my neck embraced by Ellen, she whispered into my ear.
"It'll be alright."
Everything will be fine.
No matter what, everything.
It'll all work out, she whispered incessantly into my ear.
The more Ellen did so, the more the lump of guilt in my heart grew exponentially.
If I kept listening to Ellen's tiny whispers, I felt as if I would lose my sanity.
So, I gently grasped Ellen's arm, which was embracing me, and released it.
"Hey."
"...Yeah?"
"Let's just have some fun."
"...?"
Yes.
I'm exhausted.
"We've been running ourselves ragged lately. If we're going to take a break, let's just go out and have some fun."
Let's take a little break.
We've been running so hard, without even a moment's rest, that our minds are cluttered, and the things we need to say keep getting pushed back.
Let's cool our heads a bit.
And then, let's talk.
Upon hearing that, Ellen glanced down, then gave a slight nod.
"...Okay."
Somehow, her tone sounded a bit lighter.
—---
We could go to Temple Main Street, but today is Saturday.
Therefore, tomorrow is Sunday, and there's plenty of time to play.
"Let's invite the others too."
Ellen suggested that it would be nice to have the others join us if we were going to have fun. It was unexpected, as I thought she would want it to be just the two of us.
I did plan on having an important conversation.
There was no particular need for the two of them to go out and have fun. After all, the story would become known to everyone eventually.
Adelia was at the Magic Research Society, and it seemed that Liana and Cliffman were busy with physical training.
Liana, who used to drop everything and rush to have fun, refused to play on the weekends, and Ellen and I couldn't help but find it somewhat regrettable.
"Going out to have fun?"
"Yeah."
"Where to?"
"I don't know yet."
Harriet, who had been considering going to the Royal Magic Department, seemed slightly hesitant but decided to join us.
Harriet, Ellen, and myself.
The three of us ended up leaving the temple together.
In the original work, Ellen was a nerd who only wielded a sword in the training grounds, and not much has changed even now.
Harriet was a nerd in the original work as well, albeit a rude one. Now, she is still a nerd but somewhat cute.
And then, I couldn't help but lose my composure as I realized another fact.
"…What are you thinking about?"
Ellen tilted her head when she noticed my strange expression.
"I just realized something quite surprising."
"Yeah?"
"Maybe I'm actually an incredible nerd?"
"…?"
"Wow."
Very shocking and surprising...
If I think about it, I am a nerd.
I get up early every morning to train, and if there are no special plans on weekends, I am devoted to honing my major in swordsmanship, locked in the training grounds with Ellen.
Although most of the things I do are considered ruffian-like, in reality, I am quite an outstanding nerd among nerds. Even considering not only my studies but also my achievements in my major, it would be appropriate to call me the second-ranking student in the second year of the temple, right after Ellen.
At my sudden nerd appeal, Ellen and Harriet looked at me with slightly open mouths.
"…Well, you're not wrong."
"Right. I don't want to admit it, but it's true…"
Upon further reflection, they both seemed even more shocked because it wasn't a wrong statement.
Reinhardt is an exemplary student.
A ruffian exemplary student.
Anyway, Ellen is a nerd, Harriet is a nerd, and I am a nerd.
So, none of us have ever really had fun before, and now that we're supposed to, we have no idea what to do.
We did leave the temple without a plan.
We have no idea where to go. We agreed to have fun, but what should we do to enjoy ourselves?
The only thing that comes to mind when I think about what to do with these two is eating. Of course, it would mainly revolve around Ellen.
"I want to go to the sea."
Ellen said something that neither Harriet nor I had anticipated.
The sea.
"The sea? Isn't it incredibly far?"
There is no beach near the Gladius Empire.
"What's the big deal? We can go."
"How? If it's by gate, there's a queue…"
"I am a great person, and I have this."
Harriet widened her eyes when she saw the royal crest I brought.
"How did you… Oh… I see…"
She seemed to realize that I was the owner of the Alsebringer and understood the circumstances under which I obtained it.
And then, her gaze naturally shifted.
"What about Ellen?"
"Yes."
Ellen pulled out the royal crest from her bosom and showed it to Harriet. Harriet stared blankly at the two royal crests before her eyes.
"Wow... So now I'm supposed to..."
"Technically, I'm of higher status than you. How does it feel, Your Highness? How does it feel to be in the presence of someone with a status equivalent to royalty?"
"Y-you! You shouldn't say such things! You scoundrel!"
Smack!
"Hey! How dare you touch someone with a status equivalent to royalty? Huh? Do you want to be arrested for blasphemy?"
"W-wow... Really. This piece of trash... This trash..."
Harriet's face turned red, trembling with anger as she saw how easily the noble status was used against her.
Anyway, we can go anywhere there's a warp gate.
It's still a bit too cold to go into the ocean. Once Harriet calmed down from her shock and horror, I looked at Ellen.
"Do you just want to see the ocean or do you want to go to a beach where swimming is possible?"
"It would be nice if we could swim."
Then we should go to a tropical region. It's not impossible. Since it's Saturday, it won't matter if we go and stay for a day.
Warp gate system.
In this aspect alone, it's much better than where I used to live.
A beach where swimming is possible.
As I thought, a place came to mind.
"Hey, how about we go somewhere near where we did the uninhabited island mission before?"
"Yeah, yeah."
"Wow! That's right?!"
Seeing Ellen and Harriet's excited expressions, they both seemed to agree strongly.
"It must have been Kamsencha Archipelago."
"That's right. I think so."
Harriet and I had completely forgotten, but Ellen remembered the place name accurately.
—---
Imperial territory, Kamsencha Archipelago.
It was the location of the uninhabited island group mission, but we didn't know much about the specific location of Kamsencha Archipelago since we had been teleported there by a mage after going through the warp gates.
Ellen and I flashed the royal crest as we passed through the warp gates.
Seeing the instant free pass granted by the royal crest, Harriet seemed impressed.
"No security checks at all."
"Of course."
When using the warp gate, one is supposed to describe the destination, verify their identity, and state the purpose of travel, but none of that happened. Not just for Ellen and me, but for Harriet as well.
As we went through the large warp gates, only the warp gate leading to Kamsencha Island was left. The guards froze upon seeing the royal crest.
"You wish to go to Kamsencha Island? Yes! We will connect you right away!"
It seemed as if it was their first time seeing someone with a royal crest in a provincial city, as the guards were visibly flustered.
And so, we were able to travel to Kamsencha Island in the Kamsencha Archipelago almost in one breath.
As soon as we arrived on Kamsencha Island, the sweltering air and humid weather instantly brought back memories of last year's uninhabited island mission.
The gate we had just passed through was hot, but this place was the real deal.
"...Is it just me, or do I slightly regret coming here as soon as we arrived?"
"...Me too."
"..."
It was only natural.
In humid areas, sweating was inevitable. Harriet began fanning herself with a hand fan as soon as we arrived.
Ellen glanced at her own neck with a puzzled expression and then looked at me.
"Let's go back."
Seriously?
I'd rather die.
"I've never once thought that you smelled of sweat. Even if you did, I would've thought it was okay, but I've never thought it was bad."
"...?"
"...Sweat smell? What are you talking about?"
Unable to hold back, my blunt words left Ellen with a slightly puzzled expression.
Harriet seemed to have no idea what I was talking about.
No...
Even though I said this because I was worried about her mental state...
That was such a perverted remark, right?
Ellen pondered for a moment and then cocked her head.
"...Do you like the smell of my sweat? Why?"
How could anyone like such a smell? Why do you like it?
Do you like me so much that you even like the smell of my sweat?
Although she probably didn't mean it that way, when she looked at me with that expression, it made me think that way!
We spend the whole day together, and you even want to attend classes together? It feels similar to that time!
"Please, let's stop saying things that sound crazy to each other."
"...Why crazy?"
"Ah, this kind of thing is driving me nuts. Stop it."
"Okay."
"Sweat smell...? Do you like that kind of thing?"
Harriet asked with a slightly disgusted tone.
"No! That's not what I meant!"
"Then what is it?"
As I tried to explain to Harriet, Ellen grabbed my sleeve and shook her head violently.
It felt like she would kill me if I said anything.
"Let's just go."
However, we didn't know much about Kamsencha Island. The uninhabited island we had been on for our mission was one of the countless islands scattered near Kamsencha Island, and we had no idea where it was.
On the other hand, Kamsencha Island was, of course, inhabited, and though it was not as large as a major city, there were ordinary people and shops everywhere.
The weather was still chilly in the early spring of the Empire, and we had never considered that we would arrive on Kamsencha Island, thousands of kilometers away from the Empire's mainland, before leaving the temple.
So, we were dressed in everyday clothes and cloaks, which did not match the tropical climate at all.
"Should we use magic?"
Harriet could have cast a spell similar to the chilling touch spell that Eleris had cast on us in Darkland last time.
"Oh, dear, you must have come from a cold place. You'll be cooked alive if you walk around dressed like that. Why don't you buy some clothes?"
Even the street vendors were telling us to buy new clothes.
"Magic is fine, but let's buy clothes in the first place."
"Okay."
The humid weather made it feel as if we were trapped in a steamer, so we naturally found ourselves heading to a clothing store.
—---
Ellen donned a white, airy dress, a round straw hat, and lightweight sandals.
Harriet wore an oversized t-shirt with short shorts and slippers, giving off a somewhat bottomless fashion vibe.
I opted for slippers, shorts, and a shirt resembling an aloha shirt.
Since we might go swimming, it was a good idea to buy swimsuits as well.
"Much better."
"Definitely."
"I can cast magic if needed."
Our little outing in front of the house had turned into a full-fledged trip, but anywhere the warp gate took us was practically our front yard anyway.
Ellen's arms and legs, clad in a white dress and straw hat, were so pale and slender that they seemed to reflect light, appearing dazzling. Harriet, with her hair down, looked refreshingly different.
The beach soon appeared, and Ellen enjoyed a coconut from a street vendor. Perhaps it brought back memories.
"...It's bitter."
"Really? I thought it tasted good..."
Harriet also took a sip of Ellen's coconut and made a similarly sour face.
"Yeah... it's bitter."
Seeing the two of them bicker over a coconut was quite entertaining. Ellen continued to carry the coconut, not one to waste food.
As I gazed at them quietly, they both turned and addressed me.
"What are you doing?"
"Come on, the sun is strong."
"Ah, yeah. Right."
Having changed into more suitable clothes for the weather, it was time to get moving in earnest.
"I'm hungry."
"Me too."
Having skipped lunch after our morning training, we were genuinely hungry. Harriet seemed to have missed lunch as well. From the way they both pursed their lips in thought, they seemed to crave something specific.
I wanted to go to the sea.
Then, I remembered the group mission on the deserted island, which brought us to Kamsencha Archipelago.
There could only be one thing these two might want to eat right now.
"Want some lobster?"
"Uh-huh."
"Yes!"
Both of them strongly affirmed my suggestion.
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