Chapter 35

[ To Inspire ]

Despite his sour mood that persisted since he departed from the arena, Kirito had been immediately worried regarding Medina's wellbeing, particularly the idea that some other nobles would take a shot at bothering her now that he was gone, or that the first girl had been enough to hurt her feelings to the point that she couldn't tolerate staying in that place any longer. In all of those situations, he felt partly responsible, if only because he had handled it poorly.

With the haze of anger having long dissipated, he wished that he could have changed the way he did things. Too late for that, though. Life was a matter of hindsight, but knowing things after they'd transpired simply didn't help with the immediate issue, only to prevent future repeats. But it was the current problem that mattered more.

The boy sighed. Having a short fuse was troublesome, although that was simply the way he was. Was it healthy? Absolutely not. Did he regret it? Certainly. He thought he'd learnt to be patient over the years. But he wasn't immune, as today had apparently taught him. And when the right buttons were pushed, particularly those related to the people around him—because he had a feeling he would be more than fine if someone insulted him, rather than a close friend of his—it seemed like his first instinct was to bark back. Talk about difficult.

'Not like I haven't kept a leash on myself. I've been able to do that for this long.'

Truly, when he and Eugeo began their swordsmanship training, he'd also made a quiet promise to himself to be better as a human being in general. Whether it was simply helping someone in need or treating others justly, Kirito wanted to be nothing less than good. To uphold the ideals that Sister Azalia had woven into him in all her years of raising him, told through stories, personal experiences and advices, all of which he took to heart.

And he'd gotten more than good at it! He'd been a relatively good role model to the younger kids in the church, had helped around the village on a daily basis, and people thought he was a nice person (more or less). That should have been it.

But today just proved that he still had a lot more growing up to do.

Insightful self-reflection over, Kirito hung his head with a tired sigh, overlooking the plains that stretched far beyond Zakkaria from a seat outside of a shop. It was a nice little thing that they'd never seen before, but which he heard had been harassed by that prick whose name he had already forgotten, and it seems like they were recovering well since his arrest.

"Hey Charlotte," he called out when she returned with their food and drinks; a serving of jammed breads and tea. "What's the name of that one guy who was making everyone's lives difficult? The one whose bodyguard—I remember his name. It was Alden, I think—that I beat?"

"Filips Yureas, you mean?"

"Yeah, that. Any news about him?"

"I'm not certain. I heard he was put under house arrest, and that his family received quite the penalty. The pontifex had personally seen to it herself, and from what I know, they're working hard to compensate all the stores for the damage caused by their successor—well, ex-successor. There's certainly no future where he would inherit his family."

Good. While he should have felt bad for someone who practically had their whole future ripped away from him, Filips had abused his power to threaten and oppress the commoners. Someone needed to kick him down a peg, and who better to do so than the pontifex?

'Well, just another reason I should get her something nice from here,' he thought to himself, though what that something nice is would be for him to decide later. 'Hey Selena, you there?'

'I am, yes. Hello.'

'Hey. Uh, is Medina okay? Anyone bothering her? Is she getting her turns at fighting other people? And how is Eugeo? Are they in any trouble?'

Selena's giggling had him pausing. 'You fret too much, Kirito. They are both fine. In fact, I am happy to say that Medina just won her third matchup.'

He perked up at that. 'Wait, really? Nice!'

'Yes. So far, her win-lose ratio is three-to-one, whereas Eugeo has a total of five wins thus far. They are making good use of the opportunity.'

Aww, they were getting so much action. He could be there too, fighting so many cool people and getting the experience. Instead, he had to make a scene and leave, if only so that the others wouldn't feel awkward.

Well, one reaps what they sow. At least he got to drag that stuck-up girl through the mud. That helped his mood a little.

His thoughts were interrupted by a bowl of what looked to be fresh, steaming buns, the aroma of cherries rich. "Uhh, did we order this?"

"No, I didn't."

"It's fine," the waiter said. "It's on the house."

"…I'm getting a sense of déjà vu here. Why are you giving us this? Not to say that we're unhappy with it, but this is random."

"Couldn't help it. Our boss recognized who you are, and insisted that we get you something nice," the man smiled kindly his way. "Take it as a little gesture of gratitude from us."

Kirito looked to Charlotte, who nodded back. In return, he quirked a brow, and she rolled her eyes in turn, apparently realizing that he was clueless as to what was going on, whereas she had known from the get-go.

"Mind explaining what's going on then?"

"Don't you remember that Filips had terrorized plenty of establishments in trying to figure out who was the one who reported him to the authorities? Considering our current situation, I would assume that your shop was yet another victim of his abuse, correct?"

"You got it in one, ma'am. Were it not for you, we would have had to deal with this stress for the rest of our lives," he nodded, smiling sadly. "Three years. We were at our limits. My coworker was begging us to relocate. Leave this town. If only to get away from Filips Yureas. Every single day he came, it was an agony that we all dreaded would be the breaking point," his eyes fell upon Kirito, his expression much happier now. "That's why I'm grateful for you, boy. For sticking out for a bunch of strangers when you had no obligation to. You saved us."

"I just couldn't stand innocent people being bullied by someone in power. And knowing that I had the ability to change things, if even slightly…" He shook his head. "Besides, it's the church that ultimately handled the matter. Now it's up to you guys to find your footing and recover."

"You got that right. But again, none of this would have happened were it not for you, so on behalf of everyone in this town; thank you. For everything."

"A-Ah. No problem…"

The waited flashed him one final smile before heading back inside the store. Kirito waited until he was gone before he dropped his face into arms on the table, groaning. He felt Charlotte stroke his head, the act helping a little.

"You needn't feel embarrassed for being thanked. You helped these people immensely, and I'm certain that Zakkaria will thrive for it."

"I know that, but it's just so weird… First with the Million-Eyed incident, and now this?" He shuddered. "I remembered how weird it was when parents showed up just to thank me and Eugeo for what we did, even when they didn't really need to. Experiencing that again is just awkward."

"It is fine to feel embarrassed by things, so long as you never forget the deeds you have done. Where arrogance burns a man, excessive humility turns into self-abjection, and is equally unhealthy. Never boast of your achievements, but remember to accept praise when given, and use that as motivation to work even harder."

Wise words delivered in a lecturing tone. It took him back to three years ago, where they sat under the Gigas Cedar and she and Fanatio would take turns imparting knowledge unto him and Eugeo, in hopes of shaping them to be strong warriors and equally good-natured individuals. It was a nostalgic feeling, and the smile came to him so easily.

Charlotte noticed it as well, and smiled back. "Yes? Did I say something funny?"

"Nothing. Just hearing you talk was just really soothing," he told her, resting his chin on his arms. "Took me on a walk down memory lane. I remembered all the lessons we had under the Gigas Cedar. It was so long."

"Three whole years," she agreed. "When you first asked us for such a thing, I wondered just how it was that I, who am not even a swords user to begin with, could possibly teach you anything. But it worked out, I suppose."

Yeah. The hand-to-hand lessons and martial arts techniques ingrained into his body were only possible through physical conditioning, the likes of which would have left him heaving for air every night, his body aflame. It was something that no eleven-year-olds should have ever been put through.

And yet, he never regretted a single moment of it. Not only because he had grown strong enough to fight for what he believed in, but that she and Fanatio had imparted upon them wisdom that he knew would carry him forwards as a more knowledgeable, more empathetic individual in life. It was meaningful.

"And you two grew up incredibly well. I'm pleased to have been a part of your growth."

"Yeah… Honestly, I don't know where I would be if me and Eugeo never met you. You've helped us so much, I don't think I'll ever live long enough to repay your kindness. You're one of the best things to have ever happened to us, and I'm so happy for that."

He'd expected smooth deflection or some speech along the lines of 'you two were good students'. That was how the cool Charlotte typically behaved, and he'd gotten extremely used to that.

Seeing her blink at him, then to see the blush overtake her face as she looked away, voice a little softer than usual, was not the reaction he expected.

"G-Goodness me. You've certainly grown to become quite the smooth talker…"

"I'm just saying the truth. Meeting you dragged us out of our slump and gave us a future. And not only that, but you also saved us and our friends. There's just no end to all the good things you've done for people who were nothing more than strangers."

She pushed some strands of hair behind her ear, looking flustered. "C-Come now. I did what anyone else would have done—"

"Nope," he said, popping the 'p'. "Ordinary people don't go the extra distance for a bunch of kids who, let's be real here, would have been incapable of giving anything in return. You did, though, and that's something special. We won't forget that for a long time."

"Even so, you needn't make such a big deal out of it!" Her whiny outburst caught him off-guard, her calm composure nowhere to be seen. "R-Really, that's enough, Kirito. I, ah, I know how grateful you are. C-Can't we just leave it at that?"

"Uhhh. Sure."

While his mentor used the opportunity to recollect herself, Kirito was more shocked by the fact that she was so embarrassed that she'd even raised her voice at him. Her! Charlotte! The coolest, calmest person in all the four kingdoms, had somehow gotten embarrassed and was blushing like a freaking tomato!

Then again, he thought, she was a human just like everyone else, so of course she'd get embarrassed. He had too, and it was a little amusing to think that he'd somehow turned the tables and directed the shame from himself towards her instead.

Somehow, seeing this side of her made him losing out on the mock tournament more than worth it. And, tearing into the bread and relishing in the jam, so did the food.

"Right there… Hrah!"
"Whoaa..!"

Her katana cleaved a seamless arc through the air, leaving behind a scarlet phantom that chased after her metal. The sword of Orthinanos struck the basic iron sword with such force that its wielder could not hope to keep ahold of her weapon, losing her grip and watching helplessly as it sailed through the air and clattered on the ground a fair distance away.

Another win in her book, and one that Medina couldn't help but grin about. Six wins to two loses. That was a net positive of four in her favour! It was way more than she'd expected, and her excitement bled through despite her attempt to school her features into a calm one.

Still, courtesy drilled into her over years of etiquette classes dictated that she sheathed her weapon and bowed before her opponent, speaking with as much respect as she could muster. "Thank you for the fight. It was such a good learning opportunity."

"Ah, all good. And it's the same for me as well," chuckled the other girl, scratching the back of her head. "This practically confirms that you three are the real deal. Shame that I couldn't try my luck against your friend."

"Hmm? You know of us?"

" 'Course we do! You guys were the ones that kicked Filips Yureas in the balls," the words had her faltering. "I mean, the entire town's heard of the news! You guys helped way too much, and watching him fight against a guy thrice his size and still win got us so excited. We really hoped you three would come for the mock tournament for a challenge, and you did!"

"Wow… I mean, I suppose what happened was a really big deal, but it's still surprising."

"Don't be. You came to our town and fixed a problem the other nobles don't give a care for doing anything about. You've more than earned our respect, so if you ever need anything, just let us know."

Having Zakkaria be so appreciative of their efforts put a smile on her face, which lasted long into the evening, when the arena was officially closed for maintenance and everyone chose to return to their homes. There were much words of gratitude exchanged, alongside wishes of luck, promises to fight again in the future, and even a request for an autograph? Medina almost fled from that, but there was no helping it in the end, signing the book of a third-ranking noble who thanked her profusely for it.

It was such a strange thing all throughout, but it wasn't bad in the slightest. And judging from the look on Eugeo's face, he shared the sentiment.

"At least no one's making like a really big deal out of this. Guess they know we'd want to keep a low profile too."

"Yeah. It'd be embarrassing if they suddenly wanted to throw a festival in our honour or something," she shuddered at the thought, the older boy chuckling. "In any case, today was great! I can't believe we got to fight against so many people. It was incredibly worthwhile to come here."

In all honesty, she expected the commotion from earlier to discourage the other attendees from participating in the fights, if only because it would have felt awkward to stay here. Plus, she had a feeling some people might not have preferred fighting her either because they hated her family, or because they felt it would have been wrong to do so.

Thankfully, her worries were put to rest when her first opponent came at her with a declaration to test himself against a wielder of a katana, which spurred the rest of the people to take to the fights with as much motivation as he had.

It was overall riveting, and not a day that she would be forgetting any time soon.

"Agreed. I feel like I have a better understanding of my strengths and weaknesses. Can't wait to get back and work on those."

"Same. Although, I suppose we'll have to shelf that for another day. We'd best get back to our rooms."

"Right… Well, after some food. I'm a little starving."

So was she, if her grumbling stomach was any indication. The two promptly departed from the arena and searched for any establishment that was still open, hoping to get something to buy and bring back to their room.

To their luck, there were plenty of places that were still open, so they bought some meat skewers and apple pies—the cook even threw in some baked potatoes as a bonus, surprising her when he told them that it was a gesture of gratitude for handling the Yureas problem. So it really was true that everyone in town knew who they were. It had been two months since the incident, but she supposed that it was still fresh on everyone's minds—before finally returning to the inn they were staying at.

They found Kirito and Charlotte in the boys' room, the two having been lazing about and chatting away before they noticed their return. "Hey, you're back!" He greeted. "How did things go?"

"Wonderfully! We got to have plenty of fights."

"Nice. I wanna' hear all about it. Buuut, is that food I see?"

Eugeo sat beside him, offering him a paper bag. "Yes, yes, here you go. Two meat skewers, an apple pie and a single baked potato."

"Damn. Trying to fatten me up?"

"Kirito, you are the last person who will ever get fat. Trust me. I don't think that's a legitimate concern for you."

"Pssh, you say that, but there's always a chance for something to happen, even if it's very unlikely. It's like, what are the odds that you trip on the same staircase every single day for an entire month? Not really," he answered before any of them could. "But it still happens either way. What does that say about one's luck?"

"I'd wager it's more of a structural design flaw rather than any luck of their own."

"That would probably be because the person has poor coordination skills to begin with."

"Maybe the floor was slippery?"

Upon listening to Eugeo's, Charlotte's and her responses, Kirito groaned out loud. "Guuuys. Stop trying to bring logic into everything. Sometimes, it's all just a flip of the coin too!"

"Nice try, but luck doesn't apply to everything," snorted his brother. "In any case, what about you and Charlotte? What did you two do while you were outside?"

"Not much. Strolled around town, checked in with the stores to see how they were doing, had a talk with the prospector of the town to get a more in-depth explanation from him," he paused to blow at his skewer, taking a bite out of the seasoned chicken before swallowing. "Mm, this tastes good! Ah, but yeah. Everything's been great. Everyone's doing way better now that Filips is out of the picture. Good riddance, I say."

"And it's very unlikely that something like this will ever repeat itself," Medina happily added. "Now that the church itself has taken acts to rectify this issue, other nobles will be dissuaded from doing anything terrible to the commoners as well. It's a big win-win no matter how you look at it."

Hopefully, that would push the nobility into taking the weight of their positions more seriously and uphold their part of the deal; that being to do what was right and help the commoners. That was the ultimate purpose of their existence, and to sully it by oppressing the weak would be nothing short of shameful. And of it was made possible only because…

Her eyes drifted towards Kirito, who had begun trading barbs with his brother, though with no obvious heat behind their words. Charlotte shook her head, though with the little smile on his face, it was obvious that she was more amused than anything else.

The girl smiled, then returned to eating. She'll make sure to thank him properly tomorrow. It was the least she could do.

25th day of the 7th Month – HEC, 375
Norlangarth – Zakkaria

The morning came like a gentle sweep, the quiet serenity helping to ease her spirits when she woke up. The warm sheets and the cold air were contrasting one another, yet it felt like the greatest thing to have happened to her.

Medina yawned into the back of her palm, settling for sitting upright for a little longer to bask in the peace. She noticed Charlotte was asleep in her own bed, tucked nicely in her sheets and looking perfect even in her sleep. It was genuinely amazing how she could pull it off.

A part of her wondered if it would be possible for her to just drop her head back on her pillow and go back to sleep—they had today off, Lady Scheta allowing them a single day to at least stay in Zakkaria just so that they wouldn't need to rush getting back home.

And while it was a good thing for them, she did wonder if they should just stay here any longer than necessary, considering all the possibilities of things going wrong if they did.

'Then again, I suppose the nobles wouldn't try anything against us. They'll be on their best behaviour, if only so that they don't draw the church's attention again.'

Humming, the little girl finally mustered the strength to draw the sheets away from her, shivering lightly at the cold air in the room. She stepped down from her bed, then made her way towards Charlotte. She fell to her knees and whispered quietly into her ear.

"I'm going to go take a bath, Charlotte."

"Mmkay…"

It was an automatic response that had her giggling a little. Medina took that as her cue to grab her towel and make for the bathroom, hoping a warm little bath would properly jolt her system awake and get her ready for the day. Whether they'd stay here or not, she might as well ask the others.

After her and Charlotte were done, they met up in the boys' room, the both of them having awoke a long time ago. Kirito in particular seemed a little tired, though he waved her concerns off when she asked him about it.

"Just a bad night's sleep, is all. I'll live with it."

"It's honestly unhealthy, you know. If only there was a way we could help…"

"Don't worry about it," he said in turn, meeting both Eugeo's and Charlotte's gazes. Neither of them looked particularly comfortable, and Medina had to wonder if there was something there that she didn't know. "Really, it's fine. I'm wide awake as can be."

And it looked like he wasn't about to open up on that particular titbit anytime soon, so she opted to change the topic. "Um, if you say so. But anyways, I was thinking; since we have today off, do you guys plan to stay here, or do we just go back to Centoria early?"

"I don't mind either one," Eugeo said. "Although, it's a little embarrassing to stay here, if only because everyone seems to know us now."

That was also a concern for her. Not like she disliked the attention. It would only be troublesome from the noble side, but the majority of the people liked them after the whole fiasco two months ago.

Again, it all just came down to it being embarrassing for them. Of course, she understood that it was just the people being nice to them and all, but she wasn't particularly used to all of that. Especially her. Not with the position her family was in.

Kirito raised his hand. "I think we could go back if it's too much trouble for everyone. It's not like we have to stay here. Plus, if we choose to stay here, we'd need to move back to Centoria at night, which means we'd be tired by the time we get back."

"Indeed, though we hadn't seen Zakkaria for some time now," Charlotte offered. "Most of our days had been spent in the confines of the cathedral, so getting some time outside of it is incredibly worthwhile, isn't it? It would be nice to do some sightseeing."

All good points, much to her dismay. On one hand, she really didn't have any good reason to stay here any longer than they had to. But on the other, she did enjoy getting away from the cathedral, if only to get some sunlight.

Not like they hadn't been out in Centoria proper, but that was usually to buy food. Even on their rest days, they would usually remain in the cathedral, the boys devoted to their training and Medina usually sticking to them because there was no way she'd be caught going outside on her lonesome. Only Charlotte would often be absent from the cathedral, busy with her duties, which she'd never told anyone about, only that they were important enough that she frequented the outside world more often than any of them.

Hmm. This was difficult. Personally, with all the points, she was now leaning a little closer on the side of remaining here in Zakkaria, but…

"Maybe… we could find some people to go fight again in the arena?"

"Would be hard to. Most people must have already gone back home by now."

"You say that, but what about the locals?" Kirito hummed at his brother's question. "I mean, there's got to be some other people around these parts who'd be willing to accept a challenge. Plus, it'd make up for… you know. For yesterday."

"Is this about getting me some fighting opportunities?" He rolled his eyes at that. "You don't need to worry about me. Personally, I'm just glad that you two got some experience."

"But you didn't, and it's not fair!" Medina pouted. "It's not right that you missed out on your chance because of what happened yesterday. You should have had your chance at getting some experience too."

"I know that, but again, I really doubt there would be anyone left to even try against."

"I suppose we won't know unless we try," Charlotte said. "What say we get some breakfast, then head to the arena? Like before, there would usually be some people training, so we might find ourselves lucky."

"…Well, if you say so," he sighed. "Alright then, let's get going. With luck, the first person won't be a massive dick to us."

As it turned out, the first person who came to them wasn't a massive… um, annoyance as Kirito put in less-than-kind words. In fact, he was the very opposite of that, being the very definition of spirited and friendly that would have made him an immediate relief to their group.

And he showed up at their table on that very morning, right as their food arrived.

"Please, will you have a match with me?!"

Kirito, mere moments from cutting into his bread, stared back in confusion. "Huh?"

"I'm really sorry for bothering you when you were just about to eat! I didn't mean to!"

"Dude, it's fine. You don't need to worry about it."

"But I—"

"No but's. Seriously. Just eat this and feel better for it."

He punctuated that by shoving a whole toast in the stranger's—well, his name was Cleo, as he later introduced himself—mouth, leaving him to munch through the buttered toast and enjoy his meal. Everyone else chuckled at the exchange, and Kirito opted to ignore them.

Okay, so their breakfast was apparently hijacked by some guy who recognized them, then ran right at their table begging for a fight. It was certainly the most random thing he's ever experienced thus far, and he would have found it annoying if it weren't for the fact that Cleo was a nice guy. Not well-fared in the personal space department, but everyone had their quirks, he supposed.

It didn't even matter to him that Cleo was apparently a noble. He wasn't snobbish at all, didn't seem to bat an eye towards Medina—and that worried him. The nobles seemed to have some kind of vendetta against her and her family, for some reason—and he was just interested in improving his strength.

He could empathize with that. He really did.

But couldn't he at least let them have their breakfast in peace?

'Ah well. He's nice enough, so inviting him for breakfast isn't too bad,' he mentally shrugged. "So Cleo, you said some of your friends will be heading to the arena soon, right? You sure they won't mind if we take a little long?"

"Hmm?" The other boy paused to swallow his food before he spoke once more. "Oh, don't worry. We all planned to be there a little earlier anyways. I'm sure everyone would be understanding."

"If you say so. We just don't want to make anyone wait for us too long," he hummed back. "Also, what brought this up? You inviting us for some matches, I mean."

"Well, some of my friends who showed up in the arena yesterday told the rest of us how you weren't available since you left after that entire issue with Lady Herenea which, good job for that by the way. She's a terrible person."

"A bitch, you mean."

"That, but I'd be tanned by my family if I ever cursed in public," both boys chuckled at that. "In any case, her family's fine, but she's a little bit of a rotten apple. Has a streak of being mean to everyone for no particular reason, though she never stooped to physical acts like Yureas did. And with him under water, even she knows not to do anything untoward."

So every terrible noble was on a leash now, if only to save face. "Good to hear."

"But yeah. When you left, a lot of people were upset. Everyone really wanted a turn going against the guy who beat Yureas's bodyguard. Just so you know, Sir Alden has been on an undefeated streak for almost a year and a half, and that came to an end when you showed up."

"Whoa, that's incredible."

"Even more incredible that you beat him!" He chirped excitedly. "That's why, it'd be an honour if you could join us in the arena later. We'd love to test our skills against you, Kirito."

"That's…" He looked to everyone else, and the smiles they sent their way were telling. Just go with it, they were telling him. Darn. "Well, sure. Only if Medina and Eugeo here get to fight too," he gestured towards them. "We've not much opportunity to really test ourselves against other people, and any opportunity would be appreciated."

"Of course! Everyone is welcome. I'm sure the others would be happy with that too."

"Kiritooo," Eugeo groaned. "This is supposed to be about you."

"Nuh-uh. It's an us-or-none thing. Deal with it."

"Urgh. Fine, if it gets you involved."

He wasn't too sure of what to feel when they headed towards the arena later on, the memories of the day prior still pretty fresh on his mind. But with Cleo reassuring them that everything was going to be fine, Kirito hoped that his words were as good as true, and that they'd be able to spend the entirety of today in relative peace.

Granted, that was also reliant on him being on his own good behaviour, which he was determined to do so. No need to make a repeat of prior incidents.

When they entered the training grounds, the arena wasn't as busy as it had been the day before. But that wasn't to say it was empty; if anything, there were still plenty of people. Young people, to be more specific. Teenagers around his age and a little older, some at the spectators' seats while a majority of them hung around the ring.

The moment they entered, Kirito could feel the shift in the air, everyone going quiet as his presence finally registered in their minds. He gulped, listening to the quiet whispers some of them exchanged, a few giggles shared and more than a fair number of admiring looks sent his way.

"Uhh. Cleo, what's going on here?"

"Well, I know I said it was just going to be me and my friends, but everyone came back in hopes of seeing you in action. Good thing you came, huh?"

"We're not in trouble or anything, right?"

"Trouble's the last thing you're in," a feminine voice caught him off-guard, his eyes shifting to the purplette approaching them. She had a bright smile in place, chasing away any prior concerns he had. "Everyone's just excited to see you fight. Didn't really get much of an opportunity to when you had to leave after the whole deal with Herenea."

Well, judging by how much muted excitement was in the air, he could definitely tell. It was strange that such excitement was aimed at him, per se, but he supposed that was what he deserved after his involvement in settling Zakkaria's problem with Filips became known.

The girl offered her hand, which he took. "Nevertheless, the name's Ray, this idiot's friend. Thanks for coming today."

"Hey! Who're you calling an idiot?"

Kirito chuckled. "Nah, I'm happy to be invited. Sorry if we were late, though. We were having breakfast."

"Ah, I see. And knowing you, Cleo, I bet you jumped on them mid-meal?" The sheepish look he gave was enough indication. The whole group sighed. "Typical Cleo… He didn't give you much trouble, did he?"

"Nah, it's all good. He's been nothing but nice."

"That so? Good to hear. We aren't troubling you with this, though, are we? We don't mind if you've got other things to do."

"Nah, we're all rearing to go. I'm especially itching for a fight," he grinned back at them. "Missed my opportunity yesterday, so you guys are a blessing for real."

"Nice. We were worried that you wouldn't have the spirit to fight after the ruckus yesterday," and then, the girl frowned. "For real, though, we're sorry about what happened. It wasn't fair for you or your friend to be ridiculed the way you were, especially after all the good you've done for our town. It's terribly unjust."

"Ehh, I figured. Can't exactly hate the whole place for the actions of the few."

His words seemed to relieve most of them, and they simply nodded back. "We appreciate that. Well then, best we get started, yeah? Less talking, more swinging."

"I get first dibs!" Cleo suddenly shouted, and the others in the arena started chucking jeers at him, all without any heat behind them.

"What? No you don't."

"He kind of does," Kirito chuckled. "I promised him first match."

"That..! Okay," she sighed. "Cleo's up first, then. Do me a favour and knock him down so hard he won't get back up."

"Hey!" Cleo cried back, pouting. "Don't be mean to me. I did nothing wrong."

"Oh, sorry, milord. This foolish peasant seemingly knows not how to treat a man as great as you. Pray forgive me."

The laughter coming from everyone in the arena told him enough that it was just a friendly exchange. It surprised him even more that Cleo's group included commoners, like Ray, and two more others. And yet, they acted similarly as he and Eugeo did with one another.

Just a sign that people could be just as good friends as any other despite the difference in classes. Nobility and commoners were just titles established to differentiate their groups, but at the end of the day, they were all human; there was no reason to antagonize with one another.

It was just a matter of a few extremely vocal people that never fails to make things worse for everyone. That was all there was to it.

Grinning to himself at the thought, Kirito took up his place in the ring, standing opposite of the noble who was favouring a simple sword just like him. He'd make use of either the Norkia style or the High-Norkia style, either of which were predictable enough that Kirito doubted he'd have any troubles of dodging if necessary.

Knowing that he belonged to a family of nobles meant a good probability that he may have a unique set of techniques only he had inherited, which would give him a decent card to pull against him in a pinch. 'Let's hope that whatever he has is already incorporated in the Aincrad-style. That way, I won't be too surprised.'

Drawing his blade, Kirito positioned himself into a firm stance, breathing out gently as he stared at his opponent. Just like usual. Nothing needed to be different. Just stick to his lessons and everything would go well.

As he gained his focus, he evaluated Cleo's stance, and he was wary right off the bta. Being a noble, there was no ignoring the fact that he'd likely have gotten professional training, which gave him a greater advantage in turn. It showed in the confidence of his stance, the relaxed yet firm grip he had on his weapon, his eyes sharp and evaluating him even before the battle started.

That last part was something Charlotte and Fanatio had drilled the importance of into his head over many days of their training. That a battle could be won as easily as within the first few seconds if he could get a good read on his opponent and figure out the quickest way to best them. And with Cleo looking to be a formidable opponent, he could feel the excitement in his bones.

"Alright. Whenever you're ready."

"Right. Let's make this a good fight!"

He nodded back at Cleo's words, and the two began to slowly circle one another, keeping their eyes on one another at all times. Shuffling feet across the stone drew forth a quiet sound surrounding him that helped ground him, with the background noises of everyone's hushed voices serving to remind him that they were being watched. And they expected something incredible.

He didn't know if he'd be able to live up to their expectations. All that mattered was giving it his all, be it this fight or a future one. He would make certain of it.

Someone moved first. The air around them shifted, and the other boy had suddenly dashed right at him, sword positioned to execute a «Heavens and Mountains Break», crimson light trailing in the air behind his metal. He was fast. Much faster than he would have given him credit, closing the distance rapidly and intending to finish the fight in a single stroke.

Kirito didn't think before he charged right back at him, positioning his sword low and willing power into his attack. Yellow light emanated. His dominant foot planted itself firmly on the ground, fixing his position and his eyes tracking the movement of his blade as he shot upwards.

«Uppercut» slashed into the downwards swing, their blades locked in a clash as they forced their will to overwhelm the other's, yellow and red hissing hotly against one another as they stared into the other's eyes.

Kirito gritted his teeth, feeling his arm slacken ever so slightly. Wielding the sword with just one hand meant he could swing faster, but the force behind «Heavens and Mountains Break» was so much stronger, ready to break through his attack and cut into him. It would be over for him.

'As if..! I'll let that happen!'

His sword gleamed brighter, and for a moment, he had to wonder if his weapon had turned hotter. Almost like a heatwave had suddenly rushed through him, stealing his breath as he pushed forwards, breaking the contact and knocking Cleo away.

The noble cried out in shock, his weapon returning to its lack of lustre as he stepped back, hoping to put some distance. Kirito didn't let him, making use of his momentum and chasing him down, «Rage Spike» closing the gap once more before turning into a «Slant» that the noble barely managed to block.

Step to the side. Stab forwards. Swing down. Unleash a «Sharp Nail»—convert that into a «Slant» to avoid getting caught overextended. Step into his guard and smash through his attack. «Horizontal» worked best. Chain it into a «Vertical Arc» to break his defenses once more.

There was no pause in his motion, his style aggressive as it had ever been. After all, why change something that clearly worked? Against every opponent thus far, his sheer ruthlessness always did catch them off-guard and left them with little room to work with. He leaned in heavily in that angle even now, delivering his «Vertical» like a brutal swing, following it up with a «Sharp Nail» that Cleo was forced to tank with decisiveness.

When he finally found his footing, fighting back, Kirito punished his attempts with a «Snake Bite», parrying each blow as he did. Cleo attempted to follow-up with a forwards stab, which he deflected with a change in his blade's angle, and that opened him up to even more attacks.

His eyes moved just as his body did, tracking every single movement. Every exaggerated motion and finer details, figuring out the trajectory of his next attack, his next footstep, his next angle—the fruits of his training were undeniable. Just as his body was honed, so too was his mind polished, and never was there a battle without thorough analysis of his opponent on the fly. It let him plan his next action, and he revelled at the rush of the fight.

His advance halted. It was a tiny shift in footwork, and he watched as the other boy's expression turned into shock as he failed to connect his attack, leaving him overextended. He'd managed to quickly to lean away from the incoming thrust, but Kirito bore down upon him with a «Vertical Arc» right after, striking twice at his guard and leaving him struggling.

'It's over.'

Gentle blue light materialized. Kirito's «Slant» darted out faster than it ever had, streaking across the air and slashing at the hilt of the noble's sword. It was such a miniscule area of impact, yet the targeted site was more than enough to dislodge the weapon from his grip, sending it flying away in multiple spins before it clattered on the ground a fair distance away.

"The match has ended!" Someone shouted. "Kirito takes the fight!"

It was a rush of applause that they received, cheering and whistles that caught him so off-guard that he was finally broken out of his focus, staring around dumbly. Not a person in sight seemed even remotely peeved at his existence. Uncertain, he waved back timidly, if only because it felt like it was the right thing to do.

A sigh from his side drew his gaze to Cleo, who hung his head in disappointment. "Well, they weren't kidding when they said you were as wild as a charging boar."

"I'll, uh, take that as a compliment," Kirito was still a little surprised, but he supposed everyone was just being nice. He shook it off, walking over to him and patting him on the shoulder. "That was a really good fight. I could tell from the start that you knew your stuff, though it seemed like you weren't entirely sure how to fight back the moment I started getting all up in your face."

"I'm pretty sure no one would be able to if their opponent rushed at them every single second. How are you not even breathless?"

"I've had a much more strenuous job before this," the Gigas Cedar will not be missed. "I was a tree-cutter before I switched my «Sacred Task» to swordsman."

"Wait, you were a logger?"

"Not necessarily. My job was to cut the Gigas Cedar down with Eugeo."

His expression, initially of disbelief, turned into shock. "Wait a second! You cut the Gigas Cedar down?! That's incredible!"

"You know about it?"

"Of course! Hell, it was the biggest piece of news three years ago! Practically everyone and their neighbour in the entirety of Norlangarth was talking about it!" Huh. Well, looking back, that was a pretty massive news. What was thought to be an impossible undertaking, finally settled after centuries? "And to think that you're so good as a swordsman now…" He giggled a little. "That's just great! I feel like I can relate to you in that sense."

"Huh? How so?"

"It's 'cuz my current job is actually as a gardener," the genuine response had him gawking, which Cleo laughed at. "Crazy, right? And this isn't changing my job or anything. I'm still devoted to my original job, and I daresay I love gardening as much as my mom does."

"And you still picked up swordsmanship."

"Mmhm. I begged my father to teach me a little bit about the sword, if only for self-defense. Better I know how to protect myself than to cry and do nothing, right?"

"I… suppose that's a good thing. What inspired you to pick up the sword, though?"

"You did," that was just as unexpected of a response as the first. "I mean, seeing you fight someone whom everyone thought was the single most strongest person in town… it was an eye-opener. And I suppose, it helps me feel a little better. No offense, but you look… um, weak? Tiny?"

Kirito sighed. "Fair points."

"But you went up against someone so much bigger than you, so much more dangerous… and you actually won. It's genuinely amazing," the smile that came to him was genuine, filled with nothing but admiration. "A lot of young people who've always felt weak were inspired by you. And I think, moving forwards, we'll all have hope that maybe, we can all be something more."

There was no words to describe just how flattered he was by the noble's words. Someone like him, being a role model to other people just felt… impossible. Like a kind of joke someone would have made with the sole intention of teasing him.

After all, what was he? An orphan with no past; a stupid, foulmouthed person who lost his temper at the drop of a hat; a murderer. He was so many things, and he didn't think he deserved anyone's respect.

But he'd tried. He'd done his best to be good for the kids in the church. And to know that he's given such courage to so many people beyond the walls of Rulid was something he would carry to the grave with pride.

"Thank you," he said. "It means a lot to me," and he meant it. It was so incredibly flattering. "But man. To think you've practised for only a couple of months and you're this good. Maybe you've got a future in it after all."

"Hah, nah. It's just that my father's a slave driver and really pushed me to the brink. It was all ablur to me," he shuddered. "Hopefully he'll take it a little easier on me after this. But enough about me!" He patted him on the side of his arm. "I shouldn't hold you back for much longer. You've got a long queue of interested challengers."

The cacophony of 'That's right!' and 'It's my turn next!' filled the air, even some of the spectators showcasing interest in coming down for a chance at him. He laughed through it all, finding himself just a little lighter than he had been in years.

"Hah! I'd be happy to. Come on, let's do this!"

At least for a little longer, he could be happy with himself.