Even before the rooster began to crow, Wynn was already awake.
Ever since he made the oath when he was five, he would always wake up at this time, without exception.
Looking around the small room, he saw Locke on the other bed still snoring.
Carefully as to not wake Locke up, he changed into training clothes, grabbed his practice sword, and then left the room.
Outside the dorm, the spring dawn wind was very chilly.
Byuu,Byuu. Only the sound of the sword cutting through the air could be heard in the tranquil morning.
Wynn would repeat this scene every day.
― ― No.
Something wasn’t the same. [1]
He stopped his swings to adjust his breaths, closing his eyes in concentration.
His head was filled with thoughts of his now-strong close friend Leti.
He could see her figure clearly in his mind.
During yesterday’s entrance ceremony…
The noisy cathedral immediately became silent.
Only the sounds of breathing, and slight movements could be heard, and in that silence, a lone girl walked to the middle.
Their backs straightened as her wasteless steps exuded a cold atmosphere.
The girl’s figure attracted attention of not only the students and the teachers, but also the knight leader, temple officials, and invited nobles.
At that moment, unexpectedly, her body was bathed in light — Everybody saw that mirage.
An unbelievable presence.
The sight of the girl made everyone left everyone breathless. However…
Suddenly, her frigid appearance turned into a gentle smile.
As if time had once again unfrozen, the atmosphere became relaxed again, and all around, sighs of relief could be heard.
“How are you everyone? I am the freshman representative Leticia.”
Leticia spoke.
The sound of people settling down was heard in the cathedral.
“I was chosen as the representative, but I will be studying with everybody to become a knight. That said, I do have a lot of battle experience. I hope to share that experience with you all.”
Closing her eyes, she slowly put her right hand to her chest.
“Even though the Demon Lord has been defeated, there are still many threats in the world. As knights, you must protect the people around you. Together, we shall learn. Together, we shall work. Then, someday, together, we shall fight.”
She bowed slowly.
As Leticia slowly straightened her body, the people in the cathedral saw a smile blossoming on her face.
The person standing on the stage during yesterday’s entrance ceremony was his close friend Leti.
In merely four years, to think that in those four years, she would change that much.
Shaking his head while exhaling, he renewed his concentration.
Until then, his image of Leticia was the one from four years ago. Now, he was able to imagine Leticia’s distinct figure preparing her sword.
Therefore, after reconciling the difference, he was able to swing it properly.
The sight of Wynn practicing each day returned to normal.
However, the scene was slightly different today. [4]
At a glance, it seemed like there weren’t any differences.
Somebody was hidden in a building, looking at the boy two years older than her, who was solely swinging his sword.
It was a scene that Leticia had once watched every day.
Before then, it was always the same scene being repeated.
Every day, the tutor would compare her to her older sisters.
For better or for worse, her docile sisters would comply with the tutor’s orders, and learned to etiquette and behaviour befitting of a noble lady, while Leticia only remembered bad memories of being scolded for being unable to memorize the alphabet.
“You can’t even do these things. Your elder sisters were able to this at your age, you know?”
“Why are your movements so unrefined? There isn’t a shred of elegance in them.”
Her parents would receive the tutor’s reports, which contained only praise for the two obedient sisters.
One morning, Leticia woke up, slipped out of her room, and exited the gloomy mansion.
Without being able to do anything well, she was scolded every day.
Even the attendants’ scornfully gazed at her.
Even though they did it while they thought she wasn’t looking, the extraordinarily perceptive girl endured those gazes without snapping.
And so, she ran.
She wholeheartedly ran away from the gloomy estate. [5]
The young gate guard would yawn with a “Fuaa…” sound.
In that interval, Leticia slipped under the bars, and successfully exit through the gate.
It was Leticia’s first time outside of the estate alone.
She had merely wanted to run away from the detestable lessons.
Even then, Leticia ran in the cold morning of the capital.
To the six-year-old Leticia, it was a great adventure.
Even if it was only exploring the straight main street.
She walked down the street while the city was still asleep.
Despite the great adventure that was exciting at the start, the girl started to feel lonely in the silent streets.
It was as if she were the only one in the world.
It was scary.
However, she didn’t become agitated.
Feeling these lonely feelings, and nobody beside her, her excitement slowly dwindled with each step. [6]
At that time….
A lone boy appeared in the down-hearted Leticia’s view.
Was he practicing swordsmanship?
Compared to her elder brother who was learning swordplay, his movements were unrefined. However, his movements still captivated Leticia.
Despite the shoddy movements, it was full of vigor and enthusiasm.
His eyes shone with the light of determination as he swung the stick while gritting his teeth.
The young girl sensed this atmosphere.
The boy noticed her stare and looked at her.
Without thinking, her curiosity outweighing hesitance, she gathered her courage and approached.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m training.”
“Is that interesting?”
“I don’t know whether or not it’s interesting, but it’s pleasant.”
“May Leti do it too?”
The boy agreed, and Leticia picked up a fallen stick, and swung it beside the boy.
Although he was swinging his stick, he would sometimes observe Leticia.
Worry and bewilderment mixed in her face.
Leticia had never enjoyed other people’s attention.
After the training, when Leticia finally said “Good morning” to the boy, and timidly asked if she could join him tomorrow, the boy nodded with a bewildered expression.
With the merry feeling overshadowing the fact that she had run away from home, even when she returned to receive a strict scolding from her parents and the tutor, the feeling did not fade.
Because she had found a place where she belonged.
From then on, she would meet the boy every day.
After a while, her parents no longer paid attention to her escapades.
For Leticia, this was convenient.
That boy, Wynn, would always train alongside Leti.
Even when practicing with the bokken, despite being able to handle Leticia’s strikes, he never injured her, but rather slowly instructed her.
To Leticia, who only received the tutor’s harsh words, it made her extremely happy. [7]
When the tutor assigned her a book, she take it from the mansion to Wynn, who would happily read it, working through its contents together.
Instead of the tutor’s method of forcing the information into her, she understood it when they thought through it together.
In the year that she spent with Wynn, she felt herself grow and mature.
Even after the tutor had the attitude of having given up on her, she still learned magic and swordplay from him.
He had already given up on her abilities.
Therefore, they were unable to recognize her true ability.
Until that fateful day, when the oracle announced Leticia to be the “Brave”.
Wynn silently swung his sword.
Leticia silently held her hand to her chest and closed her eyes.
During her journey, when many painful things occurred, if she thought of Wynn, she become energized.
When those painful things occurred, it was because she would borrow his unyielding determination and believed, that she could persevere.
‘The one who guided me was you. Because I wanted to meet you, I became not just the Brave, but a determined person.
Leticia could clearly see Wynn swinging his sword.
Her current ability was far from the her in the image.
However…
She unconcealed her presence.
Drawing her practice sword, she suddenly jumped out of the shadows.
“Onii-chan!”
“Na,,, Le- Leti!?”
Striking at Wynn with overwhelming pressure, she covered the ground between them instantly.
‘This is my true power now.’
Leticia was now standing beside the boy she had wanted to stand beside for so long. [8]
‘Surely it was because of you, that I was able to believe and struggle on up to this point.’
AN: After four years, the two finally cross swords.
Next time on YnO: Wynn VS Leticia, desu. Little by little, the story begins to move.